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THE GENERAL
BIOGRAPHICAL DICnONARY.
A NEW EDITION.
I
I
^mmim^^
VOL. XXVL
Mnted by Nichols^ Son, and Bintl&y,
Red Don Passafe, Fleet Street, Londim.
THE GEJ^ERAL
«
BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY:
•CONTAINING
»
AN HISTORICAL AND CRITIGAL ACCOUNT
OF THB
LIVES. AND WRITINGS
OF THB
MOST EMINENT PERSONS
IN EVERY NATION;
PARTICULARLY THE KUTISH AND IRISH t
FROM THE EARLIEST ACCOUNTS TO THE PRESENT TIME.
A NEW EDITION,
REVISEP AND ENLARGED BY
ALEXANDER CHALMERS, F. S. A.
VOL. XXVI.
LONDONt
PRINTED FOR J. NICHOLS AND BON; F. C. AND J. Rf VINGTON ; T. FAYNE *
, OTRIDGB AND SON ; G. AND W. NICOL ; G. WILKIE | J. WALKER J R. LEA •
W. LOWNDES ; T. EOERTON ; LACKINGTON, ALLEN,. AND CO. ; J. CARPENTER j
LONGMAN, HURST, RBB8, ORME, AND BROWN; CADBLL AND DA VIES ; C.
LAW; J. BOOKER; J. CUTHELL; CLARKE AND SONS; J. AND A. ARCH;
J. HARRIS; BLACK, PARRY, AND CO.; J. BOOTH; J. ^AWMAN ; GALE»
CURTIS, AND FENNER; R. H. EVANS; J. HATCHARD; i. MURRAY; BALDWIN,
CRADOCK, AND JOY ; K. BBNTLEY , J. FAULDER ; OGLE AND CO. ; W. GINGER;
P. WRIGHT; J. DBI6HT0N AND SON, CAMBRIDGE; CONSTABLE AND CO.
EDINBURGH; AND WILSON AND SOI^ YORK.
1816.
A KEW AND GENERAL
BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY*
JtlAMAZZINI (BernarDIn), iLn ttatlan physician, Waa*
born of a citizen^s family at Carpi near Modena, Nov. 5)
1633. When be bad laid a foundation in grammar and
classical literature in his own country, he went to Parma
to study philosophy ; and^ afterwards applying himself to
physic, took a doctor^s degree there in 1659. Then his
•went to Rome, for the. sake of penetrating still further into
his art; and afterwards settled a& a. practitioner in the duchy
of Castro. After some time, i^l h<^1tb/obltged him to re*-
turn to Carpi for his native aiir)r*j!>vhere hfe jnsrried, and foU
lowed the business of bis prc^^iion r ^Ull^ 1671, at the
advice of some friends, he removed to M^dena. His bre-^
thren of the faculty there conceived ^t Ifrst but meanly of
bis learning and abilities ; but, when he had undeceived
them by his publications, their contempt is said to have
been changed into jealousy. In 1682, he was made, pro*
lessor of physic in the university of Modena, which was
just founded by duke Francis II. ; and he filled this office
for eighteen years, attending in the mean time to practice^
aud not neglecting polite literature^ to which he was always
partial, and wrote a very elegant Latin style. In 1700^ he
went to Padua upon invitation, to be a professor there r
but the infirmities of age began now to -come upon him.
fie lost his sight, and was forced to read and write with
other people's eyes and hands. The senate, however, of
Venice made him rector of the college in 1708, and also
raised him from the second professorship in physic to the
first He would haverefused these honourable posts ; but, be^
ing overruled, performed all the funcjtions of them very dili-
gently to the time of his death* He died Nov. S^hh birth*
Vol. XXVI. B •
2 RAMAZZINI.
day, 1714, aged eighty* one. Ramazzini was a member oi
several of the a«cademies of science established in Ger-
many, Berlin, &c., and left several works ; the principal
of which, and one which will ever be held in estimation, i»
his treatise 09 the diseases of artist» and manufacturers,
entitled ^ De Morbis Arti6cum Diatriba/' first published
in 1700, and frequently reprinted, and published in Eng-'
lisfau He also, published some tracts relative to certain
epidemics, both among meri and cattle; some '^Epheme-
rides Barometricss ;" a work on the abuse of Peruvian bark ;
and several orations delivered in his professorial capacity.
All his works have been ooUected and published together
at Padua, Geneva, London, and Naples; the edition of
London, 17^6, 4to, is the most correct.^
RAMEAU (John Phiup), chevalier de St. Michel^ com-
poser to the king of France, and to P Academie Royale de
la M^isique, or serious opera at Paris, was born at Dijon ia
1683« He went early in his life to Italy, and at bis re*
turn was appointed organist i^^ Clermont en Auvergne,
where his /^ Trait^ d^ la Musique^' was wcitten, in 1722.
He was afterwards elected organist of St Croix de la Bre*
tonuerie at Paris. Here bis time was chiefly employed in
teaching; however, he published barpsicbord lessons, and
several other theoretical wocks^ without distinguishing hiisL«
self much as a vocftl composer, till 1733, when, at fifi^
years of age, be produced bis .first opera of ^^ Hippolite et
Aricie.*' The music of this drama excited professionai
envy and national discord. Party rage was now as. violent
bettjireen the admirers of Lulli and Rameau, as in England
between the friends of Bononcini and Handel, or, in mo**
deicn times, at Paris, between the Gludkists and the Pk^
cinists. When the French, during the last century, were
so contented with the music of LuUi, it was nearly as good
as that of otbex countries^ and better patronized and anpf
pprted by the most splendid prince in Europe. But tfafs
nation, so frequently accused of mo£e volatility and caprice,
than their neighbours, have manifested a steady perse-
vering constancy in their music, which the strongest ridic
euleand contempt of other nations could never vanquish.
Rameau only answered his antagonists by new produc-
tions,- which were still more successful ; and, at length, he
was acknowledged by his countrymen to be not only supe-
1 moj^ Dict« Hist. d« MedicifBe.^Fabroni VitaB Itaioroiii.
tt A M B A a
rior to dll competition at Paris, but sole monatth o^th^
musical world. From 1733 to 1160 be composed twenty*
ODQ oper94, of wbich tiip names and dates are annually
publisbi^iiil.^ V Spectacles de Paris/* aad in many othev
periodical works« Rameatt*s style of compositioDi wbich;
eontinped in fatour almost unmolested (ot upwards of forty
years, tboiigb formed upon that of Lulli» is more rich ia
bannony, an4 varied* in melody. The gewrif however dis^^
pleasing to all ears but those of France, wbich bad been
t)urse4 io it, was carried by the learning and genius of
BameaM to its acme of perfection; and when that it
achieved in any style, it becomes the business of subse«
queot composers .to invent or adopt another, in which *
sopaetbing is still left to be done, besides servile imitation^
The q>era of ** Caatov and Pollux*' having been long
regarded in Frmice as the master-piece of this composer,^
Dr.\3uri\qtbas entered into a strict critical examination
of it, for wbich we refer to his History. He concludea
w^tb observing, tBil, though the several merits of this mu-^
sician bave been too mucK magnified by partisans and pa«-'
triots \n France^ and too muck depreciated by the abettora
q£ other ^ysjtems and fAhw styles, as well as patriots of
ptbf r countries, yet Hameau was a great man ; nor can
the professor of any art or science mount to the summit of
fame, and be elected, by his countrymen supreme dictator
in bis particular faeuUy, without a large portion of genius^
and abilities.
The successful revival of bis opera of <' Castor aad Pol-^^
lux'* ip 17i54, after the victory obtained by his friends'
over the Italian burletta singers who had raised such dis«
tuibanjpeby their performance of Pergolesi's intermezzo,
llie^* Serva Padrooa,'' was regarded as the most glprious
event of bis life. The partisans for the national honour
could never hear it often enough. <^ This beautiful opera,"
says' M* de la Boi'de, ^^witfaout any diminution in the ap-
plause; or pleasure of the andience, supported a hundred
represe/itations, charming at once the spul^ heart, miad^
eyes, ears, and imagination of all Paris.''
From this asra to the time of bis death, in 1767, a(
^bty^four years of age, Rameau^s glory was complete.*
Toe loyal academy of music, who all regi^rded themselves
as his children, performed a solemn service in the cburcb.
of the oratory, at bis funeral. And M. Philidor had a masis
B 2
4 • 1ft A M L S R.
p«ti^m^m at the cbufch of the CartxieHtes, in bonoor of
a man whose talents be so mtich revered.^
' RAMLER (Charles Wiluam), a German poet of great
celebrity in bis own country, but little known bere, was
born in 1725, at Kolberg, and became prbfessor of betles
lettres in a military academy at Berlin. In concert with
Lessing, be tbere edited two ancient poets of tbe Germians/
Logau and Wernilie. His Lyrical Anthology contributed
mticfa to improve tbe taste of bis countrymen, by those
ilsbanges of diction which almost every poem received- front
bis pen. Sixteen odes of Horace be translated with great
felicity, and composed many originar imitations of them.
His oratorios, which Graunset to music, would baVe been
warmly admired, but in tbe country of Klopstock. In
1774, be translated the critical works of Batteu:?, wbtcb
be accompanied with considerable additions.
■ Ramler's odes were first coUected apart in 1772; they
had 'beenr composed on several occasions^ during the pre-
ceding fifteen years. Their character is pecaliarly Hora-*
lian, but they have too much the air of close imitation,
yet tfaey hsk^re procured bim the name of the German Ho*-
race» / He sang, the praises of tbe king of Prussia with as
much spirit as Horace did those of Augustus, but with less
flattery. ' He died March 19, 1798. • ,
. RAMSAY .(Alla»>), one^of the .extrabrdifnary instafices
of the power of uncultivated genius, was born at Lead-^
bills*, Oct. 13, 1685 f. His father, John Ramsay, de-
^scendedof tbe Rann^iys of Coobpen, an ancient and re-
spectable family in Mid** Lothian^ was fttctor to tbe earl of
Hopeton^ and superintendant of his fead-mines. His ma^
tfaer, Alice Bower, was daughter of Allan Bower, a gen-
tleman of Derbysbine, who, on account of his great skilE
in mining, bad- been invited by sir James Hope of Hope-
ton to set his valuable mines in motion.
• When Allan Ramsay was about a y^ar 014 bis father died,
and bis mother being but ill provided for, soon after mar-
ried a second husbami in tbe neigbbouthood, by whom she
• • . ' ■
.. * The f ^ographieal situation of bis more, born, id Lead>bil1,'^ &c.
native pUce is tery poefically de- f There is an ode addressed to his
tiiribed Id the beginning of an 6de for - fi-iend sir Alexander Diclc of Cprstor-
llis 9dmissiOB into a club of Clyds^ phii>, written o» bis- seveattetk bktlw
dale gentlemen, printed in the first vo- day, and dated Oct. 15, 1155,
iume of his poems; <* Of Crawford -
' ^ Bqrnay's Hist, of Music— 4iud life of Ramean in Rees's Cyclopaedia.
s Pict. Hiit — Maty*s Review, to^. YJIl. from a German biography.
K A MS AY; «
bad several* cbiUreti; ' In tbts 'Mta|iti0'n yoQt)g^ B-a,m;iay
conld not be fkupposed to have maeb carer or expense
bestowed upon bim : be bad, however^ a<;QeB8 to ail the
learning a vilhige-scbool could afford, and it was during
this period, the first fifteen years of bis life^ that he bad
an opportunity of storing bis mind with those rural images
whicb were afterwards so agreeably esbibited in byi
vritiiigs.
' About the year ITOO, bis mother died: be was now
completely an orphan; but was come to an age when it
'Was proper for bim to do something for bis own subsistence.
His own wish, as be was often beard to say, was. to have
been bred a painter, and be bad even attempted to copy
prints be found in books, before be left the country,
Wbat were the particular causes wbicb -prevented this wish
ffom being gratified, have not cpme to our knowledge ; but
his step-Aiitber, being exceedingly desirous of getting rid
of bim at any rate, carried bim to Edinburgh, and. bound
him apprentice to a-wig«maker *, probably believing it to
be the most profitable trade of the two.
But, although young Ramsay was of that happy temper
'wbieb readily agcommodates itself to accidental circum*
stances, yet, poor as be was, be.coiild not ^ heartily re*
eoocile himself to an occupation in which bis active and
liberal mind found no tskercise that w^s. fit for it. He
therefore thought how be might procure for himself a de-
cent fl^aintenaoc^ by some means more connected yrUh his
poetical gienius atid growing p^s^ion for literary know*
ledge; AU tbid he accompliiBhed by turning bookseller, ia
which employment he -. succeeded very much to bis satisr
faction, publishing sometin^s bis own works^ sonietimes
those gof other aatbors, as they pqcasionally presented
themselves*
The 'first pf his own writings were given to the public!
in detached pieces; buli upon finding that these ipe( with
approbation from people of the best taste, bqtif in Scotland
and England, it oncQuraged bim ^o open a subscription for
a volume in quarto, which came out in 17219 and produce4
him a very consideirable 9uin of money. .
In 1728,. he published a s0cpnd volume in quarto; and
^bese two volumes, whicb have been otten reprinted in
* Not « barber^ at bas be^n a(ivanc«d in somfe London publicationt.
$ Jl A M S A Y,
octavOy contain all his printed works which he has thongbl
fit to acknowledge. The longest piece among th^m, and
the on^ which has been the most universally read and ad*
vaired, is a pastoral comedy, tailed the ^* Gentle Shep«
berd," which, though it presents only that mode of coun*
try life which belongs to the cpmer of Scotland where he
llimself was born, yet is every where filled with such jost
sentiments and general imagery as will insure it approba^
tion in every country where its langu&ge cap b0 either un-
derstood or translated,*
• The first scene, between Patie and Roger, of this dra-
na, was written early, and published first by itself, and
afterwards in his first volume in 1121^ as an independent
eclogue. ' In that volume is likewise tdbe found the dia-^
logue song between Patie al^d Peggie, afi^rwards intro--
duced into the second act. After the publication of thisi
JSrst volume, he put forth another eclogue between Jenny
and Peggy, as a sequel to Patie and Rqg;er, and which
|iOw stands the second scene in the *^ Gentle Shepherd/^
At what particular time betweefn 17^1 and 1728 he con*r
teived the idea of forming a complete drama, of which
those two were to serve as* the opening, is npt precisely
known ; but it was not, probably^ till after publishing the
last mentioned eciogne ; for be had more skill d>an to wea?
kto the efiect of a complete work, b? giving it to th^ pub«c
lie in detached scenes, andatstich different periods.
Soon after the first edition, in octavo, of this pastpral
was published^ and about thie time of the publication of
bis second volume in qupirto, the ^^ Beggar's Opera*', mad^
its appearance, with such success that it soon produced i^
great number of other pieces upon the same mi|sical plan.
Amongst the rest, Ramsay,- who chad always been a great
admirer of Gay, especially for his ballads, was so far car-
tied away by the current as to print a new editipn of his
pastoral, interspersed with songs lulapted to the common
Scotch tunes. He did not reflect at the time that the
^- Beggar's Opera" was only meant as ^ piece of ironical
satire, whereas his ^* Gentle Shepherd'^* was a simple imi-
tation of nature, and neither a mimickry nor mockery of
any other peifformance. He was soon, However, sensible of
bis error, and would have been glad to have retracted those
songs; but it was too late ; the public was already in pos-
session of them, and as the number of singers is always
greater than that of soi|nd critics, the Qiany editions sinc(^
RAMSAY. T
printed of that p&storal have been almost uniformly in this
vitiated C|i$te. He comforted himself, however, with the
thought that the contagion bad not infected bis second vo*
lume in quarto, where the " Grentle ShepberdV is still to be
found in iu original purity.
, He had made himself very much master of the French^
language ; and his imitations <if the ESables of La Motte are
excellent. He much lamented his deficiency in the Latin,
of which, however, he had picked up so much, as by the
help of Dacier, to catch the spirit of tbe^Odes of Horace,
which, even by this twiitgbt, he above all writings ad-
mired, and supplying, by congenial iancy, what he wanted
in erudition, has imitated some of them with a truly Hor
ratian felicity.
Before he left Leadhillshe had no opportunity of read«
ing any books but such as were in the hands of the country
j>eople all over Scotland* Amongst thos^ were the history
in verse of king Robert the Bruce, the exploits of sir WiU
liami Wallace, and the poems of sir David Lindsey *, a fa*
vouirite of king James V. which coming at an early period
to one not distracted by a variety of studies, made a deep
impression upon his miod^ and gave a cast to all his after
sentiments, particularly with regard to the dignity and in-
dependence of Scotland, in the history and antiquities of
which lie became very knowing. In the *^ Ever Creea,'^
a collection of old Scottish poems, published by him in
}724, there are two pieces of his own, one of them called
*^ The Vision,'* said to have been written in Latin, about
1900, and translated in 1524, and which has for its subject
the sufferings of Scotland under Edward L and the Baliol
faction. It consists of twenty pages, and is fuU of poetical
imagery. What were bis motives for writing so long a
poem without reaping any fame from it, is not eMsy to guess,
perhaps it was only for the aake of amusing himself with
the profound remarks of learned critics and antiquaries
upon it ; perhaps some political ideas not very orthodox
had their share in the concealment But whatever might
be his reason for concealing himself at this time, he cer-
tainly did not mean that this ^ould continue dways a
secret, as appears by bis communicating it to bis son, from
* His early liking to these books printed ; s» that after be was seventy
carried bim so far as to retain, daring years old, be used Uf read Chaucer in
life, a partiaKty for the Saxon or black that type in preferenct to the modeni
Jetter, in which th#y happened to be editions.
R A M S A Y.
I t
ivhhm the writer of this article bad the information i and
by his. putting, by way of name to the end of it, A R. Scot. ^
which, though it appears at first sight to mean Archibald
Scot, is no other than the two initials of Ivs own name,
with his country added to them. His notions about the
independency of' Scotland hnd made him, for some time,
consider the union of the two crowns as a hardship: an
opinion which he held in common with many worthy men
and sincere friends of their country in those days ; and there
is a poem of his in print called ^^ The Tale of the Three
Bonnets,*' in which the manner of bringing about that treaty
is handled with a great deal of satirical humour: but hid
good sense and observation getting, atiength, the better
of those early prejudices, this poem never obtained a place
in any of his two volumesj^ and is now 'diflBcult to be met
with.
To those who look upon poetry as an affair of labour and
diflBcuIty, it must appear very strange that any man should
compose so much of it, with so little view either to fame
or profit. But the fact is, that writing verse cost Ramsay
no trouble at all, and as it lightly came it ligktb/ went
In the " Ever Green," already mentioned, there is what
is called a ^^ Fragment of Hardiknute," of /which almost
one half made its first appearance in that publication.
But this was a forgery which could not be supposed to lie
▼ery heavy upon his' conscience, as^he knew that the origi*.
nal ^'Fragment" so justly admired, was not of above ten
or fifteen years greater antiquity than his owif additions to
it. For it bad been ushered into the world' by a lady Ward-
law, who produced it, by two or three stanzas at a time,
saying she had taken th^m ' down in writing from an old
woman, who sung them while she was spinning at her dis-
taff. But as lady Wa^dlftW had given sufficient proofs of
her poetical genius, by several smaller compositions, and
as this spectre of an old woman bad never appeared to any.
body but herself, none of her acquaintance ever doubted
of her being the true author. What p^rts of this prc'v
tended fragoPient, as printed in the '^ Ever Green," were lady
. WsM^dtaw^s, and what were Ramsay's, his son, from whom we
likewise had this anecdote, could not precisely remembei?,
and said, that they were all too nnuch of the same texture
for his critical skill alone to make the distinction ^ but that
it was a point which might be easily ascei^tained by com-
paring whsitt is in the '* Ever Gr^ep" with ^he copies o%
R A M S i( Y. 9
^ Hardiknute/* printed before 1724. In the ^< Ever
Green," the whole of this poem is printed in the spelling
of the 15th century, which, though the flimsiest of all dis*
guises, has a wonderful effect in imposing upon the bulk
of readers.
As to his person, be was of a middle stature, or some-
what less, but well shaped and active, and enjoyed per-
petual health, except that in his latter years, he was now
and then troubled with the gravel. His disposition was
cheerful and benevolent ; and what is not often the lot of
men of lively imaginations, he was blessed with an equality
of mind, free from impatience or anxiety, and little ele<»
vated or cast down with any thing prosperous or adverse
that befell him.
'Having acquired by business what he reckoned a suSi-
cient fortune, that is, an independent subsistence of the
plaiirest kind, he retired, about 1739, to a small house
he had built in the midst of a garden on the north side of
the Casde-hill of Edinburgh. There he passed the last
twenty years of his life in the conversation of his friends,
in reading a few chosen books, in the cultivation of h;s lit-
tle garden, and in other innocent and healthful amuse-
ments. Although he had no further desire of attracting
the notice of the public, he continued to write epistles,
and other occasional pieces of poetry, for the entertainment
of his private friends. When urged by one of them to
give some more of his works to the press, be said, *^ that
he was more inclined, if it were in his power, to recall
much of what he had already given ; and that if half his
printed works were burnt, the other half, like the SybilPs
books, would become more valuable by it.'* He bad even
formed a project of selecting as many of his princips^l
pieces as would fill one volume ; leaving the rest to perish
by neglect But this was never executed.
Great part of pyery summer he passed with his friends
in the country, but chiefly with sir John Clerk of Penny-
cuik, one of the barons of the Exchequer, a gentleman
emiuent for bis learning and taste in the polite arts, and
who bad known and esteemed Mr. Ramsay from the time
of bis first appearance. The death of this valuable friend,
in 1756, was a great grief to him; which was, however,
mueji alleviated by the continuation of the same friendship
\n his son and successor, sir James, who, upon Mr. Ram-*
l^^'s deatb^ wbicjb happened. Jan. 7, 173.S, erected oear
JO, RAMSAY.
bi9 seat of Pennycuik, » statefy obeliak of hewn storie it
\^s mpmory, wUb this inscription :
Alftfio Ramsay Poets egregio,
. Qui latis concessit VII Jan. MDCCLVUL
Amico paterno et suo,
Slonumentum inscribi jus^it
D. Jacobus Clerk,
AnnoMDCCLIX.*
KAMSAY (Allan), son of tbe preceding, and a distin*
guisbed portrait-painter, was born at Edinburgh in 1709^
and having devoted himself to painting, went at an early
period to study in Italy, where he received some instruct
tions from SoUmene, and Imperiali, two artists of great
celebrity there. After bis return he practised for some
time in Edinburgh, but chiefly in London, and acquired
a considerable degree of reputation in his profession, and
piuch esteem from all who knew him, as a scholar and a
gentleman. By the interest of' lord Bute, he wa3 intro-r
duced to bis present majesty, when prince of Wales, whose
portrait he painted both at whole Iehgtb» and in profile^
apd both were engraved| the fornier by the unhappy Ry-r
land, and the latter by Woollett. There are alsq several
mezzotinto prints after pictures which he painted of some
of the principal personages among bis countrymen. JHe
practised with sucpess for many years, and, at the death
of Mr. Shakelton, in March 1767 was appointed principal
painter to the crown/ a situation which he retained till hiii
death, though he retired from practice about eight years
after his appointment* He visite4 Rome at four diflPerent
times, ^^ i^mit,^' as Mr. fuseli says, *^ with ti^e love of cisusic
lore, to trace, 4>\i dqbious vestiges, the haunts of ancient
genius and learning. -' On his return froip his Ii^st visit to
Jfaly, in which he was accompanied by his son, the present
inajor-general Ramsay, he died a fftw days softer landing
^t Dover, August 10, i 7 84;
Mr. Ramsay^s portraits possess a calm representation of
nature, that much ei^c^eds the mannered affectation of
squareness, which prevailed among bis conteq^porary ar,-
.tists; and it piay justly be alloweci, ths^t he was among the
llrst pf those who contributed to improve the degenerate
style of portrait paintipg. Walpole says, ^'Reynolds and
Jlams^y have wanted subjects, not genius/* Mons. Rou--
^ From priirate oommunication. Th^ reader may also consult a life pre-
ixed to lUmsay's Works, 1800, 1^ tqU. Bro«
. R 4 la B A V, II
fuet» in bU panipblet, eotitled ^' The preae&t state of the
Axis in England,'' published in 17^^^ mentions Mr. Ramsay
^& '* ao able painter, wbo, acknowledgipg no other guide
than nature, brought ^ rational taste of resemblaace with
him firoxn ltai\y ; he shewed even in his portraits, that just,
steady spirit, which he so agreeably displays in his convert
a^tioo/* Be was a man of nxuqh literary taste, and was the
foilknder of the <^ Select Society" of Edinburgh in 1754, tq
which all the eminently learned men of that city belpnged^
ile wrote hiniself some ingenious pieces on contro\*erted
topics of history^ politics, and criticism, published undef
fhe title of '^ Investigator.'* He wrote also a pamphlet oi|
th^ subject of Elizabeth Canning, which attracted much
Attention at the time, and was the means of opening the
eyes of the public, and even of the judges, to the real
truth aild e:^planation of th^t mysterious event. Mr. Ram-*
9^y was a good Latin, French, and Italian scholar, and, like
Gato^ learned Greek in his old age. He is frequently
laaeBtioned by Boswell, as being of Dr. Johnson's parties,
Vho said of him, ** Yoa will not find a i|[)an in whose con*
?ersatio9 there is more instrpction, more infofmation, and
mone elegancy than in Ramsay's*"^
■ IJAMSAY (Andrew Michael), frequently styled the
Chevalier Ramsay, a title by which be frequently signed
)ii8 letters, was a Scotsman p( an ancient family, and was
born at Ayr in that kingdom, Jpne 9, 1686. He received
the first part of his education at Ayr, and was then re*
9)oved to Edinburgh; where, distinguishing himself by
good parts and uncommon proficiency, he was sent for to
St* Andrew's, in order to a^^end a son of (he earl of
Wemyss ia that university. After this, he travelled to
Holland, aqd went to Leyden ; wher^, becoming acquainted
with Poiretf the mystic divipe, he became tinctured with
^is doctrii^s;; and resolved, fo^ farther satisfaction, to
consult the celebrated Fenelon, archbishop of Cambray,
who had long imbibed the fundamental principles of that
theplogy. Before he left Scotland, he had conceived a
disgust to all the forms of religion in his native country^
and had jtettled in a species of deism, which became con-
firmed during his abode in Holland, yet not without leav-
ing him soinetimes in a considerable state ' of perplexity*
1 Edwards's Continuation pf Walpole's Anecdote8.-rrPilti|lStQD} by Fuselk— >•
*t*ytlcr'ii Life of fCames. — BQSweli'^ Life pf Johnson.
13 RAMS A»Y.
On bis arrival at Cambray in 1710, -he was received -whit v
great kindness by the archbishop, who took him into his
family, heard with patience and attention the history of his-
religious principles, entered heartily with him inio a dis^-
cussion of .them,, and, .in six months' time, is said to have
made him as good, a catholic as himself.
The subsequent course of his life received its dtrection-
fropQ his £riend:ihip and connections with this prelate. Fe-^
uelon bad been preceptor to the duke of Burgundy, heir*'
apparent, after the death of his father the dauphin, to the
crown of France ;, yet neither of .them came to the posses-^
SJQU of it, being survived by Lewis XIV. who was •sue-' *
eeedfid by his great grandson, son to the duke of Burgundy,*
and now Lewis XV. Ramsay, haviliig been first governor
to the dnke de Charteaw-Thiery and tbe.prince de Turenne,*
was made knight of the order of St. Lazarus ; and after-
ward^ was invited to Rome by the chevalier de St. George,-
styled there James IIL king of Great Britain, to take tb^
charge of educating fans chjfklren. He went accordingly to
that court in 1724 ; but the intrigues and dissentions, which
he found on his arrival there, gave him so much uneasiness,
that, with the Pretender's leave, he presently returneid to^
Paris. Thence he returned to Scotland, and was kindly
received by the duke of Argyle |ind Greenwich ; in whose .
family he resided some years, and employed his leisure
there in writing several of his. works.. In 1730 hebad the
degree of doctor of iaw conferred on him at^Oxford, being
adniitted for this purpose of St. Mary hall in April of that
year,, wd presented to his degree by the Celebrated tory
Dr. King, the principal of that house. . After iiis return to
France, he resided some time at Pontoise, a seat of the
prince de Turenne, dpke de bouillon ; with ;wfaom.becon*
|;inued in the post of intend^t till his death. May 6,. 1743,
at St. Germain-en*Laie, where his i body was interred ;
but bis heart was deposited ii^.tbe nunnery of ^t. Sacva^
ipent at Paris. , '
pis works are, 1. V Discours sur le Poeme Epique;'*^
prefixed to the. later editions of Telemaohus.. 2. >' La Vie*
de Mr. Fenelon,^' of which there is an^Euglisb translation^
3. " Essai sur le Gouvernment Civil." 4. *' Le Psycho^
inetre, ou Reflexions sur.les difii^rens cbaracteres de Tes-*^
eprit, par un Milord Anglois." These are remarks upon
lord Shaftesbury's Characteristics. 5. " Les Voyages do
Cyrus," ia French and English, the only work of his much
RAMSAY. 11
known in this country. It is a professed imiution of Tele-
machnsj and we can remember was once a very popukr
boofcr 6. ** L'Histoite de M. de Turenne, in French and
English.** 7. *^ Poems,** somewhat in th^ mystic and in-
flated style, printed at Edinburgh, 17:^8, 4to, seemingly
ikritfaoat hts' knowledge. 8. *'Two Letters in French, to
M; Racine- th^ son, upon the true sentiments of Mr. Pope,
in his Essay on Man.*' These were printed after his de*
eease, in " Les Oeuvres de M. Racine le fils,** tom. IL
1747, and form a kind of defcDCe of Pope from the charge
of irreligion in the " Essay.** This is a subject of which
the chevalier was perhaps a better judge than of philoso-
phy ; for in one of these letters he calls Locke genie super^
ficiely ^* a superficial genius.'* Two posthumous works of
his were also printed at Glasgrow : 9, ** A plan of educa-
tion ;^' and, 10. ** Philosophical Principles of natural and
revealed Religion, explained and unfolded in a geometrical
order,*' 1749, 2 vols, 4to, neither of which ever attracted
much attention. The last, bis French biographers seem to
.be of opinion, must have been either falsely attributed to
him, or much altered by his editors, as he maiutains the
doctrine of the metempsychosis, and denies the eternity of
heli-tonnenta ; and not only contends that these were the
Benttments of Feoeion, but that they are agreeable to the
decisions of the church.^
. RAMSAY (Jambs), justly celebrated for his philan-
thropy, was born July 25, 1733, at Frasersburgh, a small
towo in the county of Aberdeen, North Britain. From his
earliest years he discovered a serious disposition, and a
strong thirst for knowledge, and after bis grammatical edu-
cation,' was inclined to pursue the studies necessary for a
clergyman ; but the narrowness of his circumstances pre-
' Ycnted.his going to Oxford or Cambridge, where he might
be qualified to' enter the English church, in the principles
of which' be had been educated. Yielding therefore Xo
necessity, be resolved to study surgery and pharmacy, and
was with this view bound apprentice to Dr. Findlay, a me-
dical/practitioner in Frasersburgh.' In the mean time, with
the approbation of his master, he entered, in 1750, of
Kiog*s college, Aberdeen, and having obtained one of the
highest bursaries or exhibitions belonging to that seminary,
lie was enabled to prosecute his studies with comfcprr, and
* Biog. Brit.— -J9«ift*8 Workf.--Wartoii's Essty on Pope.
14 tt A M i A It.
forthr^e years had Dr. Reid, then one df the pit>ffe88or»^
for bis preceptor. T6 that great atid amiable philosopher
be so recommended himself by his talents, his industry^
and his virtues, that he was hondured with bis friendship
to the day of his death.
In 1755^ he went to London^ and sttidied surgery and
pharmacy tinder the auspices of Dr. Macailley ; in vhosm
family be lived for two years^ much esteemed both by hint
and his celebrated ladjr. Afterwards he served in his tne^
dical capacity for several years' in the royal navy, and by
the humane and diligent discbarge of his duties, endeared
himself to the seattien^ and acquired the esteem of his offi^i
cers» Of his humanity there is indeed one memorable
instance, which must not be omitted^ Whilst he acted as
surgeon of the Arundel^ then commarided by Captain (af^
terwards Vice-admiral sir Charles) Middleton^, a ^Iave«<
ship, on her passage from Africa to the West Iudies|, fell \t$
with the fleet to yvhich the Arundel belonged. An epi-
demical distemper^ too common in such vessels, had swept
itway not only a great number of the unfortunate negroes^
but also many of the ship's crew, and among others the
aurgeon. In this distressed situation the commander of
the Guinea ship applied to the English commodore for
medical assistance; but not a surgeon or surgeon's matei
in the whole fleet, except Mr. Ramsay, woiild expose
himself to thie contagion of so dangerous a distempen
Prompted, however, by bis own innate benevolence, and
fully authorized by bis no less benevolent commander, thd
surgeon of the Arundel, regardless of personal danger,*
wept on board the infected ship, visited all the patientS|
and remained long enough to leave behind him written di-
rections for their future treatment* In this ienterprise he
escaped the contagion^ but in his return to Uis own ship,
just as he had got on the deck, he fell, and broke his thigh
bone, by which he was confined to his apartment for tea
months, aiid rendered i^ a small degree lame through the
remainder of his life.
The humanity which he displayed on this occasion
gained him the friendship and esteem of sir Charies Mid-
dleton, which no future action of his life had the smallest
tendency to impair ; but the fracture of his thigb*bone,
and his subsequent lameness, determtn^ed him to quit the
* Afterwards Lord BtriitfH*
RAMSAY; 15
navy, aod once more turn bis thoughts towards tb^ church;
Accordingly, while the Arundel lay at St. Christopber^s^
he opened his views to some of the principal inhabitants of
the island, by wham he was so strongly recommended to
the bishop . of London, that on his coming home witlr git
Charles Middleton, who warmly joined in- the recommen-^
datipQ, he was admitted into orders ; after which he knme«^
diately returned to St Christopher!s, where be was prc
aented by the governor to two reetories, valued at 700/. a
year.
As soon as he bad taken possession of his livings, iti
1763> he married Miss Rebecca Akers, the daughter of a
planter of the best family-connexions in the i^and, and
began to regulate his household on the pious plan incul-
cated in his *^ E^y on the Treatment and Conversion of
the African slaves in the British sugar colonies." He sum-
moned aU bis own slaves daily to the prayers of the family,
when he took an opportunity of pointing out to them their
duty in the plainest terms, reproving those that had don^
amiss, and commending such as had shewn any thing like
virtue: but he confessed that his occasions for reproof were
more frequent than for commendation* As became his
office and character, he inculcated ufSon others what he
practised himsdf^ and knew to be equally the duty of alL
On his first settlement as a mkiister in the West Indies, ha
made some pahlic attempts to instruct slaves. He begaii
to draw up some easy plain discourses for their instruction.
He invited them to attend on Sundays, at particular hours.
He appointed hours at home to instruct such sensible slaved
as would of tbeoiselves attend. He repeatedly exhorted
their masters to encourage such in their attendance, and
recommended the French custom, of beginning and end-^
ing'work by prayer. But inconceivable is the iistlessness
with which he was heard, and bitter was the censure heap-
ed oh him in return. It was quickly suggested, and gene-
rally believed, that he wanted to interrupt the work of
slaves, to give them time, forsooth, to say their prayers ;f
and that he aimed at the making of them Christians, to ren-
der them incapable of being good slaves, &c« That hef
was hurt by this display of gross ignorance, bigotry, and
avarice^ cannot be questioned, for be had a mind benevo-
lent, warm, and irritable ; but be still retained many friends
among the most worthy members of the community.
Although his serious studies were now theological, he*
16 RAM SAY.
considered himself as answerable for a proper use of ^wry
branch of knowledge which he possessed. He therefore
took the charge of several plantations around him in the
capacity of a medical practitioner ; and attended them with
unremilting diligence^ and with great success. Thus he
lived till 1777, when, relinquishing the practice of physic
entirely, .he paid a visit to the place of his nativity, .which
he had not seen since 1755. After remaining three weeks
^n.j^cqtland, and .near a year in England, during which
time he was admitted into the confidence of lord George
Germaine9 secretary of state for the American department^
he was appointed chaplain to admiral Barrington, then go-
ing, out to take a command in the West Indies. .Under
this gallant officer, and afterwards under lord Rodney, he
^as present at several engagements, where he displayed a
fortitude and zeal for the honour of bis country which would
not hsLve disgraced the oldest admiral. To the navy, in^*
deed, he seems to have been strongly attached; and he
wrote, at an early period of hi^ life, an ^^ Essay on. the
Duty and Qualifications of a Sea-officer,'^ with such a
knowledge of the service as would not have discredited the
pen of the most experienced commander. Qf the first edi*
tion of this essay the profits were by its benevolent author
appropriated to the . Magdalen and British Lying-in hoa*-
pitals, as those of tjhe. second and third were to the Mari-*
time-'School^ or, in the event of its failure, to the Marine
society.
Although caressed by both the admirals..under whom bd
served, and having such influence with lord Rodney as to
be able to reader essential services to the Jews and other
persons whom he thought harshly treated at the capture of
St. Eustatius, Mr. Ramsay once more quitted the sea-ser<*
vice, apd retired to his pastoral charge in the island of
St. Christopher's. There, howeyer, though the fomier
animosities against htm bad entirely subsided, and his
friendship was now solicited by every person of conse-*
quence in. the island, be remained but a little w;hile. . Sick
of the life of a planter, and of the prospect of the slavery
around him, he resigned his livings, bade adieu to the
island, and returned to England with his wife and family
in the end of 17^1. Immediately on his arrival, he was,.
through the interest of his steady friend sir Charles Mid-^
dleton, presented to the livings of Teston and Nettlesl^adr
in the county of Kent, .
K A MSA Y. • t1
Here be was sood detetauned^ by tbe ad^ce of those
wfaom be most respected, to publish what bad been written
BHkny years before, «ii '^ Essay on tbe Treatment and Con«
vekston of AArican Slaves in the British Sugar Colonies/*
Tbe controversy in which this publication involved him, is
probably recent in the memory of many of our readers*
He defended himself with great ability; but they who
could not answer bis argaments, could at least invent ca»
lumnies : and sorry we are to add, that they wei^ not un«-
successfiil in removing one poweirfiQl advocate for tbe abor
lition of that abominable traffic, of which all Europe seems
now. ashamed. The agitation given to his mind by these
calumnies, and the fatigues he underwent in his endea^^
vours to rescue from misery the most helpless portion of
the human race, contributed to shorten a life in no com-
mon degree useful. He had been for some time afflicted
with a pain in his stomach, for which he was prevailed
upon, though with great reluctance, to try the effects. of
air and exercise, by attempting- a journey of 100 miles.
But in London, being seized with a violent vomiting of
blood, be was unable either to proceed or to be removed
home; and in the house of sir Charles Middleton he ended
hi? days, July 20, 1789. He may be justly tfcconnted one
of the first and most active of those benevolent men' who
roused the attention of the nation to the degradation of its
character in continuing the slave-trade, although he did
not live to witness the. completion of bis wishes. His
works, besides tbose to which we have alluded, consist of
a volume of ^^ Sea^Sermons,'' preached on board bis ma*
jesty's ship the Prince of Wales ; a ** Treatise on Signals,''
and various pamphlets in answer to his opponents on tbe
subject of the slave-trade.'
RAMSDEN (Jesse), an excellent optician and ckecha-
nist, was born at Halifax, in Yorkshire, in 1795, and after
some school- education, served an apprenticeship in his
native place to the trade of a hot-^presser, after which he
came to London, and applied himself to engraving. Iti
the course of this employment, mathemi^tical instruments
were often brought to him to be engraved, which induced
hipn to try his genius in that way; and such was his suc-
cess, th^t by 1763 be made instruments for several of the
best artists. Soon after his coming up to London he mar*
^ EncyelopMdia BciUnnicB.
Vol. XXVI. C
rt . tlAMSDEU
ried the dftugbtdr'of'Mr. DoUond, tbe celebrated optieiaa
of St» Pftut'ftcharcb-yard; by which means be waaintro*
da<ied to'Che knowlec%e of a profession in which Ms genina
enabled him to exeell, and attract. the approbation of the
publici in the same manner as bis private worth endearad
hioi to society. In 1763 or 176% he opened a shop iii'the
fiayo)arklet; but in 1775 be removed to Piccadilly, wheve
be carried on business till his death.
* Mr. Ramsden greatly improved Hadley^s quadrant, ov
sextant ; and be invented « curious nyuibine for dividing
oiatbematical instruments ; for which discovery he receiviad
a premium from the board of longitude* He. also improved
the construction of the theodoUtei as well as the barometer
for measuring the heights of mountains. The pyrometer
{or measuring the dilatation of bodiies by beat, also employed
his talents ; and he made many important discosreries ^a^'
improvements in optics. But his astronomical instrunietitt
appear to have been the principal of his works. He imh
proved' tbfe refracting mkromecer^as also the transit instru*
ment and quadrant He procured a patent for an impnoved
equatorial. His moral quadrants were excellent, and much
sought for. J ' '
' Mr. Ramsden was chosen a fellow of the royaL society in
1786. B^ing always of a slender frame of body,: as. well as
of delicate constitotion, in his latter years his healtbgra-
duaUy declined ; to recruit which be bad retirbd to Brigfat-
iielmslone, where he died, Nov. 5, 1800.*
> RAMUS (Petbr), or La Ramme^b, a celebrated French
mathematician and philosopher, was born in 1515, in a
Village of Vermandois, in Picardy, of a family so greatly
xTeduced by the ravages of war, that his grandfather, iiaviag
lost all bis possessions, was obliged to turn collier for a. live-
4ifabod. His father followed husbandry, biit appeanr to
have been unable to give ai^y education to this son, whose
early years were spent in mean occupations. At leogthifae
obtained the place of servant in the college of Navarre, at
Paris^ where be picked up the rudiments of learning, and
-became i^cquaihted .with the logic of Aristotle* All his
ieisaie time, he devoted to study, so that what isreiated in
tbe'lkst Scaligeraoa of his living to nineteen without learn -
iog to read, and of his being very^ dull and stupid, is to-
•taliy ioopnsistent with the truth. On the contrary, ' his
> fiatton't Diet, new edit. 1S15.
R A,M U St l^
talBtfRi and perseveraace at Ia$t-procuned.him to be regii-
IsLtly educated in the coHege, and baying finished classical
leamiiig and rhetoric^ be wetat through a course of philo-
sophy, which took hiiD up three years and a half. The
tl^sU 'which be made for bis oiaster's degree denied tbe
authority of Aristotle, and this be maintained with great
ability, and very ingeniously replied to^ the objections of
the professors. This success inclined him to examine the
doctrine of Aristotle more closely, and to combat it vi-
l^orously : but be confined himself principally to bis logic.
All this, bowever, was little less than heresy; and the two
$rst books he published, the one entitled ** Institutiones
Dialectioae/' the other ^< Aristotelicie Animadversiones/*
30 irritated the professors of the uuiversity of Paris, that,
besides many effusions of spleen and calumny, they prose-
' cuted this anti-peripatetic before the civil magistrate, as a
«man. who was at war with religion and learning. The cause
was then carried befoie the parliament of Paris, but bis
enemies dreading either the. delay or the fairness of iv
trial ihere, brought it before the king, Francis L who
ordered that Ramus, and Antony Govea, who was his prin*
cipal adversary, should chuse two judges each, to pro-
nounce on the controversy after they should have ended
their disputation ; while he himself api^ointed an umpirl^.
Ramus, in obedience to the king's orders, appeared befbre
the fiite judjiifes, though three of them were his declared
enemies. The dispute lasted two days ; and Govea had all
the advantage he could desire, Ramus's books being pro-
hibited in all parts of the kingdom, and their author sen-
tenced not to write or teach philosophy any longer. This
sentence, which elated his enemies beyond all bounds of
moderation, was published in Latin and French in all the
.streets of Paris, and in all parts of Europe, whither it could
rfaesenc. Plays were acted with great pomp, in which Ra-
-.r]Dus;wa(S ridiculed in various ways amidst the applauses and
accIaBiations of the Aristotelians. This happened in l^^S.
. !rhe^ year after, the plague made great havoc in Paris, and
ifbrced most of the students to quit the university, and cut
off .several of the professors* On their returuy Ramus,
being .prevailed upon to teach in it, soon drew together a
great number of auditors, and through the patronage and
protection of the cardinal of Lor rain he obtained in 1547
from Henry IL the liberty of speaking and writings and the
royal professorship of philosophy and eloquence in 15-51.
c 2 • *
20 RAMUS.
Tbe parliament of Paris bad, before this, maiatained him'
in the liberty of joining philosophical lectures to those of
eloquence ; and this arret or decree bad put an end to se*
teral prosecQtions, which Ramus and his pupils had suf-
^er^ d. As soon as be was made regius professor, be was
fired, with new zeal for inaproving the sciences; and was
extremely laborious and active, on this occasion, notwith*
standing the machinations of his enemies. He bore at that
time a part in a very singular affair, which deserves to be
mentioned.' About 1550 the royal professot^ corrected,
^ttaong other abuses, that which had crept into the pro-
nunciation of the Latin, tongue. Some of the clergy fol-
lowed this regulation ; but the Sorbonnists were mnch
offended at it as an innovation, and defended tbe old pro-
nunciation with great zeal. Things at length were carried
so far^ that a clergyman who had a good living was ejected
from his beoefice for having pronounced quisquis^ quanqtimfi,
according to the new way, instead of kiskts^ kankam^ ac-
cording to the old. Tbe clergyman applied to the parKa-
l^ent; and the royal professors, with Ramus among tbem,
fearing he would fall a victim to the credit and authority
of the faculty of divines, for presuming to pronounce the
Latin tongue according to their regulations, thought it in-
eumbent on them to assist him. Accordingly they went
k> the court of justice, and represented in such strong
terms the indignity of the prosecutix)tt, that the person ac-
cused was acquitted, and the pronunciatiot> of Latin re-
covered its liberty.
I(amus was bred up in the catholic religion,, but after-
wards deserted it, and began to discover bis new principles
in 1552|^by removing the images from the chapel of bis
college. This naturally increased tbe number as well as
btgoity of his enemies, who now succeeded in compelting
him to leave the university. He still appears to have bitd
a friend in the king, who gave him leave to retire to Fon-
tainbleau ; where, by the help of books in tbe royal library,
he pursued geometrical and astronomical studies; As soon
as his .euenries knew where he was, he found himself no-
where safe ; so that he was forced to go and conbeal him«
tfetf in several other places. During this interval the ex-
eellent and curious collection of books he bad left in the
college was plundered ; but, after a peace was concluded
in 1563, between Charles IX. and the protestants, he again
took possessionof his employment, maintained hiinself in
H AM U 13. fl
it with vigour, and was particularly zealous im promoting,
the study of the niatbeinatics. This lasted till the seqond
civil war in 1567, when be was forced to leave Paris and.
fibelt^ himself among the protestants, in whose i|rmy he
was at the battle of St. Denys. Peace having been coo*
duded some months after, he was restored to bis professor«.>
ship ; biit> foreseeing that the war would soon break oat
again, h^ obtained the king's leave to visit the univ^sitt#s
of Germany. He accordingly undertook this journey ia
1568, and received much respect and great honours
wherevfer be came« He returned to France after the third
war ip, 1571 ; and lost his life miserably, in 4he massacre
of St. Bartholomew's day, 1572. Charpentaire^ a pro^ ,
feasor of mathematics, who had been eclipsed by the vi«« -
perior talents of Ramus, seized the opportuaity of being
revenged upon his rival, and employed assassinstto murder
him. jSamus gave them money in order to procure his
escape, 'but in vain; for, after wounding him in jyiany
places, they threw him out of a window ; and, hia bpwetf
gushing put, in the. fall, some Aristotelian scholars, en^
Couraged by their masters, spread them about the- streisls ;
then dragged his body in a moM ignominious manner, and
threw it into the Seine. ^ i .. *
' • Ramus was a man of eloquence, and ofuniversal- learn*
ing/r lie was free from avarice, sober, temperate,' and
chaste. Hlis temperance was Tery exemplary* Ha C0a»
lented himself with only boiled meat, and ate but* little ,at
dinner : he drank no wine for twenty years, nprtl^n until
bis physicians prescribjed it. Heiay upomatraw'$ used to rise
very early, and to study all day ; and -led a^dAgleliSs with
the utmost purity* He was zealous for the protftstant r^r
liglouj^ but was ^t < the s^me time an' advocate fpr^tatrp-
ducieg a damocratioal government' ia the cfaurch-; wbi^h
design was defeated in a iiational synosd*
*^'' l^ew persons in the present-day will be ioclined-to dou^t
IfhelberHamas did aright in attempting 4a qndeimine.ihe
ffkindaiions pf that anthpritty which Aristotle bad so Jpng
possessed, in the schools^ and no one .who will lake .the
ttmtbte lie examine the manner in which be li^id opett^ tb#
4efM)ta and incons^tencies of the Organon,: will: hesitate >n
ano^iog him Mosiderable merit in this partjof his/des^(tt»
lBaM;e«ipf)nganewlogioalinstitute,;Ratnfiswasnot, bowefec'
e^liiaUy sue<^$8ful. The general outline of )^h. pieiii aeopvdr
ingM'BrunKer^ is this: ^< Considering dialectics fis^ afief
23 RAMUS.
deducing conclusions frora prenoises, he eiideavout^ to im-
prove this art by uniting it with that of rhetoric. Of the
several branches of rhetoric^ he considers invetitton and
disposition as belonging equally to logic. Making Cicero
bis chief guide, be divides his treatise' on dialectics into
two parts, the first of which treats of the invention of ar-
gUQients, the second, of judgments. Arguments he de-
rives not only from what the Aristotelians call middle
terms, but from any kind of proposition, which, connected
with another, may serve to prove any assertion. Of these
be enumerates various kinds. Judgments he divides into
axioms, or self-evident propositions, and dianoea, or de-
ductions by means of a series of arguments. Both these he
divides into various classes; and illustrates the whole by
examples from the ancient orators and poets.*'
',. In the logic of Ramus many things are borrowed from
^Aristotle, and only appear under new names ; aiid ihany
Others are derived irom other Grecian sources, particularly
irom the dialogues of Plato and the logic of the Stoics.
The author has the merit of turning the art of reasoning
from the futile speculations of the schools to forensic and
common use ; but his plan is defective in confining the
whole: dialectic art to the single object of disputation, and
in omitting many things which respect the general culture
of the understanding, and the investigation of truth. Not*
withstanding the defects of bis system, we cannot, how-
ever, subscribe to the severe censure which has been
passed upon Ramus by lord Bacon apd others; for much is,
we chink, due to him, for having with so much firmness
and perseverance asserted the natural freedom of the hu-
man understanding. The logic of Ramus obtained great
authority in the schools of Germany, Great Britain, Hol-
land, and France; and long and violent contests isirose
between the followers of Ramus and those of the Stagyrite.
T**hese were not, however, sufficiently important in their
conseiquences to require a distinct relation, and the fame of
. Peter Ramus vanished before that of Des Cartes. He pub-
lished a great many books : the principal of those on ma-
tbenfiatics are, 1. " Scholarum Mathematicarumr libri 31.**
2. '* ArithrAeticsB libri duo ; Aigebrae libri duo ; Geometriie
libri 27." These! were greatly enlarged and explained by
Sehoner, and published in 2 volumes 4to, and there were
several editions of them. '■ The geometry, which is cbie^y
practical, was translated into English by ^Uiam Bfedwelli
& A M U S. 23
and pubHshed.at London, 1636, Ui 4tp. H^ publiihod aisp
a singular work, Paris 1558, 4to, ti^e l$bpo)Ls,of Euclid,
contaioiog only.tbe.definitioos.aQd general enunciations, of
tbe propositions, without diagfams.or d^moiif tratipi»| which
he. thinks it better for the teacher to suppress* ^ ,
BAMUSIO, or RAMNUSIO (Jqhn Baptist),, a valua,-
ble coJiector of voyages and travels, the son of Paul Il%-
musio, Ik lawyer, was born at Venice in 1486. He made
great proficiency in his classical and philosophical studies^,
but had a particular turn for politics, and was thought so
accoQQplisbed in tbe knowledge of public affairs, that he was
frequently deputed, by the state to Switzerland, Rome,
and .France. He .was also made secretary of the council of
ten at Yenice,. and was for fdrty-(hree .years, more or les^
employed in that post, or in embassies. When old and
infirm, he retired to Padua, where he died in July 1557^
in the seventy-second year of bis age. His principal wor|L
was entitled *^ Raccolta delle Navigazioni e de Viaggi,'* and
was published at different periods in three volumes, foliq.
Q{ this valuable work complete copies are not |ea§ily to be
met with. . Brunet recommends the following selection af
forming the best copy*: vol. I. of the edition 1563 or 1588^
vo}, II. of 1583, and vol. III. of J 5^5. To this last volume
should be added tbe supplement to the edition of 1606, n*
386—430, which contains ** Viaggip di M. Cesare de Fred^
rici neir India-Orientale.'" [
RANCE' (DoM. Armand Johnle 3ouTHit.UEa DB}^
tbe celebrated abb£ and reformer of the monastery of La
Trappe, was born January. 9, 1626, at Paris. He was ne^
phew of Claudius le Bouthillier de Chavigny, secretary of
state, and superintendant of the financ^. In classical
learning he made so rapid a progress that, witl^ some. di-
rection from his tutor, he published, at the age of twelve
or thirteen years, a new edition of ^^ Anacreon^^' in Greeks
with notei^ 1639, 8vo. This qurious volume,^ which wais
.dedicated to bis godfather Cardinal, Richelieu, , was re^
printed in 1647, a^ both editions are now scarce. At. ten
years old, according to th,e absurd custom then prev&len^
he .was appointed canon of Nptre Dame in Paris, and be*
came possessed of several benefices in a short time. ' H^
afterwards, took a doctor of divinity^s degree in the Sor-
bonne, February 10, 1654, and appearing then in a public
I'Qen. Diet.— Moreri— NiceroD, vol. XIIl.-*Briiftk«r.
9 ^Niotron, vol. X3UCV.«-Moreri in Ritmaiifio.— TirabofChi. ,
M ft A N c r.
' eharacter , soon fceoaihe ^fistingaished no): miljr for taste aid
poUteneM, bot for those smiable qnalificsdons wkicb we
of use in sodetj. He was not however without his firailtieBy
'and it is said that he refiised the bishopric of Leon fmn a
motive of vanity. He was dieo appointed almoner to the
duke of Orleans, and made a' shining figoie in the assembly
~of the clei^gy in 1655, as deputy from th^ second order. At
length becoming conscious how little splendour and pie-
eminence avail to happiness, he bad adieu to all, and devoted
bis days to religious exercises. It has been sMd, that
this resolution was the consequence of a visit he paid
to a fevourite lady, from whom he had been absent for
tbme time^ ^nd whom on entering her apartment hetfonnd
dead in her coffin, and frightfully disfig«tfed with the small-
fox. This anecdote is taken * from '* Les veritabies Motifs
de la Conversion de 1' Abb6 de la Trappe,*' published by
|>aniel delaBpque, Gologn, 16S5^ 12mo; but some of his
Mdgraphers treat it as fabulous. One of them, Mavscdlier,
iritb greater ippeai^nce of prpbabilitgr, attributes his con-
tertfo^ to his having narrowly escaped being kiHedbythe
iiall'of a fiffelock, which struck his gibeeiere, 'or poueh, on
^ich hi3 immediateljr exckimed, ^^ Alas I wheft should I
Itave bfeen, hadinbt my God badcooipacssion on me." Which-
eirer bf 'the^c incidents^ was the^cause, it is certain that he
retired from the world, aod^ refused even to be assistant to
his uncle, who was archbishop of Touvs. He then founded
% monastery,' 'tfae^fraterh-ity belonging td whieb practiBdffae
tatmost ^)f-denia1. Th^ir diet is merely vegetable.^ They
idlcw not themselves wine, flesh, fish, nor eggs ; they- enter
iiitono conveniattion whh strangeft, and for some dayaMe
^olly Mlent. They baVe ' each a separate cell; and wsed
to .'pass some part of every day in digging their own graves
liV the garden of the convent De i^c6 placed, this
new establishment of the 'monks of La Trapper in) the
liands' of' the lathers of the strict Cist^ian iObservatice.
He also \sold his estate at Veret for lOO^OOO crowBS,
Which surjt 'he gave to the H6tel Dieu atParis^ and itook
the monastic h&brt in the abbey of Notre I>ame de Perseigne^
Where he made professrionf,' June 6, 1664. He afterwatrds
took possesion of the abbey^eta Trappe, and iatrodimed
those regulktions above mentioned^ which long^ madeit%the
admhation of all tratellers. In thisireti^at he lived devotsd
to his austere observance9|. until l695>-wheu b^ died cm his
straw pallet, in presence of the bishop of Seez, and the
R A N,C E'. as
ifAcim commntntff October. 26^^ 1700, aged Ti, leaying
onmy pioas works ; amoag which the principal are, a book
*<^deia Saint^ dies Devoirs de TEtat monastique^'* I68d,
2.'W»ls. 4to; ** EckireiMeniens sur ce Livr^^' 1685, 4to';
<^ Explicatioa sorla Regie de S^ Benott,*' l2ino; <f Re-
flexions morales sur les qoatre Evangiles," 4 volsk. 12bio ;
^< Coin£6reiiGes sur les Evaogiles^'' 4 vols. L2inay >^ fantruo-
tioos et MaximeSy'V IStaio ; '^ Conduite Chn^tienney '. writ-
ton for Mad. de Guise,' ll3nio; a great nomberof. ^^i^piritual
Letters,'! 2. vols. 12mo ; *^ Accounts of the Lives.and Deaths
of sonii^ Monks of la Trappe," 4 vob. 12 mo, continued to
& vols^ lasdjy 'SThe Constitntions and AuIe&oEthe Abbf
of la Trappe/' 1701, 2 vols. 12mo. His life has been
written by several Romish authors, .particularly hy M. de
.Maupeou, M. Marsollier, and Le.Nain, brother of M. de
TiUemontj 2 vols. 12mo. . . i '
Mr.:Seward, in bis ^' Anecdotes.ofdistinguisbed persons,^*
iias gtvim a nuniile account of theanonisstery of La Tlrappe^
to wUchJwe re&r oor readers. ; iDoriog tb^ revolutioiiaiy
excesses in France, this little establish ment shared the fate
^f -all other religious houses;* the monks were expelled,
and the place turned into a fonndery for cannon. The monks
9t length' found an asylum in England, wh^re, under the
saD(0tidn of government^ Mr.. Weld of Lulworth castle
^eeotedot building for them, in which they vesmued their
lomer austerities, and strictly lollowed all the observances
«f ..their order.^ . ^ . .
; RANCONET (Aimab. 0e),^ ja native of Perigueux,- or,
accosdiBg to M^age, of Rourdeauic, was-4be son 'of an
advocaete in the last meotioved city. He was well skAIed
in the Roman laW| philosophy, ,mathematios,> and antiqui^
ties; aisd. was appointed president ; of the parlisiment of
Paris^ after havmg been counsellor to-^hat fof*tBoisrdeaait,
fiia mode bf life was singular. H.e seldom sead in the day^
«ime ; bat used to take a light supper, go, to rest dariy,'afld
fisev after kis first sleep, about the time that th€r.«Qoiiks^M]f
mains; then, covering his head like. a capachtni-he^spi^fiFt
fow^hdgrs in study, and, going to bed again, finished^ after
mquiet sleep, what be bad iiieditatdd< upon durin]^i^e nighe.
Qy ibii pleti, he used to say that thei most irapid pri^grtsiiii
tt be made, in leariung. ' He* wlis an ^ekoelletlt Greek
scholar; and, if we'tnajr beiieve «M. fiidioKiy it
1 Moreri in Dick. Hist.-o^ewafa's Aiieeaotc«..^eDt Ma^. LXXXIII.
26 RAN<?ONET.
was be wh6 composed the Dictionary which goes imder the
name of Charles Stephens. Pithou adds| that, when cax^-
dinal de Lorraine assembled the parliament of Paris to take
their advice as to the puntshment of heretics, iUniMiet
was sO imprudent as to read that passage in which Sulpitins
Severus touches upon the execution of Priacillian ; and the
cardinal being displeased^ sent him to the Bastille^ where
he died of grief, 1558, aged above 60. Others, say that
Ranconet's confinement proceeded from his having been
falsely accused of a capiul crime. He. left in M& MLe
Tresor de la Langue Frangoise, tant ancienne que mo*
derne ;*' which was the foundation of the Dictionaries of
Nicot and MoneL^
RANDALL (John), an English divine, was b<»n at
* M];ssenden in Buckinghamshire, and sent very young.to St*
Mary Hall, Oxford, in .1581, whence he.removed to Tri*
nity college, and took his degree of bachelor of arts. In
July 1587, he was chosen to a fellowship of Lincoln collegia
and in 1589 proceeded in the degcee of master of arts,
^out . this time he was ordained, and .became one of the
most noted preachers in the. university. In A 598, be ;was
admitted bachelor of divinity, and the year after resigned
his fellowship, and was, presented to the rectory of St. An*
drev» Hubbard, in East-cheap, London. . . Here, Antony
Wood informs us, ** after some time, he became so gceat «
labourer in God*s vineyard by his .frequent and constant
work in the ministry, as^ well in resolving of doubts -aod
cases of conscience as in preaching and lecturing, that he
went beyond his brethren in that city, to the wonder of all.''
Wood adds that this was the more wonderful, as he was a
great sufferer by sickness ; and that he fvas f^ accounted a
judicious, orthodox, and holy man, and by some a ze^ilQUS
and innocent puritan, of a harmless life and. conversation^
and one. that was solely framed to do good acts." He died
in June 1622, aged about fifty- four, and was buried m his
<:hurch. By bis will he left a tenement situated in: St. Mary«>
Hall-lane, to Lincoln college. Besides some single s»^
mons, and a collection of *' Eleven Sermons on Romans
viii." London, 1623, he was the author of the following
posthumous works: 1. ^^ The great Mystery of Godliness,?
1624, 4to; and 1640, third edition.' 2. ^'Treatisecooceca^
ing the Sacraments,'? 1630, 4to. 3. ^'.Catechistical Leo»
1 Monri.^J>ict Hist.
R A N D A L L. 27
t'ures'' upon *th0 Sacrament of the Lbrd^s Supper,** 1630,
4to. 4. ** Nine-and-twenty Lectures of the Churcbj for
the support of the same in these times/* ibid. 1631, 4ta^
RANDAL (John), music professor in the university of
Cambridge, was probably a native of London, where he
was bom in 1715. He was brought up in the king*s chJEtpel,
and was one of the children of that choir who first performed
in Handel's oratorio of Esther, at the house of Bernard
Gates, master of the bdys in James-street, Westminster,
on Wednesday* February 23, 1731, when it was performed
in action, previous to its having been heard in public, or
any where but at Cannons, the magnificent seat of the duke
of Chandos, for whose chapel it was composed in 1720)^
Dr. Randal was never rated very higb in his prbfession, but
was regarded as a slight orgau-player, and had never dis^
tinguisbed himself as a composer. He obtained bis degree
at the installation of the duke of Grafton in the university
of Cambridge, for which he composed the ode written by
Gray. To the astonishment of all the musical profession^
he undertook to have this composition performed by the
musicians resident in the university, withotit the expence
of additional hands and voices from London, as Drs.
Greens and Boyce had thought necessary on . former oc<^
casions at Cambridge, and Dr. William Hayes at Oxford.
As Dn Randal's professional life was unmarked by talents,
his death, which happened March 18, 1799, in the eighty*
fdtirth year of his age, was hardly noticed, exeept by the
candidates -for the professorship, and bis organist's places.^
RANDOLPH (Thomas), a statesman in queen Eliza-t-
beth*s reign, the son of Avery Randolph of Badlesmere in
Kent, was born in that county in 1523. He was, ac*»
cording td his own account, a pupil of George Buchanan,,
but had his academical education at Christ Church, Oxford^
ihen newly founded ; where he took the xlegree of bachelor
oMaw in 1547, about which time he was made a public
notary. In Nov. 1549, he became principal of Broadgate-
hall (now Pembroke college), and continued in that office
nriti) 1553, when the persecution of 4he protestants under
qu6en Mary, obliged him to retire to France. On the
aeees&ion of queen Elizabeth, he came into high favour^
and'hitf talenia recommended him to be employed in various
eoibassies, particularly in Scotland during the commotions
■ AUi. Ox. ▼«!• I. ' * By Dr. Boroey in Reel's Cyclopttdfa.
25 RAI^JDOLPH.
tlftiret be was senl thrice to queen Mary, and afterwards
creven times to ber son and successor James VI. We find
him also ^eversd times supporting the same character at the
courts of Russia and France* His first mission to Bt6tland^ in
15i61, had for its professed object to promote ^ mutual friend^
ship between the two nations, and to endeavour that queen
Mary, who had just }o$t her husband, Francis 11. king of France,
should not again marry a foreigner ; but according to Sir
James Melvil and others, his real business was to intrigue
between the two parties Which then divided Scotland, and
lUther to increase than allay their animosities. In this plain
secretary Cecil was supposed to' be the director, xmd Ran«*
dolpb the executor. By a letter published by Mn Lodge,
Who says that Randolph was a man of ^^ a* dark Intri-
guing spirit, futl of cunning, and void of conscience/.' we
learn that at onie time he was confined in prison at Edin-
burgh; but probably for a short time, as the circninst^lince
is not mentioned in any history. In Russia, to wnrie& he
was sent in 1560, his conduct merits greater approbation,
fis in the following year, he brought to conclusion 'a. com-
mercial treaty highly advantageous to the Englishmerchants,
whcrwere then enabled to establish the **Russia Cawapany."
His secretary on this en>bas$y was George TurbeuviHe th^
poeit, who has described the manners and custom sof tbe
Moscovitesin some epistles to his friends, which^ire inserted
iff *Hakluyt's voyages. In 1571, during one of/ hisemibas-
Sies to Scotland, he had the spirit to chaneng«*iVirac^ the
iFrench ambassador in that kingdom, who had itaken isome
liberties with queen Etizabeth^s character and t^fithf hi^ own.
For all these services the queen is accused' of hairing re^
wat'ded Mr. Randolph rather niggardly^ having bestowed
6n Mna only the order of knighthood, the office ^f cham-
berlain of the exchequer, and that of postmaster, to neitbair
bf which last was much profit annexed; and a feiv-small
estates. Yet with these he is said to'have beenr ccwrte^
although he had a large family. 'He died at his house-on
"St Petef*s hill, near Thames-street, London/ Ju.nd r^
1S90, in the sixty-seventh year of his age, aifd ws^ibliriejd
inithe church of St. Peter, Paiifs wbarf. In his latter :day»
he appears to have lived retired, ** setting hi^ mind^^* as lie
expresses it, « upon the heavenly country,' aftfd retoncilfeKg
himself tfo the divine mericy by a'timely repeMaoesK^^Sot^
likewise is the advice h^ gave to sir Francis Walsingham,
whose sister he had married. He tells him, "how worthy,
r
RAI^DOLPH. 29
veoj bow necessary a thihgit was, tfaat.tbey should at length ,
bid farewell to the tricks^ he of a secretary, aud himself of
an ambassador.'* Several of bis letters and dispatches are
in the Cotton collection in the British Museum, and among
bishop More's books in the public libinry at Cambridge.
Two of his letters were published by James Olipbant,
among Buchanan's Letters, 1711, 8vo, and haye been in-
serted since in the Leyden and Edinburgh edition of Bucha-
nan's works, one to Bucbauan himself^ and the other to
Peter Yonge, schooUmaster to J&mes VI. Thefe are also
some of his letters, instructions, and dispatches, printed in
Strype's '^ Annals," Coodall's ^^ £xaminatioQ.of the Let-
ters said to be written by Mary queen of Scots," and in
Jlobertson's " History of Scotland," &c.*
RANDOLPH (Thomas), an English poet, was the son
of a steward to Edward lord Zouch, and born in Noithamp-
tonshire (Wood says,, at Newnham, nearDaintry; Laog-
baine,atHoug)iton)Jane 15, 1605. Hewas educated at West*
Bsinster-school, whence, being a king's scholar, he was elec-
ted to Trinity college,Cambridge, in 1623. Here he obtained
a fellowship, and afterwards commenced master of arts, in
which degree he was incorporated at Oxford. Very early
in life he gave proofs of good talents, and was not only
esteemed and adoiired by the learned at the university,
but grew in equal favour with the wits and poets of the
metropolis. His learning, gaiety of humour, and readiness
of repartee, gained him admirers, procured him admission
in all companies, and especially recommended him to the
iotimaey and friendship of Ben Jonson, who admitted him
as one of his adopted sons in the Muses, and held him in
equal esteem with Cartwright.
As a dramatic writer, his turn was entirely to comedy ;
and Baker pronounces his language elegant, and his senti-
ments just .and forcible; his characters for the most part^
strongly drawn, and his satire well chosen and poignant ;
and this critic also recommended the altering his pieces, $o
as to render them fit for the present stage, or at the least
giving the world a correct and critical edition of them.
The dramatic pieces he has left behind him, five in num-
ber^ were published in 1638, by his brother, Mr. Thomas
Randolph, of Christ-church college, Oxford, along with
bit po^mSy som^ of which have considerable merit. Qf
^ Bios« Brit*— Lodge*g Illustrations.
so R A N D O L P
his dramatic pieces, the <^ Mmes^ Looking-glass*' is, the
most generally, admired; in it there is great variety. of
characters of the passions and vices, drawn with mii<(h
truth, 'and interspersed with many strokes of natural hu^
moun A late critic thinks he has discovered in it the
ground-work of the <* Rehearsal/' and similar satires. '^The'
Looking-Glass" was about fifty years ago revived at Co*^
vent-garden theatre, and is reprinted in Dodsley's Collec*'
tion of Old Plays. Had Randolph lived, it is thought be
<woiuld have produced mdny more valuable pieces ; but, as
(Aiitony Wood says, being somewhat addicted to libertine
indulgences, in consequence of keeping too much com-
pany, and running into fashionable excesses with greater
freedom than his constitution could bear, be assisted' iti
shortening his own days, and died Mafch 17, 1634, be-
fore he bad completed . the age of twenty-nifie years, at
-the bouse of William Stafibrd, esq. of Blatberwyke la
Northamptonshire. He was buried, with the ancestor^ of
the family of Staflbrd,iD an aile adjoining to the church of
that place, soon after whtch a monument of white marble
was erected over his grave, at the charge of. sir Christo-
pher (afterwards lord) Hatton, ofKirby, with an inscrip-
tion upon it, in Latin and English verse, written by our
anther's intimate fri^d Peter Hausted.^
RANDOLPH (Thomas), archdeaoon of Osford, ^nd
president of Corpus Christi college, the son of Herbert
^Randolph, esq. recorder of the city of Canterbury, was
bom August 30, 1701. He received his school education
at the king's school in Canterbury, then in great repute,
under the rev. Mr. Jones. At the early' ageof fourteen,
being then a good proficient in classical learning, be vas
^elected into a county 8cholaa*ship in Corpus Chrisli col-
lege,. Oxford. There he entered upon a course of aba-
fdemical studies under the tuition of the, rev. Mr. Smith, in
.which, as well in his whole conduct, he acquitted hims^f
to the great satisfaction of those who were set over him ;
rhaving in view throughout the sacred profession, to which
he had been destined from his early youth. He proceeded
regularly through the degree of B. A. to that of M. A. fbe
latter in 1722. In 1724 he was ordained deacon, and in
the following year priest. At the same time be entered
1 Biog. Bri^. and Dram. — CibUer's Lives. — EUJs's Specimeni.— A|;b» Oic toL I.
—Gens Lit. vol. L — Europ. Mag. Jap. 1803, p. 17.
RANDOLPH. 31
upon the duty of his profession, and undertook a cure at
such a moderate distance^ from the universityi as .that he
might discharge the duties pf it, and not be obliged to
give up his residence, and the farther- prosecution of. his
studies there. This course of life he continued for a few
years j and then returned to a more strict residence in the
university ; nor was he intent on his oxrn improvement
only, but occasionally took part in the education of others,
and in the government of his college^ in which he succeed*
ed to a fellowship in 1723. He took the degree of B. D.
in 1730, and that of D. D. in 1735. In the mean time hi»
reputation as an able divine introduced him to the notice
of Dr, Potter, then bisbpp of Oxford, who soon after his
translation to Canterbury, collated him t to the united
vicarages of Perbam and Waltbam in Kent. He also
shortly after recommended him to Dr. Rye, regius pro-
fessor of divinity, as a person fit to act as bis deputy, who
appointed him accordingly. This appointment will appear
the more honourable, as the divinity disputations ar^ es*
teemed a trial of the^ skill and learning of the senior part
of the university ; and Dr. Randolph acquitted himself in
suob a manner, that on* a vacancy for the professorship in
1741, his friends thought- him amply qualified to succeed ;
but on this occasion the superior : interest of Dr. Fansbaw
carried the election ; and^ J)r- Randolph retired to his liv-
ing of Perham.
About this time several bold and artful attacks were made
upon the Christian religion, which drew forth many able
answers from • the divinea of the church of England.
Amongst other works published in favour of deism and in-
.fidelity, was that entitled *^ Christianity not founded on
Argument ;'' which, from the singularity of its positions^
attracted much notice. Dr. Randolph was encouraged by
bis patron, jirchbisbop > Potter, to try bis strength in con-
troversy ia» aoswer to this plausible writer ; nor. was the
archbishop disappointed in the hopes he might form : Df.
Randolph's answer, entitled '^ The Christian's Faith a ra-
tidnal assent," 1744, was considered as a truly valuable
acquisition, and met with a most favourable reception.
The arcbbishap,' still continuing his patronage to Dr.
Randolph, collated him, in 1746^ to the rectory of Salt-
wood, with the chapel of Hythe annexed ; bis residence,
however, stiil. continued at Perbam, until be was elected,
without his knowledge, or any communication with the
p
32 R A N D O L P a
deetors, to.be pr^sidentofCorpos CbrUti college. Tbis
election, ;wbicb took place April 23, 1748, enabled him to
devote the remainder of bis life to tbe place of bis edocar.
tion, aiid tbe s6ene of bis growing reputation. Oxford be-
came now the principal place of his residence ; and tbe.
government of his college, and a share in that of tbe uoi^
versity, bis chief employment and concern. Yet haviiog
naturally an active mind, and being ever vigilant and at<»,
tentive to all the duties of his station, much of bis time was
still devoted to religious studies, which he considered as
included in tbe proper duties of bis station, ^nd as their
highest aim. Many of his sermons preached before the
university were printed by request, and his larger work
upon " The Doctrine of the Trinity," in answer to " The
Essay on Spirit,'* was publisbed iu 1753, and 1754. From
1756 to 1759 beheld the office of vice-chancellor, in whi<fh
he wa^ allowed on all hands to have conducted himself with
temper and ability, at a time when disputes ran high, and.
tbe business of tbe university was more than common; the
Vinerian statutes having been settled, and the delegacy of
the press reformed, during that period. Theseseveral la**
hours were so well received by the universityi that in 176S
he was unanimously elected to the Margaret professonsbip
of divinity on tbe death of Dr. Jenner. In the preceding
year be bad been promoted to tbe archdeaconry of Oxford
on tbe resignation of Dr. Potter : which promotion took
place by the recommendation of archbishop Seeker, ac-
cepted and confirmed by bishop Lowth, then bishop of
Oxford ; and may be considered as a testimony borne by
those eminent prelates to bis merit and character. From
this time to that, of his death be was again frequently en->
gaged in controversy, 'i'be questions now agisted were
ehiefly, that of subscription to articles of faith, and that. of
the doctrine of tbe Trinity revived by Mr. Lindsay, end his
followers. On these he published several tracts, and ajso
occasionally gave bis assistance to others engaged in the
same cause. Bodily infirmities be was subject to for many
years before his death, but tbe facul^es of his mind were
sound and unimpaired to the very last. Within tbe last
year of bis life be finished and publisbed a work, which he
had prepared some time before, on the ^^ Citations frook
tbe Old Testament in the New.'' Repeated attacks at
length brought Jaim to a state of weakness, under which
belaboured for three months, and died March 24, ltS5;
RANDOLPH. ^9
Me waa budfd in, Corpus Christi ploister^ y^k9xe^, V^oout-
meni^ 1$. erected tp his .men^ory.
Pr. H^odolpb^s v^bple attention wi^s cppfin.qd to bU pro-
fession, 4nd his statiion in the uiiiyersity. Beiqg convince^
that th/e province allotted |to. bioi, if its duties were faitb-
fully discharged, .was suffiqient for hi^ own epiployment^
and for .the rendering him s^n useful mi^inber of .society, h^
was. not disposed to wander beyond ^t. He wa^ a zqalpu/i
supporter of the doctrine^ of the church of England, from
a conviction that they were thojie of the religion of Christ.
It has sometimes been invidiously urged by the enemies of
our religious establishment, who wi^h great pi^ofessions of
liberality are by no means scrupulous of the terms in wbicb
th^y speak of the doctrines, discipline, or members of ou|r
cj^urcb,. that its supporters act from interested views. lu
ana^wer to this charge thrown outagainst himself in commoa
with others, Dr. Randplph says, in a preface to an inte^de^
<Work, ^^ One of tbede writers is now near fourscore yqars of
^ge* who neither hopes for, nor will solicit for any thing
farther in this world : he fights under no banner but that
of bis Lord and Saviour, from whom alone he expects hip
reward.**
Dr. Randolph married Miss Thomasina Honywoody
daughtcfr of William Honywood, esq. of Cheriton, one of
the family of Honywood in Kent. By this lady, who died
in Dec. 1783, he had three sons and three daughters, of
whom there survived him, the three sons, Thomas, Her-
bert, and John ; and one daughter, Thomasina.
In 1784^ a collection pf the most valuable of Dr. Ran-
dolph's works was published, under the title of ^^ A View
of our blessed Saviour's Ministry, and the proofs of his
(divine mission arising from thence ; together with a charge,
dissertations, sermons, and theological lectures,'' 2 vols.
Bvo. To this is prefixed an account of his life, of which
we have availed ourselves in the present sketch.'
RA^fDOLPH (John), the late bishop of London, wa$
• the younger son of the preceding, and was bonr July 6,
1749. He became a student of Corpus Christi college,
Oxford, and took his degrees at the usual periods ; that of
M.A.in 1774;B. D. in 1782; D.D. by diploma, in 1783.
In 1776 be was appointed prtelectorofpoptry, and in 1782
regius professor of Greek. In the same year he was pre*^
1 Life as above.
Vot. XXVI. D
34 RANDOLPH.
sented to a prebend of ' Salisbury ; and in 178S became
canon of Christ cburcb, regias professor of divinity, and
Tector of Evrelme. In tbe year 1799 be was elevated to
the bishopric of Oxford ; translated to that of Bangor in
1807; and thence to London in 1809. He was elected
F. R. S. in 181 1. He passed a great part of bis life in the
universi^ of Oxford, and it was generally believed thit
when he was raised to tbe see of Oxford, tbe university
was complimented with the nomination by tbe crown. His
lordship was author of many single sermons, and charges
delivered on different occasions : also of ^' De Greecse Lin-
guae Studio Preslectio habita in Scboli Linguarum," 1783,
and '^ Concio ad Clerum in Synodo Provinciali Cantua*
riensis Provincise ad D, Pauli," 1790. One of his last
works was a report of the progress made by the National
School Society, to which the general committee referred
in terms of gratitude, at their first meeting after bis lord-
ship^s decease. They notice his lordship as one *' whose
. latest employment bad been to state, for tbe information
of the public, the progress of a work to which he bad con-
tributed bis . time, his labour, and bis counsels. The
committee therefore could not fail to entertain a common
sentiment of profound regret for the loss which they have
sustained, and to cherish in their minds the liveliest re-
collection of the service which has been so successfully ful-
filled by him in this second report. They wish, therefore^
to add to this document, designed for general circulation,
their sense of what is due from the public, and themselves,
to the memory of one who was a constant and assiduous
promoter of this salutary institution, from its first esta-
^ blishment to the last hour of his life. Tbe committee trust,
that this testimony, though limited to a single object in
the large field of pastoral duty in which he was incessantly
engaged, may serve to denote the benefits which have re-
sulted from his prompt, unwearied, and effectual exer-
tions.'' The following ir the character drawn of bim by
Mr. archdeacon Jefferson, and which alludes to his zeal for
the church, of which he was an active member : *^ Fearless
now of being censured for mercenary adulation, or re-
proved by unconscious merit, a just tribute may be paid to
the character of that departed and exalted prelate, who is,
and will be, most lamented where he was best and most
entirely known. This opportunity, therefore, is willingly
embraced of offering a heartfelt condolence to the ministry
RANDOLPH. 8«
I
of the diocese on the affecting and important loss, which,
in these perilous times of contending sects *and unsettled
opinion, has arisen to tl^em, and to the church : — -To them,
in the premature privation of a diocesan, firm in his sup-
port of ecclesiastical authority, but considerate in its ap-
plication ; eminently versed in the letter of ecclesiastical
law, but liberal in its practical construction, reluctant in
interference, but determined in duty, slow in the profest-
sion of service, but prompt ini its execution $ disinterested
in ' p2U;ronage, unwavering in measures, correct in judg-
ment, attentive in council, and kind and compassionate to
distress: — ^To the church, in the premature privation of a
father, diligent in her rites and services, but unosteittatibus
in piety and devotion ; sound and unrelaxing in her doci-
trines and faith, but discreet in zeal, and comprehensive
in charity ; ever vigilant in defending her interests, ever
forward in asserting her privileges, and ever able in the
assertion' and the defence." This high character, how-
ever, has been, thought capable of abatement It waa
perhaps unfortunate that he succeeded a prelate of the
mild and conciliating temper of Dr. Porteus, and that be
undertook the government of a diocese,^ which, above all
others, requires such a temper. It was, perhaps, not less
unfortunate that in his first charge to the clergy of th}S
diocese, he betrayed no little ignorance of the state of
teligious opinions, and the creeds of those sectaries against
whom he. wished to warn his clergy.
Bishop Randolph died suddenly on the 28th of July,
1 81 3. He was one of the governors of the Charter-house ;
trustee of the British Museum ; dean of the Chapel roi^^l ;
visitor of Sion colleoe; and provincial dean'of Canierbury.^
RAPHAFX, or RAFFAELLO, whose family name was
Sanzio, was born in the city of Urbino, March 2S, 1483»
He was the only child of John Sanzio, a painter, who,
though of no great professional celebrity, encouraged bis
sop^s inclination for the art, and after having taught him
what he could, had the good sense and diffidence in his
own talents, to place him under the caire of Peter Peru-
gino, when in his thirteenth year. Perugino, who, from
his style of design, pronoiinced that he would.be a great
man, regarded' him with peculiar affection, -and Raphael,
4uripg the three years that he remained with this iartist, so
1 Gent. Ma^ toU. iXXXIII. and LXKXIV.
D2
88 H A P B A E L.
perfeetly adopted bis mauoer, that bis works wer^ not to
be distioguisbed from those of bis master ; which was so far
from creating any jealousy in the mind of the latter^ that
on the return of Raphael to Perugia, after his visit to Flo*»
rence, he was the first to admire Iiis works and proclaim
bis improTemeot
In 1499, at the age of sixteen, Raphael left Perugia,
and went with Pinjturtcchio to Siena, to assist him in paint-f
ing for the library of the cathedral, the history of Pius II.
which was executed in ten large pictures, of which Ra«
phael made the greater part, if not all the designs, and
Insisted in painting them. Before this work was com**
pleted, he left Siena, probably about 15Q2, to pursue his
studies at Flprence, where the great names of Leonardo
da Vinci and Michael Angelo flourished with rival pre-emi-»
oence, and where h^ immediately became conscious of the
iofieriority of the style wbich he bad been taught and prac-
tised. Here be acquired the esteem of some persons of
eminence, and pursued his studies with avidity until 1504,
nrhen be Vj^^a obliged lo vi»t Urbino to arrange some
domestic affairs, and at intervals painted four small pic-*
iaires for ^e duke of Urbino, which were much esteem-*
ed. He then went to Perugia to paint several pictures for
the convents, which were all so much admired, that com-*
missions pressed upon him ; but his desire to return to Fio«
renc^ made him leave one which was begun in fresco for
the monastery of St. Severo, to be terminated by bis old
piaster Perugino.
In Florence he again pursued his studies with unremit-
ting assiduity ; and the Brancacci and Corsiui chapels in
the church of the Carmelites, painted by Masaccio, were
bis favourite school ^ but of living artists there was no one
to whom be was sq much attached as Fra. Bartolo^ieo, by
whose instruction and example be improved himself ia
eolouring, and the principles of chiaroscuro ; and in return
be gave his fiiend som^ information in perspective. The
work to which his mind was at this time particularly directs
ed, was a cartoon for a picture, which, when b^ left Peru^
gia, he engaged to paint foe the church of St. Francis*
This picture, which represents the body of Christ borne to
the sepulchre,, he afterwards painted in Perugia, and it
obtained so much credit, that his professional rank was
from that time decidedly established. It shewed the ad-
yantages he had acq[uired by study, and the benefit he
RAPHAEL. St
derived from the friendship of Fra. Bartolomeo ; f<>r this woi
the first step he had taken to overcome the restraints of hti
previous education. When the picture was finished he
again returned to Florence; was much sought after by
men of taste, and with accumulated reputation his fiatme
soon extended itself to the Vatican. Julius II. was theik
pope, a great patron of the arts, and having heard of Ra-
phael, invited him to Roine in 1508, and received him
with the most flattering maAs of distinction. Here being
immediately commissioned to paint one of the state cham-
ber^ of the Vatican, which the pope was then ornamenting
with great taste and splendour, Raphael eMouted bis
>' School ^f Athens," which gave such entire satisfaction to
^be pope, that all the pictures by the various masters already
painted in the different rooms, were ordered to be effaced^
and the walls prepared to transmit to posterity bis own uti«-
rivalled genius. The only work preserved from this j^ene-
ral destruction was the ceiling of one of these rooms, the
fourth in the suite, which had been painted by Perugino,
and was saved at RaphaePs intercession. So amiable a
trait of character ought not to be forgotten.
This extensive undertaking, which it was for Raphael
alone to plan and execute, he appears to have formed into
one general design to shew the triumph of the Christian
religion (in the catholic. form), its divine authority, ^nd
the dependence of human laws on its pervading infltienc^.
But whether in this arrangement there was any refined
system of metaphysics, intending to conduct maii from it
^savage state by the paths of religion and philosophy to a
more intimate union with the great first cause, must now
be left to fanciful theorists, as neitber the painter nor his
contemporaries have left us any written data for specula-
tion. Of these rooms, which, in honour of his nanij^, are
called the Stanze of Raphael, the first is a grand salooh
dedici^ted to the emperor Constantine, in which are repre^
sented four principal events in his reigo. The secobd
stanza exhibits four extraordinary miracles, two front sa-
cred history, and two from the legends of the churclh.
The third stanza is dediicsited to those branchei) of know-
ledge that serve most to elevate the human mind, and dig-
nify our nature in the rank of created beings, of idiich the
-principal subjects are poetry, philosophy, jurisprudence^
andr theology. The subjects of the fourth stanSa^re tifip
4ustorioa^ from the life of Leo III. ; 9nd ti^ Mivmi»i»m,
la RJIPHAEL.
firom the life of Liso IV. These ar^ all supposed to have
been executed before 1517, and, with saialier pictures on
the ceilings of the second and third stanza, are all designed
by Raphael, and painted in fresco by himself, his scholars
and assistants ; and three centuries of unsuccessful emula-*
tion have already made their eulogium.
Although we see in these the aggregate of his powers in
poetical conception and execution, this extraordinary ex-
hibition of talent is not likely at the first view to be impres*
sive to a general observer. Even sir Joshua Reynolds has
recorded his disappointment, and the causes of it, but he alsd
records the way in which his prejudices were at length re-
moved, and himself compelled to acknowledge that he had
originally formed a false opinion of the perfection of art,
and that this great painter was well entitled to the high
rank which he holds in the estimation of the world.
On the. death of Julius II. in 1513, Raphael was ho*
noured with the same favour and esteem by his successor
Leo X. under whose patronage he continued the great
work of the stanze. He painted also in the Vatican in
chiaroscuro twelve whole-length 6gures of the apostles,
but which, from various causes, have been since destroyed ;
and he made designs to ornament one of the arcades in the
grand cprttle of the palace, now called the loggia^ consist-
ing of fifty-two historical subjects from the Bible, aud ara-
besque decorations, which were all painted by his scholars,
or with exceptions too doubtful and uncertain to identify
any particular part to be of his own hand. For this pontiiF
he also made a series of large historical cartoons from the
•acred writings, representing in thirteen compositions the
origin and progress of the Christian religion, to be executed
in tapestry, intended as an additional decoration for the hall
of Constantine. Seveii of these cartoons, from the con-
currence of fortunate circumstances, are now in the col-
lection of his Britannic majesty; but the others were most
probably mutilated of lost, and the tapestries themselves
were dispersed when the Vatican palace was sacked by the
French in 1798.
Raphael, though possessing pre-eininent powers as a
4>ainter, had not suffered that profession alone to absorb
bis 'mind; he had studied architecture under Bramante,
find in chastity of design was not inferior to that distin-
.guisbed artist, who in full confidence of his abilities, re-
commended him sus his successor, to conduct the great work
R A P H A ]§ L. 89
«f St Petered, to which recommendation his holiness paid
due attention. According to the popeU brief on this occa*
sion, dated August 1515, his salary was fixed at three bun«
dred golden crowns, or 150/. per annum. For so impor-
tant an undertaking this sum would seem to be a very ina*
dequate remuneration ; but, as bis biographer observes, in
our own country, one hundred and sixty years subsequent
to this period, sir Christopher Wren did not receive more
than 200/. per annum, for the building of St. PauPs, which
included draughts, models, making estimates and con-
tracts, examining and adjusting all bills and accounts, with
constant personal superintendance, and giving instructions
to the artificers in every department. St. Peter's, which
cost more than a century to complete, underwent so many
changes by the various architects employed, that it would
be now extremely difficult to particularize with any degree
of certainty the different parts of it which were executed
by Raplmel. It^appears, however, that it is to him we are
indebted for the general plan of the church as it now exists*
Jn 1515, Raphael went with the pope to Florence, and
made a design for the fagade of the church of St. Lorenzo :
and, according to Vasari, he was also the architect of a
magnificent house for the bishop of Troja, which still
exists in the street of St. Gallo in that city i but of the
different buildings designed or executed by Raphael, that
on which bis reputation as an artist is thought principally
to rest* is the CafFarelli palace at Rome. The other build*
ings of Raphael still existing are, a palf^ce for M. Giovauni
fiaptista deir Aquila, opposite to the church of S. Maria
della Vallicella, in Rome; a villa for cardinal Julius de
Medici, afterwards pope Clement VII. ; and for the prince^
Ghigi be built a set of stables in the Longara, and a chapel
in the church of S. Maria del Popolo. This prince was
a distinguished patron of Raphael, and much employed
him. For him he painted in fresco, in one of the rooms
of his Casino in the Longara, now called the Farnesina, a
picture of Galatea drawn by dolphins, and surrounded with
tritons, &c. which would appear to have been much ad?
mired and praised by his friend count Castiglione, from a
tetter still existing by Raphael to that nobleman, which
the reader may see in our principal authority. For prince
Ghigi he painted in fresco, on the spandrels pf an arch in
fron^ of the Ghigi chapel in the church of S. Maria della
Pace, a large allegorical subject of Sibyls delirering their
40 R A PH A E L-
prpfibiBlbtes fbr the confirmation of the reirealed religion;
This work was highly esteemed when finished ; but is noW
unfortunately mucii ibjured, and parts aris entirely effiiced.
For his Casino in the Longara, Raphael made a •series of
designs from Apuleius^s history of Cupid and Psyche,
which were painted by himself and his scholars on a ceiling
df a spacious hail. What part was painted by himself it
Would not be easy ^t this time to ascertain^ as the work
has suffered much by being originally exposed to the open
air, as the loggia of the Vatican is at present, and by be-*
ing irepainted and repaired.
- In the church of St. Aiigustin, Raphael painted in fresco,
6n one of its piers, the prophet Isaiah, intended as the
commencement of a series of pictures to ornament that
ehiirrch, but some dispute arising concerning the expence^
the fathers relinquished their design ; a loss much to be
regretted, as the style of this picture is ^ equal to his best *
Works. This dispute concerning the price is said to have
beeii referred to Michael Angelo to adjust, who settled ii
in 6ne Word, by telling the fathers that the knee alone was
worth more money. Raphael also decorated his own villa
in Rome, which now belongs to the cardinal Doria, with
arabesque ornaments, a group of figures shooting at a
target, and a small historical subject, called the Marriage
of Roxana.
Raphael was not only eminent As a painter and an archi-
tect, but he was desirous to emulate the reputation of his
great contemporary, Michael Angelo, in being a sculptor
also. We are informed that, with his own hand he exe-
cuted some statues, but one only is referred to by the
anonymous author of the Milan MS. which was the statue
of a child, then in the possession of Julio Romano ; and
of this statue there can be no doubt, as it is also recognized
by count Castiglione, in a letter of the year 1523-; but
what became of it is not known. There is, however, in
the Ghigi chapel in the church of 8. Maria del Popolo, 'a
statue X)f ' Jdnah from bis own • model, and executed in
marble, under bis immediate direction, by Lorenzetto,
which remains an extraordinary instance of the versatility
of his powers, as this specimen of sculpture may fairly
rank With the best productions of modern Rome.
