William Empson

A portrait from the Welsh Portrait Collection at the National Library of Wales.

William Empson (1791 – 10 December 1852) was an English barrister, professor and journalist.

William Empson was educated at Winchester, and Trinity College, Cambridge. He was Professor at the East India Company's College from 1824 to 1852. He contributed regularly to the Edinburgh Review (1823–49) and was for some years its editor (1847–52).

Life He was educated at Winchester School, where he was a schoolfellow of Thomas Arnold, and at Trinity College, Cambridge. He graduated B.A. 1812, and M.A. 1815.

On 2 July 1824 he became professor of "general polity and the laws of England" at the East India College, Haileybury, a chair which had been formerly occupied by Sir James Mackintosh. He was a close friend of his colleague, Robert Malthus.

In January 1845 he wrote on the Fragment of the Church of Thomas Arnold, with whose views on educational and church questions he was in sympathy.