William Jones

Who was William Jones?

William Jones was a Welsh antiquary, poet, scholar and radical. Jones was an ardent supporter of both the American and French Revolutions – his strong support of the Jacobin cause earned him the nickname "the rural Voltaire" or "Welsh Voltaire". Despite his support for foreign revolutionary causes, he never advocated an uprising within his own country, instead campaigning to encourage his countrymen to emigrate to the United States. Jones held strong anti-English feelings, which led to one contemporary to describe him as "the hottest arsed" Welshman he had ever known.