In the midst of his professional reputation, Raphael was
equally caressed by the learned and the great, many in-
Itaoc^ of which are given by his late biographer^ Mr,
RAP HA EL. 41
DupiXfty wlinse elaborate narraitre we principally follonr.
Leo^X^ regarded Raphael with the highest esteem ; he wal
mu^ dboat his ptirson, was made groom of the chamber^
and is even said to have had reason to expect the honours
of th^ purple, which is the alleged cause for his not marry-
ing tire niece of cardinal di Bibbienai who was desirous of
the alliance;
In the meridian of Kfe, and in the full possession of its
enjoyonents, Raphael became an unfortunate victim to the
barbarous state of the qaedical knowledge of his time ; and
from the unscientific manner in which his death has been
reported, the grossest misapprehensions have arisen as to
the cuuse of it, and in particular it has been attributed to
sensual irregularities, for which there seems no foundation
in fact. He became early attached to a young woman,
the daugbter of a baker at Rome, and thence called by
way of distinction La Bella Fornarina, and she became his
mistress. To her he appears to have been solely and con-
stantly attached, and left her by his will in a state of inde*-
pendence. His constitution, however, was delicate, and
his labours in*his profession so great, as probably to add to
that delicacy ; and when he was seized with a violent fever^
for which ibis itijudicious physicians prescribed copious
bleeding, we are not to wonder that his constitution sunk
under such treatment. He became indeed so rapidly re-
duced, that he had o^ily time to make his will, and conform
to the lal^t offices of religion, before his death, which took
place April 7, 1520, in the thirty-seventh year of his age.
Thus, says his biographer, terminated the life of the most
illustrious painter of modern times ; and, for any data we
have to the contrary, perhaps the most eminent that ever
lived at any period of the world.
In bis will, after leaving to his mistress a sufficiency to
live independent, he bequeathed the rest of his property
to a relation at Urbino, and to two of his scholars, Julio
Romano, and Francesco Penni; appoiilKng an intimate
friend Turini da Pescia his executor. His body lay in
state in the hall of his own house, and the celebi^ted -pic-
ture of the Transfiguration, which he had just finished.
Was placed at the head of the room. His remains were
)after<vards removed with great funeral pomp to the Pan-
theon, where the last ceremonies were performed, and at
the request of Leo X. cardinal Bembo wrote an inscription,
to honour bis memory, and mark the place of his interment.
42 RAPHAEL. •
These particulars we have selected from ibe best ]\fe of
this great artist that has appeared in this country, %^ritien
by R. Duppa, esq, and prefixed to his splendid publicatioa
of ^* Hefads from the Fresco pictures of RafEaello in the
Vatican," 1802, as a companion to bis *^ Heads of Michael
Angelo." Mr. Duppa concludes with a critical essay on
the merits of Raphael, too long for our limits, ami too
valuable to be injured by abridgment. In Sir Joshua
Reynolds^ lectures are many interesting and important
observations on the same subject, which in: truth must
enter deeply into every discussion on the art. We might
refer likewise to Opie!s lectures, Barry's works, and other
authors who have professedly or incidentally treated of
Raphael. The present prpfessor of painting has a note on
the subject which may not form an improper conclusion to
our article, as he appears to have on this occasion exerted
hi$ highest powers of discriminative criticism. /
'^ The general opinion/' says Mr. Fuseli, ** has placed
Raphael at the bead of his art, not because he possessed a
decided superiority overevery other painter in every branch,
but because no other artist ever arrived at uiliting with his
own peculiar e.xcelli?nce all the other parts of the art in an
equal degree with him. The drama, or in other words the
representation of character in conflict with passion, was
h\$ sphere ;, to represent this, his invention in the choice of
the moment, his composition in the arrangement of his
actors, and his expression in the delineation of tlieir emo-
tions, were, and are, and perhaps will be uurivall,ed. And
to this he added a style of design dictated by the subject
itself, a colour suited to the subject, all the grace which
propriety permitted, or sentiment suggested, and as much
chiaroscuro as was compatible with his supreme desire of
perspicuity and evidence. It is therefore only when he
forsook the drama, to make ex:cursions into the pure epic
or sublime, that his forms become inadequate, and were
inferior to those of M. Angelo : it is only in subjects where
cplour from a vehicle becomes the ruling principle, that he
is excelled by T'itian; he yields to Correggio only in that
grace and that chiaroscuro which is less the minister of
propriety and seirtiment, than its charming abuse or volup-
tuous excess ; and sacrifices to the eye what was claimed
in vain by the mind.
** Michael Angelo appears to have had no infancy; if
he had, we are not acquainted with it : his earliest works
R A P H A E L. 43
equal in principle and elements of style the vigorous off*
springs of his virility : Raphael we see in Uis cradle^ we bear
bim stammer ; but propriety rocked the cradle, and cha-
racter formed bis lips. Even in the trammels of Pietro
Perugino, dry and servile in bis style of design, formal
and gothic in his composition, he traced what was essential,
and separated it from what was accidental, in figure and
subject. The works of Lionardo, and the cartoon of Pisa,
invigorated his eye, but it was the antique that completed
the system which be had begun to establish on nature*
From the antique be learned discrimination and propriety
of form. He found that in the construction of the body,
the articulation of the bones was the true cause of ease and
grace in the action of the limbs, and that the knowledge of
this was the true cause of the superiority of the ancients.
He discovered that certain features, were fittest for certain
expressions and peculiar to certain characters ; that such a
liead, such hands, and such feet, are the stamen or the
growth of such a body; and on physiognomy established
uniformity of parts. When he designed, his attention was
immediately. directed to the primary intention and motive
of his figure, next to its general nieasure, then to the bones
and their articulation, from them to the principal muscles
or the muscles eminently wanted, to their attendant nerves,
and at last, to the more or less essential minutiss ; but the
characteristic part of the subject is infallibly the characteris-
tic part of his design, whether it be a rapid sketch, or a
more finished drawing. The strokes of his pen or pencil
themselves are characteristic: they follow the direction and
texture of the part; flesh in their rounding, tendons in
straight, bones in angjjiar lines.
** Such was the felicity and propriety of Raphael when
employed in the dramatic evolutions of character I both
suffered when he attempted to abstract the forms of subli-
mity and beauty; the painter of humanity not often wielded
with success superhuman weapons. His gods never rose
above prophetic or patriarchal forms ; if the finjjer of Mi-
chael Angelo impressed the divine countenance oftener with
sternness than awe, the gods of Raphael are sometimes too
affable and mild, like him who speaks to Jacob in a ceiling
of the Vatican ; or too violent, like him who separates light
from darkness in the Loggia of the same place. But though,
to speak with Mcmgs, he was chiefiy made to walk with
dignity on earth, he soared above it in the c^)nception of
44 RAPHAEL.
• r • • • • •
Christ on Tabor^ and still more in the frown of the sngelic
coantenance that withers the strength of Heiiodorus.
*^ Of ideal female beauty, though he himself in his letter
to count Castiglione tells us, that from its scarcity in life,
he made attempts to reach it by an idea formed in his own
mind, he certainly wanted that standard whiph guided him
in character ; his goddesses and my thologic females are no
more than aggravations of the generic forms of Michael
Angelo. Roundness, mildness, sanctimony, and insipidity,
compose in general the features and airs of his Madonnas,
transcripts of the nursery or some favourite face. . The
*' Madonna del Impanato,* the ^ Madonna della Sedia,*
the ^ Madonna bella,^ share more or less of this insipidity,
which arises chiefly from the high, rounded, smooth fore-
head, the shaven vacuity betweei) the arched semicircular
eyebrows, their elevation above the eyes, and the ungrace-
ful division and scanty growth of hair. This indeed might
be the result of his desire not to stain the virgin character
of sanctity with the most distant hint of coquetry or mere-
tricious charms ; for in his Magdalens be throws the hair
with luxuriaht profusion^ and surrounds the breast and
shoulders with undulating waves and plaids of gold. The
character of Mary Magdalen met his, it was the character
of a passion. It is evident from every picture or design,
at every period of his art, in which she had a part, that be
supposed her enamoured. When she follows the body of
the Saviour to the tomb, or throws herself dishevelled over
bis feet, or ^addresses hini when he bears his cross, the cast
of her features, her mode, her action, are the character of
love in agony. ^ When the drama inspired Raphael, his
women became definitions of grace and pathos at once.
Such is the exquisite line and turn of the averted half-
kneeling female with two children, among the spectators
of the punishment inflicted on Heiiodorus; Iter attitude,
the turn of her neck, supplies all face, and intimates more
|han he ever expressed by features.** ^
RAPHELENGIUS (Francis), a learned writer of the
^16th century, and professor of Oriental languages at Leyden,
N«ras born February 27, 1539, at Lanoy, in French Flanders.
lie began his studies at Ghent, and after some interruption
lirom the death of bis father, resumed them at Nuremberg
and Paris, where he applied with great assiduity to~ the
* Life by Mr. J)Bppa.— Pilkington by Faieli.— Sir J. Reynolds** Workt. See
index, fcc»
R A P H E L EN G I U S. 4S
Greek and Hebrew langotges, under the tbtest masters,
Qntil the civilwars obliged hun to/go into England, where
he taught Greek at Cambridge. After some time he re-
turned to the Netherlands, and, in 1565, married a daughter
of Christopher Plan^n, the celebrated printer. Rapbelen*
gius assisted his father-in-law in eorrecting his books, which
he also enriched with notes and prefaces, and was particu-
larfy engaged in the Polyglot Bible of Antwerp, printed
in 1571, by order of Philip II. king of Spain. In 1585 he
settled at Leyden, where Plantin had a printing»office ; ]a«>
boored there with bis usual assiduity, and was chosen, for
bis learning, to be professor of Hebrew and Arabic in that
university. He died July 20, 1597, aged fifty <^eigbt, leav*
ing, ^'Remarks and correctignson the Chaldee Paraphrase ;'*
8 ^< Hebrew Grammar;** a *< Chaldee Dictionary," in the
Dictionary to the Polyglot of Antwerp; an ^* Arabic Lexi-
con,*' 1613, 4to; and other works* One of his sons, of
the same name, published notes on Seneca's Tragedies,
and ^* £t6gia carmine elegiaco in imagines 50 dootorum
firorum,** Ant. 1587, fol.*
RAPIN (Nicholas), a French poet, was bom atFdnteU
nai-le-comte, in Poitou, in 1535. He was rice-seneschal
of his native province, and went afterwards to Paris, where
Henry III. made him provost of the high-constable*s juris«*
diction, which office b^ held till 1598. In his old age he
determined to retire to Fontenai-le^Comte, and ^ died at
Poitiers, February 15, 1609, aged seven ty-four, leaving a
family. Hrs biographers differ veryjnuch in their character
of this author, as may be seen by comparing our authori-
ties. A considerable part of his Latin poems may be found
in tomk IILof *^ Les D^lices des Poetes Latins Franks;**
and his Epigrams are particulariy admired : the beat amcmg
hitf French ones are, *^ Les Plaisirsdu Gentilbomme Cham-
p6tre," printed in 1583 ; and those which he wrote on ma»
demoiselle de Roche's Flea, which are inserted in the' col*
lection of poems on that foolish subject, printed at Parts,
in 1 582, 4^0. Rapin also attempted to write French blank,
verse, in the manner of Greek aind Latin verse ; but soe<-
eeeded no b^ter than Ba'ff, who had made the same trial
before him. He was one of those concerned in the famous
Satire *^ Menipp^e. Ail his works wer« printed at Paris^
1610, 4to.»
1 Niceron,,yo1. XXXVL^-Foppen, Bibl. Belgw-xQeii. Diet.— BulUrt't Acv
demie dei Sciences, ^ Niceron, toI. XXV.— Gen. Diet— Moreri.
45 R A P 1 N.
. RAPIN (BERATtJSy or Rene), a Fi'ench Jesuit, atid an
able classical scholar, was bom at Touri, in 162],.aod
entered into the society in 1639. He taught polite lite-
rature .for nine years, and published various works both
on that subject and on religion, which made him say to
the abbs de la Chambre that he served God and the
world by turns. To Latin he was particularly partial, and
wrote with great facility and elegance in that language,
both in prose and verse. Of the latter, he e:iLbibi.ted
many specimens which were unrivalled in his time, parti-
cularly his ^' Hortorum. libri quatuor;" a work, which has
been, much admired and applauded.. It was first printed
at Paris, in 1663, and afterwards re-printed with alteration^
and corrections by the author. In 1780, Brotier edited an
edition at the Barbou press. An English version of it was
published at London, in 1673, 8vo, by the celebrated Eve-
lyn; and again, in 1706, by Mr.. James Gardmer of Jesus
wliegGf in Cambridge. All his Latin poems, consisting
of odes, epitaphs, sacred eclogues, and these four books
upon gardens, were collected and published at Paris, in
Jl 681, in; 2 vols. 12mo. In French, which be alM> wrote
with elegance, be published several treatises pn polite lite*
rature,, at varipus timea, which were, printed collectively in
168.4, .2 vols. 4to, Paris; and at Amsterdam, in 2 vols.
Huo^ and translated into English by Basil Kenn^t and others,
in 1705, in 2 vpls. 8vo, under the title of *^ The Critical
Works of Mons. Rapin.** The first volume contains a
comparison between Dej[nosthenes and Cicero for eloquence.
Homer and Virgil for poetry, Thucydides and Livy for
history, Plato and Aristotle for philosophy: the second,
refiectious on eloquence, on Aristptle's poetry, on hi8<»
toiy, on philosophy. Rapines general design in this work
was, as he tells us himself, to restore good taste, which
had been somewhat corrupted by a spirit of profound eru*
dition, that had reigned in the preceding; age : but, although
(there are many just observations in his work, it isaiot that
on. which it would be safe for a student to rely ; nor is his
•{Keference of the Roman to the Greek writers to be. justi-
fied. Some of his • arguments on this part of hk subject
Are .childish.
He died at Paris, Oct. 27, 1687; and in his euiogium,
written by father Bouhours, he is represented, there is
reason to think deservedly, as possessed of all the qualities
that can adorn a man of probity. Zeal for the honour of
R A P I N. 4T
his society made him undertake an <* History of Jansenism^**
against which he had published a Latin work, in 1658^
under the title of ** Dissertatio de nova doctrina, sea £van*
gelium Jansenistarum.*' He had also a contest with father
Vavassor, who wrote against his ^* Reflections on Aristotle^s
Poetics/* yet pretended to be ignorant, as there was no
name to them, that Rapin was the author.' «^
RAPIN DE TuoYRAS (Paiil), an eminent historian, was
born at Castresio Languedoc,March 25,166 L. Hisfamily was
originally from Savoy, and is supposed to have removed into
France upon embracing the Protestant religion. Philibert
de llapin, his great-grandfather, who was of that persua-
sion,-.exposed himself so much to the indignation of the
Roman catholics, and particularly to that of the parliament
of Toulouse, that his head was struck off in. 1568 by a
sentence of theirs, at the very time that he came, by the
king's order, to have the treaty of peace registered there.
Daniel the historian passes over this fact in silence ; and
his reason is supposed to have been, that he might exag*
gerate the disturbances raised by the Huguenots after*
wards in the country about Toulouse. What then happened
appears to have been the popular revenge for Philibert's
death, as the soldiers wrote on the ruins of the houses they
bad burned, ** Vengeance for Rapines death.*' James de
Rapin, lord of Thoyras, was our author's father. He ap*
plied himself to the study of the law, and was an advocate
in the chamber of the edict of Nantes above fifty years.
These chambers were courts of judicature erected in seve*
ral towns of France, in behalf of the Huguenots, or Pro-
testants ; the judges of which were half of the Reformed,
and half of the Roman catholic religion. Jane de Pelisson,
his wife, was daughter to a counsellor of the chamber of
Castres, and sister to George and Paul Pelisson ; which
lady, after having been confined for some time in a con*
vent, was at last sent, by the king's order, to Geneva,
where she died in 1705.
Rapin was their youngest son. He was educated at first
under a tutor in his father's house, and afterwards sent to
Puylaurens, and thence to Saumur. la 1679^ he returned
to his father, with a design to apply himself closely to the
law.; but, before he had made any great progress, he was
obliged, with other young gentlemen, to commence ad-
vocate, upon report of an edict soon after published, in
1 Gen. Diet— Niceron, XXXIL— Moi«ri.
♦8 R A P I N.
which it was ordered, that no man should have a doctor'^
degree without having studied five years in some utiiversity*
The same year, the chamber of the edict of Nantes was
suppressed, which obliged Rapin's family to remove to
Toulouse : and the state of the Reformed growing every
day worse, with his father^s leave he quired the profes^ioa
of advocate for that of arms* He had before given what
bis biographer calls proofs of a military disposition ; for he
bad fought a duel pr two, in which he had acquitted Ium<^
self very gallantly. His father at first did not grant his
request, but gave him such an answer, as served to prolong
the time. Rapin, however, advanced so far in his ll3gai
prpgress as to plead one cause, and one only ; and thett
applied himself diligently to mathematics and musics, ia
both whi(ji be became a good proficient.
In i685, his father died; and two months after^ the
edict of Nantes being revoked, Rapin with his mother and
brothers retired to a country-hpuse; and, as the persecution
jn a short time was carried to the greatest height, be and
his youngest brother, in 16S6, departed for England. He
was not long in London, before he was visited by a French
|ibb6 of distinguished quality, a friend of his uncl^ Pelis-
soi^, who introduced hipi to Barrillon, the French ambassa-
dor. These gentlemen persuaded him to go to dburt, as#>
curing him of a favourable reception from the kin/g ; but be
declined this honour, not knowing what the cor^sequeucet
inight be in that very critical state of affairs. His situation
indeed was not at all agreeable to him ; for he svas perpe-
tually pressed, upon the subject of religion, by (he French
Catholics then in London; and especially by the abb^,
wboj tb(^ugh he treated him with the utmost cojmplaisance|
always turned the discourse to controversy. Having np
bppes of any settlement in England at that time, he went
pyer to Holland, and enlisted in a company of French vo^
luqteer% then at Utrecht, under the command of Mr. Ra-
pin, his cousin-german. Pelisson, the same year, published •
his ^^ Reflections on the difference of Religions,*' which
jbje sent to his nephew Rapin, with a strict charge to give
him bis opinion impartially of the work^ which it is said he
did, although nothing of this kind was found among his pa->
pers, nor was he influenced by bis uncle's arguments. . He
remained with his company, till he followed the prince
of Orange into England; where, in 1689, he was made
an ensign. In that rank he went to Ireland, and 'distin-
R A P I N. 49
gti)^hed bioiself so bravely i^t the siege of Carrick-fergus,
that he was the same year promoted to a lieutenancy. He
was also present at the battle, of the Boyne ; and, at the .
siege of Limerick, was shot through the shoulder with >
a musket-ball. This wound, which was cured very slowly,
proved very detriment£(l to his interest ; as it prevented him
from attending general Douglas into Flanders, who was
very desirous of having bim, and could have done him
considerable service : be had, however, a company given
him.
In tb^ end of 1693, be was ordered for England without
any reason assigned ; but a letter informed bim^ that he was
to be governor to the earl of Portland's son. Having never
had any thoughts of this kind of . employment, he could
not imagine to whom he owed the recommendation ; but at
last found it to be lord Galway. He immediately went to
London, and entered upon this charge, losing, however,
with it those preferments in the army which several of his
fellow-officers soon after attained. All the favour shown
him was, that he had leave to resign his commission to his
younger brother^ who died in 1719, after having been
m^de Iieutenant*colonel in a regiment of English dragoons*
Indeed the king gave him a pension of 100/. per annum,
<< till such tim^ as he should prpvide for him better ;'*
vrhich time never came : and after enjoying this pension
during the king's life^ a^ post of small value was given him
in its stead.
While the earl of Portland was ^imbassador in France,
Rapin was obliged to be sometimes in that kingdom, some-
times in England, and often in Holland : but at length be
settled at the Hague, were the young lord Portland was
learning his exercises. While he resided here, in 1699,
he married ; but this marriage neither abated his care of
his pupil, nor hindered him from accompanying him in his
travels. They began with a tour thr<>ugh Germany, where
they made some stay at Vienna : hence went into Italy by
the way of Tirolj where the marshal de Villeroy, at that
time prisoner, gave Rapin a letter for the cardinal d'Etr^es,
when at Venice. Their travels being finished, which put
an end to his employment, he returned to his family at the
Hague, where he continued some years ; but, as he found
i% increase, he. resolved to remove to some cheap country ;
and accordingly retired, in 1707, to Wesel, in the duchy
of Cleves in Gern^my^ ■, where he employed the remaining
Vol. XXVI. E
50 R A P I N.
years of bi^ life in writitig ^e '^ History of Eogtend."
Though his constitution wiis strong, yet seventeen yeirs
appIicatioD {for so long he was in compOsiilg this history)
entirely ruined it. Aboot tbr6e years before his death, b^
found himself esthansted, and ofifen fek great pains in
the stomach : and at teiigth a fever, with atl oppression ia
his breast, carried him off, after a week*s illness. May 10^
1725. He left one son and silc dstughters. He was M-
turally of a serious temper, although no enemy to mirth :
he loved music, and was skilled, as we have said, in n^a^
thematics, especially in tbd art of fortification. He was
master of the Italian, Sp&nlBb, and English languages ^
atld had ako a very coi^petieiit knowledge of the Greek
and Latin. , He spent all his leisure hours in reading and
conversing with men of learning and informatibn.
He lived tb publish the etghth volume of his history,
which ends with the death of Charles I. The two remraitiw
ing volumes, which bring the history down to the procla*
» mation of WUliam and Mary, canie out in 1724. They
were printed ait the Hdgne in quarto ; and h&ve twice hetti
translated into English ; by the Rev. Nicholas Tindal, M.A.^
first in octavo, then, much itafproved in style, in foiio;
and by John KeNy of the Intier Templ6, esq. in two vols,
folio. Tindal has given a Continuation of Rapines history
to 1760, and added useful notes to the wbdle. When"
Rapin first set about this work, it was not his intention'
to write a complete history of England ; but curiosity and
mu^^h leisure ied him on ttom one ^tep to liiidtber^ tfll he
came to the reign of tlenryll. ; and then, when he was
u^n the point of stopping, an ikiexpected assii^tanc^^
came forth, whi^h not Only induced bim to i^ohtifttiie his
history, but to do it in a more full and parti<^ufor tiianner
than at first he intended. This Wias Ry therms ^ F(federa,*^
or ^< Collection of Public Acts,'' whioh began to be pub^
lifidhed ai the estpe^co of goterhmett€ tthott 1706. Iti
170S, dix volutnes in folio w^re completed, which werci
afterwards ili'ereased to sevtoCeen, and th^n to twenty.
Lord Halifax, & great promoter Of this tioble work, stf^t
the volumes^ as they came out, to L^ Clefc, who gto6-*
rously lent them to onr i^thor ae long Bti be h^ oc^ilsion'
for them. That be did actually tst this colti^dttoti, appears
from the pains be took to abridge the WhOl€ ij^veiHeen vo«
ItfAies, ex(^6pt the first, which WAsdoAe by Lei Ctete : itt
Which abridgment we bavO att the imp^atit a6ts p6i6te^
R A P I N. 51
*
•uty a well-connected series of events to whicb they relate^
and the use to be ma(le of them in clearing up the his-
tory of England. This abstract lies scattered up and down
in the several volumes of Le Clerc*s *' Bibliotheque Choi*
sie ;** and was thence translated and published in English,
in 1727, in four volumes octavo, with portraits. Rapin
also, to let us see what a thorough knowledge he had of our
parties and factions in England, published, in 1717, a little
treatise, eptitled *< A Dissertation on the Whigs and the
Tories ;'' which is subjoined to his history, and has like-
wise been translated and published in English.
Voltaire has observed, that *' England is indebted to Ra-
pin for the best history of itself which has yet appeared ;
and the only impartial one of a nation, wherein few write
without being actuated by the spirit of party.*' This cha-
racter, however, is not strictly just. Rapin was not with-
out his partialities, although his general moderation is
to be praised ; and although it was easy to excel preceding
English historians, he labonred under the disadvantage of
being remote from all those records and sources of intelli*
gence which are to be found in England only. Carte, iifi
his proposals for his history ofEngland, has specified the
errors into which Rapin fell upon this account, and his ne-
glect of original authorities. Tindal, however, and Morant,
have supplied some of his defects, and rectified his errors ;
and upon the whole as an ample, though somewhat tedious
narrative of facts. Rapines history has not acquired more
popularity than it deserved, and which, in some degree,
it stilt retains \ for, of late years, the folio edition has risen
to a very high price. *
RASTALL, or RASTELL (John), one of our early
printers, is said by Bale to have been a citizen of London,
and by Pits a native of that city. Wood says he was edu-
cated in grammar and philosophy at Oxford, and that re-
tlirning to London* he set up the trade of printing, which
was then^ as Wood adds, ** esteemed a profession fit for
any scholar or ingenious roan.*' By whom he was taught the
art, or whether he was at first employed only as a corrector,,
does not appear. His residence was at the sign of the
Mermaid '^ at Fowl's g^te," next Cheapside. He married
Elizabeth, sister to sir Thomas More, with whom he be-
1 Biog; Brk. Sopplemcnt. — Gm. Diet— Life preftxtd to Um History, and
added to th^ ^ Acta Regia.''
12
52 R A S T A L L.
came intimate, according to Wood, by bis piety aad learn-
ing. Bale and Pits assign different causes for this inti-
macy ; the one, because he was a bold champion for
popery, which the other terms his great zeal for the glory
of God. Herbert thinks it was most likely that he was at
first introduced to his acquaintance by means of printing
sir Thomases ^^ Dialogues,*' and that his acquaintance was
afterwards cemented into friendship, as was natural, by
their mutual principles and opinions. The date, therefore^
of this acquaintance may be 1523 or 1529. Wood says
that Rastall, by frequent conferences with sir Thomas, im-
proved his knowledge in various sorts of learning, which is
probable ; but he omits to notice what is more important^
that Rastall became a convert to the reformed religion by
means of a controversy with John Frith. Rastall published
^' Three Dialogues,'* the last of which treats on purgatory,
and was answered by Frith. On this Rastall wrote his
*^ Apology against John Frith,'* which the latter answered
with such strength of argument as to make a convert of his
opponent. Rastall also wrote a book called <^ The Church
of John Rastall/' which being in the list of prohibited books
published by bishop Bonner, annexed to his injunctions in
1542^ is supposed to have contained some retraction of his
former opinions, at least of what he had written concerning
purgatory. Herbert questions whether this book be not
the same which Bale mentions by the title of <^ Abrasio
Papismi." Both Bale and Pits attribute other works to
Rastall, not now known, except his ^^ Anglorum regnum
Chronicon, or Pastime of the People," printed by him in
1529. This having lately been reprinted (1811) among
the rest of the English Chronicles, by a select number of
the booksellers of London, it is not necessary to describe
its contents. The original edition is so scarce that one per-
fect copy only is known, which formerly belouged to lord
Orford, who gave it to James West, esq. and is now in thei
king's library; and of imperfect copies, bibliographers
mention only three or four.
Rastall is sometimes called a lawyer, and besides being
printer, certainly had a considerable hand in composing or
compiling some law books. In 1517, he printed and pub*
lished his " Tables to Fitzherbert's Abridgment," in folio,
which in 1565 were reprinted by R. Tottel. According to
Herbert, he also had some concern in ifirst printing Fitz->
herbert's Abridgment, and he composed a table to tb#
R A S T A L L. S3
*' Book of Assizes/* which is printed with the latter editions
of the work. In 1527, we find *^ An Exposition of Law
Terms and the Nature of Writs^ with divers cases and rules
of the Lawy collected as well from books of Master Little«-
ton, as other Law Books/' printed in small octavo by J.
Rastall, and again by him in French/and English, folio,
without date. This appears to have been originally composed
as well as printed by Rastall, both in French and English,
notwithstanding the conjecture that has been formed in
favour of his son William, by lord Coke and others, as au-
thor or translator of it. John RastalPs other publications
appear to have been, ** Tables of the Years of our Lord
God, and of the Kings, in opposite columns," printed by
Walley in 1558, and again in 1563, by William Rastail in
1563, and often reprinted by others ; and in 1566 '^ Entries
of Declarations, Bars, Replications," &c. folio, commonly
called *^ RastalPs Entries," and sometimes quoted as the
*^ New Book of Entries." The author, in his preface, tells
the reader that his collection is chiefly compiled from
l.The old Book of Entries: 2, A Book of Precedents
written by Master Edward Stubbes, one of the Prothoho-
taries in the Common Pleas : 3. A Book of Precedents ga-
thered by John Lucas, secondary to Master William Roper,
prothonotarie of the King's Bench: 4. A Book of good
Precedents of his grandfather sir John More (father of sir
Thomas More), one of the justices of the King's BencI),
but not of his collection ; all which he had incorporated in
this volume.
John Rastail died at London in 1536, leaving two sons,
William and John. William was born in London in 1508,
and about 1525 was sent to Oxford, which he left without
taking a degree, and entered of Lincoln's Inn for the study
of law. In the first of Edward YI. he became autumn or
summer reader of that house ; but on the change of reli-
" gion he retired with his wife to Louvain^ whence he re-
turned on the accession of queen Mary. In 1554 he was
made a serjeant at law, one of the commissioners for the
prosecution of heretics, and a little before Mary^s death,
'■ one of the justices of the eommon pleas* Queen Elizabeth
•renewed his patent as justice, but he preferred retiring to
Louvain, where he died Aug. 27, 1565, and was buried in
the church of St. Peter, on the north side of the altar of the
Virgin Mary. His wife, who died in 1553, on their first
going to Louvain, at the age of twenty-six, was the daugh-
54 R A S T A L L.
r' \
ter of Dr. John Clement^ one of the physicians sent by
Henry VIII. to Cardinal Wolsey during his last illness. She
was a lady of considerable learning, and well acquainted
with Greek and Latin.
iflerbert ascribes some law poblioations to William RaS"*
tall, but doubtfully. He carried on the printing business
from 1530 to 1534. When Tta^iicd Rastall be published
'< A collection (abridged) of the Statutes in force and use/'
in 1S57, often reprinted. It contains copies of statutes
not elsewhere extant, and in some instances more com-
plete transcripts of several acts than are commonly printed
in the Statutes at large ; and it seems to be a republication
9nd enlargement of the abridgment which was printed by
bis father in 1519. — The other son, John, was commonly,
but improperly called Mr. Justice Rastall, from having
b^en a justice of the peace. Some works, in controversy
with bishop Jewell, have been attributed to William Ras*
tall, but were written by a John Rastall, no relation, as far
as we know, of this family, who became a Jesuit, and died
abroad in 1600.'
RATCLIFFE (Thomas), Earl of Sussex, a statesman
of the sixteenth century, was the eldest son of Henry Rat-
clifie, the second earl of Sussex, by Elizabeth, one of the
daughters of Thomas Howard, second duke 6f Norfolk.
His first public service was in an honourable embassy to
the emperor Charles the Fifth, to treat of the projected
marriage of Queen Mary to Philip, which he afterwards ra^
tified with the latter in Spain. Upon his return he was ap-
pointed lord deputy of Ireland, and chief justice of the
forests north of Trent. The order of the garter, and the
office of captain of the pensioners, were likewise conferred
on him in that reign, a little before the conclusion of which
he succeeded to his father^s honours. Elizabeth continued
him for a while in the post of lord deputy, and recalled him
to assume that of the president of the North, a situation
rendered infinitely difficult by the delicacy of her affiiirs
with Scotland, and the rebellious spirit of the border eoun-
ties. The latter, howeveV, was subdued by his prudence
and bravery in 1569 ; and the assiduity and acuteness with
which he studied the former, will appear from his own
pen. The unfortunate affair of the duke of Norfolk, to
whom he was most firmly attached, fell out in the course
> Aoiei by Herbert. — Ath. Ox. vo), I. new edit.— Dodd's Ch. Hut.— -7^9nner»
Balei and Pili.— Bridgman*! Lfgal Bibliograjihy.
B A T C L I F F E. . $i
qC that ymr, md would bav^ end^d b^ppUy $^d. bpnour^l^y
if th# duke had fi>Uj[>we4 bis advice. Tba^nobleoi^t^'s last
requ^^at wm> that his beist.george» cbaini and gfLTter^ might
be givea to my lord of ^sse:^. He was the pri||\|^ negoci-
ator i9 tbofte twpfaoaous tre^^ies of marriage with the sM^ch-
doke Charles and the duke of Alen^pa, £li?abe^h>s real
ijBieirtiops io which have been ^o frequently the s^bjQct of
biftoriQal dUquisitiou. In 1572^ he retired fromth^ severer
labours of the pilbUc service, in which be had wasted his
hoakb, to. tbie boDourable oSce of lord chambejrlain» and
the duties of a cabinet minister; and died ii.t hip. bouse in
Bfsnnoodseyv June 9, 158$, leaving little to his. heirs bvit
the brig^ example of a charac^r truly noble« The .^^l
of Sussex was twice married ; first, to Elizabeth) daughter
pf Thomas Wriotbesley, earl of Sloutbamptou, by whon^ be
bad Iwo sons, Henry and Thomas, who died young ; se:
condly, to Frances, daughter of sir William Sydney, after*:
wards the. celebrated foundjiess of Syduey-Susse^i; ^pllf^^
in Cambridge ; by whom having no children, he w^s suct
oeeded by Heary, his nest brother.
** This great man's conduct,", says Mr. Lodge^ *^ ynjted
all tha splendid qualities of those eminent persons who
jointly rendered Elisabeth's couj^t ^n object of admiration
to £iifope, and was perfectly free from their faults*. Wise
and loyal as.. BmsgtUey» withont his blind attachment to
the ivojuurch ; . vjgiianit as Walsimgbaint but disdaining hi9
low euimiiig ; ma^ificeot as i^eater, bu^ incapable of
Jl^ypoerisy ; and biave.asRalegb, with the piiaty of a primi*
ttve Ckiistiao; he seemed s^ioj^e tbejcommon objects of
byuman ambition, and. wanted, if the expression may be al*
lowed, thoAe diirk ahades of obaracter which make men the
heroes of history. Hence it is, probably, that. our. wdter$
bav^ bestowed so litUe attention on this admirable person^
wko in bnt slightly mentioned in most historical collections«
Uinl^sa with regasd to his disputes with Leicester, whom he
Ivtted almost to a fault." Mr. Lodge justly esteems him*-
aeilf peculiarly fortunate in having been the instrnmeot of dis^
islosing the ead of Sussex's letters to. the public. They form
a very valjuable part of the '^ Historical Illustrations," and^
a small number excepted, are the only ones to be met with
in print. Tbeae letters display both bis intjegrity and abi^
lity in a very stciiking Hght, and are written in a clear and
manly sty la Four cMf them are particnlarly curious ; two te
Ihe queen, on the. treaty of marriage with the arohduke of
W R A T C L I F F E.
Austria ; one to sir Wiiliam C^il, on the state of pditie^
in Scotland ; and one to her Majesty, concerning the duke of
Alengon. The letter on the aflPairs of Scotland is considered
by Mr. Lodge as an inestimable ^curiosity. Farther light
will be thrown on the earl of Sussex's character, by trans**
cribing the manly language in which he complains that
his services were neglected, and declares his purpose
of retiring to private life. It is in a letter to sir Wil*
liam Cecil. ^' I was firste a LieutenUe; [ was after
little better than a Marshal ; I had then nothing left to me
but to direct hanging matters (in the meane tyme all was
disposed that was w^^iu my comission), and no we I ame
offered to be made a Shreif 's Bayly to deliver over posses-
sions. Blame me not, good Mr. Secretarie, though my
pen utter somewhat of that swell in my stomake, for I see
I ame kepte but for a brome, and when I have done my
office to be throwen out of the dore. I ame the first nobel
man bathe been thus used. Trewe service deserveth honor
and credite, and not reproche and open defaming; but,
seeing the one is ever delivered to me in the stede of the
Other, I must leave to sei^ve, or lose my honor ; w^h, being
continewed so long in my bowse, I wolde be lothe shoolde
take blemishe wth me. These matters I knowe procede not
from lacke of good and honorable meaning in the QC ma^
towards me, nor from lacke of dewte' and trewthe in me
towards her, which grevethe me the more ; and, therefore^
seing I shall be still a camelyon, afid yelde'no other shewe
then as it shall please others to give the couUer, I will con-
tent my self to live a private lyfe« God send her Mate others
that meane as well as I have done ; and so I comitt you to
th* Almightie.*' From the next letter it appears that the
queen had too much wisdoip to part with so faithful a coun-
sellor and servant. The earl of Sussex had a high regard
and esteem for Lord Burgbley. In one of his letters,
dated June 28, 1580, he expresses himself, to that great
'Statesman, in the following terms: ^'The trewe fere of
'God wch ygv actyons have alwayes shewed to be in yo"^ harte,
the grete and deepe care wch you have always had for the
honor and salfty of the Q'. Mat^s . most worthy p'son ; the
continual troubell w^^^you have of long tyme taken for the
benefyting of the com'on-weltbe ; and the uprygbt course
^ch jQ have alwaye's taken, re$pectying the mattr and not
the p'son, in all causes ; (wch be the necessary trusts of him^
that feretbe God trewly, s'rveth his Soverayne faythfuUj,
R A T C L IF F E. 57
und lovethe his countrey derely) have tyed me to yo' L. itt
^at kiiotte vr^^ no worldly fraylty can break ; aiid, therfor,
I wyll never forbere to runne anfy fortune that may 8*rve
you, and further you' godly actyons. And so, my good L.
fprberyng to entrobell you w^*^ words, I end; and wysb
unto you as to my self/ and better, yf I may/' '
. RATHERIUS, one of the very few learned prelates in
the tenth century, was born at Libya, and embraced a mo«'
nastic life at the abbey of Lobbes, or Laubes, in Flanders.
Here he distinguished himself by his abilities and acquire-*
ments. In the year 928, after Hilduin had been driven out
of the see of Liege, he accompanied him into Italy ; and in
931 he was, by the express order of the pope, put in pos-
session of the see of Verona ; and with this promotion he
c««nmenCed a life of vicissitudes and persecutions, an ac-
count of which here would perhaps be uninteresting, but
may be found amply detailed in the edition of his works
printed by the brothers Ballerini in 1767. He died at
Namur, about the year 973. His works are numerous, and
divided into three parts ; the first contain his *< Prologues,*'
in six books; which form a treatise on the duties of all
classes of men, expressing also their vices and irregulari-
ties ; the second is a collection of letters ; and the third con-
jiiflts of sermons.'
RATRAMN, RATRAM, or BERTRAMN, a celebrated
monk, und priest of the abbey of Corby, flourished in the
9th century, in the reign of Charles the Bald. He appears
to have bjeen well acquainted with the Greek and Latin
classics, and with the Holy Scriptures. Of all Ratramn -s
works, his treatise ^^On the Body and Blood of Christ*'
made the most noise. This treatise was written in answer
to Paschasiiis Rstdbert, and so much appeared to favour the
protestant opinion respecting the real presence in the Eu-
charist, that many learned catholics considered it either as
heretical or spurious; but its authenticity was clearly-
proved afterwards by Mabillon, M. Boileau, and a doctor of
the Sorbonne, who published an excellent edition in Latin
and French, 1686, 12mo, reprinted with a defence in
Latin only, 1712, 12mo, and according to catholic writers,
has also shewn the work to be orthodoTC. But this is ably
controverted in the English translation published in Dub-
1 Juodge's lUustratioQS.-— Biog. Brit, new ecli\ art. Robeit Dublby, p. 465.
* Tirabofchi.— CaTe.— Dupio.
V
5& B A T R A M N.
t
lin in 1753. His other works, whicb are lett interesting,
are mostly inserted in D'Acberi's Spicilegiufn. The tune
of his death is not known. ^
RATTE (St£Fhen Hyacinth de), a French madieina*
tician and astronomer, was born at MoNtpeliier, Sept. 1,
1722, and from his earliest years became attached to the
study of the sciences, particularly mathematics. When
very young, be was appointed secretary to the Montpellier
academy of sciences, which office be held uotil ail acade-
mies in France were dissolved. In the course of bis office,
he published two volumes of their ** Me9ioirs,*' and was
preparing a third at the time of the resolution. He als(>
contributed imany valuable papers himself on philosophical
and mathematical subjects, and furnished some articles for
the ** Dictionnaice Encyelopedique.*' The comet of 1759,
the subject of so much predicjtion and expectation, so far
altered his pursui|ts as to make them afterwards eentr6 in
astronomy. He was for a long time considered a3 the only
good astronomer at Montpellier, and made many useful
observations, particularly on the famous transit of Venus
in 1761. Such was his zeal, that when old age prevented
him from making observations with his usual aecumey, he
maintained a persoq for that purpose at his own ^epenee as
keeper of the observatory at Montpellier. On the death
of his father, in 1770, he became counsellor of the eourt
of aids, and was often the organ of that cooppany on re-
markable occasions. In 1798, when such numbers of the
old academy as had escaped the murderous perio(| of ih^
revolution attempted to revive it under the name <^ ^^ So*:*
ciet6 Libre des sciences et belies lettres de Montpeiiier,^
De ilatte was chosen president. Some volumes of their
transacttons have been published under the 4itie of ** Bulle-
tins.*' When the nationad institute was formed, De Ratte
was phosen an associate, and also a membet of other learned
societies in France, and at last one of the legion of honour.
He died Aug. 1 5, 1 805, aged eighty-three. His astroiiot-
mical observaitions have been collected for publication by
M. De Flaugergues, an astronomer of Viviers; but our
authority does not mention whether they have yet ap-
peared. *
RAULIN (John), a French djvine, was born at Tout
in 1443, of a good family. He studied at Paris, and re-
«Oopiii Mosheim'8 £ccl. Hist • Diet. Hist.
R A U L I N- 59
ceived the degree of doctor of diviDity in 1479, having^
before giveo prqof of bis learning and talents, by a com*
meptary on the logic of Aristotle ; and his polpit oratory.
In 1491 be was chosen grand master of the college of Na<»
varre, and performed the duties of that office in a manner
which procured bioi universal esteem. In 1497 be fancied
be had a special call to leave the world, and therefore re«
tired to ihe abbey of Cluny, the order of which^ be was
qoBimissioned to reform by cardinal D'Amboise ; and here
too he was a very frequent preacher. He died Feb. 6,1514,
in his seventy-first year. Major mentions an anecdote much
to the credit of Raulin. When he was only a licentiate,
some ecclesiastics who were filling their pockets by the sale
of indulgences, offered to pay all the expences of taking
his doctor's degree, if he would join them and preach up
their trade, which he rejected with indignation. Many
large volumes of Raulin's sermons were printed after his
death, composed in a miserably bad taste, which, however^
was the taste of his age. It is perhaps a sufficient character
of tbem, that Rabelais took some of bis ludicrous stories
from tbem. The only useful publication of Raulin is his
volume of correspondence, '< Epistols," Paris, 1529, 4to,
which, like most collections of the kind, throws some light
on the literature of the age.^
RAUWOLF (Leonard), a skilful botanist, was a native
of Augsburg, and a pupil of Rondelet. He sailed from
Marseilles, in 1573, for the Levant, and performed a labo-
rious and dangerous journey through Syria, Mesopotamia,
Palestine, and Egypt ; of which he has left an account in
German, full of curious information relative to medical and
other rare plants, with several wooden cuts. He died physi-
cian to the Austrian army, atHatVany, in Hungary, in 1606,
according to Dryander, Bibl. Banks, v. 395, though Haller
says 1 596a The latter writer mentions his being obliged to
quit hiis country, on account of his religion, which was pro-
testant His splendid herbarium, once the property of
t}ueen Christina, and of Isaac Vossius, is preserved in the
university of Leyden. From it Gronovius composed his
** Flora Orientalis.'* — ^An English translation of bis journey
was published by Staphorst in 1693, 8vo.*
RAVENET (Simon Francis), an engraver, was a na-
tive of France, but came to England about 1750, and
1 NiceroD, vol. XI. — Chanfepie. < Haller, Bibl, Bot.«-Rees's Cyclopaedia.
/«
60 R A V E N E T.
settled in London. In the latter part of his life he resided
at Mother Red Cap*s, near Kentish Town, where he died
in 1774. He was of eln amiable disposition and much re-
spected, and had the honour of instructing both Ryland and ,
Hall in the art of engraving.
The shadows in his engravings are deep toned, end his
style both of drawing and engraving vigorous, though
somewhat mannered. Beside what he produced after Ho-
garth, the following are esteemed among bis best prints :
" The Prodigal Son," (a large upright) from Sal. Rosa ;
^* Lucretia deploring her Misfortune," from A. Casali ;
" The Manifestation of the Innbcence of the Princess Gun-
helda," (its companion) from the same; "The Death of
Seneca," (a large plate) from Lucca Giordano ; " The
Arcadian Shepherds," from N. Poussin; **The portrait of
Lord Camden," from sir Joshua Reynolds. He is also the
author of a considerable number of vignettes, book plates,
and small portraits.^
• RAVENSCROFT (Thomas), an active English musician
and publisher, who flourished from the beginning of the
17th century to 1635, was the editor and composer of the
best collection of psalm tunes in four parts, which had till
then appeared in England. He was a bachelor of music,
and a professor not only well acquainted with the practice
of the art, but seems to have bestowed much time in the
perusal of the best authors, and in meditation on the the-
ory. This book, published in small octavo, 1621 and 1633,
eontains a melody for every one of the hundred and 6fty
psalms, many of them by the editor himself, of which a
considerable number is still in u>e; as Windsor, St. David's,
Southwell, and Canterbury. There are others, likewise,
which are sung by the German, Netherlandish, and French
Protestants. To these the base, tenor, and counter-tenor
parts have been composed by twenty-oneEnglish musicians:
among whom we find the names of Tallis, Dowland, Mof-
ley, Bennet, Stubbs, Farnaby, and John Milton, the fa-
ther of our great poet. The tunes which are peculiar to
the measure of the lOOdth psalm, the ll3tb, and 119th,
were originally Lutheran, or perhaps of still higher anti-
quity. And though Ravenscroft has affixed the name of
Dr. John Dowland to the parts which have been s^et to the
lOOdth psalm, yet, in the index, he has ranked the melody
> Str«lt»8 Diet. .
RAVENSCROFT. 61
itself with the French tunes ; perhaps from having seen it.
among the melodies that were set to the French version of
Clement Marot and Theodore Beza^s Psalms, by Goudimel
and Claude le Jeune. Ravenscroft, in imitation of these^
harmonists, always, gives the principal 'melody, or, as he
calls hy the playn-^ong, to the tenor. His publication is,.
in some measure, historical : for he tells us not only who
composed the parts to old melodies, but who increased the,
common stock, by the addition of new tunes;, as. well as
which, of them were originally English, Welch, Scots, Ger-
man, Dutch, Italian, French, and imitations of these.
No tunes of triple time occur in Claude le Jeune, and
but five in Ravenscroft : tl>e principal of which are Cam-
bridge, Martyrs, Manchester, and the 81st. This last is
still much used, and often played by chimes : it is called
an imitation of a foreign tune, and has the name of Richard
Allison prefixed to it. Muller^s German edition of the
psalm tunes at Frankfort is exactly that of Claude le Jeune,
in two parts only ; except that he has transposed some of
the melodies, and inserted easy leading and coimective
notes, to assist, not only the singer, but sometimes the
tunes themselves; whipb, without them, would now be
very bald and uncouth. Many of these old melodies aret
still sung to German hymns as well as psalms.
In 1614 Ravenscroft published *' A briefe Discourse of
the true, but neglected, Use of chamcterizing the Degrees
by their perfection, imperfection, and diminution, in mea-
surable Musicke, against the common practice and custome
of the times,'^ 4to. He had been educated in St. Paul's,
cl^oir, under Mr. Edward Pierce, and was particularly con-
versant with old authors ; he, therefore, wished to revive
the use of those proportions in time, which, on, account
of their intricacy, bad been long discontinued. He practised
these exploded doctrines ineffectually, though to his dis-
Qourse he added examples to illustrate his precepts, ex-
pressed in the harmony of four voices, concerning the plea-
sure of the five usual recreations of hunting, hawking,
4anciug,, drinking, ^md enamouring. H^ was not always
yery successful in his attempts at imitative harmony ; and
melody was then sb crude and uncoiith throughout Europe,^
as to afford little assistance in imitative strains. Ravens-,
^roft was also the author of a collection of songs, entitled
^' Melcimata, Musical Fhancies, fitting the Court, City,
ei R A V I S.
and Country Humours, in Ibrde^ four, and five Voyces,'*
published in the y^ar 16] 1.^
RAVIS, RAVIUS, or RAVE (CitRisTiAN), a learned
orientalist, was born nt Berlin, in 1613, and after studying-
ibr eight years at Rostoek and other foreign schools, be
came to Oxford in 1638, about which time he addressed a
letter to archbishop Usher, who, conceiving a high opinion
6f him, gave him an invitation to Dublin, with offers of
preferment. In the mean time becoming likewise known
to Grotius, the latter, unknown to archbishop Usher, in-*
troduced him to cardinal Richelieu^ who offered to employ
llim ad his agent in the ea^t. Ravi us, however, pleaded
bis pre-etigagement to the Englii^h nation, and especially
to Usher ; and the cardinal/ with great liberality, admitted
his motive, and dismissed him with a handsoine present,
H^ then, under the patronage^ of Usher, began his travels
in the East, but fortunately for himself, arrived at Constan-
tinople with a strong tecommendsltion from archbishop
Laud ; for, according to Dr. Pocock's account, who was
then in that city, Ravins *' came thither, without either
cloaths befitting him (of Which he said he had been robbed
in France) or money, bv letters of credit to any merchant.
He had letters of recommendation from some of the states
to the Dutch ambassador, who was departed before his
arriVak Sir Sackville Crow, the English ambassador, find*
ing that'he brought the archbishop^s recommendation, ge-
nerously took' him into his house and protection, and gave
him all du^ furtherance ; requiring of him that, if occasion
so present itself, England may enjoy the benefit of what
titn^ he ^hall here employ in the study of the eastern tongues*
His desire," Dr. Pbcock adds, " seems to be, to be em-
ployed in setting forth books in the Arabic language, and t6
t>e overseer of the press in that kind, for which be would
be very fiuing."
In 1639, archbishop Usher wrote a Latin letter to him,
with a promise of «£24. a-year towards bis support ; and dii
bis return with a large treasure of MSS. to the number of
three hundred. Usher rewarded and supported him with
great liberality. RaviuS now settled in England, and iii
1642 resided at Gresbam college, and afterwards at Lon^
don house, Aldersgate-street, and in both places taught
the Eastern languages. During the following year he went
1 Hawkins and BuToefs Hist, of Music, and the latter in Keei*s Cyclopaedia*
R A V 1 ». es
t6 Holland, ftiid was appointed profiMsOr of the oriental
Jteguitges at Utrecht, which has procured him a place
among the learned taen of Utrecht in Burman^s <* Trajeo-
ttim Ertiditum/' In 1648, we find him again in England^
where, in compliance with the ruling powers, he took the
covenant, and even became a rival to Dr. PoCock in the
Arabic professorship, but failed in thb detlign. He then
went to Swedeh, and became professor of oriental litera«
tlire at Upsal ; but a large family and the scanty salaty of
bis professorship obliged him to go to Kiel in Germanyi
where be lived comfortabiy until his death in 1677.
The writings of this learned scholar were M« " Panegy-^
ricsB orationes du8B de lingais Orientalib'tts,'' Utrecht, 1643,
4to. 2. *^ Obtestatio ad universam Eorapam pro disoendia
rebus et Unguis orietitalibns," ibid. 1644, fol. 3* ^ OrC0«
graphic^ et analogiae, vulgo etytnbiogiek, Ebraicas delinea*'
tia, &o." Amst. 1646, foL 4. ^<A Grammar of the Hebre«^,
Chaldaie, Syriac, Arabic, and Samaritati,'' Loiid. 1648^
8vo. 5. <' De Dddaifm Rubefiis dlSsertatio philologica,"
Upsaf, 1655, 8vo. 6. <* Annotationes iA versus postremOS
Geneseos capitis XXX,'* ibid, 1655, 8vOi 7. '^ Apolloniu4
Pergseus ex versione Ariibica, Laiine,*' Koloti. 1661, 8vo.
8. <^ Versio nova in caput quanutn GfeiieseOs," ibid. 1664^
8vo. §. '< Versio Latina ex Hebrso sex prtorum capitum
Geneseos, &&'* ibid. 1665, 8vo. 10. " Chrdnologim in-
fallibilis de anhis Christi, &c. demonstrationes,'* ibid. 1669^
re})rinted 1670, fol. ll. *< Synopsis Chronologias Bibli-^
c»," Berliri, 1670, fol. 12. " Orbis Hieraticus Levita-
rum, &c.'' ibid. 1670, fol. 13. <* Excussio discUs^iom^
ih^pts Abrahaml Calovli,'' Upsal, 1671, fol. 14» << Dis*<
putatio Cbrdriblogica de plenitudihe-^temporis Christi ib
ca^ne a priori deducta,** Frantifort, 1673, 4ta. 15. "Tri-
gitit^ arcana Bibiica cotitieitiintia ssram Ghristi anno mundl
4041, non 4000 ul Callovios docet,'* ibid, 1675, fol.
He had a brother, JohK RaviuSj who was professor of
philoBopby at Rostock, and the author of a commentary
oti Cornelius N^po^, and kome other works. ^
HAWLEY. See RALEGH.
HAWLEY (William), a learned English diving, and
editor of lord Bacon's works, was bofn at NorWii^b- about
1588. He was admitted a Bible-clerk in BeneU cdllege,
\ Ath. Ox. iroL iL^Twellfl'f Life of Pocock, p. li.--Boni»n'i Tri^* Brud.— >
Usher's Dfe and LetUn.
«4 RAW L E Y.
Caiiibrtdge» under the taidou of Mr. Cbapqiafiy oo di«<
22d of January, 1660, aod took b^^tb tbe degrees in arts
before tbe 19tb of IVbrcb, 1609, when be was elected a
fellow of tbe bouse. . Upon tbis be comaieoced tutor, 9jad
was ordained deacon by tbe bisbop of Ely, at Downbam^.
September 22, 1611 ; not long after wbicb, be was pre*
sented by tbe university of Cambridge to tbe rectory of
Bowthorpe in Norfolk, and was instituted to it Dec. 10,
1612. In 1616, by tbe favour of sir Francis Bacon, wbo
procured tbe living for bim of tbe college, he obtained tbe
rectory of Landbeach.. He had commenced B. I), tbe year
before, and upon bis patron^s being made lord-keeper of
the great seal, was ;4>pointed bis domestic chaplain. While
Mr. Rawtey.was in this situation, he proceeded D..D. in
1621. 'He was of great use to bis master, in writing down,
compiling, digesting, and publishing his works ; to many
of which be wrote prefaces aad dedications, as well as
translated several of them into Latin. These, with some,
other pieces committed to his care, he collected together,
and printed^ after bis lordship^s decease, London, 1638,
folio, with a dedication to king Charles, one of whose
chaplains be then was. In 1657, be published at London,
ii\^ folio, upder the title of ^^ Resuscitatio,'* several others,
of lord Bacon^s tracts ; to which at the request of many^
foreigners, and natives of the kingdom, be prefixed some
account of his patron^s life. This, which is thought to be
drawn up iii a clear and manly style, shews Dr. Rawley to.
have been an able writer. It was likewise translated into
Latin, and placed before the ^* Opuscula varia Posthuma,*'
printed in 8vo the y^ar following, which, he tells us, were
the last things he had in his hands. However, he repub-.
lished the ^^ Resuscitatio,'' with some additions, in 1661 ;
at which time he was chaplain in ordinary to bis majesty
king Charles II. He was so great a favourite with lord.
Baeon, that, after his resignation of the seals, he recom-
mended Dr. Rawley to his successor, bishop Williams, for
farther preferment This the bishop promised, and de-^
sired lord Bacon to point out in what he would wish him to
promote Dr. Rawley ; but his lordship modestly declining
this, and referring the choice to the lord-keeper, Dr ,
Rawley appears to have derived no advantage from hi»
friend's recommendation. Lord Verulam, besides the care
of his writings, left the doctor by will, as a farther testi-
mony of his regard, one hundred pounds, with the king of
k AW t E V, 65
SiNttii's'-Pidygtot'^i M^r'tba pifbUcftlira j of bi« mttttec's
works) in' 4.6^8, On Bawrleyr rfesid/eid u^qU bis reQtory at
Laoidbeacb* He married Bwrbarfti' tbe diMighter of Mn
Jobn W4ehsl^d> aldernmn of Cambridgei by vvbom be luid
twocbildreii* Hia daughter, Maiy, diedi in bear iDfancy |
but Us iM)ni WiUtam, < bmame follow of Corpus Cbristi
6o]legcf> and «irai3> baried at Luddboapby «<>ii the Sd of July,
]:66r6i Dr. Rawley tost his. sm, bi^ wifei^: and his sefvante^
aU ill the sameyeaivef tbe.plague ; rwbich probably afFecfeed
him so much as' ta' bring doimn. his*' grey hairs with sorrow
fo the gra^^e. He died on the 18 tb of June^ 1667^ in the
seventy*ninth yearof his age,, after having been pastor at
Landbeach fifty yeans, and ihroMghout .the whole of the
tronbles; Hi& remains. were deposited .near the CommU'*
i^tenv table, in the obaocel. of his owe. ohurcb^ under a blaet
marble, with a Latih imoriptian to his /memory. Dr. Raw^
ley was proctor in eonvoeaiidnifor the cletgy of the dioc^e
of Ely, in 1661, and as such subscribed to the Book .ofi
Common-Prayer, upon its revisaU - He had the appella^
tion of the lord BsLcon's^ learned chaplain ; and that this
title was justly bestowed 'upon him', td evident from the
testimonies of several considerable men, both at hpme and
abroad; He presented ^ofd Bacoti^s ^orks, as he published
tbera, to the library of Corpus Cbristi college, Cambridge;
and bequeathed to it ^* Camden^s firitatinia/' with <> Cice«-
ronis Opera,'* in 2 vols, and Plato, in 3 vols, folio. These
books were 'delivered by»hkiexeo4itor Mr; John Rawley, to
whose care we are indebted for those Remains of lord Bacon
which were jpublished by Dr. Tenisoti.^
RAWJ.INSON (CBfRlSTOPHE'E), of Carkhall in Lanca-
shire^ esq. an ablle Satcon- scholar, the only son of Curwen
R^wlidson' of tbe^ same places wbo^died in 1689, and de-«
scended from a family of long standing in High Fumess,
and very numerous in ther parish of Hawkshead ^d Colrv
ton, was coHateraily related 'to the subjects of the three
following airticleis. ' He was born in 1677, educated at
Queen's college, Oxfordy made uppertoommoner May 10^.
1695, and eminently distinguishied for his application to
Saxon ind Northern literature* He, published, whilst at
Queen's college, a biteutifullsditionof kiivg Alfred's Sax^n
translation of " Bciethius de CorisolatiQne PbilosophisB,'* '
Oxon. 1698, 8 vo> from a transcript, by Franeisciis Janios,
> M Oten's Hist of C. C. C. C.
Vol. XXVI. F
R A W L I N S O N,
of a very ancient MS. in the Bodleian library, collated Wit&
one in the Gotton lifaraty. The ^* Gramtnatica Anglo-Sax*
ooica, ex Hickesiano Thesanro excerpta,'* printed at Ox-
ford in 171 1, 1^ dedicated to this gentleman, in the follow^
ing words r ** Viro eximio Christpphoro Rawltnson Armi*
gero, Ltteraturas Saxonicae Fautori egregio, hasce brevi«>
cuhts Institirtiones Graonmaticas dicat, dedicat, Editor.'^
He left behind hinv a large collection of MSS. among which
are many relating to Westmorland and Cumberland, of
which copies are at sir Michael le Fleming^s at Rydal. He
ordered his under-coffin to be heart of o^k, and covered
with red leather; and died January 8, 1732-3, aged fifty-
fire. At the rrorth end of the north transept of the abbey-
chorcb of St. Alban's iis a white marble sarcophagus,^ witb
8 figure of History sitting on it, reclining on her left arm,^
holding in her hand a pen, with which she writes in a book,
while two other books lie under her feet. Bek)w is thb
epitaph:
To- the tnem:>ry of
€bri«topfaer Rav1io90ii» of Carli-haH io Cartmel, in the county of
liSDcaster, .etq. whose remains arte deposited in a vault near this place.
He was son of Curwen Itawlinson, member of parliameat for the town
of Lancaster, and Elizabeth Monk, daughter and co-heir of the loyat
Nicholas Monk, lord bishop of Hereford, brother to Gen. Monk
*l(uke of Albemarle. The said Christopher was of Queen's college, in Oxford,
and. published the Saxon version of ** Boetbius de Consolatiooe
Phikwophias" in the Saxon language. He was bom in the parish of
Spriogfteld in Essex, June !<}, 1677, and died in Jan. 1733.
This aioauriient was erected pursuant to the will of bis cousin and
. co»heires» Mrs. Mary ftlalte^ youngest dttughter of Roger Mdre,
of Kirkby Lonsdale,, hi the county of Westmoreland, seijeant at law,^
and Catharine Ravlinson, sister of the said Curwen Rawlinson.
Sor this gentleman's pedigree, see ** Sandford's Oeneerlo-
gical History of the Kings and Queens of England^' 1707;'^
where also is a print ^ of < the monument erected by binv>k>
' * This print is engraved by Nut*
tiOg* ansd inscribed at bottom, as fol-
lows: <*Viro oobiti. fc omatitsimo,
literanim patrono, Cbristophoro Raw-
litosoo; de Cark, in coihitatu Lancas-
tciMr armigero ; qui oe dulcis memo^
rla ayt sui bonorabilis et matris cha-
^issimse pereat,monumentum hocseter-
nitati- sacrum esse volutt,*' In thecen-
ter of this inscription is a shield, quar-
fering the arms of Rawlinson, Planta-
getfe^ Curwen, and Monk; with the
n^tto of the Rawlinsons 'affixed. The
epitaph runs thus : ** Near this place
lyeth the body of that mo^t learned
W boaeil coomellor at law^ Robert
Eawlinson, of Cark'Hall in Cartmetl
in Lancashire, and of Gray's Inn ia*'
Middlesex, esq. . His great integrity,
joined with a profound knowledge of
ihe law, made him esteemed and atf.
mired by all that knew him. Htr was
justice of Ihe peace, of Quorum, and of
Oyer and Terminer, for the countiea
Palatine of Lancaster and Chester to
king Charles' 11. ; a great sufferer for
his loyalty to king Charles I. vice-
chamberlain of the city and county of
Chester to Charles earl of Darby. U^
lived beloved of all, and so he died
lamented) Oct 21, 1665, aged 55, He
married the prudent Jane Wii^on-
RAWLlNSOl^.
6'
bis grandfather and mother, in the church of St, Mary, at
Ciirtiiiel, in Lancashire. There are two engraving9 of
him; one in a wig and night-gown, iu a frame of oak«
leaves, engraved by Nutting, with his initials in a cyphec
at the corners, and his arms quartering a chevron betweeu
3 lions' heads, and Ar. fretty Gu, a chief A z. Another^
by Nutting also (mentioned in Granger), in the same plate
with fouir others, \it. Kobert, his grandfather; Curwen,
bis father i Elizabeth, his mother, atid t)r. Nicholas MoDk«
bishop of Hereford, his mother's father. There is like-
wise a mezzotinto half-sheet, by Smith, represeiiting him
younger, and of a mote comely person, than either of the
engravings. It is dated " Anno Christi 1701, attatis siise
RAWLINSON (TflOMAs), knt. eldest surviving son of
Daniel Rawlinson^, citizen and wine-merchant of Loh-
don, descended from the ancient family of that name at
Graisdale, in the county of Lancaster, was born in the
parish of St. DionisBackchurch, in F'eochurch-street, Lon<»
(eldest daagfater of Tilomas Wilsob
of HaTersham Hall ia WesUDoreland,
ciq.) who died 1686, aged 60; and
was buried iu the same grave With
bim ; by whom be left Canred Raw-
linson, esq. bis eldest and only son,
#ho married. He was d most accom-
plisbed ^sd iogenioiM geotlenan, and
a true patriot; so succeeded bis father
in the setrice and love of his country,
and died in it 1689, aged 48, bein^
burgess for Lancaster in the parlia-
ment convened 1688^ Jan. ^2, and waa
buried in the chancel of St^ Mary*s,
Warwick.
•Next Robert Rawlinson lyeth the
remains of the truly pious and religious
Elixabetb RawKnson, wife of Curwen
Rawlinion of Lark* esq. (daughter and
co-heir of the loyal t)r. Nicholas Monk,
1^ bisbop of Hereford) a f^reat as-
sistant in the Restoration to bis bro-
thfr>. the most noble Oeoige Monk
duke of AlbemaHe, and son of sir
Tboim Monk of Potheridge in Oe«>
vopshire, knt. , She ^s^s a most dutiful
daughter of the Church of England, as
i#ell as of a prelate of it; being a sob-
lime pattern of holy piety, a. true cba*
lily, a Christian humility^ a faithful
friendship, a religious dre of her
1 Drawn Dp by Mr. Goug^ for (be
fionary, vol. il« art. Kawlinson.
F
children, and t divine patience ndder
the torture of the stone, and with which
she resigned her heavenly soul, Sept.
81, I69i. aged forty-three, lea«io^
two sons} Monk Rawlinson, who died
K95, aged 21, and lyeth buried by
ber; and Christopher Rawlinion, esq;
now living, bom in Esseic, 1617, who«
in memory of hie grandfather, and
most dearly beloved and good mother,
erected this tnoAument, Adccv.'* Th€
abov« is toa exact copy of Uie platei
* Daniel Rawlinson has a monu-
ment in St. Dionis Backchurch, witb
his wife Margaret, his eldest sod Da^
niel, his daughters Elizabeth, add
Mary, wife of Mazine, esq. Strype's
Survey of London, B< II. p. 154. It
appears by the printed wiH of Dr. Hi-*'
chard RawUusoq, that Daniel left bia&
a fee^fartn rent of 42/. per mmurn, is-
suing o«t of the rectory and parish-
chureb of Ulverston, and other tith^«
in the county of Lancaster, and lis^
also out of the tetiements, and 12
acres of glebe of the said rectory, and
61. out of Pennington rectory and other
rents, &<i. amounting in the whole to.
upwards of 95L per annum, which be
left in trust, as beceftfter stated.
e'diUon 1784 of this Diet.— Collier's Die-
63 R A W L I N S O N.-
don, March 1647 ; appointed sheriff of London by James II;
1687, colonel of the white regiment of trained bands, and
governor of Biridewell and Bethlem hospitals, 1705; and*
in 1706, lord mayor of London, when be beautified apd
repaired' Guildhall, as appears by an inscription in tbi^
^reat porch. He married Mary, eldest daughter of Richard
Taylor,' esq. of Turnham- green, with whom he lived 87
years, and by whom he had 15 children* She died' at
Chelsea, Feb. 21, 17^4-5, aged sixty-three. He died in
his own parish, November 2, 17o/, and was buried with 8
his father, who died in 1679, aged sixty-six. Of his chil-
dren, four daughters, Anne-Maria, Mary« Margaret, Susan;-
and two sons, both named Daniel, died before him. Wil-
liam died'in 1732, and was buried at Antwerp. John, of
Little Leigh in Cheshire^ esq. died< January 9, 1753.
l^empest, the youngest son, by profession a dry*salter, died
January 1, 17^7. Sir Thomas Rawlinson, it maybe added,,
had been foreman of the grand jury at the trial of alderman
Cornish '; and was elected sheriff by royal mandate.— Hi»
eldest son, Thomas, for whom Mr. Addison is said to have
intended bis character of Tom FoliOi inthe Tatler, No. 1 58,
but with in(init<ely tbo satirickl ^ vein, was a great collector
of books ; and himself a mafk of learning, as well as patron-
of learned men. Mattaire has dedicated to him his edition
of Juvend; and Hearne^s publication, entitled '^ AluredL
Bererlacensis Annales, &c." was printed from the original
MS. in this gentleftian*s p'Ossessibn. Very numerous indeed
were the communications that editor received from Mn
Thomas Rawlinson, for ail which be tKketf every opportu-*
nity of expresising his g^ratitude. While Mr. Rawlinson
lived in Gray's inn, be had four chambers so completely
filled with books, that hi9' bed was removed out into tbe^
passagie.' He afterwards removed to London-house, the
-lincient palace of the bishops of London, in Aldersgate-
street, where 1osb died August 6, 1725, aged forty*four^
and was buried ini the church of St. Botolph Aldersgate»
In Lbtid6n-hoQse his Kbr^ry was sold after his decease;
and there also lived and died his brother Richard, who left
a portrait of his brother Thomas in crayons, another of
himself, and another bf Nicolas Salmop, LL. D. thenoti-
quary, to the Society *of Antiquaries, aU afterwards revoked.
His MSS.took sixteen days to sell, from March 4, 1733-4.
The catalogue of his library consists of nine parts. The
amount of the five first parts was 2409/. Mr. Charles:
R A W L I N S O N. 69
M^b, late bookseller at Chariiig-cross, used to say,
that the sale of Mr. Thomas Rawliqson^s Kbrary was one of
the first eveots he remembered upon engaging in business ;
and that it was the larg^ collection at'that tim^ known toi
have been offered to the public'
RA'WLINSON (Richard), an eminent antiquary, and
great benefactor to the university of Oxford, was the fotirtli
son of sir Thomas ; . and was educated at St. John's college,
Oxford, wJbere he was admitted gentleman commoner^ and
proceeded M. A., and grand compounder in 1713, and was
£idmitted to the degree of doctor of civil law by diploma^
in 1719, He was F. R. S. and became F. S. A. May 10,
1727. He wa3 greatly accessary to the bringibgtb light
many descriptions of counties ; and, intending one of Ox*
fordshire, had collected materials from Wood's papers, &c.
bad many plates engraved, and circulated printed queries,
hot received accounts only of two parishes, which in some
degree answered the design, and eucouraged him to pursue
it; In this work were to be included the antiquities of the
gbity of Oxford, which Wood promised when the English
popy of his '' Historia & Antiquitates Oxon." was to be
published, and which have since been f&ithfally transcribed
from his papei^, by Mr. Gutcb, and much enlarged and
corrected from ancient original authorities. All Dr. Raw-
linson^s collections for the county, chiefly <?ulled from
Wood, or picked up from information, and disposed by
Iiumlreds in set)arate books, in each of which several pa-
rishes are omitted, would make but one 8vo voluine. But
be made large collections for the continuation of Wood's
'< Athena Oxdnienses" atid *^ Histqrjr of Oxford,'Vapd for
^n account of ^ NoQ-compliers" at the Revolution ; which,
together with sonie edllections of Htorh^'s, find note-books
6f his own trav£l)l, be bequeathed by bis will tp the univer-
sity pf Okford, The Life of Mr. Anthony Wood, hisio-
riograpber of the most famdUs university of Oxfdrd, with
art liccoont of bis nativity, education, works, file, collected
and coQiposed from iMSS. by Richard Rilwlinson, gent.
comniioiier of St. John*^ college, Oxon. was printed art Lon-
don in 1711. A copy of this lile, with MS additions by
the author, is in die Bodleian library. He published pro-
posals for an *f History of Eton College,** 1717; and, in
4728, ^^ Petri Abaelarai Abbati% Ruyensis ^ Heloisseer
1 By Mr. Goagb, for the edition of this Dictiooiry of 1784.
70 R A W I. I N S O N.
9
Ab1>ati8S8B Paracletensis Epistolte/* Svo, dedicated to Df.
IVIead. The books, the publication of which he promoted^are
supposed to be the ** History and Antiquities of Wincbes-t
ter," 1715, 8vo, ^* History and Antiquities of Hereford,"
1717, 8vo. *^ History and Antiquities of Rochester,'* 1717,
1723, 8vo, *^ Inscriptions on, tombs in Bunhili-fields,''
1717, 8vo. ^^ History and Antiquities of the Churches of
Salisbury and Bath," 1719, 1733, Svo. « Aubrey's History
of Surrey," 1719, 5 vols. Bvo. ** Norden's Delineation of
Jlortbamptonshire," 1 720, 8vo. " History and Antiquities
of Glastonbury," Oxford, 1722, 8vo. In 1728, he trans-
lated and printed Fresnoy's /' New Method of studying
History, with a Catalogue of the chief Historians,'* 2 vols.
Svo. But his principal work was ** The English Topo<v
frapber, or, an Historical Account of all the Pieces that
ave been written relating to the antient Natural History
or Topographical Description of any Part of England," 1 720jt
8vo, the plan of which has been so much augmented and
improved in Mr.^ Cough's two editions of the ^^ British To-
pography." In 1750, he gave, by indenture, the yearly
sum of 87/. 16^. Sd. being the rents and profits of various
estates which he inherited under the will of his grandfather
DaDiel Rawlinson to the university of Oxford, for tbe
maintenance and support of an Anglo-Saxon lecture or
professorship for ever. To the Society of Antiquaries, be
gave, by will, a small freehold and copyhold estate at Ful-
ham, on condition that they did not, upon any terms, or
by any stratagem, art, means, or contrivance howsoever,,
increase of add to their (then) number of 150 members^
honorary members only excepted. He also made them a
considerable bequest of dies and matrices of English seals
^nd medals, all his collection of seals ^, charters, drawings
by Vertqe and other artists, and other antiquities ; ten^
wa) put- tree book-cases, which had been given to his lat^
l^rother Thomas by the then earl of Peoibroke, and fou^
mahogany* presses, all marked P, all his English prints p^
which they had not duplicates, and a quit-rent of 5Lp^i^.
annum, in Norfolk, for a gop4 meilal for the best des.crip*
* See hit teals enumerated m the 141, 150, 164, 166, 237, 295, 309,
British Topography, vol. I. 465»4S3, 381, 474, 416, 689, 709. 715.
vol II. 40, 96i, 13^, 177, 891. Drawings and MSS. ?oKl. 188, 337,,
His plates, vol. I. 390, 419, 454, 339, 431, 499, 510, 529, 534, 609^
464, 492, 494, 508, 515, 537, 544, 615.— Vol. H. 59, 75, ^5, 95^^ \^
552, 5i^, 64a, 717.— Vol. H. 50, 89, 155, 9S6, 468, 761.
HAW L I N S O N. 7i
tion pn any Eogliih, Saxon, Roman, or Greels/coini or
•other antiquity not before treated of or in print ; but, re*
seating some sqpposed want of deference to his singularities
and dictatorial spirit, and some reflections on bis own and
bis friend's honour, in an imputation of libelling the So^
ciety in th^e public papers, he, by a codicil made and
signed at their house in Chancery lane, revoked the
whole*, and excluded all fellows of this or the Royal So*
ciety from any benefit from his benefactions at Oxford^
which, besides his Anglo-Saxon endowment, were ex^
tremely considerable ; including, besides a number of
books with and without MS notea, all his seals, English
and foreign, his antique marbles, and other curiosities;
bis copper^plates relative to several counties, his ancient
Oreek and Roman coins and medals, part of his collection
of English medals, his series of medals of Louis XIV» and
XV. a series of medals of the popes, which Dr. Rawlinson
supposed to be one of the most complete collections in
Europe; and a great number of valuable MSS. which be
ordered to be safely locked up, and not to be opened till
seven years after his decease f. His music, MS. and printi
ed, he gave to the' music^scbool at Oxford* He died afe
Islington, April 6, 1755 ; and in the same year was printed
<'The Deed of Trust and Will of Richard Rawlinson, of
St. John the Baptist college, Oxford, doctor of laws ; con-
cerning his endowment of an Anglo-'Saxon lecture, and
other benefactions to the college and university/* He
left to Hertford college the estate in Fulham before ment
tioned, and to the college of St. John the Baptist the bulk
of his estate, amounting to niear 700/. a year, a plate of
archbishop Laud, thirty-one volumes of parliamentary
journals and debates; a. set of the '^ Foedera,*' .all his
• • ' - ■ ' }
* One reasoDt among othert, wl^icb Salisbary* by whom it wai sent to
he give for thit, was, that their then se- , Cambridge. Dr. Tay Ipr's insinuatioi^
cretary, Mr. Gordon, -was a Sootcbman, however, was #iihoat foundation, faS
f Br. Taylor was persuaded that no such MS., was found in Dr. Rawlinn
ibis precaution was taken by the doc- son's collection ;' and the papers which
tor to prevent the right owners' reco- Dr. Rawlinson. desired might not b«?
▼ering tbeir own. He supposed that made puhUc Aill after his dieath, were
Dr. RawHnsen made no scruple of his collectienafor ajcoipitinaatinnof the
buying all that wAs brought to him ; ** Athense Oxontenses/^ with Hearne's
and that, am«ng the test, the MS. and Diaries, and utq other M^. Ybe
printed copy of Demosthenes, whicln. whole ar^ now open for any one who
was lost on the road, and the detainer wishes to consult .them.— Historical^
«if which ho>had cursed very classically, passages collected by him from Wobdi
^o^ld be found among the spoil. The were .printed as a lupplemept tor
MS/belonged to James Harris, esq. of, Woo^^s Life, Oxf^ 1772, vol, U, p, 24?.*
. . . ! . ._. '-4. ...-•*
T« B A W t I N S O K.
I
Gr^ekt Boman, «nd Englkb, coins not given to the Bod<»
leian libr^ry^ ^1^ ^^ plates engraved at tbe expencOi of <tie
&>ciety of Antiquariefl, with the annuity for the prize-
medaly and another to the best orator. The produce of
certain rents bequeathed to St. Jean's college was^ after
fiO years* accumuJationi to b^ la^d out in purchase of an
IB8tate» whose profits were to be a salary to a keeper of the
Ashmolean Museum, being a master of arts, or bachelor in
pivil law ; and all legacies, refused by the university or
others, to c^snter in this college. To the hospitals of Bride-
weU and Bethlehem, for the use of the incurables of the latter
Ii^ }ef^ 2po/. and ten guineas as an equivalent for the
inonthly coffee which he had. received in Bethlehem ^coiiw
snon room : but, if they did nor giiv up the picture of his
father hanging in their hall, in order to its being put up in
the Mansion-hduse, they were to forfeit the larger snm^
pnd receive only the smaHen This picture, after it bad
hung up at the Mansion-hoase for some years, Orithout any
companion, in a forlorn, neglected state^ and received
eonsiderable damage, the late sir Walter Rawlinson olM
gained leave of the court of aldermen (being then himself
|t member of that body, i^nd president of those hospitals)
io Eestore to Bridewell. It is bne of sir Godfrey Kneller^s
best performances, and well engraved by Vcrttte^^-^ON-
STANTIKE, another iirother^ ^s mentioned 'by Richatd Raw*
linson's will, as then Tesidlngat^V^iice, where he died in
1779. To hitnfae '|pive tbexqpper-{>late of his fatbier'^
porltait, and ^all &mily •'pictures, except his fatber^s^ por^
trait by Kneller, which twaa given to 'the Vifntners' com-^
Eany, qf which bir fkther waa 'aviember. He Idft him also
is Tents in PaulVfaread eoart» Fenchurchostreet, jeiint\y
with his sisters^ Itllary^RawUnlrm, a^d'Anne Andrews, for.
life. In the same will is mentioned another brother, Johk,
to whom he left estates in Devonshire-street, London ; and
ft nephew Thomas. To St John> college he bequeathed
also bis diplpma, f^nd his he^rt, which is placed in a bea^'-
^ful mafble urn against the chapel-wall, inscribed :
''Ubi tliesaurus, ibi cor.
'.' l^if . JUwLiNsoN, LU Dl ^ ANTp. S. S, .
^' QMin huyus jCoUegii superioris.oidinis OonHtteDsati^.
'* ObSt VI Apr. MDCCLT."
m^ b^dy was buried in a vault, purchased by him in the
north aile of St. Giles's church, Oxford, of which he h^ i|
plate engn^ved in liis life»^ime| with this inscription :
RAWtlNSON.
t3
'' Twk ^voMt-^'^^Vdat in Speculuwu
Maaei omuM aim noi^r— NoQ moriar oaintt«
,.{ UocI^oraHtoriuin.Sped. lat. Spedlof^.
A parodiift D. Egidi Oxon. concess. 25 Febr. et
Facult £»isc. coofiroiat. 5 Mali J. L. Arm. et
A&ign. A. D. M,DCC,L1V.
Pallida mors sequo pulsat pede.
> Bemel «st oatcanda via letM.
Ultima Thule.
f^ RAWI.IN80H, LL.D. R. & A, SS.
OHm Coik^ S. Joaonis Bapt. Oxon*
Superioris Ordinis Commensalls,
Obiit vj Apr. mdcclv. aet. lxv."
^ » '
. Wteo tbe be9d ^f cpmiseUor Layer, who was executed
lor b^Mig c^n4^ued in the plot of 1792 *, and Bxed oa
Templo^bfl^r^ m9tk blown off> and t^k^n up by Mr. Joba
Pearcesi s^n emitoet utiornev of Tooke'st^courty and ageixt
for the npejuriog pivrty» Dr. R^wUnson purchased it of
him fit 9 )^gb|Mrice^ preserved it as a valuable retic, and
dire($ted tb4t il; abould be buried in his right band. It is
said, however) that he was imposed upon, find that a bead
w^ts.^old to hiq» which was not Layer^s.
. Hi^ librfiry of printed books -and books of prints was sold
by aiiaionMa 1756;. the sale lasted. 50 days, and pro<*
duced liai/. Theirs was a second sale of upwards of
20,000 p^Q^pblets, reduced into lots under proper beads»
T|?itb bis most uncommon, rare^ and odd, books, in. the fol-
lowing year, during ten days ; which was immediately
succeeded by a. sale of the doctor^s single prints, books of
prints, -nod dravyings^ whieh lasted eight daya ^
. KAY (li£N,FAMiN), an. ingenious and worthy man, who
is d^crihed as possessed of learning, but ignorant of the
.lyorldi indolent and thoughtless, and Often very absent;
9lis a native of . Spalding, where he was educated under
Pr* Neve^ and afterwards admitted of St. John's college.
* Christopber Layer, a young
^craissellor of the Temple, was appre-
)wQdk4 in Um» iiiiddkft of flepL 11SS,
and, attempting bis escap* next ^ay,
was overtaken, and codimitted to the
Tower. He was ezamfned Sept^ 31,
l^efore tbc jMrivy nou^il ; a«»d, after a
trial of )8 hours, in the kiog^s bench,
m an mdictment for inlisting men in
Sisez for4he Pretendcr's'Mrviee, and
corratpondipg w|(b them) was oonYiot-
jSd, and received ^sentence of death.
But, being reprieved from time to,
time, the House of Commons appointed
a coouaitlee to evaounc him in reU-
tiou to the conspiracy. He dedined
making any discovery ; and was-exe-
cuted at Tyburn May 17, 17S2( and
his head lined upon Temple-bar. Ia.
a short speech he justi6ed what he ha4
done, and recommended the interest
Sf the Pretender. His trial wai print*
ed some lime before his executioo*
llndaPs Contiu. of Kapin, IV. 666,
By Mr. Cough, drawn up originally (or Nichols*! Bo'wyef.'
74 RAY.
Cambridge. He wAs perpetual curate of Surfleet, of
vrfaich he gave an acicount to the Spalding Society ; and
curate of Covbiit, which is a chapel to Spalding, in the
gift of trosjtees. His hermitage of osiers and willows there
«vas celebrated, by William Jackson of Boston, in a MS
heroic poem. He communicated to the Royal Society an
account of a water-spout raised off the land in Deeping
fen, printed in their " Transactions,'* vol. XLVIL p. 447,
and of an ancient coin, to " Gent. Maig. 1744." There
are several dissertations by him in that miscellany. He
was secretary to the Spalding society in 1735. Mr. Pegge,
about 1758, had a consultation with Dr. Taylor, residen-
tiary of St. Paul's, and a friend of Ray*«, to get him re-
moved to a better situation, and the doctor was inclined to
4o it ; but, on better information and mature consideration^
U was thought then too late to transplant him. He died a
bachelor at Spalding in 1760. S^e his communications tp
the society, in the Reliquiae Galeanae, pp. 57, $B, 6S.^
He also communicated, in MS. ^ The Truth of the Chris-
tian Religion demonstrated from the Report that was pro-
pagated throughout the Gentile World about the Birth of
Christ, that a Messiah was expected, and from the Autho-
rity of Heathef) Writers, and from the Coins of the Ro-
man £mperors to the beginning of the second general per-
secution under Domittan," in ten sections, never printed.*
Also a MS catalogue of household goods, furniture, and
ten pictures, removed out of the presence-chamber, 26
Charles 11. 14 Dec. 1668, from Mr. Brown, and ,of others
taken out of the cupboard in the chamber, 25 Dec. 1668,
by Mr. Church. These were in number 69. (Percy
Church, esq. was some time page of honour and equerry
to the queen -mother Henrietta Maria.) A MS catalogue
of Italian princes, palaces, and paintings, 17S5, now i«'
the Society's Museum. In 1740, a large and welUwritten
history of the life and writings of the gre^t botanist, his
namesake, by Mr. Dale, which was read, and approved^
John Ray's account of Cuba, where he was on shore some
months. Mr. Johnson call^ him bis kinsman^ and says, in
honour of him, he finds an inscription On the lower ledge
of an altar-tomb, on which lies a mutilated alabasterknignt
Jn armour and mail in Gosberkirke, alias Gosberton chapel^
BOW a school at Surfleet, to belong to Nicolas Rte, who
was sheriff of Lincolnshire 5 and 6 Edw. I. 1278/ and diec{
1279 or 80.*
• Nichols's Bowyer.
RAY. 75
RAT, or WRA^V (John), an eminieiit English natural
philosopher, was the son of a black^muh at Black Notley^
l^ear Braintree, in E»Be:^ i^ud was born there Nov, 29tb,
1628. He was bred, a schQla^r at Braintree school ; and
sent thence, in 1644, to Catharine^hall in Cambridge*
Here he continued about tv^o years, and then removed,
for some reason or otb^r, to Trinity-college ; with which,
says Derham, he was afterwi^rds muph pleased, because
in CatharineTball they chiefly addicted themselves to dis*
putations, while in Trinity the politer arts and sciences
were principally cultivated. In Sept. 1649 he was chosen
a minor fellow along with his ingenious friend Isaac Bar*
row, and was chosen major fellow, when he bad completed
bis master's degreie. The learned Duport, famous for his
skill in Greek, who^ had been his tutor, used to say, that
the chief of all his pupils, i^nd to whom he esteemed none
of the rest comparable, were Mr. Ray and Dr. Barrow^
In 165 J, ]V^r. Ray was chosen the Greek lecturer of the
jt^oU^ge ; in 1653, tbe mathematical lecturer; in 1655,
humanity-readers which three appointments shew the re^
putation he bad acquired, in that early period of his life, for
bis skill in languages, polite literature, and the sciences.
After he had been of greater standing, he was chosen into
the respective offices of the college, as prslector primarius,
in 1657 ; junior dean in 1658 ; and twice college^steward,
in 1659 and 1660r
During his continuance in the university, be acquitted
himself honourably as a tutor and a preacher; for, preach-*
ing and common placing, ];>oth in the college and in the
university*churcb, were then usually performed by per^
so|)s ^ not ordained. Dr. Tenison informed bis biogra-*
prher that Mr. Ray was much celebrated in his time for
his preaching solid and useful divinity, instead of that
^thusiastic st$iff which the serpnons of that time were,
generally BUed with. His favourite study, and what in-,
deed made the chief business of his life, was the history of
naturae, and the works of God : and in this he acquired
very ejctensive knowledge. He published, in 1660, a
** Catalogue of the Cambridge Plants,''. in order tp pro-
mote tbe study of botany, which was then much neglected ;
and tjne reception this work niet with encouraged him to *
proceed farther in tbi^ study. He. no longer contented,
himself with.whi^t .he met with about Cambridge, but ex-,
(ended h}s pursuits throMghonit the greatest par( of £ngland.
7« a A Y.
and Wales, and part of Scotland. In' these j^rilejrs of
ftimpling, tfaougti he sometimes H^ent alon^y yet he had
comfnooiy the coin|i>any of *6tber oe^ious gientletaicfn, f I'atti-^
cularty Mr. Wittoughby^ bis p<ipilf Mr, (aftefwbrds sir)
Philip Skippdn, and Mr. Petet Cburtfaope. ' At the xeBXh*
ration of Che king^ be resolved upon' etiteHnj^ i^to-hisfly
orders; and ^vas ordained by Sander^n^, bishop of Lin^
coin, December 23, 1«€0. He cOfrtina^ fello<iiFof TrinSty^
college, till the beginning of the BartfaoloMiew^ act-; whith^
requiring a subscription afgainst the solemn ledg^e and
eovenam^ occasionod' him to resign his *feIlovrship, be re<i
fusing tO'i»gn that declaration. His biographer informs uli
that the reason of his refusal was not, as •some h^rt itiiagined^
his having taken the solemn league and covenant : " fo^
that he never did, and often declared that he ever thought^
k ah unlawful oath,- but he said he could not declare,- foif
those that had taken the oath, that no obligation lay upoti
tbe^n ; but feared there might." This explanation of Mr.-
Ray'S conduct seems not very ^tisfaclory, btit 'it is all
that we can noiv obtaVn, and it'is certain that he died in
communion with the church of- England.
Having now left his fellowship, and visited tnOst parts of
his own eounti^y, liO'Was desirous of seeing what nature af-
forded in foreign parts; and accordingly, in Apri^ 1663^;
himself, with Mr. WiHoughby, Mr; Bkippoii, and-Mr. Na*
thauael Bacon, went from Dover to CA)ais$ and thehde
through divers par4s oiF Europe; ivhich, however, it is suf-
ficient just to therition, as Mr. Kay himfself, ih 16?3r, pub^
lished the '* Observittioils" • they made in that tour. To-
wards the end of their jottrney,Mf; WiHoughby and Mr.
Ray separated; the former passing through Spain, ^tb^
latter from Montpelier through Prance, into Engkbd,
where he arrived in March, 1665-6.. He pursued his phi-
losophical studies with his -usXial iirdour, and becanse sd
distinguished, that he wafe importuned to come into thd'
roy?il society, and ^as admitted fcfllow the^reof in 1667.'
ipeing theh solicited by dean (afterwards bishop) Wilklns^,-
to translate his ** Real Character** into Latin, he consented ;
and the original manuscript of that work, ready for th^
press, is still extant in the library of the royal society.
Iti the spring of 16€9, Mr. Ray and Mr. Willougbby'
entered upon those Experiments about the tdppifigs of
trees, and the ascent and thid descent of their ssip, which
are published in the Philosophical Transactions. About;
BAY. If
§
tb>9 time^ • Mr. Ray began to draw up his observatioDs for
public use ; and one of the fiirst th^)gs he undertook was^
bis '^ Collection of £ngUsh Proverbs." This book, tbougb
sent to Cambridge to be printed in 1669, yet was not pub*
lished till 167.2. U was afterwards mucb^enlarged, and iif
perhaps better known to the generality of bis countrymen^
than any otber of his Uteraryr labours. He also prepared
his ^' Catalogue of English Plants'' for the. press, which
came out in 1670: bis bumble thoughts of this and bis
other book' (for he was a man of uncommon modesty) may
be seen in a LaXia letter of his .to Dr. Uster, August 22^
1670. In the same letter, he also takes- notice of th^
alteiHii^ his namue^ . by. leaving out the W in the beginning
of it ;: for,, till 1670, he. had always written his name JVray^
bi^t this beipgy he saysy contrary to the custom of his fore^.
fathers, be therefore re-assumed the name of Ray. In the
same letter, be mentions bis having had ap offer of 2QQL
per ann«m to.travel with three young noblemen into foreign
parts.; but this .proposal not being consistent with his in-
firm state of body, he thought it prudent to decline it.
In 1671 he was afflicted with ^ feverish xtisorder, wbigh
terminated. in, the yellow, jaundice) but he^ was soon ci^red
of it, and resumed his botanical pursuits. . The year after,
his beloved friend Mr. Willoughby died,,. in bis 37th year,,
at Middleton<>ball, hi^ seat in Yorkshire; ^Uo the, infiuit€^
and unspeakable loss and grie^" says Mr. Ray, ^^ofiny«
self, his friends, and all good men." There having been
the sincerest friendship between Mr. Willoughby and Mr.
Ray, who >were men of similar dispositions and tastes,
from the. time of their being fellow-collegians, Mr. Wil-
loughby not only, confided in Mr. Jiay in his life*time^ but
also at his death ;. for, he made him one of the executors
of his will, and charged bim^witb the education of his sons,
Francis and Thomas, leaving him also for life 60/, perann«
The eldest of these young gentlemen not being four years
of age^ Mr. Ray, as a faithful trui^tee, betook himself to
the. instroction of them;. and for their use composed h\%
^^ Nomenclator Classicus,'' which was published in 1672,;
and is far more exact, especially in the natnes of natural
objects, .than any that had previously appeared. Francis^
die eldest, dying before he was of age, the younger became
lord Middleton. Not many mpnlhs after the death of Mr.
Willoughby, Mr. Ray lost another of his best friends, bi-
shop Wilkins ; whom he visited in London, November 1 8,
1672, and found expiring.
H tt A t.
