author
Robert Lloyd
An 18th-century English poet and satirist, he was known for sharp wit, lively verse, and a close friendship with fellow poet Charles Churchill. His best-known work, The Actor, helped make his name in London literary circles before his life was cut short at just 31.
1 Audiobook
About the author
Born in 1733, Robert Lloyd was educated at Westminster School and later at Trinity College, Cambridge, earning his B.A. in 1755 and his M.A. in 1758. He became part of a lively literary world in mid-18th-century England, writing poetry and satire with an easy sense of humor and a strong feel for the stage.
He is best remembered for The Actor (1760), a poem that brought him wide attention, and for The Capricious Lovers (1764), a comic opera performed at Drury Lane shortly before his death. His writing often mixed literary polish with playful criticism, which made him a distinctive voice among the writers of his time.
Lloyd's life was troubled by financial difficulty, and he died in 1764 at a young age. Even so, his work remains an interesting part of 18th-century English literature, especially for readers who enjoy satire, theater, and the lively social world of Georgian writing.