John Hoole

Hoole was born in Moorfields, London, and was educated at a private school at Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, kept by a James Bennet.

[2] At the age of seventeen John Hoole became a clerk in India House (1744–83), of which he rose to be principal auditor of Indian accounts.

[1] In connection with his post, he wrote Present State of the English East India Company's Affairs (1772).

[4] Hoole was a genial character, but termed as a translator not unfairly by Sir Walter Scott as "a noble transmuter of gold into lead".

[5] David Barclay of Youngsbury turned to Hoole to write the biography of his friend John Scott of Amwell, when Johnson, his first choice, died before he could do so.

Profile by George Dance