Mr. Ray having thiis lost some of his best fri^ndsy aA(l
being in a manner left destitute, endeavoured to consolel
himself With female society ; add in June, 1673, married si
yoiiug lady, not half his ilge, beit^g only 20 years of age, th^
daughter of Mr. Oakeley, oif Launtoti in Oxfordshire. T6-
*wards the end of this yesir came forth his '^ Observations^
Topographical, Moral, &c." made in fotefgh coiintri^s^
to which was added his ** Catalogus Stirpiiim in exteris re-
gionibus observsltarum ;*' and, about the i^anOe time, hid
** Collection of unusual or local English words,** which he
bad gathered tip in his travels through the cbunties of
England; In 1674, Mr. Oldenbutgh, the secretary of the
Royal Society, renewed his correspondence with Mr. Ray,
which had been some time intermitted, and sent him let*
ters almost every month. Mr. Ray*s accounts in these tet-»
ters were published by Oldenburgh in the PhilosophicaH
Transactions. Oldenburgh had a farther \\t^ in his cor*
tespondence with Mr. Ray ; it was to engage him with
those leading members, who had agreed to entertain the
society with a philosophical discourse at their meetings, sd
that the burthen might not lie among too few of the mem-
bers. Mr, Ray complied, and accordingly sent him *' A
Discourse concerning Seeds, and the Specific Differences'
of Plants ;'^ which, Oldenburgh tells him, was so well re-
ceived by the president and fellows, that they returned
bim their thanks^ and requested he would repeat his favours^
of that kind.
This year, 1674, and part of the next, he spent in pte*
paring Mr. Willoughby's " Observations about BiVds** fof
the press; which, however, was not published till 1678..
These two gentlemen, finding the history of nature very
imperfect, had agreed between themselves, before theii^
travels on the continent, to reduce the several tribes of
nature to a method, and to give accurate descriptions of
the several species from a strict survey of them : and, since
Mr. Willoughby*s genius lay chiefly to animals, he under-
took the birds, beasts, fishes, and insects, as Mr. Ray did
the vegetables. Hovv they discharged each their province,
the world has seqn in their works. Old lady Willougbby
dying, and Mr. Wifloughby's sons being removed from
under Mr. Ray's tuition, about 1676 he left Middletou-
hall, and retired with his wife to Sutton Cofield, about
fi^ur miles from Middleton. Some time after, he went itffor
Essex, to Falborne-hall, where be continued till June
R A V. 9»
1677; aod then made i¬ber reafiove to Blaick-Notley^
bis nativie place.
. The first fruit of our author's leisune and retiretneaC
bere^ was his <* Metbodus Plantarum Nova," published in
1682,- making an octavo volume. His principles of ar-
rangenfent are chiefly derived from the fruit. The reg^i-
larrty and irregularity of flowers, which take the lead ifi
the system of Rivinus, make no part of that of Ray. b i$»
remarkable that he adopts the ancient primary division of
plants, into trees, shrubs, and herbs, and that he blamed
Ritinus for abolishing it, though his own prefatory remarktr
tend to overset that principle, as a vulgar and casual one,
unworthy of a philosopher: That his system was not merely
a commodious artificial aid to practical botany, but a phi-
k)sophical clue to the labyrinth of Nature, he probably,
like his fellow-labourers, for many years, in this depart «^
m^it, believed ; yet be was too modest, and too learned,
to think he had brought this new and arduous design to
perfection ; for whatever he has incidentally or deliberately
thrown out, respecting the value of his labours, is ofteik
marked with more diflidence on the subject of classifica^^
tion, than any other. He first applied his system to ^rac-*
tical use in a general *^ Historia P)antarum,'* of which %h&
6ht Volume, a thick folio, was published in ^696, and tfaef
second in 1687. The third volume of the same work^
which is supplementary, came out in 17Q4. This vast and
critical compilation is still in use as a book of reference,
being particularly valuable as an epitome of the contents
of various rare and expensive works, which ordinary libra-
ries cannot possess, such as the " Hortus Malabar icu's.'^
The description of species is faithful and instructive ; the
remarks original, bounded only by the whole circuit of the
botanical learning of that day ; uor are generic character?
' neglected, however vaguely they are assumed. Specific
differences do not enter regularly into the author's plan,'
nor has he followed any uniform rules of nomenclature.
So ample a transcript of the practical knowledge of sijch
a botanist, cannot but be a treasure ; yet - it is now n^uch
neglected, few persons being learned enough to use it
with facility, for want of figures, and a popular nomeocla-*
ture ; and those who are, seldpm requiring its assistance.
A mere catalogue or index, like the works of Tournefort
and Ca'spar Bauhin, which teach nothing of themselves,
are of res^diertise. < The Species Plantarum of Linn^u«
80 HAY*
pnitiss tb0 adyatitnges of tbe clearest most coocise sj^ifid
definition, and, by the help of Bauhin, of an .universal
Ind^x. Nor. was Mr. Eay less mindful of Mr. Willougbby's
coliections, where there were noble, though rude and iO;'t
digested, materials ; but spent ipucb tiqie and pains in re^
ducing them to order, and fitting tbem for the press. Ha
had published h\$ << Observations upon Birds'' in 1678 3
a^nd, in 1685, be published his *^ History of Fisbes f ' and^
though these works were then tbe completest in their kinds^i
yet they lost muqh of their perfection by the miscarriage
of Mr. Willoughby's and Mr. Ray's papers in their travels^
They bad very accurately described all the birds, . fishes^
&c* which tbey saw as. they passed through Germany,
especially those in and upon the Danube and the Rhine '^
l^ut lost their account$ in their return home.. This loss
Mr, Ray laments in the philosophical letters above cited.,
, Though Mr. Ray's health began to be impaired by yeara
and study, yet be ooptinued from time to time to give bia
works, to tbe public. He published, in 1688, " Fasciculus
Stirpium Britannicarum ;" and, in 1690, *< Synopsis Me-,
tfaodica Stirpium Britannicarum." The leahied president
of ifae Linna^an society observes, tbat if the fame or the
utility of Ray's great botanical works has, neither of them,
been commensurate with the expectations that might have
i^een formed, this << Synopsis" amply supplied . all sucb
defects, and proved tbe great corner stone of his reputation,
ip this depaitmeat of science. The two editions of his^
alphabetical catalogue of English plants being sold oiFj^
and some pettifogging reasons of his bookseller's standing,
in the way of a third, with any improvements, he^ re-
modelled the work, tlirowing it into a systematic form, re-
vising the whole, supplying generic characters, with nur
inerous addiiions.of species,; and various emendations and;
remarks. The uses and medicinal qualities of the plants,
are removed to tbe alphabetical index at tbe end. A se-.
cond. edition of this ^< Synopsis" was published in 1696,.
nor did its author ever prepare i^nother. The third, now;
most in use, was edited twenty^eigbt years afterwards by
CULLENius. . Of all tiie systematiciiland practical Floras of.
any country, the second edition of Ray's " Synopsis" ia,
the most perfect tbat ever came under our observation.
He examined every iplaot recorded in bis work, and even
gathered most of them himself. He investigated their
synonyms with consummate accuracy ^ and if t^e clearness
HAY. 61
and precision of other authors had equalled biS| he wduld
scarcely have committed an error. It is difficult tp ftnd
him in a mistake or misconception respecting Nature her-
self, though be sometimes misapprehends the bad figures,
or lame descriptions^ he was obliged to Consult Above a
hundred -species are added, in this second edition, and the
eryptogamic plants, in particular, are niore amply elucir
dated. A controversial letter from Rivinus to Ray, and its
answer, vrtth remarks upon Tournefort, are subjoined to
this second edition. Much of the dispute' turns upon* the
now obsolete distinction of plants, in a methodical system,
into trees, shrubs, herbs, &c. The letters are well writ-
ten, inXatin: and liberal, though perhaps hypercritical,
in their. style. Ray took no delight in controversy.
Having thiis published many books on subjects which he
took to he somewhat foreign to his profession, be at length
resolved to edify the world like a.divine. With this view be
completed his Demonstration of the Being and Attributes
of God, which he calls, " The Wisdom of God manrfested
in the Works of the Creation.'* The rudiments of this
work were laid in some college-lectures, iiead in tike
chapel, and called commonplaces; which, having much
enlarged, he published in 1691, 8vo. This book is. the
basis of all the labours of following divines, who have made
the book of nature a commentary on the book of revelation ;
a confirmation of truths, which Nature has not authority,
<of herself, tb establish. In it the author inculcates the
doctrine of a constantly superintending Providence; as
well as the advantage,, and even the duty, of contemplate
ing the works of God. . This, he says, is part of the busi-
ness of a sabbath-day, as it will be, probably, of our em-
-ployment through that eternal rest, of which the sabbath
is a type. He was next encouraged to publish another of
a siftiiiar kind, whose foundation was also laid at Cam-
bridge, in some sermons which he bad preached before
ihe university. This was bis " Three Physico-Theological
Discourses . concerning the Chaos, Deluge, and Dissolu-
tion of the World," 1692, 8vo. Both these works have
been often reprinted with large additions, and continued
to be very popular books until within the last thirty, or
folty years'.
Soon after these theological pieces, his " Synopsis Me-
thodica Animalium Quadrapeduni" was published in June
.16£^3; and he then finished a <^ Synopsis of. Birds. and
Vol. XXVI. G
•2 RAY.
Fishes,'* which was so long neglected by the bookseller^
that It was thought to have been destroyed ; but, after Mr.
Ray's death, it was pablished by Mr. Derham in 1713b
lie made a catalogae of Grecian, Syrian, Egyptian, and
Cretan, plants, which was printed with RauwolfTs Travels
in 1693 ; and, the year after, published his ** Sylioge
Stirpiutn Europearutn extra Britaniiiacn." He had after-
wards some little contests with Rivinns and Tournefort,
concerning the method of plants, which occasioned him to
review and amend his own method, and to draw it up in
a completer form than he had used in his *^ Methodus
Plantarum,^^ published in 1682, or in his *^ Historia P)an-
tarum.'' He began now to be. grievously afflicted with a
continual diarrhoea, and with very painful ulcers in bia
legs, which ate deep into the flesh, and kept him waking
whole nights : by which means he was so disabled, that,
as he tells Dr. Tancred Robinson, in a letter of September
30, 1698, he could not so much as walk into the neigh-
bouring fields. He still, however, kept up to the last bis
correspondence with his friends, in the vivacity and clear-
ness of style which was natural to him. Latin and Engltsbf
it is said, were equally ready to his pen. So indefatigable
was he in the cultivation of the study of Nature, that within
a year or two of his death, he began to collect his scattered
notes for a work on insects, and actually drew up a ** M=e-
thodus Insectorum,*^ which was printed, soon after his de-
cease, in a little octavo of sixteen pages, and- republished
in the front of his ^^ Historia Insectorum^" This last book,
comprising, all his own and Mr. Willonghby*s descriptions
of insects, came from the press in 1710, at the expence of
^e Royal Society, and under the superintendance of Dr.
Derham. It consists of 375 quarto pages, besides an ap-
dendix of twenty-three more, on British Beetles, by Listen
This work is a mass of accurate and authentic observation ;
but, for want of plates, has never come into popular use.
The study of insects was probably the last that engaged
the attention of this great and wise man ; who, though on
the verge of eternity, in the full possession of himself, and
in the anticipation of the most glorious manifestations of
bis Creator, did not disdain or neglect to contemplate him
in his least and lowest works. His last letter to Dr. Der-
ham, who had just been to visit him, is daltet) August 16,
1704. He speaks of having lately obtained Mr. Willough-
by^s entomological papei-s, and describes himself as thetL.
RAY. 83
catering on bis History of Insects. How well be employed
bis time during the autumn, is evident from what we bave
related concerning this work^ for he never saw another
spring. He died at Black Notiey, in a house of bis own
building, Jan. 17, 1705, in the 77th year of bis age. His
character is thus concisely given by Derham : •* In bis
dealings, no man more strictly just ; in his conversation,
no ^man more humble, courteous, and affable; towards
God, no man more devout; and towards the poor and
distressed, no man more compassionate and charitable,
according to his abilities." The friend who wrote this
eulogium, in bis ** Life of Mr. Ray," asserts, that he was
buried, according to his own desire, in the church of Black
Notley ; but the authors of the Biographia Britannica are
probably more correct, in saying, that he declined the
i^ffer made him by the rector, of a place of interment in the
chancel, choosing rather to repose with his ancestors, in
the church-yard ; and this account is confirmed by the
original situation of bis monument, erected at the expence,
in part at least, of bishop Compton. The long and ele-
gant Latin, epitaph has often been published. Its author
was the rev. William Coyte, M. A., father of the late Dr.
Coyte of Ipswich, and the original manuscript in possession
of sir E. J. Smith, contains the information that Ray was in-
terred in the church-yard. In 1737, the monument in
question, which seems to bave been a sort of altar- tomb,
being nearly ruined, was restored at the charge of Dr.
Legge, and removed for shelter into the church ; where
therefore it became a cenotaph^ as an inscription added on
this occasion terms it. Forty-five years afterwards the
tomb again underwent a repair, by the care of the present
sir Thomas Gery Cullum and others, who subjoined a third
inscription.
A more lasting monument was dedicated to the memory
of our great English naturalist, in the genus of plants
which bears his name, the Raiaua. It must be lamented
that he made, as far as we can learn, no collection of
dried plants, which might serve to ascertain, in every case,
what be described. The great Herbariums of Buddie,
Uvedale, &c. still kept in the British Museum, are indeed
supposed to supply, in a great measure, this defect ; they
having been collected by persons who bad frequeut com-
munication with Ray, and were well acquainted with bis
. plants. Whatever he bad preserved relative to any bratnch
O 2
84 RAT.
of natural history, be gave, a week before bis death, to
his neighbour Mr. Samuel Dale, author of the ** Pharma-
cologia/* Nothing is said of bis library, which was pro-
bably inconsiderable. ^
RAYMOND (Robert) Lord, one of those many emi-
nent men who have risen to the peerage from the profes-
sion of the law, was the son of sir Thomas Raymond, a
justice of the King^s Bench, and author of " Reports of
divers special cases in the court of King*s-Bench, Common
I^Ieas, and Exchequer, from 12 to 35 Car. II.'' first printed
in 1696, and lastly in 1803, 8v6. His son was solicitor
general to queen Anne, and attorney-general to George I.
by whom he was appointed one of the commissioners of the
great seal. He succeeded sir John Pratt as ch|ef justice of
the court of King's-bencb, and was created baron Raymond
of Abbot's Langley, Hertfordshire, in 1730. He died in
1732, leaving one son, by whose death, in 1753, the title
became extinct.
His " Reports of Cases in the courts of King's-bench
and Common Pleas, in the reigns of king William III.
queen Anne, king George I. and George II." were first
printed in 1743, and secondly in 1765, two volumes folio.
The last and much-improved edition, with marginal notes
and additional references by John Bayley, esq. serjeant at
law, appeared in 1790, 3 vols. Svo. Lord Raymond's "Ru-
brics," translated by Mr. serjeant Wilson, who edited the
third edition of the ** Reports," in 1775, 3 vols, folio, were
published separately in 1765, folio.*
RAYNAL (William-Thomas), a French writer of con-
siderable, but temporary celebrity, was born at St. Genies
in the Rovergue, in 1713. He was educated among the
Jesuits, and became one of their order. The learning of
that society is universally known, as well as the happy ta-
lents which its superiors possessed, of assigning to each
member his proper employment. Raynal, after having
acquired among them a taste for literature and science, and
being ordained a priest, displayed such talents in the pul-
pit, that his preaching attracted numerous audiences. His
love of independence, however, induced him, in 1748, to
iiissolve his connexion with the Jesuits, and to take up his
^ Life by Derham. — ilso an elaborate one by the President of the Linasan
jSociety in Rees'd CycVopsedia.
. * Lord Orford's Roy«l and Noble Authori by Park. — Bridyman** I^egal Bibli*
ograpby.
R A Y N A L. 85
1.
residence at Paris. Such is the account given by our prin-
cipal authority; but^ according to the abbe Barruel, he
was expelled the society for his impiety. With this cir-
cumstance Barruel may be much better acquainted than
we can be : but it seems probable that his impieties had not
then reached much farther thati to call in question the su-
preme authority of the church ; for Itaynal himself assures
us, that he did not utter his atrocious declarations against
Christianity till he had ceased to be a member of the order
of Jesuits. He then associated himself with Voltaire^
D^Alembert, and Diderot, and was by them employed to
furnish the theological articles for the *^ Encyclopedie.'*
But though his religious opinions were certainly lax, he
could not even then be what, in a Protestant country,
would be deemed a man remarkable for impiety ; for he
employed the abbe Yvon, whom Barruel calls an old meta-
physician, but an inoffensive and upright man, to write
the articles which he was engaged to furnish. In this
transaction, indeed, he shewed that he possesised not a pro-
per sense of bonour, for he paid poor Yvon with twenty-
five louis d^ors for writing theological articles^ for which
he received himself six times that suin ; and the trick
being discovered, Raynal was disgraced, and compelled
to pay up the balance to the abbe Yvon ; but though he
had thus shewn himself to be without honour, it is diffi-
cult to believe he had yet proceeded so far as blasphemy,
of whi^h he has been accused, since he had employed
a Christian divine to supply his place in the ^^ £ncyclo-
pedie."
After his settling at Paris, he appears to have become' an
author by profession, as we do not find that he had any
place or preferment. His first piece, published the same
year in which he quitted the society of the Jesuits, was en-
titled ^' Histoire du Stadhouderat.'^ He next published
** Histoire du Parlement d'Angleterre,'' which gained him
much reputation, though it had little claim to the title of
history, and was tinged with many prejudices, religious
• aiid political. He also composed " Anecdotes Literaires,"
in three volumes, 12mo;*and " Memoires de Ninon de
I'Enclos ;" and was much employed in the ** Mercure
de France." But the work upon which his fame is chiefly
Jl>uilt, is his " Political and Philosophical History of the
l!uropean Settlements in the East and West' Indies.'*
That this history is written in an animated style, and that
86 R A Y N A L.
it contains many just reflections, both political and pbilo- '
sophical, is known to all Europe; for it lias been trans-
lated into every European language. Its beauties, how-
ever, are deformed by many sentiments that are irreligious,
and by some that are impure. It was followed, about 1780,
by a small tract, entitled " The Revolution of America,'*
in which the author pleads the cause of the revolted colo-
nists with a degree of zeal, censures the conduct of the
British government with a keenness of asperity, and displays
a knowledge of the principles and intrigues of thie different
factions which at that period divided the English nation,
that surely was not natural to the ioipartial pen of a philo-
sophic foreigner. Hence he has been supposed to have
been incited to the undertakinof, and to have been furnished
with part of his materials, hy some persons who opposed
the measures of the English government, and secretly fo-
mented the American cause. Be this as it may, he pro-
pagated, both in this tract and in his history, a number of
licentious opinions respecting government and religion, of
which he lived to regret the consequences.
A prosecution was instituted against him by the French
government, on apcount of his History of the East and
West Indies; but it was conducted ^ith so little severity,
that he had sufficient time to retire to the dominions of the
1(ing of Prussia^ v^ho afforded him the protection iie so-
licited, although his majesty^s character was treated by the
author in his book with no great degree of veneration.
Haynal also experienced the kindness of the empress of
Russia; and it is not a little remarkable of this sins:ular
personage, that although he was always severe in discussing
the characters of princes, yet the most depotic among these
heaped upon him many marks of favour and generosity.
The abb6 also received a very unusual mark of respect from
a British House of Commons. It was once intimated to
the speaker, that tlaynal was a spectator in the gallery.
The business was immediately suspended, and the stranger
conducted to a more convenient and honourable station.
The great trait of Raynal's .character was a love of li-
berty, which, in his earlier writings, he did not properly
define ; but when he lived to see some of the consequences
of this, in the progress of the French revolution, he made
one glorious effort to retrieve his errors. In the month of
May 1791, he addressed to the constituent assembly one
of the most eloquent, argumentative, and impressive letters
R A Y N A L. 87
that ever was written on any subject ; a letter which, if
the majority of theoi had not been intoxicated with their
newly-acquired consequence, inust have given some check
to their mad career.
One consequence of this letter was very singular. Those
who could not answer it,* nor resist the conviction of its
arguments, wreuked their vengeance on Raynal, by en-
deavouring to prove that he did not write the celebrated
History of the Indies; and this became the cant of the day.
Tp illustrate this, we shall give the following extract of 9,
letter from an English gentleman then in Paris, addressed
to the editor of one of the London newspapers.
*^ I am sorry to add,** says this gentleman, *^ that the
reputation of the abb£ Raynal in Paris, where he is per-
sonally known, is very different from what he enjoys in
London, where he is only known. as an author. That Phi-
losophical history which you ascribe to him, is really, in
no proper sense, his work ; but was produced by a com-
bination of the labours of several ingenious men, among
whom I am inclined to thiqk, he contributed the smallest
part. We might indeed give him some credit for lending
his name to a book, which contained so many bold truths,
which it was then dangerous to publish ; but even here,
there is need of caution; for under the ancient system,
deceit and fraud were carried to such a pitch of refine-
ment, that it was not uncommon for men of letters to con-
cert stratagems with ministers, to. get themselves put into
the Bastile, to raise their reputation, and to make their
fortune in the world. Whatever be in this, you may as-
cribe the history of the European settlements to Perrijeat
la Roque, Dubreuil, Diderot, Nargion, or Holbach, who
were all concerned, as well as the abbe Raynal.*'
• This letter was written by Mr. Thomas Christie, who
wrote a volume some time after on the French revolution ;
but when our readers consider that he was then intoxicated
,with the fallapious prospects of that revolution, and that
this accusation against the abb6 RayOal was not produced
iuntil he had written again^iit the proceedings of. the assem-
bly, they will easily be able to appreciate the information
that he was not the author of the celebrated history.
A History of the Divorce of Catherine by Henry VIIL
and a History of the Revocation of the Edict of Nantz, and
some other works, are attributed to Raynal, but are little
known. He escaped the general danger, during the reign
8^ R A Y N A L.
df BxAtspietrei but was stripped of his property, arid died'
in poverty^ March 6, 1T96, at thfe advanced age of eighty •
foiir. Such was his distress at this time, that there was only
found in bis possession an assignment of fifty livres, which
iVas worth no more than about five sous. When he had
money be was liberal to profuseness, and delighted in those
expences that would add to his fame. He raised in the
island of Ardstatt, ne^r Lucerne, a monument to the
founders of Helvetian liberty. He gave annuities of 1200
livres each to five principal learned societies in France, to
be bei9towed in prizes. ^
RAYNAUD (Theophilus), a celebrated Jesuit, was
bom in 1583, at Sospelio, in the county of Nice. He resided
almost wholly in France ;- and though his singular opinions,
joined to a temper naturally morose and satirical, involved
him in many disputes with his society, he would not quit
it. He died at Lyons, October 31, 1663, aged eighty, and
the Carmelites paid him funeral honours in all theif convents
on account of the book he had written on the Scapulary.
A complete collection of hi9 works was printed at Lyons,
in 16€5, 20 vols. fol. Tom. XX is not numbered so, but
entitled '^Apopompecus,'* 1669, and falsely marked Cracow;
it contains those works which father Raynaud did not choose
to own. They discover uncommon learning and extent of
reading ; but as almost all the subjects he has chosen are
singular, and treated in a singular and extravagant manner,
his books sold slowly at first, and Boissat, who printed
them, was ruined, and died iu an hospital. Most of his
works bad been published separately, and their author suf-
fered the mortification of seeing some of them put into the
Index. Two of the best and most remarkable among them
are, -^^ Erotema de bonis et malis Libris,'' i. e. Questions
concerning good and bad books ; and ^' Symbola Antoniana/'
Rome, 1648, 8vo, relative to St. Anthony's fire.*'
RAYNERIUS, a learned Dominican, born at Pisa, was
appointed vice-chancellor of the Roman church, and bishop
of Maguelone. He died January 13, 1649, leaving several
works: the most considerable of which is a theological
dictionary, entitled '^ Pantheologia ;" in which he has ar^
ranged the theological subjects in alphabetical order. The
best edition of this work is, Lyons^ 1655, 3 vols. fol. with
} t>ict. Hist.— Greig'8 SupplemeDt to the Eiicycl. Britan.
' DopiD.— Gen. Dict.--NiceroD| yol. XXV |.
JR.A Z Z I. S9
the addidoos by father Nicolai, a Dominican : it was re*
printed in 1670.^
RAZZI (GiANTONio, called II Soddoma), was born at
Veecelli, in Piedmont* in 1479, and became a citizen of
Siena. The warm tone of his coloar, the masses of his
cUaroscaro, and other traces of the Milanese school in his
works^ seem to con&rm the tradition as to the place of his
fairth. The frescoes which he painted in the Vatican, un«*
der the pontificate of Julius II. were by order of that pope
deoMdished, to make room for those of Raphael. €ertain
other pictures, Vepresenting deeds of Alexander the Great,
fltill remain in the palace Chigi, now called the Farnesiuar:
with much of the chiaroscuro, though not of the dignity
and grace, of Lionardo da Vinci, they are remarkable for
beauties of perspective and playful imagery.
His most vigorous works, however, are at Siena. In the
Epiphany at 8. Agostino, we recognize the principles of
Vinci ; the style of the Cfafist under Flagellation in the
cloister of S. Francesco has been compared to that of Mi-
chelangiolo ; his S. Sebastian, now in the Ducal gallery,
has the air of an antique torso, and the S. Csftherina oiF
Siena, at S. Domenica, possesses Raphael's beauties of
expression. He often, indeed, painted merely for dis-
patch, and without previous study, when, already advanced
in age, he solicited work at Pisa, Volterra, and Lucca;
but in all his works we trace the master^hand, which in spite
of negligence performs with power. He died in li54.*
- READING (John), an English divine, was a native of
Buckinghamshire, where he was born in 1588. He was
admitted a student of Magdalen-hali, Oxford, in 1604. He
took his degree of M. A. in 16 10, and then entered himself
a commoner of Alban-ball. In 1612 be was ordained dea«>
con, and in 1614 priest, by the bishop of Oxford. About
this time he became chaplain to Edward lord Zouch of Ha-
ringwortb, warden of the cinque ports, and governor of Do»
-ver-castle. Having accompanied this nobleman to Dover,
bis preaching was so much admired, that at the request of
the parishioners hq was made minister of St. Mary's, in
December 1616. He was afterwards appointed chaplain
in ordinary to Charles I. He was one of those doctrinal
paritans, who opposed, as much as any churchman of op^
posite religious sentiments, the violent proceedings of the
* Caye, toU II.-^Moreri. s Pilkingtoo by Faseli.— Saxi) Ooomait.
90 READING.
authors of the rebellion, and had exposed them so frequently
in his sermons* that he was soon marked out for veogeance.
Ill April 1642/ his library af'Dover was plundered, and in
November following be was dragged from his house by the
soldiers, and imprisoned for a year and seven months. In
January of the above mentioned year, archbishop Laud,
then a prisoner in the Tower, had, at his majesty^s request,
bestowed on him the living of Chartham in Kent;. but from
that the usurping party took care he should receive no ad*
vantage. He was also with as little effect made a preben* ,
dary of Canterbury. In J 644, however, sir William Brock-
man gave him the living of Cfaeriton in Kent, which be was.
not only allowed to keep, but was likewise appointed by
the assembly of divines, to be one of ifae nine divines who
were to write annotations on the New Testament for the
work afterwards published, and known by the title of the
" Assembly's Annotations."
His sufferings, houever, were not yet at an end ; for
soon after this apparent favour, upon a, sus^picion that he
was concerned in a plot for the seizing of Dover-castle, he
was apprehended and carried to Leeds-castle, where he
was imprisoned for some time. In March 1650, he held a
public disputation in Folkstone church with Fisher, au
anabaptist, who argued against the necessity of ordination,
and quoted as his authority some passage in bishop Taylor^s
** Discourse of the liberty of Prophesying," which obliged
Mr. Reading to write a tract on the subject. On the resto-
ration, when Charles 11. landed at Dover, Mr. Rieading was
deputed by the corporation to address his majesty, and
present him. with a large Bible with gold clasps, in their
name. He was now replaced in the prebend of Canterbury
and the living of Chartham. Here be died Oct. 26, 1667>
and was buried in the chancel of the church.
He published several occasional sermons from 1623 to
1663 ; and 1. '^ Brief instructions concerning the holy Sa*
crament," Lond. 1645, 8vo. 2. "A guide to the holy
City," Oxon. 1651, 4to. 3* "An antidote tt> Aiiabap*
tism," 1654, 4to. It was in this he animadverted on tho^
}!>assages of bisbop Taylor's f^ Discourse/' which seemed
to favour irregular preaching. 4.." An Evening Sacrifice,
or Prayers for a family in these times of. calamity." 5.
'< Speech made before king Charles II. on the shore, when
be landed at Dover/* &c. 1660, single sheet, with verses. .
Mn Reading left several manuscripts, partly in the hands
RE A U M U R.' 91
of Bisil Kennet, whence they passed to his sen, White
Kennet.*
REA-L. See St. REAL.
•REAUMUR (Rene' Anthovy Farchault, Sjeur de),
at! eminent FVench naturalist, was born at RocheHe in 1683.
He fearned grammar at the place of his birth, and studied
philosophy at the Jesuits college at Poitiers. In 1699 he
i^ent from thence to Bourges, at the invitation of an uncle,
where he studied the civil law. In 1703, he went to Paris,
and applied himself wholly to the matheitiatics and natural
philosophy; and in 170S, %being then oniy twenty-four
years old, he was chosen a member of the Royal Academy
of Sciences; and durin<j that and the following year, he
described a general method of finding and ascertaining all
curves described by the extremity of d right line, thie other
end of which is moved round a given curve, and by lines
which fall upon a given curved under a certain angle greater
or less than a right angle.
These are the only geometrical performances that he
produced. In the year 1710 he read his observations upon
the formation of shells, in which he proved that they grow
not like the other parts of the animal body, by expansion,
but by the external addition e^f new parts : he also assigned
the cause of the variety of colour, figure, and magnitude
which distinguishes one shell from another. Duruig the
experiments which this inquiry led him to make nfjon the
snails, he discovered a very singular insect which lives not
only upon these animals, but burrows in their bodies, a
situation' which he never leaves unless he is. forced out of
it' by the snail. This inquiry also gave, occasion to M.
Reaumur to account for the progressive motion of testace**
ous animals of different kinds, and to describe and explam
an almost endless variety of organs which the author of na-
ture has adapted to that purpose. He produced also the
same jear the natural histor)^ of cobwebs. M. Bon, the
first president of the chamber of accounts at Montpellier,
bad shewn that cobwebs might be spun into a kind of silk,
which might be applied to useful purposes; but it was still
necessary to determine whether spiders could be bred in
sufficient numbers, without an expence too great for the
undertaking to bear; and Reaumur soon found that M.
Bon*s discovery was a mere matter of curiosity, and that the
commercial world could derive no advantage from cobwebs,
1 Atb. Ox. Yol. ir.— Walker'd Sufferings of the Clergy.-— Kennel's MSS. i«.
SriL Mus.
92 REAUMUR.
It had been long known, that marine animals adhere to
solid bodies of various kinds, either by an attachment which
continues during their existence, or which they can deter-
mine at pleasure; but how this attachment was formed^
remained a secret, till it was discovered by Reaumur, to
If hose inquiries we are indebted for our knowledge of many
organs and materials adapted to that purpose,before unknown*
In the course of this inquiry, M. Reaumur discovered a fish
different from that which furnished the ancients with their
Tyrian dye, but which has the same property in a yet
greater degree : upon the sid^ of this fish there are small
grains, like those of a hard roe, which being broken, yield
first a fine full yellow colour, that upon being exposed for a
few minutes to the air, becomes a beautiful purple.
About the same time Reaumur made a great variety of
experiments to discover whether the strength of a cord was
greater or less than the sum of the strength of the threads
of which it consists. It was generally believed that the
strength of the cord was greater, but Reaumur^s experi*
ments proved it to be less; whence it necessarily follows,
that the less a cord differs from an assemblage of parallel
threads, i. e. the less it is twisted, the stronger it is^.
It had been long asserted by those who lived on the sea
coast, or the banks of great rivers, that when craw-fish,
crabs, and lobsters, happen to lose a claw, nature produces
another in its stead : this, however, was disbelieved by all
but the vulgar, till Reaumur put the matter out of dispute,
and traced the re-production through all its circumstances,
which are even more singular than the thing itself. M.
Reaumur also, after many experiments made with the torpe*
dp, or numb-fish, discovered that its effect was not produced
by an emission of torporific particles, as some have sup-
posed, but by the great quickness of a stroke given by this
fish to the limb that touches it, by muscles of a most admi-
rable structure, which are adapted to that purpose. These
discoveries, however, are chiefly matters of curiosity; those
which follow are of use.
It had loog been a received opinion, that Turquoise
stones were found only in Persia ; but Reaumur discovered
mines of them in Languedoc ; he ascertained the degree
of heat necessary to give them their colour, and the pro«
* That mode of unitiog Tarious threads into a cord, is andoubtedly the best
which causes the tensions of the threads to be equal in whatever direction the
eord is strained.
REAUMUR. 93
per form and dimension of the furnace ; he proved also
that the Turquoise is no more than a fossil bone petrified,
coloured by a metallic solution which fire causes to spread ;
and that the Turquoises of France are at least eqdal in
beauty and size to those of the East. He also discovered
the secret of making artificial pearls, and of the substancie
necessary to give them their colour, which is taken from a
little fish called able, or ablette. He drew up, at the same
time, a dissertation upon the true pearl, which he i^upposed
to be a morbid concretion in the body of the animal.
Reaumur soon after published the History of the Aurife-
rous rivers of France, in which he has given a very particu-
lar account of the manner of separating the grains of gold
from the sand with which it is mixed. Among other me-
moirs he drew up the following: 1. Concerning the vast
bank of fossil shells, which, inTouraine, is dug for manure
called Falun : 2. Upon flints, proving that they are only
more penetrated by a stony juice; or, if the expression
qiay be allowed, more stonified than other stones, though
less than rock crystal. 3. Upon the Nostoch, a singular
plant, which appears only after hard rains in the summer,
under a gelatinous form, and soon after disappears. 4.
Upon the light of Dails, a kind of shell fish, which shines
in the dark, but loses its lustre as it grows stale. 5, Upon
the facility with which iron and steel become magnetic by
percussion.
In 1722, he published a work under the title of '*Tbe
art of converting Iron into Steel, and of rendering cast Iron
ductile.*^ The use of iron is well known under the three
forms of cast iron, forged or bar iron, and steel : iroti in
the first state is susceptible of fusion, but it is brittle and
hard, and can neither be forged by the hammer, nor cut
by the chissel : in the second state it is malleable, and may
be both filed and cut, but it is no longer fusible without
the addition of a foreign substance : in the third it acquires
a very singular property of becoming hard and brittle, if
after it has been made red hot it is dipped into cold water :
the extreme brittleness of cast iron makes it unfit for the
construction of any thing that is required to be either sup-
pie or elastic, and still more for any thing upon ' which it
will be necessary to employ a tool of any kind after it comes
out of the font, for no tool can touch it. On the other
hand, the manner of converting forged, or bar-iro») into
steel, was tbctn wholly unknown in France. ^;'Jt, Rcqiumur
94 REAUMUR.
hayifig^ in the course of other inquiries, found thai §tecl
ditfereJ from iron only in having more sulphur and more
salt in its jcomposition, undertook to discover the cnetbod
of giving to iron what was wanting to make it steel, and at
length perfectly succeeded, so as to make steel of what
quality he plea^^d.
1 The, same experiments which convipced Reaumur thj^t
steel differed from iron only in having more sulphur and
salt, convinced him also that cast iron differed from forged
iron, only by having still mare sulphur and salt than steel ;
it was steel with an excess of its specific difference from
forged iron.: he therefore set himself to take away this ex-
cess,, and he succeeded so as to produce a great variety of
utensils in cast iron, which were as easily wrought as forged
iron, apd did not cost half the moDey. However, a ma-
nufactory set on foot in France for renderii>g cast iron suf-
ficiently ductile to be forged and wrought, lyas, after some
tkne, discontinued. For discovering the secret of convert-
ing iron into steel, the duke of Orleans, being then regent,
settled a pension upon Reaumur of 12,000 livres a year,
and, at his request, it was settled upon the academy after
bis death, to be applied for defraying the expences of fu-
ture attempts to improve the arts.
M. de Reaumur also discovered the secret of tinning
plates of iron, as it was practised in Germany; and bis
countrymen, instructed in that useful manufacture, np
longer imported them from abroad. . He has likewise the
credit of having invented the art of making porcelain. A
few simple observations upon fragments of glass, porcelain,
and pottery, convinced him that cbina was nothing more
than a demi-vitrification ; now a demi-vitrification may be
obtained either by exposing a vitrifia,ble matter to the ac-
tion of fire, and withdrawing it before it is perfectly vitri*
fied, or by making a paste of two substances, one of whiclr
is vitrifiable, and the other not : It was therefore very easy
to discover by which of these methods ibe porcelain of
China was made ; nothing more \yas nepessary than to.urge
it with a strong fire : if it consisted wholly of a vitrifiable
matter half vitrified, it would be converted into glass; if
of two substances, />ne of which was not vitrifiable, it would
come out of the furnace the same as it went in : this expe*^
riment being made, the China porcelain suffered no altera-
tion, but all the European porcelain was changed intp
glass*
REAUMUR. 9S
•
But wbein the China porcelain was thus discovered to
consist of two distinct substancesi it was farther necessary
to discover what they were, and whether France produced
them.' M. Reaumur accomplished these dtMerata^ and
bad the satisfaction to find that the materials for making
China porcelain were to be had in France, in the same
abundance, and iti greater perfection, than in India. Reau-
mur also contrived a new species of porcelain, consisting
only of glass, annealed a second time, with certain easy
precautions, which, though less beautiful than other porce*
lain, is yet a useful discovery, considering ttie great fa-
cility and little expence with wl\ich it is made.
M. Reaumur was the first that reduced thermometers to
a common standard, so as that the cold indicated by a ther-
mometer in one place, might be compared with the cold
indicated by a thermometer in another; in other words, he
prescribed rules by which two thermometers might be con-
structed that would exactly coincide with each other through
all the changes of heat and cold : he fixed the middle term,
or zero, of bis division of the tube, at the point to which
the liquor rises when the bulb is plunged in water that i»
beginning to freeze ; he prescribed a method of regulating
the divisions in proportion to the quantity of liquor, and
not by the aliquot parts of the length of the tube ; and he
directed how spirits of wine might be reduced to one cer-
tain degree of dilatability. Thermometers . constructed
upon these principles were called after his name, and soon
took place of all others.
Reaumur also invented the art of preserving eggs, and
of hatching them ; this art had been long known and prac-
tised in Egypt, but to the rest of the world was an impene-
trable secret : he found out and described many ways of
producing an artificial warmth in which chickens might be
hatched, and some by the application of fires used for other
purposes; he shewed how chickens might be hatched in a
<tuttghill, he invented long cages in which the callow brood
were preserved in their first state, with fur cases to creep
nnder instead of the hen, and he prescribed proper food
for them of things every where to be procured in great
plenty. He found also that eggs might be kept fresh and
£t for incubation many years, by washing them with a var-
nish of oil, grease, or any other substance, that would ef-
fectually stop the pores of the shell, and prevent the con-
tents from evaporating ; by this contrivance e^gs may not
96 R E A U M U H.
only be preserved for eating or batching in tbe botett cli-
mates, but the eggs of birds of every kind may be trans*
ported from one climate to another, and the breed of those
that could not survive a long voyage^ propagated in the
most distant part of the world.
While he was employed in these difScoTeries, he was
gradually proceeding in another work, the *' History of
Insects," tbe first volume of which he. published in 1734.
This volume contains the history of caterpillars, which he
divides into seven classes, each of a distinct kind and cha-
racter: he describes the manner in which they subsist, a&
well under the form of caterpillars as in the chrysalis; the
several changes which they undergo ; the manner of taking
Ibod, and of spinning their webs. The second volume,
which was published in 1736, is a continuation of the same
subject, and describes caterpillars in their third state, that
of butterflies, with all the curious particulars relating ta
iheir figure and colour, the beautiful dust with which they
are powdered, their coupling, and laying their eggs, which
tbe wisdom of Providence has, by an invariable instinct, di-
rected them to do, where their young may most conveni-
ently find shelter and food. The third volume contains the
history of moths, not only of those wbieh are so pernicious
to clothes and furniture, hot those which live among the
leaves of trees, and in the water ; the first is perhaps the
most useful, because. Reaumur has given directions how
the cloth-moth may be certainly destroyed; but the second
abounds with particulars that are not only curious, but won-
derful in the highest degree. This volume also contains
the history of the vine-fretter, an intect not less destruc-
tive to our gardens than the moth to our furniture, with an
account of the worm that devours them, and the galls pro-
duced upon trees by tbe puncture of some insect, which
often serve them for habitations.
From the gall, or gall-nut, properly so called, Reaumur
proceeds, in his fourth volume, to the! history of those pro-
tuberances which, though galls in appearance, are really
insects, but condemned by nature to remain forever fixed
and unmoveable upon the branches of trees ; and he dis-
closes the astonishing mystery of their multiplication. He
then proceeds to give an account of flies with twd wings,
and of the worms in which they pass the first part of their
, lives ; this article includes the very singukir history of the
gnat. The fifth volume treats of four-winged fiiies^ and
REAUMUR. 97
I
among others of the bee, concerning which he refutes many
groundless opinions, and establishes others not less extra-
ordinary.
The bee is not the only fly that makes honey, many spe-
i:\en of the same genus live separate, or in little societies.
The history of these begins the sixth and last volume^ and
contains a description of the recesses in which they deposit
and secure their eggs, .with proper nourishment for the
worms they produce till their transformation. The author
then proceeds to the history of wasps, as well those who
live separate, as in companies, to that of the lion-pismire,
the hofse-stinger, and lastly, to the fly called an epheme*
ron, a very singular insect, which, after having lived in
the water three years as a fish, lives as a fly only one day,
during which it suffers its metamorphosis, couples, lays its
eggs, and leaves its dead carcass upon the surface of the
wat^r which it had inhabited. To this volume there is a
preface, containing the discovery of the polype, an animal
that multiplies without coupling, that moves with equal fa-
cility upon its back or its beliy, and each part of which,
when it is divided, becomes a complete animal, a property
then thought singular, but since found to be possessed by
several other animals.
It had long been a question amongst anatomists, whether
digestion is performed by solution or trituration : M. de
Reaumiir, by dissecting a great number of birds of different
kinds, and by many singular experiments, discovered that
the digestion of carnivorous birds is performed by solution,
without any action of the stomach itself upon the aliments
received on it ; and that, on the contrary, the digestion of
granivorous birds is effected wholly by grinding or tritura-
tion, which is performed with a force sufficient to break
the hardest subf tances.
M. de Reaumur, during the course of his experiments
upon birds, remarked the amazing art with which the seve-
ral species of these animals build their nests. His obser-
vations on this subject he communicated to the French aca«
demy in 1756, and this memoir was the last he exhibited.
He died by a hurt in his head, received from a fall at Ber-
mondiere in the Maine, upon an estate that bad been left
him by a friend, on the 17th of October, 1 756, aged seventy-
five yi^rs.
He was a man of great ingenuity and learning, of the
Vol. XXVI. H
9S ft E A U M U R.
strictest integrity and honour, the warmest benevolence^
and the n>ost extensive liberality.'
REBOULET (Simon), a native of Avignon, and ex*
Jesuit, was an advocate, but compelled to quit his profes-
sion for want of health. He died in 1752. Reboulet wrote
the " Memoires de Forbin," 2 vols. 1 2mo, and the " Hist,
de rEnfance," 2 vols, compiled from memoirs with which
the Jesuits furnished him, of whom he was too servile a
flatterer to express any doubt concerning what they related.
This work, however, was burnt as calumnious and defama-
tory, by a sentence of the parliament of Toulouse. His
other works are, " A History of Pope Clement XL'* in 2
smalt volumes, 4to, which the king of Sardinia suppressed;
as his father did not love the Jesuits, and could not there*
fore be a great man in the opinion of Reboulet. A *^ His-
tory of Louis XIV." 3 vols. 4to, or 9 vols. 12mo, his best
work, is tolerably accurate as to facts, but the narration is
dry.*
RECORDE (Robert), a learned physician and mathe-
matician, was born of a good family in Wales, and flou-
rished in the reigns of Henry VIII., Edward VI., and Mary.
There is no account of the exact time of his birth, thoagh
it must have been early in the sixteenth century, as he was
entered of the university of Oxford about 1525, where he
was elected fellow of All Souls college in 1531, being then
B. A. ; but Wood is doubtful as to the degree of master.
Making physic his profession, he went to Cambridge^ where
he was honoured with the degree of doctor in that faculty,
in 1545, and highly esteemed by all that knew him for his
great knowledge in several arts and sciences. He after-
wards returned to Oxford, where, as he had done before
he went to Cambridge, he publicly taught arithmetic, and
other branches of the mathematics, with great applause.'
It seems he afterwards repaired to London, and it has been
said he was physician to Edward VI. and Mary, to which
princes he dedicates some of his books ; and yet he endcfd
his days in the King's Bench prison, Southwark, where fie
was confined for debt, in 1558, at a very immature age.
Pits gives him a very high character, as excelling in every
branchof knowledge, philosophy, polite literature, astror-
nomy, natural history, &c. &c. And Tanner observes that
he had a knowledge of the Saxon language, as appears from
* Diet. Hist— Ann. Register for 1763.— Hutton*» DifitioRarjr.
3 L'AVocat Diet. Hi<t.
R E C O R D E. 99
•his marginal notes on Alexander Essebiens, a MS; in Cor«»
pus Chr^sti college, Cambridge.
Recorde published several mathematical books, which
are mostly in dialogue, between the master and scholar.
:Tbey are as follow : 1. '^ The Pathway to Knowledge, con-
taining the first principles of Geometrie, as they may moste
aptly be applied unto practise, bothe for use of Instrumentes
Geometriqall and Astronomicetill, and also for projection of
vPlattes much necessary for all sortes of men,'* Lond. 1551
and 1574,,4to. 2. "The Ground of Arts, teaching the
.perfect worke and practice of Arithmeticke, both in whole
numbers and fractions, after a more easie and exact forme
then.in former time hath beene set forth," 1549, 1558, 1561,
and ^571,. 8vo. — This work went through many other edi-
tion^i and was corrected and augmented by several other
perspns ; as first by the famous Dr. John Dee ; then by
John Mellis, a schoolmaster, 1590 and 161$; next by Ro-
rbert . Norton ; then by Robert Hartwell, practitioner in
jnathematics, in I^onjion ; and lastly, by R. C. and printed
in 8yo, 1623. In the ^^ Archeologia," voL XIII. may be
seen a specimen of the author's method of illustrating an '
eicample, which exhibits a strange jumble of Arabic and
Roman notation. The former was not much in use in his
days. 3. " The Castle of Knowledge^ containing the Ex-
plication of the Sphere bothe Celestiall and Materiall, and
divers other things incident thereto. With sundry pleasaunt
proofes and ce:rtaine newe demonstrations not written before
in any vulgare wporkes," Lond. 1 55 l,.4to, 1556, fol. and 1596,
4to. 4. ** The Whetstone of Witte, which is the seconde
part of Arithmetike; : containing the extraction of Rootes ;
the Cossike practise, with the rules of Equation : and th^
woorkes of Surde Nombers," Lond. 1557, 4to. — An analy-
sis of this work on Algebra, with an account of what is
new in it, is given in Dr. Button's Dictionary, art, Algebra.
5. ** The Urinal of Physic, and the Judicial of Urines,'*
4to, 1548, 1567, 1674, 1582, and 1651, the two last in 8vo.
Bale and Pits mention some writings of his on the eucharist,
auricular confession, the image of a true commonwealth,
&c. He* also collated the first and third editions of Fa-
1)ian's Chronicle, translated Euclid, and undertook the an-
.cient description of England and Ireland^ but we know not
that these were published.
Sherburne says that he published ^' Cosmographise Isago-
gen }" also that be wrote a book, << De Arte faciendi Horo.-
H 2
100 R E D I.
logium ;** and another^ << De Usu Globomm, k 6e Sutii
Temporum.**'
ItEDI (FiiAKCis)i an ancient Italian scholar «nd pbysi^
cian, was born of a noble fiunily at Aresszo, in 162€. He
studied at Padua, where betook the degree of doct<Ar in
philosophy and physic : and very soon afterwards rendered
himself so conspicuous by his talents and acquirements in
these sciences, that he was appointed first physician to the
grand dukes Ferdinand II. and Cosmo III. At this tim#
the academy del Cimetito was occupied in a series of phi-
losophical experiments which gave full scope and employ-
ment toUedi's genius; and at the desire of his noble pa-
tron, he undertook the investigation of the salts which are
obtainable from different vegetables. With what success
these experiments were conducted, may be seen by refer-
ring to his works. His principal attention, however, was
directed to two more impdrtiint subjects : viz. the poison of
the viper, and the generation and properties of insects. In
the first of these inquiries he shewed the surprising differ-
ence there is between swallowing ^he viperine poison, and
having it applied to the surface of the body by .a wound.
He also proved that, contrary to the assertion of Charas^
the virulence of the poison does not depend upon the rage
or exasperation of the animal, since the poison collected
from a viper killed without being previously irritated, and
dropped into a wound produces the same fatal effects, as
that which is infused into a wound made by the animal
when purposely* teazed until it bites. On the subject of
insects, he refuted the doctrine, maintained by all the an-
cients and by many moderns, of putrefaction being the
cause of their generation ; a doctrine which had, indeed,
been attacked some years before by an Italian author named
Aromatari, but not with that weight of facts and force of
argument which are so conspicuous in this treatise and the
rest of Redi^s writings. His observations on various natural
}>roductions brought from the Indies, and on animals that
ive within other living animals, ** osservazioni intorno agli
animali viventi che si trovano negli animali viventi,^' exhibit
many curious experiments and discoveries. But while he
was thus engaged in philosophical pursuits, he did not ne-
glect the duties of his profession, as a physician. His let^
> Tanner. — ^Baltt and Pitt.— Alb. Ox. vol. I. aev edit. — Eutton't Dictionary*,
w-£Uii'8 edition of Fabian, ISlK-^Aikin'fBiOgraphtcal Mvm^irs of ^^•(iiciDt^-^-
^ller'i Wortbiet.
n EJ) I. loi
ters contain numerous histories of diseases, iind of. their
treatment'; for he kept a register of all remsirkable caseH
Und consultations. He was particularly cjiligeot in noticing
the operation of remedies, and in many disorders enjpinei
a very abstemious diet. Redi^s merits, however, were npl
confined to philosophy and medicine. He was alao an ex*
cellent philologist and an elegant poet, . His '^ Bacco i^
Toscana^^ has lately been edited by Mn^Mathias. jiW hit
writings possess the attraction of«a pure and polished style j
and the Ac&demy della Crusca justlv regarded him as on«
of the best authorities, in the composition of their celebrated
Pictionary. This indefatigable philosopher. and amiable
man died at Pisa in 16.98; having previously suffered. much
from epileptic attacks^ After his death, a tnedal was slrack
in honour of bis name, by order of Cosmo. III. His work*
have gone through various editions ; but that which wag
printed at Naples in 7 vols. 4to, is esteemed the best^
REDMAN, or REDMAYNE (JoH^), one of the Jtoost
learned divines of bis time, was bom in 1499, descended
from a Yorkshire family, an.d was nearly related to Ton*
stalls bishop of Durham. By the encouragement. of this
learned prelate, he was from his infancy devoted |o litera^
ture, which he cultivated first in Corpus Christi, Oxford^
under the first president, John Claymond, a man of sih<*
gular erudition and generosity. From Oxford he went tot
a time to study at Paris, and continued there uptil he bet
came of age. He then, on his return, fixed himself in 8n
John's college, Cambridge, where he is said to hate been.
«o adorned with the knowledge of Cicero and the purest
authors of a^ntiquity, that Cheke, then a yofing. nian there^
was fired with emulation ; and in a short time, through
their united painaand example, that seminary acquired the
fame of being more than a mat^h for a whole foreign uni*^
versity. Here he took his bachelor's degree in 1526, that
of master in 1530, and that of D. D. in 1534« He.va^
jalso elected public orator of the university. He was soon
after chosen master of King'srhall,. which 1^ resigned in
}547, being then appointed .the firs|: master of Trinity
college. Be was likewise archdeacon of. Taunton,, and a
member of the. convocation in 1547 and 1550; also pre-
bendary of Wells, and of Westminster, in the college of
«
1 pAbront Vit» Italonini» toI. in.«-Nieerpn» vol. IH.— Eloy« Diet. Hist. d«
Medicine.-^Baldwin't Literary Jounul^ vqU I.— 3e« Matbias's edition of
^ Baoco IB ToKana/^ ISOI.
109 R E D M A N.
which cathedral he died in 155i, aged fifty^two, and was'
buried in the north aile of the abbey.
Dodd says that, as to Dr. Redman's religion, ** though
he was no friend to the doctrfne of the reformers, yet he
was very complaisant to them, in point of discipline, aiid
went so far away with them, as to be an assistant in com*
piling the book of Common Prayer. In a word, he divide
himself between both religions." We have better autfao*
rity, however, for asserting that if he did so divide him-
self, the reformed religion had the larger share. That he*
was at first attached to the religion in which he had been
educated, appears by his letter to Latimer reproving that
reformer for his innovattoDs ; but he soon found reason to'
change his opinion. He had applied his maturer judg-
ment and learning, with equal piety and patience, for the
space of twenty years, to the study of the Scriptures and
the early writers of the church, intending to compose a
work on the subject of transubstantiation ; but the result
of his studies was, that there was no foundation for that
absurd dogma, either in 'Scripture, or in the primitive
fathers. He therefore relinquished this, and other enrors
of the Romish creed, and ''with constant judgment and
unfeigned conscience descended into that manner of be-
lief," which he held, when he assisted in compiling the
first liturgy of Edward VL published in 1549*. We have
still more proof of his relinquishing his old creed, in Mr.
archdeacon Churton^s " Life of- Nowell.** Nowell waited
upon Redman in his last illness, desirous to know what was
his opinion and belief concerning the '' troublous contro-
versies of those days,*' professing himself willing to ''re-'
ceive and approve his words as oracles sent from heaven.'*
The dying confessor, possessing a " quiet mind and per-
fect remembrance,'* took a day or two to consider of the
matters propounded to him by Nowell ; and then sen^ for
him, declaring himself ready to converse with him on those
points, and to answer truly as he thought, to whatever
question should be asked him, as in the presence of God.
These articles were fourteen in number, the sum of which
was, that purgatory, the sacrifice of the mass, and tran-
^ " Afterwards I conferred with Dr. Prayer was ao holy book, and agree*
Redman, in whom I reposed mach able to the Gospel." Bernard Gilpin*i
kope in regard of his eminent virtues Letter to his brother George in 1575*
and great scholarship. He affirmed and Wordsworth, vol. IV. p. 134.
unto me that the book of Common
REDMAN. 109
ttthstantiation, were groundless and ungodly ; that we are
justiBedy not by our works, but by lively faith, which rests
in our only Saviour Jesus Christ ; that good works are not
destitute of their rewards ; yet nevertheless they do not
merit the kiugdom of heavei), which is ^^ the gift of God.'*
Dr: Wilkes, master of ChrisOs college, Caoibfidge, and
Dr. Young of Trinity college in that university, were pre-
sent at this conference ; of which an account was given by
Young, in a Latin epistle to their .common friend Cbeke.
Redman survived this interview, which was in Nov. 1551,
not many days, for on the 27th Nowell succeeded him in
the canonry of Westminster.
His works, all published after his death, wer^, 1. ^' Opus
de j.ustificatione," Antw. 1555, 4to. 2. ^^ Hymn us in quo
peccator justificationem qusrens jcudi imagine describitur,'*
printed with the former. 3. <^ The Complaint of Grace,'^
Lond. 1556, 8vo, 1609, 12mo. 4. ** Resolutions concern-
ing the Sacrament,*' in the appendix to Burnet's Hist, of
the Reformation, with ^^ Resolutions of some questions re-
lating to bishops and priests.'' There are also in Fox
some articles by him/
' REED (Joseph), a dramatic and miscellaneous writer,
was born at Stockton, in the county of Durham, in March
1723, and succeeded his father in the business of a rope-
tnaker, which he carried on in that country until 1757,
when he removed to Sun Tavern fields at Stepney near
London, and there pursued the same occupation with great
credit and probity until his death, Aug. 15, 1787, aged
sixty-four. In 1750 he married Sarah, daughter of Mr.
John Watson, of Stockton, ilax-dresser, who died many
years before him, and by whom he left issue John Watson
Reed, late of Ely-place, Holborn, attorney at law, who
died Jan. 31, 1790; Shakspeare, who succeeded him in
his business ; and Sarah, who married Gilbert Wilson, and
died his widow a few days before her brother.
Notwithstanding a due attention to business, Mr. Reed
found leisure to amuse himself and the world with many
miscellanies in prose and verse of very considerable merit.
The late Mr. Ritson, who had for Mr. Reed, what be ex-
tended to very few, a high respect, intended to have
edited some of these misceiiajiies, in a volume qr volumes,
» Ath. Ox. vol. r. new edit.— Strype's Cranmer, pp. 77, U7, 156, 157, 269.
— ^Fox's Acts aad Monaments, anno 1551.— C burton*! Life of Nowell, p. 15, .&c.
-— Wordsworth'i Eccl. Biography..
104 REED.
of which ^e following were to hare bean the contents :
1. ** Madrigal and Trulletta, a mock tragedy," 17S8. 2.
** The Register Office," 1761, a farce, or rather a dramatic
satire. S, The. same; the second edition. 4. *'Tom
Jones," d comic opera, 1769. 5. ^< Dido," a tragedy, 1767,
printed for«4he first time by Messrs. Nichols in 1 808, but
the whole impression having been destroyed by the fir^
which consumed their premises in February of that year, it
has not been reprinted. 6. The ^^ Retort Courteous," to
the inanager of the theatre. 7. An '< Epitaph on the Earl
of Chatham." 8. " St. Peter's Lodge," a serio-comic le-
gendary tale. 9. *^ A Rope's end for Hempen monopo*
lists." Besides the abovei articles, Mr. Reed was the author
of, 10. ** A Poem, in imitation of the Scottish dialect, on
the death of Mr. Pope," printed in the Gentleman's Ma*
Kzine for August 1744. 11. '^The Superannuated Gal-
It," a farce, Newcastle, 1745, 12mo. 12. " A British
Philippic, inscribed to the right hon. the earl of Granville,"
London, 1756, 4to. 13. ** A Sop in the Pan for a phy-
sical critic, in a letter to Dr. Smollett, occasioned by a cri-
ticism (in the Critical Review) on Madrigal and Truiletta/'
1759. 14. ^^ A humorous account of his own Life,"
printed in the Universal Museum for i764. 15. ^< The
Tradesman'-s Companion, or Tables of Averdupois weight,
&c." London, 1762, 12mo. 16. "The Impostors, or a
Core for Credulity," a farce, acted for the benefit of Mr.
Woodward, March 19, 1776, with an excellent prologue,
not printed. To these may be added, several tragedies,
comedies, and farces, never acted or printed; a few un-
published poems; and some numbers of the ^^ MQnitor,"^a
political paper published in the administration of the earl
of Bute, and " Letters" under the signature Benedict^ in
defence of Mr. Garrick, on the publication of Kenrick's-
** Love in the Suds," printed originally in the Morning
Chronicle, and afterwards added to the fifth edition of that
poem.^
REED (Isaac), a gentleman eminently conversant in
literary history, was born Jan. 1, <i742, at Stewart»street,
Old Artillery-ground, London, of a family, we are told,
'* highly respectable, and of considerable antiquity," but
eertainly at this time somewhat reduced, as his father was
in the humble occupation of a baker. He is said, how-
1 Biog. Drain.*Nicb«It't Bowyer, ?o1. IX. p. 116*— Brewster's History of
Stockton.
I
REED; . 105
>
evetf to have been a nan of education and abilities very
superior to his condition, and both capable and deairous
of bestowing those advantages upon bis son» whom he sent
to an academy at Streatbam. In 1757, Mr. Reed b^ame
an articled clerk to Messrs. Perrot and Hodgsooi then
eminent atitornies in London ; and at the expuration of his
articles, engaged hknself as assistant to Mr. Hoskins^ of
Lincoln's-inn, an emipent barrister and conveyancer. In
this situation he remained about a year, when he took
chambers in Gray*s«ino, and began to practise as a con^-
veyancer on his own account.
Independently, however, of his application to the labo*
rious duties of bis profession, he had, previous to this pe«
Hod, acquired great proficiency in general knowledge, and
in pai^icular a decided taste for old English literature, and
an intimate acquaintance with old English ^thors. His
reading, in this class, was most extensive, and only equalled
by a memory uncommonly tenacious of facts and dates.
Hence his publications, as editor, are stamped with a pe-
culiar value ; and he had not proceeded far in researches
into the antk^nities of English literature, when he gave up
his profession,.to which be never appears to have been cor-
dially attached, and devoted his time and his little pro-
perty to employments more congenial to his disposition,
and to his retired and simple manners.
. As he had the utmost aversion to the appearance of his
name on a title-page, it is not easy to enumerate all the
-publications of which he was editor, but we are told that
thf following list may be considered as tolerably accu-
rate. In 1768;, he collected into one volume the poetical
works of lady Mary Wcrtley Montagu. In 1778, he
{irinted a few copies of Middleton's unpublished play,
called ^^ The Witch, a.tragi-comedie,*' which were circu-
lated privately among his friends. In the same year he
.oollected materials for a sixth volume of Dr. Young's Works,
small 8vo. • In 1773, be collected .and published the Cam-
bridge Seatonian prize poems^ from their institution in
1750. From 1773 to about 1780, he was, if not editor,
a constant contributor to the <^ Westminster. Magazine,^'
and particularly pf the biographical articles; but about
1782 or 1783 transferred his services to the *^ European
Magazine," of which he was from that time editor, and one
of the proprietors. He was also an occasional contributor
to the Gentleman^s Magazine. In 1775 he furnished the
106 R E £ D.
biographical notes to Pearch's collection of poems, 4 j^o1«#
and rendered the same imporlant service to a new edition
of Dodsley's collection in 17S2, 6 vols. One of the lives
of Dr. Dodd, published in 1777, has been ascribed to Mr.
Reed, and he certainly conveyed it to his then booksellers,
Messrs. Fididing and Walker, but there are doubts whe-
ther he was the sole author. There are none, however,
respecting the '^ Biographia Dramatica," 2 vols. Svo, which
was his favourite work. It was first published by him in
1782, and he continued to accumulate materials for im-
provement and. enlargement, which he recommended to be
put into the hands of Mr. Stephen Jones, in whose know-
ledge of the subject, and fitness for the office of editor, he
had the utmost confidence. A new edition has accord-
ingly been published by that gentleman, extended to 4
vols. 8vo, in 1812. In 1780, Mr. Reed published an im-
proved edition of Dodsley's ** Old Plays," 12 vols. 8vo.
To these we may add two supplemental volumes, a. thir-
teenth and fourteenth, to Dr. Johnson's Works ; a select
collection of fugitive pieces of wit and-humour, in prose
and verse, under the title of " The Repository," 1777 —
1783, 4 vols. 8vo ; the " Life of Dr. Goldsmith," prefixed
to the second volume of his ** Essays," collected and pub-
lished in 3 vols. 12mo, by Mr. Wright the printer, in 1795;
and a concise, but masterly delineation of his friend Dr.
Farmer, communicated to William Seward, esq. and printed
in his ^* Biographiana."
To the generality of readers the name of Mr. Reed is
most familiar as an annotator on Shakspeare. The fyst
edition of our immortal bard in which he was engaged was
that of 1785, 10 vols. This he undertook at the request of
bis friend Mr. Steevens, with whom he was joint editor in
the subsequent edition of 1793. Mr. Steevens had a high
respect for him as a coadjutor in tbis undertaking ; and as a
testimony of his regard, bequeathed him his own corrected
copy of Shakspeare, from which was published, in 1803,
Mr. Reed's last edition, in 21 vols. 8vo, and, for the first
time, his name was formally prefixed.
But, it is justly remarked by his biographer, all these,
though no inconsiderable proofs of his industry and zeal,
are far from comprising the sum total of his labours ; in-
deed they give a very inadequate idea of his literary use-
fulness. The works in which he was partially concerned
as editor, are exceedingly numerous^ and the occasions on
REED. ^ 107
wbicb he has given his assistance in 4ifficttlt points of lite*
littture, almost beyond calculation, particularly in what
concerned the literary histofy of his own country. Although
his manner had little of polish, he was always kindly ready
to communicate the information he had for so many yean
accumulated ; and perhaps received more public acknow*
ledgments for his assistance in this way than any man of
his time. Hence, on his death, so many scholars of emi-
nence hastened with their gratefal tributes to his memory* ^
He died Monday, Jan. 5, 1807; and was interred, agree-
ably to his desire, at Amwell, a place which be was accus-
tomed to visit and admire.
His collection of books, chiefly English, was- perhaps
one of the most ejctensive in that series ; and most of them
were enriched by bis MS notes. They were sold in No-
vember 1807 by Messrs. King and LocheOi in a sale which _
lasted thirty-nine days, and produced more than 4000/.
Few collections have attracted more attention of late
years, and it may be doubted whether we shall ever see a
eoliection dispersed, in all respects so well suited to the
taste of those who are ambitious of possessing literary cu-
riosities, or of enlarging their knowledge of English lite-
rature.'
RHESE (John David), an English physician and phi-
lologist, was born ^at Llanvaetbly in the isle of Anglesea,
in 1534. After residing two or three years at Oxford, he
was: elected 'Student oL Christ church, but inclining to the
suidy of medicine, went abroad, and took the degree of
doctor in that faculty at Sienna in Tuscany. He acquired
io perfect a knowledge of the Italian language, that he was
appointed public moderator of the school of Pistoia in
Tuscany, and wrote books in that tongue, which were much
esteemed by the Italians themselves. On his return, with
a high reputation for medical and critical learning of-all
kindsj he retired to Brecknock, where he passed the
greater part of his life in literary pursuits and the practice
of his profession, and where he died about 1609. Wood
say^ he died a Roman catholic ; and Dodd, upon that au-
thority, has included him among his worthies of that re-
ligion^ but there seems some reason to doubt this. One of
Rhese's publications was a Welsh grammar, <* Cambro-
BritannicsB, Cytnersecseve, lingueB Institutiones et Rudi-
^ Life in Europ. Mag. lS07.-«-NichoIs's'Bowyer.
108 il H E S E.
«
menta, he. ad intelUgend. BiblUt Sacra ouper in Cambro*
Britannieom wrmooem ^egaiite r Teria^'' Loud. 15^2, folio.
Prefixed £o tliis is a pre&ce by Humphrey Prich»rd^.in
which be informs 'Us that the author made this boi^.puif*^
posely for tlie beUei) ondecstandiog ofitbat exceUentitraBs**
lation of 'the Bible into Wekfa, and prtacipally for Che sake
of the clergy^ and to -make the 'scriptures nK>re intelligible
tothemandtothepeople^ a measure whicha:Roinancatho«
lie in those days would scarcely haTeadopted* Prichatrd also
says that he was ^^ arincecse; Beligiofiis pvopeg^nd» avidissi-
mus ;'Vand as Prichard was a protestanty and aniinister of
the church of England, he must surely mean the protestaafe
religion. Rbese^s other works are, ** Rules for obtaining
the Latin Tongue, V written in the Tuscan language, aai
printed at Veniee; and ^^De Italics linguss pronuncia«
tione,'* in Latin, printed at Padua. There was likewuto ia
Jesus college library a MS compenditun of Aristotle's. Me«-
taphy;»ies in the Welsh language by our author, in which
be asserts, what every ancient Briton will agree to, that this.
toAgue is as copious and proper finr the expression of phi^
losophical terms, as the Greek or any other language^ Se-
veral other valuable tracts, which are entirely lost, were
written by Dr. Rbese, who was accounted one of the great
luminaries of ancient British literature. , By Stradling in
his epigrams, he is styled <* novum antiques linguss lumen ;'*
and by Camden, ^^ clarissimns et eruditissimus vir Joannes
David," for be was sometisses called John David, or Davis«'
REEVES (Wiluam), an English divine^ was born in
1668, and educated at King's college, Cambridge, where
he took his degree of B. A. in 1688, and M. A. in 1690^
and obtained a fellowship. In 1694^ earl Berkley gave him
the rectory of Cranford in Middlesex, and he obtained
the vicarage of St. Mary, Readings in 1711. He was alsd
chaplain to queen Anne. He died March 26, 1726, in the
fifty-eighth year of his age, and was buried near the altar
in St Mary^s church. He published several occasional
sermons ; and after his death a collection of fourteen were
printed in 1729, from his MS. which he had prepared far
the press. These sermons have a peculiar cast of origin
nality ; and the author was considered as an able and spi-»
rited preacher. The first sermon in the volume, ''The
1 Alb. Ox. vol. I. new «dit,«— Aikin's Bieg. Memoin of M cdicine.—Usher'c
hift and LetUri^ p. 168.
REEVES; 109
iktat consequences of Btibery, exenpltfied in Judas, Matt.
:rxvii. 3, 4^ was first preached during the time of an
election, and printed at a low. price, to be ^iven away:
«nd it is said that many, on hearing, or reading it, returned
the bribes which they had taken, and voted another way.
He published al^ a valuable work, ^' The Apologies of the
Fathers, with a dissertation on the right use of the Fathers,**
Lond. 1709, 2 vols.*
REGINALD (Anthony), a Dominican of the seven-
teenth century, one of the greatest defenders of Thomism^
and the doctrine of grace efficacious in itself, died 1676,
at Toulouse. His principal works are, a small theological
treatise ^^ sur Ik oglebre distinction du Sens compost et du
Sens divis^;*' and <^ De mente Concilii Tridentini circa
<jratiam per se efficacem." This last was edited by Ar-
nauld and Quesnel, in 1706, folio.*
REGINO, a learned Benedictine, abbot of Prum to-
wi^rds the end of the ninth century, has left a good '^Ghro^
side,'* in the collection of German historians by Pisto*
rius, 1583, 3 vols, folio, and a collection of canons and
ecclesiastical rules, entitled, ** De Disciplinis ecclesiastic
eis, et de Religione Christiana." This last he compiled at
tbe solicitation of Rat^bode, archbishop of Treves^ to
which city he had retired, after being obliged to quit hi»
abbey, in the year 89^. M. Baluze baa published an ex»
cellent edition of this collection, with notes, in 1671, 8vo.
Regino died at Treves, in the year 916.*
REGtiOMONTANUS. See MULliKR.
REGIS (Peter Sylvan), a French philosopher, and
great propagator of Cartesianism, was born in Agenois, in
1632. He cultivated the languages and philosophy under
the Jesuits at Cahors, and afterwards divinity in the uni*
versity of that town, being designed for the church. He
made so uncommon a progress, that at the end of four
years he was offered a doctor^s degree without the usual
charges ; but he did net think it became him to accept of
it till he had studied also in the Sorbonne at Paris. He
went thither, but wa^ soon disgusted with theology ; and,
as the philosophy of Des Cartes was at that time drawing
public attention, through the lectures of Rohault, be be^
<^ame attached to it, and went ^o Toulouse in 1665, where
1 Cofttes^'t History of Reading. — Newconrt'i Repertorium.
• Moreri. — Diet. Hist.
^ OupiQ^— Cart, ▼o1. 1.— Mor«ri.«— BttUart'ft Acad, des S/cienoea, toL I.
no
R E G I S*
he read lectures on the subject. Having a clear and fluent
manner, and a facility in making himself understood, be
was honoured, as his auditors, by the magistrates, the
learned, the ecclesiastics, and even the ladies, who all af-
fected to abjure the ancient philosophy. In 1680, he re-
turned to Paris ; where the concourse about him was such,
that the Aristotelians applied to the archbishop of Paris,
who thought it expedient, in the name of the king, to put
a stop to the lectures ; and they were accordingly discon-
tinued for several months. The whole life of Regis, how-
ever, was spent in propagating the new philosophy. In
1690, he published a formal system of it, containing lo-
gic, metaphysics, physics, and morals, in 3 vols. 4to, and
written in French. It was reprinted, the year after, at
Amsterdam, with the addition of a discourse upon ancient
and modern philosophy. He wrote, afterwards several
pieces in defence of his system; in which he. had disputes
with M. Huet, Du Hamel, Malebranche, and others. His
works, though abounding with ingenuity and learning, have
been disregarded in consequence of the great , discoveries
and advancement in philosophic knowledge that have been
since made. He died in 1707. He had been chosen mem-
ber of the academy of sciences in 1699. *
REGIUS (Urban), or le roi, a name he thought pro-
per to change, as it was liable to be applied in ridicule^
was a learned Reformer of the 1 6th century, and born at
Langenargen, or Arga Longa, in the territories of the,
counts of Mountfort. Having received a very liberal edu-
cation, first at the school of Lindau, and afterwards at that
of Fribourg, where he lived with Zasius, a celebrated
civilian who encouraged his diligence, and adi^iired him for
his extraordinary proficiency and amiable manners, he went
to Basil for farther improvement, but was soon attracted
to Ingoldstadt, at that time a very famous university, and un-
der the direction of the no less famous John Eckius. Here
Regius read lectures, but unfortunately was induced to su-
perintend the education of some youths of noble families,
and provide them with books and other necessaries, which
their parents neglecting to pay, he was obliged to give up
what little property he had for the benefit of his creditors,
and in despair of assistance to carry dn his studies, en-
listed as a common soldier. In this plight, however, he
1 Niceroiij ▼o'. VI.— Diet. Hist.
REGIUS. Ill
happened to be discovered by Eckiu^y who procured his
discharge, and prevailed on the parents of bis pupils to
discharge all arrears due to him.
Urban. then returned to his studies^ and became so dis-
tinguishedi that the emperor Maximilian, passing through
Ingoldstadt, made him his poet-Iaureat and orator ; and he
was afterwards* made professor of poetry and oratory in
that university. But, having applied to the study of divi-
nity, he engaged with warmth and assiduity in the contro*
versies of the times, particularly in that between Luther
and Eckius, in which be inclined to Luther; but unwilling
to give personal offence to his preceptor and good friend
Eckius, he left Ingoldstadt and went to Augsburgh, where^
at the importunity of the magistrates and citizens, he an'"
dertook the government of the church. Here he departed
farther and farther from the errors of Popery, and soon
joined with Luther in preaching against them. In Jiis opi-
nions, however, concerning the sacrament and original sin,
he sided, for a tinie, with Zuinglius, in consequence of a
correspondence in which that reformer explained to him
the grounds of his belief. In, his preaching against errors
so general as those of popery then were, be met with much
opposition, but appears to have been supported by some of
the principal citizens, one of whom bestowed on him his
daughter, by whom he had thirteen children. Eckius, both
by letters and by the intervention of friends, endeavoured
to gain him back to the church, but his principles were
fixed, add he resisted both (latteries and promises.
In 1530 there was a diet held at Augsburg, at which the
duke of Brunswick was present, who prevailed on Regius
to go to Lunenburg in bis dominions, to take care of the
church there. The duke -highly esteemed him, and de-
clared to the people of Augsburgh, who petitioned for his
return, that he would a^ soon part with his eyes as with
Regius, and made him chief pastor of all the churches in.
his dominions, with an ample and liberal salary. Here he
passed the greater part of a useful and active life in
preaching, writing, and religious conferences. He died
May 23, 1541, when on a journey with the duke to Hague-
nau ; the place of his death is said to be Zell ; but we
have no account of his age. He had often wished that he
might die a sudden and easy death^ which happened to be
the case. His works were collected in 3 vols, folio : the
first two contain the pieces he published in Latin, th»
112 B E G I U a
other bis German compositions. This last volume was af-
terwards translated into Latin, and published ander the
title of ^* Vita & Opera Urbani Regii, reddita per ErQfst.
Regium,*' Norib. 15612. Some of his pieces were translated
in the 16tb century into English, as ** The Sermon which
Christ made on the way to Emmaus, &c.'' 1573, 4to. '^ A
declaration of the twelve articles of the Christen faythe,
&C/M548. <' An Instruccyon of Christen fayth, &g.'*
1588, translated by Fox the martyrologist. ^ The Okie
Learoyng and the New compared, &c/' 1548, 8vo. ^ Ex-
position on the 87th Psalm," 1594, 8vo. <^ A homily of
the good and evil Angell, &c.'' 1590, 8vo, and others.
Besides what are included in the three volumes mentioned
above, John Freder of Pomerania published, after the au-
thor's death, a work of his, entitled ^^ Loci Theologici ex
patribus & scholasticis neotericisque coUecti." '
REGNAI^D (John Francis), one of the best French
comic writers after Moliere, was born at Paris in 1647^ He
had scarcely finished his studies, when he was seized with
a passion for travelling, and an ardent desire to see the
different countries of Europe. He went to Italy first, but
was unfi>rtunate in his return thence; for, the English ves*
sel bound for Marseilles, on which he embarked at Genoa,
was t^ken in the sea of Provence by the Barbary Corsairs ;
and be was carried a slave to Algiers. Having some ac-
quaintance with the art of French cookery, he procured an
office in his master's kitchen. His amiable manners and
pleasant humour made him a favourite with all about him,
and not a little so with the women ; but being detected in
an intrigue with one of them, his master insisted upon his
submitting to the law of the country, which obliged a
Christian, convicted of such an ofience, either to turn Ma«»
bometan, or to suffer death by fire. Regnard, however, was
saved from either punishment, by' the intervention of the
French consul, who having just received a large sum for
bis redemption, sent him home, about 1681.
He bad not been long at Paris, before he set out to visit
Flanders and Holland, whence he passed to Denmark, and
afterwards to Sweden. Having done some singular piece
of service to the king of Sweden, this monarch, who per-
ceived that he was travelling out of pure curiosity, told
bim, that Lapland contained mapy things well worthy of
^ ' ■ ' > '
1 Melcbior Adaiii.-*OeD, Diet.
R £ G N A R D. Ii3
observation ; and ordered his treasurer to accoaimodate
bim with whatever he wanted, if he chose to proceed thi-^
tfaer. Regnard embarked for Stockholtn, with two other
gentlemen that had accompanied him from France;- and
went as for as Torneo, a city at the bottom of the Both-"
Hie Gulph. He went up the river Torneo, whose source is'
not fiir from the Northern cape ; and at letigth penetrated
to the Icy sea. Here, not being able to go farther^ he and
bis companions engraved these four lines upon a rock :
** Gallia DOS genuit, vidit nos Africa} Gangem
Hausimus, Europamque oculis lustra^imus omiieili j '
Casibus & variis acti tenaque manque^
Hie tandem stetlmus> nobis ubi deluit orbis/'
*
While he was in Lapland, his curiosity led him to inquire
into the pretended magic of the. country; and he was^
shewn some of the learned in this black art, who^ not suc-
ceeding in their operations upon him, pronounced him a-
greater magician than themselves. After his return to
Stockholm, he went to Poland, thence to Vienna, and from
Vienna to Paris, after a ramble of almost three years^
- He npw settled in his own country, near Donrden, about
eleven leagues from Paris, and wrote a great many come*
dies, which • were acted with success, particularly bis
^' Gamester.'* He was made a treasurer of France, and
lieutenant of the waters and forests, which enabled bim to
indulge his .taste for pleasure and gaiety. It has been said
that <he ^ied of chagrin in his 52d year, Sept. 4, 1709, and
that he even contributed himself to shorten his days ; but
both these reports are contradicted in the new edition . of
the Diet. Hist (1811), and his death attributed to impru-^
dent conduct after taking medicine. The best edition of
his works, which consist of comedies and his travels, is that
of Paris, 1790, 4 vols. 8vo, with notes. ^
REGNIER (Mathurin), a satirical French poet, was the
son of a citizen of Chartres, by a sister of the abb£ Des-^.
portes^ a famous poet also, ai^d was bom there in 1573.'
He was brought up to the ; church, and no man more unfit
orunwortbyj for such were his debaucheries, that as we
learo from himself, he had at thirty all the infirmities of old
age. Yet this did not prevent his obtaining the patronage
of cardinal Joyeuse, and the ambassador Philip de Bethiine,
with whom he was twice at Rome, in 1593 and 1601. la
* Diet Hitt.
Vol. XXVI. I
Hi » E G N I E Jl,
ICOiy by ibeir infiuence^ be obuined i^ canonry jb the
church of Chartres ; and bikd Qthf r beoeficMn anc) ^q ,^..
peomn of 2000 liwoi, which Hemry I V« settled ou hiqn in
1606| all which h^ ^peet on bis Uceqtioua pleasmes* He
died at Rouen in 1615, at the age of forty^ completely de-
bilitated and worn Qot«
He was the first aan^g the Freiioh who succeeded in sa*
tire.; and» if Boileau has b^ the glory of rai^ini; that sfjie*
cies of eoBH>esition to pevfeouon a0V>ng tbeio,, it mi^ be
said of Regnier» that he laid the foundation, and was per-
haps more an ori^piirui} writer ^ba^ Boileau, He is sup-
posed to have taken Juvenal and Peruus for bis model : it
is certain, that be has in seme places imitased Ovid, and
b^wfrowed largely frMi the Italiaui* While preteDdieg,
however, to expose yiice, muck of that impuri^]F» whioh ran
through his life, orept also intet bis wnting^. Seftenteen of
bis satires, with other poems^ were printed at Rooeo ia
Ire^llt. There is a i\eat Elaevir edition of hia works at Isy^
den, 1650,, l2ffio; but, th<a b^ai are those of Rouen, 1799,
4to, with abort notes by M. Broasette ; and of E^ofidoay 1739,
wilbi notes by Lenglet du Fresnoy, oa^e* of Tonaon^s iMid-
soBBke books 4to, of which there are large paper eopies. '
REGNIER (be ^lutBTS, er 0£$*M4JiAis (FRAHCia Sqaa*
phin)^ a French writer, waa bora at Paris in I6%a ; and, at
fifteen, distikignisbed himself by translating' the *^ Baiw* -
Ghomyomacbia'* into burlesque verse. At thirty^ be want
to Rooue asi secretary to an embassy. Ao^ Italian ode of Jiis.
writing procured him a place in the aeadenty de ia Crusoa.
in 1667; and, ia 1670, he waa elected a membef of the
French academy. lo 1684, be waa made perpetual secre--
tary, aftes the death of Mezeray ; and it ssas be. Who drew
up. all those papers, in the name of the academy, against
Furetiere. In 1668, the king gave hsm the priory of Grao^
mont, which determined him to the ecclesiastical fnactiiin :
and, in 1675, he had an abbey. His works axev^uir Itaiiaa
translation of Anacreon's odes, which he dedicated ta the
academy de la Cvusca in 16d^; a French grammar ; aad
two volumes of poems, in French,' Latin, Italian, and Sfdk*
nish. He translated, into French, TuUy *' De Diviaatione^
k de Finibus ;'* and Rodrigue^s ^^Treatise of Christian per-
fection," from the Spanish. He died in 17 IS, aged 89;.
^^ He has done great service to language," aays Voltaire,
I Kiceron, rok XI. XX-i-Dict Hist.
R E O N I E R. 119
*< and is the audioc of tome po^^ ia French, and IlaliM.
He contrived to make one of hia Italian pieces pass for Pe-
trarch's ; but be conld not have made his Fvenoh verses
pass £<x those of any great French poet*' ^ .
REID (Thomas), a Scotch divine, whose lifci. however
banen of incidents, fixes an aera in the history pf modern
pbikttophy, was born April ^Q, 1710, at Strachen in Kii^-
cajrdioesbire, a country parish, situated about tweaty miles
from Aberdeen, on die north side of tbe Grampian moun-
tains* His father, the rev. Lewis Reid» was minister of
thttt parish for .fifty yean. His mother was Margaret Gre-
gpory, one of the twenty *-nine children of David Gregory
of Kinnardie, and sister to James Gregory, the inventor of
the reflecting telescope, and to David . Gregory,, SaviUaa
professor of astronomy at Oxford. After two years spent
at. the parish school at Kincardine, our author was sent to
Aberdeen,' where be had the advantage of prosecuting his
ckflsical studies under an able and diligent teacher ^ so thf^t
about, the age of twelve or thirteen he was entereda student
inMarischsd College, under Dr. George TurnbuU. Th^
sessions of the college were at that time very short, and thjs
education, according to Dr* Reid'» own account, slight and
superficial.
^It .dofs not appear that Dr* Reid gave any. early indjic%-
tioos of f uiore eminance* His industry, however, and mo*
des^, were conspicuous &om his childhoods and j^t.was
icHT^oU of' him by the parish sfchoolmastcr, who initiated
him in the first principles of learning, ^-^ tbathe would turn
t>nt to be a man. of good and weU-wearing par|s," a predict
tioa which, although itimplied no flattering hopes of those
more brilliant endowments which are commoidy regarded
astfaeconftituents. of genius, touched not unhappily on
that capacity of patient thought, which contributed sp
powerfully to the success of his pbilos<q[»hi€al researches.
His residence at the university was prolonged beyoiid the
usual term, in consequei^ce of biai apppintinent to the office
of .librarian,, which Inad been endowed by one of bis ances-
tors about a century before. The situation was acceptable
to bun, as it afibtded an opportunity of indulging his pas-
sion for study, a»d united the charms of a learned society
with the quiet of an academical retreat.
In 173^^ be resigned this eflice, and, accompanied by
^ Diet Bist.^^NlceroD in Defmsraii, rol, V.
12
il« R E I D.
Dr. John Stewart, afterwards professor of mathematics in
Marisclial college, and author of a ^' Commentary on
Newton^s Quadrature of Curves," on an excursion to Eng-
land. Tbey visited together London, Oxford, and Cam-
bridge, and were introduced to the acquaintance of many
persons of the first literary eminence. His relation to Da-
vid Gregory procured him a ready access to Martin Folkes,
whose house concentrated the . most interesting objects
which the metropolis had to offer to his curiosity. At Cam-
bridge he saw Dr. Bentley, who delighted htm with his
learning, and amused him with his vanity; and enjoyed
repeatedly the conversation of the blind mathematician
Saunderson ; a phenomenon in the history of the human
mind, to which he has referred more than once in his phi-
losophical speculations. With the learned and amiable
'Dir. Stewart he maintained an uninterrupted friendship rill
1766, when Mr. Stewart died of a malignant fever. His
death was accompanied with circumstances deeply aflRect-
ing to Dr. Reid^s sensibility; the same disorder proving
fatal to his wife and daughter, both of whom were buried
with him the same day in the same g^ave.
In 17S7, Dr. Reid was presented by the King's college
of Aberdeen to the* living of New Machar in that county ;
^biit the circumstances in which be entered on his prefer-
ment were far from auspicious. The intemperate zeal of
one of his predecessors, and an aversion to the law of pa-
tronage, had so inflamed the minds of his parishioners
against him> that in the first discharge of his clerical func-
tions, he had not only to encounter the most violent oppo-
sition, but was exposed to personal danger. His unwearied
attention, however, to the duties of his oflice, the mildness
end forbearance of his temper, and the active spirit of bis
humanity, soon overcame all these prejudices; and not
many yeats afterwards, when he was called .to a different
situation, the same persons who had suffered themselves to
be so far misled, as to take a share4n the outrages against
him^ followed him on his departure with their blessings and
tears.
Dt. Reid's popularity at New Machar* increased greatly
'after bis marriage, in 1740, with Elizabeth, daughter of his
uncle Dr. George Reid, physician in London. The ac-
commodating manners of this excellent woman, and her ^
good offices among the sick and necessitous, were long re-
membered with gratitude, and so endeared the family ta
R £ I D. 117
ttle n^ighboarhoodi that its removal was regarded as a
■general misfortune. The simple and affecting language in
which some old men-expressed themselves on this subject
deserves to be recorded : ** We fought against Dr. Keid
when he came, and would have fought /or him when he
went away."
It is mentioned, that long after he became minister of
New Machar, he was accustomed, from a distrust in his
own powers, to preach the sermons of Dr.Tillotson and Dr.
Evans, and that he had neglected the practice of compo*
sition in a more than ordinary degree^ in the earlier part
of. his studies. The fact, says his biographer, is curious,
when contrasted with that ease, perspicuity, and purity of
style, which he afterwards attained. Yet during his resi-
dence at this place, the greater part of his time was spent
in the most intense study ; particularly in a careful exa-
mination of the laws of external perception, and of the
other principles which form the ground-work of human
knowledge. His, chief relaxations were gardening and
botany, to both of which pursuits he retained his attach-
ment even in old age.
The first work published by Dr. Reid was in the Philo-
sophical Transactions of London in 1748. It was entitled
''An Essay on Quantity, occasioned by a Treatise in which
simple, and compound Ratios are applied to Virtue and
Merit," and shews plainly, that although he had not yet
entirely relinquished the favourite researches of his youth^
he was beginning to direct his thoughts to other objects.
The treatise alluded to in the title of this paper was Dr.
Hutcheson's '' Inquiry into the origin of our ideas of
beauty and virtue." In 1752, the professors of King's
college, Aberdeen, elected Dr. Reid professor of philosor
phy, in testimony of the high opinion they had formed of
h|s learning and abilities. Soon after his removal to Aber-
deen, he projected (in conjunction with his friend Dr.
John Gregory) a literary society, which subsisted many
years, and produced that spirit of philosophical research
to which we owe the writings of Reid, Gregory, Campbell,
Seattle, and Gerard, who communicated, in this society,
sketches of their works, and profited by the remarks mutu-
ally offered. In 1763 he was invited by the university of
Glasgow, and accepted, the office of professor of moral
philosophy. In 1764 he published his <* Inquiry into the
Human Mind;" which was succeeded, after a long interval,
lis R E I D.
h) 1785, hj bis ^^ Essays on the intellectaal Powers of
Man ;** and that agsiin, in 1788, by the " active Powers/*
These, with a masterly " Analysis of Aristotk^s Logic,**
which forms an appendix to the third volume of lord
Karnes's Sketches, comprehend the whole of Dr. Reid's
publications. The interval between the dates of the first
and last of these amount to no less than forty years, al>
* though he had attained to the age of thirty-eight before he
/ ventured to appeiir as an author. Even in very advanced
life, he continued to prosecute bis studies with unabated
ardour and activity. The modern improvements in che-
mistry attracted his particular notice ; and he applied him-
self, with his wonted diligence and success, to the study
of these and its new nomenclature. He amused himself,
also, at times, in preparing for a philosophical society, of
which he was a member, short essays on particular topics,
which happened to interest his curiosity. The most im-
portant of these were, '^ An examination of Dr. Priestley's
opinion concerning Matter and Mind ;** " Observations on
the Utopia of sir Thomas More ;** and *^ Physiological re-
flections on Muscular motion.'' This last essay appears to
bave been written in the leighty-sixth year of his age, and
was read by the author to his associates, a few months
tefore his death.
While he was thu^ enjoying an old age, happy in some
respects beyond the usual lot of humanity, bis domestic
eomfort suffered a deep and incurable wound by the deUth
of Mrs. Reid. He had had the misfortune too of surviving,
for many years, a numerous family of promising children ;
four of whom (two sons and two daughters) died after they
bad attained to maturity. One only was left to him, Mrs.
Cai'michael, then the wife, now the widow, of Patrick
Carmichael, M. D. His situation at this period cannot be
better described than by himself. ' ** By the loss," says he,
** of my bosom friend, with whom I lived fifty-two years,
I am brought into a new world at a time of life when old
habits are not easily forgot, or new ones acquired. But
(every world is God's world, and I am thankful for the
comforts he • has left me. Mrs. Carmichael has now the
care of two old deaf men, and does every thing in her
power to plese them ; and both are very sensible of her
goodness. I have more health than at my time of life I
bad any reason to expect. I walk about ; entertain my-
self with reading what I soon forget; can converse with one
R £ t Di lit
persM^ if hd arttculates difttinctly, and it within tea
inches of my l^ft ear ; go to charch witboat hearing oimb
word tbot it said. You know I never had any pretensioM
to vitacity ; bat I am still free from languor and trmuV*
The actual and useful life of Dr. Reid was now draiiring
Co a con<ilusion. A violent disorder attacked him about
the end of September 1796; but does not seem to hav^
occasioned much alarm to those about him, till be wes
visited by Dr. Cleghom, who soon communicated his op*
prehensions in a letter to Dr. Gregory. Among ottM^
symptom^i he mentioned particularly << that alteration of
voice and features, whicb> though not easily described, is
so well known to all who have opportunities of seeing life
ek)se.** Df. Reid's own opinion of his case was probably
the same with that of his physician ; as he eipressed to
him on his first visit, his hope that he was ^*soon to get his
dismission.*' After a severe struggle, attended with re-
peated strokes of palsy, he died on the 7th of October foU
lowing.
Ill point of bodily constitntion^ few men have been more
indebted t6 nature than Dr. Reid. His form was vigorous
^nd athletic; and his muscular force (though be was
somewhat under the middle size) uncommonly great ;
advantages to which his habits of temperance and exercise,
and the unclouded serenity of his temper, did ample jus*
tice. His countenance was strongly expressive of deep
and collected thought; but when brightened up by thd
face of a friend, what chiefly caught the attention was a
look of good will and of kindness. A picture of him, toft
which he consented, at the particular request of Dr. Gre-
gory, to sit to Mr. Raeburn during his last visit to Edin-^
burgh, is generally and justly ranked among the happiest
performances of that excellent artist.
The most prominent features of Dr. Reid's character
were intrepid and inflexible rectitude, a piiire and devoted
attachment to truth, and an entire command over his pas-
sions. In private life, no man ever maintained more emi-
nently or tliore uniformly, the dignity of philosophy ;
combining with the most amiable modesty and gentleness,
^ noblest spirit of independence. As a public teacher,
he was distinguished by unwearied assiduity in inculcating
principles, which he conceived to be of essential import-
ance to human happiness. In his elocution and mode of
itisteructfon, there was nothing peculiarly attractive. Such,
120 R £ I D.
how&fetf were the simplicity and perspicuity of liis slyle ;
such the gravity and authority of bis character, that he
was always listened to with profound respect, and, in his
latter years, with a veneration, which age added to great
wisdoni always inspires.
