William Cole (8 December 1753 – 25 September 1806) was an English classical scholar.
Cole was born on 8 December 1753 at Mersham in Kent, and received in early life great assistance from a friend of his mother, John Chapman, archdeacon of Sudbury (1704–1784).
[1] In 1777 he returned to Eton as a master, but, having ruptured a blood-vessel while an undergraduate, found himself not strong enough for the post, and resigned it in 1780 on being appointed tutor to George, Marquess of Blandford, and Lord Henry Spencer, the sons of the Duke of Marlborough, to whom he became chaplain.
In 1795 he married Mary, the second daughter of Sir William Blackstone, but left no issue.
To the Marquis of Blandford he dedicated his Oratio de Ridiculo, to which the first of Sir William Browne's medals was awarded; he printed it along with some Latin verse 1780.