Gilbert Wakefield was an English scholar and controversialist. Initially a cleric and academic, he transitioned to tutoring at dissenting academies, and ultimately became a professional writer and publicist. His career took a dramatic turn when he was imprisoned for a pamphlet critical of the government's policy during the French Revolutionary Wars. This celebrated state trial led to his incarceration, and he passed away shortly after his release.

Wakefield was a vociferous supporter of the French Revolution and held Unitarian beliefs. Over his lifetime, he contributed significantly to literature with notable works such as 'Early Christian Writers on the Person of Christ' (1784), 'An Examination of Paine's Age of Reason' (1794), and 'Silva Critica' (1789-95). He also made his mark by publishing illustrations of scriptures and disseminating several works of other writers, drawing inspiration from contemporaries such as Joseph Johnson.