All that is valuable in this sketch has been taken from
Mr. Dugald Stewart's life of Dr. Reid, the most elaborate
part of which is the view of the spirit and scope of Dr.
Reid's philosophy. We have long regretted, says ano^r
able critic, that the writings of this philosopher, the first
who in the science of Mind deserves the title of interpreter
of .nature, should be so little known, especially in the
southern part of this kingdom ; and we fondly hope that
the illustration afforded by Mr. Stewart of their high ntj^its,
and the exposure of the prejudices which have been raised
against them by bold censurers, who never took the pains
to understand them, will pave the way to a more general
diffusion among our countrymen of the advantages which a
careful study of them cannot fail to produce.
' The distinguishing characteristic of the philosophy of
Reid is this ; that whereas all his predecessors in th^ study
of Mind employed themselves in forming arbitraty theories,
as Descartes in the study of the material world accounted
by vortices for the motions or the heavenly bodies, Dr*
Reid, on the other hand, adopted the inductive method
followed by sir Isaac Newton, and by an examination of
the phsBUomepa of mind of which we are conscious, endea-
voured to rise to the general laws which regulate our men-
tal Qperations. The illustrations which Mr. Stewart has
stated of the absolute necessity of following this method
exclusively in the study of mind as well as of matter, of
the merit of Dr. Reid in setting the first example of this
just mode of inquiry, and of his success in the prosecution
of it, desetve the greatest attention. Mr. Stewart has
classed the objections stated to the philosophy of Reid
under four beads. 1. That he has assumed gratuitously,
in all bis reasonings, that theory concerning the human
.^oul which the scheme of materialism calls in question.
2. That hi& views tend to damp the ardour of philosophical
curiosity, by stating, as ultimate facts, pbsenomena which
may be resolved into principles more simple and genera),
3. That by an unnecessary multiplication of original or in-
stinctive prinpipl^s, be. has brought the science of mind
into a st^t^e^more perplexed and unsatisfactory than that in
RE TD. 121
whiob it was left by Locke and his successors. 4. That
: bis pliilosoph}^ by sanctiouiiig an appeal from the decisions
of die learned to the voice of the multitude, is unfavourable
taa.spirit of free inquiry, and lends additional stability to
popular errors. In bis reply to these objections, Mr.
Stewart has not only set the merit of the writings which he
defends in a clearer "light, but has taken occasion to add
Various illustrations, which will not a little facilitate the
study of these writings to those who for the first time un-
dertake it.
The merit of the writings of Reid, with regard to the
future labours of the philosopher, and the progress of the
scietkce of mind, by illustrating the true mode of philoso-
phising, and setting the first example of the practice, is
the chief point which Mr. Stewart has endeavoured to illus-
trate. But there is another species of utility possessed by
these writings which deserves to be pointed out ; their un*
\ rivalled efficacy in leading a young mind to think. By the
perspicuity of expression which Reid employs, and the
uncommon clearness of his conceptions, he excites the
reflection of his readers upon their own mental operations
so skilfully, that they are scarcely sensible of the exertion.
And unquestifmably the finest school for this most iippor-
tant and difficult of all acquirements, the power of refiect-
ingon the opecations of our own minds, is the writings of
I>r..Reid.^
' REIGNY (Louis Abbl Beffroi), commonly called
Cousin Jaques, a very eccentric French writer, was born
at Laon Nov. 6, 1757. From his eighteenth to bis twenty-
. second year, be taught rhetoric and the belles lettres in
several colleges, and came to Paris in 1770, where he was
made a member of the Mus6e and of the Lyc^m of arts*
He was also a member of the academy of Bretagne, and of
many other learned societies, all which seem to indicate
r^eputation and talents. The former. he employed every
queans to acquire, but appears in general to have been more
ambitious of temporary than lasting fame, and thought
himself very successful when be puzzled the wits of Paris
with the strange titles of bis publications. In 1799 he
began to publish, in a periodicar form, what be called
** Dictionnaire des hommes et des choses/' which his bio-
1 Life by Mr. Ste<rart.— Other valuable remarks and particulars may be seen^
in Dr. Gleig*8 Supplement to the- Encyclopaedia Britanoica; and Forbes's Life
i»f lSeattie.-«-Ba!dwin*f I^iterary Journali &c. kc, kc.
IM R E I G N Y.
grapher styles a whimsical work, without informing us in
what respect. Something political seems to have entered
into its composition, as after he had published several
numbers, it was suppressed by the police. He tried his
talents likewise on the theatre ; and if success be a proof
6f merit, had no reason to complain. His plays were,
1. '^ Les ailes de Tamour,'' which was performed at three
theatres. 2. ** Le club des bonnes gens," played 117
times at. Feydau, and often reprinted at Paris: 3. ** His*
toire universelle," a comic opera, played S7 times at
Feydau in 1790 and 1791. 4. "Nicodeme dans la Lune,''
represented 373 times. 5. « La petite Nanette," &c.
and other operas, which were all successful, and of which
he also composed the music, in an easy and agreeable
-^tyle.
His other publications were, 6. '^ Petites maisons du
Parnasse," Bouillon, 1783, 8vo, a collection in prose and
▼erse, mostly original, but some borrowed. 7. " MaU
borough, Tarlututa, Hurlaberla," 3 vols. 8vo ; with the con-
tents of this we are unacquainted, as well indeed as with
those of the following. 8. " Les Ldnes," Paris, 1785^
1787, 24 vols. 12mo, of which two editions were published.
9. ** Le Courier des Planetes," Paris, 1788, 1790, 10 vols.
10. " Les Nouvelles Luties," Paris, 1791, 8vo. 11. " Le
Consolateur," ibid. 1792, 3 vols. 8vo; 12. " La Consti-
tution de la Lune," ibid. 1793. 13. "Testament d'nn
electeur de Paris," ibid. 1795. 14. " Precis historiqoe de
la prise de la Bastille," ibid. 1789, which is said to have
gone through seventeen editions. 1 5. ^ Histoire de France
pendant trois mois," ibid. 1789, 8vo. This fertile writer
died at Charenton, near Paris, in April 1810.^
REINECCIUS (Reinier), a learned German, was m
native of Steinheim, in the sixteenth century. He was a
disciple of Melancthon, and taught the belles lettres in thef
universities of Frankfort and Helmstadt till his desub, in
1 595. His chief publications, on history and genealogy,
in which he was profoundly versed, are, ** Syntaglna de
Familiis Monarchiarum trium priorum," 1574 ; *' Familiffi^
Regum- JudsBorum;" " Chronicon Hierosolymitaniiiti ;"
** Historia Orientalis ;" " Historia Julia," 3 vols, folio ;
** Methodus Legendi Historiam." •
REINESIUS (Thomas), a learned and philosophic Ger*
onan, was born at Gotha, a city of Tburingia, in 1587.
A Pict. Hitt > Moreri.
REINESIUS. m
He was a physician ; but applied himself to polite literatore,
in which be tihiefly excelled. Afber practising physic iti
other places, hd Settled at AUenbnrg for sevenu years^ and
was made a burgo-master. At last, baring been raised to
be counsellor to the elector of Saxony, he went to reside
at Leipsic ; where he also died in 1667. One of his let-
ters relates many circumstances of his life, and shews him
to have met with many vexations ; though, as will appear
afterwards, he was more than ordinarily upon his guard,
that he miffht not be involved in the troubles of the world.
CI
He wrote a piece or two npon subjects of his own pro-
fession ; but the greatest part of his works relate to philo-
logy and criticism, among which are *^ Yarianim Lectio-
Dum libri tres,'' in 4to. Bayle says, he was one of those
philologers who know more than their books can teach
them ; whose penetration enables them to draw many con*
Sequences, and suggests conjectures which lead them tp
the discovery of hidden treasores ; who dart a light into
the gloomy places of literature, and extend the liiAits of
ancient knowledge. By hiis printed letters^ it would ap-
pear that he was consulted as an oracle ; that he answered
Tery learnedly whatever questions were brought to him ;
and that he was extremely skilled in the families of ancient
Rome, and in the study of inscriptions. A great eulogium
is given of his merit, as well as of his learned and political
ivorks, by Grsvius, in the dedication of the second edi-
tion of Casaubon^s epistles, dated Amsterdam, August 31,
1655, and by Haller and Saxius. He partook of the libe-
Tality which Lewis XIV. shewed to the most celebrated
66h(dars of Europe, and received with the present a very
obliging letter from Colbert; which favour he retorned,
by dedicating to him bis '^ Observations on the Fragment
of Petronius,'* in 1666. The religion of Beinesius was
suspected to be of the philosophical kind.^
REINHOLD (Erasmus), an eminent astronomer sind
mathematician, was born at Salfeldt in Thuringia, a pro^
vinc^ in Upper Saxony, the 11th of October, 1511. He
studied mathematics under James Milicbi tit Wittemberg^
in which university he afterwards became professor of those
^sciences, which he taught with great applause. After
writing a nomber of useful and learned works, he died
February 19, 1553, alt 42 years of age only. His writings,
•
%
124 R £ I N H O L D.
are chiefly the following : 1. <VTheori» nove Plauetaram
Q. Purbacbii/' augmented and illustrated with diagrams
and Scholia in 8vo, 1542; and again in 1580. In this
work, among other things worthy of notice, he teaches (p.
75 and 7,6) that the centre of the lunar epicycle describes
an aoal figure in each monthly period, and that the orbit
of Mercury is also of the same oval 6gure. 2. '* Ptolomy*s
Almagest," the first book, in Greek, with a Latin version,
and Scholia, explaining the more obscure passages,- 1549,
8vo. At the end of p. 123 he promises an edition of
Theon^s Commentaries, which are very useful for under-
standing Ptolomy's meaning ; but bis immature death pre*
vented Reinhold from giving this and other works which he
had projected. 3. 'VPrutenicse Tabulse Coelestium Mo-
tuum," 1551, 4to; again in 1571; and also in 1585,
Reinhold spent seven years labour upon this work, in
which he was assisted by the munificence of Albert, duke
of Prussia, from whence the tables had their name. Rein-
hold compared the observations of Copernicus with those
of Ptolomy and Hipparchus, from whence he constructed ^
these new tables, the uses of which he has fully explained
in a great number of precepts and canons, forming a com-
plete introduction to practical astronomy. 4. *' Primus
liber Tabularum Directionum ;^* to which are added, the
" Canon Foecundus," or Table of Tangents, to every
minute of the quadrant ; and New Tables of Climates, Pa-
rallels, and Shadows, with an Appendix containing the
second Book of the Canon of Directions; 1554, 4to.
Reinhold here supplies what was omitted by Regiomonta-
nus in his Table of Directions, &c. ; shewing the finding
of the sines, and the construction of the tangents, the sines
being found to every minute of the quadrant, td the ra«
dius 10,000,000; and he produced the Oblique Ascensions
from 60 degrees to the end of the quadrant* He teaches
also the use of these tables in the solution of spherical
problems.
Reinhold prepared likewise an edition of many other
works, which are enumerated in the Emperor^s Privilege,
prefixed to the Prutenic Tables; such as, Ephemerides for
several years to come, computed from the new tables;
Tables of the rising and setting of several Fixed Stars, for
.many different climates and times; the illustration and
establishment of Chronology, by the eclipses of the lumin-
aries, and the great conjunctions of the planets, and by
R E I N H O L D. 125
tile a|^petrance of coinels, &c. ; the Ecdcftiastical Galea*
dar; the History of Years, or Astronomical Calendar;
^* Isagoge Spherica,'' or Elements of the doctrine of the
Pfiioiam Mobile ; ** H^potyposes Orbium Ccelestium,'* or
the Theory of Planets ; Goustroction of a New Quadrant;
the doctrine of Plane and Spherical Triangles; Commen-
taries on the work of Copernicus ; also Commentaries on
the 1 5 books of Euclid, on Ptolomy's Geography, and on
the Optics of Alhazen the Arabian. Reinbold also made
Astronomical Observations, but with a wooden quadrant,
which observations wdre seen by Tycho Brahe when he
passed through Wittemberg in 1575, who wondered that
so great a cultivator of astronomy was uot furnished with
better instruments.
' Reinhold left a son, named also Erasmus after himself,
an eminent mathematician and physician at Salfeldt. He
wrote a small work in the German language, on Subter-
ranean Geometry, printed in 4to at Erfurt, 1575. He
wrote also concerning the New Star which appeared in
Cassiopeia in 1572; with an Astrological Prognostication,
published in 1574, in the German language.'
REISKE (John James), an extraordinary scholar, and
equally extraordinary man, who has furnished us with very
curious memoirs of his life, was born Dec. 25, 1716, at
Zorbig, a small town near Leipsic, of ancestors of whom
he knew nothing, except that his grandfather was an inn-
keeper. He was educated at the school of Zorbig until
ten years old, then was removed to Soschen, where a gen-
tleman, to whom he afterwards in gratitude dedicated his
remarks on the '^ Tusculan questions,'' brought him very
forward. Thence be went to school at Halle, where he
complains of the length of the prayers, and of the ignorance
of bis teacher, who knew nothing of Latin. In 1733 he
removed to the university of Leipsic ; but instead of at*
tending to Greek, mathematics, and polite literature, gave
himself, ** in an evil hour," to Rabbinical learning, and
Arabic. Such, however, was his ceconomy, that although
during the five years be remained here, he received from
home only two hundred dollars, he contrived not only to
live, but to purchase most of the Arabic books then ex-
tant, and in 1736 he had read them all. The last year,
indeed, he obtained a scholarship of twenty dollars a^year,
> Hutton's DietioMi^.—- Moreri,
litlncb b^ i*igbfc b«v0 eogojed loogeri, bad i»e uot io i7$ff
fle^ermiAOd to visii HolFan4^ without evec considering bow
be vr9s icf tf ansel witbout a^poej. He get out^ however^
Srom Letp^i^ to Lifta0qbu;rg io tbe commQii waggpn, avd
tbeoce by tb^ Elbe to Haobburgb^ wbere be visited Reioiit-^
vmf wbo.at first received bio cooUy^ but <^ diseoveriog
bii leammg> gave hiip lettqrs^ andbecmiM bis &sit friends
nor, be ad<b| did tbe worthy loep of Hambq^fb aend bim
penttiless on tbe wny.
On bis arrival at AivistercjaQi, be waa weU received by %
frifeod of bis inoiber*^, who bad loarried a lioen^draf^er
there. Next day be visited DorviUe,r to whom be bad m
letter of recommendalioii fraisa professor Wolfe^ DerviUe
offered him 600 florins a-year to live with bimi and be Ua
^aiHiensis ; but ReUke tdld bioi that be was^ not come to
Holland to make bis fortune,, wbicb be coutd have doM
belter in hisi own country, but to look for Arabic naaou*
scripts. Dorville seemed surprised and a little angry m%
such an answer fVom, a man who had DOt a shilling ; b^
afterwards^ Reiike says, ^^ vye were very - good frieod%
though I wonder we did so well together, for we were
aEkuch of the same temper, hasty, ^passionatej and self-^
willed/^ He tben went to Leydeo, where be had the moiH
lificatioe to be told that there ,was no provision in HoUaod
fcff strangers, that it was vacation tinie^ that the scbolaM
were all gone, and the library quite inaccessible. H^
eontrived, however, to pick up a livelihood, by beiag
corrector of the press for Alberti's Hesycfaius> and giving
a few lessons, when be couJid procure pupiki^ At lengtb
he got introduced to Scbukens^ who allowed him to ei^jr
Oriental MSS. at bis bouse, and teaqb his son Arabic* At
tbe desire of Schultens, be applied himself to tbe Arabic
poets, and publbbed an edition of tbe ^^ Meallakat'* in
1740 ; but they did not quite agree .about spoae passages
i»it, and this laid tbe foundation of the misunderstanding
between them. In the mean tine he niade a eaialogue of
Arabic MSS. in the Leyden library, a work which eool^
ployed htnit some months, and for which he was rewaKded
with nine guilders, about eighteen shillings I
Ail this, however, be called '^ going on well,*' and pro-
ceeds to date his misfortunes from his displeasing the
firiendfi of Burman. When Burman seo>t his ^^ PetropiasV
to press, he was old and bed-ridden, and tbe correction of
tbe work fell upon Reiske. He made some alterations in
R E I S K E. 127
ike firat volame, which Buhnan lived to see and was
pleased with ; but hi^peDuig to take some greater liberties
with the teat of Petronius, in the second, all Burman^a
friends became his enemies; his scholars deserted him, and
DorriUe broke with him* Peter Burman, the son, wrote
a prefisce against Reiske, which he answered in the ^< Acta
Eroditorom/* ' During his resideace here, as he saw no«
thing wa^ to be done in divinity, he made some progress
in the study of physic, and intended to return home and
piactise; but, he inforass tis, '^ straigbtness of circam«
stances, oddoess of humour, and the love of Arabic^
alwajTs kept him from it.'^
Two things determined him to leave Holland^ the one
was that he had ofiended Schultens by some remarks on
the study of Arabic ; the other, that in the thesis which he
wsote for his medical degree, be incurred the suspicion of
maierialisiii; but having got this degree June 10, 1746,
he bade adieu to Holland. After a long apostrophe in
admiration of Holhtnd, which, he says, he wishes he had
nevier seen, or never left, he informs us that while with
Dorville, be translated into Latin, some small French tracts^
which that auihoi inserted in his ^^ Miscellanea Critica ;^*
made collections for him from MSS* or other literary cu*
riositieB ; translated his '< Cbarito'* into Latin, and collated
the copy vriiioh Dorville had received from Cocchi at
Elorence. They quarrelled, however, because Dorville not*
oaty altered some parts of this translation, but obliged
Bmske to do the same himself before bis face.
' After some stay at his native place Zorbig, where he
could find no opportuni^ of settling advantageously, he
was obliged to return to Leipsic. In 1747, he tells us he
was made professor for the publication of a tract, entitled*
^ De principibus Mahummedanis literarum laude claris.*^
From this time be lived, during many years, in want and
obscurity, frequently not knowing wbere to get bread to
eat. What he did get, be says, was hardly earned, by
private instruction, writing books, correcting for the press,
translations, and working for reviews ; and thus he went
on from 1746 to 1758 «.
* The reader will wonder bow Reiske a reader of books, as well at a writers
could be in such want wiih so many and would often buy them without
4>ccopationt. As a corrector of the thinking whether he should have money
press atone, he would have done very enough left to buy next day's dinner,
wall ; what ruined him was, his being Besides this, hetiad the rage of pab-
12$ R E I S K E.
In the mean time, in 1 748, be wrote bis ^^ Progmmiaa
de epocba Arabuin, &c/^ for wbicb he was made Arabic
professor, but id this o6Sice be complains of being rewarded
by an ilUpaid salary of one hundred dollars a year. In. the
autumn of that year a bookseller at Leyden agreed.with
bini for a publication of Abulfeda^s History in Latin and
Arabic : tb^ first sheet was accordingly printed, and made
bim known in France and England; and the whole, he
8ays„ would have followed, if it had not been for his quarrel
with ScbuUens. Keiske appears to have had an extraordi*
oary propensity to quarrelling, and being a reviewer, was
not sparing of the means, by reviewing in an arrogant and
petulant style the works of those persons with whom he
was living in apparent friendship. He even unblushingljr
avows that a sort of revenge led him to speak ill of the
Works of some of his friends. He speaks at the same time*
of the bitter remorse with which he reflected on liis treat-
ment of Schultens, who ^' had been a father to him,^* ac<*
knowledges the acid of youthful pride which mixed ^ith
bis criticisms,^ and yet talks of being influenced by the
** conscience and duty" of a reviewer f
Among the works wbicb be performed for bread, and
umta Mtnervoy were a translation of the life of Cfayistina
from the French, and an index to the translation of the His**
tory of the academy of inscriptions. Thdse which he wrote
am anwre were his criticisms in the Leipsic Acts, which
were very numerous, his *^ Greek Anthology/' and kk
1754 the first part of his ^< Annales Moslemici,'' dedicated
to the curators of the university of Leyden^ who, as he
says, did not thank him, and he sold only thirty copies^
After a little Arabic effusion, called ^^ Risalet Abit Wall-*
cit,*' he began his ^' Animadversiones ad autores Grascos,'*
and printed five volumes of them, which cost him 1000
fhalersy of which be never saw more than 100 again* i^ I
have, however,** be says, *^ enough for five volumes; morei,;
and should go quietly out of the world, if I couldonce see>
tjiem printed, for they ^xejlos ingemi met (that is supposing}
it to be allowed that my genius has any flowers).; and sure;
I am, that little as their worth is now known, and much aa
they have been despised, the time will come when party
and jealousy shall be no more, and justice will be done
Ii«binj^ things which mouldered away bay leather, and send it to Zorbig,^
in a dark room, and besides this he where she sold it by retaiL Note by
had his mother t» keep, He used to Mrs. Reiske.
ft E I S K E. \2^
li^etai.^-^Should they come out in my life-time, it will pay
toe for all my trouble : if they should not, an ever-waking
Ood will take care^ that no impious hand seizes on tiiy .
Work, arid' makes it his own. Possibly there may arise
'^dmef honourable God-fearing man, who may hereafcet
publish them unadulterated to my posthumous fame, and
fer the good of litei'ature t such is my wish, siich are my
prayers to God,— «-and he will hear those prayers.*'
Ifi'1755, he was chosen fellow of GotscHed's society of
the fihe. arts. This produced two sniall papers, which are
in the Transactions of that society, and an acquaintance
with bis wife, the sister of Probst, who came With him to
Leipsic. Hei* modesty, goodness of heart, and love of
Earned nieii, caught his heart ; but the war broke out, and
he did not marry tilt nine years after. In 1756 he made a
catalogue of the Arabic coins in the library at Dresden,
and translated Thogtai in a couple of days. It came out
with a preface and notes, containing accounts of the Ara-
bic poet*. There were only two hundred copies printed.
" The war now raged very fiercely all over Saxony, and poor
Reiske was obliged to avail himself of Ernesti^s generosity,
who gave him bis table for two yeai*S3 but in 1758, hi^
fortunes took a surprizing and most unexpected turn, and
he was made independent, by being appginted rector of
tti^schc^ol of St. Nicholas. This he tells us he had had an
om^n of at the beginning of the year; for, rising on new
year's day, at three o'clock in the morning, as was bis con-
^ant custom, to pursue his translation of Libanius's letters,
be found that he had come to a letter written to Anatolius,
atfd the first word he read was Anatolius. '^Now,'' says
he, ^' thought I, the year is come in which God will let
the! light of his countenance shine upon thee; and in five
fl^eks rfter Haltaus (his predecessor) died."
'• About 1763 be translated Demosthenes and Thucydides
iilto German, and married Mrs. Reiske, a woman of great
liuhrary accoQiplishments. In 1768 he issued proposals for
his edition of Demosthenes, which forms the first two vo-
latiies ofhis **Oratores Graeci." On this occasion we have
at! interesting note from Mrs. Reiske. ** When the work
went to press, only twenty thalers of the subscription
[ftoiiey btid cOme in. The good man was quite struck down
with this, and seemed to have thrown away all hope. His
grief went to my ^oul, and I comforted him as well as I
could, and persuaded hrm to sell my jewels, which be at
Vol. XXVI. K
)30 R E I S K E.
length came into^ after I had convioced him that a few
9hining stones were not necesss^ to my happiness." The
work at length appeared in 1770. His <^ Theocritus,** puh^*
Ijshed in 1765, be calls a bookseller^s job, and it certainly-
is not the best of his critical efforts. It was published ia
2 vols. 4to, to which he would have added a third, could
be have agreed with bb bookseller. His '^ Plutarch'* and
'^ Dionysius Halicarnassensis** were also edited by him for
the booksellers ; but the ^^ Oratores Grasci** was the work
of bis choice, and one on which his reputation may safely
rest.
Reiske died Augnst 14, 1774. Much of his character
may be learned from what he has himself told us. Mrs.
Reiske, who completes his memoirs, attributes to him a
hi.igh degree of rectitude, and adds, that he often blamed
himself in cases where he deserved no blame, and always,
thought he ought to be better than he was. He though^;
ill of mankind, and we have seen that some part of his owa
practice was not very well calculated to lessen that batjL
opinion in other minds. When speaking of his ill-treat-
ment of Scbultens, who had accused him of irreligion, he
denies this, and adds, ^* the worst he could say of me, hap-'
pily for me, was, that I was a proud, insolent, and ungrate-
ful young man.**
Mrs. Reiske informs us that his unexampled love of let-
ters produced not only all the works be has published, and.
all the MSS. he left behind him \ but every man who had
any thing to publish, might depend upon his countenance
and protection. He gave bopks, advice, subscription, evea.
all that be bad. Nay, he niad^ up to several people tb^t
bad treated him ill, only in order that he might make their,
works better. He was also a man of grea^ charity. As a
scholar his character is too well known to require a prolix,
detail of bis various knowledge. He had read all the Greek
and Latin authors, and all the Arabic ones, more .thaa
once, and was . likewise acquainted with the best Italian,
French, English, and German writers. He read Tilloib-
son^s and Barrow*s sermops constantly, and used to traqs*.
late them for bi^ wife into French. His memfory was ao
wonderful that he remembered all he had heard, and. could
repeat a sermon he had heard almost verbatim. In the lastt
days of his life he called all his learned wprks trifles. '^ All-
these troublesome labours,*' said be, '^ cannot preserve me
from the judgment seat, at which I must soon appear-<-my
bhiy iconfidiititffe prbdeedb froin the thbUgAts ot bavihff
lived' uprighdy before God:'*
H»^ ddminerde tfith the leilrned was ^ m extensive.
Amori^liis c6i¥espbnddnts b^ ^ainefate^ Abrescb^ Albert!,
Albifibs^ Askew, Bandini, Battbblotnei, Bernard, Biau-
feohi, Bildfer, Bbridam, flnd%, Gteher, Gronovias, Ha-
Vei'cariip, Hemstbrhuys, Miichaelis, Osel, cardinal Quirini,
Reidiarns, ^ebtisch, Wolfe,' ind' Wittembach. Of some
of these, hoWever, he speaks with little respect. Of hh
wotte, tweiity^seveh of which are etiumerated by Harles,
we have noticed the principal. He wrote his own life as
far as 1771, which was continued by Mrs. Reiske, and
piiblished in 1783.'
* RELAND (Hadrian), an eminent orientalist, was born
at Ryp, a village in* North-Holland, July 17, li576. His
father was minister of that village^ but afterwards removed
tx) Alkmaar^ and then to Atnsterdam, in which last city
tlelahd was educated with great care ; and at eleven years
of age, having passed through the usual courses at school,^ •
was placed in the college under Surenhusius. During three
y^ars of study under this professor, he made a great pro-
griess in the Hebrew, Syriac, Chaldee, and Arabic lan-
guages ; and at his leisure hours applied himself to poetry,
in which he was thought to succeed. At fourteen, he was
sent to Utrecht ; where he studied under Grsevius and
Lensden, acquired a more perfect knowledge of the Latin
at)d oriental tongues, and applied himself also to philoso-
phy, in which he afterwards took the degree of doctor.
At seVehteen, he entered upon divinity under the direc-
tion of . Herman Witsius and others ; but did not abandon
,ther oriental languages, which were always his favourite
stiidy. After he had resided six years at Utrecht, his fa-
ther sent him to Leydeit, to continue his theological stu-
dies undet Frederic Spanheim and oth^rk ; where be soon
- received the offer of a professorship at Linden, either in
pfailosopby or the oriental languages. This he would have
accepted; though only two and twenty ; but his father*s
iH state of health would not allow hirti to remove so far from
Amsterdam. In 1699, he was elected professor of philo-
sophy at Harderwick, but did not continue there long ; for,"
king William having recommended him to the magistrates
> Life ttt tb«yd> itLM«t3)^*a ]U«M«, vol. VII.*<p-Hartotf «le yitii pbilplofortttt/
vol. IV.«-Saxii Ooomast.
1S2 R E L A N D.
of Utrecht, he was offered in 1701 the professorship of
oriental languages and ecclesiastical history, which be rea-
dily accepted. In 1703, he took a wife, by whom he. had
three children. In 17 13, a society for the advancement
of Christian knowledge was established in England, as was
that for the propagation of the gospel in foreign part» the
year after ; of both which Reland became a member. He
died of the small-pox, at Utrecht, Feb. 5, 1718,. m hi»
forty -second year. He was a man of an excellent disposi-
tion, and of great humanity and modesty, of great learn-
ing, and had a correspondence with the most, eminent
scholars of his time.
He wrote and published a great number of works, in
order to promote and illustrate sacred and oriental learn-
ing ; the chief of which are these ; ** De Religiooe Mo-
hammedica libri duo,*' 1705, 12mo. The first book con«»
tains a short' account of the faith of the Mahometans, ii>
an Arabic manuscript with a Latin translation ; the second
vindicates them from doctrines and imputations falsely,
charged apon them. A second edition, with great addi**-
tions, was printed in 1717, 12mo. *^ Dissertationum Mis-
cellanearum Partes Tres," 1706, 1707, 1703, 12mo. These
three parts are not always, found together. They comprize
thirteen dissertations upon the following curious subjects:
« De situ Paradisi Terrestris ;'* " De Mari Rubro ;" " De.
Monte Garizim ;" " De Ophir ;'* " De Diis Cabiris ;"
<* De Veteri Lingua Indica;?* ^* De Samaritanis;'* "De
Reliquiis veteris lingUBB Persicse ;" " De Persicis vocabulis
Talmudis;*' ^^'Dejure Militari Mohammedanorum contra
Christianos bellum gerentium ;*' '* De Unguis InsuJarum
quarundam orientalium ;'' ^' De Unguis Americaoi^ ;*' " De
Gemmis Arabicis." His next work was, ^^ Antiquitates-
SacrsB Veterum Hebrseorum," 1708, 12mo; but the best
edition is that of 1717, 12mo, there being many additions.
He then published ^^ Dissertatlones Quiuque de.Nummis
veterum Hebraeorum, qui ab inscriptarum literarum forma
Samaritani appellantur. Accedit dissertatio de marmoribus
Arabicis Puteolahis,'' 1709, 12mo. But his greatest wojrk
was "Pals^stinaex monumentis vejieribus illustrata, & cbar-
tis Geographicis accuratioribus adornata,.^' Trigect. ,1714^
2 vols. 4to. This edition is superior, in all respects to that
of Nuremberg, 1716, 4to. ^' De Spoliis Templis Hiero*
solymitani in arcu Titiano Romas conspicuis liber, ca A
figuris>" 1716^ l2mo.
R E L A N p. 133
lUlaiid publisbed qoany smaller tbiiigs of his^own, among
ivhicb were Latin poems and orations; and was also con-
cerned as an editor of books written by others. His works
are all in Latin, and neatly printed.'
REMBRANDT (Van Ryn), an eminent painter and
engrayer, was born at a Tillage nealr Leyden, in 1606.
The real name of bis family was GERR£TSZy but from having
resided early in- life at a village upon the banks of the
Rhine, he obtained that of Van Ryn. Of his personal
history we have very few particulars. His father was a
mijler. After an unsuccessful attempt to avail himself of
the advantages of a college education at Leyden, he is
said to have been indebted for bis earliest instruction as a
painter to Jacques Vanzwaneaburg. He afterwards studied
under Peter Lastman at Amsterdam^ under whose name a
print is in ^circulation, which the author of the supplement
to the worka ^ Rembrandt denominates ** Lot and his
Daughter/' but which is intended to represent Judah and-
Tamar. Had this print, says Rembrandt's late biographer^
been in fact the production of Lastman, it would have ap-
peared that Rembrandt had been much indebted to his pre-
ceptor, as well for the manner of his execution in his etch*
ings,. as for the style of his design ; but it is the work of
Van Noordt, probably after a design of Lastnuin, and is
certainly posterior in poin.t jof time to many of those of
Rembranck.
Rembrandt was first brought into notice by having taken
•a picture to the Hague, and offered it for sale to an able
connoisseur; who, conscious of his merit, treated him with
4cindnesi$, and gave him a hundred ftorins for iu By this
. incident both hiinself and the public were made acquainted
with his worth ; and hence aros^ the reputation' and suc«
xess he afterwards enjoyed. Incessant ^occupation soon
crowded upon him, and many pupils applied for admission
into his school, with each of whom ^he received 100 florins
a year ; and whose copies of his pictures he uot unfre-
quently sold as orig>ifials, after bestowing a short time upon
them himself. By these means, aided by incessant in*
<)ustry, and the sale of etchings, which he produced with
<great facility and skill, lie accumulated considerable
wealth : his income, according u» Sandrart, being, for a
length of time, at least 2500 florins yearly,
* Clen. I)ict.*-Niccron, vol. h — BunnaD Trajcct. Erudil.— rSaxii Onomast.
134 R E M B R A N 9 T.
His pl»ce of re^idence^ diiring this 8.<ic0e$6ful diiqplay of
hU talents, was Amsterdam, where bis peculiarities pro-*
cured him the character of a humourist, whilst his. abilities
astonished and delighted his contemporaries, and he pro«
duced those works which .still gratify si^cceeding ages. The
peculiarities of his mind are as much obseryable in the
manner of producing his effects, as in the choice ofthe
luaterials. The execution of his: earlier works waa in a
style highly laboured, with great ue^cbness, and patient
completion of the figure^ ; such is. that of the pictiure of
the woman taken in adultery atMnAugec^tein'^ As .he
advanjc^d in arj^ he took liberties with the pencil, wixstught
lyith all the broad fnloess of the brushi aad left the tohch
iindisturbed : he eveti employed the stick, the pallet-katifei
or his fingers, accor4ingly as they were most capable of
producing the effect he desired when, seen at a pi»per
distance^ disregarding the ap{»earaace of the mrork upon* a
dosjer inspection.
, la his pictures is.exhibited a total inattention to the taste
of the antique ; he is e¥:eu said lo hare mcfde it a subject of
ridicule, and to. have jocosely denominated a coUeotroa jof
old armoun and rich jdresses, which he had collected^pd
employed to study and paint from, ^^ his antiques J' These
he evidently used as his models, though fi«qufSDtly in most
heterogeneous combinjition ; but by an innate power of seiss*-
ing the most striking effects produced by light, and shade,
superadded to the most perfect mastery over the .materials
of the. pallet, healwaya excited an interest, either. by ori^
gioality or beauty.
It is not, however, the approval of his power in the tech-
nical part of the art, which can Oi ought to satisfy the ob-
server of the works of Rembrandt. .He wa^,-says Fuseli, a
meteor in art. Disdaining to acknowledge the usual laws
of admission to the Temple of Famej he hokUy forged his
own keys, and entered and took possession of a moat coor
spicuous place by his own power. He was undoubtedly a
genius of the first class in whatever is not. immediately re-
lated to form or taste. : |n spite of the most portentous de-
formity, and without considering the speU of. his .chiaro-
scuro, such were his powers of i\ature,. such the grandeur,
pathos, or si9iplicity, of his composition, from the most
elevated or extensive arrangement to the ipeanest or jmost
homely, that the most untutored and the best ctiltivated
eye, plain common sense and the most refined sensibility.
REMBRANDT. 135
dwell on them equally enthralled. Shakspeare alone ex-*
cepted, no one conrtbined with such transcendant excel-
lence, so many, in all other men, unpardonable faults, and
reconciled us to them. He possessed the full empire of
light and shade, ahd the tints that float between them.
He tinged his pencil with equal success in the cool oi^
dawt), in the noon-tide ray, in the vivid flash, in evanes-
cent twilight, and rendered darkness visible. Though
Aiade to bend a steadfast eye on the bolder phaenomena of'
nature, yet he knew how to follow her into her calmest
abodes, gave interest to insipidity or baldness, and plucked
a flower in ev^ry desert. Few like Rembrandt knew how'
to improve ati accident into a beauty, or give importance
to a trifle. If ever he had a master, he had no followers.
Holland was not made to comprehend his power : the suc-
ceeding school consisted of colourists, content to tip the
cottage, the hamlet, the boor, the ale-pot, the shambles,
and the haze of winter, with orient hues, or the glow of
setting summer suns.
Mr. Daulby, Who, in his late ** Catalogue of the works of
Rembrandt,'' has appreciated his character with great pre-*
cision and perspicuity, and differs not much, upon the
whole, iirom Mr. Fuseli, observes, that whatever may be
thought of Rembrandt as a historical painter, his portraits
are deservedly held in the highest esteem. The accuracy
of his pencil insured a striking resemblance, whilst his skill
in the msLnagemeht of light and shadow, and his thorough'
acquaintance with the harmony and eflect of his tints,
tabled him to give to his subjects an appearance of reality
so striking, as in some instances to have actually imposed
on the senses of the spectators. Thus, a picture of his
maid- servant placed at the window of his house in Amster-
dam, where he fixed his permanent residence about 1630,
is said to have deceived the passengers for several days.
This fact is at least authenticated by De Piles, who bad the
curiosity when he was in Holland, to inquire after this
picture, and finding it was well penciled, and possessed a
great force, purchased it, and esteemed it as one of the
highest ornaments of his cabinet. All Rembrandt's pictures
can be purchased only at very high prices. There are
many fine specitnens of them in this country, and many in
the royal collection at Paris. We know not, however,
whether Rembrandt's merits are not more familiar, in o;e-
neral, from his prints, than from his pictures. Of these.
136 H E MB R A NOT.
ever since his time, collections have been formed in ev^f
part of Europe, and even the emulation of sovereigns baa
bpen excited, and the treasures of royalty expended in tbcar
acquisition. \ . '
His prints, which are partly etchings, and partly en-
gravings, performed with the point of the graver in a sin*
gular manner, have all that freedom of touch, spirit, aiid,
greatness of effect, discoverable in hi^ paintings, supposing,
them to be assisted by the variety of colours. Considering,
the great quantity of etchings which \ie made, we cawnof;
suppose they should be all equally well executed, or equak
in value. Mr. Gilpin, who has resolved the. expellence :Of.
Rembrandt as a painter into, colouring only, observes th%t
his prints, deprived of this palliative, have only his infe-o
rior quallBcations to recommend them. These, be. states,
are, expression and skill in the management of light, exe-
cution, and sometimes composition. His expression has.
ipost force in the character of age.^ Hem^rks as, strongly,
as the hand, of time itself. He possesses too, in a grea^
degree, that inferior kind of expresspn, which gives its
proper and characteristic toqch to drapery, fur, metal^
and every object he represents. His management of light,
consists chiefly in making a very strong contrast, which b^s-
often a gopd effect ; and yet in many of his prints^ therct i^r
1)0 effect at all ; which gives us reason to think, he eiiher*
bad no principles, or published such prints before bis prin*,
ciples were ascertained. His execution is peculiar to him.-
self It is rough, or neat, as he m^ant a sketch, or a^
finished piece ; but always free and masterly^ It produces^.
its effect by strokes intersected in every direction; and
comes nearer the idea of painting, than the execution of
any other master.
There is perhaps no branch of collectorshipthat exhibits
more caprice than that of prints in general, or of Reqi-
br^ndt's prints in particular, which appears by the different
estimation in which the same subject, is held, merely on;
account of a slight alteration in some unimportant part.
Mr. Daulby instances this in tbe^ Juno without the crown,
the Ooppenol with the white back-ground, the Joseph
with the face unshaded, and the good Sapnaritan with the.,
horse's tail white, ^ which are regarded as inestimable l
whilst the sarhe subjects, without these distinctions,^ are;
considered as of little comparative value. Strutt mentions,
that, in consequence of a commission from an eminent coU
REMBRANDT. 137
lector, he gave foity-MiC guineas for the Coppenol with the
white back-gfound, i. e. before it was dniebed i when, the
tone evening, at tbe same Bale, he bought a moiit beautiful
impression of tbe sf me print finished, distinguished by hav-
ing a black back<-gjround, &c. which had an address to Rem*
brandt at the bottom, written by Coppenol himself (for he
was a writing-master of Amsterdam, and this print is his
portrait), for fourteen guineas and a half. In the second
instance, he adds, that he exceeded his commission by thjo
balf guinea ; but in the first did not reach it by nearly
twenty guineas. Mr. Dauiby s^ems to be of opinion that
Rembrandt, who loved money, availed himself of this hu-
Qiour in collectors. Tbe facility with which be could
change tbe eifect of his etchings, by altering, obliterating,,
or workhigon them again, enabled him to provide sufficient
amusemeut for his admirers ; and hence varieties frequently
occur which are not easily explicable. He is even said to
have frequently suSered himself to be solicit^ed before be
would consent to dispose of them ; and it is a well-attested
fact, that the print of ** Chrisrhealing the sick,'* usually
denominated the *^ Hundred Guelder," was so called be-*
cause he refused to sell an impression of it under that
pcice. Of this print we may remark that it is generally.
esteemed the chef d^oeuvre of Rembrandt, being highly
finished, the characters full of expression, and the effect;
of the chiaroscuro very fine. Gilpin mentions twenty gui-
neas, as the price of a good impression of this print; Mr..
Dauiby thirty, to which twenty more, we are assured, must
now be added. Captain Baillie purchased the plate in
Holland, and retouched it for publication, in 1776, at four
guineas to subscribers, and five to non-subscribers. It has
since been cut up, but there are ipnpressions of the two
groups from the left extremity, one above the other.
Bembrand^^s rarest and most expensive portraits are those
of Wtenbogardus, called in Holland, ** ihe Goldweigher,'*
and in France " the Banker;" Van Tol, the advocate, sold
as high as fifty-guineas ; and the burgomaster Six, of equal,
value* This burgomaster was Rembrandt^s particular friend
and patron, and had the largest collection of his prints
that ever was formed in his life-time. Strutt^lves 340
as the number of Rembrandt's prints ; but the largest col-
lection known, that of M. De Burjyy, at the Hague, col-
lected between the years 1728 and 1755, consisted in tbe
whole, including the varieties, of 655 prints.
135 REMBRANDT.
This great artist died at Amsterdam in 1 BBS, or, ae6ord-'
log to some, in 1674. The little known of his perBonel
eharadter is not favourable. He was extremely fond of
money, and not very scrupulous in his mode of procuring-
it. He is also represented as being fond of low company ;
a degrading taste, which seldom fails to affect a man's pro-^
fession, whatever it may be.*
REMIGIUS, or REMI (St.), a celebrated archbishop
of Lyons in the ninth century, and grand almoner to the
emperor Lotharius, succeeded Amolo, in. the above see^
about the year 853 or 854. ' There being other prelates of
this name, we find some confusion as to their actions and
writings ; but it is supposed to be this St. Remigius, who,
in the name of the church of Lyons, wrote an answer to
the three letters of Hincmar of Rheims, and others, ii>
which he defends St. Augustine^s doctrine on grace and
predestination, which he apprehended to have been at-^
tacked by the condemnation of Godescalc. This answer
may be found in the " Vindiciae Predestinationis et Gra-
tise," 1650, 2 vols. 4to, and in the Library of the Fathers;
as also a translation by the same author, *^ On the con-
demnation of all men in Adam, and the deliverance of
some by Jesus Christ.*' He presided at the council of
Valence in the year 855, and others of the same kind ;'
and, after founding some pious institutions died Oct 28,
in the year 875. Others of his works are in the " Library
of the Fathers." •
REMIGIUS, or REMI (St.), a very celebrated arch-
bishop of Rheimsj was born of an illustrious family, and heir
to great wealth. He was raised to the see of Rheims about
the year 460; distinguished himself by his learning and
virtue, converted and baptised king Clovis, and die4 about
January 23, in the year 533. Some Letters, and a Testa-:
ment, in the library of the Fathers, and in Marlot's History
of Rheims, are attributed to him. '
REMIGIUS of Auxerre, was a learned French Bene*
dictine monk in the ninth century, and brought up in the
abbey of St. Germain, at Auxerre, whence he derived that
appendix to his name by which he is distinguished. Hav-^
1 Pilkington, — Daulby*t <^ Di*8crfptiv« Catotogoe,** 1796, 4to atnd Svo. —
StruU's Dictionary. — Gilpin*s Eisay on Prints.— Argenviile, vol. .111.— Sif J.
Keynolds's Works j see Index.
• Cave, vol. 1. — Duprn.
3 Cave, vol. 1. — Fabric. Bib!. Lat. Med.
R E at I G I U S. 139
jn^ ma^ ^r£»t pf bficie^jcfy iq profane and isocred lkera«
ture^ he wai appointed principal teacher in the scfaooli
%ietaagihg't6 his monastery^ 9ind afterwardi taught at Rbeioift
viith- great reputation, until; he went to Paris, and opened
tfa^.firist public school in that city, after learning, had sunk
unde):!tbe jravages of the Normans. His works are, U
<' CoDimentarius in omnes Daridis Psalmos," Cologne^
tSMf aihfithodtzed collection of opinions from the fathers..
ii. ^^ Enarrationes in posteriores XI. minores Propfaetat,^
Aatnierp, 1545, with the ^< Commentaries'* pf Oecume^
nius upon the Acts of the Apostles, and their Epistles,
«|nd ihose of Aretbas upon the book of Revelation ; and
^f Exppsitio Missa;.*' A ^''Conoimentary upon the Epistles
ef St. Paul,'^ has been also ascribed to him, but on doubt*
ful authority. It is more certain that he left behind hiol
f^ A Commentary on the Musical Treatise of Martianus
.Capella," which is among the MSS. in the king of France's
library. No; 5304. *
RENAU D'ELISAGARAY (Bernard), an able naval
architect, was born in 1^52, in Beam, descended from the
ancient bouse of Elisagaray iu Navarre. The count de
Vermandois,' admiral of France, engaged his services in
16791, by a pension of a thousand crowns; and his opinion
jponcerning^the construction of ships was preferred to that
of M. Duguesne, even by that gentleman himself. In
consteqiience of this, Benau received orders to visit Brest
and th0 other ports, that he might instruct the ship-buil-
ders, whose sons of fifteen or twenty years old he taught
ito build the largest ships, which bad till then required the
experience of twenty or thirty years. Having advised the
Ibombardment of Algiers in 1680, he invented bomb*boats
ibr that ea:peditton, and the undertaking succeeded. After
the admiral's decease, M. Vauban placed M. Renau in a
situation to conduct the sieges of Cadaquiers in Catalonia,
of Pfailipsburg, Manheim, and Frankendal. In the midst
of this tumultuous life be wrote his *^ Th^orie de la ma-
DGsuvre des Vaisseaux," which was published 1689, Svo.
The king, as a reward for M. Kenan's servicest, made him
captain of a ship, with orders that he should have free ac*
cess to, and a deliberative voice in the councils of the ge-
nerals, an unlimited inspection of the navy, and authority
4;o teach the pfficers any new methods of his invention ; to
A Cave, vol. I.— Dupia.
w.
140 R E N A U.
"whicb.- was added a pension of 12,000 jfivret. The grand
master of Malta requested his assistaMe to defend that
island against the Ttriics, who were expected to besiege
it; but the; siege not taking place, M. Renau went back
to France, and on his return was appointed cooosellor to
the iiavy, and grand .croix of St« Louis. He died Sept.
30, 1719. ,He had been adnutted an honorary member
of the Academy of Sciences in 1699. He has left several
Letters, in answer to the objections raised by Huy gens and
Bernouilli against his Theory abovementioned* He was a
man of reflection, read little, but thought much ; and, what
appears a greater singularity, he meditated more deeply
when in the midst of company, where he was frequently*
found, than in solitude, to which he seldom retired. He
was very short, almost a dwarf, but adroit, lively, witty,
brave, and the best engineer which France has produced,
except M. de Vaiibaa. *
RENAUDOT (Eusebius), a French writer, very learned
]R Oriental history and languages, was born at Paris in
1646 ; and, being taught classical literature by the Jesuits^
and philosophy in tbe college of Harcourt, afterwards en-
tered into the congregation of |pe oratory, where he did
not continue long. His father b^ing first physician to the
daupbiq, he was early introdued to scenes, where his parts,
his learning, and his politeness, made him admired. His
reputation was afterwards advanced aad established by se-
_vcural learned works, which he published. In 17O0, heat-^
tende.d cardinal de Noailles to Rome; and receivied great
bonqi^rs, together witli tbe priory of Frossey in Bretagne,
from popp Clement y. Returning by Florence be was
honoured in the santie manner by the great duke ; and was
also m.ade a men)ber of the academy de.la Crusca. On iiis
returii to France be devoted himself entirely to letters,
and composed a great number of learned dissertations,,
which are printed in the " Memoirs of the Academy of
Inscriptions," of which he was a member, as well as of the
French academy. He died in 1720. Voltaire blames him
for having prevented Bayle's dictionary from being printed
in France. This is v«ry natural in. Voltaire and Voltaire's
followersi; but it is a more serious objection to Renaudot,
that, while biB love of learning made him glad to, corre-
spond with learned Protestants, his cowardly bigotry prer
I Cbaufepie.— Diet. Hist.
RENAUDOT. 1*1
Tented, him from avowiiig the connection. Not long before
Dr. Pocock's death that eminent orientalist received a letter
from Renaudot, in which he professes a very high esteem*
for the doctor, desires the liberty of consulting him in alL
the doubts that should occur in preparing his ** Collection
of Liturgies/^ &c. and promises, in return for this favour,
to make a public acknowledgment of it, and preserve a
perpetual memory of the obUgation ; yet, when the above .
work appeared, be travelled out of his way to reproach
Dr. Pocock with a mistake, which was perhaps the only one ,
that could be discovered in his writings.
Renaudot bequeathed his extensive library to the abbey .
of St. Germain des Pres. His works are, a collection of.
controversial pieces on the celebrated work respecting
" the perpetuity of the Faith f " Historia Patriarcharum
Alexandrinorum Jacobitarum,'' 1713, 4to, &c. " A Col-
lection of ancient Greek and Oriental Liturgies," 1716,
2 vols. 4to. <^ Two ancient Accounts of the Indies and
China, with learned remarks,' ' 1718, &vo. "A Defence
of the Perpetuity of the Faith," 8vo, against Aymon's
Book. Several Dissertations in the Memoirs of the Aca-
demy of Inscriptions. *^ Defense de THistoire des Patri- .
arches d' Alexandria," 12aio. A Latin translation of '^The .
Life of St. Athanasius," written originally in Arabic, and
inserted in the edition of this Father's works by Muntfaa- .
con, &c. ' .
RENAUDOT (THE0PHRi5TUs), a physician, and a man
learned in many respects, is said to have been the first au-
thor of Gazettes in France in 1631. He was born at Lou-
dun in 1583, and died at Paris, where he had spent the.
greatest part of his life, in 1653. He left besides his Ga-
zettes, a continuation of the " Mercure Fran^oise" from ,
1635 to 1643, in 25 vols. 8vo, the last six of which are the
worst; but the most scarce were published by Renaudot. .
He wrote also " Abr6g6 de la Vie et de la mort de Henri ^
de Bourbon^ prince de Gondii" 1646, 4to; " La vie et'la
mort du Mar^chal de Gassion," 1647, 4.to, and "The Life
of Cardinal Michael de Mazarin," brother of the prime
minister of that name, 1648, 4to.^
RENL SeeGUIDO.
RENNIGER (Michael), or, as Wood says, commonly
called Rhanger, a learned divine and Latin poet, was born
* Nieefon^ YOls. XIL and XX.— Moreri. — Diet. Hist.*— Twells*s Life of Pococic>
p. 80. « Diet. Hi8t.--Moreri.
142 k E N N I G E R.
in Hamf^irei in 1*529, and educated ait Magcblen bdleg^
Oxford. Her6 he took his bachelor's degriee,- in Marcii
T54f5*y was chosen fellow in 1547^ and aftei^wards completed
bis ihaster's degree. In king Edward^s reign^ he was mudb
esteemed as a pious preacher, and learned nian; but as be
bad embraced the reformed religion, he was obligied' to'
leave the kingdom on the accession of queen Mary, an'tf
lived mostly with some other English exiles at Strasburgfa.,
When queen Elizabeth came to the throne, he was made
one of her chaplains, and proved a zealous champion for
the reformation. Wood says he refused- several preferments,
accepting only a prebend in the church of Winchester, and
about the same time the rectory of Crawley near that city*.'
In 1567 he was installed precentdr and prebendary of Enl-
pingham in the church of Lincoln. In 1573, he took his
degrees in divinity, and in 1575 was made archdeacon of
Winchester. In 1583, he had the prebend of Rjfeculver-
land, in the church of St. Paul, Londoh,' bestowed on bitn;
He died Aug. 26, 1609, aged eighty-nine, and was btrHed-
in the church of Crawley, under the communion table.
His works are, 1. <^ Carmina in mortem duorumfratrunt
Suffolciensium, Henrici et CaroH Brartdon,"* Lond. 1552,
4to. A specimen from this rare volume is given in Mr.
Bliss's edition of the ^^ Athence,** from a copy in the Bod-
leian. 2. *^ De Pii V. et Gregorii XIII. furoribus contra
Elizabetham Reginam Anglise," ibid. 1582, 8vo. 3. *^ An
Exhortation to true love, loyalty, and fidelity to her ma-
jesty," ibid. 1587, 8vo, to which is added a treatise against^
Treasons; and 4. ** Syntagma hortationumtid Jacobum Re-
gem AnglitB," ibid. 1604, 8vo. He also translated from
Latin into English, bishop Foynet^s " Apology or Defence
of Priests* marriages.'* Bale, who gives Dr. R6nniger a
high character, attributes other works to him, but withotit
specifying whether in MS. or print ; and there are, if we
mistake not, some of his MSS. in Bene*t college library.^
REQUENO (Vincente), a learned Spanish Jesuit, was
born in Grenada about J 730. After a liberal education, h\
which he made great proficiency in philosophy and matbe*
niatics, and discovered much taste for the fine arts, he
't' In 1561, bishop Qrindatl put choose a provost of Eton ; but Reniiiger,
down his name among the persons being a married man, was rejected witU
from whom queen Elizabeth might some others in the same situation.
1 Tanner and Bale.-*Ath. Ox. toI. L n«w edit.— Stryp^'g life jof . Pariwr, ^.
105.
R E Q U E N a 14$
tetired to. Italy on the expulsion of his order. Tn 17 M ha
9^0t to the society opened in Madrid . tof the fine arts, a
oneaioir which gained the Qrst prize; and. in 17S8 be car-*
med off the prize proposed by the academy of Seville*
These two memoirs, which were printed in 1789, at Seville^
met with the approbation of all the foreign literiiry JQurnals;
He had already obtained considerable fame on the conti-
nent from his elaborate work, printed at Seville in 1766,
on the ^' Roman Antiquities in Spain,'' and had contributed
very much to Masdeu's critical and literary history of Spain,
printed in 1781, &c. 'But perhaps he is best known to
artists and mea of taste, by his <^ Saggi sul ristabilimento
4eir antica arte de' Greci, e de' Romani Pittori," vol. I.
Venice, 1784. The second edition of this elegant work
vas published in 2 vols. 8vo, at Parma, by Mr. Joseph Mo-*
lini in 1787, The author's object was, as the title indi-^
catea, to investigate and restore the ancient art of Grecian
and Roman painting, and therefore in his (irst volume he
give» a circumstantial account of encaustic painting as
pra4;ti^^d by the ancients, by which the lustre of their works
is preserved to this day. He proves that they not only
used the encaustic art in painting, but em|)Ioyed it in var^
Dishing their statues, and even their litensiis, ships, houses,
&c. After descanting on the disadvantages that arise from
painting in oil, he discloses the method of preparing the
materials employed in encaustic painting, with the manner
of using them.; and substantiates this system by the opi-
nions of many members of the Clementine academy of
Bologne, and of several professors of the academies of Ve-
nice, Verona, Padua, &c. also of others who, beside him-
self, have tried them ; particularly at Mantua, where under
the. patronage of the marcfuis Bianchi, many pictures were
panted, of which Requeno gives an account. Artists,
however, have not in general been very forward to adopt
this plany which, as the author explains it, differs very
qauch from what has been proposed by Count de Caylus,
dochin, Bachelier, Muntz, and others. The abb6 Requeno
vdied at Venice in 1799.*
. RESENIUS (John Paul), a learned Danish divine, was
the son of a Lutheran clergyman, and bom in Jutland, Feb.
2, 1561. After his grammatical education, he went to the
university of Copenhagen, and was afterwards made co-
1 Diet. Hist Supplement.
144 " R E S E N I U S-
rector of the school of Vibourg. In 1585,' beiiig*appoii!(^
tutor to the young Frederick Koseokrantz, be travelled with
him through. Germany, France, Italy^ &c. for seven yeard,
part of which we must suppose was spent' in studying at
some of the universities. On his return in 1592, he was
appointed philosophical ' professor in ordinary, and after*
wards extraordinary professor of divinity in the university
of Copfsphagen. In J 594, having -been created doctor inf
that faculty, he removed to the chair of ordinary professor.
In 1606, when the king, Christiern VI. paid a visit to his
ralation, king James, in England, who had married his
sister, Resenius accompanied him as his chaplain. In
1615 he. was appointed bishop of Rdscbildt in Zealand^
which he held until his death, Sept 14, 1638, ag^d seven^^
ty-seven. He was a man of great liberality, and bestowed
in the course of his life 5500 crowns on schools and hospi^
tals. Besides a translation of the Bible into the Danish
laqguage, published in 1605 — 7, he. published a great num-
ber of theological dissertations and sermpns in the same
language ; and the following works : *^ Parva logica," La-^
tin and Danish, 1605, 1610; *' Institutiones geometricae,^
1612; "Parva rhetorica,'' 1619; ** Scholia in arithmeti-^
cam GemmaB Fjrisii,'* 1611; and ^* De sancta fide in Deum,
libellus apologeticus," Latin and Danish, 1614.^
RESENIUS (Peter John), probably of the same family
as the preceding, a counsellor and professor in Copenha^
gen,, was born there June 17,1625. His father and his
grandfathers, both by the father's and mother's side, were
bishops of Zealand. He was appointed subf-principal of
the college of Copenhagen in 1646; and having quitted
that employment the following year, he set out to visit fo-
reign countries. He studied, during four yearsj polite
literature and law in the university of Leyden, after which
lie went into France, Spain, and Italy. He remained a
whole year in Padua, where he applied himself chiefly- to^
the study of the civil law ; was elected counsellor of the
Oerman nation in that. city ; and vice-syndic of the univer-'
sity, in which quality he made a speech in the senate ot
Venice, and obtained a privilege for that university; and
before he left Padua he took bis doctor's degree in law, the
i ith of September, 1653. He returned to Denmark by the:
way of Germany, and was appointed professor of moral-
' Morert. •
ft £ S E N I U 9. Hi
philosophy in the university of Copenhagen, Noremi>er
^25^ 1657 f afterwards consul of that city, counsellor of ihe
supreoie council ; and lastly, president of Copenhagen^
jand counsellor of justice. He was ennobled the 18th of
.January, 1680, and treated counsellor of state the 6th of
May, 1664. He formed a very fine library, which he left
to the university of Copenhagen, the catalogue of which
.was printed at Copenhagen, 1685, 4to.
His works are, 1. ** Edda Snorronis Sturlesonii triplici
lingua Islandica & LatinV 1665, 4to. 2. <V£dde S«-
mundiance pars dicta havamaal, complexa Ethicam
Odini: estque & islandic^ & Latine,'* 1665^ 4to. 3»
** Eddoe Sseoiaudianee voluspa, continens Philosophiam
Danorum, Norvegorumque antiquissimam, additis Gudmun-
di Andrese Islandi annotationibus,** 1665, and 1673, 4to»
4. << Inscriptiones Havnienses, Latinee, Danicae, & Gerr
manic® ; una cum addita narratione de Tycbone Braheo
diversisque ipsius et sororis ipsius SophisB Brahese epistolis,**
1668, 4to. 5. <* Jus aulicum vetus Regum Norvegorum^
dictum HIRDSKRAA,'' 1673, 4to, 6. *< Havnise deline^
atio topographica in esre expressa, un^ cum brevi partium
& locorum enarratione, Danice & Germauice,^* 1674. 7.
*^ Samsoee descriptio & delineatio cum figuri^,** 1675, foK
8» *^ Friderici II. Hist Danice. in folio cum figuris,** 1675»
9. *< Lexicon Istandicum Gudmundi Andrees Islandi, cuni
pra;fatione de ejusdem vita,*^ 1683, 4to. 10. ** Leges
Cimbricae Valdemari secundi Regis Danici, Germanice, in-
terprete Erico Krabbio, equite Danico,*' 1684, 4to. Ih
*^ Legea civiles & ecclesiasticse Christian! Secundi,'* &c.
1684, 4to.^
RETZ (John Francis Paul De Gondi), a celebrated
cardinal, was born in 161^. He was a doctor of the Sor-*-
bonne, and afterwards coadjutof tobis uncle the archbishop
of Paris ; and at length, after many intrigues, in which his
restless and unbounded ambition engaged him, became a
cardinal/ This extraordinary man has drawn his own cba«^
racter in his Memoirs, which are written in a very unequal
manner, but are generally bold, free, animating, and pleas-
ing, ^nd give us a very lively representation of bis conduct.
He was a man who, from the greatest degree of debauchery,
and still languishing under its consequences, preached to
the people^ and made himself adored by them. He breath-
* Moreri.-^6eD4 Diet— Freberi TheatrQm.-^Sax}l Onomftitiooft.
Vol. XXVL L
146 - H E T Z.
ed nothing but the spirit of faction and sedition. At the
hge of twenty-three^ he had been at the head of a conspi-
racy against the life of cardinal Richelieu. It has beeh
«aid that he was the first bishop who carried on a war with-
out the mask of religion ; but his schemes were so unsuc-
cessfuli that he was obliged to quit France. He then
went into Spain and Italy, and assisted at the conclave at
Rome, which' raised Alexander YIU to the pontificate ;
but this pontiff not making good his promises to the cardi-
nal) he left Italy, and we^t into Getmany, Holland, and
England. A(^er having spent the life of an exile fbr five
or six years, he obtained teave upon certain terms to return
to his own country; which was the more safe^ as his friend
cardinal Mazarine died in 1661. He wa^ afterwards at
Rome, and assisted in the conclave which chose Clement
IX. ; but, upon his return to France, gave up all thoughts
t>f ptxblic affairs, and died at Paris, Aug. 24, 1679. The
latter part of his life is said to have been tranquil and ex«-
emplary. At this period he wrote his Memoirs, in which
there is a considerable air of impartiality. In order to judge
of this, however, the reader is advised to compare them
with those of Claude Joti, his private secretary. Both
works have been published in English, the former in 1774,
4 Vols, the latter in 1775, 3 vols., l2mo. Some friends,
with whom the cardinal entrusted the original MS. fix^d a
mark on those passages, where they thought he had disfao*^
noured himself, in order to have them omitted, as they
were in the first edition ; but they have since been restored.
The best French editions of these Memoirs are those of Am*
sterdam, 1719, 7 vols. 12mo, and 1731, 4 vols, small 8vo..
This cardinal was the author of other pieces; but these,
being of a temporary kind, v^iitten as party pamphlets to
aerve particular purposes, are forgotten.*
REUCHLIN (John), a learned German, who contributed
tnnch to the restoration of letters in Etirope, was born at
Pforzheirtx in 1450. His parents, perceiving his talents
and turn for books, were easily persuaded to give him a
liberal education, and sent him to Paris, then the Seat of
literature in these western pafts^ with the bishop of Utrecht}
where he studied grammar under Joannes^ Lapide, rheto**
ric under Gaguinus, Greek under TIphernas, and Hebrew
tinder Wesselus. Being returned to his own country^ b^
-1 Mor6ri.-^Dict. Hi^t.^VoStaiv^a i^iecle de lifttris XiV.
REUCHLIN. 147
took the degree of doctor in philosophy at Basil, where be
lived four years; then went to Orleans to study the law,
and was admitted doctor in 1479. He taught the Greek
language at Orleans, as he had done at Basil ; and com-
posed and printed a grammar, a lexicon, some vocabula'
ries, and other works of a like nature, to facilitate the study
of that language. By ell this he gained extraordinary re-
putation; for, the knowledge of the two languages was at
that time so rare an accomplishment, that it was actually
made a title of honour. This appears from the following
inscription of a letter : *^ Andronicus Contoblacas, natione
GraecuB, ntriusque linguae peritu?, Joanni Reuchiino,^' &c.
that is, << Andronicus iContoblacas, a Greek, skilled in both
languages, to John Renchlin,*' &c.
After some time, Eberhard, count of Wirtemberg, being
to make the tour of Italy, Reuchlin was chosen among
others to attend him ; chiefly because, during his residence
in France, he had corrected bis own Gi^rman pronianciatioh
of the Latin, which appeared so rude and savage to the Itar
liians. They were handsomely received at Florence by Lo-
renzo de Medicis, the father of Leo X. and became ac-
quainted wfth many learned men there, as Chatcondylas^
Ficinus, Politian^ Picus earl of Miranduta, &c.* They pro-
ceeded to Rome, where Hermolaus Barbarus prevailed
with Reuchlin to change his name to Capnio, which signi-
fies the same in Greek as Reuchlin does in German ; that
is, iw^kt. Count Eberhard entertained so great an estieem
for Capnio, so he Was afterWards called, that, upon his re-
turn to Germany, he made him ambassador to the etnperoir
Frederic IIL; who conferred many honours upon him, and
made him many presents. He gave him in particular ah
ancient Hebrew manuscript bible, very neatly written,
with the text and paraphrase of Onkelos, &c. Frederic
died in 1493; and Capnio returned to count Eberhard,
who died also about three months after the emperor : when,
an usurpation succeeding, Capnio was banished. Here-
tired to Worms, and continued his studies : but the elector
Palatine, having a cause to defend at Rome sorte time
after, selected him as the ablest man for his purpose ; and
accordingly, in 1498, Capnio made ati oration before the
pbpe .arid cardinals concerning the rights of the German
princes, and the privileges of the Gerriaan churches. He
remained 'more than a year at Rome ; and had so much lei-
ftmre as to perfect himself in tbe^ Hebrew tongue tinder Ab-
L2
14« REUCHLIN.
^Urnh ft Jew, and also in the Greek under Argyroipylris. He
had some trouble in bis old age by an unhappy differeaetf
' with the divines of Cologne, occasioned by a Jew named
PfeiSerkofn. This man, of whom we have already given a
brief adcodnt (see PFEFFRRCoaN), to shew his zeal for
Cbristiaftity, advised that all the Jewish books, except the
Bible, should be burnt; but the Jews having prevailed on
the emperor to allow them to be examined firs^ Capnio,
who was tiniversally acknowledged lo excel in this kind oJF
learning, was appointed by the elector of Mentz, under
the authprity of the emperor, to pass a judgment upon theses
writings. Capnio, who bad too much gooil sense to adopt,
in its full extent, this wretched policy, gave it as hisopi-^
nion, that no other books should be destroyed, but those
which were found to be written expressly against Jesuf
^Christ, lest, with the Jewish books on liberal arts and ser-
ences, their language itself, so important to the churchy
should perish. This opinion was approved by the emperor,
and the books were by bis authority restored to the Jews.
Pfefferkorn and bis supporters were exceedingly enraged
against Cs^pnio, and pursued him with invectives and accu-
sations even to the court of Rome. His high reputation in
the learned world, however, protected him ; and bigotry
met witbn mosi mortifying* defeat in hii honourable ac-»
qiiitta).
The spleen of the ecclesiastics against Capnio was stiU
ftirtber increased bj ft comedy abounding with keen satire,-
which this writer, whose genius was not inferior to bt»
learning, ptoduced ; the chief design of which was to e«*
pose the ignorance of the monks. It was at fir^t only cif*
culated in manuscript, but afterwards found its way into
the press, and was published in 1507. In the latter part of
' his Ufe/ the advafrsaries of Capnio had too much, reason to
exult over him ; for notwithstanding all his learning and
celebrity, be was scarcely able, by teacbipg the Greek and
Hebrew languages (which he did in several different schools)
to preserve himself from absolute want; nor must it be
forgot that be was th« preceptor of Melancthon. He spent
his las< days at Trebingen, where he died in 1522.. His
.faculties, which were naturally vigorous^ were cultivated
with great industry; His mind was richly stored with vari-
joua eruditior^and bis character was eminently distinguished
l^y probity and urbanity. His.principal wprks.were, " An
Epitome of the History -of the four £mpires;" the ^'Life
HEUCHLIK l«
0f Constantine tbe Great," fr6in Eusebios; " De VeAo
mififico/- " De Arte Cabalistica,*' and ** Letters from
teamed meny*^ Zurich, 1558. He is also supposed, but
unjustly, to have been the chief author of the celebrated
iirork, entitled ** Epistolae Obscurorum Virorum,"*
REVES (James de), or Revius, a learned Dutch divine,
the son of a burgomaster of Deventer, was born in 1586,
and educated at Amsterdam, Leyden, and Franeker. In'
^ 1610 he travelled into France for farther improvement, and
resided two years at Saumur, Rochelle, and Orleans.
Having taden orders, be was, in 1641, chosen principal
and' first professor of the theological college of the states
of Holland and West Friedand at Leyden. He died at
.Leyden in 1658, at the age of 72. His works five very
' iHHneroos ; the principal are, ** Belgicarum Ecc1esiastjica«>
"rum Doctrina et Ordo," &c.; ". Historia Pontificam Ro-
manorum contracta, et ad Annum 1632 continuata ;*' '^Da*
. Ventrite' illustrates, sive Histories Urbis Daventriehsis,'*
Lib. vi. 1 65 1, 4to. He also pubiished ^n improved edition
cf "The Book of Psalms," in Dutch verse, by Pjstcr I?.a-
thenas, and be was concerned in revising the Dutc^ yer-
sMn of the CHd Testament^ . which wm prin.ted at. Leyden
in 1637.*
REVI€KZKY, or REVITSKY (Count Charles), a
German statesman, but^ more known as an accomplished
scholar and bibliographer, was bori^' if) Hungary Nov. 4, «
1787. Among bis other diplomatic appointnients he re*
sided for some years in London as envoy from tbe Imperial
court, and afterwards in a private capacity. He died at
Vienna in August 1793.
With great judgment, and- at a considerable expence,
be collected a library most rich in scarce, valuable, and
beautiful books, and obtained suph fiime in this depart*
ment of literature, as to be ranked with the Vallieres,
Pinellis, and Lomenies of tbe day. Of thii excellent li-
brary, he printed a deiBcriptive catalogue under the title of
^ BibKotheca Greca et Latina» compTectens auctores fere
omnes Gp^ecise et Latii veteris, &c. cum delectu editionum
turn p'rimariarum, principum^ et rarissimariifny quum etiam
optimarum, splendidissimarum, atqae nittdissimarum, quas*
Usui mei paravi Periergus DfiLTOPHiLtTSy** Berlin, 1784^
» Melchior Ad«iD«^Nicefoii» vol. XXV^^Hody de Gmeis liliiAriVM.-->]>«.
jiin. — CaVe. — Saxit Onboiftst. — Brack«r.
* Nio$roii» vol. XXX.— Foppen B;M. B«lf ,— ||[«Ywi.
150 R E V I C K Z K V.
1794, 8yo* To some of these catalogues Were prefixed a
letter to M. L..A. D. ^» tf. Denina, and a preface. Three
aupplements to this catalogue were afterwards published by
him, which are not easily procurable. Although the su*
perlatives in the title smack a little of the dealer, rather
than the private gentleman, the count has not exceeded
the bounds of truth, and perhaps few men were better
qualified to form a collection deserving of such praise^
with the boundless zeal, he had also the extensive know-^
ledge of a collector, and understood and spoke readily the
principal ancient and modern languages. His frequent
removes made him acquainted with every public and pri*
vate library on the continent ; and he never missed an op*^
portunity to add to his collection whatever was most curi-»
ous and valuable at sales, or booksellers* shops. Tbb
library is now in England, and in the possession of a noble*
man who knows its value, and whose own library at pre-
sent exceeds that of any subject in Europe. When cQunt
Revickzky came to London, he made an offer to earl
Spanser to dispose of the whole collection to his lordship.
What the terms were is variously reported. It seems
^reed, however, that it was for a sum of money to be paid
immediately, and an annuity, which last the count did not
live long to enjoy. The count was himself an author, and
published the ** Odes of Hafez,*' known here by Richard-*
son's, translation ; a treatise on Turkish tactics ; and an
edition of Petronius, Berliti, 1735, Svoj formed oq the
editions of Burman and Antonius. ^
REYHER (Samuel), a German lawyer and mathemati^
cian, was born April 19, 1635, at Schleusingen in the county
of Henneberg, and was educated at Leipsic and Leyden.
Be was afterwards appointed preceptor to the young prince
of Gotha, then professor of matbems^tics at Kiol, 16,55,
and some years after professor of law in the same place,
where be died Nov. 22, 1714, being then counsellor to
the duke of Saxe Gotha, and member of the Royal Academy
of Sciences at Berlin. Reyber translated Euclid's works
into Germap with algebraical demonstrations, and wrote
aeveral works iu Latin, among which, that entitled* ** Ma^
thesis Biblica/' and a very curious Dissertation on the Io«
scriptious upon our Saviour's cross and the hour of bis
crucifixion, are particularly esteemed.^
1' Gent. Mag. vol. LXIV.— Dibdin's Bibliomania ami Classics.
9' Moreri.— 'Diet. Hist.
R E Y N E A U, 151
KEYNEAU (Charles-Rcne), commonly called Fat^ec
ReyneaUy ^ noted French mathematician, was born at
Bris^ac^ in the province of Aiyou, in 1656. At twenty
years of ^ge he entered himself in the congregation of the
Oratory at Paris, and was isqou after sent, by his superiors,
to teach philosophy at Pejsenas, and then at Toulon. His
employment requiring some acc^uaintance with geometry^
he contracted a great affection for this science, which he
Qultivated and improved to so great an extent, that he was
called to Angers in 1683, to nil the mathematical chair ;
and the acadamy of Angers elected him a member in 1694.
In this occupation Father Reyueau, not content with
making himself master of every thing worth knowipgi
vjrhipb the modern analysis, so fruitful in sublime specula-
tions and ingenious discoveries, had already produced,
undertook to reduce into one body, for the use of his scho<r
lars, the principal theories scattered here and tber^ in
Newton, Descartes, Leibnitz, 3ernouilli, the I^eipsic Acts,
the Memoirs of the Paris Acad^^my, and in other works ;,
treasures which by being so widely dispersed, prpved
much Icisg useful than they otherwise might have been.
The fruit of this undertaking, was bis " Analyse Demon-
tr^^,*' or Analysis Demonstrated, which he published in
1708| 3 vols, 4to, He gave it the n^me of *' Analysis
Demonstrated,'' because he demonstrates in it aeveral me-
thods which had not been handled by the authors of the(n|
with sufficient perspicuity and exactness. The book wa$
so well approved, that it soon becarne a ^laxjm, at least in
France, that to foUov^ him.waa the best, if not the only
wayi to make any extraordinary progress in the mathema*
tics I and be was considered as the first master} .a^ the
Euclid of the sublime geometry.
Reyneau, after thus giving lessons to those who uiider->
stood something of geoipetry, thought proper to draw up
some for such as were utterly unacquainted with thf^t
science, This produced in 1714, a Tolume in 4to, on cal-
qulntion^ under the title of ^^ Science du C^lcul des bran-
deur»»" of which the then censor royal, a very intelligent
apd impartial judgCi says, in his approbation of it, that
<< though several books had already appeared upon t!^^
si^me 9ubjeptf such a treatise as that beror^ him was still
vfanting, as in it every thing was h^indled in a manner suf-
ficiently extensive, and at the same time with all possible
exactness and perspicuity.^' In fact^ though most branches
152 R E Y N E A U.
of tbe mathematics bad been well treated of before that
period, there were yet no good elements, even of practical
geometry. Those who knew no more than what precisely
such a book ought to contain, knew too little to complete
a good one ; and those that knew more, thought tbem«
selves probably above the task, for which Reyneau was well
qualified. In 17 16 he was admitted into the royal academy
of sciences of Paris, as what was then called a free assq*
ciate. The works already mentioned are alt he published
except a small piece on *^ Logic/^ He left, however, in
MS. materials for a second volume of his ^^ Science du
Calcul.'' He died much regretted, as he bad always been
highly respected, in 1728, at the age of seventy-two. ^
KEYNOLDS (Edward), an English prelate of great
eminence and talents, the son of Austin Beyuolds, one of
the customeiB of Southampton, ' was born there in Novem-^
ber 1599^ and educated at the free-school. In 1615 he
became post*master of Merton-college, Oxford, and in
]62Q probationer^fellow, for which preferment hie was in*:
debted to his proficiency in the Greek language, and bis
talents as a disputant and orator. After he had taken his
master's degree he went into orders, and was made preacher
at Lincoln's-inir, where he acquired much popularity. He
^Iso was preferred to the rectory of Braynton in Northamp-
tonshire. Finding himself inclined to acquiesce in tfae:^
breach that was to be made in the church at least, if not'
tbe state, when the rebellion broke out in 1642, he joined
the presbyterian party, and in 1643 was nominated one of-
the assembly of divines, took the covenant, and frequently
preached before the long parliament. That he was in their
eyes a man of high consideration, appears from their nam-^
ing him, in September 1646, one of the seven divines au*
thorized by parliament to go to Oxford, and to preach in
any church of that city, in lieu of the preachers appointed
by the university. - ,
In this mission he and bis colleagues were at first inter*
rupted by certain enthusiasts among the soldiers, headed
by one Erbury, who maintained that the ordination of these
divines was unlawful, and that no ordination was necessary
for any man who had gifts. Thiff was a favourite topic in
those days, and is not yet exhausted. In the foUo whig year
he was nominated to thel more obnoxious office of one of
' * . t
*. MartiQ'ff Biog. FliUM»-^HattdS*8 DicU-^M.oreru ^
REYNOLDS. 15S
the visitors of the university, and in Feb. 1 648 was chosen
vice-ohaneellor, on the recommendation of the earl of
Pembroke, then chancellor of the university. In this last
office he was to continue until August 1649. He was also^
by a mandate from parliament, which now was supreme in
ail matters, created D. D. In March 1 648 he was ap-
pointed dean of Christ church, in the room of Dr. Fell^
who. was ejected with no common degree of violence, Mrs.
Fell and her family being literally dragged out of the
deanery bouse by force. Dr. Reynolds being admitted into
office in form, Wood says^ *^ made a polite and accurate
ontition,^' in Latin, in which^ ^' he spoke very modestly of
himself, and how difficult it was for a man that had ses
questered himself from secular employments to be. called
to government, especially to sit at the stern in the&e rough
and troublesome times; but since be bad subjected himself
to those that have authority to command him, he did de-^
sire that good «i(ample and counsel might prevail more ia
this reformation than severity and punishments^**. .
Notwithstanding bis acting with bis brother-visitors in
all the changes and ejectments they brought about in the
university, he at length refused the erigagement <' to be
true and faithful to the commonwealth of Englaud, as esta-
blished without a King and a House of Lords,** and there-
fore was in his turn ejected from his deanery, in 165i«
H« lived afterwards mostly in London, and preached there,
as vicar of St. Lawrence-Jury. On the prospect of the
restoration he joined with general Monk, to bring in the
king, using his interest for that purpose in London, where
be was the pride and glory of the presbyterian party. Tiu
Pierce, in the ii^troduction to bis ** Divine Purity defend-
ed,** says he was a person of great authority as' well as
fame among tiie Calvinists.
When the secluded members were admitted ag^in to
parliament, they restored him to his deanery of Christ-
cburcb, in May 1659. And in May following, 1660, be^
whh Mr. Edmund Calamy, was made chaplain to his ma-
jesty, then at Canterbury. After this he preached several
times before the King and both Houses of Parliament ; and
in the latter end of June, being de^ed to quit his deanery,
he was the next month elected, by virtue of the k4ng*r
letter, warden of^^le£ton*college, and was consecrated
bishop of Norwieh Jan. 6, the same year. Sir Thomas
prowne, who knew, him well, gives bim the character pf 91
154 REYNOLDS,
person of singular affability, in^knes9» and bumibiy, of
great learning, a frequent preacher, and constant resident,
Bnt a more full account of our author is given in a funeral
sermon preached at Norwich by the reverend Mr, Riveley,
in July 1676, in which his character as a man of piety and
learning, and as a divine and prelate, is highly praised.
Wood, in his *^ Athenoe," says he was " a person of ex^-
cellent parts and endowments, of a very good wit^ fancy,
and judgment, a great divine, and much esteemed by ail
parties, for his preachings and fluid style.'' In his ^^ An*
nals" he is incHned to be less favourable. It was perhup^
naturally to be expected that one who had taken so active
a part in the revolutionary changes of the times, and yet
afterwards accepted a bishopric, should not be much a
favourite with either party. Wood also insinuates that
Dr. Reynolds was much under the government of his wife,
whom be calls ** covetous and insatiable," and concludes
in these words : ^^ In this I must commend him, tliat be
hath been a benefactor (though not great) to Merton-col-
lege, that gave him all his academical education (for which
in some manner the society hach shewed themselves grate^
ful), ai)d 'tis very probable that greater he would have
been, if not hindered by his beloved consort."
Dr. Reynolds assisted at the Savoy conference, and on
the first day, according to Neal, spoke much for abate*
ments and moderation, *^ but afterwards sitting among tbo
bishops, he only spoke now and then a qualifying word,
but was heartily grieved for the fruitless issue of the con«*
ference." The same author says that he was *^ prevailed
with to accept a bishopric on the terms of the king's de-
claration, which never took place," But another of bia
biographers says, *^ His education gave him no prejudice
to monarchy or episcopacy ; and when a man can ad*
vance himself with a good conscience, why may he not
leave what interest only had engaged him in i Let theo^
that blame his last turn, justify him, if tbey can, in the
former. He was now submitting to authority, however be
had opposed it. Their standing out, and keeping up e
schism, when they were put upon nothing but what they
owned indifferent, has a worse look than returning frotn
wrong to right," &c. Dr. Reynolds, however, after the
government was completely re-establisbed, became a con*'
stant resident in his diocese, and mixed no more with
affairs of ttete. He died at the episcopal palace at Nor*
R R y N O L D S. 16$
wicbjan. 16, 1676| ftg^d seventy <>six. He was bdrieid at
the upper end of the chape) (buUt by hirnseif in i662)
joi^niog to the bishop's palace in Norwich. Over bis grave,
^pn after bis death, was fastened to the wall a niaiH>le
table, on which bis epitaph in Latin was engraven.
His works are, " The Vanity of the Creature," on
Ccelfs. i. 14. ^* Sinfulness of Sin," on Rom. vii. 9, and
on vi. 13. " Use of the Law," on Roro. vii. 13. " Life
of Christ," on ) John, v. 12. '^ An ExpU<:ation of the ex
Psalm.'' '* Meditations on the Holy Sucrament of the
Lord's last Supper," ** Explication of the 14 Chapter of
Uosea, in seven Humiliation Sermons." <^ A Treatise of
the Passions and Faculties of the Soul of Man;" all or most
of which having been printed several times in 4to, were
collected in one lar^e folio at London in 1658, with the
author's portrait, and w^nt by the name of '^ Bishop Rey-
nolds'^ Works," They were much bought up, read and
recomaiended by men of several persuasioiis ; and are
written in a style superior to the generality of works of
divinity in that age. " Thirty Sermons" preached on
several occasions, betweea 1634, and bis death, some
of ^bich bad been printed several times, were reprinted
in the second edition of his works, at London, 1979, folio.
Among them is bis Latin Sermon preached at Oxon. 1649^
entitled ** Animalis Homo," on 1 Cor. ii. 14. He also
wjTOte the '^ Assembly of Divines' Annotations," on Eccle*
ais^tes, which were so much admired that many learned
m^D of , the presbyterian persuasion, wished that the rest
had been all wrote parish K firuditione. He also was the
author of the '^ Epistolary Preface to William Barlee's Cor*
reptory Correction," &c, of some notes of Thomas Pierce
concerning God's decrees, espec id tiy of reprobation ; which
booky with the Epistolary preface, a second of Thomas
Whitfield, and a third of Daniel Cawdrey, sometime of
jCambridge, were < printed at London, 1656, 4to. He is
abo said to be the author of ^' The bumble Proposals of
aiHidry learned, pious Divines within this Kingdom, coot
cerning the engagement intended to be imposed on them
for: their subscriptions," London, 1650, 4to, One sheet
iwas published in December 1649. John Ducy pub<»
jisbed an. answer, entitled ^^ Just Re^proposaU to bum^
ble Proposals: or, an impartial consideration of," &c.
London, 1650, 4to, four sheets. And it is probable that he
wrote several other things besides those above-mentioned ;
l« REYNOLDS.
particularly his ^^ Meditations on tb^ Fall of Peter,^* a
short twelves, never inserted in any of the folio editions.
Of the family of bishop Reynolds we find mention of hit
son Edward, who was educated at St. Paul's school, and a
fellow of Magdalen-college, Oxford, archdeacon of Nor«
wich, and prebendary of Worcester. He was also for forty
years rector of St. Peter's Northampton, and died in hii
sixty-ninth year, June 28, 1698. He was buried in Kings-
thorpe church, near Northampton, where is a monument
and inscription to his memory. Dr. Knight says, he was
^ a very able and judicious divine, and a very worthy son
of so good a father.'' Some notices of two of the bishop's
descendantfi may be found in Cumberland's life. \
REYNOLDS (Henry Revell), a late eminent physi-
cian, was born in the county of Nottingham, Sept. 26,
1745; and his father having died about a month before^
the care of hin devolved on his maternal great-uncle and
godfather, Mr. Henry Revell, of Gainsborough ; by whom
he was sent, at an early age, to a school at Beverley in
Yorkshire, then in great repute under the government of
Mr. Ward. Having early shewn a disposition for his pro-
fession, his uncle placed him, at the age of eighteen, a^ a
commoner at Lincoln college, Oxford. It was in the se-
cond year of his residence at this university that he bad
the misfortune to lose his uncle and benefactor, the die^
mory of whom was ever cherished by him with a bious iLnd
grateful affection,- and who left him a small landed property
in Lincolnshire, by which he was enabled to prosecute the
object that he bad in view. He continued at Oxford till
the early part of 1766, when, in order to the pbtaining 6f
bis medical degrees sooner, he was admitted, by a bene
decessit from Oxford, ad eundem to Trinity college, Cam-
bridge, and he kept a term at that univefsity. In the
summer of thro year he went to Edinburgh, and resided'
there two years, and after attending a course of medical
studies, returned in 1768 to Cambridge, when the degree
of bachelor of physic being conferred upon him, he went
to London, and attended as pupil at the Middlesex hospital.
The following year he became a resident physician at
Guildford; and married Miss Wilson, in the oiionth of
April 1770. By the advice, however, of his friend. Dr.
* Atb. Ox. Tol. II. — Wood*f Annals. — Neal'i Paritani. — Gent. Mag. toU
LXX:Vlir. p. 29^«LiTe8 of English Blsbopi, 1733, Sto, by SaliQoiu^Kjiight't
LifeofCoUt.
REYNOLDS- 157
ttilcky afterwards Dr. Hack Saunders, be settled in Lon-
don, in Lamb's Conduit-street, in the summer of 1772.
Tbe next year be took tbe degree of doctor of physic at
Cambridge^ and was immediately afterwards elected pby-
''sician to the Middlesex hospital. In 1774 he was chosen
f fellow, and at tbe same time a censor, of the college of
physicians. He soon became the object of particular no-
tice and regard by tbe eminent physicians of that day, doc-
tors Huck, Fothergill, and sir Richard Jebb ; and tbe high
opinion which tbe latter gentleman bad formed of bis pro-
fessional abilities, and personal character and manners,
and tbe consequent expression of that opinion, and recom-
mendatipn of Dr. Reynolds to bis majesty, were the ori-
ginal cause of bis being called into attendance upon tbo
king in the memorable period of 1788. In 1776 he wim
appointed to speak the Harveian oration ; and, although
his modesty would not suffer biro to print it, it has been
thought worthy of being compared with the most classical
of these harangues. In the course of it, he exactly dor
scribed that mode, which he ever observed, of performing
the various duties of his profession, and of dispensing its
various benefits. In 1777 Dr. Reynolds was elected phy-
sician to St. Thomas's hospital ; and from this period his
business gradually increased, till, in tbe progress of a few
years, he attained to the highest fame and practice in his
^.profession. In every successive illness of our revered so-
vereign since 1788, Dr. Reynolds's attendance on his ma-
j<^sty was always required; and his public examinations
before parliament are recorded proofs of his high merits as
a physician, a gentleman, and a scholar; while his ap-
pointments to the situations of physician extraordinary to
the king in 1797, and physician in ordinary in 1806, evince
the estimation in which his sovereign held his character
and his services. When he was called into attendance at
' Windsor, he was suffering under a rheumatic affection,
which h^d been oppressing him for some time. The
anxiety attiiched to such an attendance as tbe illness of his
xnajesty required, had on this occasion a very powerful, if,
not a fatal, influence. Tbe first day that he seriously felt
the fatigues of mind and body was, after bis examination
before the House of Lords, the etiquette of this branch of
parliament not allowing a witness to sit down, Dr. Rey-
nolds, who, in consequence of his having attended his
majesty in all his previous similar illnesses, w» examined
158 REYNOLDS.
at greater length than his other brethren were, was kept
st^ndingTor t«ro hours, and the next day waii reloctdmly
compelied to remain the whole of it in his bed. Oft the
folioiying, however, he retorned to Windsor ; but from
this time hid appetite began to fait, and bis strength and
flesh visibly to diminish. In the month of March, 181!,
these symptoms had sp much inereased, that his (tiends
besought him to retire from his anxious attendance at
Windsor, to spare his mind and body entirely, ahd to dti-
Tote himself solely to the re-establishment of his own
health; but unfortunately for his family, his friends, and
the public, he would not be persuaded. While any powers
were left, to his majesty's service he resolved that they
should be devoted : and thus he persevered till the 4th df
May, when he returned to London extremely ill ; and
from that day his professional career was stopped. Hav-
ing been confined to his room for nearly three weeks, he
was prevailed upon, by his excellent friends Dr. Latham
and Dr. Ainslie, to go to Brighton, where he remained
two months. Sometimes during this anxious period h^
would seem to rally, but the appearances were deceitful ;
they were the mere struggles of a naturally good constitu-
tion, unimpaired by any intemperance, against the inroads
of a disease. At the eiTd of the month of July, he re-
turned to his house in Bedford-square, where he lingered
until Oct. 23, on which day he expired, very deeply re-
gretted for his talents, virtues, and professional skill and
humanity '
Rl.YNOLDS (Sir Joshua), the most illustrious painter
of the English school, was born at Plympton, in Devon-
shire, July 16, 1723, His ancestors on both sides were
clergymen. His father had no adequate provision for the
maintenance of his large family, but appears to have libe-
rally encouraged his son's early attempts in that art, of
which he afterwards became so illustrious a professof.
When but eight years of age, Joshua had made himself
master of a treatise, entitled " The Jesuit's Perspective,*'
and increased his love of the art still more, by studying
Richardson's " lYeaiise on Painting." In his seventeen|:h
year, he was placed as a pupil under his countryman, Mr.
Hudson, whom, in consequence of some disagreement, he
left in 1743, and removed to Devonshire? for three years,
1 Gent. Maf. vol. LXXXII. Part If. p. 82.
REYNOLDS. 159
during which, after some waste of time, which he ever la*-
mented, he sat down seriously to the study and practice of
his art. The Brst of his performances, which brought him
into notice, was the portrait of ca])tain Hamilton, father of
the present marquis of Abercorn, painted. in 1746. About
this time he appears to have returned to London.
In 1746, by the friendship of captain (afterwards lord)
Keppel, he had an opportunity to visit the shores of the
Mediterranean, and to pass some time at Rome. The
aketch he wrote of his fetplings when he first contemplated
the works of Raphael in the Vatican, so honourable to his
modesty and candour, has been presented to the public
by Mr. Malone, and is a present on which every artist must
set a high value. He returned to LondoU in 1752, and
soon rose to the head of his profession ; an honour which
did not depend sottiuch on those he eclipsed, as on bis
retaining that situation for the whole of a long life, by
powers unrivalled in his own or any other country. Soon
after his return from Italy, his acquaintance with I>r.
Johnson commenced. Mr. Boswell has furnished us with
abundant proofs of their mutual esteem and congenial
spirit, and Mr. Malone has' added the more deliberate opi-
thion of sir Joshua respecting Dr. Johnson, which may be
introduced here without impropriety. It reflects indeed as
Much honour on the writer as on tfale subject, and was to
have formed part of a discourse to the academy, which,
from the specimen Mr. Malone has given, it is much to be
rec;retted he did not live to finish.
Speaking of his own discourses, our great artist says,
" Whatever merit they have, must be imputed, in a great
measure, to the education which I may be said to have had
under Dr. Johnson. I do not mean to say, though it cer-
tainly would be to the credit of these discourses if I could
say it with truth, that he Contributed even a single senti-
ttient to them : but he qualified my mind to think Justly.
No man had, like him, the faculty of teaching inferior
minds the art of thinking. Perhaps other men might have
equal knowledge, but few were so communicative. His
great pleasure was to talk to those who looked up to him.
