William Hayley
William Hayley (1745-1820) was an English poet and biographer, known for his contributions to literature and his complex personal life. Born in Chichester, Hayley faced a challenging childhood after contracting infantile paralysis, which left him with a lasting disability. This experience fostered his sensitivity and led him to develop a passion for reading and writing. He briefly attended Cambridge University but left without graduating. Throughout his life, Hayley navigated tumultuous relationships, including two marriages and an illegitimate child, while dealing with the impact of his first wife's mental illness.
Hayley gained recognition for his poetry, including works like "The Triumphs of Temper," and he authored several biographies, such as "The Life of Milton" and "The Life and Posthumous Writings of William Cowper." Notably, he had a close relationship with the poet William Cowper and also patronized William Blake, who illustrated Hayley's works. Despite being offered the title of poet laureate, Hayley declined. In his later years, he lived in seclusion in Felpham, Sussex, where he focused on his writing until his death. Hayley's literary legacy reflects both his achievements and the personal trials he faced throughout his life.
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Subject Terms
William Hayley
Writer
- Born: October 29, 1745
- Birthplace: Chichester, Sussex (now in West Sussex), England
- Died: November 12, 1820
- Place of death: Felpham, England
Biography
William Hayley was born October 29, 1745, in Chichester, England, where his grandfather had once been dean of the cathedral. William was the second son of Thomas Hayley and Mary Yeats. While in school at Kingston-upon-Thames, Hayley contracted infantile paralysis that made him lame. This was a particularly long illness, and during that time Hayley developed a fondness for reading; he immediately decided that was going to become a writer. In 1757, Hayley went on to attend Eaton where lameness made him a target for ridicule by his classmates. This experience made Hayley a sensitive and kind man. At the age of eighteen, Hayley enrolled in Cambridge University; after four years he left without graduating.
Hayley was briefly engaged to Frances Page, but the relationship did not last. When that engagement ended, he turned to his guardian’s daughter, Eliza. Hayley’s mother was concerned for her son because Eliza could inherit her mother’s insanity; however, he was not worried and decided to marry Eliza regardless. In 1769, they were married, and by 1789, Hayley filed for a separation because of his wife’s insanity. During his marriage to Eliza, Hayley had an illegitimate son with another woman, whom Eliza recognized as her own. Hayley would marry again, though, in 1809 at the age of sixty-five to Mary Welford, but would separate from her three years later.
In 1792, Hayley began working on a biography, The Life of Milton. Through this project, he met and developed a close relationship with William Cowper. After Cowper’s death in 1800, Hayley began working on a biography of Cowper, which was the last work he would receive acclaim for. Hayley’s son also died that same year; Cowper and the boy died just one week apart. In addition, Hayley’s first wife had died just three years earlier. Overcome with grief, Hayley retired to Felpham, Sussex.
Though he was a close friend of Cowper, Hayley is most noted for his tumultuous relationship with the bard William Blake. Blake lived under Hayley’s patronage for three years. Indeed, Blake contributed several illustrations to Hayley’s book Ballads: Founded on Anecdotes Relating to Animals.
Hayley was highly regarded for his poetry and biographies. In 1790, he was given the opportunity to become poet laureate, but rejected the offer. Some of his poetry includes The Triumphs of Temper in 1781,The Triumphs of Music in 1805, and Poems on Serious and Sacred Subjects in 1818. His biographies include titles such as The Life of Milton in 1794, The Life and Posthumous Writings of William Cowper, Esqr. in 1803, The Life of George Romney in 1809, and Memoirs of the Life and Writings of William Hayley in 1823.
Towards the end of his life, Hayley lived in seclusion in Felpham and worked on his Memoirs until his death on November 12, 1820. When Robert Southey reviewed Memoirs, he exclaimed “everything about the man is good except his poetry.”