William, a distinguished critic, satirist, and dramatic annotator, was born at Ashburton, in Devonshire, in April 1757. Although his immediate ancestors had at one time possessed considerable property in their native county, and been there accounted gentlemen, yet a series of indiscretions had deprived them of the greater part of their substance. The elder Gifford, whose roving propensities had driven him to sea, and also led him "to wander in some vagabond society," as his son informs us, established himself after his marriage as a plumber and glazier at South Molton. But his habits were unsettled and desultory; he went again to sea, and once more returned without having acquired any wisdom from his misfortunes; and he died at last, "of a decayed and ruined constitution, before he was forty." When this event happened, his son William had not completed his thirteenth year. He had been sent to school to read, write, and cipher; but, according to his own account of himself, he there made "a most wretched progress." In less than twelve months after the death of his father, his mother followed her husband to the grave; and after various vicissitudes young Gifford was sent on board a coasting vessel, by the person under whose guardianship he had been placed. This individual, who was his godfather, and into whose hands the effects of Gifford's parents had fallen, recalled him from his nautical pursuits, principally, it would appear, on account of the outcry which the people of Ashburton raised against him for the manner in which he had treated his young charge. Gifford was now sent to school, where he made great progress, especially in arithmetic; but from this he was in a short time withdrawn, and apprenticed to a shoemaker. He was now in his fifteenth year, and he was articled to serve until he was twenty-one. But he thoroughly hated his new craft, and whenever leisure afforded him opportunities, he prosecuted his favourite study of mathematics. He also began to write verses, though not at this period for amusement, but only when he wanted money for his mathematical pursuits. But his devotedness to his studies seems to have rendered him indifferent to the concerns of his master, whose indignation was accordingly roused. He desired young Gifford to give up his books and papers; and this being refused, he proceeded to the garret of the delinquent, which he thoroughly sacked. Being now deprived of his sole means of improvement, almost of enjoyment, Gifford began to display a degree of sullenness, reserve, and discontent, which made him an object of dislike to his fellow-workmen. However, he had the good fortune to attract the notice of Mr Cookesley, a surgeon, who interested himself deeply in behalf of Gifford, and set on foot a subscription to purchase his freedom from the latter part of his indentures, and to pay for his education; a scheme which completely succeeded.

After having passed two years at school, Gifford was pronounced fit for the university; and by the active benevolence of Mr Cookesley, was enabled to proceed to Oxford, where he was appointed Bible reader in Exeter College. Whilst at this place, he undertook a translation of Juvenal. A subscription for publishing it was set on foot; but during the progress of this undertaking his benefactor died; a circumstance which ultimately, and perhaps fortunately, prevented him from publishing a translation of the great Roman satirist, at least for a time. By an accidental occurrence, however, he became known to Lord Grosvenor, who invited him to his house. He accordingly quitted Oxford, and took up his residence with that nobleman, under whose hospitable roof he prosecuted the translation of Juvenal, until called upon to accompany the son of his patron to the Continent. With this young nobleman he spent, in two successive tours, many years, "of which," he says in his autobiography, "the remembrance will always be dear." Although Gifford was principally engaged upon his translation of Juvenal, its publication was preceded by several other productions, by which at the time he obtained great popularity. The first was the Baricid, a paraphrase on the first satire of Persius. This production appeared in 1794, and was levelled at a class of poetasters who deluged the daily prints of the time with their maudlin and inflated effusions. The satire had the effect of completely extinguishing this tuneless tribe. Gifford's next production, which appeared the following year, was entitled the Marvaid; an imitation of Horace, and directed against the corruptions of the drama. This work was only partially successful, for the malady which it was intended to cure had its seat in public manners rather than in the affectation of individuals. In 1800 he published his Epistle to Peter Pindar, an attack which brought him little else but disquietude; the laughter of the one satirist being quite as formidable as the gull of the other. Soon after this Gifford became acquainted with Mr Canning, who had resolved to establish a weekly paper for the purpose of exposing the political agitators of the time. This print was called the Anti-Jacobin, and Gifford became its editor. The ministerial connection thus formed was of some use to him, as by it he obtained the paymaster- ship of the band of gentlemen pensioners; and at a subsequent period he was made a double commissioner of the lottery. In 1802 appeared his English version of Juvenal, a work which may be said to have engrossed the greater part of his life. It was ushered into the world with every possible advantage, headed by a dedication to Earl Grosvenor, and with the translator's autobiography prefixed to it.

The translation is able and spirited, although it is occasionally diffuse and inharmonious, and not unfrequently coarse in its diction. In 1805 Gifford published an edition of the Plays of Massinger in four volumes; and in 1816 the Works of Ben Jonson, in nine volumes. In his annotations upon both these dramatic poets he displays great acuteness and industry; but in exposing the blunders of previous commentators he shows not a little of his characteristic acrimony. In 1821 he published a version of Persius; and since his death his editions of the dramatic works of Ford and Shirley have been given to the world, accompanied with able and acute notes.

It was, however, as editor of the Quarterly Review that Gifford became most generally known. The success of the Edinburgh Review, in advocating liberal principles in politics, suggested to the opposite party the idea of a counterpoise in the shape of the journal above named, which was accordingly carried into effect in 1809, and Gifford entrusted with its management. The scheme completely succeeded; and this success was in no small measure due to the skill and ability with which Gifford fulfilled his duties as editor. No man possessed a finer tact in discerning the weak and bad points of an author, when his object was to turn him into ridicule; none could hold them up to laughter with more felicitous acrimony. From the time of his taking the charge of the Quarterly Review until his death, few circumstances of any moment occurred in the life of Gifford, except the publication of the works already mentioned. He continued the editorship until about two years before his death, which took place on the 31st of December 1826.

From the prominent position which Gifford occupied in the literary world, his character has been the subject of severe animadversion by one party, and of exaggerated eulogy by another. Of his great talents there can be no doubt. His sagacity and quickness of apprehension were striking, and the rapidity with which he acquired knowledge is proved by his having prepared himself for the university after being only two years at school. His wit was distinguished for caustic severity rather than for brilliancy, and he dealt more in invective than in polished repartee. As a poet he cannot be said to rank very high; but that he had a keen perception of the beauties of poetry, and could point them out with great felicity, when political feelings did not intervene to pervert his judgment, is proved by his many admirable criticisms, and by the confidence which Lord Byron and others reposed in his opinions. In private life Gifford was modest and unassuming; and amongst the numerous parties, poetical, political, or religious who occasionally suffered by his castigations, none of them ever ventured to recriminate by attacking the moral character of the editor of the Quarterly Review. The memoir of himself, which he prefixed to his version of Juvenal, is an interesting and instructive autobiography. It is written with ability and manly feeling, as well as with unaffected modesty and apparent candour.