It was here he exhibited his wonderfql powers. In mixed
company, and frequently in company that ought to have
looked up to him, many, thinking they had a character for
learning to support, considered it as beneath them to en*-
list in the train of his auditors : and to such persons he
60 ft£VN0LD8.
certainly did not appear to advantage, being often idipe^
tuous and overbearing. The desire of shining in conver-
sation was in him indeed a predominant passion ; and if it
miist be attributed to vanity, let it at the same time be
recollected, that it produced that loquaciousness from
which bis more intimate friends derived considerable ad-
vantage. The observations which be made on poetry, on
life, and on every thing about us, I applied to our art,
with what success others' must judge*^' This sh6rt e:xtract
is not unconnected with a conjecture which many enter-
tained, that sir Joshua did not compose his lectures him-
self. In addition to his own declaration here, as far as re-
spects Dr. Johnson, who was chiefly suspected as having a
hand in these lectureS} Mr. Northcote, who lived some
years in his house, says, in his memoirs, '^ At the period
when it was expected he should have composed them, I
have heard him walking at intervals in his room till one or
two o^clock in the morning, and I have on the following
day, at an early hour, seen the papers on the subject of
bis art which bad been written the preceding night. I
have had the rude manuscript from himself, in his own
hand-writing, in order to make a fair copy from it for him
to read in public : I have seen the manuscript also after it
bad been revised by Dr. Johnson, who has sometimes al-
tered it to a wrong meaning, from his total ignorance of
the subject and of art; but never, to my knowledge, saw
the marks of Burke's pen in any of the manuscripts Th^
bishop of Rochester, also, who examined the writings of
Mr. Burke since his death, and lately edited a part of them,
informed a friend that he could discover no reason to think
that Mr. Burke' had the least hand in the discourses of
Reynolds.** And Burke himself, in a letter to Mr. Ma-
lone, after the publication of sir Joshua's life and works,
says, ** I have read over some part of the discourses with
an unusual sort of pleasure, partly because being faded k
little in my memory, they have a sort of appearance of
novelty ; partly by reviving recollections mixed with me^
lancholy and satisfaction. The Flemish journal I had never
seen before. You trace in that, every where, the spirit of
the discourses, supported by new examples. He is always
the same man ; fhe same philosophical, the same artist-liko
critic, the same sagacious observer, with the same minute-
ness, without the smallest degree of trifling.** We may
safely say, this is not th6 language of one who had himself
R E Y N O L P S. l«l.
coAtributed much to those discourses. Aad if neither
Johnson nor Burke wrote, for Reynolds, to whom else
among his contemporaries shall the praise due to those in*
valuable compositions be given, if Reynolds is to be de*
prived of it !
In consequence of his connexion with Dr. Johnson, Mr.
Reypplds furnished three essays in the Idler, No. 16^ on
false criticisms on painting, which may be recommended
to the serious perusal df many modem connoisseurs ; No«
79, on the grand style of painting ; and No. 82, on the ,
true idea of beauty ; of which Mr. Boswell informs us the
last words, '*and pollute his canvass with deformity,*' were
added by Dr. Johnson. These essays have been very pro-
perly incorporated with sir Joshua's works, by Mr. Malone^
as they were his first literary attempts, the earnest of those
talents which afterwards proved that he was as eminent in
the theory as in the practice of his art.
. It is much to be lamented, that the world was deprived
of this great artist before he had put into execution a plan,
which bis biographer, Mr.Malone says, appears, from some
loose papers, to have been revolved in his mind. ^* I have,
found,'' says that author, ^* among sir Joshua's papers, some,
detached and unconnected thoughts, written occasionally,
as hints for a discourse, on a new and singular plan, wbich^
he seenis to. have intended asa.history of his mind, so far
as concerned bis art; and of his progress, studies, and
practice; together with a. view of the advantages he had
enjoyed, apd the disadvantages he had laboured under, in
the course that he had run : a scheme, from which, how-
ever liable it might be to the ridicule, of wits and scoffers
(of which, he says, he was perfectly aware), he conceived
the. students, might derive some useful documents for jthe.
regulation of their own conduct and. prac^ce." Suoh. a
cpiDposition,, fropa such a man, written after he had spent
a'long life. in successful practice, with none to guide him i
who had chosen a line of art for himself, stfimped with ori*
ginality ; and in which he had to. unfold principles, and
elucidate them by practice; and.cpmpetent as, he was to^
explain the. operations of his own miud; could not fail of
b^ing Jnteresting and useful in the highest degrep^ . , -
In. 1781, during the s^ummer, be ma.de a tour through.
Hpliaiid and the. Netherlfmds, wiUi a view of examining:
critically the, ii^rks of the celjebrated masters of the Dutch
and Flemish schools. An account of this journey, written
Vol. XXVI. M
1» REYNOLDS,
by hifliself, eontaiaiog much lexceHent criliciiin on the
^«of hs tff Hufbens, VMuiyk^, RemWaiMlty fte« in tfa« churched
ftfidk diffittfent ooUeotions at AMwerpi Brussab* Ghent, the
BufiseMoii^f f ailerf, and at AMtterdaoi, wa» poblbhed after
bis death ;. it concludes with a masterly-drawn character at[
Rubens. In IT^S, in cofMeqoeace of the emperor's 9op-
pressaen ef some feligfous beeses^ be again visited Plan*
devS) pmiebftsed aome ptcturea by Rubens, and devested
sererai mere days to the contemplation and- further lates^
trgation of (he perfovmauces of that great man. On his
retiirfti he remarked that bis own-ptctures^ wanted fbree
and brilUaney^ and he appeared^ by hna subsequent prac*
tioe^ to hate benefited by the observations he had made*
This year, on the death of Ramsay, he was made principal
painoer in ordinary to his majesty, and conttdued so till
bia diMn^
For a very long period> he had enjoyed an almost unin<«
t^ropted* state of good health, except that in 17SQ he was
for a short time afflicted with a paralytic stroke. A few
weeks, however, perfectly restored him, and he suffiered
no inconvenience from it afterwards. But iiv July 1789,
whilst be was painitng the portrait of lady Beaaehamp, he
found his sight so much affected, that it was with difficulty
be could proceed with his work ; and notwithstanding every
assistance that eould be procured, he was in a few months
totally deprived of the use of his left eye. After some
struggles^ he determined, l^at his remaining ej'e should
atse suffer, to paint no more : and though be w^s thus de-
prived of a constant employment and amusement, hei^
tained his usual spirits, and partook of the society of b^
friends with apparently the same pleasuve to which be bad
been accustomed ; and was amused by reading, or hearing
others read to him. In October 1791, however, bis spirits
began to fait him, and he became dejected^ fucHii an ap-
prehension tbat an inflamed tumour, which took place over
the eye tbat bad perished, might occasion the destruetten
of the other also. Meanwhile be laboured under a more
dangerous disease, which deprived him both of his spirits
and his appetite. Ihiring this period of great aAictien td^
all his friends, his malady was by many supposed ti^ be
imaginary^ and it was en^neousty eoUoeived^ that by eirer*
tion he might shake it off; for he was wholly iimable to^
e^l^ain to the physicians the nature or seat of tA^ disorder.
It was only about a fortnight before bis death that it was
fojuodt to be in the li^eri the ipordinate growth of vihiebi
n it a£beicwarda appef^redy had in^oiaiiieded all the fiioo-
liooB of life* Of this disease, %vbich be bpre. with great
fortitude aed> pa&ience^ be died^ after a coofineioeBt of three
jMondM, at bis home in Leieester-square^ on. Tbertdajr
eTeniogy February 33> 1792, at the age of sixtjMiine.
In, ttature> sir Joshua ReynoUU was rather ^ixief the
middie: siae^ Qf a flerid Qompleyion, roandisbi blunt fea**
tures, and a lively pleasing aspect ; not corpulent, though
somewhat iaolined to it( and extremely active. With
osaoners imcooiaionly polished and agreeable, he possessed
a ooQstant flo w of spkits, which rendered him at all times a
most detimhle Qompauion : always ready to be amused, and
to contribute to the amusemeut of others, and anxious to
receive information on every subject that presented itaalf s
and though he had been deaf almost from the time o£ his
return from> Italy ; yet, by the aid of an ear-trumpet, he
was ei^bled to partake of the conversation of his friendt
with great facility and convenience. On the 3d of March
his remains were interred in the crypt of St. PauPs, near
the tomb of sir Christopher Wren, with every honour that
could be shewn to worth and genius by an enlightened na<«
lion ; a great number of the mDst distinguished persons
attending the funeral ceremony, and his pall being sup-
ported by three dukes, two marquisses, and .five other no-*
blemen^
In oiany respects, both as a man and a painter, air
Joshua Reynolds cannot be too much studied, praised, and
imitated by every one who wishes to attain the like emu
Aence. His incessant industry was never wearied into de«
•pondency by miscarriage^ nor elated into neglect by sue*
cess. Either in , his painting-room, or wherever else he
passed his time, his mind was devoted to the charms of his
professipn* All nature, and all art, was his academy, and
his. reflection was ever en the wing, oompreheoatve^ vi*
goiDus, diacfiminatittg, and retentive. With taste to per-
cftsre all the varieties af the picturesque, judgment to se^
tect, and ed^ill to combine what would serve bis piirpos^^
few have ever been empowered by nature to do more from
the fund of their own genius.: ami none ever endeavoured
Bsore to take advantage of the labours of others^ He made
a eplehdid and useful collection, in which no expenee was
spared* His house was filled, to the remotest comers, with
easts ffMi. the antique atatues, pictures, drawing^, ajid
M 2 .
164 R K Y N' O L D S!
prints, by various masters of aU the diflFerent sbhools;
Those he looked upon aft his library, at once objects^ of
amusement, of study, and eompetitionf. After hit death
they were sold by auction, with his miclaimed and ud«*
finished works, and, together, produced the ' sum of
16,947/. Is. 6d. The substance of his whole property, ac-^
euinulated entirely by his pencil, and left behind after a
life in which be freely parted with his wealth, amounted <to
about 80,000/.
The acknowledged superiority of sir Joshua Reynoids'st
professional talents, and the broad basis on which it is
founded, makes it tiow unnecessary to be collecting suf-
frages to add weight to the general opinion ; but a review
of those powers which rank him as a man of genius, and
distinguidi him among the most eminent of his profession,:
may not be without its interest.
His early education was not strictly academic, at he
himself regrets ; nor to any extent did he ever eultivater
the elementary principles of design, but, as portraits were
to shape bis fortune^ faicility of composition, or laborious
application to the refinements of an outline, were 'less ne«-
cessary. Whether he would have been as eminent in his->
torical painting as he was in that department which it was
his lot to pursue, would be now an inquiry as useless a»
unsatisfactory. That his powers Were gre«Lt in whatever
way they were employed, will be readily acknowledged ;
his tscste was too refined, and his judgment too correct^ to
tolerate defects which were not counterbalanced by some
advantages; but as his early practice was exclusively de-^
voted to portraits, and as it was the chief employment: of
his whole life, it cannot remain asubject of choice to whar
branch of his profession a fair analysis of his merit ought
to be refehred.
From the first examples of sir Joshua, as well as from
his own confession, on seeing the works of Raphael in the
Vatican, it would seem evident that the ornamental parts
of the art had absorbed his previous studies, audi made the
deepest impression on his mind. Little, therefore, coukl
be wanting to induce him to pursue that plan of study,
which at the same time that it was the most congenial to
bis feelings, was in the highest degree important to give
interest to individual representation. In pursuing histstu*
dies when abroad, he embraced the whole field before him r
but bis time was not spent in collecting or making servile
REYNOLDS 165
/
.copies, but in; cofiteroplating tbe principles of the gre^t
maaters^ that he might the more effectually do what he
-has cecomQiended to others, follow them in the road with-
<Kii treading in their steps; and no man ever appropriated
to himself with more admirable skill their extensive and
var4ed powers*
The style of portrait-painting by Hudson and Ramsay^
.who were the only persons of any practice when. sir. Joahpa
returned from abroad, was uniformly dry and hard, with*-
4>utany feeling for chiar-oscura, and with, little diversity pf
.attitude and expression ; the full dress, which the custom
of the day prescribed, prescribed also limits to their imar
ginatioasy and they never gave themselves the trouble to
.diacrimfinate betweea the character of nature, and the. cha-
racter of iiAshtOQ^ Sir Joshua, with a more comprehensive
view of his art, shewed how portrait might be geneTa^^edy
so ias to identify the iadividual man with the dignity of bis
• thinking powers. In dre9s, be selected and adopted what
was most conformable to the character of his subject, withr
out implicitly following the fashion or offending tjiie pre^
judice which it begets. .
In the pursuit of those high attainments to which. he
.arrived, he evidently had Rembrandt and Correggio.more
particularly, in his mind. The magical effect, and richness
of colouring of the I>utch master, seems to have be^n with
!!him a constant source, of reflection and experiment to rival
bis., inimitable powers. Co.rreggio gayO' all that grace and
harmony could supply, and sir Joshua in. .his infantine por-
traits, is^beyood all competition without an equal. His fe-
,male pprtraits are also, desigiiad wjth an exqui.«iite feeling of
^aate and . elegance ;. and for that variejty of compositipn
which pervades his works, it will be in vajin to seek a rival
in the most illustrious of his predecessors.
His works of the historical kind shew great strength of
-mind, and leavet us to regret that thi^ land of pprtrait paintr
ing bad not given him equal opportunity to cultivatcr it;
but, from the want of that habit which practice would .hajire
;giveu him, he was used to say that historical effort cost him
too mi^ch* He better knew what he wan ted. than pQssess^d
a promptitjude of giving' form and substance tp bis feelingi.
.His count U^lino, for pathos and grandeur of design, p^rr
haps yields to no composition that was ever made of that
subject 5 and bis Holy FamiK, when eombiued with it, v-^ilj
I«< REVKOLDS.
terve to fthow, al one view^ the oomprehenftiveneM ttnd dl-
Tersity of his genius. '
The colouring of sir Joshua, which has been ^esewedif
Ihe subject of the highest admiration and praise, has also
been the most familiar topic of animadversion and eensur^.
By the jocose be has been charged with ^^ coining off with
Dting colours," but by less indulgent friends, with the more
aerious accusation of having made experiments at their e3(«
jietMie. In the pursuit of exoellence, he war oertalnly no^
content with the common routine of pmotice ; and, as be
thought for himself, so be inv^entMKl new nvethods of ea^
Vodving those thoughts. That he was sometimes unsuc^
>Mssnit eannot be dented ; but one failure seems to bave
-kid a hfumhred TOices to report it, and in lirit^metical pwK
IMWtion to bave increased aa envy ^raa created by his tfrni^
scendafnt superiority. Upon due reAeotion, bewetrer^ wheh
«he apace is considered through wbieh he passed to arrive aft
^e high professional rank he acquired, there can be lit«te
tioobttbat the astonishment will be, net at the many, b«vt
ib/& few txceptidnable works be produced; and ev^n €ff
these it is no hyperbole to say, that as king as the true
principles Of iMTt are admired, his ^< faded pictures** will be
Ibund to pesftess a power of mind which has not often beM
stiffpasoed even by the best productioni^ of his own time. '
REZ20NI00 (AKTHOVY Jk^SlSPH, count) an e^sccelient
Kfhoba*, marshal of the camp, obamberkin to bis royal bigb-
nets tfete infbnt duke of Parma, ahd governor of that citadel,
ivM born at Camo in 1709. He acquired diatinetion in the
aviiiy and ^ eoart, but muat bate devoted much of bis life
to literary |lursuit». Hia fSfrst publication was a folio volume,
tainted at Cemo in 1742, entitled ^ De aoppositia mihtafH
'BUe itipt^iit Benedicti Od^esdiatci^ qui pontifex maKimus
anno 1676, Innoiseotii prcenomrne ifuit renunciatits.'' Hm
-neM Was a volttme of poetry, ** Musaram Epinicia,*' ad-
^l^ned to Louts XV. Paima, 1757; but that siAikik m<m
-eiatitlefei bkn tb aotice was his ^* Disquisitienes PlrAianss, silve
dto tilriuvque Plinii patria, scriptis, codicibus, editionibu^,
atque ititerpretibus,** Parma, 17'63, 2 vols. fol. Of tbaa
Ernest! speitks Tory bigbly in hia ecKtien of Fabrieius*s Bibl.
Latina. Brunet mentions some *^ Aeademioal Dtseetmie^*
in Italian, ptibtished by count Reaseonico in 1779, 8vo. He
1 Life prefixed to hie works by M^loDeff-Ltfe hy ^rihoote.— Pilhin|lotk.-^
Per the character of lir Joshua as an artist we were indebted to Rich. DDpp^,
cfq, who drew it up for the British Essayists, vol. XXXJU. preface.
R P Z Z O N I C O. i^7
I
4ieA Mar<^ l^, 1785. jHis sou, the Couvt (^astone i^h-
-JU TowjE Rezzonico, was born in Paroa abotit 1 74^. Up
j|Fa« ^rly initiated i^tp scieaoe aiid poiUe }jt^atura> aiMl
«Q c0n9i«I«rab]e were kh attainmentSi that in bis earlii^i^t
yaouth he was chosen fellow of the poetical acaden^y i\\
.itoi»ef known binder the name ol; Arcadia. The reigQii^
4jake of Patvna having erected in his nketrcpoUs air Acadi^nay
of fine artSy count IUzkoihco was ap>pointed its pr^sadeat ;
hikt, by some vicis&itudesy was uUerly disgraced at cQurt^
und deprived^ not only of ibe place of president of the aca^
deiiiyi» b4it even of that of beredijtary cbai»b«eTlali;). Ufi w^
th^ietoxe obliged to leave Parnaa- He ^rst undertook h^t^g
4Qurs tbrQogh £urope« especially in France and £nglap4»
during which he be^apie coflipieltely ^a^ter o^ both lan*-
guages ; and «.t.bjbs relnrn to UtAy he A>ed bi» gre»idepi^ ifi
•Home, though he often made loo^ excursions itg Naplea a^fl
Florence. AfmUskg biniaeif of btis aia^ple lei^r^, be wrote
several works m prose and poetry^ ^h<e former of no great
verity bvt from bis poeiiio^l works be de^rves to be placed
iwoftong ibe best Italiim poe^ts of bi^ ige. He was disl^ii^
^uished by livelinesis of iiOiBgeryi profNriety of d)iction, e^
ACtness of epi^bett and by' a e(94>leees^ of ^^pros^ion aiK-
tfjmred by d^eep stud^y o| iheOreek md JLatin ii^mii^, {Ijia
Y'ersi&cation, bowefier^ wns iNimotbuig barsb>«and the mwn-
iog of soai^ pbraoes obsci»ro» 0e died in \79Mf Jkftf^fiye
years of agf . He ^9fi bigbly . enier^med by itbe Itajiap
aobiMty, and men of JleUeirs» for Abo el^gaoee ^^f ^U mat^
aers and the ejof)ue»ce of *his cpoveiwtion* Tbe^e .^aalitie^
were,, howei^er, in. ^e opioiw of #ome» obaour^d by m
iffimoderftte selff lov«» fWd ao. irrati^^al predilecuw for Ms
owiQ.woirk^. A c0mpietie coileotjo9 of his poetical vfmki^
in two veliueses i^]a# i^mnt^d nt Ptaropa by ibe o^]obi:fU;e4
RHAJZES^ galled etso Albnbecvnr Mpibagied» oiie of tb^
jOQsfe idis<;iagiyabcdi of tbe Arabif^n pfoysaci^n^y w9^b<^H^t
Saif m iho previooe K>f <^rasani abpat ^b^ year 859.
He watis first mttob addicu^ tp wnsic, ^nd i§ f»id oot vp
bave amdied mediaine u«til h^ was tj^iriy years of ^^
when he removed to Bagdad, become inde&(tigqJ]^ m k'v^
afipiicaiiom aad l^aYing obt^ir^ 4he ihigbe#l:. repn^a^on,
was aelec^ o»t of a hi%i%dred .eininmt pby«iqia449, . who
lyere tbea i«sideni elb &gdad, to superiBtend tl>e ce}^-
1 Diet, Hist. — Sa^cii Onooaast.
109 R H A Z E S.
* •
brated hospital of that city. His biographers speak of
him- as the Galen of the Arabians ; and from his long life
and constant p^^ctice, during which he paid the most assi-
duous attention to the varieties of disease, he obtained the
appellation of the experimenter, or the experienced. He
viras said also to be profoundly skilled in all the sciences,
espepially in philosophy, astronomy, and nrusic. He tra- .
veiled much in pursuit of knowledge, andmade frequent
journies into Persia, his native country, and was much
-consulted by several princes, particularly by Almansqr,
the chief of Chorasan, with whom he frequently corre-
sponded, and to whom he dedicated several of his .writ*
ribgs. Two hundred and twenty-six treatises are said to
hate been composed by Rhazes, amoiig which the ten
books addressed to his patron' Almanzor,' were designed
as a complete body of physic, and n^ay be deemed the
great magazine of all the Arabian medicine; the ninth
book, indeed, which treats of the cure of diseases^ was in
such general estimation for several centuries, that it was the
text'book of the public schools, and was commented. upon
'by the most learned professors^ - Yet, like the rest of the
Arabian writings, it contains very little more than the
substance of the works iof;Ahe Greeks, from whom the
Arabians borrowed almost all their medical kiwwledge.
Theyhiave, indeed, and Rhazes in particular, given the
^first disitinct accQunt^of the small-pox ; and- Rhazes wrote
also- the first treatise ever^composed respecting the diseases
of children. His book on the affecttons'of -rthe joints con-
tains an account of some remarkable cures, effected chiefly
by copious blood-letting. He des(»'ibes the symptoms of
hydrophobia very well ; and also some diseases peculiar to
-ei^stern countries, and first noticed the disease called spina
ventosa. Rhazes had the reputation of being a skilful al«
chemist ; and is the first, as Dr. Freind haa shewn, who
mentions the use of chemical, preparations in roedicioe.
•He has a chapter on the qualifications of a^physician ; and
a singular tract on quacks ' and impostors, who appear to
baye been at least as numerous, and ingenious in their
contrivances as in more recent times.
Rhazes lived to the age of eighty, and lost his sight : b«
died' in the year 932. His works that have come down to
us through the medium of translations in Latin ai^/ U A
sort of common-place book, entitled " Continens," or
^* Libri Continentes." 2. A much more perfect work, the
R H A Z E S. 169
'** Libri Decern, ad Alihansorem/' publiabed mt VeatM,
I ^10. 3. Six books of aphorisms, published under the title
of *' Liber de Secretis/ qui Aphorismorum appeUatur/'
Bononis, 1489. 4. A tract on the small-pox, often trans-
lated, and printed with the title of ^ De Pestileotia :" the
best translation is by Chanuing, London, 1766.'
RHENANUS (Beatus), a very eminent scbcdar' and
editor, was bom, in 1485, at Schelestat, a town of Alsace.
The name of4iis family was Bilde; that of Rbenaoos had
been adopted by Ins father, who had considerable property
at Rhenac, his native place. His mother died in his infiui-
cy, and his father, who never married again, bestowed bis
whole attention for some years on bis education. After
some instruction in his own country, he was sent to Paris,
Avhere he studied Grreek, rhetoric, and poetry, under the
best masters. He then pursued his studies for someyears
"at Strasburgh, and afterwards at Basil, where he contracted
an intimacy with Erasmus that lasted during their lives,
accompanied with mutaal respect and friendship. In 1 520,
he returned to Schelestat, in his thirty-fifih yeAr, just iu
time to take leave of bis father, who died the day after his
arrival. . .
Dupin remarks, that Rbetianus was one of those learned
then, who embrace no particular profession, and whose
"only business it is to cultivate the sciences, and Jtheir only
ambition to become behefiactors to the republic of letters.
Rbenahus was so much disposed to this kind of life, that he
'Obtained from Charles V. an exemption from ail empk>y«-
ment of a public nature. He had even no thoughts of
marriage until near the end of his life, nor was that made
public, as soon after hotfound himself attacked by the dis*-
order which at last proved fatal. His physicians prescribed
the waters of Baden, in Swisserland, but finding his disor-
der increase, he returned to Strasburgh, where he died,
'May 20, 1547, in his sixty-^second year. He made no
will- but a verbal one. He left his library to bis native
'place, Schelestat. He was a man of extraordifnary- mild«
ness of temper, an enemy to contests, and of singular mo*
desty and probity. Although, by bis intiiisacy with Eras-
^mtls, and some of the early Reformers, he was enabled to
* see many of the errors of the church of Rome, he adhered
to her communion to' the last: he said and wroteenougb,
J Fr^P(i> Hist, of Pbysic— ]S!(>yj Diet. Hist, de Medicint?. — Ree«'ii Cyclopad.
170 R H E N A N U S.
boweyer, to be classed with some ppotesitant writets ou tbetr
•ide. Bessa, If ko in oae of those, attempts to di»tingvi«b
Itie shave he bad in eacoamn^ing the efforts of the refgrinem^
with that more geeeral fiftoie he derived from his services to
iitterature» Aodjoins cordiallj in the j>raises bestowed on his
talents and ttmiable disposition. One only objection is
mentioned by most of ius biogmpbers, and that }s his par-
simony, of which, however, no very clear proof is afforded,
0Heefit E pua upon his nam^ *^ Seatus est ^tuSf attameii
tibi.'*
' Hn works are, I. a very valuable edition of ^^ Tertullian^
Opera,^' Basil, l£r21, £ok. from original MSS. Dnpin speaki^
IdgUy of the notes aad pre&ces, as well as of the author of
them. 2. ^^Auctores bistori® Eoclesiasticse,'' vis. £use-
bias, Pamphilas, Nicephorns, Theodore^ &c. Basil, 1 523^
I.SS5, and Paris, 1541, 2 vols. fol. 3. <^ S. Basil. Sermo
ide diflerentia Usise et Hypostasisit" Paris, 1513, foL 4.
^ Synopsis de laudibvs Calvitii com scboliis,'^ Basil,- 1519,
4tx>j 1521 and 1551, ^vo, added also at the end of Eras*
snus's '^MorisB Enoomium.'* 5. ^ S. Gregorii Nanziaozeni
mcitjb et Epistol® duse.ad Tbemistoum,'' Paris, 1513,
foi. 6. *^A Latin translation of the works of OrigeSQ)"
•whieh Erasmus left unfinished, and was completed by oor
jmthor, at Basil, 1536, fol. with a preface addressed lo
flevman, arcfabittbop of Cologne, containing a life of Erasr
mas. This last be abo kioorporated in the dedication tp
Charles V. of tbe edition of Erasmus's works, printed at
Basil in 1540. 7. '' Maximus Tyri4i^'' Basil, 1519, fo).
with Paccius's tranalation, and a preface and corceetious
by Rbenantts. 8. ^< Baptista Gaairinus de modo et ordine
docendi ac disoendi," Str^burgb, 1514, 8yo. 9. ^^Mar^
eeili Vb^lii de maiitise laudibus,'' &c. Basil, 1518, 4to.
10. ^^ Lud. Bigs opasculorum metricor^im bbri, et Pontii
Faulini carmefi Janibicnm,'VilSttasbttfgb, 1509, 4to. 11*
«< Thomas Mori epigfaoimata Latins, pleraqne e Gmeis
^ersa, ad enoevdaftiim ipaias exemplar e^cusa,'' Basil, 1580*
12. '' VelleisM PkteneuliM,!' Basi4 1^20, foL tbe princeps
-mliit^i primed by f roben, and CnroAed by tbe editar fmm
4be Codex Murhaoeasis ; it is an edition of eMUeme caritgr*
13. ^'^Tsuiitas," Baaii^ 1633 and 1541). 14. <' Li vi^ deca-
des, feres,'^ fiasiJ, 15JS5, M. often reprinted, and bis^noMfs
added to subaeqneiit editions. 15. *^ Senecm de morie
Claudii Indus,'* in Erasmus's and some other editions of
Seneca. 16. << C^nintus Curtius,'^ Basil, 1517> and Stras-
RHENANUS. m
t
fciii^j 1$18, fbl. 17. " PliDii Hist Nat/* Basil, li2e,
^ol. J 6. ^^Joannis Geileri Keiserbergii, &c. vita," pre-
£Ked to the << Navicula fatnorum," 1510, 4fco. 19.' <<i£-.
neie PUtottict Chriitiani de immortaUitate animse," Basil,
1516, 4ta 20.^<Xysci EncbindioB," ibid. 1316^ printed
with the preceding. 21. <* Liceiuii Erangeli Sacerdotis,
praeffttio in Mfirsilii defensorem pacis pro LudpTicp IV. Itnp.
4MlTersus iniquas usurpatiooes ecdesiasticoxam," 1522, fol.
This is onei of the wof ks which broagbt on Rbenaous the
charge of timidity, tii not avowing his aversion to the usur-'
-paltiiMiis of his church. He assumes here the name of Licen-
tius JEvanffdus. 22. ^'Illyrici provinciarumatrique imperio,
cum Romano, turn ConstantiaopoJitano aervientis deacriptio,'^
published with the ^^Notitia dignitatom Imp. Romaini,?'
Parts, 1602, Svo« 23. ^^ Procopii Ceesariensis de rebus
ijiotboorum,'' &c. Basil, 1531, fol. 24. ^^ Reram Gemui-
Bicarom libri ires,*' Basil, 1531, fol. Of this, which is
mteemed one of his best works, there have been several
editions, the last by Otto, 1693, 4to.^
RH£NF£RD (James), a celebrated oriental scholar, was
Jboro ac Mulheim, in Westphalia, Aug. 15, 1654« After
studying at the college of Meuis, a city in the duchy of
Cleves, and travelling for some time, be accepted an invk-
' nation to becofue rector of the Latin collie in the city of
Fvaneker ; but resided it in 16SO, and removed to Amster-
dam, where he was einployed in the capacity of tutor, and
enjoyed, at the same time, a ikvourable- opportunity for
conversing^ with learned rabbis, and improving his know-
ledge of rabbinical learning. In 1688 he was appointed
pK>fessor of the oriental languages and philosophy at the
university of Franeker ; and remained in this' olEBce nearly
thirty yeai^s, during which he was thrice chosen reo*
tor of the university. He died Nov. 7, 1712, in the 5dth
year of his age. His learning was extensive ; but most
pfofoond ifii the Hebrew, iochiding the Rabbinical, the
Cbaldee, and Syriac languages. Among his wodcs maybe
fiientioned, 1. *^ De Antiquitate Chavacteris hodierni Jo-
<daiici,'' 1696, 4to, iu which be . endeavoured to esublish
the claim of jdie prescot Hebrew characters to the highest
antiquity, and to prcwe that the SaSMwitan ckamoters weve
bonf6wed from the Hedbrewl ;'* S« ** Gomparatio Expiatio-
1 Melcbior Adam. — Vreheri Tbeatram.— •Dnpin.— Bullart Academie det Sci-
jtnces. Vol. il.'^Bezse Icones.— vNiicerpm vo^ XX^VilL— Jortin's I^ife of Erin!'
nms. See Index. /«•
172 R H E N A N U S.
,Tiis anniFersariffi Pontificis maximi in Vet. Test, com utlicn
acque asterna ExpiationisChristi Domini/' 1696. -S. '^ In-
vestigatio Praefectonihi et Ministrorum Syuagogae/' 1700,
4to. 4. ** Disserlatioiiuin Theologico-philolegtcarum de
Stylo Novi Testamenti Syntagma, quo continentur Olearii,
Cocceii, &c. de hoc genere Libeili/' &c. 1701, 4to; 5.
^'Arabarcbai sen, Ethnarcba Judasorum/* 1702, 4to. 6.
'^ De Statdis et Aris, falsis verisque Dei et Hominum Inters
nunciis,'' in illustration of Exod. zx. 23, 24, 1705, 4to.
7. *' Observationum selectarum ad Loca Hebrsea Nov. Test,
partes sive Disput. Tres," 1705, 4tb, &c. He also left
unfinished, but partly printed, a work, entitled <^ Rudi*
men ta Grammatics Harmonics^ Linguarum Orientalium,
HebrtBse, Chaldaicse, Syriacae, et Arabics^." ^
RHETICUS (Georgb Joachim), a celebrated German
astronomer and mathematician, was bom at Feldkifk in
Tyrol, February 15, 1514. After imbibing the elemenl»
of' the mathematics at Zurick with OswaJd My cone, be
went to Wittemberg, where be- diligently cultivated- that
sciencie, and was made master of philosophy in 15S5, and
professor in 1537. He quilted this situation, however, two
years after, and went to Fruenburg to profit by the instroic*
tions of the celebrated Copernicus, who had then acquired
great* fame. Rheticus assisted this astronomer for some
years, aad constantly exhorted him to perfect his wofk
V De Revolutionibus,'' which he published after the death
of Copernicus, viz. in 1543, folio, atNorimberg, together
with an . illustration of the same, dedicated to Scboner.
Here too, to render astronomical calculations more accurate,
•he began bis very elaborate- canon of sines, tangents and
secants,, to 15 places of figures, and to every lOsecomis
of the quadrant, a design which he did not live quite, to
complete. . The canon of sines however to that radius, Jcht
every 10 seconds, and for every single second in Ae first
• and. last degree of the quadrant, computed by. him, was
published in folio at Francfort, 1613, by Pitiscos, who
himself added a few of the' first sines computed to 22 pkces
of figures. But the larger work, or canon. of sines, tann
gents, and secants, to every 10 seconds, was perfected soikl'
publisbed after bis death, vis; ia 1506, by his discipleiVa;-
Jentine Otbo, mathematician to the electoral prince pah-
tine^ a particular account and analysis of which work nisy
* Niceron^ toIs. I. and X.— Morcri.
R H E T I C U S. 175
be seen in the Historical lAtroduction to Dr. Rotton^s Lo»
garithms.
After the death of Copernicus, Rbeticus returned to
Wittemberg, viz. in 1541 or 1542, and was again admitted
to his office of professor of mathematics. The same year,
by the recommendation of Melanctbouy he went to Norim-^
berg, where he found certain manuscripts of Werner and
Regiomontanus. He afterwards taught mathematics at
Leipsic. From Saxony he departed a second time, for
what reason is not known, and went to Poland ; and from
tbence to Cassovia in Hungary, where he died December
4, 1 576, near sixty'-three years of age.
His ^^ Narratio de Libris Revolutionum Copernici,'' waitf
first published at Dantzick in 1 540, 4to ; and afterwards
added to 'the editions of Copernicus's work. He composed
and published ** Ephemerides,*' according to the doctrine
0f Copernicus, till 1551, and projected other works, and
partly executed them, though they were never published^
of various kinds, astronomical, astrological, geographical,
i^hemical, &c. All these are mentioned in his letter to
Peter Ramus in the year 1568, which Adrian Romanusin-
serted in the preface to the first part of his Idea of Matbe*
matics.^
RHODIGINUS (LuDOVicusCcEUUs),by Scaligernamed-
ibe Varro of the age, was a learned Italian, whose proper
name was Ludovico Celio Richeri* He was born at Rovigo
about 1450, and studied at Ferrara and Padua, and France.
On his return to Italy, he filled the office of public professor
at Rovigo for some years, but in 1503 opened a school at
Vicenza, where he continued till 1508, when. he was in-
vited to Ferrara by duke Alfonzo I. In the year 1515,
Francis I. nominated him to the chair of Greek and Latin
eloqtience in Milan, as successor to Demetrius Chalcoody-
lay. In 1521 be returned to Padua, and in 1523 he was
deputed from his native place to Venice, to congratulate
the new doge. In 1525 he died of grief, on account of the
defeat and capture of Francis at the battle of Pavial His
principal work is entitled ^^ Antiquse Lectioues,*V of which
he published sixteen books at Venice, in 1516, fol. and
* fourteen more were added after his death in the editions of
Basil, 1566, and Francfprt, 1^66. Vastus expresses bfe
1 Hntton'a Diet.— >Vossi«if dc Scienf. Mathemat— Melobior AdMn.-^Morari.
17* K fi O D O M A N:
wonder^ aodi even indignation^ that saleartfed a ixfiycdlaagr^
was so little known.^
( RHOOOMAN (LAUR£NC£)y a leai'ned German, was bom
ifi 154^9. at Sassowerf, belonging to the counts of Stoifoerif
in Upper Saxony, wbo, induced by an early dicpiay of ta««
}eiit% bore the expence of his education at the college «f
Dfield. He continued there sis years ; and made so great
SI progress in literature, that be was thought fit to teach in
the n»ost eminent schools and tbet.uTost flourishing universi^
ties. He was especially skilled in tbe Greek tongae, and
composed some Greek verses, wb'teb were much adixHre<^>
but Scaliger did not think him equally bapf>y in Lati»^
poetry. He was very successful in a i Latin translations of
*^ Diodorus Siculus,^' which Henry Stepfhens prevailed otk
him to undertake; and it was puUisbodin 16M, with Ste«
pbens's text. He translated also into Lsitiri the Greek poiefa
of Qnintus Galaber, concerning the taking of Troy; and
added some corrections to it. At last, he was appointed
professor of bistory in tbe university <^ Wittemberg, and
died there in 1606. His other works were, 1. *^ Hiiatorid
vitas & doctrrnas Martini Lutberi carmine heroico descrip^
ta«'^ 2. ^^ Descriptio Historiae Ecclesiae, sive populi Dei,^
PolitisB ejusdem, & rerum praecipuarum quse in illo populo
acciderunt, Grseco carmine, cum versione Latina e regione
t^xtus GraBci," Francof. 1581, 8vo. 3. *^ Poesis Chris*
tiana, id est, PalestinaB sen Histortae sacras Gra^o-Latinas*
libri 9," Marpwrgi, 15S9; Francof. 1590, 1630, 4lo. 4,
*< Tabulae Etymologise Grascae,'* Francof. 1590, ftvo. A^
*f Memnonis Historia de IlepublicaHeraolieiisiiimy& reh\»
Popticis EclogsB : sen excerptae & abbreviatae narratiiMoes
in Sermonem Latinum translatae^," Helmstadii, 1591, 4to«.
a. " Epitbalamia sacra," Jenas, 15i94, 4to; 7. ** Ex Mem-
none, de Tyrannis Heracleae Pontics Ctesia & Agatbar-*-
chide excerptae Historiae Gree«^ & JLatine partim ex Laur^
Rhodomani interpretatione," Geneva, 1593, 8vo. 8w
*^ Theologiae. Christianae tyrocinia, catdnine betoico Gva^
co-Latino in 5 libros digesta," Lips. 1597, 8va'
. RH LINK EN (David), an eminent scholar, was born afe
Stoipe in Ponierania, on tbe 2d of January, 1723. . Hirt
parents, being in good circumstances, and of the belter
order of tbe b«irgesse8,.destioed him, from his early years» lor
I Vossiu» Hist. Lat Moreri.— Tirabos«hs.^Bb«Bi's edMafa.*— £nui Oo«-
mast.
^ Gen. Diet. — Bailiet Jugemeos.—- Saxii Oaornkst. -
J
R H U N K E N. 175
the okif rcbr After receiviag sotne inttruotioa io tbe 3obool
of Stolpe, in tbe priocipies of his mother-tongue, be was
sept first to Scblave, and afterwards to Koenigsberg, for
edtiCftiion in the classical languagesy tiie usoal course of
wbicb stodies be finished attbe age of twenty -two. Witb
some diffiealty he then obtained bis parents' consent to re-
pair to Gottingen, and study Greek nndqr Matthew G^s*
Der^^at that time tbe great ornaraent of that university. On
his way to Gottingen^ he passed through Berlin^ and went-
te« ^sit the Saxon university of Wiuenoberg. There be
was so oiiich pleased with the lectures and conversation of
J* D* Kntter, professor of history and civil law, and of
J. W« Berger, professor of oratory and antiquities, that be
persanded his parents to allow him to continue his studies^
for some time at Wittemberg, before he should proceed to
Gotitingen. He remained with these professors two yearSi-
ftiid, under their aaspices, took a degree in laws. He went
then to perfect bis knowledge of Greek, not with Gesnerat
Gottingen, as be intended, but under the celebrated Hem*
sterhuis of Leyden. Hemsterhurs received this ingenuous-
youth with great kindness, gave him the readiest a6sisuiiice>
in bis favourite studies, recommended him to good employe
ment as a tutor, and at length used e^^ery means to -secure-
tiis af^ointment toa professorship in the university in which
he himself taught* Hbunken appUed with great seal t<>
Gveek >and Roirian literature, and at the same time made-
bkaself highly acceptable by tbe gentleness of bis manners,
tbe liveliness of his conversation, and by his taste anc) skill
in the favourite amusements of the place* .
His 6rst printed display of critical Greek erudition, was
ip^an epistle upon certain Greek commentaries on the title
in the Digest De Adtocatis et Procuratoribust He gave
next, at Hemsterhuis's persuasion, an edition of the Greek
LaxieoD of Timsus, for the illustration of words and phrases
peculiar to Plata ThiBivas published in 1754, 8vo. Next
year be went to Pafis^ with a view chieBy to inspect the
libraries of that city and their manuscript treasures. Here
he formed an acquaintance with Dr. S. Musgrave and -Mr.
T. Tyrwbitt, who was then examining some of the MSS.^
particvlarly those of Euripides. During a year's residence
in that metropolis, Rhunken passed most of bis time in the
king's library, and in that of the Benedictines of St. Ger->
main's ; ' transcribed a number of unprinted remains of an.
eient Uterature, and ooH&ted many manuscripts and rare
176, R H U N K E N.
editions of the most popular classical authors.. Ih Ocfobef >
1 757 be was appointed reader in Greek lit^ature, .and thus
became assistant to Hemsterbuis in the university of Ley*,
den, and upon the death of peudendorp, professor of
.Latin oratory and history, be was advanced to the- vacant,,
chair of that eminent scholar. In 1763, be married Ma-,
rianne Heirmans, a young lady of uncommon beauty and
accomplishments, the daughter of a gentleman who bad,
long resided as Dutch consul at Leghorn.
In the course of his studies he discovered in Aldus's coI« ^
lection of the " Rbetores GrsBci,^' a valuable fragment,,
unknown to modern scholars, of the treatise of Longinusoa.
the Subljime, which was, by his favour, afterwards pub-
lishied in Toup's excellent edition of that work. On the
death of his old master Hemsterhuis, be. did justice to. his.
memory in an elaborate eulogy, from which our account of
Hemsterhuis was taken. He soon after published an excel-,
lent edition of the rhetorical treatise.of Rutilijas Lupus, andi
in. 17.79, a most valuable edition of Velleius Paterculus»
Next year be gratified the learned world with, the- Hymoa.
of Homen One of his last labours was, the supetintending
a new. edition of Scheller^s Latin dictionary^ With. all these,
studies, as well as his professional engagen^ents, hefaundi
leisure to attend to the pleasures of the chase, of whicb he.
was very fond. He died May 14, 1798,. in. the 76tb. year.
of his age. He left a niece and a daughter tptally uupror
vided for, but the- government. of Batavia purchased bi^i
library for a pension granted to tbem. This library « was.
rich in scarce books, and valuable . transcripts from otbor.
collections.
Wbyttembacb, whom we have followed in, this, sketch,;.
draws the character of Rbunkenius at some length*. His.
knowledge and hi$ learning are unquestioned. In otb^r
respects be was lively, cheerful, andga)'', almost to >crimi-«.
nal indifference, but he knew bis own value and conse*,
quence. He said once to Villoison, '^ Why did not yj^VL
come to Leyden to attend Valckenaer and me ?*' He ooce<
showed, with pride, a chest of MSS. of Joseph Scaiiger to
a Swede called. Biornsiball — '< Ah!" said Biornsthall,
^^Ihis is a man who wants judgment,'* alluding to his.epi-
taph, but playing a little too severely on the equivoque.
Rbunkenius grew angry, and replied with, warmtbr ^^ Be^
gone with your ignorance-'^ — " aufer te bine ciam, tuo slu-.
pore.'' A German professor, to whom, b^ showed th^ same
R m; 14 s: f: N. m
colliittkHi^ oWferted, « We i<6w write in Qetx^Xij mtht
own language, and cannot comprehend the ob«titiacy of
those who continue to write in Latin*** ** Professor,'* re-
plfed' Rhfurikeniils, <« look thert fbr a lihtarjr bf Getman
bd6ks,*' i-eftssing to show Mm ^y thing iifiot«.* ^
KIBADENEIRA (PiftEti), a celebrated Spartish Jesnltl^
wcfcs botn at Toledo, in 1^27; fend was enrolled liy St. Igw'
imtitls Among bis fevonrite di4*i^l64 in 1540, before thft'.
socidtjrbf the Je^stiits had received the papal ^nctioii.' Iti'
1*542 be studied ftt Paris, dtid feftei^wferdsf at Padufe, whef^^
be was sent to Palenrio ib tendh rb^oric. After many, and
long travds for fh6 prdpagati^h of thi* interestar of ttie' so-'
ciety in vdiriott^ prirts of Eui^obe, h^ died dt MadHd, Oct.
Ji 1611. One of \i\i Visits was with the duke 6f Fefii td'
England, in 1558, Md bis inquiries ben^, or what he mside'
8ul^eqti6hrly, c^Cotffaged hihi to publish a treatise "Oi^
tbe^ English schism/^' 1594, Bi^o, in which, it is said, theiTeT
is less rancour abdAbrichony than might have been expect-'
edj ' sihti iome ciurlatfs anecdotes respecting^ the piersonal
cbara6t<hr 6f que^ii Mary. He is, howevier, chitfly known
for bfs 'Lires of vfeiious Saints a^d J^sttits, and as thefotin-
dc^r 6f tbdt biography of the Jesuits which Alegambe iind
otb^ti^aflerwiirds idiprdi^eil itit^d^a work of s6me importance/
Oflfe df hi& priiidpal li^^s, pfdblished se^ratdy, is that of
the founder, St. fgnalius de Loyola. Oi? this work there^
bav6 been se^ei^l editions, the first iii 1572, and the se-^*
dond with addtttons in 1 5S7, in neither of which he ascribes'
any miracles td his master, and is so far frbmi supposing ^^i^'
tbaf he enters into an itiquiry, whence it couM happen thatr
so holy a man had not the gift'of miracles bestowed upon
bim, tod really assigns very sensible ireasohs. But notwith*
standing all this, in an abridged edition 6f his life of Igtia-
tius, published at Ipresin 1612, miracles are ascribed to
Ignatius, and Ribadeneira is nlade to assign, as fais^ reason'
for ndt in^rting sucU aecoiints before, that though h^ heani
dftbetid iti 1572, dieywere not Sufficiently authenticated.
Bishop Douglas, who i^ inclined to blame Rib^d^neira for
this insufficient apology, ha$ omitted to notice that jfchid'
Ipres edition of the life was published a ye^r after Ribade-
neirk'is ddatfit, and therefore it i^ barely possible that the
miracles, and all that is said aboiit thefm, might have been*
supplied by some zealous brother of the order* His ^' Lives
•
> yil* RhnnkMii, by Whyttenbaeh.
Vol. XXVI. N
179 \R I e A R D. :
of the Saints^* were translated into EagHsb^ and published
in 2 vols, 8vo.*
RIBERA. See SPAGNQLETTO.
RICARD (Dominic),- a learned French writer, was born
at Toulouse, 'March 25, 1741, aod entered into the con-
gregation of the Christian doctrine, and became a distin^
guished professor in it. . He quitted the society after some
years, and took up his ' residence at Paris, where he em-
ployed himself in instructing youth, and in literary pur8uit3«
He was celebrated for. bis deep knowledge in the Greek
langui^e, and engaged in. the great task of translating tb€^
whole works, of Plutarch; . .Between the years 1783 and
1795 he publbhed bis version of that philosopher's moral
works, hi 17 vol$..12nio; of the Lives be only published 4
vols. 12mo. He.published likewise a poem, entitled ** La
Sphere," in eight cantos, .1796, 8vo, which contains a
system of astronomy and. geography, enriched with notes,
and notices of Greeks Latin, and French poems, treating
on astronomical subjects. Ricard died in 1803, lament^
as a fnan of most friendly and. benevolent disposition.*
RICAUT, or RYCAVt (Sir Pjciii), an English tr^veU
ler, was the tenth son of sir Peter Ricaut, probably a .mer-
chant in; London,, and the author of some useful worksy
who was one of the persons excej^ted in the /^ Propositions
of the Lords and Comtnons^ ' assen^bled in parliament, *^ for
1^ safe and. well* grounded peace, July 11, 164^, sent tp
Charles I. at Newcastle." He also paid .<£. 1500 for his
composition, and taking. part with his unhappy sovereign^.
Ais son Paul was born in London, and admitted scholar of
Trinity college, Cambridge, in 1647, where he took hi^
bachelor's degree^ in 1650. After this he^ravelled many
years, not only in Europe, but also in Asia and Africa |
s^nd was employed in soinp public services.* In 166 1, when
the earl of Winchelsea was sent ambassador extraordinary
to the Ottoman Porte, he went as his secretary; and vvhile
he continued in that station, which was* eight years^ he
^ wrote ** The present State of the Ottoman Empire, in three
books ; containing the Maxims of the Turkish fplitie, their
Religion, and Military £>iscipUne," illustrated with figures,
^nA printed at London, 1670, in folip, and 16?5 in Svp,
and translated into French by Bespier, with notes^ andani?
_ ' Alegam)>e. — ^OougUs's Crilerion, p. 64.— Diet. Hitt:— Freheri'Tbeatnidir
'« Diet. HUt.
R I '6 A tJ T. i|d
tufladyersions on some mistakes. During the same time, he;
htid occasion to take two voyages from Constantinpple to
L-ondon ;, one of them was by land, through Hungary,
wjiere he remained some time in the Turkish camp with the
famous vizier, Kuperlee, on business relating to England,
in 1663 be published the ^^ Capitulations, articles of peace,^*
&c. concluded between England and the Porte, which were
very much to our mercantile advantage, one article being
that English ships should be free from search or visit under
pretence of foreign goods, a point never secured in any
former treaty. After having meritoriously discharged his
office of secretary to lord Whichelsea, be was made consul
for the English natidn at Smyrna ; and during his residence
tb^re, at the command of Charles II. composed " The pre-
sent Slate of the Greek and Armenian ChQrches,anno Chris-
ti 1678,'' wbi^h,'upon h'is retuVn to England, h^ presented
with his own hands to his majesty; and it was published in
1679, 8vo. Having acquitted Fumself, for the space of
eleven years, to the entire satisfaction of the Turkey com-
pany, he obtained leave to return to England, where he
lived in honour and good esteefn. The earl of Clarendon,
being appointed lord lieutenant of Ireland in 1685, made
him his principal secretary for th^ provinces of Leinster
abd Connaught; an'd James II. knighted him, constituted
Kim one of the prJvy council for Ireland, and judge of the
high court of admiralty,- which h^ enjoyed tilt the revolu-
tion in 1688. Soon after this, he was employed by king
William as his resident with the Hanse-towns in Lower
Saxony, namely, Hamburg, Lubeck, and Bremen ; where
he continued for ten years, and gave the utmost satisfac-
tion. At lengthy worn out with age and inBrmities, he
bad le^ve in 1700 to return to England, where he died,
I)ec. 16 oF that year.' He wis fellow of the Royal Society
for many yeai^s before his decease;' and a paper of his,
upon the ** Sable Micd,'* or " Mures Norwegici,'* is pub-
lished in the Philosophical Transactions. He understood
•perfectly the Greek, both ancient and modern, the Turk-
isb^ Latin, Italian, and French languages.
, H^ was the author of other productions, besides those'
ajready mentioned. He wrote a continuation of Knolles^s
^* history of the Turks," from 1623 to 16-77, 1680, in
folio; and again from 1679 to 1699, 1700, in folio, mak-
itig, together with Knolles's, three volumes. He was, from.
Urn fptdk knowtedge of Turkish affairsi better qualiNv
1^ 2
ISO R I C A U T*
than any other person for this work, but he is inferio;* ia
Koollest in historical naerit He continued Platina's '* LiveM
of the Pqpes^*' from 1471 to his own time, and translated
from the Spanish of Garcilasso de la Vega, into English,
^* The Royal Commentaries of Peru, in two parts,*' folio ;
and "li'hjB Spanish Critic,'* 1681, 8vo, from Gratian.'
RICCATI (VinceNiT), an able mathematician, was born
in 17Q7 at Castel. Franco, in the territory of Treviso, and
in 1726 entered among the Jesuits, and taught mathematics
at Bologna, till the, suppression of his order in 1773. At
this period he returned to his native place, and died there
of acholic, in 1775, aged sixty-eight, leaving some good
mathematical works ; among others, a large treatise on the
'' Integral Calculus,** 3 vols. 4to. He had been much em^
ployed in hydraulics, and such was the importance of his
services in this branch, that the republic of Venice or*
dered a gold medal, worth a thousafod livres, to be struck
in honour of him, in 1774.*
RICCI. See CRINITUS, Peter.
RICCI (Matthew), a celebrated Jesuit, was bom Oct«
6, 1552, of a good family at Macerata. He went to the
Indies, finished his theological studies at Goa, taught rhe-
toric there, and being in the mean time appointed mis^
sionary to China,, learnt the language of that country, nor
did he neglect mathematics^ which be had studied at Rooae
under the learned Clavius. After many troubles and diffi-
culties, he arrived at Pekin, where he was esteemed by
the emperor, the mandarins, and all the learned, acquii^sld
great reputation, drew a map for the Chinese, and was
permitted to preach the Cbx'iscian religion. He purchased
a house at Pekin, where he built a church, and died there,
in 1610, aged fifty-eight, leaving some very cirrious me<-
moirs respecting China, which &ther f rigaalt has made
use of in writing his history of that vast empire. Father
d^Orleans^ a Jesuit, who published a ^* Life of Ricci,** In
)693, 12mo, says, that this father drew up a short cate*
cbism^^for the Chinese, in which he introduced scarcely afiy
but such points of morality and religion as are most con«
fiormable to Christianity. These words of father d*Orleafis,
aays L*Avocat, have furnished the eaemies of the Jesuits^
with abundant patter for critical reflectrona.*
' Y Biog. Brit.— Cold's MSS. Atheuae Cantab, in Brit Mus.— Henry Clarendoi^j
estate Lettera." — Granger.
, » VaVffMi Vta lnOoruaw vol. XVI. » Marefi-^aict. Hte dkli^Atodib
R I C C I. ill
RICCI (Michael Angelo), a learned Italian eccte*
siasticy was born at Rome in 1 6 1 9. He was created a car-
dinal in 168 1, but did not long enjoy that dignity, as he
died in 1689, at the age of sixty-four. He was well skilled
in the pnre mathematical sciences, and published at Rome,
in 4to, " Exercitatio, Geometrica," a small tract, x^-hicfh was
reprinted at London, and annexed to Mercator's *^ Logarith«*
motechnta,'' chiefly on account of the excellency of the
argument *' de maximis et minimis,^' or the doctrine of
limits; where the author shows a deep judgment in ex-
iiibiting the means of reducing that lately discovered doc<^
trine to pure geometry. *
RIOCI (Sebastian), an artist of temporary feme, was
born at Belinno, near Trevisano, in 1659; and having
discovered an early genius for painting, was conducted bv
his father to Venice, and placed as i, disciple with Fred.
Gervelli, a Milanese artist of good reputation, with whom
he studied for nine years. He afterwards improved hi9
"practice at Bolo^a, &c. by copying, and obtained the fa-
vour and patronage of Rannuccio, the second duke of
I^arma. By the liberality of that prince, he was honour^
ably maintained at Rome, studying the. productions of the
best ancient and mx)dern masters ; and there he formed that
manner which distinguishes his productions, and for a while
raised hint into the highest esteem. Having quitted Rome,
iie retunied to Venice, where be was so eageriy solicited
for his paintings, that he had scarcely time to take even
necessary refreshment. His fame spread through Europe^
axid he received an invttation to the court of the emperor
at Vienna, to adorn the magnificent palace of Schoenbrun^
From thence he was encouraged to vi^it London, where he
was immediately and incessantly employed by the court,
the nobility, and persons of fortune. Here he remained
ten years, with his nephew and coadjutor, Marco Ricci,
who painted skilfully scenes of architecture and landscape
at Burlington house /and Bulstrode. He acquired great
wealth by the immense opcupa^on be found ; and then
returned to Venice, where be remained until his dejeith,
in 1 734, tn the seventy-fifth year of his age.
" Ricci was one pf the few, comparatively speaking, who
enjoy during their livefi ttie utmost extent of their fam^.
In bis history, that portion of renown which attaches to
1 HtttCon'i I>ict.«-^Ufidi Hilt. Lit. d'luUe.-^FAbrottt VHil tXtX. tol. II.
182 RICO I.*
bim 4^ei with him, or nearly so. In fact, be «iras a ina^.
phinist, one who, being conversant in the rules of art, and
skilful in the application of. the means, dazzled where be.
could not instruct, and deluded by ingenuity without judg«^
ment, and art without, expression. His works ..ace to be
found in many of our great bouses, as svell as tboae^ of his
nephew. At Chelsea, where be. painted the altar-piece,
and at the British ]M[useiiiii|.the]:.e.a][^. considerable pictures
of bis p^inting^ bijit they do not ris^ in esteem by continued
observat^n ; and yet, unfortunately, they had sui&cient
influence in their day to lead the artists astray frofp the
contemplation and imitation of the works of KaphaeK and
the greater masters of the Italian school. Walpole informs
us that Sebastian excelled particularly in imitations of Paul
Veronese, many of which he sold for originals ; and onc4^
deceived even La Fossjs. When the latter was conviiicecl
of the imposition, be gave this severe but just , reprimand
to Sebastian : ^' For the future take. my advice; paint no-^
thing but Paul Veroneses, and .no more Ri<x;is/' ^0)^4
Orfprd adds that Ricci left England on finding it d^ter^
mined ^' thp.t ^jr James Thornhill should paint the cupda
of St Paul V"' ■ ' ; ' . , ?
RICCIARELLL See VOLTERRA.
RICCIOLI (John Baptist), a learned Italian astirono*
mer, philosopher, and mathematician^ was born in 1598,
at Ferrara, a city in Italy, in the dominions of the pppcf*
l^t sixteen years of age be was admitted into th^ society o^
the Jesuits, and the progress he made in every branch c^
literature and science was surprising. He was first appointed
to teach rhetoric, poetry, philosophy, and scholastic divi-
pity, in the Jesuits* colleges at Parma and JBoIogna ; yet
applied himself in the mean time to making observations
?f} geography, chronology, and astronomy. This was his
li^turaj ijent, and at lengtMie obtained leave from his sii«t
Seriors to qujt all other employment, that he might devote
imself entirely to those sciences. , ,
He projected a large work, to be divided ^ntQ three
parts, and to cont^n a complete system of philosophical^
mathematical, and astronoinicall knowledge. . The first\f>f
these parts, which regards astronomy,.. came out at Bo*
logna in 1651, 2 vols, folio, with this title, . ^f J. B. RiccioU
Almagestum Novum, Astronomiam yeterem novamcju^i
^ Piftinston.— WalpolVs Aneodotft.— fieeB*t Cydopsdia.
R I C C I O L I. 185
ctuoaplectens, ^objservatioDilHis uliofuin et propriu/DoVisque'
tbeorematibus, picobjem^tihus ac ta^yqlis promotam:*' . lUc*
cdoli ifQiutied Ptolemy in this work, by collecting dod.di*.
gj^sUng into proper order, with observations, every thing*
ifiiqient and mpdern, which related to bis subject ; so that
Qjffi^endus very justly called his work, ^^ Promptuarium et
thes^uruQi iugentem Aatronomiia.*' In the first volume of
this work,, he treats of the sphere of the world, of the sun
and moon, with their eclipfiies ; of. the fixed stars, of the
planets, of ttve comets,^ and newst^rs, of the several m^iin-
dane sy^ms, and six sections of general problems serving'
tp astronomy, &c. In the second volume, be treats of.
t^-igqnometry, or the doctrine of plane and 8phei'ic9l txian--
gles ;, proposes to giye a treatise of astronomical igsitri^-.
Qiepts, and the optical part of astronomy- (which part was:
never published) ; treats of geography, hydrography, witbt-
an epitOirne of chronology. The third conipi^bcnds ob-
seivi^tions of the, sun, moon, eclipses, fixed stars, and pla«r
sets, with precepts find tables pf tbp primary and seqpn-.
flary motions, and other astronomical tables.. Bij[:ci(olji
printed also, two jofiher works, in folio, a,t Bologna, viz.
2, ^^Astronomia ^efprmata," 166jf; the design of which
was, that of considering the various hypotheses of several
astronomers, and the di^culty thence arising of concljiding
^ny thing certain, by comparing together all the best ob-i
nervations, ^nd eix^mining what is most certain in them,
thence to reform the principles of astronomy. 3. ** CbrO'*
fiologta Reformata," 1669. Riccioli died in 1671, atse-»
yenty-three years of age.* » , .
RICCOBONi (Louis), a com^c actor and writer, bora
at Modenain ]1674, came to France in 1716, and distin*
guished himself as the best actor at the Theatre Italien.
Religious motives induced him to quit the stage in 1729 ;
and be died in 1753, much esteemed for the decency of
his manners, and bis amiable disposition. . He was. the an*
thor of a number of comedies, which Ijad a temporary suc-
cess, and which contain much comic humour. One of
them, entitled ** Les Coquets,*' was revived a few yearf
since. He also wrote ^^ Pens^es sur la Declamation ;''
** Discours sur la Reformation du Theatre ;'' ** Observa'*
tions sur la Comedie et sur ie Genie de Moliere ;" " Re*
^exions Historiques et Critiques sue les Theatres de TEu-
I FabroBt Vila italoron, toL U.— Hnttoa^t^DicUoMrj.
]f4 R 1 C C O B O 1* I.
rope;** and ^'Histoire da Theatre Itaties,-' t Tdsi S##;
which, with bis ** Reflections Historical and-Griticat ujfKMI
all the Theatres of Europes'*^ which appearedin 17S8| ooft-
tains tpaoy judicious observations relative to the stage iW
general, and to the lyric theatre in particular. His second
wife, Marie Laboras de Meziek£s, was also an actress
on the Italian theatre, which she quitted with her husband i
but her writings are novels, the scenes of which she fre-
quently laid in England. They are all of the sentitAental
csM. She also translated Fielding^s *^ Amelia/* Her works
were printed collectively in 10 volunoes, Neufehatel, .l2ino,
and Paris, 9 vols. i2mo, and some of her novels have beeto
translated into English. She died Dec. 6, 1792, reduced
by the troubles of the time to a state approaching to want;
aad soon after a new edition of her works, with a life, ap*
J^ared in 18 vols. 12mo.^
RICHARD, abbot of St. Victor in the twelfth cehfciiry,
was a native of Scotland. After such education as his
country afibrded, in polite literature, the sacred Wriptures,
and mathematics, which we are told were the objects of his
early studies, he went, as was much the custom then, to
Pans. Here the fame of Hugh, abbot of St. Victor, in-
<ltlced him to retire into that monastery, that he might
l^ursue bis theological studies under so great a master. At
the regular periods be took the habit, was admitted into
holy orders, and so mueh acquired the esteem of his bre-
thren, that in 1164, upon the death of Hugh, they tinani-
mously chose him their prior,* in which station he remained
until his death, March 10, 1173. During this time he
composed many treatises on subjects of practical divinity,
and on scripture criticism, particularly on the description
of Solomon's temple, Ezekiel's temple, and ontheappa*
rent contradictions in the bboks of Kings and Chrontcies,
respecting the reigns of thie kings of Judah and Israel.
Dupin speaks rather favourably of these treatises. They
were all published at Paris in 1518, and 1540, in 2^ vols,
folio, at Venice in 1592, at Cologne in 1621, and at Rouen
in 1650,^ which is reckoned the nest edition.*
RICHARD, called ANGLICUS, was an English pby-
stcian, who flourished about 1230. He is said to have stu-
died first at Oxford, and then at Paris, and attained a high
degree of eminence in his profession. Tanner giveti a list
J Diet l!$8e. ♦C>iye.--IhipW.--Btacienk!«'s Scotch tTritew, toI. I,
R I C H A R D. 185
of bis works, none of which appear to have been published.
Some of his MSS. are in the New college library, Oxford.'
RICHARD, archbishop of Armagh in the fourteenth
<:entury, called sometimes Armachanus, and sonietimes
FiTZ-RALPH, which was bis family name, is supposed to
have been born in Devonshire, or, according to Harris, at
Dundalk, ib the county of Louth. He was educated partly
at University, and partly at Balliol, college, Oxford, under
the tuition of John Baconthorp, whom we have already no-
ticed as an eminent scholar of that age. He made great
progress in philosophy, divinity, and civil law, and 'became
BO great a philosopher and logician, ^' and in both sorts of
theology so famed, that the whole university ran to his
lectures as bees to their hive.'' He commenced doctor of
divinity at Oxford, and in 1333 was commissary-general
of that university, whence some authors have called him
chancellor; but, according to Collier, the office he held
was only somewhat superior to that of vice-chancellor. Hit
first church promotion was to the chancellorship of the
church of Lincoln, in July 1334 ; he was next made arch-
deacon of Chester in 1336, and dean of Lichfield in April
1337* These, or some of them, he owed to the favour of
Edward IIL to whom he was recommended as well deserv-
ing his patronage.
While at Oxford he bad distinguished himself by his
opposition to the mendicant friars, whose affectation of
poverty, and other superstitions and irregularities, he ex-
posed in his lectures. They were therefore not a little
alarmed when, iu 1347, he was advanced to the arch-
bishopric of Armagh ; and with some reason ; for, when
about ten years afterwards, he returned to England, and
found the contest very warm concerning preaching, hear-
ing confessions, and other points, in which the friars en-
croached on the jurisdiction of the parochial priests, he
preached several sermons, the substance of which was ;
that in cases of confession the parish church is to be pre-^
ferred to the church of the friars ; that for confession the
parishioners pught rather to apply to the parson or curate
than to a friar; that notwithstanding our Lord Jesus Christ
was poor, when he conversed on earth, yet it does not ap-
pear that be affected poverty ; that he did never beg, nor
make profession of voluntary poverty ; that he never taught
1 LelaiMi— B«le.— Pitt.— Ttnner,
fSfi R I C H A R D.
Pi^ople to mj^kie a choice and profession of beggary ; tba^.
on tbe contrary, he held that men ought not to beg by in-,
cjlination, ^or. without being forced to it by neeesfity ; jtbat'
there is neither sense nor religion in vowing voluntary and
perpetual beggary ; that it is not agreeable to the rule of
Obsery.ant or Friars Minorites, to be under engagemjents
of voluntary pov^ty, &c. &c. The friars were so enraged
at these propositions, which certainly shew considerable
freedom of sentiment^ tha); they procured him to be cited,
before pope Jnnoceut VI. at Avignon, where he defended
his opinions with great 6rmness, and maintained them,,
although with no littl/e danger frop the malice of his op-
ponents, to the end pf his life. The age, however, was
not prepared to listen to him, and the pope decided in
favour of the friars.
He died Nov. 16, 1360, at Avignon, not without sus^^
picion of poison. Fox says that a certain cardinal, hear-
ing of. his death, declared openly, that a mighty pillar of
Christ^s church was fallen. He was unquestionably a man.
of great talents and sound judgment. Perhaps his be§|:
panegyric is his being ranked, by some catholic writers,
among heretics. Archbishop Bramhall had so great an
opinion of him, that in returning from a visitation by Dun-^
dalk, he made inquiry where he was buried, and deter-
mined to erect a monument to his memory, which it is'
supposed his death, which happened soon after, prevented*
Richard^s body was brought over by Stephen de Valle,
bishop of Meath, about 1370, and interred at Dundalk,
where sir Thomas Ryves says there was a monument visi-
ble^ although much defaced^ in 1624.
His printed works are : 1. " Sermones quatuor, ad cru-
cem Londinensem,*^ &c. Paris, 1612. 2. " Defeiisio cura-
torum adversus fratres mendicantes,'^ Paris, 1496. This
was the substance of the defence of his principles at Avig-
non. Bale mentions the New Testament translated into
Irish by Armachanus, which was found in the wall of his
cathedral in 1530; but Fox, in his Martyrology,. asserts
that the whole Bible was translated into Irish by him, and
preserved in the sixteenth century ; and arphbishop Usher
says that there were several fragments of this translation in
Ireland, in his time. Bale, &c. mention several MSS. left
t>y him.*
: ' Collier's Dictionary and Ecclesiastical History.«-Whart6o*8 Appendix tQ
jCaye.— >Fox's Acts and Bfonuments.— Wood's AoDal«.-*Dupin.— Harris's Wvoe.'
RICH A R D. 1ST
HiQHA]^ of,ClRENCE8TER,ran» English histprlaiu
f^o nanped ^rom his. bi^rtb-fila'ce^ Nourished in the faurteenth
century. No traces of his faipily 9r cooriecti vis can.be
j^iscovered, bxic they appear to haise been. such as tp alFor^
faim a liberal education. In 1350 be entered into, the fie-
pedictipe monastery of St. Peter, Westminster, and.hU
name occurs in various documents of that estai)lisbment in
J387, i397, and 1399. He devoted his leisure hours to
th^ study of British and.Anglo-Sa^on history and antiqui*-
ties, in which he made such' proficiency, that he is said to
have been honoured with the name of the Historiographer.
Pits info;;ms us, wii^hQut i^pecifying his authority, that
Richard visited different libra^i^s ind pccle$iastic|l e^ta^
blishments in England, in order to collect materials. It i^
^t. least certain that he obtained a licence to visit Rome^
from his abbot, William of Colchester, in 1391, and there
can be little doubt that a man of his curiosity viroUld im*
prove his. knowledge on such an occasion. He is sup-
poseci ^^ ^^^^ performed .this journey in the interval be*^
tween 1391 and 1397, for he appears to have been con*
fin^d in the abbey infirmary in 1401, ,and died in that or
t)|,e following yean His works are, *^Historia ab Hen-
gis^ta ad aqn.. :(348,'' in two parts, The first contains thf
'period, from the coming of the iS^xons to the death qf H^^
rol^y and is preserved in the public library pf Cam|)ridg^.
Whitaker, the historian of Manchester, speaks of this . as
evincing very little knowledge or judgment; the second
part is probably a MS. in the library of the Royal Society,
p. 137, with the title of " Britonum Anglorum et Saxouum
Historia." In ' the library of Bene't college, Camhridg^
is " Epitome Chronic. Ric. Cor. West. Lib. I.". Othef
Wofks of oqr author are supposed to be preserved in the
Lambeth library, and at Oxford. His theological writings
were, ;** T^ractatus super Symbolum Majus'et Minus," and
** Liber de OfiSciis Ejcclesiapticis," in the Peterborough
library. But the treatise to which he owes his celebrity,
is that on the ancient state of Great Britain, **'0e situ
Bi^t^nniae," first discovered by Charles Julius Bertram,^
projEessqr of the English language in the royal marine aca*-
demy' at Copenhagen,, who transmitted to Dr. Stukeley
a ti;an3cript of the whole in letters, together with a copy of
the .map. From this transcript Stukeley published an ana-
lysis of the work, with the itinerary, first in a thin quartp,
1757, andl afterwards jio the second volume of bis ^^ ItiaQf«
188 RICHARD.
rarium Curiosum/' In the same year the original iUelf
was published by professor Bertram at Copenhagen, in a
small octavo volume, with the remains of Gildas and Nen-
nius, under the title ** Britannicarum gentium Historise
Antiquse scriptores tres, lUcardus Corinensis, Gildas Ba-
donicus, Nennius Banchorensis, &c.*' This work has long
been scarce, and in very few libraries ; but in 1809| a new
edition, with an English translation, &c. was published at
London. To this the editor, . Mr. Hatchard, has prefixed
an account of Richard's life, from which we have extracted
the above particulars, and an able defence of his merit and
fidelity as a historian, against the objections of certain
writers. Among these we observe that Gibbon cannot be
reckoned, for he says that Richard of Cirencester *^ shews
a genuine knowledge of antiquity, very extraordinary for
a monk of the fourteenth century.** This useful and ac-
curate republication is entitled " The Description of Bri-
tain, translated from Richard of Cirencester ; with the ori-
ginal treatise de situ Britanniee ; and a commentary on the'
Itinerary; illustrated with maps,** 8vo.*
RICHARDSON (John), a learned Irish prelate, was a
native of Chester, but a doctor of divinity of the univer-
sity of Dublin. Of his early life we have no particulars,
except that be was appointea preacher to the statein 1601*
He succeeded to the see of Ardagh, on the resignation 6j[
bishop Bedell, and was consecrated in 1633 by archbishop
Usher. He held the archdeaconry of Derry, the rectory
of Ardstra, and the vicarage of Granard in commendam for
about a year after his promotion to Ardagh. In 1641, be-
ing in dread of the rebellion which broke out in October
of that year, he removed to England, and died in London
August 11, 1654. He had the character of a man of (r^-o-
found learning, well versed in the scriptures, and skilled
in sacred chronology. . His works are, a '^ Sermpn of the
doctrine of Justification,** preached at Dublin Jan. 23^
1624, Dublin, 1625, 4to; and ** Choice Observations and
Explanations upon the Old Testament,** 1655, folio. These
observations, which extend to all the books of the Old
Testament, seem intended as a supplement to the ^ As-
. aembly*s Annotations^** in which he wrote the annotations
on £zekiel ; and they were prepared for publication by
liitti some time before his death, at the express desire of
«bi fuprt.
RICHARDSON. 1S9
#
archbishop Usher, with whom he appears to have loug
Jived in intimacy.^
RICHARDSON (Jonathan), a painter, and a writer on
the art of painting, was born about 1665. He was intended
by his father-in-law, apprentice to a scrivener, with wbooi
he lived six yeari, but by the death of his mastei', was
enabled to follow the bent of his inclination for painting.
He then became the disciple of Riley« with whom he lived
four yea^rs, and finally connected himself by marrying his
niece, ^he degree of skill which he attained, by no means
corresponded with the ideas he entertained of the art^
which were certainly of a just and elevated kind. Tber<e
are, however, great strength, roundness, and boldness in
the colouring of his beads, which are drawn and mariced
in the manner of Kneller, with freedom and firmness;
though the attitudes in which they and his figures are
placed, the draperies which clothe the latter, and the
back- grounds from which they are relieved, are insipid
and tasteless. It is certainly a very curious circumstance,
tbat, when he wrote with so much fire and judgmeat^
dived so deep into the inexhaustible stores of Raphael, and
was so smitten with, the qative lustre of Vandyke, he should
so ill apply to his own practice the sagacious rules and
hints he gave to others, full of theory^ profound in re*
flections on the art, and possessed of a numerous and ex<<
cellent collection of drawings, he appears to have pos*
sesised no portion of invention, as applicable to the pain-
tet^s art, and drew nothing well below the head ; plainly
manifesting the peculiarity of taste or feeling which leads
to excellence in that profession.
Thus much, however, must be said of him, that when
Kneller and Dahl were dead, he stood at the head oifthe
portrait-painters in this country, and practised in it suffi-
ciently long to acquire a tolerable competency. He quitted
his occupation some years before his death, when Hudson,
who bad married one of his daughters, maintained the fa-
mily honours for a while. Richardson himself, by tem*
perance and tranquillity of mind, enjoyed a life, protracted
amidst the blessings of domestic friendship, to the advanced
age of eighty, and then died. May 28, 1745, respected and
lamented. He had bad, a short time previously, a para*
l^tic stroke tbat affected bis arm, yet never disabled him
ft
^ Harm's Wart.— Atk Ox. toL I.-aJoyd** MMoiri» M. «07.
156 RICHARDSON.
{fotn taking bis customary walks and exercise ; and it
after having been in St. James's park, he.died suddenly^' 'at,
his house in ^ueen-square, on his return home.
He had a soii, with whom he lived in great harmony, as '
appears by the joint works they composed. The father, in"
1719, published two discourses; 1. '^ An Essay on the
whole art of Criticism as it relates Uf PafniSng.** 2.- ** An
Argument in behalf of the ScieAce df i Connoisseur.'* Irf
1722, came out *^ An Account of some Statues^ Bas-ire-
liefs. Drawings, and Pict6res, in Italy, &c.'* The son
made the journey; and, from his observations and letters,'
they both at his return compiled this valuable work. In^
1734, they published a thick octavo of ^'Explanatory Notes
and Remarks dn Milton's Paradise Lost, with the Life of
the Author." Iti apology for this last perf6rman(5e, aiid
f6r hot being very conversant in classic literature, the fa* •
ther said,' '* that fad hUd looked inta them through his son.''
Hogarth, whom a quibble could* furnish with' wit, drew him
peeping through the nether end of a telescope, with which
bis son was perf6rated, at' a' Virgil aloft ou a shelf; but
Hogarth, it is but justice to add, destroyed the plate upon
due reflection, and recalled the prints, as far as he could.-
The sale of his collection 6{ drawings, in Feb. 1747, lasted
eighteen days, and ' produ^^ed about 2060/. his pictures'
about 700/. Mr. Hudson, his son4n-law,^ bought in many
of the drawings.
' Besides th^ works ptkbli%hed 'n\ conjunction with his fa-
ther, there was published in 1776, five year's after the ison'^
•death, '< Ricbardsoniaha ; or,' occasional Reflections on the'
Moral Nature of Man; suggested by various authors, ati*-
ctent and modern, and exefnplifie'd from those authors,
with several • anecdotes interispersed,' by the late Jonathan
Richardson, jun. esq'. .Vol. L" sin amusing work, although
tfiere are some opinions in' it vfi^hich are not altogether free''
from censure. He did not love to contemplate the brighlf -
aide of human nature and actions. Besides this work, ther^*
appeared about the same time an-8vo volume of ** Poems"
by Jonathan Richardson, senior, with notes by his son*
They are chiefly moral and religious meditations, biit not'
greatly inspired by the Muse. . The son, it remains to bef"
added, never painted otherwise than for bis amusement**
He -died in 177-1, aged seventy-seven.^
» Wal^i€'ftiknecd9t«i.»Nidiolt's Boiryer, idid Colledioa of Podbs/
R I C H A R D SON. 191
' RICHARDSON (Joseph), a man of letters, was origin
nally of Hexham in Northumberland ; and was entered oi
St. John's college, Cambridge, in 1774. Dr. Ferris, tho
present dean of Battle, and Dr. !Pearce, now dean of^ Elj,'
were his tutors at the university. Under the superintend-
ance of those two excellent scholars, he acquired sound
learning and a: correct taste. He possessed^^ indeed, an
excellent understai>ding, and a sort of intuitive knowledge
of mankind.; He distinguished himself at college by the
elegance, beauty^ and vigour, of his prose and poetical
compositions ; a love of the Muses very early in life took
possession of his mind, and often interfered with the labo-
rious dutjes.of .his studies. JHe entered himself a student
of the Middle Temple in 1779, and was called to the bar
in 1784. * iBut literary pursuits and political connections
took up too much of his time to admit of bis pursuiug, with
sufficient diligence, the study of the law; otherwise, it is
highly probable that he would have become a distinguished
ornament of the bar. The chief works in which he was
publicly known to have taken a part were in those cele-
brated political satires, " The Rolliad,*' and the ^^ Proba-
tionary Qdes,'' imthe composition of which his talents were
oonsptcuous. He wrote also. the comedy of ^' The Fugi-
tive,^^' which was honoured by a considerable share of ap«
plause, both on the stage and in the closet. In private, life
so happily was the suavity of his temper blended: with the
\iigour of bis understandings that he yvas esteemed by his
adversaries in political principles, as well as by a very large
circle of private friends. He was brought iqto parliament
by the duke of Northumberland, in whose friendship he
held a distinguished place, and by whose loan of 2000/.
(which the duke has given up tg his family) he was enabled
io become proprietor of a fourth part of Drury-lane theatre.
He was suddenly taken ill on June 8, 1803, and died next
day, leaving a widow and four daughters, to lament the loss
pf their affectionate protector. He was interred in Egham
ehurchyard.^
.RICHARDSON (Samuel), a celebrated writer of no-
irels, or, 99 his have been called, moral romances, ^vas
born in 1689, in Derbyshire, but in what part of that
bounty has not been ascertained. His father descentled of
4 family of middling note in the county of Surrey, and bis'
I Oenti Mag. 1803.
I92f R I C H A E D S O N.
business was tbat of a johten He intended his soli Samtiel
for the ehurch) bot from losses in business, was enable to
support tbe expence i>{ a learned edocation, and all out'
author received was at tfae grammar school. Itapp^rs from
bis own statement that be bad a love for letter-writingi that
be was a general favourite of the ladies, and fond of their
company, and that when no mofre than thirteen, three
young women, unknown to each other, revealed to him:
their love secrete, in order to induce bita fee give them co^
pies to write after, or correct, for answers to tbeir lovers* '
letters. In this employment some readers may think they
can trace the future inventor of the love seerctts of Pamela
and Clarissa, and letter-^ writing certainly gi'eW into a babit ;
with him*
In 1706 be was bound apprentice to Mr. John WStde; a
printer of some eminence in bis day ; whom, though a se-^.
vere task-master, he served diligently for seven years. He ,'
afterwards worked as a journeyman and corrector of the pfess!
for about six years, when be, inr 171 9,. took up bis freedom^^'
and commenced business on bis own account, in a court iii
Fleet'Street ; and filled up bis leisure hours in compiling
indexes for the booksellers, and writing. prefaces, and wbati
he calls ^' honest dedications.'' Dissimilar as their geniuses^
may seem, when the witty and wicked duke of Wharton (a ^
kind of Lovelace), about 1723, fomented tbe spirit of op** ^
position in tbe city, and became a member of the Wax* ^
chandlers* company, Mr. Richardson, thougb bis political '
principles were very different, was much connected with^
and favoured by him, and for some Kttle time was tbe prin-> ,
ter of his " True Briton,'* published twice a week. He so
far exercised bis judgment, however, in peremptorily
refusing to be concerned in such papers as be apprehended
might endanger bis safety, that he stopt at the end of
the sixth number, which was possibly his 07im production *.^^ [.
He printed for some time a newspaper called "The Daily ^^
Journal;" and afterwards "The Daily Gazetteer.'* Through ^
the interest of his friend Mr. Speaker Onslow, be printed :
ibe first edition of tbe "Journals of the House of Coiin* '
mons,'* of which he completed 26 volumes. Mr. Onslow
* Informations were lodged against itself odiont to the people. ** Payne
Payne, the pablisher, for Numbers 3, was found goilty ; and Mr. Ricfaardsofli'
4, 5, and 6,, as more than common escaped* as. hi* name did ngt appear
libels, " as they not only insulted every to the paper. Tbe daAgel* made blai
branch of the legislature, hot mani- in liitiire still more oantiovs.
festly tended to make the c^natitatioa
X I C B A All so N. 19Z
bad a high estcam hft hitfi ; and not only might, but ao-
.tiially would, have proiooted him to some honoarable axid
profitable station at court ; but Mr* RicbardaoQ, wboae bu-
.^ioess waa extensive and profitable, ndjtber desired nohr
would accept of such a favour..
His '^ Pamela,^^ tbe BrsA work thai; procured him a name
as. a writer, was published in 1741, and arose out of a
acbeme proposed to him by two reputable booksellers, Mf,
Aiviiigton and Mr. Osborne, of writing a volume of *' Fm^^,
miliar Letters to and fitont several persons upon business
a^d other subjects;*' which he performed witk great rea--
diness ; and in the progress of it was soon led to expand his
thoughts in the two volumes of the '^ History of Pamela^V
which appear to have been written is less than three
montlja. Never waa a book read with more avidity, for
these two volumes went through five editions in one year.
It was even recommended froon tbe pulpit, partieularly by
Dr. Slocock^ of Christ churchy Sacrey, althongh its de^
fects as to oiiorat tendency are now universally acknow-
ledged, to be so obvtoos,. that the wonder is, it ever ob-«
tained the approbation of men of any reAection. For this
k undoubtedly was indebted to the novelty of the plan, as
ivell as to many individiial passages of great beauty, and
lD.any interesting traits of character. Its imperfections,
however, were not totally undiscovered even during ita
popularity. Tbe indelicate scenes could not escape o\>*
aervation; and his late biographer, who has given an ex-
cellent criticism on the work, informs us that Dr. Watta,
to whom Richardson sent the volumes^ instead of compU-
Inents, writes to him, that ** he understands the ladies com-
plain they cannot read them without blushing.'' Other
inconsistencies in the history of Pamela were admirably
ridiculed by Fielding in his *^ Joseph Andrews," an injury
which Riclnrdaon never forgave, and in his correspond*
ence with bis flattering friends, predicted that Fielding
wdqld soon be no more heard of-**Fielding, whose popu-
larity has outlived Richardson's by nearly half a century !
The snecesa of Pamela occasioned a spurious continu-
ation of it^ called ^' Pamela in high Life ; and on thia the
author prepared to give a second part, which appeared in
two volumes, greatly inferior to the first. They are, as
Mrs. Barbauld justly observes, superfluous, for the plan
was already completed^ and they are dull ; for, instead of
incident and passion^ they are filled with h^vy aenUment^
VOI.XXVL O
Id4 R I C H A R D S our.
in diction far from elegant* : A great part of it aims lb'
palliate, by counter-'cnticisni, the faults which had beeti
-found in the first part; and it is less a continuation, than
the author's defence of himself. But if Richardson sunk
in this second part, it was only to rise with new lustre in
his *^ Clarissa/', the first two volumes of which were pub-
lished eight years after the preceding. This is unques-
tionably the production upon which the fame of Richard-
son is principally founded ; and although it has lost much
of its original popularity^, owing to the change in the taste
-of novel-readers, wherever it is read it will appear a nobl^
monument of the author's genius. This will be allowe<}^
i^ven by those who can easily perceive that it has many
blemishes. These have been pointed out, with just dis-
-crimination, by his biographer. Clarissa was much adr
mired on the continent. The abb6 Prevost gave a version
of it into Prench ; but rather an abridgment than a trans-
lation. It was afterwards rendered more ^aitbfuUy by Le
Tourneur; and was also translated into Dutch by Mr. Stin-
stk*a; and into German under the auspices of the cele-
brated Dr. Haller.
; After he had published two works, in each of which the
principal character is a female^ he determined to give the
world an example of a perfect man : this design produced
bis " Sir Charles Grandison," a character certainly instruc-
tive, while in some measure repulsive. But that of CJ«-
mentina is the highest effort of genius in this work. I>r.r
Warton says, "I know not whether even themadness.pl
Lear is wrought up and expressed by so many little strokes,
of nature and passion. It is absolute pedantry to prefer an<l
compare the madness of Orestes, In Euripides, with tbat^
of Clementina.^' Yet even here Mrs. Barbauld has, withr
great aeuteness, pointed out Richardson's want of judg-
j»ent in the management of his Clementina. It is,, as this^
lady justly observes, the fault of Richardson that he never,
ke-ew when to have done with a character; and this pro^
pehsity to tediousness and prolixity in all his narratives,!
while the 'bulk is increased, has undoubtedly contributed
tO: pr6ca!i!e>him more |iaticht than willing readers, and to oc-,
caision tb^e who hav^ once gone through his volumes, to se-
lect favourite passages only for a second reading.
By ihese works, a^nd by his biisiness, which was very,
prosperous, Mr. Richardson gradually improved his for-
tune,. -In. 1755, he was. engaging iu- buildihg^.-both in«
RICHARDSON; i95
Salisbury court, Fleet«-street, and at Parson^s^greeh near
Fulham, where be fitted up a house. In 1760, be pur^
chased a moiety of the patent of Law-printer, and carried
eii that department of business in partnership with Miss
Catherine Lintot, afterwards the wife of Henry Fletcher,
esq. M. P. for Westmoreland.
By many family misfortunes, and his own writings, which
i|i a manner realized every feigned distress, his nerve&
naturally weak, or, as Pope expresses it, ^'tremblingly
alive all o'er,'' were so. unhinged, that for many years be-
fore hLs death his hand shook^ he had frequent vertigoes,
atid would sometimes have fallen, had he not supported
himself by his cane under his coat His paralytic disorder
affected -his nerves to such a degree, for a considerable
time before his death, that he could not lift a glass of wine
to his mouth without assistance. This disorder. at length
ternfiinating in an apoplexy, deprived: the world of this
aniiable man, and truly original gienius, on July 4, i76i|
at the age of seventy-two. He was buried, by his own ^i*.
section, with his first wife, in the middle aile, near the
pulpit of St. Bride's church. His picture was painted by
Mr. Highmore, whence a mezzotinto has been taken.' .
His first wife was Martha Wilde, daughter of Mr.'Allihg*
ton Wilde, printer, in Glerkenwell^ by whom he had ; five
sons aiid a daughter^ who all died young. Hia second
wife (who survived him many years) was Elizabeth sister
of^ Mr. Leake, bookseller, of Bath. By her he had s^ son.
and five daughters. The son died young ;. but four of. the
daughters survived hini; viz. Mary, married in 175.7 to
Mr. Ditcher, an eminent Burgeon of Bath; Martha, mar-
ried in 1762 to Edward Bridgen, esq. F. R. and A. SS..;-
Ahbe, unmarried ; and Sarah, married to Mr.Crowther,
surgeon of Boswell-court.: All these are now dead.- » ' .
Mr. 'Richardson was a plain man^ wbo;Seldom' exhibited'
bis talents in mixed company. Hie hejard the sentiments-
of otbers'with attention, but seldom gave his own ; rather:
desirous of gaining friendship by his modesty than his
parts. Besides his being. a great gepius, he was^ truly a^
good man in all respiects; in his family, In cominerce, in
conversation, and in every instance of conduiSct. He was
pious, virtuous, exemplary,, benevolent, friendly, gene*-!
rous, and humafiei to an uncommon degree ;^ glad of every >
opportunity of dbing^ good offices to his Cello w* creatures in
distress, and relieving many without thi^ir knawledge. His ^
o .2
IM IT I C B A R D S O le
ebie^ delight was dcung good. He was Ingbly fevered zm^St
beloved by bit domeatici for bis happy tenper aod discreet
eoDdttot He bad great tenderness towards bia wife and
okildree, and great condescension towards bia servants. He
Uraa always vei^ sedulous in business, and almost always.
employed in it; and dispatched a great deal by the pru^
dence of bis manageoient His turn of temper led btm to
improve bis fortune witii mechanical assiduity ; and having*
mo iriolent passions, nor any desire of being trifiingly dis^
tioguished frosa others, be at last became rich, and left bte
family in easy independeocQ, tbougb bis bouse and tables
both in tawn.and country, were ever open to bis numerous,
friends.
Besides his three gieat woriks, bis << Pamela, Clarissa,,
and Gnwdisou^** be published^ 1. *^ The Negotiatioa of Sie
Tboosas Roe, in bis Embassy to die Ottoman Porte^ froes
1621 to 1€28 inclusive," &q« 1740v folio, inscribed ta
t^e King in a sliort dedication j whitb doles honour ibe the;
ingenious writer. 2w An edition of *< iEtop's Fables, witlfe
Reflection^*' And^ 9. A volume of ^* Faiayiar Letters t0>
and from several persons upbnt business, and ether sob^
jects.** He bad abo a share in ^ The Christen Magiazin^
by Dr. James Maeclerc, i74d ;'^ and in the additions to the
aiiatb edition of De Feed's ^*l>ttv through Great Bcitaim^'^
<^ Sis original Letters uf)on DuelHng*^ were printed aftei*
bb. deatl^ in ^<Tbe Literary Repository, t165,** p.MTi
A letter of bis to Mr. Dnacombe is in the ^ Lettess dii
eminent Persons, }933^" yoI. HI. p. 71 ; andaoeieTer^ea'
io the *^ Anecdotes of Bowyer,'* p.46a Mr» Riehardaeii
alsa piibUsbed a large single sheet, relasive to the manrieil
states entitled ** The Duties of Wives^ to Husbands ;'* aiid
was under the disagnaeabk necessity ot puUisbing ^ The
Case of Samuel RicbaidsoD of Londony Printer, on the
Invasion of bis Property in the History of Sir Gbaries
Grandisoii, before pebKcation, by certain BookseUers in
Beblin,'* wUcb bears date Sept. U, tT53^. ^< A Cdteedoi^
of the flsoral sentences in Passela^ Claaissa, and Grattdi'*
son,*^ was printed in 1755, 12mp.^
No. St7, vol. 11. of tbe '< Rambtor,^^ it is well known;
was written by Mr. Ricbardson ; in the preamble to wbick
Df . Johnson styles btm *' an author from wbom> tbe ageiias
receivied; greater fisnoers, who bss enlstigfdHiie knowledge.
ot buman nature^ and taught the pas^ona te dioee- tt tbe-
command of ▼ixtue*'* In 1 904^ ww publisbed *^ The Cor»
& I C H A R DS O N. 1&7
ftsspMdtiiteof Sramei Ricbairdft6fi/* in six vottimes octavo.
Tbtt best coHfteqtieiKie of the desiga of piiblishmg thU coir
lection pf letting ii the e^ceUent life und criticism on his
works by Mrs. Bttrbattld.-*-A8 to the letters, every real ad-
oitrer of Ricbardion must peruse tbem with regret. Such
a display of httmati weakoess has seldom bMn permitted
40 aully the fepiitatiou of any man.
In our last edition some testimonies of a difiigrent kind
to '- the merits land memory of Richardson were given.
Of these we may atili retain the sentiments of Mr, Sher-
kicky the celebrated Eoj^ish traveller, who observes^. << The
^greatest efibtt of genius that perhaps was ever made was,
forming the phm of Clarissa Harlowe.** — ** Richardson
u not yet arrived at the fulness of bis glory.'* -^ << Ri-
chardson is admirable for every species of delicacy ; for
^elieacy of wity sentiment, language, action, every thing.^
f ^ His genius was immense. His misfortune was, that he
did not know the ancients. Had be but been acquainted
with one^ single principle^ * Omne supervacuum pieno de
^ectove manat,' (ail superfluities tire) ; be would not have
eatiated his reader as he has done, inhere might be made
<Mit of Clarissa and Sir Charles Grandison TWO works,
which would be both the most entertaining, and the most
wseful» that ever were written. •>* His views were grand.,
ilis aoul was noble, and his heart was excellent. He formed
a. plan that embraced all human natut^e. His object was
^ benefit mankind. His knowledge of the world shewed
btiftf that happiness was to be attained by tpan only iti
proportion as he practised virtue* His good sense then
ihewed him, that no practical system of morality existed ;
and the same good sense told hith^ that nothing but a body
of morality, put into action, could work with efficacy on the
minds of youth.'*
On Johnson, in his preface to Rowe observes, «< The
oharacter of Lothario seems to have been expanded by
]Uehardson into Lovelace ; but he has excelled his origimd
ift the moral effect of the fiction. Lothario, with gaiety
which cannot be hated, and bravery whtcb cannot be de-
spised,- retains too much of the spectator's kindness. It
was in the power of Richardson alone to^teach \k$ at once
esteem and detestation ; to make virtuous resentment over-
power all the bei^evolence which wit, and elegance, and
coui!age, naturally excite | and to lose at last die hero in
the irmtm*'"
1 Ufp by Mn. Bsrbauld prefiitd to the CorretpoDdence.-— Nichoh't Bowytr, fcc*
198 RICHARDS ON.
RICHARDSON (Wiluam), a learned Engliik difiae,
was the son of the rev. Samuel Richardson, B. D. yicwr of
Wilsbamstead near Bedford, by Elizabeth^ daughter of
the rev. Samuel Bentham, rector of Knebworth and Paurs
Walden, in Hertfordshire. . His grandfather was the rev.
