John Hoole
Encyclopedia
John Hoole was an English translator, the son of watch-maker and inventor, Samuel Hoole and Sarah Drury. He was born in London, and worked in India House (1744–83), of which he rose to be principal auditor. In 1757 he married Susannah Smith and they had a son, Reverend Samuel Hoole.
's Jerusalem Delivered
(1763), and Ariosto's Orlando Furioso
(1773–83), as well as other works from the Italian. He was also the author of Cleonice, a Tragedy and two other dramas, which failed.
Samuel Johnson
was a personal friend of Hoole, who wrote an account of Johnson's final days in the European Magazine of 1799. Robert Southey
recalled that Hoole's Jerusalem Delivered was "the first book he ever possessed," apart from a set of sixpenny children's books. Hoole was a genial character, but as a translator he was described not unfairly by Sir Walter Scott
as "a noble transmuter of gold into lead."
Works
Hoole translated Torquato TassoTorquato Tasso
Torquato Tasso was an Italian poet of the 16th century, best known for his poem La Gerusalemme liberata , in which he depicts a highly imaginative version of the combats between Christians and Muslims at the end of the First Crusade, during the siege of Jerusalem...
's Jerusalem Delivered
Jerusalem Delivered
Jerusalem Delivered is an epic poem by the Italian poet Torquato Tasso first published in 1581, which tells a largely mythified version of the First Crusade in which Catholic knights, led by Godfrey of Bouillon, battle Muslims in order to take Jerusalem...
(1763), and Ariosto's Orlando Furioso
Orlando Furioso
Orlando Furioso is an Italian epic poem by Ludovico Ariosto which has exerted a wide influence on later culture. The earliest version appeared in 1516, although the poem was not published in its complete form until 1532...
(1773–83), as well as other works from the Italian. He was also the author of Cleonice, a Tragedy and two other dramas, which failed.
Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson , often referred to as Dr. Johnson, was an English author who made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer...
was a personal friend of Hoole, who wrote an account of Johnson's final days in the European Magazine of 1799. Robert Southey
Robert Southey
Robert Southey was an English poet of the Romantic school, one of the so-called "Lake Poets", and Poet Laureate for 30 years from 1813 to his death in 1843...
recalled that Hoole's Jerusalem Delivered was "the first book he ever possessed," apart from a set of sixpenny children's books. Hoole was a genial character, but as a translator he was described not unfairly by Sir Walter Scott
Walter Scott
Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet was a Scottish historical novelist, playwright, and poet, popular throughout much of the world during his time....
as "a noble transmuter of gold into lead."