William Beloe (1756–1817) was an English clergyman, translator, and bibliographer active during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Educated at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, Beloe initially pursued a career in the church and education, serving as a curate and later as the master of the Norwich grammar school. His literary career developed alongside his clerical duties, leading him to relocate to London where he became deeply involved in the publishing and bibliographical circles of his day.
Beloe is perhaps best remembered for his translation of the works of Herodotus, published in 1791, which remained a standard English version for many years. In 1793, alongside Robert Nares, he co-founded The British Critic, a highly influential conservative periodical that reviewed contemporary literature and theology. His passion for rare texts also led to his appointment as the Keeper of Printed Books at the British Museum in 1803, a prestigious position he held until 1806, when he was dismissed following a high-profile scandal involving the theft of valuable prints by an artist named Robert Dighton.
Despite this setback, Beloe continued his literary endeavors, publishing the multi-volume Anecdotes of Literature and Scarce Books between 1806 and 1812, which secured his reputation as an accomplished bibliographer. His final work, The Sexagenarian; or, Recollections of a Literary Life, was published posthumously in 1817 and offered a candid, often satirical look at the literary figures and society of his era.