John Richardson, a nonconformist, who was ejected, in
1662, from the living of St. MichaePs, Stamford, in Lin^
colnshire, and died in 1687. He was born at Wilsbam-
stead, July 23, 1698, a^d educated partly in the school of
Oakham, and partly in that of Westminster. In March
1716.be was admitted of Emanuel college, Cambridge, of
which he afterwards was a scholar, and took his degrees of
A. B. in 1719, and A. M. in 1723. In the mean time, in
September 1720 he was ordained deacon by Gibson, bishop
of Lincoln, at St. Peter's, Cornhill, London, and priest, by
the same, at Buckden, in Sept. 1722. He was then- ap-
pointed curate of St. Olave's Southwark, which he held
until .1726, when the parish chose him their lecturer.
About this time he married Anne, the widow of capt. David
Durell, the daughter of William Howe, of an ancient
family of the county of Chester. He published in 1727,
2 vols. 8vo, the <^ Praelectiones Ecclesiastics^*' of his learned
uncle John Richardson, B. D. author of a masterly ^' Vin-
dication of the Canon of the New Testament," against
Toland. In 1724 be was collated to the prebend of W^l-
tojD-Rivall, in the church of Lincoln* ■
In 1730 he published ^'Tbe Usefulness and Necessity
of Revelation ; in four Sermons preached at St. Olave's
Southwark," 8 vo; and, in 1733, ^' Relative Holiness, a
Sermon preached at the consecration of the parish church
of St. John's Southwark." He next undertook, at the re<-
quest, of the bishops Gibson and Potter, to publish a. new
edition of ^^ Godwin de Prssulibus." On this he returned
to Cambridge. ip 1734, for the convenience of the libraries
.and more easy communication with his learned contempo-
raries;^ and in 1735 proceeded D. D. . After the death of
J)t. Savage, he was chosen unanimously, and without his
knowledge, master of Emanuel college, Aug. 10, 173€!; a
rare and almost unprecedented compliment (o a man. of
JeJ^ters, for be bad never been fellow of the college. He
seVyed the pffice of vice-chancellor in 1738, and again. in
l.t.69. In 17^6. be was appointed one of his majesty's
chaplains, which he resigned in 1768. In 1743 he pub«F
lisbed at Cambridge his new edition of Godwin, ina spleo-
B' I C H.A RD S O rN. 19^
did folio, yolttiiie^. with a continiiatioo of tbe lives of the
bishops ,10 tbe.tifloe of publicatioii ; a wort of anqoestion-'
abk».uAili^ aod. accuracy. He was. named in the inrill g6
archbishop Potter for an option, on.cpnditioQ^that hecan*'
celled a leaf of ^is work, relating to archbishop Tenison's
lukewarmnejM} in tbe matter of tbe Prussian liturgy and
bishops. Accordingly. a new leaf was printed and sent to
all the subscribers ; ^' but," in Mr. Cole's opinion, *^ ra-
ther confirming the factr tiian disproving it." Both the
original and tbe substitute may be seen in the supplement
to the old edition of the <^ Biograpbia Britannica,*'.art.
GRA9e» note, p. 79. The option, however, was not so
easily obtained* It was the precentorship of Lincoln, and
was contested by archbishop Potter's chaplain. Dr. Chap»
man. Tbe lord- keeper Henley gave it in favour of Chap-
man, but Dr. Richardson appealing to the House of Lords,
the dfscree wa? unanimously reversed, and Dr. Richardson
admitted it\io the precentorship in 1760. This aflair ap-
peara to have bieeo consideiced of imporjtance. Warburton
writes on it to his correspondent Hurd in approving terms^^
^* I would not omit to give you the early news, (in two
words) that Dr. Richardson is come off victorious in the
appeal. The precentprship of. Lincoln is decreed for him ;
the keeper's decree reversed with costs of suit. Lord
Mansfield spoke admirably^ It has been three days in try-
ing.". Burn has inserted a full account of this cause in his
^* Ecclesiastical Law."
Dr. Richardson died March 15, 1775, at his lodgings at
Emanuel college, at the. age of seventy-seven, after ia lin-
gering decay, and was buried in tbe college chapel, in the'
same vault with his wife, who died March ^1, 1759. .
He was many years an honour to the Society of Antiqua*
ries, and left in MS. some valuable collections relative- to
the constitation of the university ; many biographjcal anec- *
dotes preparatory to an '^ Athens Cantabrigieuses,?* which'
be once intended to publish, and an accurate alphabet in
bis own writing of all the graduates of the university, from
1500 to 1 7 35 inclusive. He printed also a sermon preached
before the House of Commons in 1764.
His only sop, Robert Richardson, D. D, F, R. S. and S. A.
was prebendary of Lincoln, rector of St. Anne's Westmin-
ster, and of Wallington in Hertfordshire, which last was.
given to him by sir Joseph Yorke, with whom he resided
as chaplain many years at the Hague. Whilst in that
t9» R IX H AR'O S-O IC
employ mcrnty the paperi on bolb sidts, pi«ftoo«tallia
of the g^ea* cause, Douglas as^est HaaHkim, being sent
over to his eKceUency, ^. Richavdsoii, for Us own curi«^
osky, digested tfaesD, and drew up the state of die ques^
tioD, which was printed in 4to for private distrilmtion, and
to well approved by the gentleiaen of the bar, that it was
pnt itato the bands of the counsel for the party he espoused
as their brief; of which peibaps there never ivas a similar
mstance. He had the honour to see the opinion he snp^
ported Gon&rmed by the House of Peers. After the trial
he was offered 400/. in the handsomest manner, but ^e^
cUned aoeepting it. He died Sept. 27y 17^1^ at his hooie
xn Dean-street, Soho, in his fiftieth year. He printed
only two occasiomd sermons. ^
BICHELET (GiBSAR Peter), a French writer, and noted
as the ficit who published a dictionary almost entirely ssti«
rioal, was born at Cheminon in Champagne, in 16S1. He^
was the friend of Patru and d* Abkmeourt ; and, like them^
applied himself to the study of the French language widi
sueoess. He composed a dietienary full of new and nseftil
remarks, which, would have been more acceptable if it had
not been abo fell of satirical reiectioas and indeeencies^
but these were eapunged in tbe lattier editions, k wae
first published at Geneva, 1680^ in one vol. 4to ; bnt, after
th^ death of the author, which happened in 1698, en^
larged with a. great number of new articles to 2 vols, folie,'
as is the edition of Lyons in 1721. Anotheredition, 3 vols,
felio, was published at Lyons in 1727; and a very neat
oae in 12 vols. 4to, at Amsterdaoi in 17S2 ; and, lastly, in
3 vob. folio, at Lyons, 1759 — 1763, by the abb£ Gonget»^
Tbe abridgment of it by Gsttel, 1797 and 1803, 2 vob. Sro^'
ia now ia siost demand in France.
Richelet made a French translattOQ of ^ Tbe Conquest'
of Florida,'* by Garcilasso dels^ega; to which is pre-^
fixed an account of his Ule. He composed spme other
pieces, of the grammatieal and critical kind, relating to the
Branch teague.*
BICHELIEU (Armand do Plbssis), a celebrated car^
dinal and minister of France, was tbe third son of Franeia
du Plessis, seigneur de Ricbriieu, knight of the king's
orders, and grand provost of France, and was bom Sept 5^-
1 Cole's MS Athene iQB;nt.Mii9.^Nlcteii'«£swy^.
• M oren.— Diet. HisU
K I C H E L I E U. 201
1 M5^ tt Pari»; He wm admitted into tha Sorbonne at
tbe age of twenty •^two, obtained a dispensation frottt pope
PiLcd V. for tbe biabopric of LiKjon, and wag consecrated
at Rome in 1607. On bis return, be acquired consider-
able interest at coart, and was appointed by Mary de Me«-
dicis, tben regent, her grand almoner; and in 1616 was
raised. to the post of secretary of state. After the death of
one of his inends, the marshal D'Ancre, in 1617, when
Mary was banished. to Blois, he followed her ibither ; but,
the duke de Luynes becoming jealous of ^him, he was
onfered to setine to Avignon, and there he wrote bift
^* Method of Controversy," on tbe principal points of
In 1619 the king recalled RiobeKen, and sent him int6
Aogottleme, where he persuaded the queen to a reeonciU*
ation, which was concluded in 1620; and in consequence
of this treaty, tbe duke de Luynes obtained a cardtnal'd
hat for htm from pope Gregory XV. Richelieu, continu-
ing his senriees after the duke's decease, was admitted, in
1 6*^9 into tbe council, through tbe interest of tbe queen,
and almost against the will of tbe king, who, devout and
scrupulous, considered him as a knave, because he bad
been ii^'ormed of bis gallantries. It h even said that he
was insolent enough to aspire to queen Anne of Austria,
and that the railleries to which this subjected bim were tbe
cause of his subsequent arersion to her. Cardinal Riche^
lieti was afterwards appointed prime minister, head of the
eonaeib, high steward, chief, and superintendant*gencH*al
of the French trade and navigation. He preserved the
Isle of Rfa6 in 1627, and undertook tbe siege of Rochelle
against the protestaots the same year. He completed the
conquest of Rocbelle in October 1628, in spite of the
king of Spain, who had withdrawn his forces, of the kin^
of England, who could not relieve it, and of the French
king, who grew daily more weary of the undertaking, by
means of that famous mole, executed by his orders, but
planned by Lewis Metezeau and John Tiriot. The cap-
ture of Rochelle proved a mortal blow to the protestants,
bat in France was reckoned the most glorious and benefit
cial circumstance of cardinal Richelieu*s administration.
He also attended his majesty to the relief of tbe duke of
Mantua in 1629, raised the siege of Casal, and, at his re«
turn, compelled the protestants to accept tbe treaty of
peace which had been concluded at Alais, and completed
fm K I C H EL I E U.
the nun' of their party. Six months after this, cardilfai
Richelieu, having procured himself to be appointed lieote*
i»ant^eneral of the army beyond the mountains, took Pig*
Aelt>ly relieved Casal a second time, which was besieged
hy the marqtiisSpinola, defeated general Doria, by means
of the duke de Montmorenci at Vegliana, July 10, 16 SO^
and made himself master of all Savoy. Louis XIIL having
aretiif ned to Lyons, in consequence of> sickness, the queen-
mother, and most of the nobility, took advantage of this
circumstance to form plots against Bichelieu, and speak
ill of bis conduct to?tbe king, which tbey did with so much
success, that Louis promised the queen to discard him.
The cardinal's ruin now seemed inevitable, and he was
actually preparing to set out for Havre-de-Gnice, which
be had diosen for his retreat, when cardinal de la Valets,
kfiowing that the queen had not followed ber son to Ver-
sailles, advised him first to see his inajesty. In this inter-
view, he immediately cleared himself from all the adensa-
tions of bis enemies, justified his conduct, displayed the
advantages and necessity of his administration, and wrought
so forcibly upon the king's mind by his reasoning, that,^
iristead of being discarded, he became from that moment ^
more ppwerful than ever. He inflicted the same punish*
ments upon his enemies which they had advised forium ;
and this day, so fortunate for Richelieu, was called ^* The
Day of Dupes." Those who had the misfortune to incur
his displeasure, certainly did not all deserve the penalties
to which he doomed them ; but he knew how to make him-
self master of tbeir fate, by appointing such judges to try
them as were at his disposal. That aboiniuable method of
taking the accused from tbeir lawful judges, hadj in the-
preceding century, served as a means for the families of
condemned persons to get their characters restored ;- after
which the French had no reason to fear its revival; but*
Richelieu hesitated not to adopt it^ though at the risque of
general odium, as being favourable to his designs. By
thus making himself master of the lives and fortunes of the
mal-contents,' he imposed silence even on their murmurs.
This artful minister, being now secure of his lasting as^
cendancy over the king, and having already accomplisfaed
one of the two great objects which he had proposed to
himself from the beginning of bis administration, which
were, the destruction of the protestants, and tbe bumbling'
the too great power of the house of Austria, b^an now
R I CHE LIEU. 203:
to oeiitriye ideahs for executing this second undertaLingr
Tbe principal and most efficacious method employed hy
the oardin»l vinh that view, was a treaty be concluded,
January 2^, 1631, with Gustavus Adolpbos, king of Sw<e->
deo, for carrying the war into the heart of Germany, fie
also formed a league with tbe duke of Bavaria, secured to
bimself Lorrain, raised part of the German princes against
the. emperor, treated with Holland to continue tbe war
with Spain, favoured tbe Catalonians. and Portuguese
when they shook off the Spanish yoke, and, in short,
ipade use of so many measures and stratagems, that he
Completely accomplished his design. Cardinal Richelieu
was carrying, on the war with success, and mediating on
that glorious peace, which was not concluded till 1648,
. when be died in bis palace at Paris, worn out by his long>
toils, December 4, 1 642, aged fifty-eight. He was buried
a|t the Sorbonne, where bis mausoleum (the celebrated
Girardon^s.master* piece) may be seen. He is considered
as one of the most complete statesmen, and ablest politi*
ci^tns, that France ever bad. Amidst, all the anxieties-
which the fear of his enemies must necessarily occasion,
be. formed tbe most extensive and complicated plans, and
executed them with great superiority of genius. It was
. cardinal Richelieu who established the throne, while yet
-shaken by the protestant. factions, and tbe power, of the
House of Aus.tria, and made the royal authority completely
absolute, and independent, by the extinction of the petty
tyrants who wasted, the kingdom. In the mean time be
omitted nothing which cpuld contribute to the glory of
Frai>€se.- HenprotQqted arts and sciences; founded the
botanical garden at. Paris called .the. kiug^s garden ; also
the French academy, and the royal printing-office; built
tlje palace Mnce. called tbe Palais Royal, and gave it to bis
majesty; rebuilt the Sorbonne (of which he was provisor)
iri^a style of kingly magnificence ; and prepared fqr allthe
Sf^lendour of Louis the. Fourteenth's reign. His enemies,
* says tbe abb^ L'Avocat, unable tq deny his great talents,
b^ijce. reproached him' with great faults ; irregularity of con-
duct, unbounded ambition, universal despotism, from which
e^eui the king,, bis master, did not escape; for be left
faim,.as: tbey express it, only the power <>f curing tbe evil ;
^ vanity and ostentation which exceeded tbe dignity of tbe
throne itself, where all was simplicity and negligence,
wjbile.the cardinal's court e^^hibited .nothing but pomp and
2Q4. B I C HE LI £ U
splendtmr; unexampled ingratieude to hh beneiaeltMlj
qiiees Mary de Medicw, wIkmb be infattmanly emnpelled
to end her days in Geraiatiy, in obseurirfr and indig^aice j
and, finally, bis revengeful temper^ wbicb occasioned 9^
kiany cruel executions ; as those of Chalaisy Giaadier, the
mareobal de Harillac, M. de Montmorenci, Ginqmare, M^
da Thou, &c. Even the queen, for having written to the
duebess de Cbev reuse, Richelieu's enemy, and a fugitive^
saw all her papers seized, and was examined before tbe
chancellor Seqoier. Mad. de la Fayette, mad. de Hautte*
fort, and father Csussin, the king^s confessors, wei« uH
disgraced in consequence of having offended this de^tid.
minister. But, says bis i^logtst, there are many poims
to be considered witb respect to these accusations : itup^i
pears certain, from a thousand passages in the life of this
celebrated cardinal, that he was naturally very grateful^
and never proceeded to punishnsent but when be thought
state af&irs required it; for which reason^ when in hi» last
sickness, his confessor asked *' if be forgai^e bis enemies T^
he replied, ^* I never bad any but those of the state." At
tbe bead of his ** Political Testament'* may be seen hial
justification of himself on tbe subject of these bloody exe*
cutions, witb which be has been so much reproached. It
is equally certain, that he never oppressed the people by
'taxes or exorbitant subsidies, notwithstanding tbe long
wars bie had to carry on ; and tbat, if be was severe^ in
punishing crimes, he knew bow to distinguitb merit, and
re ward, it generously. He bestowed the highest eccliesias*^
tical dignities on such bishops and doctors as be knew to
be men of virtue and learning ; placed able and experien«
ced generals at the bead of the armies, and entiusied pi^
lie business witb wise^ punctual, and intelligent men* II
was tbis minister who established a navy. His vigilance
extended through every part of tbe government; and^
aotwithstanding tbe cabals, plots, and factions, which 'W&m
incessantly forming against him during the whole course oC
bia administration (and which must have employed greet:
part of his time) be left sufficient sums behind him to' carry
on tbe war with glory ; and France was in a more pow^ful
and flourishiog state at the time of bis deoeisse tluin wben^
Louis XIV. died. After stating these facts, Richelieu^
enemies are invited to determine wbetber France would have
derived more advantage from being gofervied by Mary de
Medicis, Gaston of Orleans, &c. than by this cafdinid i
R I CHE L II U. tm
Tbe estttbfr of Rioheltau was mi^e a dukedom in his fuvocuv
in I6S1^ and be netteived other honours and prefermenls*
Besides the ^* Method of Controversy" be wrote, 2. i* The
pnnclpal points of the Catholic Faith defended, againsS
the writing addressed to the king by tbe ministers o>f Cba<*'
renton." 3. *' The most easy and certain* Method cf oon-^
verting tbose wbaare separated from tbe Church/' These
pieces are written with force and vivacity. He wrote also^.
^ A Ca^ecbi^D/* in which he lays down tbe doctrine of
tbe churchy in a dear and concise manner ; and a treatises
of piety, called, ** The Perfection of a Christian." These
are bis theological works; and they have been dften
printed : but that which is most read, and most worthy o(
being read,< is^ bis *^ Polkical Testament^" the authenticity
of wbtcb baa been doubted by some French writers, parti^^
euburly Voltaire. Tbe cardinal also had the ambition to^
be thought a dramatic poet; and, says lord Chesterfield^
while he aebsolotely governed both bis king and coantry,
and waa,. in a great degree, the aii>iter of the fiiteof ait
Europe, he was mope jealoua of tbe great repntation ot
C€M*n«»lle, tfaan<>f tbe power of Spain ; and more flattened
with being tbougbt (what be was not) tbe best poet, than;
with .bekig thoegbt {vA»t be certainly was) tbe gi^eatest
statesman in Europe ; and afiairs stood still, while he vraie
eonceatog the esiticisai opon= the- Cid. ^
RICBER (Edmund):, a learned French divine, was born
September 30^ 1 560, at CbsKMirce, in tbe dio^cese of Lan«^
grea. ^ He had been at first drawn into the party and sen^
iteients of the Letgaers^ awl enren Tentured to deibodi
iflmeaCleaiem, but soon hastened to acknowledge bislegiti*
ante soieereign^ after baring taken- bis doctor's degree,'
IB90^ Richer became grand master of the college S( Le
Moime^ then syndic of the faculty of divinity at Paris,;
Jan nary 2, 1 606, in which office he strenuously defended
ftbemncicnt maxims of the doctors of this faculty, and op-^
posed the thesis of a Dominican in 1611, who maintained
the pope's infallibHtty, and his superiority over the coun^
oiL He published a small tract the same year, *^ Oh tbe
Civil and Eceleaiasttcal Pewer^'' 8vo, to establish the prin«
ciples on which he asserted that the doctrine of the FVencb
cbmrob, and tbeJStorbonne, respectityg papal authority, and
the- authority of tbe general council, were founded. This:
> Pict U'lfL de L*Avocat3~Mor«ri.--Nist. ofFcftiice.
fi06 R I C JEI E R.
\\iile book made mucfatioise, and raised its author enemies in
theNuncio, and some doctors undertook to have him deposed
from the syndicate^ and his w'ork condemned by the faculty
of theology ; but the parliament prohibited .the faculty fronl
interfering in that affair. In the mean time, cardinal dii
Perroti^ Archbishop of Sens, assembled eight bishops of his
province at Paris, and made them censure Richer's book,
March 9, 1 6 1 2. Richer entered an appeal (Qmime d^abus)
from this censure^- to the parliament, atid was admitted a^
an appellant ; but the matter rested there; His book was
also censured by the archbishop of Aix, and three, bishops^
of his province, May 24, the same year, and he was .pro-
scribed and condemned at Rome. A profusion of pam--
phtets now appeared ta refute him, and he received anf
express order from court, not to- write in bis defence;'
The aniinosity against Richer rose at length to such a
height that his enemies obtained- from tb6 king and the
queen regent letters, ordering the faculty to elect another
syndic. Richer made his protestations, fead a paper itv
his defence, and retired. A new syndic was- chosen inf
1612, and they have ever since been elected once in two'
years, although before that time their office was perpetual.
Richer afterwards ceased to attend the meetings of the
liaculty, and confined himself to solitude, being wholly
employed in study ; but his enemies having involved him'
in several fresh troubles, he was seized, sent to. theVprisons
of St. Victor, and would even have been delivered up to
the pope, had not the parliament and*chancellor of France
prevented it, on complaints made by the university. He
refused; to attend the censure passed on the books of An-
thony de Dominis in 16117, and published a declaration in
1620, at the solicitation of the court of Rome, protesting^
that he was ready to give an account of the propositions in his
book ^^ on the Ecclesiastical and Civil Power," and explaiil
them in an orthodox sense; and farther, that he submitted'
l)is work to the judgment of the Holy See, and of the Ca-
tholic church. He even published a second declaration^ ;•'
but all being insufficient to satisfy his adversaries, he was
obliged to reprint his book in 1629, with the proofs of the
propositions advanced in it, and the two declarations, to
which cardinal Richelieu is said to have forced him to add
a third. He died Nov. 28, 1631, in his seventy-second,
year. He was buried at the Sorbonne, where a mass used
to be said annually for the repose of his soul. Besides bis
R 1 € H E R. 307
<i(r»ti80an ^VEoclesiasiica) Power/' re|Mriuted.wUh additions
at Cologh in 1701, 2. vols. 4tOj be waa the author of a
" History of general Councils," 4 vols. 4lo; a " Histonjr
of his Syndicate/'. Syo^ and some other works, ia which
learning and great powers of reasoning are obvious* Bail-
let published a life of him in 1 2aio. ^
. RICHER (PfiTfiR DE Bblleval), an ingenious French
botanist, w.as born in 1558, at. Chalons in Champagne, and
studied medicine. The huadaoe. and skilful servicer he
rendered to the people of Pezena^, during an. epidemic
disorder, recommended him to the paijtronage of the cod*
stable de Montmorency, by whose iuuere^t he was appoint-
ed professor of , botany and anatomy in the university of
Mpntpellier, and Henry IV. committed to bun the care of
^stablishinga public garden in that university^ Tbis dew
sign was. executed in the most skilful: and splendid man-
ner. Belleval published a catalogue of the garden in
I599f and. a French treatise, in 1^5^ recommending an
inquiry into the native plants of Languedoc. This last was
accompanied by 6ve plates, intiended as a. apeeimea of a
future work, for which he subsequently prepared ia number
of engravings, rude and stiff in execution, but exhibiting
many rare species. He never lived to. publish these, and
the plates remained, neglected in the hands, of his. family,
till Gouan recovered them, and sent impnesaiona to Lin-
naeus.. At length. Gillibert obtained the plaies^ and pub-
llshe;d them in 1796« The two pamphlets above mentioned
were republished in 1785, by tbe celebrated and unforta*
nate Broussonet ; along with a treatise on the white mul-
berry, by Olivier de Serres,. originally printed iii 1^31;
Richer de Belleval Jived to see. his garden destroyed by the
fury of civil war, and was be^nning to reslore it, when he
died in 16^23. .His nephew accomplished the re-establish-
ment of the garden^ on a more extensive scale. M. Dortbes
of Montpellier published, in 1786^ « Rechercbes sur la
yie et les Ouvragts de Pierre Richer de Belleval,^' in which
every thing that could be collected on tbe subject. is re-
corded* Some writers erroneously mention Belleval aa
the* f^r^t botanist who gave copper- plate figures of plants.
Tbis honour i.^ due to Fabius Columna, whose ^' Pbytoba«!
s^K^QsV appeared.in 1592. We must not omit to. mention^
' Dupifk— Niccron, yoI, XXVI L— Life io Bibi. AncctMadem, wl.XlI,—
Mosfaeim.
A2Q8 R I C R I E.
tbat.Scopbli bag named a genus BelltvaUai a name» or aomi*
..thiag like it, which Belleval bimfelf was fond of giving to
the lily of the vall«y.'
RICIUS (Paul), was a learned German Jew, who« hav-
ing been converted^ taught philoiophy with great credit at
Padua, and was afterwards iniFited into Germany, by the
jeotperor Maximilian^ add appointed one of bis physicians.
There are no particalars of bis Hie upon record, except the
aboiw general facts. He published many worios against
the Jews, aiid on different subjeou, in which be matntatns
that the heavens ase animated, and advances other pata*-
doxes. '« De Cceleeti Agriculrarik,*' Bas^ 1587, in folio;
<^ Talmudica Cominentarioia,*' Augsburg, 1519, 4to; <<t>e
.73 MosaiosB Sanotionis Edictis," Augsburg, 1515, 4Uk His
•eaodottf, honesty, moderation, and learning, ase much
•praised. He lived in the sixteenth century, and SrasmuB
lias given htseiifegy in the last letter of his first book.*
RIDER (Jobn), an Irish prelate, was bors at Caiting-
ton in Cheshire, about 1562, and was entered of Jesaa cal>-
lege,; Oxford,, in 1576, where be took his degreea in art»,
and coniiiiued se«|e years in the university, teaching gvam*-
mar chiefly. His fintt prefermeM in the church appears to
have^bspcii to the living of Waterstock m Oxfordshire, in
J 580, winch he resigned in 1581. In 1583, he was ad*
miued to that of South Wokingdon, which he resigned in
1 590. He #as also rector of St. Mary Magdalen, Btf^
noondaey, and of Winwick in Lancashire. He was after<^
^vards made archdeacon of Meath in Ireland, ihence pre^
ferred to the deanery of St< Patrick's, Dublin, and in 1612
tjotbe bishopric of Killaloe. He died in 1632, and was
buried in his cathedral. To this dry catalogue of prefer«-
ments, we can *only add generally that he was much re-
spected for piety and learning ; but there are no partieu-
lars of his life and progress from a state of comparative ob*
scurity to the bishopric. As be was an eminent tntor^ he
might owe some of his preferments to the gratitude of his
paptls. He published *^ A Letter concerning the News out
of Ireland, and of the Spaniards landing, and the present
state there,'* Lond. 1601, 4to; and <^ Claim of antiquity in
behalf of the Protestant Religion,'' ibid. 1608, 4to ; a tract
wvitten in controversy with Fitz Simon the Jesuit, whose
• 1' HalfofV BfU. Bot.— DioL Hitt.--Reet>t Cyclopadic.
* Oca. Dict«— Morerli— Diet Hist
R I D E K. 2M
iMswer is' entitled ^^ A catholic confutation of Mr. John
^Rider^s Claim pf Antiquity, and a calming comfort agatiiA
bis caveat,^* Roan, 1608, 8vo. To«thts was added a <^ Reply
to Mr. Rider's postscript, and a discovery of puritan par-
jtiality in his bdEralf/' But this prelate is most remembered
on account of his dictionary, ^^ A Dictionary, English and
iLatin, and Latin and Englisb/*^ Oxon. 1589, 4to. This
qiust have been at that tiqote a work oF great utility, although
fuller apcuses him of borrowing from Thomasius. Wood
aays it was the first that bad the English before the Latin^^
which is not correct, as this was the case in the ^^ Prompt
tprium parvulom,^' printed by Pynson in 1499, and the
«* Ortus Vocabulorum,'* by W. de Worde, in 1516 ; but it
certainly was the first Latin Dictionary in which the Eng^
lish part was placed at the beginning of the book, before
the Latin part.^
RIDGLEY (Thomas), an eminent dissenter, was born
in London about 1667, and educated at a privateacademy
in ^Wiltshire, Having entered into the ministry, he was in
169/5 chosen assistant to Mr. Thomas Gouge in bis meet*
ing near the Three Cranes, London, and about four years
afterwards became his successor. In 1712, in conjunction
with Mr. John Eames, he bcrgan to conduct an acaaemy^
supported by the independents of London, as divinity
tutor ; bis qualifications for which office were very consi*
derable, both as to learning and abilities, and a judicious
manner of conveying knowledge. It was in the course of
lecturing to his pupils, that he delivered, an exposition of
the ^* Assembly's Larger Catechism,^' which he published
in 1731, as a " Body of Divinity," in i2 vols« folio. This
has been frequently reprinted, and i^ still held in high es*
timation among the Calvinistic dissenters, with whom he
iranks ; but he held some few speculative opinions, respect-^
ing the doctrines of the Trinity, aqd of a future state, which
are peculiar to himself. The university of Aberdeen be-
stowed on him the degree of D. 1>. as a testimony of their
approbation of this work. His other publications were,
various single sermons, and two tracts occasioned by the
controversy among the dissenting ministers on the subject
ci subscription to creeds. As a preacher be officiated at
other places, besides his own meeting, and was much fol<e
» Atb. Ox. vol. I. new edit.— Harris's W«re.— Fuller's Worthies.
VOL. XXVI. p '
210 ft I D L E T.
}owe4* He died March 27, 1734, in the asty-serenlb
year of bis age.'
RIDLEY (Nicholas)^ an eminent English prelate and
jDnartyr to the cause of the reformed religion^ descended
' from an ancient family in Northumberland, was bom early
in the sixteenth century, in Tjnedale, bI a place called
. Wilmontswick in the above county. As he exhibited early
proofs of good natural abilities, he was placed in a gram*
mar-scbool at Newcastle-npon-Tjne, in which he made
such progress, that he was taken from theoce and entered
of Pembroke-bail, Cambridge, about 1513, when Luther was
preaching against indulgences in Germany. His disposi-
tion was open and ingenuous, and bis application to his
studies unremitting both at school and uoiversity. He was
.taught Greek by Robert Crook, who bad begun a course of
that language at Cambridge. His religious sentiments
iwere those of the Romisb church in which he had been
brought up, and in which be would probably be encou-
raged by his uncle. Dr. Robert Ridley, then fellow of
.Queen's college. In 1522 he took the degree of B. A.;
^nd to bis knowledge of the learned languages, now added
that of the philosophy and theology then in vogue. In
1524 his abilities were so generally acknowledged, that the
master and fellows of University college, Oxford, invited
Jiim to accept of an exhibition there ; but this he declined,
and the same year was chosen fellow of his own college in
Cambridge. Next year he took the degree of M. A. and in
1526 was appointed by the college their general agent in
all causes belonging to the churches of Tilney, Soham, and
Saxtborpe, belonging to Pembroke-hall. But as his stu-
dies were now directed to divinity, bis uncle, at h^s own
charge, sent him for farther improvement to the Sorbonne
at Paris ; and from thence to Louvain ; continuing on the
continent till 1529. In 1530, he was chosen junior trea-
surer of his college, and about this time appears to have
been more than ordinarily intent on the study of the scrip-
, tures. For this purpose he used to walk in the orchard at
Pembroke-hall, and there commit to memory almost all
the epistles in Greek ; which walk is still called Ridley^'s-
walk. He also distinguished himself by his skill in dispu*
tatiob, but frequently upon, frivolous questions, as was the
-custom of the time.
^ WiUoD*t Hiitory of Disienting Chorcbetk
R I D L E y* ail
' In 1^3^ he urtis cho6en senior proctor of the university^
and while in that office, the important point of the pope*d«
sup'renmcy came to be examined upon the authority of
scripture. The decision of the university was^ that ** the
hishop of Rome had no more authority and jurisdiction de-
rived to him from God, in this kingdom of England, than
any other foreign bishop ;'* which was signed by the vice-
chancellor; and by Nicholas Ridley, and Richard Wilkes,
proctors; In 1534, on the expiration of his proctorship,
he took the degree of B.D. and was chosen chaplain of the
university, and public reader, which archbishop Tenisoa
calls pnedicator pubUcuSj and in the Pembroke MS. he Ms
also called Magister Glonieriarj which office is supposed to
be that of university orator. In the year 1537 his great
reputation as an excellent preacher, and his intimate ac-
quaintance with the scriptures and fathers, occasioned
Crahmer, archbishop of Canterbury, to invite him to his
house, where he appointed him one of iiis chaplains, and
admitted him into bis confidence. As a farther mark of
his esteem, he collated him, in April 1538, to the vicarage
of Heme in Kent Here he was diligent to instruct his
bharge in the pure doctrines of the gospel, as far as they
were discovered to him, except in the point of transubstan-
iiatioD, on which he had as yet received no light ; dnd to.
enliven the devotion of his parishioners, he used to have
the Te Deum sung in his parish church in English, which
was afterwards urged in accusation against him.
In 1539, when the act of the six articles was passed, Mr.
Ridley, who had now the character of a zealous scriptu-
rist, bore bis testimony against it in the pulpit, although
he wad io'no danger from its penalties, as he was still a be-
liever in transubstantiation, was not married, and with re-
spect to auricular confession, rather leaned to the practice,
but made a difference between what 'he thought an useful
appointinent in the church, and pressing it on the con*'
science as a point necessary to salvation. At Heme he
continued to attract a great multitude of people to his ser-
tnons, and tn 1540 went to Cambridge, and took his de^
gree of doctor of divinity, probably at the .persuasion of
Cranmer, who wished to place him in a more .conspicuous
situation. This he attempted partly by recommending
him to the king as one of his majesty^^ chaplains, and
jgartly by givifig him a prebend ia the char^ch of Can^er-
212 R ID L E Y,
I^Mry. About the satn^ time the fellows of Pembroke-^ball
elected him master of that house.
At Canterbury he preached with so much zeal against
the abuses of popery, as to provoke the other prebenda*
rieS| and preachers. of what was called the aid leamingj to
exhibit articles against him at the archbishop's Tintatidn in
154], for preaching contrary to the statute of the six arti«
cles. The attempt, however, completely failed. Gardiner,
bjshop of Winchester, next endeavoured tcf entrap him ;
and articles were exhibited against him before the justices
of the peace in Kent, and afterwards before the king and
council, which charged him with preaching against auri-
cular confession, and with directing the Te Deum to be
sung in English ; but the accusation being referred to
Cranmer, by the king, that prelate immediately crushed
it, much to the mortification of Dr. Ridley^s enemies.
: The greatest part of 1545 Dr. Ridley spent in retire-'
ment at Heme. He had, as we have noticed, been hitherto
a believer in transubstantiation, influenced by the decrees
of popes add councils, the rhetorical expressions of the
fathers, and the letter of scripture ; but it is supposed that
a perusal of the controversy between Luther and the
Zuinglians, with the writings of Ratramnus or Bertram,
whicfa'had fallen into his. hands, induced him to examine
more closely into the scriptures, and opinions of the fa-
thers ; the result, of which was, that this doctrine had no
foundation. Cranmer also, to whom he communicated his
discoveries, joined with him in the same opinion, as did
Latimer. In the close of 1545, Cranmer gave him the
eighth stall in St. Peter's, Westminster. When EdWard
ascended the throne in 1547, Dr. Ridley was considered as
a celebrated preacher, and in his sermons before (he king,
as well a9 on other occasions, exposed, with boldness and
argument, the errors of popery. About this time, the fel^
lows of Pembroke-hall presented him to the living of So«
ham, in the diocese of Norwich; but the presentation being
disputed by the bishop, Ridley was admitted to the living
by command of the king. On Sept. 4 following, he was
promoted to the bishopric of Rochester, vacant by the
translation of Dr. Holbeach to the bishopric of Lincoln*
He was consecrated Sept. 25, in the chapel belonging to
Dr. May, dean of St, Paul's, in the usual form, by chrism,
or I^oly unction, and imposition pf hands ; and after au .
•ath. renouncing the usurped jurisdiction of the Roman
RIDLEY; 813
\
pontiflF, was vested, accordiog to the ancient rites, vrhh
the robes and insignia appropriated to his dignity. Yet Dr*
Brookes, in the subsequent reigo, would not allow Ridley
to have been a bishop, and only degraded him fropa his.
priest's orders, which is not easy to be accounted for; be-
jcause if the pretence was that his afa^ur^tion of the pope
invalidated his consecration; the same objection might be
made to Bonner, Tonstall, Gardiner^ &c;
In 1548, bishop Ridley appears to have been employed
an compiling the codamon prayer, in conjunction with arch-
bishop Cranmer, and others; and id 1549, he was put
into commission, together with Cranmer and several others,
to search after all anabaptists, heretics, and contemners of
the common prayer. Xl^i^ produced the execution of Joap
Bbcher and another, of which we have already spoken in
our account of Cranmer, vol. X. p. 473. In May of this
year, he was one of a commission to visit Cambridge, and
abolish the statutes and ordinances whi^h maintained
popery and superstition ; but, finding that another more
conceftled object was the suppression of Clare-haU, ^nd the
incorporation of it with Trinity^hall^ as a new college of
civilians, be opposed it, and by his firmness prevented this
act of injustice. Another part of the business of the .comr
teissioners was more agreeable to him : thi? was to preside
at a public disputation relating to the sacrament of the
Lord's supper, similar to one that had been held at Oxford
a short time' before. The decision on this occasion was
against transubstantiation ; and although Langdale, one. of
the disputants on the /side of that doctrine, composed a
pretended refutation of bishop Ridley*s d.et^rmi9atipn, he
did not venture to print it until 1558, when he' was secure
that Ridley could make no reply.
In October 1549, Bonner, bishop of London, was de-
prived, and Ridley, who was one of the comoiissioners be-
fore whom his cause was determined, was itbonght the
. most proper person to fill that important s^^ on account
of his great learning and zeal for the reformation; and he
was accordingly installed in April 1550. His conduct. to-
wards his predecessor Bonner, arid his family^ after tidcing
possession of the episcopal palace, was honourable to his
integrity and benevolence, of which the following facts are
sufficient proofs. He took care to preserve from it^ury the
goods, &c. belonging to Bonner, allowing him full liberty
to remove them when be pleased. * 3ttch materials as Boil^
214 RIDLEY.
her had purchased for the repair of his house and church;
the new bishop employed to the uses for which they w^re
designed ; but he repaid him the money which he had ad->
vanced for them. He took upon himself the discharge of
the sums which were due to Bonner's servants for liveries
and wages ; and that the mother and sister of that prelate,
who lived near the palace at Fulham, and bad their board
there, might not be losers in consequence of his promotion,
he always sent for them to dinner and supper^ constantly
placing Mrs. Bonner at the bead of the table, twea when
persons of high rank were bis guests, often saying, *< By
your lordship's favour, this place of right and custom is foir
my mother Bonner," as if he had suc;jceeded to the rela^
tion, as well as office of her son. /
Our prelate filled this high station with great dignity,
and was a pattern of piety, temperance, and regularity, to
all around him. He spent much of bis time in prayer and
contemplation ; and took great pains in the instruction and
improvement of his family. His mode of life was, as soon
as he had risen and dressed himself, to continue in private
prayer half an hour ; then, if no other business interrupted
him, he retired to bis study, where be continued until ten
o'clock, at which hour he went to prayers with his family.
He also^laily read a lecture to them, beginning at the Acts
of the Apostles, and so going reg^ularly through St-JPaul's
epistles, giving to every one that could read, a New Tes-
tament, and encouraging tl^em to learn by heart some
chosen chapters. After prayers h^ went to dinner, where
he was not very forward to begin discourse ; but when be
did, he entered into it with great wisdom and discretion,
and sometimes with facetiousness. This conversation he
would indulge for an hour after dinner, or otherwise amuse
himself during that time with playing at chess. The hour
for unbending being expired, he returned to his study,
where he continued till five, except suitors, or business
abroad, required otherwise. He then went to prayers with
his family as in the morning, after which he supped ; then
diverting himself for another hour after supper, as be did
after dinner, he went back to his study, and continued
there till eleven at night, when be retired to private prayer,
and then went to bed.
Soon after his promotion to the see of London, be was
the person thought the fittest to reconcile Dr. Hooper, the
-^shop elect of Gloucesteri to^e vestments, against which
R I & L E Y. 211
the lalter had cotaceired very strong prejadicet. In June
1550, bishopr Ridley visited his diocese^ and directed that
the altars should be taken down in' the churches, and tables
substituted in their room, for the celebration of the Lord's
supper; in order to take away the false persuasion which
the people had, of sacrifices to foe offered upon altars. In
1551 the sweating sickness prevailed in London, and in the
space of a few days carried off eight or nine hundred per-
' fiohs ; but in the midst of the alarm which this necessarily
occasioned, Ridley administered in the duties of his office,
trusting himself entirely to the good providence of God fot
safety, in the danger to which he was every moment ex-
posed ; and he endeavoured^ with all the zeal of an exem«
plary spiritual pastor, to improve the public calamity to
the reformation of the manners of the people; To promote
more generally a reformation in the doctrine of the churchy
the comicil, this year, appointed Cranmer and Ridley to
prepare a book of articles of faith. With this view ^ey
drew up forty-two articles, and sent copies of them to the
other bishops and learned divines, for their corrections and
amendments ; after which the archbishop reviewed them a
second time, and then -presented them to the council, where
they received the royal sanction, and were published by
' the king's authoi*ity.
In 1552, Ridley visited his old college at Cambridge,
and upon his return called at Hunsdon, to pay his respects
to the princess Mary. Their interview forms a curious
narrative. She thanked him for his civility, and entering
into conversation with him for about a quarter of an hour,
told him that she remembered him at court, and mentioned
particularly a sermon of his before her father; and then,
leaving her chamber of presence, dismissed him to dine
with her officers. After dinner she sent for him again,
when the bishop said that he did not only come to pay his
duty to Jier grace, but also to offer to preach before her
next Sunday, if she would be pleased to permit him.. On
this she changed countenance, and after some minutes' si-
lence, said, "As for .this matter, I pray you, my lord,
make the answer to it yourself;" and, on the bishop's
urging his offer, as a matter of conscience and duty, she
repeated the same words, yet at last told him, that the
doors of the parish churtsh should be open to him, where
he might preach if he pleased, but that neither herself nor
any of her servants should hear him. '* Madam," «aid the
916 E I D L £ Y,
bishopi ^* I trust you will not refuse God^s word»''-^^< I caan
not tell what you call God's word. That is not God's word
nowy which was God's word in my father's days," Thf
bishop observed, that God's word is the same at all times,
but has been better understood and practised in some ages
than in others. Mary, enraged at this, jansweced, ^^ Yo^
durst not for your eUrs have. avouched tbat for God's word
in my father's days, that you do now ;" and then, to shew
how well she h^d prepared her^lf to argue with the prelatf^
she added, '< As for your nevi books, I tbaok God, I never
read any of them -, I never did and never will." She then,
after making use of much hansh language* parted from him,
wfth these words, ** My lord, for your civility in coming, to
see 'me, I tbank you ; but for your joffering to preach before
me, I thank you not a whit." After this the bishop was conr
ducted to the room where they had dined, and where sir Tho-
mas Wharton now gave him a glass of wine. When he
b^ad drank it, be seemed concerned, and said, *^ Surely I
have done amiss," l/pon being asked wby^ he vehemently
reproached himself for having drank iq that place, where
God's word had been refused \ ** whereas," said he, ^/ if |
bad remembered my duty, I ought to ;baye departed iqime^
diately, and to have shaken off the dusit frofxt my feet for a
testimony against this house." On this interview, his bio^
grapber remarks, *^ One of our l^roed l>istorians suggests,
that as the princess wftt under no.ex^^omippnication, th^
bishop discovered his re^ntment too far, Too far in world-v
]y prudence be certainly did, for the princ^ess never forgave
him; but Christ's directions to his apostles were not given
to persons who had been cast out of their communion, but
to persons of a different belief refusing to be iostructed,
And the princess having avowed an ob^ti^ate persevering
refusal of ever}' mejin of instruction, reading and hearings
no wonder if the bishop blamiedhimsjelf for so far f^rgettitig
his master's command, as to accept a pledge of friendship
in the house of one who bad so, wilfully rejected the word
of God. . This bigotry of her's gave him a sorrowful pror
spect of what was to be expected, if ever the priEncess came
to the throne."
When the parliament assembled ju 1553, the king, who
was languishing under the decline which soon put an end
to his life, ordered the two houses to attend him at Whiter
hall, where bishop Ridley preached before him, reicom*
Daending with such energy the duties of . h^nefipepco and
fi I D L E Y. 217
4
S that 'his majesty sent forhim, to inquire hew he
could best put in practice the duties which he had so well
and so strongly enforced i and the result of this sermon and
conference was a determination in the king to founds or
incorporate anew, and endow with ample revenues, those
noble institutions, Christ^s, Bartholomew's, Bridewell, and
St. Thomas's hospitals.
Upon the death of JETdward VI., Ridley was earnest in
attempting to set lady Jane Grey on the throne ; but, when
.the design ha<) miscarried, he went to Mary, to do her ho*
mage, and submit himself to her clemency. Hisreceptioh
was socfa as he might hav€ expected : he was tmmediately
committed to the Tower, where, howeveri he was treated
with much less rigour than Granmer and Latimer, who were
likewise prisoners in .the same , fortress. Ridley, it has
been thought, might have recovered the queen's favour, if
he would have brought the weight of his learning and autho-
rity to countenance her proceedings in religion. He was,
however, too honest to act against bis conviction ; and be
was, after eight months* imprisonment in the Tower, con*
veyed from thence to Oxford, where he was, on the 1st df
October, 1535, condemned to death for heresy. During the
ft^rtnight between bis condemnation and execiition, the
.priests tried all th^ir means of persuasion to gain him over
to -their cause; but be was deaf to therr remonstrances,
and was not to be shaken in the principles which he had
adopted.
The i 5th of October being the day appointed by the
ioourt for his execution, he met the trial with calmness and
fortitude. He called it his marriage-day, and supped on
the preceding evening with the utmost cheerfulness, having
invited some friends on the occasion. When they rose tp
depart,^ one of them offered to sit up with him through the
night, which he would not permit, saying, he meant to go
to bed, and, by God's will, to sleep as quietly that night
as he ever had done in his life. On the following morning,
having dressed himself in his episcopal habit, he walked to
the place of execution, between the mayor and one of the
laldermen of Oxford; and seeing Latimer approach, from
whom he had been separated since their condemnation, he
ran tameet him, and with a cheerful countenance embraced
him, and exclaimed, ^^ Be of good heart, brother, for God
will either assuage the fury of the flames, or else give us
strength to endure jthem." ^hen walking to the stake, he
filS RIDLEY.
knelt down, and kissing it, prayed earnestly, as Latimer
did also, and both suffered the cruellest death with the
greatest courage.
Anthony Wood says of bishop Ridley, that ** he was a*
pei*son of small stature, but great in learning, and pro«
foundly read in divinity/' He ascribes to him the follow-
ing works: 1. <'A treatise concerning Images not to be
■et up, nor worshipped in churches/* 2. ** Brief declara-
tion of the Lord's Supper,'* 1555 and 1586, 8vo, written
during his imprisonment at Oxford, and afterwards trans-
' lated into Latin by William Whittinghara. 3. " A friendly
farewell, written during his imprisonment at Oxford,'* 1559,
6yo. 4. ** A piteous lamentation of the miserable state of
. the church of England, in the time of the late revolt from
the Gospel," 1567, Svo. 5. ** A comparison between the
comfortable' doctrine of the Gospel and the traditions of
popish religion.*' 6. *< Account of the disputation held at
Oxford," 1688, 4to.^ 7. " A treatise of the Blessed Sacra-
ment."— ^To these we are enabled to add, from another au-
thority, 8. ^^ Injunctions of Nicholas Ridley, bishop of
London, to his diocese," 1550, 4to. 9. "The way of
peace among all Protestants, in a Letter to bishop Hooper,"
Lond. 1688, 4to. 10. " A Letter of reconciliation to bi-
shop Hooper," ibid. 1689, 4to. Many of his letters are
in Fox's " Acts and Monuments," and in Dr. Glo^ter
Ridley's valuable account of bishop Ridley's life, from
which chiefly we have taken the preceding particulars.*
RIDLEY (Dr. Gloster), a learned divine, descended
collaterally from the preceding bishop Ridley, was born
at sea, in 1702, on-board the Gloucester East Indiaman,
to which circumstance he was indebted for his Christian
name. He received his education at Winchester-school,
and thence was elected to a fellowship at New college,
Oxford, where he proceeded B. C. L. April 29, 1729. In
those two seminaries he cultivated an early acquaintance
with the Muses, and laid the foundation of those elegant
and solid acquirements for which he was afterwards so emi-
nently distinguished as a poet, an historian, and a divine.
During a vacancy in 1728, he joined with four friends, viz.
Mr. Thomas Fletcher (afterwards bishop of Kildare), Mr.
(afterwards Dr.) Eyre, Mr. Morrison, and Mr. Jennens, in
writing a tragedy, called ^^ The Fruitless Redress," each
' Life by Dr. G. Ridley. — Strypc'a Cranmer /><uitm.— A th. Ox. vol. L—
Wordsworth** Eccl, Bio|^. vol. III.— Fox's Acto and Monuments, &c.
RIDLEY. ais
undertaking an act, on a plan previously cbncerted. When
tbey deliyered in their several proportions/ at their'oieeting
in the winter, few readers, it is said, would have known
that the whole was not the production of a single hand.
This tragedy, which was offered tb Mr. Wilks, but never
acted, is still in MS. with another called ^' Jugurtha.** Dr.
Kidley in his youth was much addicted to theatrical per*
formarices, Midhurst, in Sussex, was the place where,
they were exhibited ; and the company of gentlemen actors
.to which he belonged, consisted chiefly of his coadjutors in
the tragedy already mentioned. He is said to have per-
formed the characters of Marc Antony, JaflBer, Horatio,
and Moneses, with distinguished applause. Young Cibber,
being likewise a Wykehamist, <:alled on Dr. Ridley soon
after he liad been appointed chaplain to the East India
Company at Poplar, and would have persuaded him to quit
the church for' the stage, observing thM " it usually paid
the larger salaries of the two,*' an advice which he had too
much sense to follow. For great part of his life, he had no
other preferment than the smiall college liviifg of Weston,,
in Norfolk, and the dona,tiveof Poplar, in Middlesex, where
he resided. To these his college added, some years after,
the donative of Romford, in Essex. ** Between these two
places the curricle of his life had,^* as he expressed it,
. ^ rolled for some time almost perpetually upon post-chaise
wheels, and left him not time for even the proper studies
of oeconomy, or the necessary ones of his -profession." Yet
in this obscure situation be remained in possession of, arul
content with, domestic happiness; and was honoured with the
intimate friendship of some who were not less distinguished
for learning than for worth : among these, it may be sufficient
to mention Dr. Lowth, Mr. Christopher Pitt, Mr. Spence,
and Dr. Berfiman. To the last of these he was curate and
executor, and preached his funeral sermon. In 1740 and
1741, he preached " Eight Sermons at Lady Moyer's lec-
ture," which were published in 1742, 8vo, and at different
tioies, several occasional sermons. In 1756, he declined
an offer of going to Ireland as first chaplain to the duke of
Bedford ; in return for which he was to have had the choice
of promotion, either at Christ-church, Canterbury, West-
minster, or Windsor. His modesty inducing him to leave
the choice of these to bis patron, the consequence was,
that he obtained none of them. In 1761 he published, in
4to^ ^' De Syriacarum novi foederis versionum indole
eao JR I D L E Y.
ntque u!lu» dis»ertatio/' occasioned by a Syriac Tersion,
whichy with two others, were sent to him nearly thiirty
years before, by one Mn Samuel Palmer frpm Amida, in
Mesopotamia. His age and growing infirmities, the great
expence of printings and the want of a patron, prevented
him from availing himself of these MSS. ; yet at intervals he
employed himself on a transcript, which being put. into th<^
lutnds of professor White, was published a few years ago,
with a literal Latin translation, in ^ vols. 4to, at the ex*
Eence of the delegates of the Clarendpn preds* In 176S
e published the ^' Life of bishop Ridley,'* in quarto, by
subscription, and cleared by it as much as brought him
800/. in the public funds. In this, which is the most use-
ful of all his works, he proved himself worthy of the name
he bore, a thorough master of the popish controversy, and
an able advocate for the reformation. In 1765 he publish-
ed his " Review of Philips's Life of Cardinal Pole'* (see
Philips); and in 1768, in reward for his labours in this con*
troversy, and in another which "The Confessional'* pro-
duced, he was presented by archbishop Seeker to a golden
prebend in the cathedral church of Salisbury (an option),
but it is probably a mistake that Seeker honoured him with
the degree of D. D. that honour having been conferred up-
on him by the university of Oxford in 1767, by diplomay the
highest mark of distinction they can confer. At length, worn
out with infirmities, he departed this life in Nov. 1774, leaving
a widow and four daughters. An elegant epitaph, written by
Dr. Lowtfa, bishop of London, is inscribed upon bis monument.
Two poems by Dr. Ridley ,' one styled " Jovi Eleutherio,
or an Offering to Liberty," the other called " Psyche," are
in the third volume of Dodsley*s Collection. The sequel of
the latter poem, entitled, " Melampus," with " Psyche," its
natural introduction, was printed in 1782, by subscription, for
the benefit of his widow. Many others are in the Sth volume
of Nichols's " Collection.** The MSS. Codex Heraclensis,
Codex Barsalibaei, &c. (of which a paiticular account may be
seen in his Dissertation " De Syriacarum Novi Fcederis.ver-
sionum indole atque usu, 1761,*') were bequeathed by Dr.
Ridley to the library of New college, Oxford. Of these an-
cient MSS. a fac- simile specimen was published in his Dis-
sertation above mentioned. A copy of "The Confessional,"
with MS notes by Dr. Ridley,'* was in the library of the late
Dr. Winchester.*
* Gent. Mag. vol. XLIV.— Nichols's PoeiD» and Bowyer.
RID LEY. 221
/ RIDLEY (Jambs), son. to the preceding, was educated
at Winchester, and New college, Oxford, and, after tak«»
log orders, succeeded his father in the living of Rumford^
ifk Essex. In 1761, while attending his duty as chaplain
to a' inarching regiment at. the siege of Bel leisle, he laid
the foundation of some disorders, from which, to the un^
speakable grief of his family and friends, he never reoo-*
vered, and which some years after, being then happily
married and preferred in tbexhurch, terminated his life in
February 1765. The following extract from a letter which
his father wrote about this time to a friend, affords a proof,
of his sorrow, and the only scanty notices which havefbeen
preserved of his son's merits.
" D£AR Sir,
'> I am ashamed to have appeared so negligent in
answering your kind remembrance of me, by a letter so
long ago as the fifth of February : but it has pleased God
to visit me so sorely since, that I have had no leisure to
think. of any thing but my sorrows, and the consequent
troubles in which they have involved me. Preseotly after
receiving your letter, I went to spend a few days in London,
in the Temple, from whence I returned very ill, and three
days brought on the gout. My son went ill out of London
the day before I did, andj during his illness, my own con-
finement would not permit me to see him. About eleven
dajrs carried off as hopeful a young clergyman as an affec*
tionate father could wish his son to be. So generous a
heart, such an intimate knowledge of the powers and work*
ings of nature, so serious and earnest a desire to serve God
and mankind, with a cheerful spirit and address in convey-
ing his instructions, make his loss as great to the world as
it is to me. Some specimens he has left behind him, in
the humorous papers of The Schemer; and he lived just
long enough to finish a monthly work, in which he engaged
a year before his death, publishing his last number of the
Tales of the Genii the first of February, in which month
iie died.'* — —
The " Schemer," here noticed, was a very humorous
periodical paper, originally written fbr the London* Chro*
nicle, but afterwards collected into a volume and published.
He was also the author of the ** History of James Love-*
grove," esq.; but the " Tales of the Genii" is the work on
which his fame principally rests, and the many editions
through which it has passed sufficiently attest its popu-
larity.
tii RIDLEY.
; Tbe Tales are introduced mth the' life of HoraHn, (bts
supposed original author, which contains some animadvef^'
sjious equally ingehious and just, on the difference betwedn
tbe professions and practice of many Ciiristians. The story^
indeed, is so contrived as to include a very keen satire.'
. RIDLEY (Thomas), an eminent civilian, descended of
a family of that name in Northumberland, wais born in tbe
city of Ely, and became master of Eton school, afterwards
one of the masters in chancery, chancellor to the bishop of
Winchester, and vicar-general to archbishop. Abbot. He
i^Iso received the honour of knighthood. He died Jan. 22
or 23, 162d, and was buried in the parish church of St
Bennet, Paul's Wharf, London. He was a general scbo*
lar, and published <* A view of the Civil and Ecclesiastical
Law,'* which was much admired by king James, and was
afterwards reprinted by the learned, but unfortunatle Gre-
gory, chaplain to bishop Duppa. This work, says Dr.
Coote, while it established the reputation of the author*
contributed to revive the declining credit of that juris-
diction.' . .
, RIENZI (Nicolas Gabrini de), who, from a low and
despicable situation, raised himself to sovereign authority
in Rome, in the 1 4th century, assuming the title of tribune^
and proposing to restore tbe ancient free republic, was
born at Rome, and was the son of no greater a personage
than a mean vintner, or, as others say, a miller, named
Lawrence Gabrini, and Magdalen, a laundress. However,
Nicolas Rienzi, by which appellation he was commonly
distinguished, did not form his sentiments from the mean-
ness of his birth.. To a good natural understanding he
joined an uncommon assiduity, and made a great profici^
ency in ancient literature. Every thing he read he com-
pared with similar passages that occurred within his own
observation ; whence he made reflections, by which he re-
gulated his conduct. To. this he added a great knowledge
in the laws and customs of nations. He had a vast memoi^ :.
he retained much of Cicero, Valerius Maximus, Livy, the
two Senecas, and Caesar's Commentaries especially, which
he read continually, and often quoted and applied to the
events of his own times. This fund of learning proved the
foundation of his rise : the desire he had to distinguish
* Nichols's Bowyer.'
9 A,th. Or. vol. I.— Lloyd's SUtaWorthieiv—Harwosd'sAlaiimi Etontnses.**-
Caote't CaUlogue of CWUUns.
R I E N Z L 2M
iHflikelf in the knowledge of monumental history^ drew him
.10 another sort of science, then little understood. He
passedi whole days among the inscriptions which are to be
found at Rome, and acquired soon the reputation of a great
antiquary. Having hence formed within himself the most
^exalted notions of the justice, liberty, and ancient graadeur
4>{ the old Romans, words he was perpetually repeating tp
^he people, he at length persuaded not only himself, but
.the giddy niob his followers, that he should one day become
the restorer of the Roman republid. His advantageous
stature, his countenance, and that air of importance which
be well knew how to assume, deeply imprinted all he said
i^n the minds of his audience : nor was it only. by the popu-
lace that he was admired ; he also found means to insinuate,
himself into the favour of those who partook of the admini-
atratipn. Rienzi^s talents procured him to be nominated.
one of the deputies, sent by the Romans to pope Clement
VI. who resided at Avignon. The intention of this depu-
tation was to make his holiness sensible, how prejudicial
bis absence was, as well to himself as to the interest of
Rome. At his first audience, our hero charmed the court
of Avignon by his eloquence, and the sprightliness of his'
<:onvetsation. Encouraged by success, be one day took the
liberty to tell the pope, that the grandees of Rome were
avowed robbers, public thieves, infamous adulterers, and
illustrious profligates; who by their example authorized
the most horrid crimes. To them he attributed the desola-
tion of Rome, of yvbich he drew so lively a picture, that
the holy father was moved, and es^ceedinglys incensed
Ugainst the Roman nobility. Cardinal Colonna, in othet*
respects a lover of real merit, could not help considering^
these reproaches as reOecting^ upon some of his family; and
therefore found means of disgracing Rienzi, so that he feljl
into extreme misery, vexation, and sickness, which, joined
with indigen.ce, brought him to an hospital. Nevertheless,
tne same hand that threw him down, raised him up agaip.
The cardinal, who was all compassion, caused him to appear
l^efore the pope, in assurance of his being a good man,
and a great paftizan for justice and equity. The pope ap-
prpvedof him more than ever; and, as proofs of his esteepa
and confidence, made him apostolii; notary, and sent him
back loaded with favours. Yet his subsequent behaviour,
shewed, that resentmeot had a greater ascendancy over him
tban gratitude. Being returned to Rome, he began to
execute the f oiKstiaiis of bis office, and by affability, caadotii^
assiduity, and impartiality, in the administration ofjustioe,
he arrived at a superior degree of popularity ; which he
atili improfied by continued invectives against the vices of
the great, whom he strove to render as odious as possible ;
till at last, for some ilUtimed freedoms of speech, he was
not only severely reprimanded, hot displaced. His dis^
mission did not make him desist from inveighing against the
debauched, though be conducted himself with more pru«^
dence. From this time it was his constant c^ndeavoar> to
inspire the people with a fondness for their ancient liberties;
to which purpose, he caused to be hung up in the most
public places emblematic pictures, expressive of the former
splendour and present decline of Rome. To these be added
frequent harangues and predictions upon the same subject*
In this manner he proceeded till one party looked on him
only as a madman, while others caressed him. as their pro'^
tector. Thus be infatuated the minds of the people, and
many of the nobility began to come into his views, while
the senate in no wise mistrusted a man, whom they judged
tO/have neither interest nor ability. At length he ventured
to disclose his designs to such as be believed mal-contents,^
£rst separately, but afterwards, when he thought he had-
firmly attached a sufficient number to his interest, h^ as*
sembled them together, and represented to them the de-
plorable state of the city, over-run with debaucheries, and
the incapacities of their governors to correct or amend
them. As a necessary foundation for the enterprize, be
gave them a statement of the immense revenues of the
apostolic chamber; demonstrating that the pope could^
only at the rate of four-pence, raise a hundred thdusn&d
florins by firing, as much by salt, and as much more by the
customs and other duties. ** As for the rest," said he, ^^ I
would not have you imagine, that it is without the pope^a
consent I lay bands on the revenues. Alas ! how many
others in xhis city plunder the effects of the church con«»
trary to his will !"
By this artful falsehood, he so animated his auditors,
that they declared they would make no scruple of securing
these treasures for whatever end might be most convenient,
and that they w^re devoted to his will. Having obtained so
much to secure his adherents from a revolt, he tendered
them a paper, superscribed, *< an oaih to procure the good
establishment ;" and made them subscribe and swea; to it^
ft t £ N Z f . 221
b'e^re he dismissed them. By what m^flns be prevailed on
tbe pope's vicar to give a tacit sanction to bis project is not
certainty known; that he did procure that sanction^ and
that it was looked on as a master-piece of policy, is gene-
rally admitted. The 20th of May, being Whitsunday^ be
fixed upon to sanctify in some sort his enterprize ; and pre*
tended, that all he acted was by particular inspiration of
the Holy Ghost. Aboiit nine, he came out of the church
bare-beaded, accompanied by the pope's vicar, surrounded
by an hundred armed men. A vast crowd followed him
with shouts and acclamations. The gentlemen conspirators
carried three standards before him, on which were wrought
itevices, insinuating, that his design. was to re-establish
liberty, justice, and peace. In this manner he proceeded
directly to the capitol, where he mounted the rostrum ; and^
with more boldness and energy than ever, expatiated on
the miseries to wbicfa the Romans were reduced ; at the
same time telling them, without hesitation, *' that the happy
bour of their deliverance was at length come^ and that he
was to be their deliverer, regardless of the dangers he was
exposed tO'for the service of the holy father and the peo-
ple's safety." After which, he ordered the laws of what
be called* the good establishment to be read : and assured'
that the Romans would resolve to observe these laws, he
engaged in a short time to re-establish them in their ancient
grandeur. The laws of the good establishment promised
plenty and security^ which were greatly wanted; and the
humiliation of the nobility, who were deemed common* op-
pressors. Such laws could not fail of being agreeable to a
people who found in them these double advantages ; and
therefore enraptured with the pleasing ideas of a liberty to
which they were at present strangers, and the hope of gain^
they adopted most zealously the fanaticism of Rienzi.—
Theyresumed the pretended authority of the Romans;
they declared him sovereign of Rome^ and granted him
the power of life and death, of rewards and punishments,
of enacting and repealing the laws, of treating with foreign
powers; in a word, they gave him the full and supreme
authority over all the extensive territories of the Romans.
Riedzty arrived at the summit of his wishes, kept at a great
distance his artifice : he pretended to be very unwilling to
accept of their offers, but upon two conditions ; the first,
that they should nominate ^e pope's^ vicar (the bishop of
Orvieto) his co-partner ; the second, that the pope's con-^
VOL.XXVL Q
886 H I E N Z jL
fenl fthoald be granted bico, wbicb (be tol4 %kem) be flM*
. tered himself be sboYild obtain. On the on# bwd^ be bar^
toarded notbing in tbu^ making bi^ court to tbe boly fatber^
and, on the other, he well knew» that tbe bisbap of Or*
vieto would carry a title only, and no authority. The peo<^
f}e granted bis request, but paid all tbe honours to him :
e possessed the authority without restriction ; the good
bishop appeared a mere shadow and veil to bis enterprizea*
Bienzi was seated in his triumphal chariot, like an idol^ <e
(riumpb with the greater splendor* He dismissed the peor
pie replete with joy and hope. He seiaed upon the palace^
where be continued after be bad turned out the senates
and, the ^me day, be began to dictate bis laws in tb« ea^
pitc^ This election, though not^ very pleasing to the poiMQ^
was ratified by him ; yet Rienssi meditated the obtaining of
a title, exclusive of tbe papal prerogative- Well verged
in tbe Eoman bistpryt he was no stranger to the eiitent of
tbe tribunitial aqtbority ; andt as be owed bis elevation |o
the people, he ehose to have tbe title of their magi^tiale^
He asked it, and it was conferred on him and his eo^pantnei)
with tbe addition of deliverers of their country. Our adr
venturer's behaviour in bis elevation was at first svchaa
commanded esteem and respect, not only from tbe Romansi
but from all the peighboiftring states. His contempm^ryj
the celebrated Petrarch, in a letter to Charles^ king of the
Romans, gives tbe following account of him : — ** Not }qii||
since a most remarkable man, of the plebeian race, a pei&t
son whom neither titles nor virtues had distinguished ^^tA
be presumed to set bimsitf up fpr a restorer of the Roman
liberty, has obtained the bluest authority at Rome, 3q
sudden, so great is bis auocess, that this man has already
woo Tuscany and all Italy. Already Europe and the wbcdt
world are in motion ; to speak the whole in one werd^ I
protest to you, not as a reader* but as an eye** witness, ti^
he has restored tq us the justice, peaee* iiitegrity, apil
every other token of the golden age,'' But His difficull
for a person of mean birth, elevated at once> by the capriw
• of fortune, to tbe most exalted station, to move rightly in •
sphere in which he must breathe an ^it be bas b^n unacir
custoimed to. Rienzi ascended by degrees the summit of
his fortune. Riches softened^ power daz9led» the pomp
of his cavalcades animated, and formed in bis mi^d ideae
adequaite to those of princes born to empire. Henee luxury
invaded bis table, and tyranny took possession c^ hie beaxl;»
The pope conceived bis designs contrary to the interests of
R I £ N Z r. 827
IJbe holy se% and the nobles^ whose power it had been hit
constani endeavoun to depress^ conspired against him ; and
Rienzi was forced to quit an authority he had possessed
little more than six months. It was to a precipitate flight
that he was indebted, at this juncture, for his life; and to
different disguises for his subsequent preservation. Having
made an ineffectual effort at Rome, and not knowing where
to find a new resource to carry on his designs, he took a
most bold step, conformable to that rashness which had so
often assisted him in his former exploits. He, determined
to go to Prague, to Charles, king of the Romans, whom
the year before he had summoned to his tribunal, and who
iie foresaw would deliver him up to a pope highly incensed
against him. He was accordingly soon after sent to Avig^.
noo, and there thrown into a prison, where he continued
three years. The divisions and disturbances in Italy^ occa«*
ktoned by the number of petty tyrants that had established
themselves in the ecclesiastical territories, and even at Rome»
occasioned his enlargement. Innocent VL who succeeded
Clement in the papacy, sensible that the Romans still enter*-
tained an affection for our hero, and believing that liis
chastisement would teach him to act with more moderation
than' he had formerly done, as well as that gratitude would
€rf^lige .him, for the remainder of his life, to preserve an
inviolable attachment to the holy see (by whose favour he
should be re-established), thought him a proper instrument
to assist his design of reducing those other tyrants ; and
tlierefore, not only gave him his liberty, but also appointed
bim governor and senator of Rome. He met with many
bbstacles to the assumption of this newly-granted authority^
idl which, by cunning and resolution, he at length over*
tame. But giving way to his passions, which were immo*
llerately warm, and inclined him to cruelty, he excited so
general a resentment against him, that he was murdered^
Uct. 8, 1354. ** Such,'* say bis biographers, *< was the
end of Nicolas Rienzi, one of the most renowned men of
the age ; who, after forming a conspiracy full of extrava-
gance,* and executing it in the sight of almost the whole
world, yifiih such success that he became sovereign of
Rome ; after causing plenty, justice, and liberty to flou-
rish among the Romans ; after protecting potentates, and
terrifying sovereign princes ; after being arbiter of crowned
headi ; after ife-establishing the ancient majesty and power
of the Roman republic^ and filling all Europe with bis fame
a 2
229 R I E N Z L
during the sereo months of bis first reign ; after baviiTg
compelled his masters themselves to confirm bim in the
authority be bad usurped against their interests; fell at
length at the end of bis second, which lasted not four
months, a sacrifice to the nobility whose ruin he had vowed,
and to those vast projects which bis death prevented bim
from putting into execution.'''
RIGALTIUS, orRIGAULT, (Nicolas), a very inge-
nious and learned man, was the son of a physician, and bom
at Paris in 1577. He was brought up among the Jesuits,
and afterwards admitted advocate ; but, not being able to,
conquer the disgust he bad conceived to the profession of
the law, he devoted himself entirely to the pursuit of polite
literature. The public received the first fruits of bis la-
bours in bis '* Funus Parasiticum,'' printed in 1596;. the
ingenuity and learning of which so charmed Tbuanus, thathe
immediately took bim into bis friendship, and made bim the
<:ompanion of bis studies. This excellent person conceived
a particular esteem for him ; as. appeared, when be died in
1617, from naming him in bis will, to superintend the edu«
cation of bis children. He was chosen, with Isaac Casau-
bon, to put the king's library into order; and in 1610^
.when that learned man went over to spend some time in
England with James I. succeeded bim in the ofiice of \i^
brarian to the king. His majesty conferred on him other
. marks of distinction ; made bim procurator-general of the
supreme court of Nancyj counsellor of the parliament of
Metz, and then intendant of that province. He died in
1654, after having given aumerous proofs of uncommon
erudition in editions of ** Minutius Fcelix,"' ^' Pbasdrus,"^
^^ Martial)" 'Mlei accipitrarii scrip.tores,*' ^' Rei . agrarian
scriptores," the works of " Cyprian" and " TertuUian,"
&c. His notes upon these last two are learned and criti-
cal ; but thematter of some of them shews him to have been
not a rigid catholip. He takes occasion to observe, from a
passage in Tertullian's ^* Exhortation to Chastity,'^ that
laymen have a right and power to consecrajte. the eucharist^
when there is no opportunity of recurring to the regular
ministers ; and this, with other opinidns of a similar kind,
not only gave offence to those of his own commuuioo, but
even to some of ours. ^' Rigaltjus," says Mr. Dodwell,
*^ though an ingenious and learned critic, is by no. means
exact upon the subjects be treats of : for, though of the
1 Memoiri of Rien^i, by Brumoy and Cerceau.
Tl J G A L T. I U S. 2tf»
Rdmaa .commiiniony be is often found on the side of the
Cftivinistd; and, when be meets with anything in the au-
thors he publishes that appears contrary to the customs,
not only, of his own, but pf the universal church, here*
marks it witb great care ; perhaps to render his notes more
agreeable to the reader, by presenting him with something
new and unexpected.^' It is probable, that many persons
may not think the worse of Rigaltius, as an editor, for the
censure here, passed on him by Mr. Dodwell. Rigaltius ,
was aUo; conperned in the edition of Thuanus, published at
Geneva in 1620.^
RIGHTWISE, or RITWYSE (John, in Latin Justus),
an eminent grammarian, was born at Sawl, in Norfolk, and
educated at Eton, and was admitted * of King's college,'
Cambridge, in 1506. He was first usher to the celebrated ,
William Lilly, master of St. Paul's school, 9.nd afterwards
second master, but succeeded Lilly, as head master, in
1522, which situation he retained until his death,' in 1^(32.
He composed a tragedy of " Dido" out of Virgil, which
was performed at St Paul's school by him and his pupils, .'
before cardinal W.olsey, but deserves more notice for the
improvements he introduced in Lilly's Latin grammar, in
the edition published at Antwerp in 1533. He had mar-
ried Dion3rsia^ the daughter of Lilly ; and after his death
$fae was again married to James Jacob, one of the masters ;
oiF St. Paulas, by whom she had a son, Polydore Jacob, who
Was probably the god-son of Polydore Virgil, who speaks
of Right wise with great respect*'
RILEY (John), an EngKsh artist of very ccmsiderable
merit, was born at London, in 1646, and instructed in the
art of paiuting by Fuller and Zoust. Lord Orford asserts,
that he was one of the best native painters that had flou-
rished in England ; and that there are draperies and hands
painted by him that would do honour either to Leiy or
Kneller ; the portrait of the lord-keeper North, at Wrox-
ton, being in every respect a capital performance. After
the death X)f sir- Peter Lely, he advanced in the esteem of
the pubHc, and had the honour to .paint the portraits of
king Charles IL king James and his queen, and was ap-
pointed state painter. He made nature his principal study,
without adopting the manner of any master, and as far as
*
^ Bateau VU».— Niseroo, vol. XXr.— Moreri.
* Knight's Colet, corrected in Tanner, and Cole's MS Athenae in Brit. Mus.
— Warton'f Hist, of Poetry.— Harwood's Alumni Etonenses.
230 R I L E y. •
be thoogbt it prudent be improTed or embelliibed it m hit-
pictures; and, like many other meo of parts, be aeeawi to'
be 0iore respected bj posterity, tban by tbe age in which *
be flourished. He was, intrutb, humble, modest, and of:
an amiable character. He had tbe greatest- diffidence of
himself, and was easily disgusted witb his own works, tha
source probably, says lord Orford, of the objections made*
to him. Witb a quarter of Kneller's vanity, he might have
persuaded the world he was as great a master. The gout-
put an end to his progress, for he died in 1691, at the age'
of forty-five, and was buried in Bishop^gtite^ church, m
w^ich parish he was born. One Thomas Riley was an actor,
abd has a copy of verses in Randolpb^s Poems. This, lord
Orford thinks, might be tbe painter's Attber. In the same '
place are some Latin verses by Riley, wboiti the same bio«>
grapber takes to be our painter himself. Richardson mar«r
ried a near relation of Riley, and inherited about SOOL in '
piet'ures, drawings, and effects.
< There was a more recent artist of thiji name, but nowise
related to tbe preceding, Charles Reuben Rilbt, wbo
died in 1798, about forty-six years of age. He was placed^
under Mortimer, and in 1778 obtained tbe gold medal at'
the Royal Academy, for tbe best painting in oil, the sub% '
ject, the Sacrifice of Iphigenia. He was employed in the<
decorations of some noblemen's and gentlemen's houses^'
but chiefly in making drawings and designs for the bock^
sellers. *
RINALDI (ODERic),a learned Italian ecclesiastical his-
torian of the seventeenth century, was a native of Treviso,
and was brought up in the congregation of the oratory at>
Rome, of which Baronius had been a member. After tbe
death of that cardinal, Rinaldi wrote a continuation of his '
<* Ecclesiastical Annals," from 1198, where Baronius left
ofl^, to 1564, and witb no inferiority to the ptt^ceding vo«*
Jumes. It consists often large volumes in folio, published^
at Rome at different periods^ from 1646 to 1677. Rinaldi'
also was the author of a sufficiently copious abridgment, in
Italian, of the whole annals, compiled both by Baroniiis
and himself.*
RINGELBERQIUS (Joachim Fortiijs), in Gennaii.
8terck, an eminent Flemish philosopher and matbematictani
1 WaIpole*8 Anecdotes, — Edwards's ContinUatiotih
* Landi Hilt. Litt. d* Italie,
RING£LB£RGIUS. 231
wM bom at; Antwerp^ and first fttudtod in the emperor
MsxinUtaui the First's palace, and afterwards at the vni-
i«rslty of Lduvain^ where he acquired. the learned Ian-
goages, phildsopby^ and the matheoiatioal sciences. He
beoaoie a public professor in that university^ and taught
furious sciettoes; and in I5f8 went ioto Germany, and
caof ht the matbeoiatioal ddenced and the Greek tongue ift
variooi semitiaries of that country^ and afterwards at Parii^
Oiieans) and Bourdeaui:^ and other places. He died about
1596. Among his most esteemed worlts were^ ^' De Ra<A
tioue Sindii/' Antwerp, 15^9^ in which are many pat'ticu^^
lars of bia own studies ; various treatises on grammar ;
^ Dialectioa, et Tabulte Dtalectica;/' Ley den, 1547 $
^ De ^onscilbendis Epistolia Lib. ;'* '< lihetorlesd^ et quia
ad earn spectant ;^' *^ Sentential ;'' *^ Sph^rsi, sive Instl^
ttttibnom Astrooomicarum, Lib. IIL," BasrI, 1508, avo^
^^ Cosmograpbia ;" '< Optica ;" *^ Cha^s Matbematicum )'^
'^ Aritbmetica ;'' all which were collected and published at
Leyden, in 153 i.^
RINGGLI (OOTTHAftD)^ an excellent Swiss artist^ nwi
bom at Zoric, January 2Tth| 1575, but of his master, hi$
travels, or the progress of his younger years, his biographer
has not informed os. He must have enjoyed some eele^
brity, as he was chosen by the magistracy of Berne to dcM
corate with painttnga of large dimensions the senstte^house
aad aiinster of that metreperfiS) and had the freedom of
their oity conferred on him. Theie pictures^ which re^
pteseoted facts rdatire to the foundations of Berne> o«
allegories alluding to the peeoliarities of its situation and
ciiaioms^ Were eqnally distinguished by picturesque con«>
eeptioHy boldMss of style# and correct execution. In the
a^aate-bouse especially, "iile tf^trd pic^tnre^ whose subject
was the building of the town, shewed great intelligeace of
foreshortening, and of what is by the Italians termed ^6k
aatio in so/* Fo^ the paUk library of Zuric he painted
^ arms of the state and of lis dependenoiesj supported by
Religion and Liber^ ; Death lies lit the feet of Religion^
biat to the tfsraal allegorle implements in^ ber bands he
added a bridle, to distinguisli her from Fantiticism atid Sd'-
pemitfoti.
Hie eaieUpietures were either few, or the greater part
must hafi9 perished ; one of the most remarkable^ in the
1 Mor«vi in Fortiui.— Foppea an ditto/— >^el«1ii(»r adam.
*32 ft I N G G L 1.
house of Werdmidier, is Job emaciated and diseased^ listen-^
iDg patiently to the invectives of bis wife ; a picture wbich^
even on close inspection, differs little in baudling and tone
from the best works of Spagnoletto. But perbaps the most
valuable remains of Ringgli are bis designs, generally
drawn witb the pen, and washed with , bister or India
ink ; these are sometimes of considerable size, and chiefly
biblical or allegorical subjects. That of our Saviour^s burial,
Susanpah with the Elders, the royal Fatber shot at by ha
Sons from the ^^ Gesta Romanorum," Faith sheltered from
the storms of Persecution,, and many more of mystic con*^
tent, are remarkable for beauties of composition, light,
shade, and outline, but perhaps obscure in their meaning:
they were in Fuessli*s possession once, but now are proba^'
bly dispersed in different collections.- He etched severnt
things in an. easy picturesque manner, generally marked
by a monogram of. the letters G.. and R. He died lit
1635.*
RINUCeiNI (Ottavio), an Italian poet of Florence^
who went into France in the suite of Mary of Medicis,
queen to Henry IV. is. the reputed inventor of the musical
drama or opera, that is, of the manner of writii>g, or re^^
presenting comedies or ti'agedies in music, to which the
first recitative was applied. Others give this invention to
a Roman gentleman of the name of Emilio del Cavaliere,
who was more properly the inventor of th^ sacred drama
-ororatorio, in a similar species of music or recitative, so
nearly at. the same time that it is difficult to determine
which/ was first: both had their beginning in I6OO4 Ri-
nuccini wa& author ,of three lyric pieces, " Daphne^"
*^ Euridice,'' and ^^ Ariadne,'' which all Italy applaud^.
Euridice^ written for the nuptia|| of Mary of Medicis, was
first performed with great splendor and. magnificence at
Florence, at the court and expence of the grand .duke. The
poetry is truly lyrical, smooth, polished, and mellifiuou«.
He died in 1621, at Florence; and a collection, or rather
selection, of his works were published in 1622, in the
same city, iu 4to, by his son, Pietro FrancescoRinuccini,
and another entitled <^ Drammi Musicale/' in 18Q2, 8v(^
at Leghorn. The family is noble, and was subsisting m
1770. More of Ottavio may be seeu in the appendix to
Walker's " Life of Tassoni,'* just published, 1816. •
1 Pilkington by Faseli.
^ Hawkins and Buraey'sHist. of Mosici and tbe latter in R^es's Cyclopttdia*
R I O L A N. 2S3 ^
KIOLAN (JoHN)y an able French pbysician, a native
of Amien&y and distinguished by his attainments both ia
literature and science, is said not only to have written
and spoken the learned languages with facility^ but to have
been thoroughly intimate with the contents of almost all
the writings of the ancients. We have, however, very
few particulars of his life, unless that be gave lessons in
natural philosophy at the college of Boncour, at Paris,
where he took his degree in 1574, and held the office of
dean of t^e faculty in 1586 and 1587. He died Oct. 18,
1606. He was a strenuous advocate for the doctrine of
Hippocrates and the ancients, whom be defended with,
great ardour against the chemists. His works, which are
indicative of genius, were collected and published, to-
gether with some posthumous tracts, at Paris, in 1610,
under the title of ** Opera Omnia,'^ and some were sepa-
rately published, particularly one against the ignorance of
the practitioners of surgery in his time, entitled ^^ Ad Im-
pndentiam quorundam Chirurgorum, qui Medicis sbquari
et Cbirurgiam publice profiteri volunt; pro veteri dignitate
Medicinae Apologia philosophica,"' Paris, 1567. This waist
followed by several pieces on bath sides. '
RIOLAN (John), 'son of the preceding, was born at
Paris in the year 1577. While his father afforded every
encouragement to his rising talents, his mind was naturally
directed to the study of medicine, in which his progress
was uncommonly rapid. He took his degree in 1 604, and
a very few years after acquired great reputation ^s an authoiw^
In 1613, he was appointed royal professor of anatomy and
botany by Louis XIII. ; and in this latter capacity he peti*
tioned the king for the establishment of a. botanic garden in
the university of Paris. He subsequently held the appoint*
ment of physician to queen Mary de Medicis, and accoo^-
panied that princess in her travels ; he arrived at Cologne
after her death, in July 1642, and returned to Paris,
where he resumed his ^profession. After having twice
undergone the operation of lithotomy, he lived to the
age of eighty years, and died at Paris February 19, 1657.
Riolan, although one of the most expert and learned
anatomists of his time, was hindered in his progress as a
discoverer, by his extreme devotion to the ancients; and
yet. was arrogant in bis claims to originality, and by his
1 Eloy, Diet. Hist, de Medieine.— -Rees't Cyelopadia.
284 R I O L A N.
pertinacity, and contempt of others, he railed himself many
opponents and enemies. He published several Dew obser-*'
vations, however, respecting many parts of anatomical
science, especially the structure of the colon, the biliary
duets, the uterus an^ vagina, the tongue^ os hyoides, &c«
but he did not iilustrate them by engravings, as it was a.
maxim with him, that no representations could supersede
the study of nature. His principal works, which were by-
no means confined to anatomy, are noticed in the following
list. 1. ^< Brevis excursus in Battdlogiam Quercetatii, quo
Alcbemiae principta funditus dirutintiir, et Artis Veritas
demonstratur,'* Par. 1604. 2: ** Comparatio veteris Me-
dicinee cum nova, Hippocratica! in Hermetica, Dogmaticis
cum Spargyrica," 1 605. 3. ** Disputatio de Monstro Lo-
tetise 1605 nato.'* 4. <* Incursionum Quercetani depolsio,''
id. 5. *^ Censora demonstrationis Harveti .pro veritate
Alchymise,'' 1606. 6. ^< Schola Anatomica novis et ram
observation ibus iltustrata. Adjuncta est accurata fcetiM
bumani historia," 1607; enlarged by the author with the
title of " Anatome corporis humani," 1610. 7. " In Li-
brum CI. Galeni de Ossibus, ad Tyrones explanatiohes:
apologeticse pro Galeno, adversus novitios et novatores
Anatomicos," 1613. 8. " Gigantomachie,** 1615, written
in refutation of Habicot's account of the discovery of the
bones of the giant Teutobochus. Riolan published two
Other tracts, or more, upon this* controversy, which ended
with the appearance of bis, 9. ** Gigantoiogie ; discours sur
Ja grandeur des Grants, &c." in 1618. 10. << Osteologia
ex veterum et recentiorum prasceptis descripta," Id 14,
II. *^ Discours sur les Hermaphrodits, oh il est d^montr^,
centre Topinion commune, qu'il n'y a point de vrais Her-*
maphrodits,*' 1614. 12. <* Anatomica, sen Antbropbgra«
phia,'* 1618. 13. << Enchiridium anatomicdm etpatholo^
gicum," 1648, andt many times reprinted ; the best edition
is of Paris, 1658. 14. ^* Opuscula anatomica nova," Lond^
164^, containing remarks on the anatomical works Of the
most celebrated physicians, and an attack upoii Harvey^
and his doctrine of the circulation, of Which Riolan was a
great antagonist* 15. '< Curieuses R^cberebes sur lea
<coles de M6d6cine de Paris et de Montpelier>'* 165 Iv
He also published three different works, entitled •* Opus^
cttla anatomica,** in 1650, and the three following years;
opposing the doctrines of Bartholine and Pecquet, respect-
ing the absorbents and lacteds^ and Hs^ey*s On the cir*
^ •
RIPLEY. i35
ctrlatioA ; und two mof e on the same subjects, with the
titles of '< Responsio priIB(^ et alter^,^* I65i2 and 1655. *
RiPLEY (GEOaaSy or Greoory), a cbemkt and poet
ill' the tikne 6f Hehty VII. was a canon of Bridlingtoni and
accomplished in maitj' branches oJF erudition; and still
maintains* his pepiltalioR aB a learned chemist of the lower
ages. He was a great traTeller, and studied both in France
and Italy. At his return from abroad, pope Innocent VIIL
absolved him from the observance of the rules of his order,
that he might prosecute his studies with more convenience
atid freedom. But his convent not. concurring with this
verj liberal indulgence, he turned Carmelite at St. Bo«-
tolph'S in Lincolnshire, and died in that fraternity in 1490.
His chemical poems are nothing more than the doctrines
of alchemy cloathed in plain language, and a very rugged
versification. His capital performance is the ^' Compound
of Alchemic,'' written in 1471, in the octave metre, and de-*
dfcated to Edward IV. He has left a few other composi-
tions on his favourite science, printed by Ashmole, who*
was an enthusiast in this abused species of philosophy;
and some lives of saints in MS.'
RISCO (MAKUfiL), a learned Spanish ecclesiastic of the
Augustine order, was born at Haro about 1730, and ac-
quired such reputation for knowledge in ecclesiastical
history, that he was appointed by the king, Charles III.
to continue that history of which Florez published 29 vols.
4to. To these he accordingly added six volumes more,
written, according to our authority, with equal ability, and
equal liberality of sentiment. Some notice of this work,
entitled ^< Espana Sagrada,*' is taken in our account of
JSorez. Risco died about the end of the last century, but
the exact time is not specified.'
RISDON (Tristram), an. English topographer, was the
son of Thomas Risdon, bencher of the Jnner Temple,
afterwards treasurer of that society, and lastly, recorder of
Totness, who published some law *• Readings," and died
in 1641. His son was educated at Great Torrrngton, De-
vonshire, previous to his studying at Exeter college, Ox-^
f6rd, which he left without a degree, in consequence; as
Ptince supposes, of his coming to some family property
which required hi* presence, atid rendered him indepen^
t. . • •
1 Eloy, Diet. Hist. deMedioioe.— -Rees^sCycIopiBdia. — Biog:, Brit. See Index^
) Tanner.r-Elay, Diet. H\$t. de MediciQO.-^PlMllips's Tbeatruitt^ by tirK,
Brydges.— Warton's Hist of Poetry, » DicL Hist.
336 R I S D O N.
debt. On thU* wbich was an estate at Winscot, be ap-
pears to h^ve lived in retirement^ and died in. 16 40. He
drew up an account of Devonshire, which remained in; MS.
of which there were several copies, until 1714, when it
was printed, under the title of '* The Chorographical De-^
scription or Survey of the •County of Devon, &c.'* Wil-
liam Chappie, of Exeter, intended a new edition of this^
work, and actually issued proposals; but dying in 1781,
his design was not completed, although in 1785 a portion
of it, printed at Exeter, appeared in 4to, with many notes
and additions. There is a *^ continuation^' of Risdon's
Survey, which is paged on from the first part, and very
rarely to be met with, but there are copies iu the Bodleiaii
and in the library of St. John's, given by Dr. Rawlinson.* •
RITSON (Joseph), a poetical critic and editor, was
born Oct 2, 1752, at Stockton^upon-Tees, in the count}
of Durham, aud was bred to the profession of the law,
which he practised chiefly in the conveyancing branch.
In 1.785 he purchased the office of high bailiff of the liber-
ties of the Savoy, and retained it until his death. Thes^
seem the only particulars of Mr. Ritsou's progress in his.
profession, which, have been recorded by his friends. He
became, however, far better known for bis researches into
the antiquities of English literature, ^particularly poetry ;
and these he was enabled to carry^ on for many years, by.
dint of memory and extraordinary industry. In recovering
dates, assigning anonymous fragments to their authors,
and those other minute particulars which are important to
poetical antiquaries, Mr. Ricson had perhaps few superi*
ors; but all he performed was disgraced by a harsh, rugged,
and barren style, and an affectation of a new orthography,
and yet more by the contempt, approaching to malignity^
with which he treated Mr. Warton, Mr.. Malone, and his
other contemporaries who had acquired any nftme in the .
world. Although not absolutely incapable of civility, his
conversation partook much of the harshness of his writings;
and giving the lie was not uncommon with him, even
when the subject in dispuce had nothing in it to exoite
passion. His wretched temper seems also to have been
exasperated by the state of public affairs, his hatred of the
reigning family, and his attachment to republicanism.
Many instances might be given of his unhappy prejudices,
< Aib. Ox. Tol. I. new edit.— Prince's Worthies of DeVon.
K I T S O N. 237
but it appeared at last that the whole might be traced to a
diseased mind, which was completely overthrown by in-
sanity. When this became too visible to be neglected, he
was removed to a receptacle for insane persons at Hoxton,
where he died a few days after, Sept. 3, 1803, leaving
many works which will prove useful and interesting to
poetical antiquaries long after the peculiarities of his tem-
per are forgotten. His first publication was an anony-
mous quarto pamphlet of *' Observations on the three vo«
lumes of Wartou's. History of English Poetry ;" one of the
most illiberal productions that bad then appeared. He
wrote, abo anonympusly, three sets of remarks on the
editors of Shakspeare : 1. On Mr. Steevens's edition, 177S,
entitled " Remarks, critical and illustrative, on the Text
^nd Notes of the last edition of Shakspeare,** 8vo ; 2. *^ The
Quip modest,*' &c. on Mr. Reed's republication of that
edition, particularly illiberal ; 3. " Cursory Criticisms," &c..
on Mr. Malone*s edition. He published also a select
collection of English Songs, in 3 vols. 8vo. Ancient Songs,
from the time of Henry IH. to the Revolution, 8vo. A
volume of pieces of ancient popvilar poetry, 8vo. << The
English Anthology,*' a selection of poetry, in 3 small oc-^^
tavo volumes. ** Robin Hood ; a collection of all the an-
cient Poems, Songs, and Ballads, now extant, relative to
that celebrated Outlaw. To which are added. Historical
Anecdotes of his Life,** 1795, 2 vols. 8vo. A collection
of Scotch Songs, with the genuine Music, 2 vols. 12mo.
^^ Biographia Poetica: a Catalogue of English Poets of
the twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth
i^nturies; with a short Account of their Works.*' 1801,
12mo. He put his name to ** Ancient English Metrical
Romances; selected and published by Joseph Ritson,"
1802, 3 vols. 12mo. Tliis last publication is perhaps the
least interesting of the list.
