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Morris, William

(Encyclopedia)Morris, William, 1834–96, English poet, artist, craftsman, designer, social reformer, and printer. He has long been considered one of the great Victorians and has been called the greatest English de...

Murray, William

(Encyclopedia)Murray, William: see Mansfield, William Murray, 1st earl of. ...

Parsons, William

(Encyclopedia)Parsons, William: see Rosse, William Parsons, 3d earl of. ...

Painter, William

(Encyclopedia)Painter, William, 1540?–1594, English translator. His Palace of Pleasure (1566–67)—a collection of translations from Boccaccio, the Heptameron, and many other sources—was drawn upon by Shakesp...

Paley, William

(Encyclopedia)Paley, William, 1743–1805, English theologian. Ordained in 1767, he lectured on moral philosophy at Christ's College, Cambridge. Made a prebendary of the cathedral church of Carlisle (1780), he beca...

Maclay, William

(Encyclopedia)Maclay, William məklāˈ [key], 1734–1804, U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania (1789–91), b. Chester co., Pa. A lawyer and a provincial and state official before serving as Senator, he kept a journal,...

Maitland, William

(Encyclopedia)Maitland, William (Maitland of Lethington), 1528?–1573, Scottish statesman. In 1559 he deserted the regent Mary of Guise and joined the revolt of the Protestant nobles. When Mary Queen of Scots retu...

Maginn, William

(Encyclopedia)Maginn, William məgĭnˈ [key], 1793–1842, Irish writer. Some of his best stories and essays appeared in Blackwood's Magazine. His short story “Bob Burke's Duel with Ensign Brady” is considered...

Mason, William

(Encyclopedia)Mason, William, 1724–97, English poet, editor, and cleric. His works include two plays, Elfrida (1752) and Caractacus (1759), based on classical dramas. He was a friend of Thomas Gray, whose Life an...

Marshal, William

(Encyclopedia)Marshal, William: see Pembroke, William Marshal, 1st earl of. ...