. His last work was, a ^^ Treatise on abstinence from ani-
^nal food," in which he collected so many impious and ex-
travagant sentiments, that he could not for some time find
a publisher. His catastrophe, however, followed soon after
.publication, and the. book was forgotten.'
^ RITSON (Isaac), a young man of very considerable
literary talents, was a native of Emont- bridge, near Pen*
(ith, and was born in 1761. At the age of sixteen, he
1 Gent Maf . volt. LXXIIl. and LXXIV.-^Nicholf *i Bowyer.
2S8 R I T S O N.
began to teach school with credit to hiinself> and advantftg%
to his pupils. After superintending a school for about four
years, he relinquished the employment^ and repaired ta
Edinburgh, where he studied medicine; and he maintained
himself by writing medical theses for such of bis fellow
students as were too indolent, or too illiterate, to write
for themselves. From Edinburgh he went to London^
where he attended on the hospitals, and on lectures, and
where he also supported himself by his literary exertion^s*
In London be took a few private pupils, and was engaged
for some time in writing s the medical articles in the
Monthly Review. Like Chaijfterton, however, whom in
many particulars Ritson greaily resembled, he had to
* lament the neglect of the world, and after a short and irre^
gular life in London, he died of a few weeks illness, aft
Islington, in 1789, and in the twenty- seventh year of his
age.
Mr. Ritson published an excellent translation of HomerV
•* Hymn to Venus," 4to, which was well received by the
public, and wrote one equally masterly of Hesiod's " Tbeo^
gony,*' which, it is much to be regretted, was neveir published,
and is now entirely lost. He wrote also *^ Essays on Moral
and Philosophical Subjects," which were never published ;
the preface to Clarke's " Survey of the Lakes," very ably
executed ; and several other pieces. He was a warm ad-^
roirer of Shakspeare, and he frequently talked of producing
a dramatic work on the Grecian model, similar in its kind
to Mason's Elfrida and Caractacus. '
RITTANQELIUS, or RITHANGEL (John Stephen),
a native of Forcheim, in the bishopric of Bamberg, is said
by spme writers to have been born a Jew ; but others assert
tnat he was first a Roman Catholic, then a Jew, and lastly,
a Lutheran.. This, however, is certain, that he published
several books containing Judaical learning, was professor
of Oriental languages in the academy of Konigsburg, and
died about 1652. His works are, a Commentary on the
book '^ Jezirah, or, the Creation," attributed to Abraham,
Amsterdam, 1642, 4to; a treatise *^ De veritate Religioniy
Christians," Franeker, 1699; *^ Libra veritatis," 1698, in
which he asserts that the Chaldee paraphrase furnishes ar-
guments against the Jews and Anti-Trinitarians; ^^ Let«<
ters ;" a German translation of the Prayers used by thar
* Hutchinson's Hht. of Cumberland.
R I T T A N G E L I U S. 889
Jews in their synagpgoea^ on the iirat day of each year ; %nA
ether works, Rittangeiius maintained this paradox, that
the New Testament *^ contains nothing but what was taken
from the Jewish antiquities," '
RITTENHOUSE (David), an American philosopher
and mathematician, was born in Pennsylvania in 1739*
By the dint of genius and applicatioui he was enabled to
mingle the pursuits of science with the active emplayments
of a farmer and watbh-maker. The latter of tliese occupa*
tioDS he filled with unrivalled eminence among bis coun^
trymen. In 1769 he was with others invited by the Ame-»
rican Philosophical Society to observe the transit of Venus^
when he particularly distinguished himself by his observa-
tions and calculations. He afterwards constructed an ob«
servatory, where he made such valuable discoveries, as
tended to the general diffusion of science. After the
American war, a^ he was a strenuous advocate for inde<*
pendence, he successively filled the oflSces of treasurer of
the state of Pennsylvania, and director of the national
sunt ; in the first of which he manifested incorruptible in<*
tegrity, and in the last, the rare talent of combining theo«»
ries in such a way as to produce correct practical effects^
He succeeded. Dr. Franklin in the office of president of the
American Philosophical Society ; but towards the close of
kia days he withdrew firom public life, and spent bis time
in retirement. After a very severe iltness, but of no long
Gontinuanoe, he died July iO, 1796, about the age of 64*
He had the degree of LL. D* conferred upon him. To
the '^ Transactions^' of the American Philosophical Society
be contributed several exceUeni papers, chiefiy on Astro-
nomical subjects, '
RITTERSHUSIUS (ConraDus), a learned civilJM and
phibloger of Germany, was the son of Baltbasar Ritter-
sbnsius of Brunswic, and born there Sept. 25, 1560f He
waa taught Greek and Latin in his own country, at the
school of which his mother's brother, Matthias Berg, was
rector; and, in 15B0, went to Helmstad, where he applied
bimeelf to the civil law ; but without neglecting the belles
lettres, which formed his most lasting pursuit. After re-
covering from the plague, by which he was endangered in
this town, he removed to Altorf in 1584, to profit by the
lectures of Gifanius, for whom he ^conceived a particular
1 Geo. Diet.—- Moreri.
^ Rstlon't DictiQDary.— Diet Hitt. Sapplement,F— Rees't Cyclopi^is.
5540 R I T T E R S H U S I U S.
esteeiti. He began to^ travel in 1587, went through part
of Germany, and came to Bohemia. Being afterwards at
Basil in 1592, be took the degree of doctor of law, and
returned to Altorf, to fill the professor's chair, which the
l^urators of the university had given him some time before.
He had many advantageous proposals from other universi-
ties of Germany and Holland, but his attachment to Altorf
woujd not suffer him to accept them. He died at Altorf
May 25, 1613, after having married two wives, by whom
lie had nine children. Two of his sous, George and Ni-
colas, distinguished themselves in the republic of letters ;
and George wrote the life of bis father.
' He was a man of extensive learning, and perfectly skilled*
in the Greek and Latin tongues. He is said to have had
Homer and Hesiod so well by heart, as once, in a conversa-
tion with a learned young gentleman, to have expressed
all he had occasion to say in the verses of Homer. He
was also a judicious critic, and wrote notes upon many
ancient Greek and Latin authors, Petronius, Phaedrus,
Pppian, &c. which have been inserted in the best editionsi
of those authors. Thus Burman, in his edition of ^^ PhsB*
drus,^' 1698, 8vo, has carefully inserted the entire notes
of Rittershusius, whom he calU in his preface ** Germanias.
suss quondam ornamentum, & non minoris Gallioe decus.*'
He published a great number of works, sixty-six of whicli
are enumerated by Niceron, many on civil law, but most
on the belles lettres and criticism. His edition of ** Op-
pian,'* Greek and Latin, appeared in 1657, 8vo. His son
Nicholas, born at Altdorf in 1597, was also a man of
learning and a jurist, and particularly applied to historical^
and genealogical inquiries. He studied at Helm^tadt, and
afterwards travelled into various countries of Europe. On his
return he took a doctor's degree in 1 634, and was appointed
professor of feudal law at AltdorfF. He died in 1670^
Nicholas edited several of his father's works, and in 1638;
published an oration on '^ Hanno's Periplus.*' He was the
atfthor of a large work, entitled ^< GenealogiaB Imperato^
rum, Regum, Ducum, Comitum, &c. ab anno 1400 ad
annum 1664," 7 vols, in 4, folio, a work of rare occurrence.
Several of his letters are printed in the *^ £pistols& cele«»
brium Virorum,*' 1705.*
> Niceroo, ▼o1. XXXII.— Moreri.—Melchior Adam.— Life by big sod in WiU
len'i ** Memorie jarisQontuit. Hfoningi."—- Saxii OnonitiU
R I-V A, U L T. ■ 241
' \
. RITWYSE. See RIGHTWISE. . ,
^ RIVAULT (David), a learned French writear,, wasiborA
St Laval^ in the province of Perche, ,about',1571.. He wais»
j^ rought up in the family of the count de Laval, arid for
some time followed the military profession, serving in Italy
and in Holland. In 1603,. Henry IV. appointed him one
oFthe gentlemen of his bed-chamber. In 1605 he entered
into the service of tb^ emperor against the Turks : but on
his return he devoted him^self to hferary and spientific stu-
dies ; and in 16 1 1 be wa$i appointed preceptor tp the youn^
king,, Le<vis XIIL with a pension .of 3000 iivre?, and the
title of counsellor of state. An in3Ult. he received froj3Q bis
royal pupil obliged him to quit his office for some time.
The king had a favourite dog, who was perpetually jump-
ing on Rivault during his giving lessons^ and Rivault one
day gave him a kick. The king was so incensed ^s to strike
Rivault, who retired ; but it appears thiey were soon i:econ-
oiled,, and by the king^s orders Rivault acconi^panied ma-
dame EUzabeth of France as far as Bayonne, on her way
to be married to the king of Spain. On his return from
that voyage he died at Tours, Jan. i6i6, about the age of
forty-five. He is spoken of with high esteem by several
of the most celebrated writers of his time^ partioulacly by
.Casaubon, ^caliger^ Vossius, Erpenius, and Meaage., Hi^
works consist of, I. "|Les Etats," or VT^® States, or a
.discourse concerning the privileges of the prince, the no-
bles, and the Third Estate,' &c.'' 2. " Les Elemens d'Ar-
tillerie," Paris, 1608, ?vo, a curious and very scarce wprk.
i, "Archimedis Opera quae extant, Gr. et Lat. novis de-»
mdnstratiouibui^ illustrata,*' &c. Paris, 1615, folio; and
ether.pieces op education, &c,'
, RIVE (John JoseIph), a French writer, chiefly on subr
jects of bibliography and literary history, wjas born May '
19 f 1730, at Apt in Provence, and was bred to ttie church.
He was first professor of philosophy in the seminary of St,
. .Charles, at Avignon, a situation for which he was rtot very
^well qualified. Be then beqame curate of Molleges, in
the diocese of Aries, but was not much better satisfied with
this than his preceding occupation, as he. had more.tastfs
for bibliographical researches than fpr pastoral duues*
.While here he had the credit of an amour with a marriecl
> ■ • ' . * * * • '
woma^, that did not advance him much in the public ppi-
1 Niceron, vol. X^^yil.-— V^^saiusdeJScientii^ l^aUi.— -Saxii Ooomait^
Vol. XXVI.' R
W2 RI VX'
nkm; abd wben the 'biiBbaiid repfoaobed binr, tfai AM
threw: him headlong OQt of the window, fifom which, how^
ever, he. received no great injury, hi 1767 he x^ame t0
Parb, andfaid'tam for books being already known, thedabe
de VaHiitre appointed him his librarian, and in allusion- to
ills arrc^j^ant manner of decidifng on literary points, used to
ealf him his- bull-dog; On the revolution breafking out, he
becUme one of the most implacable of the anarchists, autt
d'enoonced vengeance on the clergy, the nobility^ and
cilpeciaNy those writers who were his rivals in bibliograr
pbii^al pursnits, particularly William Debnre, and the abb€
lifiefcrer, to whom be was uncommooly abusive. He afieN
wards led a Hf^ of turbulence and hostilHy, whieh at' laal
closed at Marseilles in 1792. Among his numerot^ publir
cations, the most useful were, K ** f^ircissemens sur Pint
Tention des Cartes a jouer,'* Paris*, .1780, 8vo. 2. *< Pjpoj-
spectiUs sur Pessai de veriftcv Tage de Miobtures,^* sDcbilb
appedr.on «ianu8cripts from the fourteenth to the seveq^
teeoth century ; ibid. 1 782, fol* 9. ^ Notices hisioriqoes e^
.critiques, sur d^uz manuscrits de la bib)iotheque du duc.^^
la Vailiere,*^ ibid. 1779> 4tq, 4* ^•^Notipes. .sur le.trail^
xnanuscrit. de Gateotto Martta,. intitule .Oe .£xcet1fi>^
bus,'* ibid. 17$5, 8vq. 5. " Htstoijre critique de la Pyr^
Widede Cahis Slestiusr" &c. tbid. 1787, hi :6. La Cba^s^
aux. Bibliogra'pbes et aux ' Antiquaires m^l avii^s,^^ ibi^.
1 78?, 2 vols, a receptachei^ of alitiost. every, kiurd of abn;^
and awkwiU'd wit against Le . Lovfg, . I>bbo.re, Mercier, ^.
7.f^Dictionnaire de critique iM;terairei''&C. with other worN
of a similar kind, which, are very-scarce ^«to ijn France^ |^
he printed but a small mimber, of each editionv.^ .
. RIVET. (Alf DREW), a celebrated French protes^ufit dir
Vine, was born at St: Maxeut, in Poitou, Aug. l, 1372, ai^
after some schoor education near hooie, was sent.ta Ro^
cbeUe in 1585, where he studied the learned kdgo^gea aaj)
tohitosophy. In 1590 he'#as removed to the coUege i|t
JBearn, where be took his master^s degree, aqd began^ tb/^
study of divinity. Having finished that pqurse, he was in
1595 appointed tbinister of the church of Tboars, and cbapi-
lain to the duke of Tboars, who admitted him into bis G0Q^
fidence, and frequently employed him in matters of ikxir
portaoce* While in this situation he married the daughter
<f f a divine at Tboars* He was frequently the represCT^tdr
. 'XHst Bigt«*->IKbdiii'f BibGbaiai^ii
tivf; of thq 9i)^|;#it^i|t chiireb^^ and
9Do4% aa4 i^. 8Qineo£dieii^$l]^d't)i«cJii4rof pnesideat^
ftairti^i^rl^ in.tbat of Vitry» iii 1617* < In 1600 he was Bp^
ppi^tfKli pro^ssor of diyinity ajt Leydet)^ bat i^bout ihesain(6
^m^ bad tbe a(ii9f9rtojW> (o loie bk wife. In 16Jil be vi-^
I|ilei4 Eogjandi andgoipg tO'Qff^rd' was ineorporated doc-
tor in dNmty^ lybjjcb degree bad beea conferred on bim at
iM^deu. juH 'b^<m. He -gave, oti ibk occasion, se^era^
|iooi» to tbe BodleiXQ library. Wbiie isl^$ngland be mar'*
fted, ai^ bis second wife» Mai^a, tbe sister of Peter da
ldk>iiUn> i^Qd widow pf Aotbony der.Guyoli upou whose
4eath in tbe cii^il wars in (FiaACe«< sbeftbok.refuge, in EngU
land. Wbet s^rv^d . tio iotr odaeei bim at Qx&rd was hist
Kivioiis aequainuincerWitb Jolm Ru^mc^ ^or Boiise^ wbo had
god same tiioe wit;b bii9 i^t.Th^ars^ and was nowiin tbe
aiiwtioja'of liibraifian.oflhQBodleieai <Afv»: his retiuu te
|heydei) be semmed bia professorship, 4ad passed the rest
^^d^y» in teaebiog atid writing. He died ia 1647^^ aged
fevsenty-'fite. His ^orks, cMsistiog of commetitaries on
ihO' scripthreS) sennpns, and controversial pieces, were
irery numerous, but it is unnecessary to ipecify tb6m se^
|fhrat#^^ as tbey^were ^oUei^ in 3 vols. foL and printed
^ Bolteidaai in I65h : His bi^]tber William, who was
'^)E«(wfae in the ehur4b, pnWifdied on !^ Justification, V «nd
tit|ii< Bc^lasiastlci^l Ubertyy ' We haTe< id £nglish,<< A re-
lntiOQ of thelast boars of I>r. Andrew Eivetf:'Manio, trans«
htfed «nd publbbed by Nebeaaiah Ooxe, by which it ap«
"peHBiH that' Dr. :Ri¥et war not mere a man of great learning
^atf'of gv^slt{rie(y»^
'RIVET DB LA oaANGE (AmrHaNY), of the same family
fis the preeedtngy but descended from a oatbolic branch,
^irtti born October M, 1683, at Goofolens, a small town in'
^eietiers. '' He studied phttosopby sioder the Jacobins at
Vieictiisrs, but an escape frbm very imminent danger de^
^leiHnined bitn to put on tbe Benedictine habit, which Ik
-^ftecofdingly did at Marmoutter> in 1 704y and took bis irows
Hdiere ih 1305.* In 1714 he was teansferred to tbe monas^^
"terjr of St' Cyprian, and summoned to Paris the yearfoU
hfvnhg^ to ' assist some other monks in compiling a history
Hfillasteioaa meoof the BenediettoeMder; but' this pro^
jeet' failings Riv^t turned his thoughts entirely to the lU
terary histpiy of Fraace^ whi^b hebad before farmed ^a
1 Frekeri Tlwatf iiDi.-*-M tfmb«*-^tlU Or, ▼•!. !«
* 41 2.
Ut ^^ RIVET-
design of writing, and which employed the rest bf his We^
He was assisted in this work by three of his brietbren, Joseph'
Duclou, Maurice Ponc'et, and John Colombo who were all
his particular friends, good critics, and accurate and indus-
trious writers. In 172? Rivet published at Amsterdam
•* Le NecTologe He Port Royal des Champs," a work of
which he was very fond, and added to it a long historical
preface. This publication, joined to his warm opposition
to the bull Uuigenitus, from which he had^appealed, obliged
him to retire into the abbey of St. Vincent at Mans, the
same year, where he laboured assiduously during more
than thirty years to complete his " Literary History of
France." He published the first volume in 1733, 4to^ and
was finishing the ninth, which contains the first years of the
12th century, when be died, February 7, 1749, in his
sixty*-sixth year, worn out with intense ap^plica:tion, aus^
teriiies, and the strict and rigorous observation of bis rule^
from which he never departed. His history was afterwards
extended to 12 volumes, to which Clemencet added a 13tb;
It is a very useful work, but the French literati have never
thought of completing it* *
RIVIERE, or Riy ERIUS (Lazarus), an eminent French
physician, was born at Montpellier in \5S9, He studied
in the university of his native place, but having failed in
his exaniinations for his degree, be was impelled to redouble
his exertions,' and in 1611 was admitted to the degree 'of
doctor with great credit. In 1622 he was appointed to the
professorship of medicine in-the university, an office which
he continued to fill with great honour until his death inl
1655. Riverius published **The Institutes of Medicine,"
in five books, in Latin, which 'went through many editions;
but the work which has gained him most reputation, is A
course of medicine, entitled "Praxis Medica,'* of which
editions were long multiplied in France, Holland, and
England. It treats of most of the diseases to which the
body is subject, in seventeen books, in a clear style ; but
in many places he appears to have borrowed copiously frotki
Sennertus. He published also a work entitled HObserva*
tiones Medicse et Curationes insignes,'' which has been
frequently reprinted, and is not now without its value.
These works have been collected and published togetberj^
jttnder the title of ** Opera Medica Univetsa,*^ Geneva^
* MoierL— Diet, Hiit -
R I V I ERE. 2^^,
;1737, andt Ley den, 173 8, fol.. Eloy observesr, that a friar,
^ernardin Christin, who had been a pupil of Riverius^ com-
piled some secrets of chemistry, which he published witb
the name.pf Riverius ; and although it has been clearly
proved that he was not the author of these papers, yet they
nave been frequently printed in the collections of his works/ .
and separately, under the title of " Arcana Riverii." '
, RIVINUS (Augustus Quirinus), an eminent botanist
and physician, was the son of a learned physician and cri-
tic, Andrew Bachmann, vyhose name in Latin became Rivi«
iius. He was born at Leipsic in 1652. After a successful
course of study he became professor of physiology and
botany. in his native university. He was also a member of
various learned societies, and died in 1723, aged seventy^
one.
The botanical system of Rivinus is fpunded on the most
elegant and attractive, if not the most solid and important^
parts of plants. His classes are marked by the number, the
regularity, or irregularity, of the petals. He could not
proceed far in this path without percjeiving that he made
most unnatural, and, as Haller justly terms them, para-*
^o2:ical, combinations. He thjerefore asserted, and doubts
tess beliqved> the inutility and impracticability pf a really,
natural classification. This principle bi*ougbt him to ot>e;
^ight conclusion, which even the philosophical Ray did not ,
attain, or was a-fraid to admit, that the old primary distri^
bution of vegetables into trees, shrubs, and herbs, is un-^
jicientific and erroneous. ^
^ Rivinus published, at^ his own expence, in 1690, his
splendid illustratipn of. the. first class of his system, com-*
prising such plants as have a monopetalpus irregular Bower.
This part consists of one hundred and twenty-five plates ;
^ut the catalogue of species is imperfect. A learned ^' lu-
4roductio generalis in rem herbariam^' ia prefixed; and this
introductory part was, at different times, republished in a
smaller form. The second part of this sumptuous work
came forth in 1691, and consists of one hundred and twenty-,
one plates, of plants with folir irregular petals ; injo which
class, by means of some contrivance, and many grains of
allowance, are admitted all the papiTianaceous tribe, the
cruciforoi genus Iberis, the Euphorbia, and a few things
besides. In 1699 the third part, containing flowers with ^
* E^oy> Diet. Hist, de Medicibe. — Rees'b Cycioi)aedia.
fire irregobr petal:}, ^ais given to tSe W5rld« ^ven inoi;i
liberty; is taken ia the aas^mbUge df getierii here tfian Bfi
Ibe former class. It coiisists bf oive hundi^ed and thiri^-
nine plates. A fourth part, the bestapetalse irreg^Iafes,
^nsistuig of 4he Orchides^, ^^asfini&hed, but iiot puVlisbe^,
}>efore the author's death ; nor iiid^ed have any more fHsMi
tsvery few copies of this' ^ver'gottabrbad into the wprldt |0
that it donsticotes 4tie 6fth^ greatest biblibtbecal raritiiap*
With respect to utility or 'beatttjr, those wbo'atre possesVeA
ef the transcendarit engrtavitigs of this favotiri^e tribe lYi
Hauler's Hiltory of Swiss Plapts, may dispense /yuh tbi
'iigurea of Rjlyi^ob. The. author had pi^c^pared seVi^ral slip*
plementaiir phieB to bis' work^ which never came 'fovta,
^apd of which, perli^sips the only Specimens are to be Seen ijk
. sir Joseph Banks's fine copy of the whole work, except t;wi^
dupbeat0 plates pifeseiit^ Ky the learned baronet to tbv
.pi^ldieiwt4>f;tb€ l^Mu^aa ^dieCy. There is iev^ry tr^astihr
.to beliey^^ thai the eibpy in qtieiitrdQ belonged to iUe adtl^QV
himself^ or t6 hi# son,, ais may be g;^th€ar€^ from it^ niapi)-^
Mripi addiiibhs and cQrnBctions. A complete copy,' of eVexi
ibe three first p^tsof Riirinus's'bp^k is, itide^d, '(|lffijcy]t
•40 Ve met94th;;far 9even^l of the ptites haiviWg from if&e
tp diM feeetved addit^dns <>f ^ed«vessds, or oretili^Q
phmli; the;^i4tejp itvipresi»i6ns of subh plates are'cojprsf-
^fineiltly ili>petfect« The best ebpi^s^re required, By p&^
tidions ^otleictors, -to have civery plate with>nd wiiliout:tiie
additiomi. - . ' ,, ,..L*
As a medical wr^r^ Jlivinus has the n|i<erlt of fal^^pi
Q^serva^ibnr and descHptioil)^ in his treAtUe^' de Pgstel^p*
aiensi,'* published in 1 6 80^ He wrbte also oh Idy spepsia,
em intermittent fevers, and various oth^ dubji^cts. He did
not scruple tctiattai^ whatever praeUceW opihibh^he^founH
established on the baaiis of prejudice aiid ignoyahce;, Tn
Ihis respect his *^ Gensuta^l^edidamebidrum bfficibaliub^^
ranks very bigb^ His commendable tiim, in tliis i^6rk, iii^as
to clear the materia medica of iHs various di^raceful li6cu%-
brance# ; so many of vyhich originated in ierrbr, impdsitfpn^
or sttperstitiom Rk attempts have been fdHcMved vip By
Various m^n of ability and authority ; and it is to the unli^d
labour arid good sense of such that the world is indebtled
for the purified and impfeved state of 6ur mbderii pli&r-
macopeias. ^ ^ ........ , . .
Though not a great practical anatomist^ of dissector, Ri-
yinus is said to have discovered a new salivary duct. He
RIVINUS. -M?
4«ft «tSQii» Jd«H ituausirw Rm«Ql^» ivlio «iieoeitd«clihiin «i
S" raf^or, and under wbqse presideDoy was iptibliifaisd ii
itaertattoity in ITSa^ oo '^ MedkiBaUSariiM/V ITtiis^gdti-
tleman died in 1725, aged tbirtyi-tbree, tiaving^urviireti
liis&tfaer bill two jwars. Uit ipi^ematiire nteath seeoon to
liave .prdir^nted the puUicalion of iheiloiirtib .patt^of fbh
fiitbar^s great faoianical src^fe^ ai ileast for some ttimt.
«BaIler says, ^Ludwig aftetwards edited tbe iplates lOf )t^e
.^chideie, withottt any letter^press.; hut Ibis ipoblicatiim
%as never come mnder our in&(»3ction. '
-:^ RlZZIO^'or RICCI (DikVin), a musician of tb^ $iic*
'^i^ntb 'Centuj^y, urbose ooisecmdiict or-mtsfprtuoesrhatefOb-
mned bim a place in the bistoi;y af Scolk^d^ was bor<l:^at^
^l^orin, but.brougbt up in iFraitce. jHis rfadidr ewas a tniH
Isician and^dancing*n>a8ter» aodthie sdn'pmbjlblylpoisoss«(i
^ those talents which serred to amuse. a? courtly tciircle. 'fie
. 'appears to have come to Scotland abuat 4 j€4^ wbaii) ati-
' cordmg to moat.accdunts, he .was ifcitbar :young norifaand**
some. The count de Uftretsi&D hrongfat him hither (in his
iuiie, as ambassador frood Satby to tibC'Oourt of the ticifoi»-
tunate queai Maii^. Sir Jain^s.Melv4t9 in* bt^ *< MeoMoirs/'
^ tells us th2tt ^^ tbe queen had three 'Tabtsi of ^fa^r chambtr
'Who'spng in l&ree parts, and wanted <a base, t^aicigitbis
^Yburdi . part ; therefore, telling ^ hei^ ma^ty ! xif; thssi matt,
"Itizzb^ iiff ode fit to ihake thi^ffiQ«Mrth^n c6na0rt5^«>w|te
^ra^n in soatvetim^stib aln^ with-the resfi.^^ .He qfuidbljr,
^lioweVer, or^t^nto the. .^o^eeii'Hi frvo^r ; «liidiiier rFrandh
aecretary tiappeniug at that time to. repirn to hisowncdun*
Hry;'RtZ2iO was p^efei'rdd bf W nmjesity to that office.
"lR6 h^gan to make a figure-«t:Caart^aiidia^appear«&a
^ man of weight and* cotfseqdeDC^. ^ Nor - was he . cai^eftil to
f aibate that^envy * which al^ay^ «aui»3»ds «tt«h aue^ traotdioary
'and rapid change oPforttiiDe*' 'On- thd ^outsary, {he seems
[ to h$ved0hee>r^rythinj^fto increase its y^t^isrwas not his
exG^bitaht |lowe^dbh^'whiebelt«spetvat&^^ they
cdnsidered him aa^n dangerousetiiMny 4o thi^/protestant re*
figiouy and bc^^ed that he held for dlla frorpese a con*
iiini cbi^eqi|tnidence withth^^Gouft'Of Rome^ His pre«
'Valence, however, was very short^hved ; for, ia^ L5 6 6, car «
: tsiin , nobtes,'- with lord Darnly at their head, caospiced
^g^inst him, and dispatched limn in ihequaen^ presence
* J'
1 ^rotn the account drawn up by tbe presidlent of the Linnaean society for
Itfes'f Cf clopisdi^,. i
Tt4y . Rizzio;
.with.firty-shc wounds. /The oofisequeoces* of -tUb tntifJifMr
.to tlie que^n aiyd to the nation are amply detailed in Scotch,
history, and have been the subject of a very fertiiet con-
troversy.
' As a musician, Rizzio^s instrument was the lute, which
^tFas at that time the general favourite all over Europe; and
an opinion has long prevailed that he was the great im-
prover of Scotch music, and that he composed most of the
Scotch tunes which have been heard with so much pleasure
for two centuries past, and are in their style to be di$tin««.
guisbed from all other national airs. This matter, however,
has been investigated both by sir John Hawkins, from re^'
-cords, and by Dr. Barney, from personal inquiry atTurin9
and the result is, that the opinion has- no foundation. . Some
part of Dr. Burney's sentiments on the subject we have
already given in our account of king James I. of Scotland*
It does not, in fact, appear that Rizzio was a. composer at
all ; and bis stayin this country not exceeding twoyearsi
with, the variety of business in which he- was, fatally for
himself and his royal mistress, engaged, 'could have left;
him little leisure for study, or for undertaking tbeJmprove^'
ment of the national music. ^ .,.•,!
^ ROBERTS (Barre' Charles), an ingenious yopng. writer;
and. medallist, the third child and second son of £dwar4
Roberts, esq. deputy -^clerk of the^ pells of the excbequeCy.
.was burn March 13, 1789, in St. Stephen's^ court, West*.
minster. His frame and constitution were delicate, whiete
probably created an aversion to the usual exercises oi
youth, and his early pursuits evinced vivacity without ,1^^
vity. They were^ qf a nature to exercise, but not to weary
the faculties ; and, springing from a desire for knowledge^
^^flbrded to him a perpetual variety of objects. The first vui%
diments of education, asv far as it related to habits, heacnt
quired himself, or perhaps he imbibed them from the.^*>f
tuation in which he was placed. In his. father^s house .at^
Ealing, the well-ordered ceconomy of time which preyails^
in. a tegular family, taught him to appreciate . ao^d toi
profit by the means of tranquillity thus placed within hiac
reach. The salubrity of the air, and. the extent. of the;
grounds, which allowed him as much exercise as be wished
for, contributed to the health of bis body.; andhebadih%
advantage of a well-chosen collection of books^ whixjiK
A Barney and Hawkins's Hist, of Music,
H O B E R T S: 24^
^sffiirdedbim the opportunity^ of indulging ' his taste for
reading.
' In the earliest periods of bis life he seemed to be fully
impressed with the importance and value of time, no mo-
ment of which he suffered to be unemployed; Whatever
was curious in literature attracted his attention, but sub-
jects of antiquity were those which he most delighted to
investigate. In . these his patience and perseverance were
"Very remarkable ; and though he read with eagerness' and
rapidity, he never neglected to note down particular cir-
cumstances, or to mark for subsequent reference such things
as he could not at once completely embrace. To a natural
Quickness of observation was added a retentive memory^
and the exercise of these was matured. into an habit of at*
tention and arrangement. — Fortunately for Barre these, en«
dO)wments did not escape' the eye of him who was most
interested by affection and consanguinity in his welfare.
Hta father early discovered and cultivated them. Barre,
when at home, was his constant companion, and, soon after
the years of infancy were passed, became his most intimate
friend. Indeed it is not possible to imagine a greater de-
gree of confidence between two persons, even of similac
ages, than that which existed between this youth and. his
jtarent ; and so well was it supported and understood, that
Barnl never for a moment lost sight of his relative situation,
HOT' transgressed the limits of respect which Blial love, even
kad there been na other motive, would have taught him to
observe. The clearness of his perceptions, and the cor«
r^tness of'his understanding, secured him from any over-
rated idea of his own talents, and rather added than de-^
Iract^d from the docility of his disposition : a docility not
in him the result of feebleness, or indolence, nor tending
to the obliteration of his natural character, but derived
from a comparison of his own inexperience with the
matured ju Jgment of advanced life, and a.just estimate and
oonviction of his father^s love; Barre, in this free and con^
ftdential intercourse, jmbibed all the advantages which a
system of perfect intimacy with one so much his superior in
age and worldly experience could produce, divested as it
was, by the discriminating hand of a parent, of all the evils
which attend on the formation of an artificial character. It.
ivouid have been of the highest gratificatipn to his father ta
have retained constantly \inder his. own eye a son so much
the object of his care and affection, and who seemed to>
Md it O 8 C It T Jl
«ciiirt;.all tUe instrtiictioii vefaiqh coold be bdstomd M^Uftii;
but as ibis would have demanded leisurcj^ and qualifioatioip
wbicb fall to^he lot dffbdt few person^, Barre was senft in
May 1797^ to Dr. iHortie^ aobool at Chi»wick,4md in, Jonb
119% was (Placed under llhe care of thb ReV« Willtaai
Goodenb^gb^ at'Ealiugy between whose family andihat of
bis pupil a long intimiacy and friendship bad subsisted.
Here be temained six years, and acquired a competent
knowledge of tbeclMicsy and some share of Blatbernatici^
bistory, and amiquities, tbB study of which, last bad been
previously familiar to him while enjoying his fatber^^ lib'rary
at home. / .
It was during tbe'salmb time that he form'ed'bis fine cot-
lection of coins, wUicb'is now in tb6 British museum, bar^
ing been purchased by the trustees with consent of pan*
liament. This collection was begun to be formed wbeli
Barri^ was Tery yboog. He accidentally saw a'fdw Roniaii
coins in his faither's possession, ^icb be preseiitly igiit
Ireosferred to his own. They were boarded by him widi
infantine oace, and esteemed by bifn as invaluable property;
The occasiooai piiesents of 'friends, and such specimen's as
a child's pocket-money could procure, soon incresised tti^
More, which be would display and comment upon with tba
air and importance' of a' connoisseur. As be advanced Hi
,age, however, be perceived that to form a completie aid
universal collection of coins was an object only in the power
of individuals possessed of Isrrger means than be could' ^veii^
expect to ei^oy. He therefore reUnqpiisbbd it in this cKa*
racter, and confined his attention only to those connected
* with his own country. His father encouraged the pur^uiit,
as he followed it in the light of a science^ which illustrated
and confirmed him in bis historical studies ; and his ria(me
as a collector fobn became known among the dealers, 'who
did not fail to bring him whatever coal d be discovered inost
tare and curious in their linel of search. -^ '
. On the 1 1th of October, 1 805, he was entei^ed as a opmV
moner of Christ Church at Oxford/ in which bouse' be be^
came a student at the Cbrisunas following, by the j[)resefita«*
tion of Dr. Hay, obtained at the request of lord Viscofint
Sidmoutb. As be never bad been separated from bis &-
mily till this period, for . a week together, the dislahde
between Ealing and Oxfard appeared to him a very 6onsi«*
dcrable oney and a plan of correspondence wail iminediaitely
established* His aai^UefttlettclrsiCoataiu a picture^ of ^^
t
II
mitjd uui^r lliib "ti^aeiic^ of dew ftnj^reisfehs,. and lietir
JiabiUt ^bila they display tiis condbotas utiiformljr corredit
tdd praifMB<^^ortbir> Md he tdok his first degree in Nov^
^.S08, wUli ^^t iBtpprQbkUion; Before tbts time be hak
:.l)eeD ^ frequentcorrespdhdentin the Gentlem'an^s Maga-
jsti^e on the Subject OJF coins, sind that not superficially, bdft
jvith a degilde ofknd^edge which would hare been cre^
ditable to a<<r^teKttU.c^iect6r. He Was also invited to con-
tribute to one of thtfse literary journals in wbich personal
attack is more an bbjiect than sound criticism; biit we ai^
tidt sorry; tcv^^ftndtbbt be made little progi'ess iaan employ-
ipient so ktbluiULbfe' to an in^nuous miiid. / :
The ca^ecir, however, bf this sibiiable ybiihg roan w^s
destined to be sbbrt^ During his residence in the last twb
j^ears at bxlto^d, be texp^riiinced itttacks which ihdlcatelft
that all was Mt rigiit abotit'hiin ; btit their short duratiotj,
and the ei^tt^tbe riepUghah^e that be felt towards drawing
attehtion to himself on sucb aceoiints, which made hiiti
i>erbaps^cbhtieal their extehi:, ^preife^ted th'e aiarrti whicli
'Otherwl^ bift friehds and family «r6uld ha^e entertained.
In the autumn 5f I^07'be wds seize'd witfh a hsembrrhage at
the tiose, add not long afterwards with' frequeiit fits of gid-
diness. Itie e&citementv^bich he Underwent it! iBOS.whilb
'r^ualifying bittiself to ' take his degree, rendered him still
inore ot>noa:ious to these baneful influences. ' Under ibb
constant agitation of bis mind, the deterioration in bis health
%ecaibe vidble by caprice of ippetite, and increased ner-
vous irritability. In the summer b^ that yearhe \vas'seize^
Vith a cough, which, though neither violent hor freqUent,
'n^ver left him afterwairds. llis illness, however, made no
rapid advances ; and when be returned home after his efr-
^mination, be continued toMik in the society of his frieh^
as usual* In a i^isit to Londoh rn the cold and unhealthy
jfpring of 1809, bis disposition to'mal&dy wa^ increased by
accidental oaases, too minute to arrest his' attention ; and
unfortutiately also'at this period he was sumnf^Oned to OjC-
ford' by intelligence of the fire' at' Christ Church, by which
^U rooms \vere damaged, and' his books endangered; The
aeaftoh, and the * business he went' upon, were pecUli&r^y
linfavouifable to an invalid; be' was necessairily iti^oived'iti
a good deal of bodily agitation, in6rderto ascertain and
aeciire his property, and exposetl to the air at a time when
repose and seclusion were of the utn^ost importance to him,
As the summer advanced, his disorder did not abate, though
S52 ir O 6 E R T $
t}>e symptoms of it nrere too. equivocal Co efhabld bi^ ifiedi'*.
cal attendaQts to give it a decrded name.
He was prevailed upon, with some entreaty, to make a-^,
journej' early in July to Southampton, in. the company of
a near relation, with wh9m ^he had ever lived on t/erms of
affectionate intimaqy, and who rejoiced in offering him
such attentions as he would, accept. Qo his return tp
Ealing at the end of September, the symptoms of his dis^
order had not increased in violence ; but the effect of its
'secret ravages upon him^ were but too visible* During thq
whole progress of his ailment, his mind remained unaltered
in its inclinations and desires. The thirst forfknowledge
continued, but the exhausted state of his corporeal system
opposed physical obstacles to its gratification ; he bore up
^ith cheerfulness and courage against evidences of that
which certainly he himself could not be ignorant of, and
lamented only the, languor of nervous debility wbich ren«
dered him unable to pursue his favourite and wonted oc^
cupations. He. died Jan. 1, .1810, and was buried on th«r
8th in Ealing church, where, on a tablet of w:hite marble^
is an elegant Latin inscription from the pen of his early
. tutor and triend, the rev Mr. Goodenough. In 1 8 1 4, a vo-
lume, in 4to, of his '* letters and Miscellaneous Papers,*'
was published with an elegant dnd affectionate memoir of
bis life, written by his cousin Grosvenor, Charles Bedford^
esq. ' . ,
ROBERTS (fRANCis), a puritan divine, the sou of
Henry Roberts of A slake, in Yorkshire, was borii there or
in that county in 1609, and entered a student of Trinity
college, Oxford, in 1625. In 1632 he completed his der
grees in arts, and .was ordained.' Where he first officiated
does not appear ; but on the breaking out of the rebellioB
be went to London, too)c the covenant, and was appointed
ininister of St. Augustine's, Watling-street, in room of
Ephraio) Udal, ejected for his loyalty. In ) 649: he wa3
presented to the rectory of Wrington in Somersetshire by
bis patron Arthur lord Capel, son of the beheaded lord
Capel. While on tliis living he was appointed one of the
commissioners for the " ^ectment of those" who were
called ^' ignorant and insufficient ministers and school-
masters." At the restoration, however, he coiiformed,
tired out, as many others were^ by .th^ dbtractipps of tbe
> Memoir as above.
R O B £ R T Si . ZSi
contending parties, and disappointed in every hope which
the eticouragers of rebellion had held forth. It does noC
appear whether he had any additional preferment, except
that of chaplain to his patron lord Oapel wheffh^ became
earl of Esse^c; and when that nobleman was lord-lieutenarit
of Ireland in 1672, it is supposed he prdcured him tb6 de-
gree of D. D. from the university of Dublin. He died at
Wrington about the end of 1675, and most probably wag
interred in that church. He published some single ser-
mons : " The Believer's evidence for Eternal Life," &c.
1649, 1655, 8yo, and the "Communicant instructed,"
1651,8^0, often reprinted ; but his prhicipal work is en-
titled "Clavis Bibiiorum, the Key of the Bible," in-
cliitling the order; names, times, penmen^ dccasion, scope,
and principal matter of the Old and New Testament. This
was first printed at London and Edinburgh, 1649, in 2 vols,
dvo, and afterwards in 4to; and the fourth editi(>n, 1675^
in folio. Wood mentions another work, " Mysterium &
Medulla Bibiiorum, or the Mystery and Marrow of the
Bible," 1657i 2 vols. fol. as he says, but this is doubtful^
tod «« The Triie way to the Tree of Life," 1673, Svo.*
ROBERTSON (Joseph), a learned English divine and
Miscellaneous writer, was deseendetl fVom a reputable
family, which from time immemorial possessed a consider-
able estate at Rutter, in the parish of Appleby, in West-
moreland. His father was an eminent maltster; and his
mother, the only daughter of Mr. Edward Stevenson, of
Knipe, in the same county, cousin to Edmund Gibson,'
bishop of London. He was bbrn at this latter place, Au-
gust 28, 1726; bdt his father soon afteru'ards removing to
Rutter, he wis sent, at a proper age, to the free-school at
Appleby, «vhere he received the rudiments of classicail
learning under Mr. Richard Yates, a man of eminent abili-
ties, and distinguished character in his profession. From
theiice, in 1746, he went to Queen's college, Oxford,
'where he took his degrees in arts, with considerable repu-
tation for his ingenuity and learning. On his receiving
t)rders he was, for some time, curate to the celebrated Dr.
Sykes, at Raylciglrin Essex, and in 1758 he was instituted
t6 the vicarage of Herriard in Hampshire ; iA 1770, to the
rectory of Sutton in Essex; and in 1779, to >the. vicarage
of Hbrncastle* in Lincolnshire, 16 which he \^a8 presented
'by his^relatloft; Dir. Edmund Law, bishop of Carlisle. .
I Alb. Qx. vol. U.
9S4 R p 9 E B 1^ B Q^ N.
Itk 1761 b^ pijibU4>fsd attelioonf enj:itled ^* The wb{rer«»
lion of an^cieiit j^iqgdonis cop^idered/* ^eacbed M f^
J:Obn'i^ W^^tfniusterj Feb., 13, the dfy appointed b^r- 4.
general faajt. Ii|. 1772) be reyi^d. and cofrecti^ ^ lb<^
pre&s,Pr. Gregory. Sharpens ppsthmnoiis sermons; and tb^
8a,Qcie year <|OjcnpljeM a nj^w edition Ojf Algernon Sido^y-f
Discourses on. Governoient) with bbitqricm ^Qt^ in oiu^
volume q^arto^ at ibe persuai^iQiii of Thoipas HoUis, mq^
wbo bigbly apprQTed bis perfornanoe. > ^^
In 1775: a i;^inarkable ii^cidenj^ h^ppen^x ^^^>P^ ^^i^^^^cd
tbe public attention. A Miss Butteriield vjras afiCuseA vf
ppisoniqg Mi;. Wok Scawen, of Woodcote tpdge .in Stirf^
Mr. Robertson tbougbf )j^eT yerycrueUy trea^d^ aiid i09J|(
fo ajctive pa^ in ber defence. Qn tbis ^jstsasion, l^ pttb^
ijiaix^d . a letter to Mr. Sanxay, a surgeo^ij^ on- wbcoa t^^^
i^Qnyt^fiisB BUjtterfijeid bad been cofniiiitte4. ^o prison i 19
wbjpb he.Y^ty severely animadvert 90 ^b.e co/idoct ap4
fvideiM^e of that ge^tlem^,; JCti^r she bf4 ^en honourt
^ly ^cqtattfd at tbe awsea at Croydpiis be poUisbei^f
feeond pan^pbieit, containing '< Observations on thecal
of MUs BpttpHrfieK^*^ $hewtpg tbie b^r<;^sbiF^ she bfid^ sua4
laiuedif and. tbe iiecewty of prosecuting : her right i^ a
tjQ^urt of.jpsti^ei tbat is, kp^ claim to a considerably
le^Oy^ W^(ih A|r. Sc^wm bad bequ^atb^^i ber by ^ wili^
e]C^i|te4 y^tJk: grc^ foirtnaUty,. twp or three years beforf
bid deatl^. Tbe caus^ w^s apcordiiigly tried in PoctorsJ
flommoos. Rut) tbppgb.it ms iiniversaUy agreed, that tluf
imfortanate youqg womaa ha^. been, unjustly accused, and
thaA IVIr. Spaw^n' had beea iuduced, by false saj^estiontj
Hd sign aiv>tbi9r testamentary pap^?s: m which ber napoe
lias not meptioned, yet DO repress poi|ld b.e pbuipedi aa
tbe judge observed, ^ that it.was tb^ bpisin^ss pf tbe court
to determipe tbe cause, apcprdipg to. whijit the testator A04
4fi$xe ; pot according to what be ought to have dope/' <
Mr. R. is said to have been tbe a^uthpr of a useful ti^actf
published ip 17^1^ <' On CaUpary PoUopi^.'' Ip 1783, bf
l^blidiad an.degant little vokme fdr.tbf improyepipnt <^
youpg people in eeadiug, entitled ^^An. Introduction to
ibe study of Polite Literature." This ^'performance way
sientioned as tbe j^«l volume of an int^p^ed seriea op the
«Mae aubjeirt ; but.the <s^<;pn«( ne^er appearei|> omn^ asit.
is supposed, to part of it having been reprinted in a tracts .
fpr the use ef Sunday-scboobii wikbput his coosfpt, bj
R €^ B S II 7 8 ei 9i 8^t
jtr^Mcaemv l^alty *• In, tbe Aam^ yewr be ravAedJaod pvth*
h^9d a medical wofk of his frietKi sifr Oli&on Wiatcingt
ka^ ^ De McHTbis quibundam GommenM^rii/' in o.iie voL
INo; io irtiicli a scMB^ad vetume was afterwarda added in
•' !» I.785> itfe pabliibed an ^ Essay on Pui^^lvia^an,'* in
il^Qiev In*d»s treatise lie ha»illt|stcated a d«y i^ unpro^
Ifiiaii^g tiftbjeely with a variety of elegant and entertaini»g
eMiffiples; a^ fouvth edition of ttiis easay was pointed itt
Wm. ' Ifi 1768 appeared <<The Parian Chronicle^ or th#
ISbiomcl^ of: the :^lniridelmn Marbles, with a Dissertation
«PQo^#niiig its iSuthentkity.*^ The tendency of this work
iitvto Aew, that « the authentioity of this^ famous inscription
4s^e<tf€kneiy''qi»estionable; but although we may pva4se the
tngentiity, ' acutefness, and learning, of the auihor, we majr
ke' ptomitted to donbt wbelhei! be has fully established hi*
In 1795 be published a translaition ol Teleaaachusi witk
MteSi atid the life of ' Fenelon^ in 4^wo volumes l2mo;
-^i«;b< bears tkeiviarks of his- usuat elegaaee> taste, and«
ItHmAiig. By a note to 'the dissei^t&tton on the Parian
£hro0iele it appcifars, that be was cmoeirned in writing the
Critical Heviev<r << for tv^enty-one years^ frotn August 17<M#
jbio Septembeif 17^5, inclusinev During th^ period he wa<
Iba authoi? of aboYe S^20 articles, on' th0o)ogkal, cbssicali
^eet'iea), and misceikLheous pubtieatiens;" *
^; In^ 1797; Mr./R<>beptson publisted << Obsennttions on the
Aiet for ^lagfoentiOg the Salai ief^ of Curates^ in* four* Letters
$fiiH8FrieQd,^*9ro, Written: in 'ccm^equence of what th4
auibor^houghta^disproponionate and oppresu^ve enfovcen
aaeot of the curates' act In 179$^ he published ^^ An
Bssay on the Education of Young Ladies, addressed to a
|iersoh of disttnciion/V8?o J and the next year, ^<An Essay
en the^ Nature of the English Verse^ with Direetioos fef
feadiog Poetry,**< }2mo.
*f. Mr. Robertson' married in 1758, Miss Baikes^ the daugh^
Mr of Mr. Timothy Raikes^ apothecary^ in Loo<ion, hf
wlioin be had several chitdren, who died in their infancy^ ^^
t : Mr Robertsen^j^ health had been considerably impaired^
ewing to some f^ of apoplexy which attacked him about
l>7B^. ji^firiiig 180i be seemed to bave^ in some measure^
Jnag. Toi. LXIu '
MSB AOBERTSOIt
recovered ; bot on Jan. 1 8, 1802, he was seized with % •
violent effusion of blood, which occaisioned his deaths on
tBe very next day, in the seventy -seventh year of his age*
He Was tall, stout, and handsome, of a ruddy complexion^
prepossessing look, gentle and unassuming manners, and
exceedingly polite in conversation': he w^ an accomplished
moral character in every sense of the word. Without
violently condemning any of the Christian persuasion, he
was enthusiastically devoted to the church of England ;
and without indulging in any illiberal animadversions on
foreign governments, he was duly sensiljle of the unrivalled
advantages and the invaluable blessings of the British Con*
stitution. As to his domestic virtues, one. of his biogra-
phers thinks he cannot exhibit a more finished picture of
them than by stating what Mrs. Robertson told him, ^^ Dur*
jng the fortyrfour years we have lived together, . never, for
a single night, did he desert the domestic society,, to seeH
elsewhere for amusement T' *
. . The literary character of Mr. Robertson would rank high
among those of his contemporaries in the same line, if .he
bad concentrated his ideas in one large aod compact woi'k.
Taken, however, as it is, it will unqpestion^bly exhibit'|»
learxied critic and philologer, and one of the most accurate
writers of his age. Although he was endowed with a vigo^
f9us understanding, and enriched with an uncommonly
extensive knowledge, his predominant power was memory;
and his favourite study, civil and literary history. In the
last-mentioned ))ranch heJiad, perhaps, no superior ; andT
perhaps too, not many among the very professed biblio#
graphers could.rival him in the science ofbooks^ author%
and literary anecdotes. ^ . . >
ROBERTSON (Thomas), an eminent grammarian, was^ '
according to Bale, ^* JEboracensis urbis alumntis^^^whici^
may mean ths|t he was educated at York ; but Wood says^
be was bom at or near Wakefield in that county. He wa^
originally of Queen^s college, Oxford, but afterwards a
semi-commoner of Magdalen, and succeeded the famoui}
John Stanbridge as njaster of the school adjoining to tha(
college. He took his degree of M. A. in 1^25, and was
elected a fellow of Magdalen. In 1532 he was collated ta
the prebend of Welton-W;esthall in the cathedral of Lin-
coln ; in the year following to that of Sleford, and in 1534^
1 From Memoirt written by hiin«tif m Nicb(4||| SOwyer; and a Sketch'by
Mr. Damiani.
& 6 B E R T S 0 T^. «5T
\6 that of GrettOD, in the same churohz It seems probable,
but Wdod does not mention it as certain, that he took bis
d^ree of B. D. in 15S9, at which time he says, Robertson
^as esteemed the ^^Jlos et detus Oxonia^^ and was trea*
surer of the church of Salisbury. He held also the arch-
deaconry of Leicester and vicarage of Wakefield^ to which
Browne Willis adds the rectory of St. Laud's, at Sherting*
ton, Bucks. '
In 1 549 he was associated with other divines, ordered by
Edward Vlth's council to form the new liturgy or coiamoa
prayer ; and thus far, as Dodd remarks, he complied with
the reformers^; but it does not appear that he advanced
iHuch further. In queen Mary's reign, 1557,- he 'was
made dean of Durham, and refused a bishopric. This
dignity be niight hate retained when Elizabeth came to
the throne, or have obtained an equivalent; but he refused
to take th^ oath of supremacy. Nothing more is known
with certainty of his history, unless that be died about
1560. Among the records collected at the end of Burnet- s
History of the Reformation, are, of Robertson's, ^' Resohi*
tions of some questions concerning the Sacraments/' and
'^ Resolutions of Questions relating to Bishops add Priests.'*
His grammatical tracts, , entitled '< Annotationes in Lib.
Gulielini Lilii de Lat Nom. generibus," &c. were printed
together at Basil, 1532, 4toi. - His reputation as a correct
grammarian and successful teacher was very great. Strype
Says^ that after refusing the oath of supremacy, he began
to propagate his opinions against the reformation, and was
overlooked ; but Willis thinks he was taken into custody.^
ROBERTSON (Wiluam), a very Jearned divine, was
born in Dublin, Oct 16, 1705. His father was a native
of Scotland, who carried on the linen-manafacture there;
and bis mother, Diana Allen, was of a very reputable fa-
mily in the bishopric of Durham, and married to' his father
in England. From his childhood he was of a very tender
and delicate constitiition, with great weakness in his eyes
till he was twelve years of age, at which period he waa
sent to school. He had his grammar-education under the
Celebrated Dr. Francis Hutcbeson, who then taught in
Dublin, but was afterwards professor of philosophy in the
university of Glasgow. He went from Dr. Hutehesoa to
that university in 1722,; vCrhere be remained till 1725, ^ind
I Ath. Ox. f ot. I. asw ediUoD.«*Oodid't Ch. aUU
Vol. XXVI. S
95$ B O B E S T S O N.
took the degr6e of M. A« He had for his tutor Mr. Jp^
Lowdoa, professor of philosophy ; and attended the h^o^
ture» of Mr. Ross, professor of humanity ; of Mr. Duplop,
professor of Greek; of Mr. Morthlandi professor of ,t;h^
Oriental languages ; of Mr. SimpsoPi professor of mathe-
matics ; and of Dr. John Simpspn, professor of divinity.
In the last-^mentioned. year, ^ dispute was revived, whiqh
had been often agitated before, between Mr. Joha Ster*
Ufig the principal, and the students, about a right t,o chuse
a. rector, whose o0ice and power is somewhat like that of
the vice-chancellor of Oxford or Cambridge. Mr. Robert^
$011. took part with his fellow- students^ and wa^ appointed
by th^m, together with William Campbell, esq. son of
Campbell of Mamore» whose family has since succeeded
to the estates and titles of Argyle, to wait upon, the print
cipal with a petition signed by more than threescore mat
triculated staclents, praying that he would, on the 1st day
of March, according to tb^ statutes, summon an univ^r*
«ity*meeting for the electiou of a rector ; whicb. petition
he rejectee^ with contempt. On this Mr. Caa^pbe)), in bis
own name and in the name of all the petitioners, .protected
against the principars refusal, and siU the petitioners went
' to the house of Hugh Montgomery, esq., the unlawful rec«*
lor^ where Mr. Robertson read aloud the protest gainst
him and his authority. Mr. Robertson^ by these proceed*
ingsy became the immedijate and indeed the only object o(
prosecution. He was cited before the faculty, i.e. thor
principal and the professors of the university, of whom th^
principal was sure of a majprity, and, after a trial wbiqH
ksted several days, had the sentence of expulsion pfo*.
nounced against him ; of whiqh . sentence be df^manded a
copy, and was so fully persuaded of thQ justice of hif^:
cause, and the propriety of his proceedings, that h^
openly and strenuously acknowledged and adhered to what
he. bad done. Upon this, Mr. Lowdon, his tutor, and Mh
Di^Iopf professor of Greek, wrote letters to Mr. Robert**
son^s father, acquainting him of what had happened, and
assuring him that his son had been expeUed, not for any
crime or immorality, but for appearing very zealous io a
dispute about a matter of right between the principal and
the students. These letters Mr. Jlobertson sent inc^losed
in one from himself, relating his proceedings and ^ugerings
in the cause of what he thogght justice and right. Upon
this his father desired him to take every step he might
HOBERTSON. sit
think pii*oper, to assert and maintain his own and his felfoir^
students claims; and accordingly Mr. Robertsoti went op to
London, and presented a memorial to John duke of Argyle^
containing the claims of the students of the university of
Glasgow, their' proceedings in the vindication of them,
aiid his own particular sufferings in the causel The duke
received him very graciously^ bui said, that <^ he was little
Acquainted with things of this sort ;^' and advised him ^^ to
apply to bis broths Archibald earl of Hay, who was better
versed in such matters than he.*' He then waited on lord
Hay, who, upon reading the representation of the case,
said <* he would consider of it*** And, upon consideration
'Of it, he was so affected, that he applied to the king for a
<:ommission to visit the university of Glasgow, with full
pow^r to examine into and rectify all abuses therein. la
the summer of 1726, the earl of Hay with the other visitors
repaired to Glasgow, and, upon a full ezamipation into
the several injuries and abuses complained of, they re>^
■ stored to the students the right of electing their rectory
recovered the right of the university to send two gentle*
men, upon plentifiil exhibitions, to Baliol college in Ox**
^'ord ; took off the expulsion of Mn Robertson, and ordered
that particularly to be recorded in the proceedings of the
eommission ; annulled the election of the rector who had
b6eh named by the principal ; and assembled the students^
who immediately chose* the master of Ross, son of lord
Ross, to be their rector, &c. These things so affected Mr*
Sterling, that he died soon after ; but the university re*
vived, and has since continued in a most flourishing, don*
dition.
Lord Hay had introduced Mn Robertson to bishop
•Roadly, who mentioned him to archbishop Wake, and he
wtis entertained with much civilvty by those great prelates.
As he was then too young to be edpnitted into orders, be
employed his time in London in visiting the public librae
rie^ attending lectures, -and improving Tiimself as oppor-
ttmities bfferedi He bad the fadhoor to be introduced to
lord-chancellor King, by a veiy kind letter from Dn Hort^
bishop of Kilmore, and was often with his lordship; la
1727 Dn John Hoadly,' brother to the bishop df Salisbury,
was nominated to the united bishoprics of Ferns and Leigh-
lin in Ireland. Mr. Robertson was introduced to him by hi«
brother ; and, from a love of the nataU solum^ was desirous
to go thitber with lum* Mr. Robertsoti then informed tke
a a
S60 ROBERTSON.
archbishop of Caiiterbtiry of his design i and his
gave him a letter of recommendation to Dr. GoG^win,
archbishop of Cashel, who received him in a mdst frief^dly
manner, but died soon afters The first person whomxDt.
Hoadly ordained, after he was consecrated bishop of Ferns,
-was Mr. Robertson, whose letters of deacon's orders bear
"date January 14, 1727; and in February the bishop nomi-
Bated him to the cure of Tullow in the county of Carlow :
and here he continued till he was of age sufficient to be
ordained a priest, which was done November 10, 1729;
ahd the next day he was presented by lord Carteret, tbeii
lord-lieutenant of Ireland, to the rectory of Ravilty in the
county of Carlow, and to the rectory of Kilravelo in the
county of Widow ; and soon after was collated to the
vicarages of the said parishes by the bishop of Ferns.
These were the only preferments be had tiiri738, wheft
]>r. Synge, bishop of Ferns, collated him' to th^ vicarages
of Rathmore and Straboe, and the perpetual cure of RahiV
all in the cojmty of Carlo\V. These together produced ah
income of about 200/. a-year. ' But, as almost the whole
latids o( these parishes were employed in pasture/ the
tithes would have amounted to more than twice that sum 3f
the herbage had been paid for black cattle^ whidi was ceri>
tainly due by law. Several of the clergy of Ireland had^ *
before him, sued for this herbage in the Court of Exche*
quer, and obtained decrees in their favour. Mr. Robert-
son,, encouraged by the exhortations and examples of his
brethren,^ commenced some suits in the Exchequer.for this
herbage, and succeeded in ievery one of theto. ' But whea
he had, by this means, doubled the value of his benefices^
the House of Commons in Ireland passed several severe re*
solutions against the clergy who h4d sued, or would sue^ for
this ^^ new demand," as they called it, which encouraged the
. graziers to oppose it so^obstinatety as to put a period to dxBt
demand. This prbcdeiing of the Commons provoked Dean
8wiit to write " The Legion-Club." Mr. Robertson soon
after published a pamphlet, entitled *^ A Scheme for uttedy
abolishing the present heavy and vcixatioiis Tax of Tithe;'*
the purport of which was, to pay the clergy and impro-
priators a tax upon the land in lieu of all tithes. Tbia
went through several editions: but nothing farther was
•done in it.
In 1739, lord Cathcart (though Mr. Robertson's person
-was quit^ unknowo to him) sent him, by* captain Preseot^
ROBERTSON. 361
-a ▼ery kind message, with a proper qualification under his
band and. seal, to \fe his chaplain.
. Mr. Robertson had, in 1728, married Elizabeth, daugh->
t^ of msyor William Baxter, who, in his younger years,
bad been an officer in Ireland ip the armies of king Charles
li. and James IL; but was caslpiered by the earlofTyr-
conne), Jameses lord> lieutenant of Ireland, as a person not
to-be depended upon in carrying on his and his master's
designs. Captain Baxter, upon this repaired to Xondon,
and complained of it to the duke of Ormgnd^ His father
. was at that time steward tp the duke's estate. His grac«,
.who was then joined w^th other English noblemen ip a cor*
•cespondence with the prince of Orange, recommended
him to. that prince, .who immediately gave him a company
in his owu forces. In this station he returned to England
with the prince at the revolution, and acted his part vigor-
ously in bringing about that great event. While the cap-
tain was in Holland, he wrote that remarkable letter tp Dr.
JBurnet, afterwards bishop of Salisbury, which is iu^erUed
' iqthe ^shop's life at the end of .the ^^ History of his qi^fii
Ti^roes." ; By this lady, who was extremely beautiful in
h<9f person, but much inore so in her mind, Mr. Rob^ertson
bad one and twenty children. ,Tbei;e is a little poem writ-
ten by him eight yiears. after their marriage, and inscribed
to:ber, upon her needle-work^, inserted in the Qent. ^^g.
1736. . In 1743, Mr. Robertson obtained the bishop' cleave
to nominate a ct^rate at Ravilly, and to ireside for some
c time in Dublip, fqr the educatiop af bis phi^dren. Here
he was in^mediately invited to ^he cure of St. Luke's
, parish^ aud in this, he .contjiiued five years, and then
returned; to Raviliy in 1748, the town air not agreeing
wi;th him. While he w^s in the cure of St. Luke's^ he,
together witl) Mr^ Kane Perciyal, then curate, of St, Mi-
eban's, formed a scheme to raise a fund for the support
: of widows and children of clergymen of ^the diocese of
Publin, which/hath since produced, very happy eifects.
v. la 1758 he lost his wife. In 1759 Dr. Richard Robinson
vras translated from the see of Killal^ to that of Ferns;
and, in his visitation that year, he took Mr. Robertson
, aside, and told him, that the primate. Dr. .Scone (who had
. been bishop of Ferns, and had kept up a correspondence
w^tk Mr. Robertson), had recommended him to his care
and protection, and that be might therefore expect every
^ thing in his power. Accordingly, the first benefice that
26« ROBERTSON.
became vacant in his lordship^s presentation was offered to'
him, and he thankfully accepted it. But, before he could
be collated to it, he had the ^ Free and Candid Disquisi-
tions^ put into bis hands, which be had never seen before.
This inspired him with such doubts as made him defer his
Itttendance oil the good bishop. His lordship wrote to
him again to come immediately for institution. Upon this,
Mr. Robertson wrote him the letter which is at the end of
a little book that he published some years after, entitled/
'* An Attempt to explain the words of Reason, Substance,
Person, Creeds, Orthodoxy, Catholic Church, Subscrip-
tion, and Index Expurgatorius ;'* in which letter Mr. Ro«
bertson returned his lordship the most grateful thanks for
his kindness, but informed h$m that he could not comply
with the terms required by law to qualify him for such pre-*
ferment. However, Mr. Robertson continued at Ravilly
)>erforming his duty ; only, thenceforward, he omitted the
Athanasian creed, &c. This gave offence ; and, therefore,
he thought it the houestest course to resign all his bene*'
fices together, which he did in 1764; and, in 1766, he
published his book by way of apology to his friends for
what he had done; and soon after left Ireland, and re-^
turned to London. In 1767, Mr. Robertson presented ohe
of his books to his old Alma Mater the university of Glas<<*
gow, and received in return a most obliging letter, with
tiie degree of D. D. In 1768 the mastership of the free^
grammar school at Wolverhampton in Staffordshire b^com*
ing vacant, the company of Merchant-Tailors, the patrons,
iinanimously conferred it on hini. In 1772 he was chosen
one of the committee to carry on the business of the
society of clergymen, &c. in framing and presenting the
famous petition to the House of Commons of Great Britain,
praying to be relieved from the obligation of subscribing
assent and consent to the thirty-nine articles, and all and
every thing contained in the book of common-prayer*
After this he lived several years at Wolverhampton, per-
forming the duties of his office, in the greatest harmony
with all sorts of people there ; and died, of the gout in
bis stomach, at Wolverhampton, May 20, 1783^, in the 79th
year of his age ; and was buried in the churchyard of the
new church there. '
; ROBERTSON (William), D.D. one of the most illus-
trious names in modern literature, and one of the most
. I
9 Ufe fiom material! famished by hiouelf in Gent, M^g, for 1789.
ROBERTSON. 26$^
eoiinjent of modern historians, was born in 1721, at Borth-
wick, in the county of Mid- Lothian, where his father was*
then minister;- and received the first rudiments of his edu-
isation at the school of Dalkeith. In 1733, when his father
removed to EdiDburgb, on being appointed minister of the
oid Gray*friars^ church, he placed his son at the university,
where his industry and application appear to have been of
that extraordinary and spontaneous kind, which bespeaks
» thirst for knowledge, and is a pledge of future eminence.
From a very early period of life be employed every means
to overcome the peculiarities of a provincial idiom, and
accustom his pen to the graces of the best English style.
For this purpose he frequently exercised himself in the
practice of translation, and was about to have prepared for
the press a version of Marcus Antoninus, when he was an-
ticipated by an anonymous publication at Glasgow. Nor
did he bestow less pains on acquiring a fluent and correct
eloquence, associating for that purpose with some fellow*
students and others, who assembled periodically for extem-
pore discusrion and debate. Thus in ail his early pursuits
be deviated knowingly, or was insensibly directed into those
paths which led to the high fame be afterwards enjoyed.
Hi9 studies at the university being finished, he was li-
Qcused to preach in 1741, and in 1743 was presented to
the living of Gladsmuir, in East Lothian, by John, second
earl of Hopeton. This preferment, although the whole
emoluments did not exceed 100/. a year, was singularly
opportune, as his father and mother died about this tirne^
leaving a family of six daughters and a younger son unpro-
vided for, whom our author removed to Gladsmuir, and
maintained with decency and frugality, until they were
settled in the world.^«rDuring the rebellion in 1745, when
the capital of Scotland was in danger of falling into the
bands of the rebels, the state of public affairs appeared so
critical that he thought himself justified in laying aside for
ft time the pacific habits of his profession, and in quitting*
his parochial residence at Gladsniuii^, to join the volunteers
of Edinburgh ; and, when at last it was determined that-
the city should be surrendered, he was one of the small
hand who repaired to Haddington, and offered their ser*
vices to the commander-in-chief of his majesty^s forces.
He returned^ however, as soon* as peace was restored, to
Gladsmuir, and in 1751 married bis cousm, miss Mary
Nesbit, daughter of the Rev. Mr. Nesbit, o e of the mi-
nisters of Edinburglu
t6% E O B E R T S O N.
He now applied bitnself to bis pastoral duties, wfaicb 1m
discharged with a punctuality that procured biiu thevene-
rfU^iQQ ^nd attacbment of bis parishioners, and as bis elo«-
quence in the. pulpit began to attract the notice of the
neigbbouring clergy, this circumat^nce^ no doubt, pre-
pared the way for that influence in. the cbdrch which be
afterwards attained. In 1155 he published *< A Sermon
preached before the Society for promoting Christian know-
ledge,^' which has been deservedly admired, and encou-t
raged by a sale of five editions, besides a trahslation into
Qeraap. He had some time before this made bis appeavu
ance }n the General Assembly of the church of Scotland,
and had taken an active part in their proceedings. In 1757,
he distinguished himself in the defenqe of Mr. John Home,
minister of Atbelstoneford, who bad written the tragedy-of
^* Douglas.^' This was considered as so bold a departure
from the austerity expected in a presbyterian divine, that
the author, and. some of his brethren, who had witnessed
the play in the theatre, were prosecuted in the ecclesiasti-
cal court » On this occasion. Dr« Robertson contributed
much, by hi^ eloquence, to the mildness of the sentence
in which tbe prosecutioix terminated ; and his conduct was
DO inconsiderable proof of his general candour, as he had
never himself entered within the walls of a play-house,
avoiding such an indulgence m. iniconsistent with the sdrn-
pulous circumspectioi) which he maintained in bis private
cbs^r^ter.
In ^ the mean time, bis leisure hours bad been so well
employed that, in 1758, he went to London to concert
measures for the publication of his iirst celebrated work,
<< Tbe History of Scotland durlAg the reigns of queen Mary
and king James VI. till his accession to the crown of Shg-*
lan4 ; ^ith a review of the Scottish history previous to that
period ; and an Appendix, containing original pa'persf** 2
vols. 4to«^ The plan of this work is said tp have bedn form-
ed soon after bis siettlefiaent at Gladsmuir. It was accord-
ingly-published on the 1st of February, 1759, and so eager
and. extensive was tbe sale, that before the end of that
month, be was desired by bis bookseller to prepare for a
second edition. ^' It ws^s regarded," says bis biographer^'
<f as an attempt towards a species of composition that had-
been cultivated with very little success in this island ; and
accordiji)gly it entitles the author, not merely to the praise
which would now b^ 4vp tpan historian of equal eminence^
R O BE R T S O N, J6»
hm to a high rank among those original and leading minds
that forin and guide the taste of a nation.*' Contemporary
publications abounded in its praises, but itirauld be super-
fluous to collect opinions in favour of a work familiarized
to the. public by so many editions. Among the most judi<-
isious of the literati of that period who were the Brst to per-
ceive and predict the reputation our author was about to
{establish, were, hon. Horace Walpole *, bishop Warbur-
ton, lord. Roy ston, the late sir Gilbert Elliot, Dr: Biroh,
Pr Douglas, late bishop of Salisbury, Dr. John Blair, late
prebendary of Westminster, and Mr. Hume. It may suf-
fice to add, that fourteen editions of this work were pub«
lisbed in the. au thorns life-time.
, While the " Histgry of Scotland'* was in the press, Dr. .
Robertson removed, with his family, from Gladsmuir to
£dinburgh, in consequence of a presentation which he had
received to one of the churches of that city. His prefer-
ments now multiplied rapidly. In 1759, he was appointed
chaplain of Stirling castle; in 1761, one of his majesty V
. chaplains, in ordinary for : Scotland; and in 1762 be was
chosen principal of the university of Edinburgh. Two
y^ars afterward, the office, of king^s historiographer for
Scotland (with a salary of 200/; a year) was revived in bis
favour. About this time, likewise, it appears that he was
solicited to become a member of the church of England,
by friends who considered that establishment as more likely
to reward his merit. than the highest emoluments his..own
church could afford. He resisted this temptation, however,
ifrith a decision which prevented its being farther urged,
although it appears at the same time, from his correspond*.
€HK:e,. that he would not have been sorry to accept any
aituation which might have relieved him from the duties of
l)is pastoral office, and afford him the power of applying
himself wholly to. his studies.. His refusal therefore, as
bis biographer justly observes, ^< became the consistency
and dignity of his character,^' and it is greatly to his honour^
that whatever offices or wealth be acquired throughout life,
vere the fair reward of his own exertions.
* Oil this name, we may rei^nark, the various passages ia this ii)^oir»
in the laognage of Dr, Robertsoa^i with the sentiments he expresses on
biographer, that ** The value pf .praise, the same subject in hit posthamoai •
whatever be the abilities of bim who publication." Walpole» inde^ wai
bestows it, depends on the opinion we perhaps the most insincere man of hit
•atertain of bis candour and sincerity ; age, as will be farther noiicfid in outr
qualities which' it will be. difficult- to account .of hioi*
lilfow Mr. Walpoie, after comparing
S6ff ieOBE;RTSON,
He waS| hovrever, about this time, desirous of profitittg
Vj the induigence the public bad shewn hiniy and consulted
bis firtends i^lstiye to the choice of another historical sub*
ject A history of England was strongly recoaiinended»
and encouragement promised from the most exalted source
of honour. His majesty was pleased to express a wish to
aee a history of England from bis pen, and the efiri of Bute
promised him every assistance that could be derived froo^
the records in possession of government, and held out the
inost flattering views of encours^cment in other respects.
At first Dr. Robertson was averse to thb scheme, as inter-
fering witb the plan of Hume, with whom, notwithstanding
the contrariety of their sentiments, both in religion and
« politics, he lived in the greatest friendship ; but afterwards^ .
when the royal patronage was so liberally tendered, appears
to have iaclined to th^ undertaking. This perhaps cannot
be better expressed than in his own words. ^^ The case, I
now think, is entirely changed. His (Hume^s) history will
have been published several years before any work of mine
ou the same subject can appear : .its first run will not be
marred by any jostling with me, and it will have taken thatf
atAtion in the literary system which belongs to it Thift
objection, therefore, which I thought, and still think, sO
weighty at that time, makes no impression on me at pre-
sent, and I can now justify my undertaking the Englisb
history, to myself, to the world, and to him. Besides, our
manner of vieiving the same subject is so different or pe-*
Quliar, that (as was the case in our last books) both may
ipaiptain their own rank, have their own partisans, and
possess their own merit, without hurting each other.*'
^ What '< station in the literary system*' Hume^s* history
Alight baire occupied, if Dr. Robertson bad executed his
intention, it is impossible to conjecture^ It is certain,
however, that after a lapse of nearly half a century no work
has appeared which can be at all compared to Hume's, i»
icespect to popularity, or rather that commanding infl^uence
which a work of established reputation attains, notwith-
standing any defects which criticism or superior opportunii*
ties of knowledge may point out. The contest between
two such writers would have been a noble object of curio-
sity ; and to have been so near it, as the world once was^
may yet be felt as a severe disappointment.
After more deliberation, however. Dr. Robertson deter-
jnined to relinqubh this schema, and to undertake thf
H O B E R T S O N. 267
*' History of Charles V." which, indeed^ he had be|uti
before the other* plan was so strongly recommended. His
character as a historian now stood so high that this new
prodtiction was expected with the utmost impatience, nor
was that ex))ectation disappointed. The preliminary di^«-
sertation, under the unassuming title of an *^ Introduction
to the History of Charles V." is particularly valuable as an
introduction to the history of modern Europe, and suggests
in every page matter of speculation to the politician and
the philosopher. The whole appeared under the title df
*** The History of the reign of the Emperor Charles V. with
a View of the Progress of Society in Europe, from the
subversion of the Roman Empire to the beginning of the
sixteenth century," 1769, 3 vols. 4td.
After an interval of eight years, Dr. Robertson produced
his *^ History of America,'* 1777, 2 vols. 4to, in undertake
ing which his original intention was only to complete his
account of the great events connected with the reign of
Charles V.; but percfeiving, as he advanced, that a history
df America, confined solely to the operations and concerns of
the Spaniards, would not be likely to excite a visry general
intlsrest, he resolved to include in his plan the transactionii
of all the European nations in the New World. The origiA
and progress of ihe British empire there, however, he des-
tined for the subject of one entire volume, but afterwards
abandoned, or rather suspended the execution of this part
of his design, as he was of opinion that during a civil war
between Great Britain and her colonies, inquiries and spe-
culations concerning ancient forms of policy and laws,
which no longer existed, could not be interestihg. It
would be superfluous to say how much this work enlarged
his fame, unless, indeed, which is no hyperbole, we con-
sider the fame arising from his former works as incapable of
enlargement. He treated a subject here, which demanded
all his abilities, and afforded a full scope for his genius, and
he proved how eminently he could excel in splendid, ro-
mantic, and poetical delineations, with the originals of
which be could not be supposed to have much interest.
This work, however, laid him more open to censure than
any of his former. The world had become miore critical^
and from having enjoyed the excellence of his histories of
Scotland and of Charles V. more fastidious ; and periiaps
the dread of his acknowledged name had in some degree
Ibeea s^bated by time. Besides, it was impossible by anj
«6S ROBERTSON.
force of argument to vindicate the disposition be shews to
palliate or to veil the enormities of tbeSpaniards in their
American conquests. This was the more un^^ccountable in
an author whose writings in gen^r^l are niost friendly to the
.interests of humanity, aud who in his previous researches
and inquiries after information; lay under no extraordinary
obligations to the Spanish court. . This blemish in his^^is-
tory was soon followed by a compliment which shews too
evidently the light in which it was viewed in Spain. He
was elected a member of the Royal Academy of History
at Madrid, *^in testimony of their approbation of thejn<»
dustry and care with which he has applied to the study of
Spanish history, and as a recompense for bis merit in hav-r
ing contributed so much to illustrate and spread the know-
ledge of it in foreign countries." The academy at the
same time appointed one of its members to translate the
History of America into Spanish, but the governnientput a
stop to the undertaking.— T-it may here be introduced, that
as these volumes did not complete Dr. Robertson's original
design, he announced in his preface his intention to resume
the subject at a future period. A fragment of this intended
work, entitled <^ Two additional chapters of the History
of America,'' 4to, was published after bis death.
In consequence, of the interruption of sDr. Robertson's
plans, which was produced by the American revolution, he
was led to think of some other subject which might, in the
mean time, give employment to his studious leisure. Many
of his friends suggested the history of Great Britain from
the Revolution to the accession of the house of Hanover;
and he appears to have entertained some thoughts of ac-
ceding to their wishes. Mr. Gibbon, with whom be was
in the habit of intimate correspondence, recommended to
him to write a history of the Psotestants in France. What
answer he returned to this is not known ; nor have we
learned what the circumstances were which induced him to
lay aside his plan with respect to the history of £ngland.
For some time, however, he seems to have relinquished
all thoughts of writing any more for .the publick. His^ cir-
cumstances were now independent, he was approaching. to
the age of sixty, with a constitution considerably impaired
by a sedentary life. He Retired from the business of ^ba
General Assembly about the year 1780; and, for seven or
eight years, divided the hours which he could spar^ frpm
bis professional duties between the luxury of reading and
the conversation of his friends.
ROBERTSON. f6«
- To this^ literary leisure the public is indebted forava-
laable performance, of which the materials seem almost
.insensibly to have swelled to a volume, long after bis most
intimate friends imagined that he had renouticed all thoughts
:of the press. The ^^ Historical Disquisition coacerning
the knowledge which the Ancients had of India; aiid the
Progress of Trade with that country prior to the discovery
of the Cape of Good Hope/* 1791, 4to, took its rise^ as
be himself informs us, from the perusal of major ReniiePs
excellent memoir for illustrating his map of Hindostan.
This suggested to his mikid the idea of examining, more
fully than be had done in bis History of America, into the
knowledge which the ancients had of India i and of con^-
aidering what is certain, what is obscure, and what is fa*
bulous in their accounts of that remote country. It is di-
.vided into four sections. He published this work in his
jixty-eighth year ; and it appears to. have been written in
about twelve months. Although less amusing to common
readers than his former works, and become less interesting
«pon the whole, in consequence of the discoveries since
brought to light in Asia, it is not inferior in diligence
of research, soundness of judgment, or perspicuity of
method.
With this publication his historical labours closed — la*
bours which, for extent and variety, have not been equalled
l>y any writer in our times. All the essential merits of
« historian were his; fidelity, the skill of narrative, the'
combination of philosophy with detail, so seldom attempt-
ed', and generally so unsuccessfully eitecuted, and the
power of giving an uncommon interest to his parsonages
and events in the mind of the reader. His style has been
so justly characterized by his biographer, that we may,
without hesitation, recomosend it as a decision from which
it will not be easy to appeal ^^ The general strain of his
composition," says professor Stewart, ^^ is flowing, equal,
and majestic; harmonious beyond that of most £ngiish
writers,' yet seldom deviating, in quest of harmony, into
inversion, redundancy, or affectation. If, in some pas-
sages, it may be thought that the effect might have been
heightened by somewhat more of variety in the structure
and cadence of his periods, it must be recollected, that
this criticism involves an encomium on the beauty of his
jtyle;.for it is only when the ear is habitually gratified|
Ihat the rhythm of composition beconaes an object of the
170 ROBERTSON.
reader^s attention/* The same judicious- ethic hti re*
narked) that, *^ perhaps, on the who|e> it will be founS
that of all bis performances Charles Y* is that which unites
the various requisites bf good writtBg in the greatest dei*
gree. The style is more natural and flowing than that of the
History of Scotland : while, at the same time, idiomatiieri
pbrases are introduced with so sparing and timid a hand^
that it is easy to perceive the author's attention to' correct^
iiess was not sensibly diminished. In the History of A'me^
rica, although it contains many passages equal, if not su«-
perior, to anything else in bis writings^ the composttion
does not seem to me to be so uniformly polished as tbat of
bis foriner works ; nor does it always possess, in th^ same
degree, the recommendations of . conciseness and simpli«>
city.'\ •
In bis own country. Dr. Robertson's reputation was con*
•tderably enhanced by his conduct as a leading member of
the General Assembly of the church of Scotland, the pro^
c^edings of which he regulated, in: difficult times and trying
emergencies, with great political skill, address, and elo**
quence, for nearly thirty years. In his pastoral office be
was also very assiduous, preaching- once every Sunday uti«>
til a short time before his death. Of his sermons, one
only Jias been^print^d ; but their general merit may be un-
derstood from the character given by his colleague^ the fatfefe
Dr. Erskine : ^' They were so plain,'' says this candid and
venerable man, ^^ that the most illiterate might easily nnA
derstand them, and yet so correct and elegant that they
could not incur their censure whose taste was moee te^
fined. For several years before bis death, he seldom wrote
his sermons fully, or exactly committed his older sermona
to nemory ; though, had I not learned this from} himself, I
should not have suspected it; such was the variety and
fitness of his illustrations, the accuracy of his method^
^nd the propriety of his style. ^'-^To his other merits may
likewise be added, the diligence, address^ and ability^
with which he studied and promoted the interests of the
university, as Principal, which will be long remembered to
his honour In all his public characters he had the happy
talent of gaining influence without the appearance of ef^
fort, and of conciliating differences without departing from
consistency, or endangering friendship. All his pursuits
were those of a great, a steady, and a 'persevering mind. ^
His private and social virtues, which are also highly spokea
ROBERTSON. 271
ef, no doubt contribute to the commanding celebrity of hit
public character.
In 1791, hift health began apparently to decline, and
on this he retired to, and for some tiote was enabled to en->
joy, the placid comforts of a country residence,, wherd)^
however, his disorder terminated in his death on the 11 th
of June> 1793, in the seventy-first year of his age. He
left a widow, three sons (the eldest an eminent lawyer
at the Scotch bar, an'd the two younger embraced a mu
litary life), and two daughters, one married to Mr. Bry-^
done, the traveller, and the other is the widow of John
Russell, esq. clerk to the signet.
. It yet remains to be mentioned, as a part of Dr. R«ibert'^
son's iiterary history, that in 1776, he reviewed, and made
considerable alterations, in his ^' History of Scotland.**
He took the same pains, in 1778, with his '^ History of
America;" and these f^ additions and corrections" were
sold separately. His ^^ Histbry of Scotland,** aiid that of
*'^ Charles V.** were translated into French. 'The' honour
conferred upon him by the Royal Academy of History at
Madrid. has already been noticed. In 1781, be was elected
one of the foreign members of the Academy of Sciences aC
Padua:; and in 1783 one of the foreign members of the Im^
perial Academy of Sciences at St. Petersburgh. The lat#
empress Catherine, a warm admirer of his works^ sent hint) a
present of a very handsome gold enamelled snUfF*box^ richly
net with diamonds. These honours^ however, can scarcely he
put in competition with, because they were only the natural
consequence of, a higher degree of fame over all Europe,
than almost any modern writer has enjoyed, and of fame
which no rivalship has been enabled to impair. ^
ROB£RVAL (Giles-Personnb), an eminent French
4nathematician, was born in 1602, at Roberval, a parish kt'
the diocese of Beauvais. He wa3 first professor of mathe*
BuUics at the college of Maitre->Gervai3, and afterwards at
the coUege^Toyal. ' A similarity of tas^te connected him
with Gasaendi and Morin; the latter of whom he succeeded
in the mathematical chair at the royal college, without
quitting, however, that of Ramus. Roberval made expe-*
riments on the Torricellian vacuum : he invented two tiew
kinds of balance, one of which was proper for weighing
1 Account of the Life, Stc, of Dr. Winiam Roberiion, by ProfeMor I>agal4
fi^wart, 1801, 8to.
tl2 fe d B E R V A L
air; and .made many other curious experiments. Hewa^
one of the first members of the ancient academy of science^
of 1666 ; but died in 1675, al seventy-three years of age/
His principal works are, I. " A treatise on Mechanics.'^
2. A work entitled ^* Aristarcfaus Samos.'* Several me-^^
moirs inserted in the volumes of the academy of.sciences^
of 1 666 ; viz. 1 ; Experiments concerning the pressure of the'
air. 2. Observations on the composition of motion, and
on the tangents of curve lines. 3. The recognition of
equations. 4. The geometrical resolution of .plane ancf
eubip equations. 5. Treatise on indivisibles. 6. On thie
Trochoid, or Cycloid. 7. A letter to father Mersenne,"
8. Two letters from Torricelii.. 9. A new kind of balance.';
RobcrvdHian Lines were his, for the transformation of
figures^ They bound spTaces that^ are infinitely extiendecl
in length, which are nevertheless equal to other spaces
that .are terminated on all sides. The abbot Gallois, in the
Memoirs of the Royal Academy^ anno 1693, observes, that
the method of transforming figures, explained at the latter
end of Roberval's treatise of indivisibles, was the same
with that afterwards published by James Gregory, in his
Geometria Universalis, and also by Barrow in his Lec-^
tiones GeometricsB; and that, by a letter of. Torricelii, ii
appears, that Roberval.was the inventor, of this manner of'
transforming figures, by means of certain lines, which Tor-'
riqellr therefore called Robervallian Lines. He adds, that
it is highly probable, that J. Gregory first learned the me-
thod in the journey he made to Padua in 1668, the method'
itself , having been known in Italy from 1646,^ though the
book was not. published till 1692. This account David-
Gregory has endeavoured to refute, in vindication of hhr
uhele James. His answer is inserted in the Philos. Trans,
of 1694, and the abbot rejoined in the French Memoirs of
the Academy of 1703J - ^
ROBESPIERRE; (Maximilian Isidore], the most fero-
cious of those tyrants which the French revolution pro-'
duoed, was born at Arras \t\ 1759, where his father was »
lawyer, a man of character and knowledge in his profes-
sion, but so improvident as to die insolvent, and leave fair
two sons, of whom Ma^cimiltan was the eldest, in poverty.
They soon, however, found a generous patron in De Conw
I HvUon's Diet — Eloj^es deg AcaUtmicieaii vol. |. — ^TbDmsoo's Hist, of tiie'
Koyal Society.
ROBESPIERRE. 273
fte, bishop of Arras, wfao in a manner adopted them, but
fao^Qtued Maximilian with bis particular care, and after
providing him with school education, sent him to Paris, and
procured him an exhibition in .the college of Louis Le
Grand. The manner in which Robespierre conducted
himself here, answered the expectation of his protector.
He was assiduous and successful in his studies, and ob-
tained many of th^ yearly prizes. There was i^othing,
however, about him, which indicated his future destiny.
Being an apt scholar, it might be thought that he would
make a figure in the, world ; but we are told that even this
was not the case, and that his instructors discovered nei*/
ther in his conversation nor his actions any trace of that
propensity, which could lead them to conjecture that hia
glory would exceed the bounds of the college. Wheu he
had, however, attained the age of sixteen or seventeen, he
wad advised to study the law; and this he pursued^ under
the auspices 'of a Mons. Ferrieres, .but displayed ^no ex-*
traordinary enthusiasm for the profession. He had neither
perseverance, address, nor eloquence, and, according to one
of his biographers, bis conspiousness of inferiority to those*
who were making* a great figure at the bar, gave him an
air of gloominess and dissatisfaction. It was at first deters
mined, that he should practise before the parliament of
PariS) but this scheme was never carried into execution,
for he returned to his native province, and was admitted art
advocate in the supreme council of Artois. About this
time he ii said ,to have published, in 1783, a treatise oti
electricity, in order to remove the vulgar prejudices against
conductors. In this piece be introduced a laboured eloge
on the character of Louies XVI. ; but the subject of his liext
literary performance was yet more remarkable; it wa^
against death as a punishment, and in this he reproackei#
^H modern governments for pefEbitting such a punishmeni
to remain on their codes, and even doubts- the^rigfat cMm-
ed by society to cut off the life of all individual !
Such were the sentiments and situation of thi$ man,
when the revolution took place, and raised him, and bun<-
dred^ equally obscure, and perhaps more contemptible,,
into ^me degree- of consequence. Robespierre, however
inferior hitherto in fame, was conscious that he had many
of the materials about' hitn that ^ere wanted at this time.
Sicilerhe acluatly had good qualities, which' -is scarcely
Credible, Or by tb^ oiost consummate hypocrisy, be per*
Vol. XXVI. T
d74 ROBESPlERRf.
.imaged tbe. people that be was a steady and upright ais(ti«.
•He was elected a representative tp. thie states gep^eral, but
MUioUgb be attached himself by turns to the faction that >
seemed uppermost, be repained long io a state of o;b**
acnrity. He was^ considered , as a passionate jiot-beaded
young man, whose chief merit consisted iu bis being warm
in the cause of iiberlgr* H.e bad^ we are told, .another .
inerity that of bringing tbe term ari^toerai iiiito common ,
use^ which afterwards becaai^ U19 watchword of his pro*
SCriptio^a. He tri^dytoo^ at joqrjfial called ^ VUnion^ on
fToticiial de la Libert^^'V which vM eonducted with extreme
yioleoce. But it was auited to (be people who read Ji^
ftfid Robespierre, obtained the surnaiBe of the /?u<Prrf^/«-
ibU^ from an affectatioi» o| indepepdencey and eontinuaUj
declaioung against ceurciy ciorru^ion,
. The Jacobia rclalH bowefer^ raised Robe^ierre tQ
power and celebrity ; they eyei^ proclaimed ^* that the na*
tif»oal asaeo^bly bad^rt^.ned Hxjkt^^ and Robespierre alooe
co.Qld8ave it.'V {t was during the national convention that ,
be attained the summit of his ambition^ if indeed he knew
what that was.. In the first legislature, he joined the pan.
triots,.as they. were called; in the second be declared for
the republicanism and in. both the party to which be attached ^
himself proved victorious* In the thirds tbe national cou-*^
vention, he carried all befor^e him'; the commuw of }^9mp
tb^ Jacobin club^ and even the convention it$elf> were
filled with bis. crea|:Mr^9» ai^ became obedient to hist com-
mands^ A scene. of bipod. foUowedy which e^e^ededthe
pro$criptioQs of 9yUa and Marina Men and .women of all
ranks perished! iodiserimiaately^ Suspected pqrsoos> tbai^ '
isj those either drei^ied of bated, by this monster and bis
ac^pmplices, were arrested ; domiciliary visits a^vakened
4he sleeping victims. of pers^utioa to misery and destruof»
tiif^', while jFevolutionary tribunal^ as |hey were calledn .
condemned tbe^m by scores» unpitied and even qubeard.
The laws W€jre no Jcuiger maintained ; the: idea of a coosti*, >
iution bi^ame intolerably ; all poM^r was concentrated in
a junto, called the ConiWttee of Public Safisty,. which re**
gjilatedeveryabing^ absolved or tried, spoiled or enriched^
m^rderfid. or. saved; aud.iJbi^t:oi|uiittte^ was^eutirely regiin
lated by tbe will of Robespierre, wbp governed it .by.meana
of hi9 cir^aiunes^ St ^ Just and Couthpn. la tbe short space ol
two years^ niearty 3.000 peiaoos periab^ by the gMiU<MUn<t
i^ Z^\M QQly« Sven tba ravoitt(iQnai;y forma ^w^ .thought
R O B £ S P 1 £ R R e. 2f|
too dilatory; the execution of fotir or five in a day did'hot
satiate Robespierre'^ vengeance ; the muiNier of thirty of
forty was demanded, and obtained; the streets became
deluged with blood ; canals were necessary to convey it to
the Seine; and experimehts were actually made at one of
the prisons with an instrument for cutting off half a score
beads at a single motion. Among the victims of this tyir
rant, it ought not to be forgot, that the greater part of
those men perished, who bad been the means of revolui*
tiianizing the people, and so deluding them with the p^e*-
tetiees of liberty, that they could calmly exchange the
mild government of a Louis XVI. for that of a Robespt6rte»
In this retributive justice was glided by a superior hand> -
At lenn^th Robespierre began to be dreaded even' by hit
own accomplices, while the nation at large, roused from
its infatuation, looked eagerly forward 'to the destruction of
this monster. In this, however, the nation at large had no
•hare. It was the work of his accomplice^ ; it was still one
faction destroying another, and although a second Robesi-
pierie did not immediateiy rise, the way remained open to
one whose tyrannical afmbitioh was not satisfied with' France
as his victim. The iSrst storm against Robespierre burst iti
the convention ; and after exercising its violence as all pre<i>
ceding storms of that kind bad, Robespierre was arretted
en July 9, 1794, and next day was^Iedco execution, amidst
^ the execrations of the people. His fall, it has be^n well
observed, was the triumph of fear rather than of justice i
aqd the satisfaction with which it must be contemplated,
was incomplete, because a few monsters- even worse than
himself' were among the foremost in sending^ hita to the
icafFotd. H^s punishment, however, was as signal as his
crimes. His tinder jaw Was »hatteired with a pistol shot,
either by himself in an ineffectual attempt at suicide, or by
a gendarme in the struggle ; it was bottnd up with a slight
dressing as he lay in the lobby of the Convention, he wished
io wipe away the blood which filled hb mouth, they gave
bim a bloody cloth, and as he pushed it from him, they
•aid to him — ** It is blood->^it is what thou likest !*' There
he lay oh one of the benches, and, in his agony of mind
and body, clenched one of his thighs through his torn
clothes with such force that his nails entered his own fleshy
and were rimmed round with blood. He was carried to
the saoie dungeon which Hebert, and Chaumette, and
Danton, had successively occupied ; the gaoler knocked
T 2
t76 R o B E s p I E ft R je;
him about without ceremony^ and when he. made sigxinicm
one of them (for be could not speak) to bring him pen and
ink, the man made answer — *^Wbat dost thou want with
it ? is it to write to thy Maker ? thou wilt see him pre^
sently !'* £[e was placed in a ctrt between Henriotaad
Coutbon ; the shops, and the windows, and the house-tops
were crowded with rejoicing spectators to see him passy
and as the cart proceeded^ shouts of exultation went; be-
fore it, and surrounded it, and followed its way. His head
was wrapt io a bl9ody. cloth which bound up his shattered
jaw, so that his pale and livid cpuntenaoce was but hilf
s^en. I'be horseman who escorted him shewed him to tb^
spectators with the point of , their sabres. The mob stopt
him before the house in which be lived; some women
flanced before the cart, and one of them .cried out to bim^
*^ Descend to hell with the. curses of all wive;s and f>i all mo^
thers !'* The executioner, when preparing for the pexform-
apceof bis pfBce, roughly tore off the bandage from, his
\yound ;. Robespierre theu uttered a dreadful cry, bi^.u/ider
jaw fell from theupper^. and the h^ad while he waa yet
living exhibited as ghastly a spectacle as when a few mi-
nutes afterwards Samp^on^ the executioneir, holding it. by
the hair, exhibited it. to the multitude/ >. '
In this wretched man's person, there was little to ^e-
commepd hiip. Hi^. figure, iU-deliueated, without, i^gu-
larity, withput proportion, without grace 19 the outline, ^
was something above the ix^iddle. size. He bad in bis bands,
shoulders, neck, and eyes, a convulsive. motipn, His,pfa|y-
siog^iomy, his look was without expression. He carried
on hi§ livid couoteiianqe, and on his brow, which, he often
wrinkled, the traces of a choleric disposjtipn* His manners
were brutal, bis gait was at once abrupt and heavy. The
harsh inflections of his voice struck, the ear disagreeably ^
be screeched rather than »poke : a residence in the capjlai
had not been able to overcome entirely the. harsboes&^f
his articulation. Ifi the.pronunc^iation of many word^^ms
provincial accent, was discbverable ; and this deprived bis
speech of all melody.
Some have expres^d their surprise that a man to whpm
nature had thus been so niggardly, and whose mind owed
so little to cultivation, ji^bould have acquired ^uch an as-
cendancy ; but a more minute acquaintance with the lead*
iug men in France during bis time will remove much of-
this surprise* It has b^en said that Nero was xxoi t|it
R O B E S P' I E « R E. 277
worst man of his court; and it is certain that Robespierre
was preceded, accompanied, and followed, by men who
' could have acted his part with equal inclination and faci-
riitjf, bad they been placed in his circumstances.^
ROBINS (Benjamin), an English mathematician of
' gi-eat genius and eminence, wa6 born at Bath in Somer-
" set^hire in 1707. His parents, who were quakers, were
of low condition, and consequently neither able, from their
fcircumstances, nor willing froih their religious profession,
to have him much instructed in that kind of learning which
ttrey are taught to despise as human. Yet lie made an
early and surprising progress in various branches of science
and literature, in the mathematics particularly ; and his
friends, being desirous that he might contiifue his pur-
suits, and that his merit might not be buried in obscurity,
wished that he could be properly recommended to teach
this science in London. Accordingly, a specimen of his
' abilitiies was shewn to Dr. Pfemberton, the.author of the
*< Viewt)f Sir Isaac Newtdn's Philosophy;'* who conceiv-
' ihg a good opiuipn of the writer,' for a farther trial of his
proficiency, sent hini some problems, ivhich Robins solved
' very much to his satisfaction. He then came to London,
where he confirmed the opinion ^which had been formed
of his abilities and knowledge.
-. fiuf thoflgh Robins was possessed of much m6re skill
than is usually required in a common teacher, yet, being
' veiy yotingy it was thought proper that he should employ
ioiiie time in perusing the best writers upon the sublimer
parts of the mathematics before he undertook publicly the
in^stroction of others. In this interval, besides improving^
himself in the modern languages, he had opportunities of
i'eading in particular the works c^f Apollonius, Archimedes,
:» Fcrmat, Huygelis, DeWitt, Slusius, James Gregory, Dr.
• Barrow, sir Isaac Newton, Dr. Taylor, and Mr. Cotes.
These authors he readily understood without any assistance,
' 4f which he gave frequent proofs to his friends : one was,
' ii demonstration of the last proposition of sir Isaac Newton's
treatise on quadratures, which was thought not undeserv-
' ing a place in the " Philosophical Transaction s," No. 397,
for 1727. Not long after, an opportunity offered of exhi-
biting to the public a specimen also of his knowledge in
1 Hutory of the coDSpiraejr of Robeipierre, by Montjoye.— Biographical
Anecdot^f of the Founders of the Freoch Republic— Blogriphie Moderne.-^
* Quarterly Review, >Io. XIV.
fll8 ROB IN S.
iuttutal philosophy. The royal academy of sciences atr
JParis bad proposed, among their prisie-queations vin 172^
and 1726/ to demoosirate the law^ of motion in bodies im-«
pinging on ooe another. John Bernoulli here condescended
to be a candidate; and^ though his dissertation lost the
reward^ he appealed to the learned world by printing it m
1727 ; and^ ia it, endeavoured to establish Leibnitz's opi^
Dion of the. force of bodies in moiion. from the effects of
their striking against springing materials ; as signor Polent
bad before attempted tQ evince the same thing (una expe4
riments of bodies falling on soft and yielding substances^
But as the insufficieucy of Poleni^s arguments bad beetl
demonstrated in the ^^ Philosophical Transactions^*' No» S71^
for 1722) so Robins published in the. <* Present State ol
the Republic of Letters,*' for May 172a, a confutation of
Bernoulli'^ performance, which was allowed to be unan<»
swerable. $
. Robins now began to take scholars, and about this time
quitted the garb and profession of a quaker ; but though he
professed to teach the miktbematics only, he would fre-^
quently assist particular friends in other matters ; for, he
was a mau of universal knowledge t andi the confinement
of his way of life not suiting his disposition, which wias
aptive, he gradually declined it, and aik>pted other pursuits
that required more eiiercise. Hence ' he tried many labo*
rious experiments in gunnery ; bdieving, that the resist:**^
ance of the air had a much greater influence on. swift pro«
jectiles than was generally supposed. Hence he washed to
consider those mochauic arts that depended on mathema*
tical principles, in which he might employ his inv^otion ;
as, the constructing of mills^ the building of bridges, drains
ing of fens, rendering of rivers navigable, and makiti|^^
harbours. Among other arts of this kind^ fortification very
much engaged bis attention ; in which he met with bppor«
tunities of perfecting himself, by a view of the principal
strong places of Flanders^ in some journeys he made abroad
with persons of distinction.
On his return home from one of these excursions, he
found the learned here amused with Dr. Berkeley's treatisei
printed in 17S4» entitled '* Tbe Analyst ;^' in which an ex^
amination was ifiade in the grounds of tbe fluxionary me^
thod, and occasion taken thus to explode that method.
Robins therefore was advised to clear op this affair, by giv-
ing a full and distinct accoiiht of sir IsalU^ Newton's dac*
,% O B J N Si f»
tiioes in wch a nmnoera^ to obviate jtU the otj^ctionsy
witbotili^t naming tbeoiy wbicb had been advanced by the
aotbor Qf *^ The Analyst;'' an^ accordingly ,he publitbed^
in n^^f ** A .DiscQurae concerning the ^Qature'fkqd cer-
tainty of sir Isaac Newton'js niiethod of FluKiop9^ and of
prianeand ttUimate raiio$." Spm^ even of those whoba4
wmten against ^^Tbe Anal^at," taking exception -at SLo^
bios's manner of defending »ir I^as^c NevrtonV doctrine, be
afterM»rda iwrote two or three additional fdispoitrseSf In
1738) be defended air IsaaqNeviiton against an objcsctioo^
contained >in a. note at the end of a Latin piece, called
$f.Miktbo,.slveC}psaii0tbearia puerilis/' written by Ba^ter^
author of the .*' Inquiry into the Ns^tQre of the huQianSoiil;;**
and, the year after, printed *' Reiki^ks*' Of) £uler's ^* Treai^
lise 6f Motion,'*^ on •Smith's '/ Systeo of Optics,!' and on
Junn7a ''^ Discoiurse of disunot and indistinct Vision," ,ao^
aexed to Dr. Sinitb*s work« In the mean time Robins'a
perforaianoes were not confipedto luatheinaticai (subjects :
fioHT, in 1339>y there came out throe pamphlets upon politi«r
oiA affairs^ wbicb.did him .gf^ai>honour. The first was en^
lilied ^ S Observations » on the present Convention with
Bpain;" the second, ^^A Nanative of what passed in the
Gomsion Hall of the citiaens of London, assembled for the
dection of a lord mayor ;" the tbird^^^' An Addi^ess tp the
fileetors and other^free subjects. ofijrreat Britaim occasion^
ed by the late Succession; jnwbiqh is contained. a parti*
oiriar account of; all our negoMationa with Sp^iio, and their
tneataoent ofi us for above rten y^ars past'' These were.aU
pRihlishal witboet iiis name ; .and tbet first and last were m
universaUy esieemed, that they were:g»eoeraUy reputed toi
have been tbe.production of^Mr. Pujteney, who was at the
head JdE the opposition to sir Robert Walpole* They proven
fd of ^aM0b'«onse<|iienoe' to }Afr» Jlobins as to occasio|i,hia
bftifigi employed in i^ vesyihoaiourabl^post; for, the pppo*
tttiou having, defeated siriiBohert, iai^d a. committee of the
iiouse of Qommoos heioK appointed to .e^^amine into bia
past conduct, Robins, waa^ chorea* their, seciretary. But
alter a committee : had. :piiBS^n4ed two reports of thetir pro-
ceedings a^sudden %top wasiput .to their iarther progress,
fay ai compromise jbefiweenthi^ contending parties.
t.l4i.i?4S,;beiagagain.at,.lm9re, be -published a soiaU
treatise,* entitled '* Now Principiies gf Gunnery ;" ppntain*.
iog'the result of, maoyiexi^eriaiMeots he had made, by which
are discovered the ferae; of .guorfiowderf. and the diiferenct
««0 R 6 B f K S.
in the resisting power of the air to swift and slow motion #
This treatise was preceded by an account of the progrtes
wbieh modern fortification had made from its first rise; aa
also of the invention of gun-powder, and of what bad
already been performed in the theory of gunnery. U{A>a
h discourse concerning certain experiments being pdbKsbed
in the ^' Philosophical Transactions/* in order to invalidate
some opinions of Robins, he thought proper, iti aa liceottafc
life gave of his book in the same Tmnsacttons, to take wo^
tice of those experiments: and, in consequence of this, se»
veral dissertations of bis on the resistance of the air were
read, and the experiments exhibited before the Royal So-
ciety, in 1746 and 1747 ; for which he was presented whb
a gold medal by that society. . , r:
' In 1748, came out lord Anson's*'^ Voyage round the
World ;'' which, though it <3arries Walter^s name' in^ the
title-page, was in reality written by Robins. Of this voyj^e
fbe public had, for some time, been in expectation of see-
ing an account, composed under his lordship's own 'inspec-
tion : for which purpose the rev. Richard Waker was em-
ployed, as having been chaplain to the Centurion the
greatest part of the expedition. Walter had * accordingly
almost finished his task, having brought it down to his own
departure from Macao for England ; when be proposed to
print bis work by subscription. It was thought proper^
however, that an able judge should first review and correct
it, and Robins was appointed ; when, upon examination, it
was resolved, that the whole should be written entirely by
Robins, and th^it what Waiter had done, being almost all
taken verbatim from the journals, should serve as materials
only. Hence the introduction entire, and many disserta-
tions in the bc^y of the book, were composed by Robitts,
without receiving the least hint fii'om Walter's manuscript ;
and what he had thence transcribed regarded chiefly die
wind and the weather, the currents, cowsesy bearings,. dis-
tances, offings, soundings, moorings, the qualities of the
ground they anchored on, and such particulars as generally
fill up a saUor's account. No production of this kind ever
aiet with a more iavourable reception, four Uirge impres-
sions being sold off within a twelvemonth : it has been
translated into most of the European languages; and it still
supports its reputation, having been repeatedly refmnted
in various sizes. The fif^h editton at London in 1749 was
revised and corrected by RoUns himself .
R O B I N a 2«i
* ' Be w^ ne^ requested to compose an apdi^y for the
r uafortuii^te affair at Preston Panii in Scotland. This was
, prefixed as a preface to ** The Report of the Prpceedings
and. Opinion of tbe Board :of General Officers on their
efcamination intQ tbe conduct of Lieut^pant-general sir
: John Cope» &c.^' printed at London in 1749 ; and this pre-
face was esteemed a master*piece in its kind. Afterwards,
Robins bad, by tbe favour of lord Anson, opportunities of
flaking farther experiments in gunnery ; which have been
< published since his death. He also not a little contributed
%o the improvements made in tbe royal observatory at
preenwich, by procuring for it, through the interest of the
/ same noble person, a second mural quadrant and other in-
struments, by which it became perhaps the completest ob-
tervatory then* known. His reputation being now arrived
at its full height, he was offered the cbqjce of two very con-
siderable employments* Tbe first was to go to Paris, as
. Qi^e of the commissaries for adjusting the limits in Acadia ; *
>be other, to be engineer-general to the East India Com-
pany, whose focis, being in a roost ruinous cDr\dition,
ivanted a capable person to put them into a posture of de-
fence. This latter he accepted,, as it was suitable to his
.genius, and as the Company's terms were both ad van ta-
, geous and honourable. He designed, if he had .remained
, jn England, to have written a second part of the ^^ Voyage
; round the World ;^* as appears by a letter from lord An-
son to hiqi, dated ^< Bath, October 22, 1749 :''
"Dear Sir,
. ^f Whep I last saw, you in town, I forgot to ask you, whe-
' ibejr you intended to publish the second volume of my
' Voyage^ before you leave us ;; which, I confess, I am very
sorry for. If you should have la,id aside all thoughts of
favouring the world with more of your works, it will be
much disa.ppointed, and no one in it more than your very-
much obliged humble servant, Anson/'
.Robins was also . preparing an enlarged edition of his
. f* New.Principlesof Qunnery ;'\but, having provided him-
self with a complete set of astronomical and other instru-
Dients, for making observations and experiments, in the lu^
'dies, be. departed hence at Christmas in 1749; and, after
a voyage in which tbe ship was near being cast away, ar- ^
rived at the Indies, July 13, 1750. There lie immediately
set about bis proper business with unwiearied diligence, arid
formed complete plans for Fort St. David and Madras : but
a8» ft O B { N S^
•
he lived not to* put tfaetn into exteation. For^ the gf^eat
difierence of tfae climate being beyond hi» constiliitiofl ^
support, be was attacked by a fever in September ; dndf
though be recovered out of this, yet about eight mootlw
after he fell into a languishing condition, in which he con^
tinned till his death, July 29, 1751. By his last will, '^e
left the publishing of his mathematical works to his ho^
soured and intitoate friend Martin Folkes, esq. president
ef the Royal Society, and to James Wilson, M. D. doetor
of physic ; but, the former of these gentlemen being inca^
pacitated by a paralytic disorder for some time before* bit
death, they were afterwards published by the latter, 1761^
2 Tols. 6vo. To this collection, which contains his mathe-'
matical and philosophical pieces only. Dr. Wilson ha9 pre<t^
fixed an account of Mr. Robins, from which this memoir is
chiefly extracted, fie added also a large appendix at the
end of the second volume, containing a great many carious
and critical matters in various interesting parts of tfae ma«
thematics.
It is but justice to say that Mr. Robins was one ef th^
most accurate and elegant mathematical writers that our
language can boast of ; and that he made more realim*
provements in artillery, the flight and the resistance ofpro^
jectiles, than all the preceding writers on that subject.
His <' New Principles of Gunnery^' were translatcid inter
several other languages, and commented upon by several
eminent writers. 'Thex;elebrated Euler translated the worfe
into the German language, accompanied with a large, and
critical commentary; acKl thi» work of Euler's was agtiin
translated into English in 1784; by Mr. Hugh Brown^ witk
notes, in one volume, 4to. '
ROBINS, or Robyns (John), an English mathematician^
was born in Staffordshire about the close of tfae IBth eeii<j
tury, as be was entered a student at Oxford in iSlSj anil
was in 1620 elected a fellow of AH Souls college, where
he took his degrees in arts, and was' ordained. ' But the
bent of his genius lay to the sciences, and he soon made
Such a progress, says Wood, in ^^the pleasant studies of
mathematics and astrology, that he became tfae ablest per^
son in his time for those studies, not excepted his friend
Record, whose learning was more general. At length,*
') til* by Dr. WiliieD.*-«»Bipf. Brit. . JSkipplAiMiit.-rltoliB's^ Bi<^ Pb'itot^-^
HuttoH's Dictionarj.
B O B I K S. ^&
tftkiitg'thb degree of B. p/in 15SI, he waathe yearfoHo^-*
isg^made by king Henry tbe V^IIlb: (to whom be was chap-^
lain) <one of the caaonsofhia college in* Oxon, and in De<L
fiember 1543, canoit of Windsor, and in'fine chaplain to
queen Marff who had him ingiseatyenei^ation for his learn-^
iHg. Among teveral things that he hath written re)atit>g to
aatrology (or astronomy) I find these following: * De cuU
mnaiidne Fixarum Stellarnm/ &c.; ^ De ortu et occasu
SneUarum Fhcarum/ &c.;. ' Annotationes Ascrologicee/
ke. lib. 3 ;' ^ Annotationes Edwardo VI. ;^ ^ Tractatu^ •
de pro^nosticatioiie per EcUpsin.' All which books, that
ate in MS. were some time in the choice library of Mr.
Thomas Allen of Olocester Hal). After his death, coming
into the hands of Sir Kenelm Digby, they were by hiol
given to the Bodleian library, where they yet remain. It
is also «aid, that be the said Robyns hathwritten a book
entitled ^ De Portentosis Gometis ;' but liu'cb a thing f
baTO not yet: seen, nor do I know any thing else of the an-
tboi^, only that paying bis last debt to nature the 25th of
Ajugust i558f hewas'buHed in tlie chapel of St. George,
at Windsore.*' This treatise " De Portentosis Cometis,"
which Wood had not seen, is in the royal library (12 B. xv.) ;
aadinihe British, museum (Ayscough^sCat.) are other works
by fiobina; and one ^^ De sterilitatem generantibus,'' in
the Asbmoieatt museum. ' «
ROBINSON (Akastasia), an accomplished musical per-^
former, descended from a good iamily in Leicestershire,
was the daughter <of a portrait painter, who, having risited
haiy foir improvement in his art, had made himself mastei"
ef. the Italian lai^uage, and acquired a good taste in mu-
sic. Finding that his daughter Anastasia, during her child-*
hood, tiadain<ear for music, and a promising voice, he had
her taught by ^ Dr. Crofts, at first as an accomplishment ;
bat afterwards i being afflicted with a disorder in his eyes,'
which terminated in a total loss of sight, and this misfor«*
tntm deprivmg^ him of the means of supporting himself and-
iuiiily by hils' pencil, he was under the necessity of availing
fcknselftof his^aughter^s disposition for music, to turu it to
acoonnt as a. profession. She not only prosecuted her mu-^
aical studies. with great diligence^ but by the assistaince of
i^r fether: bad acquired such a knowledge in the Italtan
tongtie as enabled her to converse in that language, and
> Ath» Ox. vol. h aew edlt^
M4 ROBINSON.
to read the best poets in it with, facility. And t^t'Ukf
taste in singing might approach nearer to that of the natives
of Italy, 'she had vocal instructions from Sandonr, at that
time an eminent Italian singing-master resident in London^
and likewfse from the opera singer called the' Baroness.
Her first public exhibition was at the concerts in York-
buildings, .and at other places, where she usually accom-
panied herself on the harpsichord. Her general education
bad been pursued with the utmost care and attention to the
> improvement of her mind, as well as to ornamental and ex-
ternal accomplishments ; and these advantages, seconded
by her own disposition and amiable qualities, rendered her
conduct strictly prudent and irreproachable. And what
still entitled her to general favour, was a behaviour full of
timidity and respect to her superiors, and an undissembled
gentleness and affability to others, which, with a native
cheerfulness that diffused itself to all aroudd her, gainefd
her at all times such a reception from the public, as seemed
to ensure her success in whatever she should undertake.
Encouraged by the partiality of the public towards his
daughter, and particularly by the countenance and pa-
tronage of some persons of high rank of her own sex, Mr.
Robinson took a house in Golden-square, where he esta-
bhshed weekly concerts and assemblies in the manner of
conversazioni^ which were frequented by all such as had any
pretensions to politeness and good taste.
Thus qualified and encouraged, she was prevailed upon
to accept of an engagement at the Opera, where she made
her first appearance in Creso, and her second in the cha-
racter of Ismina, the principal female part in Armitiio*
From this period till 1724, she continued to perform a
principal part at the Opera with increasing favour and ap-
pfanse. Her salary is said to have been 1000/. and h^r
emoluments, by benefits and presents, were estimated at
nearly as much more. When she quitted the stage it was
supposed to have been in consequence of her marriage with
the gallant earl of Peterborough, the friend of Pope and
Swift, who distinguished himself so heroically in Spaih
during the reign of queen Anne. Though the marriagle
was not publicly declared till the earPs death in 1735, yet
it was then spoken of as an event which had long taken
place. And such was the purity of her conduct and cha-
racter, that she was instantly visited at Fulham as the lady
of the mansion^ by persons of the highest rank. Here,
HOB IN S ON; 2«*
jind at Mount B^vis, the earl's seat near Sputbampton, she
resided in an exalted station till the year of her decease^
1750, surviving her lord fift«en years; who, at the tiinie
of the connexion, must have been considerably beyond
bis primey as he was arrived at his seventy-fifth year when
be died.
The following anecdotes of Mrs. Anastasia Robinson wera
communicated to Dr. Burney in 1787, by the late vene-
rable Mrs. Delany, her contemporary and intimate ac-
quaintance. '^ Mrs. Anastasia Robinson was of a middling
stature, not handsome, but of a pleasing, modest coun-
tenance, with large blue eyes. Her deportment was easy^
unaffected, and graceful. Her manner and address: very
engaging; and her behaviour, on all occasions,' that of a
gentlewoman, with perfect propriety. She was not onlj
liked by all her acquaintance, but loved and caressed by
persona of the highest rank, with whom she appeared al-
ways equal, without assuming. Her father'3 house ia
Golden-square was frequented by all the men of geniu»
and refined taste of the times ; among the number of per-
sons of distinction who frequented Mr. Robinson^s bouse»
aud seemed to distinguish his daughter in a particular man^p
ner, were the earl of Peterborough and general H j the
latter had shewn a long attachment to her, and his atten*^
, tions were so remarkable, that they seemed more than the^
efiiects of common politeniess; and as he was a very
agreeable man, and in good circumstances, he was fa-
vourably received, not doubting but that his intentions
\ were honourable. A declaration of a very contrary nature
was treated with the contempt it deserved, though Mrs. A.
; Robinson was very much prepossessed in his favour.
^^ Soon after this, lord Peterborough endeavoured to con-
vince her of his partial regard for her; but, agreeable tod
artful as be was, she remained very much upon her guard,
.which rather increased than diminished bis admiration and
passion for her. Yet still his pride struggled with his in-
.dihatioo ; for all this time she was engaged to sing in pub-
lic, ia circumstance very grievous to her, but urged by tba
. best of motives, she submitted to it, in order to assist her
parents, who^e fortune was much reduced by Mr. Robin-*
son^s loss of sight, which dicfprired him of the benefit of hii
profession as a painter.
'^ At length lord Peterborough made his d^claraticm to
^erph honourable terms; he found it would be vain tooiakf
4TO R O B I N 8 O W.
ptoposalson any other ;* and as be omitted ho cirdi&istanGe,
^bat could engage her esteem and gratitnde, she accepted
thenif as sbe^vras sincerely attached to him. He earnestly
irequeUed her keeping it a secret till itvrasa more conve^
fiiont time for him to make it known, to which: she readily
consented, having a perfect confidence in his honour;.
Among th^ persons of distihctioiithat professed a frien<^-
afaip for Mrs.' A. Robinson, were the ear) and countess of
Oxford) daugbter-in^lavr to the iord-treasurer Oxford, Who
iiot only bore every publie testimony of their affection and
esteem fot" Mrs. A. Robinaon, but Jady Oxford attended her
when she was privately married to the earl b( Peterborough^
and lady Peterborough erv0r acknowledged her jobligations
irilh die warmest gratitude; and after bidy Oxford^s death
.the was particularly distingaished by the dachess of Port*
landi lady Oxford^s daughter, and was always mentioned!
by her with the greatest' kindness ^r the many friendiy
offices ahe used to do her in ber childhood when in lady
Oxfoid*s family^ whioh tnade a la^tin^g impression-npt^n the:
4uchess of Portta^dV nobte and generoiM beartj
<* Mr^4.A«ftobin$on had one aister^ a very pretty accomv
pliflbed woman^ who married Dr. Arbuthnot's broiixer. Af4
lev the death of Mr. Robinson, lord Peterborough/ tocde a
^ome near Fulbam, in the neigbbourbood of ftis own vilia
at Parson'ft* Green, where be settled Mrs. Robinson and.
ber fnotben They never lived nnder the same* rdof till the
earl> being seized with a violent'fit of illness, solicited heir
10 attend him at Mount Bevis, near Soothampton, which
ahe reftisedrwkb' firmnessi, < but npoii condition tbat, though
ftiU denied to take bis name, sbe/migfat be permitted to
wear her weddiiig<'ving ; to wUch,* finding her loie^ot^ble, '
be^ at lengdi consented.
. :f^ Hiahftoghty (Spirit was still reluctant to the making n
dedbiratioki that wootd have dune justice to 00 worthy a
character as tbe^'t^tei^soh to whom be was now utiited ; and,
indeed^ bis uncontrollableitemper, and high opinioa of Ms
pwn -actions,' made hisfi a very awful husband, ill suited to
lady Peterborough's good sense, amiable temper, and de^
licite sentiments. She was a Roman catholic, but. never
gave oSence to those of a contrary opinion^ though very
•tri^t in what she thought herdiity. Her exceHent' prin*
ciples and fortitude of mind support;ed her through many
severe trials in her conjugal state. Bat at last he prevailed
#11 himself to do her justice, instigated^ it is supposed^ b/
ROBINSON. f 8T
BU bad ftat^ x>i health, . whi^h objliged bim (o seek aooiber
climate, and she al^solutel^ refused to go with him unless
he declared his marriage;, her atte^idanceupon bim in im
illne39 nearly co^t her her life*
*y He appointed a day for all bis nearest relations to mee(
him at the aparrment over the gate-way of St. James's
paUi?e, belonging to Mr. PoiotZi who was married ta
lord Pet^bpro^gh's nieqe^ .ai^d at that time, preceptpr Xo
prii^ce \VJlliam, a/terwards duke of Cumberland. l>ord
P^tejrbofough also appointed lady Peterborough to be there
at the siame time* When.they were a}l assembled, be began
a most eloquent oration^ enuioerating all the virtues and
perfections of Mrs. A. Biobinson,' and the rectitude of hev
cpnduct^during his long acquaintance with heri for wbicb
be acknowledged his great obligations and sincere attache
men^, declaring he ^asdctermined to do her that justice
which he ought to liave done long ago, which was preseojU
ing her to all his family as bis wife. He. spoke this ba<«
rangue with so much enexgyv aiid^ ia paits so pathetically^/
that lady Peterbovough^.oot being apprised of hisinten*
tionsy was so affected tba^ she faulted aivay in the midst oC
.Ibe. company.
** After lord Pe^rbprougb'sileatb she lireda vesy relire4
life, chiefly at Mpunt Bevjs, and was seldom, prewailed qu
to leave that habitasioa, biu by the duchesa of Pordaad*
who: was alwsays happy to have her company at Bul^lrodft
whea she pould oj^tatp it, and often yisiteid ber at ber man
hquse.
<^ Among lord. Petdvborongh's papera she foiind his iiie«>
moirsj written by himself, iu wbic^ be declared he had beeu
guilty of such aqtions as would have reflected very mi^ph
upon his character. For which reason she burnt them i tbi^^
howe.ver, contributed to complete tbe excel^enoy of her
principles, thpugh it did not fail giving offence .to the cu*
rioiM inquirers after anecdotes of S9 re^iarkable a cbaraqter
as that of tbe earl of Peterborough.'' ^
ROBINSON (Huoa), a learned divine and schoolmaster^
was born in St. Mary's par.ish, in the county of Angleseap
andeducated at Winchester ^bool, where he was admitted
probationary fellow of New college» O)cford| in 160%9 and
in 1605 perpetual fellow. He completed bis master's. de«^
gree in 161 1, and about thcee years afbart leaving colleg;e,.
} Barney '« Hi^t. of Mu»ie.-«»Pope^ Works, bf Btwl^t.
tSS E O B IN 1^0 19.
became <:bief master of Winchester school. ' He was ftft«rM
wards archdeacon of Winchester, canon of Wells, D.!}-*
and archdeacpn of Gloucester. Having sided with the
party that were reducing the cbureb to the presbyterian
form, and taken the covenant, be lost the advantages of 'his
canonry and archdeaconry, but obtained the rector^ of Hin<^
ton, near Winchester, in room of a loyalist. He diedMareb
30, 1655^ and was buried in St. GilesVin^^tbe* Fields, Lon*-
don. Wood gives htm the character of an excellent linguist^,'
an able divine, and very conversant in ancient faistoi*y. Her
wrote for the use of Winchester school, *« Preces; GraYn-^
maticalis qusedam; & Anti^fi® Historio Synopsis,'' prints
ed together at Oxford in 1616, 8vo ; •'* Scholte Wintonien*
sis Phrases Latinee,*' Lond. 1654 and 1664, published by hik
aoH Nicholas; and '^Annalium mundi universalium, &c«
Tomus Unicus, lib. 14. absolutus/' &c.Lond. 1677, fol. im-^
frqved by Dr. Thonas Piairce, dean of Salisbury, by tbd
jng's command. Wood adds, that he wrote a vindication
cf the covenant, which he had not seen.*
ROBINSON* (John), a distinguished English prelate aniL
•talesmai), was bprn at Cleasby, in Yortcahire, Nov. 7, 1650,
and educated at Oriel college, Oxford, to which he Was
afterwards a liberal benefactor. After he had completed
bis notaster^s^egree, and taken^ orders, hewent about 16SSf
to Sweden, as domestic chaplain to the British ambaissador'
at that court ; and in his absence was appbinted first fest^.
dent, then envoy extraordinary, • arid lastly ambassador.
He remained in this rank until 1708. During this timefatf
published his '^ Account of Sweden, as it was in t6Sft/*'
tvhich is generally printed with 4erd Moiesworth^s aeeoutHl
of Denmark. On his return to England, her majesty, qu^eff
Anne, was so sensible of the value of bis services^ that ^ her
toade him dean of Windsor, registrar of the ordei" of- th^is
garter, and prebendary of Canterbury. He was also 'in
1710 preferred to the bishopric of Bristol. His political
knowledge recommerided bitn to the confidence of the earl
of Oxford, then at the head of administration, who resolved
to have him ofthe t>rivy council. For this p4)rpose, be vvas
first made lord privy seal, and afterwards was admitted to a*
seat at the council board, where he so distinguished him-
self that queen^ Anne made choice of him as one of her pie*--
Ntpotentiaries at the memorable treaty of Utrecht. Witk
1 AUi. Ok. vol. II. * '
B O B I N a O N. 489
wtot spirit be behaved on this occasioiiy appears from the
common histories of the treaty ^ and Swift's ** Four last ^^eara
of the Queen." He was also appointed one of the com-*
inissioners for finishing St. Paul's (cathedral, and for bQild«>
ing fifty new cbttrches in London ;* was a governor of the
Charter- house, and dean o( the* cbapel royal. On the
death of Dr. Compton in 1714^ he was translated to the see
of London, and the queen, indeed, had such regard for'
bim, that had she .outlived the archbishop of Canterbury^
she would have made Dr. Robinaon primate.
, After his advancement to the see of London, he gave
nany proofs of his great affection for the established churchy'
by opposing innovations, contribuiiug to, and promotihj^
the augmentation of poor livings; and by vindicating hi»
dergy against unjust asper&ions. His steady attachment
to. the civil constitution was not less conspicuous, in hia
charges to his clergy, and his personal example and coiw
duct. As a benefactor, he was distinguished by many acta
of munificence. Every place, indeed, with which he wai
connected^ felt ibe benefit of his public spirit; the plac^
of his birth, in the 'building and endowment of a chapet
SHud a school ; Oriel college, in the addition! of buildings''
towards the east side of the garden, and the foundation of
some ample exhibitions ; the ecclesiastical houses in which
he refided were generally repaired by him at great ex^
pence; and to the poor in general he was very generous. •
Machay has described this worthy prelate as '< a little
brown man ; of a grave and venerable countenance ; very
charitable. and good^humovred*; strictly religious himself,
and taking what care he c^n tamake others so.'' . He died
at Hampsteadi of an asthmatic disorder, April 11, 1723^
and was buried at Ful ham, April 19. He was twice mar-
ried ; his first wife, Maria, was daughter of William Lang-
ton,: esq. Her liberal mind is delicately commemorated
on the inscription on the front of bis buildings at Oriel
OPfUege* His second wife, Emma, whose family name we
^ It was on this prelate (hat the other bookselier«« aud that he would
ni>tl>rioa» Ednhuiid'Cartl cndeaToored send his lordship an interleaved cdpy
tft pbiy'A triickY which has beenr attri* from which he might strike oat what^
buted to.and perhaps really attemjHed e^er he thouj^ht amissy and the th^eXM
by others. The good bishop sent a thus Altered should be reprinted, and
^MemAtk to Cortl to express his oon- " rendered oooformable to bis' U^d^
c^m at hearing that he meant to pab- ahip^s opinion.*' The bishop, iiowever,
lish an edition of Rochester's poems, saw through the trick, aad rejaieted the
Corll allowed that such an edition was protferrCMl copy.
actually printed, not for him oolyi but
Vol. XXVI. U
290 ROBINSON^
know not| sumved bim, and was buried at Folbam, Jaii*
36, 1T48. He left no issoe, but many collateral descend*
ants;^
- ROBINSON (Maru), a ladjr of consvderable literary
talents^ wbose maiden name was Darby, was bom at Bris-
tol,' Not. 27, 1758. Her life having been, published, io
pai^ written by herself) and completed by a friend^ it may-
be tbdught we cannot be deficient in materiala fur the pre-
sent article* But these documents partake too much of
the nature of a novel for our purpose. Mrs. R<ri>insoR waa
a/mt/'iady of much note in her day, and for such it has
been tbe fashion of late years to encourage the publication
of *^ Apologies,'' tbe object of all which, for they are very
uniform, is to relax the- obligations of virtue, and to prove
that vice, with its attendants, vanity and esttravagaoce^
has nothing to dread but from poverty. It is then oaiyy
when all is spent, and indigence stares in the face, that wer
are to begin to think that something has been amiss, and to
pour out our exculpatory sympathies in sentimental stFaios./
From such narratives, it becooies 4)s to borrow with cautions
Mrs. Robinson was married very early: in life to a bus-^
band who had little to maintain her, and for some time she
shaped in his misfortunes, but, according to her own ac«^
county she spent what she could in dress, resorted muofaK
to public places, >and admitted the visits of nohlemeo of
libertine charaetera. At length she had recourse to dief
stage, and while performing the character of Perdita in*
Shakspeare^a *^ Winter's Tale," captivated the you^bfiil.
afiections of a distinguished personage, aod consented ta.
his terms. This connexion, with all its gay and splendiii
embellishinents, and all the flattery and admiration wbtok
beatity and levity oould wish, lasted about two years, at the.
end of which period she found > herself inr possession of-
jewels to :the amount of 8000/. and an annuity of 500/.'
After a short recess from a mode of life, into which hep
apologists tell usahe was driven by necessity, she formed
another coiinexion of the same kind, which they allow was
from choice, with a gentleman of the armfy, and lavished
thox whole of her dis{K>sable property on this new favourite*'
She also lost the use of her limbs in following him, during
a severe winter night,- to a sea^port, where she hasted to
' Nidiolf *8 Atterbury. — Lysons's Environs, vol. II. — and Supplement. — CbaU
mers'g Bi8t. of Oxford — ^bVifi't Workt.— Burnetts Own Tunes.— Gent. Mag. toL'
LIV. and iXXII.
ROBINSON* Ml
tdiev^'bim firoih a tern pom vj etnb«rMisBineiitl Not kmg
Bftery she went to tbet^ontinentfor her health, aod remain*
ed there about five years. On her return in -1788, she
e^mmenced her -literary career, in whrcfasbe bad consider-
able sijccess* IiT 1 800 her healtb begair fea decline rapidly,
l^incipaUy fron* want of propec exercise, for khe never re-
covered the use of her Kntbs ; andafter lingering for some
trine; sfaediedat Englefield Gtreen, Dec/ 28,' of that year,
and was'bnriedrin Old Windsor xburch-yaird. Sbe retained
in ber latter days, although only forty-two years old, but
little of that beauty for which sbe was once admired, aiid
vdiicb, friom-ffbe ttiditient aprice was set^ upon it, proved
the t^aose. of all her misfortunes.
The following is said to be a complete list of her publi-
cations: 1. "Poems,'* in twovolun^es, 8vo, iJ. " Legiti-
ipate Sonnets, with Thoughts on .Poetical Subjects, and
Anecdotes of the Grecian Poetess; Sappho.'' iJ. ** A Mo-
nody to the memory of the Queen of France." 4. " A
Monody to the memory of Sir Joshua Reynolds." 5. Mo*
dern Manners ; a Satire, in two cantos,"* 4to; 6. "The
Sicih'an Lover, a- Tragedy, in fire acts." 7. " Sight; The
Gavern of Woev and SoKtude; three Poems," 4to. 8/
A Pamphlet in vindication of the Queen of France.; pub«
liabed without a name. i9. A Pam^phlet entitled ^'Thought^i
on the- condition of Women, and the Injustice of Mental
Subordination.'' 10. ^ Vancensa^ a Romance," 2 vols.
1 K ^ The Widow," a Novel, 2 vols. 12. " Angelina," a
Novd, 3 vols. 13. « Hubert de Sevrac," a Romance, 3
vols. 14. " Wateingbaro,'? a Novel, 4 vols* 15. "The
false Friend," a Novel, 4 vols. . 16. " The Natural Daugh-
ter^'? a Novel, 2^s. 17; " Lyrical Tale«," 1 vol. crown
Bw^, IS: ** A Picture of Palermo, translatfed from Dr*
Hager;" 1^. "The Lucky Escarpe," a farce, not pub-
lidbed. 20. ** Nobody," a comedy, aW not published.
Ofall'tbese^ it tis probable tbsM; her poems will longest
continue to be read» ■■ She bad in her earliest oflForts of this'
Und adopted th6 false style of the Delia Grosca school, so
happily ridiculed by the author of the ** Bavtad'? and " Mob-
viad," bdt her late :prod actions displayed a mOre correct
tiaisie, anrd^more ease and elegance of versification, with
equal, -hcliness of imagination. Her *< Plays" had but
tfemporary success ; and her:^* Novels/? although not desti-
tute of inventipn, were written with too. much haste fof
lasting reputation. She appears to have been frequently
u 2
i92 R d B I N S O R
importuned by her employers to furnish the circulating \u
braries with novelties, when her powers both of *bocly anS'
mind were considerably in^pairedy y^t she laboured with
greiait perseverance, and is said to have earned by her lite*
rary performances nearly the amount of her ajinuity.^
ROBINSON (Richard), archbishop df Armagh^ and
lord Rokeby, was the immediate descendsint of the Robin-
sons of Rokeby, in the north riding of the comity of York^
and was born in 1709. He was educated at Westminst^«
school, whence be was elected to Christ chuixh, Oxford, in
1726. Afier continuing his studies therefor some years,
and taking his master^s degree in 173S, Dr. Blackburn^
archbishop of York, appointed him his chaplain, and cot-
, lated him first to the rectory of Elton, in the east riditigof
Yorkshire, and neict to the prebend of Grindal, in the ca.-
thedral of York. In 175 1 he attended the duke of Dorset,
lord lieutenant of Irellind,'' to that kingdom, as his first
chaplain, and the same year was promoted to the bishopric
of Killala. A family connexion with the earl of Hoidernesse,
who was secretary of state that year, with the earl of Sand-
wich and other noblemen related to him, opened the fair-
est prospects of attaining to the first dignity in the IHsb
church. Accordingly, in 1759, he was translated to the
isnited sees of Leignlin and Ferns, and in 1761 to Kildare.
The duke of Northumberland being appointed to the Ireo-
tenancy of Ireland in 17j55, JDr. Robinson was advanced to
the primacy of Armagh, and made lord almoner and vice-
chancellor of the university of Dublin. When lotd'^Haf-.
court was lord-lieutenant of Ireland in 1777, the king was
pleased, by privy-seal at St. Jameses, Feb. 6, and by patent
at Dublin the 26th of the same months to create htm bafon
Rokeby of Armagh, with remainder to Matthew Robinson
of West Layton, esq. and in 1783 he was appointed predate
to the order of St. Patrick. On the death of the duke oC
Rutland, lord-lieutenant of Ireland, in 1787, he was no-
minated onQ of the lords justices of that kitigdom. Sir
William Robinson, his brother, dyiiig in 1785, the primate
iucceeded to the title of baronet, and was the survivor in
the direct male line of the Robinsons of Rokeby, being tiie
eighth in descent from William of Kendal. His grace died
at Clifton, near Bristol, in the end of October, 1794.
No primate ever sat in the see of Armagh, who watched;
•
.t.« Mtmoirs of Mn* Robiason^ written by berielf,'* dec 13Q1> 4 wUu. ISmo..
R O E I N S O N. 293
More carf fully over the legal rights of the church of Ireland,
as the statute*book evinces. The act of the 1 ith and l^ih
of bis present, majesty, which secures to bishops and eccle-
siastical persons repayinenc by their successors of expendi-
tures in purchasing glebes and bouses, or building new
liouses, originated from him, and must ever endear his
Dame to. the clergy* The other acts for repairitig clxurches^
and facilitating the recovery of ecclesiastical dues^ were
.among the mauy happy exertions of this primate.
But it was at Armagh, the ancient seat of the primacy,
that he displayed a princely munificence. A very elegant
palace^ 90 feet by 60, and 40 high, adorns that town ; it is
Ijlgbt and pleasing, without the additioa of wings or lesser
parts ; which too frequentl}% wanting a sufficient uniformity
with the body of the ediGce, are unconnected with it ia
.effect, and divide the attention. Large and ample offices
are conveniently; placed behind a plantation at a small dis-
tance. Around the palace is a large lawn, which spreads
on every side over the hills, skirted by young plantations,
in one of which is a terrace, which commands a most beau-
tiful view of cultivated hill and dale. This view from the
jpalace is much improved by the barracks, the school, and
^ new church at a distance ; all which are so placed as to be
e.xceediiigly ornamental to the whole country. The bar-
,)facks were er^ected hnder the prioiate^s direction, and form
^^j^rge and handsome edifice. The school is a building of
fco^siderable extent, and admirably adapted for the pur-
^ppse ; a more beautiful, or one better contrived, is no wt^ere
;tQbeseen; there are apartments for a master; a school-
TQom 56 feet by 2d, a large dining-room and spacious airy
^dormitories, with every other necessary, and a spacious
, play-ground, walled in; the whole forming a handsome
from: and attention being paid to the residence of the
master (tl^e salary is 400/. a year) the school flourishes, and
must prove one pf the greatest advantages to the country.
.This edifice was built entirely at the primtfte^s expence.
The church is erected of white stone, and having a tall
^pire, makes a very agreeable object, in a country where
churches and spires do not abound. The primate built
three other churches, and made considerable reparations
> in the cathedral : he was also the means of erecting a pub-
lic infirmary, contributing amply to it himself. He like-
wise coitstructed a public library at his own cost, endowed
it^ and gave it a large collection of books. The room is
29« ROBINSON.
45 feet by 2 5/ and 20 high, with a gallery; atid apariments
for the librarian. 7'he town iie ornamented with a market-*
bouse and shambles, and was the direct means, by giving
leases upon that condition, of almost new building the whole
place. He found it a nest of mud-CiibinS( and he left it a
well-built city of stone and slate. Nor was he forgetful of
the place of his education. On the new gate, built bv
Wyat, for Christ-church, Oxford, the primate is comme**
morated as one of the principal contributors to the eXpenca
of building that gate- and repairing Canterbury quadrangle.
In these noble and spirited works, the primate expended
upwards of 30,000/, The celebrated Mrs. Montagu \Vas
cousin to this prelate; and her brother, the late eccentrio
lord Rokeby, bis successor in that title^ on which, however^
be set no value.' * • ' ; '
ROBJNS^ON (Robert), a dissenting divine, of the Bap^^
list persuastoiiy was born in October 1735, at Swaflliam, in
the county of Norfolk, and was son of Mr. Michael Iiobiu->
sop, a native of North Britain, who possessed a moderate
independence. He wa3 sent to a Latin school at SwafFham^
at the age of six years, vyhere he made a considerable pro«
ficiency, and discovered tn Uncommon capacity for learn#
ing, and afterwards to an endowed grammar-school at
Scarning, where be gained some knowledge of the French^
as well as of the cla^ical Idnguages. Ail this, however^
ended in his being put apprentice to a hair-dresser, in
Crutched-Friars, London. For this occupation his mind
was, as may be supposed, already unfitted by the taste foif
learning which hh education had given him, and \^i>ich he
still endeavoured to improve during some part of the hours
devoted to sleep. During his apprenticeship he appears
to have imbibed serious impressions of religion, whi^h b^
encouraged, by attending the most celebrated preachers of
the day among the independents, the baptists, and the
Calvinistic clergy. Dr. Guyse and Gill among the dUsen^
ters, Romaine in the church, and Whitfidd, the leader of
the Calvinistical methodists, were his chief favourit^k;
When about the age of twenty, his indentures were given
up, at his own request, as he had a strong desire to become
a preacher. His first sermon was delivered to a ismall con*
gregation at Mildenhall, in Suffolk, and he afterwards con*
tinued to preach among the methodists, at various places^
) Eooydopgiclis Sritsaniqat
EOBINSOK. an
ibr about two years, when being' Ofisuccessrul in forming k
.church among them, be left them, and formed a small in^
xlependeiit congregation at Norwich, on leaving which, he
»lso gave up infant baptism^ lii 1759, he became preadh^
^o a congregation of baptists at Cambridge, and such wato .
his popularity here, that bis hearers, daily increasing, were
jeqaUed to build a new and commodious meeting, in 1774*
here he was frequently interrupted by the impertinent visins
of some under-graduatQs, against whom be was finally com^
pelled to appeal to the laws of bis country, which secured
<the future tranquillity of the assembly. This seeolsi to hto
the period of his life most happy and faultless^ He had not
as y^t publicly engaged in abstruse theological difi^putatiotifT;
bQ vigilantly performed the duties of his pastoral office*;
and, if some of the younger students of the university^ in
ibe gaiety of youthful intemperance, had insulted him, be
was amply repaid for it by the. friendship and protection of
many of its most worthy and learned metnbers ;• for^ he
embraced erery opportunity which that university afforded *
of making amends for a defective education, and pursued'
a course of reading extensive and varied. ^ The ^piibHc li-
braries were not only open to biro, but he was allowed tb*e
plrivilege of having books from them at his own habitation*. .
. In 17713, as his salary was inadequate to provide fot his
numerous family (be married in 1759), he removed to -
Chesterton, near Cambridge, and commenced farmer, to
which,, in tinrie, be added the businefss of ^'dealer in -corn
and jcoals. These occupations, however,' did not intefrupt
bis literary pursuits, nor do they appear to have been very
profitable. He was first known ad an author by publishing,
in 1774, " Arcana," a pamphlet respecting the petition tb
parliament for relief in matters of subscription ; and the fol-
lowing year, an appendix to Alleyne's *' Legal Degrees of
Marriage.** It consists of a discussion of the question, *' Is
it lawful and right for a man to marry the sister of his de-
ceased wife?" in which he maintained the affiriihative. In
the same year he published a volume of " Sermons,^ trans-
lated from the French of Saurin, which was followed, at
different periods, by four others. Introductory to these
volumes are prefatory dissertations, containing memoirs of
the. reformation in France, and the life of Saurin, together
with reflections on deism, Christian liberty^ &c. -^ »
In the year 1776, during the controversy respecting the
divinity of Christ, which had been carried on principalfy
^
/
196 R O BINS QN.
jby ojiemberii of the church of England, Mr. Robinson pdbk
lisbed ** A Plea, for the. Divinity of our Lord Jesus Cbriat^
&c.'V This piece is written with much ingenuity, and it
procured the author. a number. of handsome complicnents^
not only from, dissenting ministers, but ^so from sevexai
dignitaries of the established church. . Among the lattee
were Dr. HinchlifTe, bisbop of Peterborough, Dr. HaiUfax^
afterwards bishop of Gloucester, Dr.,Beadon, afterwarda
bishop of Bath and Wells, and Dr. Tucker, dean of Giou*
ceater. Some years after, Mr. Lindsey published, first
without, but afterwards with his name, ^^ An Examination
of Mr. Robinson's Plea for the pivinity of Christ ;'l to
•which Mr. Robinson, although frequently called upon, de^
dined to reply. . To his friends he ss^id, '^ The anonymous
examiner has not touchj^d loy arguments^ aod his spirit; is
• bitter and contemptuous. His faith stands on criticisms^
and my argument is, that, if :the doctrine requires critical
prqof, it is not popular, and therefore not divine."> Thil
silence, however,, occasioned some suspicion .that be was
not very sincere, which his conduct aftexwards confirmed;
In 1777, Mr. Robinson pqbiisi^ed a small trat^t, eutitled
/* The History and. Mystery p^f Qood Friday," in which he
employed the same ^^ bitter. and contemptunus spjritv^/
which be had just complained pf, in ridiculing tb^a i:iOiiiiii«'-*
iDoration of the death of our Saviour. In 1778, MiT. Robin*
son published ^^ A Plan, of Lectures on the. Principles- of
Nonconformity, for the instruction of Catechumens.!* This
piece contains an outline, of the whole controveray of the
•dissepters with the church of England, and of their bisteuc):,
,from the period of the reforfiiation, to 1778, which of
course appeared highly, satisfactory, to his brethren, Toi^
wards the close of the same year, be published ^^ An Essay
on the Composition^of a Sermoji, t^ranslat^d from the ori«
ginal French of the, rev. John. Claude, with Notes," in i
vols, 8vo, . The preface: to the first volume of ihe/^Eway''
consists of nxemuirs of the life of the author. * i
In 1780^ i^r: Robinson paid a visU to. the university of
Oxford,, apd afte;rwards accompanied some friends on II
toiir into Scotland, whc^re he was much, gratified by civi>
lilies shewn him by soq[ie of the literati of Edinburgh^ and
he might have received the diploma of .doctor of divinity,
had he not thought, proper to decline, that compliment.
Soon after his ret.urn to Cambridge, he. published a iittle
tract well calculated to produce a Catholic spirit among
K O B I N S O N. 1J97
hik beeifaren of the Baptist denomination, et^tuled '< The
General Dodtrine of Toleration, applied to the particaiar
Case of Free Communion,*' It was about this period he'
preached and published a sermon, entitled *^ Slavery in-'
eonaiatent with the Spirit of Christianity,** and he was the
aotbor of atv excellent petition from tbe gentry, clergy;
fve^holders, and other inhabitants in the county of Cam^
bridge, which was presented to the House of Commons.
In the year 1781, at the desire of his brethren, he began
ilo collect materials for the History of the English Baptists.
Ift his researches he was led to enter on a larger field than
5¥hat bad been originally proposed to him, and, instead of
confining himself to the history of English Baptists, he
Mra^t induced to trace the history of baptism from the
i»trliest use of that rite, as well as that of Bap^sts in all
f In tbe y«ar 17»2, Mr. Robinson published ** A* Politicgd
Catechism,*' intended to convey, in a familiar manner,
.what be conceived to be just ideas of 'good civil govern-
Jbent, and the British constitution. In 1786, he published
tf^Siirteen Discourses on several Texts 6f Scripttlre, ad-
dheeased to Christian Assemblies, in vilUges near Cam-
bridge; to which are added, Six Morning Eicercises/*
Siich of these as touch on docjtrinal subjects \^ere writteh
in a manner which gave bis friefids reason to thin£ that he
(was now beginning to depart from the principles he had
hitherto held so strenuously ; and they were not mistaken.
With his congregation at Cambridge, however, he still
continued hi$ ministerial labours; and remained high in
their esteem, although, as a public instructor, he must,
among so many changes, have become either useless oir
dangerous.
.^ During the latter years of his life the intense application
he had bestowed on his work on Baptism undermined the
strength of his constitution, and brought on a gradual de*
cay, attended with a great depression of spirits. In these
eircunistaoces, it was hoped by bis family that a journey
to Birmingham, and an interview with Dr. Priestley, which
he had long wished for, might prove beneficial to bim.
Jiaving arrived at that town, he ventured to. preach twice
on the same Sunday, for the benefit of the charity schools.
.His friends peroeiVed that he was ill, but none of them sus*
pected his end was so near ; he spent the evening of the
/following Tuesday in tbe cheerful society of his friends.
f9B ROBINSON.
but next nHoriiing, Jun^ 3, l%90j be was f6iindtk»d ih liiii
bed. Some tioie before ^bis be bad became a complete
convert to ttie doctrines of the htodern Socinians ; acban|{4
whicb they seem willing to attribute to tbe writings of tit\
Priestley. This diviiie, we are told, charmt^d as he was
with Mr« Robinson^s conversation, confessed himself much
disappointed with bis preachings and characterized it in
these words: '^ His discourse was unconnected arid desuU
lory : and bis manner of treating the Trinity savoured ra^
ther of burlesque than serious reasoning. He attacked
orthodoxy more pointedly aad sarcastically tbaa ever I did
in my life.!' Few of our readers will require any other
character of Mr. Robinson's attacks, on those prificiplep
which he once held sacred. His largest work, *'The His^
tory of Baptism/' &c» appeared after bis death in a quarts
voIume> with another connected with the subject, but evh
titled, << Ecclesiastical Researches •;" both written with
considerable ability, but less finished than if he had lived
to prepare them Tor tbe press. The latter, in .parttculaf^
exhibits striking proofs of his rooted* inveteracy tolheestab^
lished church, as well as of his glaring inconsistency* .H^
appears, indeed, in none of bis works, as a man who hiUl
attained that truth, or those positions, which. he soiiigbt to
establish ; what was wanting in argument he aimed to sup**
ply by a kind of buffoonery peculiar to himself ; and yetj;
ivhiie thus versatile and unsteady in all his opinions, no mail
was more intolerant towards t:l)ose who rested in. tbe belief
of what they had been taught, and were desirous to pro^
pp.gate, * . . . - •
ROBINSON (Ti^NCR£D), a learned physioian and bo<K
tanist, and physician in ordinary to George K by whom he
was knighted, was the very intimate friend of the celebrated
Ray, who distinguishes htm by the title of amicorum alpha^.
Of his early history we have not been able to recoveir
many particulars^ He was nearly of an age, and ran his course
for some time with sir Hans Sloane, with whom, when a
student, be travelled to France, He was educated at St^^
John's college, Cambridge, where he took his degree uf
bachelor of medicine in 1679, and that of doctor iu 1:685,
While at Montpellier he wrote a letter to Dr. Martin Lif-
ter, dated Aug. 4, 1 683, concerning, the fabric of the ie^
markable bridge, called. Pont de S« E^sprit, on the Rbine^
* Dyer's Li£p of Robinsooj 1796, Svo.
1
ROBINSON. 295
Whieb was printed in the Pbilosopbical Transactions for
June 1684; and, after his return in that year, he was
elected a fellow of the Rojal Society. To this learned
body he made various comuiunications, particularly an ac-^
count of the first four volumes of the ^* tfortus Matabari«
cus f on the natural sublimation of sulphur from the pyrites
end limestone at ^tna, &c.; an account of Henry Jen-^
kins^ who lived 169 years; and on other topics of natural
history. The printed correspondence between him and
itay commenced during Dr. Robin^n's travels, before men^
ttonedy and was continued for upwards of ten years. Se«
Tenteen of his letters appear in the ^^ Philosophical Cor-
respondence/* with all Mr. Ray*s answers. They run much
cm the subject of Zoology ; but contain also botanical and
philosophical observations. These, and what be communi<v
cated to the *^ Philosophical Transactions/* prove him to
liave been a man well acquainted with various parts of
learning : to which he added also an intimate knowledge of
natural history. In this branch Bf^y bad the hii^hest opinioa
of him', and placed the greatest con'fidence in his assist
tance. He had a seat in the council of the Royal Society
for many years. He died March 29, 1748. *
ROBINSON (Thomas), a late eminent divine at Leii>
cester, the son of James Robinson, hosier of Wakefield iA
Yorkshire, was born Aug. 29, 1749. He was educated at
the grammar-school of his native place, where he mad^
aucU proficiency that his masters earnestly solicited hi%
father to permit him to cqn tin ue a l^rned education, in-
stead of putting him to business, which was his originafl
intention ; and when it was determined to send him to the
ttniversity, the governors of the school unanimously
agreed to allow him a double exhibition. With this pro-
vision he was admitted a sizar of Trinity college, Cam-
bridge, in Oct. 1768. Various circnthstances, for which
we«iay refer the reader to an elabor?^te life of him lately
published, contributed to give his mind more serious im-
pressions than are usual at his period of life, and his wholb
behaviour as a student became exemplary. He scrnptr-
lously obsei'ved all the attendances which were required of
him, and quickly obtained the reputation of having made
much proficiency as a scholar. His religious character
too^ though not yet formed to that degree of strifctne^s
^ Bio|;. ]9/it. art. Sloane.— Pulteney's Sketches.
fO# ftOBIXSON.
whtfh it Mftefw»h attained^ vm M \eaut to fsa advanced
m w fvade h» loMUy caovcr^atian^ and a«wed cyaiom
wiMy difff:fettt from tbute at u»e ggeater pan «f his ooo*
lcmp«rairi€».
In bit acadeflMcai pmnmu, be appean to bate divided
bf» Mttmiim betireen clue clMiea aod matbeaaocay relier*
ing both occaMOfiallj bj tbe penual of treaciset ia divinigry
ii» irbu;ii be gai^e ibe ptefetence to tboie of tbe CalrioiMc
](»i>d. In April 1771 be was elected a sdiolar of Trioitj*
eolieget after a strict ao4 cooprebeosive examination. Ip
Dec^mhet of tbe sapie year be obtained tbe second <tf Dn
Booper^s prizes for tbe best Eoglisb declamatioo. He
gained greait credit from bis matbemgiiral disputations in
$b^ schools^ tbe year previous tp bis first d^;ree. What is
not irery common eireti with tbe more advanced matbemati-
cal proficients, be always made bis own arguments, when
be kept an opponency, and these were in general skilful,
ai( well (IS ably defended* In one of those disputations,
be invented an argument against tbe doctrine of prime and
ttliiinate ratios, a« taught by one of our ablest matbemati-
ciaiiK^ Mbich, it is >aid, has never yet been satisfactorily
aiifti^crcil* litrieed, be was particularly calculated to excel
jn rhis speciei of exercise; as possessing a remarkable de-
gree of acuteiiess, solidity, and self-possession, together
with a fair i»bare of niatheniatical knowledge. He w^
well acquainted with natural philosophy, though but littje
with aimlytics.
Accordingly he was ranked high from the school^, being
p1aci*d in the first class; so as to be a competitor with
those who were far his superiors in depth of reading. He
stood sitventh in the senate-bouse examination ; which was
considered a high degree at tliat time, for one who had
not enjoyed the advantage of a private tutor. Dr. Toqir
line, the present bishop of Lincoln,, the senior ^rangier .of
the year, with whom be was engaged in this honourable
competition for academical distinction, is well, known, to
have expressed a high respect for Mr. Robinson^s charac-
ter, and lor his attainments as a scholar. Mr. Robinspn at
this time used to say tjmt he never .expected to cope with
hii lordship and with his other competitors, who were
placed bolbre him, in algebra and fluxions^ what he knew
, was chiefly in philosophy. Locke's *^ Essay,*' and Butler's
*^ Analogy,'' which he had studied attentively, were also
of service to him in the examination. His friends, who
R O B I N S O N, 301
»
could daly estimate his talents, were anxious that he
should be a candidate for one of the classical medals ; but
he declined offering himself^ through the determination he
had formed of entering as soon as possible into the church.
He was elected fellow of Trinity-college, with peculiar
circumstances of distinction, Oct. I, 1772; and in 1773
he obtained the second of the middle bachelor's prizes for
the best Latin essay on some moral subject. On this occa-^
lion he had eight competitors. Dr. James, the late head
master of Rugby-school, who particularly excelled in writh-
ing Latin prose, gained the first prize; but Mr. Robinson
was allowed to be at this time the best general scholar of
his year ; and his seniors, who were most competent to
decide upon his Ifterary merits, declared that they bad not
Itnown his superior. His biographer gives us an anecdote
whichshows, in a very striking point of view, the cfaarac-^
ter he held among his contemporaries. An attempt was
made, during bis under-graduateship, to set aside sub-*
scription to the Thirty-nine articles. Some young men
went about the university, endeavouring to prevail upon
the under-graduates to sign a petition for. that purp6se.
In Trinity -college, the first question which the under*,
g^raduates put to those persons who applied to them was,
^ Has Robinson signed the petition ?^' and they declined
signing it, when they found he had not: and the argument
which the persons applying made use of to prevail upon
Mr. Robinson to sign was, ^^ If j/ou will sign, ail the un-^
der*graduates in Trinity-college will sign." Mr. Robin-
son, it' is scarcely necessary to add, refused to sigh this
petition.
Soon after receiving his first degree, Mr. Robinson was
; brdained by bishop Keene, and entered upon the curacy
of Witcham, in the Isle of Ely. To this was added that of
Wichford ; and his performance of the duties of both wajs
equally conscientious and successful. About two ycar^
after, he quitted this situation and accepted the curacy of
St. Mairtin's Leicester, under the rev. Mr. Haines : here he
had considerable oppbsition to encounter ; but at length
acquired a great degree of general popularity, and the
respect of many of the upper classes, who were at first pre-
judiced against his youth and his doctrines. He was alsa
chosen afternoon lecturer of All Saints, and in 1774, chap-
lain to the Infirixiary. To these labours he adiled, during
a considerable part of his life, the care of instructinjj; some
303 ROBINSON.
young getitlebien in ohtssical learmng, wko were preparing^
far tbe university) but in some cases at leasts would accept
of no pecuniary compensation. In tbe same year (1774)
he married a iady, whose name his biographer does nols
mention, by whom he bad a family, and who died in 179U
III 1778 a weekly lecture being founded at St. Mary'a
church by Mr. Joseph Wheatley, an opulent manufacturer
of Leicesteri with the consent of tbe incumbent^ and of
tbe bishop of tbe diocese, Mt. Robinson was appointed
first Tectur^r. Soon after, in the same year, oh the death
of the incumbent, Mr. Robinson was instituted to the livw
log of this church, by the lord-chancellor. It was here
that he preached a course of sermons on' ** Scripture Cha-
racters,^' which has since been - printed, and forms the
most popular of his works, having gone through several
editions, in 4 vols. 8vo. . .
' In 1788, when a general stir was made by the dissenters,
throughout the kingdom, to obtain the repeal of the Cor-»
poration and Test Acts, and when the Midland counties
were made to feel the more intense flame which burned
pretty widely, through the adjacent influence of Dn
Priestley, a large c^itral meeting, for the purpose of pro*
moting the cx)mm0n object, was held at Leicester, to which
Mr. Robinson was earnestly invited, but be peremptorily
refused, and thai in language which could not be agree-^
able ; for, among other things, he told the applicants that
it was ^* mbney and power" which they wanted, and '^ not
the means of serving God more acceptably, or of preach* ^
ing his gospel more extensively.'' Strong attachment to .
government ; deference to the powers that be ; an high
sense of the importance and utility of a dignifled bierar*
chy, together with cordial approbation of the forms and
discipline of the church of England, not less than of her
doctrines; were a sort of primary element in bis mind.
On the same principles, one of his last public acts was to*
unite with a large body of his brother clergymen, in peti-
tioning parliament against the tepeat of the remaining re-
strictions upon popery,
-The seventh of March 18(3 was the thirty-ninth aoni-
versery of Mr. Robinson's connection, as a preacher, with
the town of Leicester. He hiad been ticar of St. Mary's,
during thirty- four years, and by his zeal and ability in
performing his pastoral duties, as well as by his pious and
benevolent character in private life, had overcome all op-
.ROB I N SO N. 303
poiition and ali. prejudice, when he was seized with a fit of
a|iop]exj on the 24th of the month before-coentionedi and
expired \)«thin a few hours, in his .sixtjfxfQur^h year. For
many minutiie of character, many illusitrative anecd(>te9»
and much discussion on his character and writings, we
futistf refer to our authority/ ^Besides his *' ScHpture Cba<-
meters/' already noticed, he was the author of ^^ A seri*
ons exhortasticm to the Inhabitants of Great Britain, with
reference to the approaching Faf^t,'* 179^ ; *^ An address
to the Loyal Leicester Volunteer Infantry," 1795 ; <* The
Christian System unfolded, or Essays on the Doctrines
and Duties of Christianity/' S vols. 8vo, intended as a
popular body of diTinity, but drawn. out in the form of
Essays^* instead of Sermons, in which the .subjects had been
formerly discussed from the pulpit: ^^ The Parochial Mi->
leister's address to his Parishioners ;" .a tract ** On Confir-
mation;" «< Address on the Peace of 15^02 ;*' " The Se-
siaas Calif* one or two occasional sermons, and ^' Pro-'
pkeciefton the Messiah."' .
'ROBISON (J.oii:N), an eminent natural philosopher and
mathematician^ was born at Boghall, in the county oi
Stirling^ in Scotland, in 1739. His father, a merchant in •
Glasgow, having, by. a conirse of .aucicessfaliodustry, ac-
(j[uired considerable property, employed it in the purciiase
6f an estate :to wiiich he retired during: the latter part of
his life His son was educated at GlasgQw, and before
entering on his nineteenth year had completed his course
ef study at that university, but had manifested a peculiar
prediieclioQ for the mathematics. Though he went deep
iHtO'dlgebra and fluxions, yet he derived from the cele-*
Wated Simson, and always retained, a disposition to. prefer
the more accurate though less comprehensive system ojf
ancient geometry. The ^rst thing which is said to have
obtained him the notice of that eminent professor, was hij»
havii^ produced a geometrical solution of a problem which
had been given oixt to the class in an. algebraic form.
He was designed by his parents for the clerical profess
sion, but though he was deeply impressed with the truths
of veKgion^ he bad some scruples which induced him to
decline eFntering into orders. His friends, tUereforei be-*^
gan td consider of some other situation in which his
' From " Some aceount of, &c. by thn Rex. Kdward TJif^mas Vau jhan, M. A.
▼icair of St. Martin's and All Saitits, Leicester/' &c. 1315, Svo.
364 R O B I S O N.
tnathematical talents might be turned to advantage* Dr{
Dicky professor of natural pbilosophyi being iii want of a»
assistant, Mr. Robison, then not quite nineteen years of
age, was recommended by Dr. Adam Smith as a proper
person for discharging that office. Dr. Dick thought him;
too young, but joined with Dr* Simson in recommending
him to Dr. Blair, prebendary of Westminster, whom they
understood to be in quest of a young mah to go to sea
with Edward duke of York^ and read mathematics with,
his royal highness. On reaching London, however, this
flattering prospect was found to have- no solid fouodatkyn^
the duke of York having no intention of going to sea. Mr*
Robison, however, to whom a return to Glasgow would
have been very disagreeable, embraced an opportunity
which now offered itself, of going to sea as mathematical
tutor to Mr. Knowles, eldest son of admiral Knowles, and
the duke of York's intended companion. His pupil being
appointed lieutenant on board the Royal William, Mr.
Robison, at his own request, was rated midshipmao*;
Here he spent the three following years, which he often
spoke of as the happiest of bis lifew He devoted himsellt
particularly to the study of the art of seamanship, and, was
sometimes employed in making surveys of coasts and
rivers.
In this capacity his merit attracted the notice of lord.
Anson, then at the head of the Admiralty-board, by whom
be was sent, in 1 762, to Jamaica, in order to make trial of .
Harrison's time-keeper. But on returning from this mis-
sion he found his prospects of advancement completely
clouded : lord Anson was dead ; the vessel, on board of ^
which was his pupil Mr. Knowles, had foundered at sea,'
and all on board perished ; and admiral Knowles had rer
tired to the country inconsolable for the loss of his son*
He determined, therefore, tp return to Glasgow, and , ad-
miral Knowles soon after placed under his care his remain-
ing son, who was afterwards rear-admiral sir Charles
Knowles. At Glasgow Mr. Robison renewed his studies .
with great assiduity,, but his instructors were changed..
Dr. Simson was dead ; and Dr. Adam Smith had left Glas-
gow to travel with the late duke of Buccleugh ; but the
place of the latter was well supplied by Dr. Reid, and Mr.
Robison had also an opportunity of attending the lectures. ^
of Mr. Millar on civil law, and Dr. Black on chemistry.
When Dr. Black, in 176^^ was called to Edinburgh, Mr. .
it 6 B I S ON. SOI
ftobison was appointed.' to succeed' him as lecftirer do
bbemistryy and read lecCures on that science with great
applause for three ye^rs.
In 1770, sir Charles Knowles having gone to Russia, on
the invitation of the eniipress Catherine, then intent on the
ifll^provement of her marine^ he invited Mr, Robison to
Accompany him as his official secretary, with a salary of
i250/. a-year/ Ashe was still attached to the navy and to
his former patron^ and as, though lecturing on chemistry»
he did not enjoy the rank of professor^ Mr. Robison made
no hesitation in accepting the proposal. His conduct at
St. Petersburgh, and the knowledge which he had there
occasion to display, seems to have powerfully recom-
mended him to the board of admiralty ; for in 1772 he was
appointed 4nspector-general of the corps of marine cadets,
an a[cademy consisting of upwards of four hundred young
gVotlem^n and scholars under the tuition of about forty
teachers. As the person who fills this office has the rank
of lieutenant-colonel, it became necessary, by the customs
of Russia, that Mr. .Robison should prove himself a gentle-
nian, or what is there called a dvoranin^ and the proof rje-
qiiired was entered on record. In this office his employ-
mhitt consisted in visiting daily every class of the academy;
in receiving weekly reports from each master, stating the
diligence and prpgress of every person in his class ; and
tmce a year, in advancing the young gentlemen into the
higher classes, according to their respective merits* Of
these he was considered as the sole judge, and from his
s0iitextce there lay no appeal. He lived in terms of the
utmost harmony with general Kutusoif, who was military
head of the academy, and held the third place in the ad-
miralty college. By him all Mr. Robison's measures were
supported, and he was even introduced to. the notice of
the grand diike, as an admirer of the Russian language^
iNftiich his imperial highness patronized.
But although his situation was thus honourable and ad-
taptageous, he felt that something more was necessary to
tender it comfoi:table. He could not but regret his dis-
tance from his native country^ and residence among a
.people who, though rapidly improving, weresiill tinctured
with barbarism. His appointment also attached him, not
'to the capital, but to Cronstadt, where he was nearly, cut
off from all effligbtened society. Receiving an invitation^
therefore^ from the magistrsttes ^ud towa-co\incil to ^U tb«
Vqi^XXVI. X
toe R O B I S O N.
place of professor of natural philosophy in the qniversit^
of Edinburgh, be gladly removed to that city. The grand
duke parted with him reluctantly, and requested, when be
left the acadei)[iy, that he would take with him some young
men of talents from the corps of cadets ; and he^ promised
him a pension of 400 rubles (SO/.) a-year. That pen^ioa
was regularly paid only during the three years that the
gentlemen whom he selected resided in Edinburgh ; it was
then discontinued, it is believed, because he did not con-
tinue a correspondence with the academy, and commuoi-
cate all the British improvements in marine education.
Of his lectures, in his new professorship, high expecta-
tions were formed and were not disappointed. If there was
any defect, it was that h6 was sometimes abstruse, and did
not lower himself sufficiently to the comprehension of bis
youthful, auditors. This, however, appears to have bef a
owing, not to any want of order or perspicuity, but to his
expecting to find in them a more complete acquaintance
with pure mathematics than many of them had attainef^.
Unfortunately, he was prevented for many years from
teaching, by a languishing state of health, accompanied
with peculiar depression of spirits, a not unfrequent atten*-
dctnt on too entire a devotion to mathematical studies, and
of the recluse and pensive habits which they tend to gi^ne-
rate.' By the judicious choice, however, which be made
of substitutes, the want of his personal instructions was
less severely felt. For a year or two before his death bb
began again* to lecture, having only engaged the rev. Tho-
mas Macknight to afford him occasional assistance; an
office w bich was performed by that gentleman with ac-
knowledged ability. When the Royal Society of Edin-
burgh was incorporated by charter in 1783, he was chosen
by that learned body to be their general secretatyy^and
iliseharged that office to their entire satisfaction, as long.as
his. health permitted, on the dechne of which he resigiiied
it. To their Transactions he contributed several intevesit-'
ing papers. - '
- In 1798, Mr. Robisofn ' published a work which aittracte^,
in ah uncommon decree, the attention of tbe^public, undefr
•(he title of <^ Preofs of a Con'»piracy against altthe religions
•land -governments of Europe, carried on in the secret' nieeK-
t\Sgs of Free-masons, llluminati, and- reading societies, &ci'*
48vo. It is needless to say how diflPerent fafave been* tba
fttdgodii^ts probottoc^ on tbia p^bUoation^ according •U>
It 6 B I S O N, CQ»
Xh^ di^erent parties to which its readers happened to l>'^
mtached. That there is ^considerable ground for the state-
Inents contained in it, appears evidently from the best iri«
formed Gernoan authors ; at the same time several circum-
, "Stances led the author to form an idea of the magnitade and
botis^quence^ of the conspiracy, which perhaps was some-
' What exaggerated. But whatever opinion was formed ox\
this subjecti it was generally acknowledged that his mis*
takes were unintentional, and that the work was written
ifirom the best of motives, aftd with the sole view of defend-
ing the most important interests of religion and civil so*
<:iety.
A few years after; on the death of Dr. Black, Mr. Ro-
i>ison published the lectures of that great chemical dis-
coverer, with notes, which are universally allowed to add
greatly to their value. In consequence of Mr. Robison^s
connexion with the court of Russia, a copy of this publi-
cation was sent to the reigning emperof, and the editor
deceived, in return, the present of a box set in diamonds,
accompanied by a letter strongly impressive of the regard
in which his character and talents were held by that vir-
tdous and enlightened monarch. The last work on whicli
Mr. Robison's attention and care was bestowed, was bis
**' £lements of Mechanical Philosophy,^* intended to com-
prize the substance of his lectures on that subject, and tQ
Xionsist of four or five volumes. The first appeared accord-
ingly in IB04, atid fully answered the expectations which
the scientific ^6rld had- entertained ; and although his death
'prevented the completion of the plan, he is said to have
left materials for a continuation, which are intended for th^
press. On Monday, Jan. 28, 1805, he delivered a lecturci
'as usual to his class, and went afterwards to take his accuse
-'tbmed walk* Being, however, exposed to a greater degree
'of. cold than usual', he was seized soon after his return with
^'M exCrenii'e degree of diebility, which terminated in his
"^death, Wednesday morning the 30th, This seems to have
'been less the consequence of any particular illness, than of
'ft frame worn out by long^continued illness and suffering.
' In 17^8 he was complimented with the diploma of LL.D*
^ t>y the American college in New Jersey, and in the f(dlow-
ihg year received the saine honour from the university of
* Glasgow. In 1900, he was unanimously elected foreign
member of the imperial academy of sciences at St< PeietB»
burgh, in the room of Dr. Black* Besides the works alreadj
X 2
E
804 R O B I S O N.
mentioned^ it must not be forgot that Mr. Bpbison fur^
nished some most valuable contributions to the edition of
the ^* EncyclopaBdia Britannicay'* superintended by his
friend Dr. Gleig, to whom the public is indebted for thie
preceding particulars of his life ; and it is said to be the
intention of Mr. Robison's friends to collect the articles
be furnished for this work, and publish them in a sepa^
rate formi along with what he inserted in the <^ Transaci^
tions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.^
ROBORPELLO (Francis), a celebrated critic in the
sixteenth century, was born at' Udina in 1516. After
being educated at Bologna, he taught rhetoric and moral
hilosophy with reputation at Lucca, Pisa, Venice, Bo-
pgna, and Padua, in which last city he died, March IQ,
1567, aged fifty-one. He has left a treatise, " On History,"
1543, 8vo, which is of little value; commentaries on se-
veral Greek and Latin poets; " De Vita et victu popitii
Romani sub Imperatoribus,** 1559,' folio, and oth^r works
on Roman antiquities, in which he frequently discovers s^
degree of asperity unworthy of a liberal mind. His con-
tentious disposition had at one time nearly proved fatal, as
lie received a wound from the sword of Baptist Egnacius,
and for some time his life was thought to be in danger.
He had also some. fierce literary contests with Alciatus and
3igonius.*
ROCABERTI (John Thomas de)> a celebrated general
pfthe Dominicans, and one of the most zealous defenders
of papal authority, was born at Peselada on the frontiers of
Roussillon and Catalonia, about 1624^ He was the son of
Francis viscount de Rocaberti, of an ancient family. Hav-
ing entered the Dominican order early in life, be became
provincial of Arragon in 1&66, general of his order in 1670,
archbishop of Valencia in 1676, and grand inquisitor of
the faith in 1695. Flis catholic majesty, whose favour he
acquired, made him. twice viceroy of Valencia. He died
June 13, 1699, leaving a long treatise ^ De Romani Pob-
tificis Autoritate,^' Z vols, folio, esteemed in Spain and
Italy, but prohibited in France ; and ." Bibliotheca Ponti*
£cia ;'* a large collection uf all the treatises which have beea
'written by different authors in favour of the pope's authority
.^nd infallibility; Rome, J 700, &c. 21 vols^ folio. The par-'
• 1 Phi)oiophio«) Mpigftziiie, vols. X. an4 Xllltf
. f,;^Qnri.— Tirabofchu— Diet, Ui^ti.
R O C A B E R T L , 30^
liament of Paris also prohibited the sale of this immense
coUection.^
ROCCA (Angelus), a learned Italian, was a native of
Rocca Contrata, a town in the marche of Ancona, and born
in 1545. When young he was sent to Camerino, wherei
jn 1552, he took the habit among the hermits of St. Au*
gastine, and remained so long here that some have given
iiim the surname of Camero. He afterwards continued
his studies at Rome, Venice, Perusia, and Padua. He
received the degree of doctor of divinity at the university
of Padua, in Sept. 1577, and acquired much celebrity as a
preacher at Venice, and as a teacher of the belles lettres
to the juniors of his order. In 1579 Fivizani, the vicar-
~ general of the Augustines, invited him to Rome to be his
secretary, and pope Sixtus V. placed him in the Vatican
in 1585, and confided to his superintendance those edi-
tions of the Bible, the councils, and the fathers, which is-
sued from the apostolical press during his pontificate. In
.1595, pope Clement VIII. made him apostolical sacristan
in the room of Fivizani, now deceased, and titular bishop
of Tagast^ in Numidia. He collected a very large and ex-
cellent library, which he presented in his life-time, by a
deed of gift, dated Oct. 23, 1614, to the Augustinian mo-
nastery at Rome; but upon the express condition, that it
should be always open for the benefit of the public. Rocca
■died April 8, 1620, at the age of seventy-five. Rocca had
read much, but was either deficient in, or seldom exer-
eiseli his judgment, as appears by the most of his works,
>Among these may be mentioned his ^< Bibliotheca Aposto-
lica Vaticana," which Fabricius calls a very trifling work ;'
*^ Bibliotheca Tbeologica et Scripturalis ;" " Notae in No-
vum Testamentum ;•' " De Patientia;" " De Cometis ;'*
** Observationes in VI Libros Elegantiarum Laur. Vallae ;'*
, ^ Observationes de Lingua Latina;" and other pieces
which were collected together, and printed in 1719, 2 "vols.
-folio. From his manuscripts was also published, in 1745, a
very curious collection, entitled " Thesaurus Pontificiarum
Antiquitatum, necnon Rituum ac Ceremoniarum,*' in 2
vols, folio. • .
^ ROCHEFORT (William de), a modern French writer,
was born in 1731, at Lyons. He had an eioployment in
f GtD. Diet— Mortri. * Niceron, vol. XXI.-*Dict. Hiit.
X
Sl(% R O C H E F O R T.
the finances at Cette in Languedoc, which he held for te»
years; but having more turn for literature than calculations^
he went to Paris, and composed three tragedies upon the
Oreek models, but bad no more success than others wbor
have made similar experiments on the public taste* Iii.
prose he published a " Refutation du Systeme de la Na*.
ture ;** a " Critical History of the opinions of the>Ancient&
concerning Happiness, 1778,*' 8vo ; and a ** Complete
Translation of the Plays of Sophocles." The last*nani$d
work gained him much credit by the elegance and fidelity^
of the version, and the judicious notes annexed to iu He
undertook also a complete translation of Hoikier^s Iliad and
Odyssey, of which the preliminary discourses and the notes
obtained more applause than the version itself, which, how-
ever, he had splendidly printed at the royal press in 1781,
in 4to. He was a member of the academy of inscriptions
and belles lettres, to which he contributed several learned
memoirs. He died in 1788, highly esteemed for a temper
in which there was nothing unsocial or selfish. He was
always, we are told, fonder of talking of other people's
works than of his own, a case, it is added, of some singu-^
larity in literary company.^
ROCHEFOUCAULT (Francis, Duke of), prince of
Marsillac, and governor of Poitou, was born in 1613. He
was the son of Francis, the first duke of Rochefoucauit, and
was distinguished equally by his courage and his wit At
the instigation pf the duchess de Longueville, to whom he
had been long attached, he engaged in the civil wars, and
signalized himself, particularly at the battle of St. An^
toine. After his return his house became the rendezvous
of all the wits of Paris, Racine, Boileau, &c. who were
captivated by the charms of his conversation. He died at
Paris in 1680, aged seventy-seven. As a writer he i»
chiefly known by a small work, which has often beto re«
printed in this country, in English, entitled <^ Maxims,'*
of which Voltaire has not scrupled so say, that it contri*
buted more than any performance to form the taste of the
French nation, and give it a true relish of propriety and
correctness. '' Though there is,'* continues he, *^ but one
truth running through this whole piece, namely, that ^ self-
love is the spring of all our actions and determinations ;'
yet this thought presents itself under such a variety of
1 Pict. Hiit.
ROCHE^OUCAULT. ail
forms a8 sever fail to strike with new surprise. It is not so
properly a book itself, as a set of materials to embeUish a
book. Tbis little collection was much read and admired ;
h accustomed our authors to think, and to comprise their
tiaoughts in a lively, correct, and delicate ti^rn of phrase ;
which was a mjerit utterly unknown to any European writer
before him since the revival of letters." It has, however,
been mostly admired by those who entertain an unfavour-
able opinion o£ mankind, and who have been soured by
disappointment and misfortune, particularly by disap-
pointed ambiuon* Chesterfield and Swift are on the side
of Rochefoucault We have also of this noble author
^^ M^moires de la R6geoce de la Reine Anne d'Autricbe/*
written with great sense and a deep penetration.
The abb6 O'OUvet, in his History of the French aca-
demy, $ay3 that Bochefoucault could never be a member
of il, though greatly desired both by the academicians and
himselfj from the necessity of making a speech of thanks
on the day of admission : with all the courage he had shewn
on so many eminent occasions, and with all the superiority
thtit birth, aud such prodigious parts as the vrorld allowed,
gave him, he was not ^ble to bear the look of an audience,
nor could pronounoe four lines in public without fainting.^
RODNEY (GfiORGE BrVdges), a celebrated nawl com^
maiider, was the second son of Henry l^odney, esq. of
JWaltoa on Thames, and Mary, eldest daughter and co-
keir to sir Henry Newton, knight, envoy-extraordinary to
XSenoa, LL. D. judge of the high-court of admiralty, and
chancellor of the diocese of London. His father, as a na-
vaI oflicer, commanded the yacht- in which king. George h
attended by the duke of Chaiidos, used to embark in going
to or coming from Hanover, and in consequence, asked
leave that his son might be called George Brydges. He
was born in Dec. 1717. At the desire, or by the com-
mand, of his ray^i and noble god-fathers, he entered early
into Uie navy, and in 1742 he was lieutenant in the Namur,
commanded by adoiiral Matthews. In November of the
same year^ be was promoted by the admiral to the com-
mand of the Plymouth, of sixty guns; 09 returning home
he was removed into the Sheerness, a i^mall frigate ; and
in 1744 he was appointed to the command of the Ludlow;-
oastle, of forty-four guns. In this ship he. does not appear
1 Diet. Hut-^Siede de Louis XIV.
3l2 RODNEY.
to have continued long,. for in May 1746, he was capt«iai
of the £agle, a new ship of sixty guns, then employed a
a cruiser on the Irish station. While here he captured two
large privateers. He continued in the Eagle during the
remainder of the war, and was one of the commanders
under the orders of rear-admiral Hawke, when in 1747 he
defeated L*£tendiere^s scjuadron. On this occasion capt,
Rodney behaved with much spirit, and may be said to have
then laid the foundation of that popularity he afterwards in
so high a degree possessed. On the conclusion of the war
be was, in March 1749, appointed to the Rainbow, a fourth
rate, and in May following was nominated governor and
commander-in-chief in and over the island of Newfouod**
land* Immediately afterwards he proceeded thither with
the small squadron annually sent there in time of peace,
for the protection of the fishery. Some time after his re*
turn in ^53 he married Miss .Compton, daughter of Charles
Compton, esq. and sister to Spencer, then earl of NiH*-
thampton. In 1757 he was engaged, under the commaod
of admirals Hawke and Bosoawen,- to^attempt a descent on
the coast of France, near Rochefort ; and in 1759. he was
advanced rear-admiral of the blue« In this same year be
was sent to bombard Havre de Grace, where a large force
was collected for the purpose of attempting an invasion of
this country. He executed the trust committed to him so
completely, that the town itself was several times on fire,
^^nd the magazines of stores and ammunition burnt with
fury upwards of six hours, notwithstanding the exertions
used to extinguish it. Thus had admiral Rodney the hap-
piness of totally frustrating the design of the French court;
and so completely did he destroy their preparations, that
the fort itself, as a naval arsenal, was no longer during the
war in a state to annoy Great Britain. In 1761 admiral
Rodney we^s very instrumental in the capture of the islands
of St. Pierre, Granada, St. Lucia, and St* Vincent, when
the whole Caribbees came into the possession of the^ Eng-
lish, For his skill and bravery in the war^ he was, after
*the conclusion of it, raised to the dignity of a baronet In
4768, after an expensive, and to sir George Rodney i^
ruinous, contest with Mr. Howe, he was elected member
'of parliament for Northampton. In the month of Octbher
1770 he was progressively advanced to be vice-adqiiral of
the white and red squadrons, and in the month of August
1771) to bp rear-admiral of Great Britain. In the very
R O D N E y. ^ 31S
tmrly part of this year he resigned the mastership of Green-
wich hospital, to which he had been appointed in 1765;
and was immediately after made commander-in-chief on
the Jamaica station, whither he repaired, having hi^ flag
on board the Princess Amelia of SO guns. The appoint-
ihent of this ship to that service was intended as a particu<^
)ar and pointed compliment, it being extremely unusual to
fiend a three-decked ship on that station, except in time of
actual war. It is said the command in India was offered to
him, which he declined, entertaining hopes of being ap«
pointed governor of Jamaica in case of the death of sir
William Trelawney ; but in this he was disappointed. After
his return to England at the expiration of the time allotted
for the continuance of his command, he retired to France,
where lie lived some years in obscurity, hoping to retrieve
the losses he had suffered at the Northampton election. It
is said that the French king wished to take advantage of
his pecuniary embarrassments, and through the duke de
Biron made him the most unbounded oflers if he would
quit the English for the French service. ' In reply to this
proposal he said,/' My distresses, sir, it is true, have driven
me from the bosom of my country, but no temptieition Cart
estrange me from her service. Had this offer been volun-
tary on your part, I should have deemed it an insult, but f
am glad to learn it proceeds from a soOrce that can do^no
wrong.*' The duke was so struck with the patriotism of
the admiral, that he became attached to him as a friend^
;BLnd is said to have advanced him a sum of money to revisit
England, and solicit a command.
Before this event the French had united with the Ame<i
ricans in a war against this country, and about the close of
1779, the chief command of the Leeward islands was given
to sir George Rodney, upon which he hoisted his flag on
board the Sandwich. From this time he was very success-*,
ful against his majesty's ei^emies, but our limits do nt)t
allow us to particularize all the advantages that resulted
firom his services during the remainder of the war of which
we are speaking. In the first year he had done enough to
obtain a vote of thanks from the House of Lords, and the
fireedom of the cities of London and Edinburgh ; but his
great triumph was on the 12th of April, 1782, in an en«
gagement in the West Indies with count de Grasse. Thi«
battle was fought among the islands of Gnadaloupe, Do-
jDQinique, the Saintes, and Marigalante. As soon as the
8U RO;DNEY.
day broke admiral Rodney threw out the signal for clasii.
lection, anci every vessel obeyed it most scrupulously. Tb(9
British line was formed at the distance of one cable's lengtb
bet^veen each ship. x\s the ships came up separately, tbej(
ipanged close alongside, their opponents, passing along the.
ei^my for that purpose, giving and receiving, while tb^ .
taking their stations, a most dreadful and tremet>dous fira
The action continued in this manner till noon, whe:n ad-
miral Rodney resolved to carry into execution a mano^uvrq. .
which be expected would gain him a complete and decisive
victory : for this purpose, in his own ship, the Formidable,
supported by the Namur, the Duke, and the Canada, h^
bore down with all the sail set on the enemy's line, withia
three ships of the centre, and succeeded in breaking througt^
it in a most masterly style* As soon as he had accoj^-
plished this, the other ships of his division followed l^M^
and they all wore round, doubled on the enemy, and thui^
they placed between two fires those vessels which, by tbq
first part of the manoeuvre, they had cut off from the re^^
of the fleet. As soon as admiral Rodney and the vessel
which, folloiyed him, wore^ he made the signal for the van
to tack, by ^hicb mean$ they gained the windward of the^
French, and oompleted the disorder and confusion in whicf^ .
the breaking of the line had thrown them. One conse*]
quetice of the breaking of the line was, that opportunities
were given for desperate actions between single ships. The
whole loss of the enemy on this occasion amounted to eight .
ships ; one had been sunk, and another blown up after she
had been taken, and six ship^ remained in possession of the
conquerors. It' wad esteemed remarkably fortunate, and
glorious, for the victors, that de Grasse's ship, the Ville de
Paris, was the only first rate man-of-war that had ever, at
that time, been taken and carried into port' by any com-
mander of any nation. And this ship was on the present
occasion fought so well, that when it struck there were but
three men left alive and unhurt on the upper deck.
The British nation were so sensible of the bravery dis-
played both by officers and men in this action, andof th^
importance of it as the only means of preserving the re-t
mainder of the WeSt India islands, that they manifes^ied the
most exces9ive joy when intelligence of the yictory arrived-
It came extremely seasonable in other points of view.
Neither by land, nor by sea, except where admiral Rodney
had been engaged, had we been able to meet tb^^o^i^j'
BOD N E Y. SIS
on aby occasion with great and decisive advantage; and^
»n too many instances, we had retired frooi the contest not
ia the most honourahle manner. As the means of obtain-
ing more favourable terms of peace, this important victory
was hailed with joy and exultation ; and as admiral Rodney
was looked up to as the cause of it, the gratitude of tbct
natioB towards him was deeply felt, and expressed in warm
and glowing language. It was, recollected that the fortune
of sir George Rodney had been peculiarly singular, as well
as highly glorious in the war. Within little more than two
years he had given a severe blow to each of our three
powerful continental enemies, the French, Spaniards, and
Dutch. He bad in that time taken an admiral of eadh na-
tion ; added twelve line of battle ships, all taken from the
enemy, to the British navy ; arid destroyed five more. He
received the unanimous thanks of both houses of parlia-
ment ; and his majesty added dignity to the peerage of thi(
realm, hy calling the victorious admiral to a seat in the
upper house, by the title of baron Rodney, of Rodney
Stoke, in the county of Somerset.
It has been observed that the victory of the 12th of
April was gained by putting in practice an entirely nevi^
system of naval tactics, the adoption of which formed an
era in our naval history, and may be regarded as the cause
of the glorious victories by which the fame of British sea-
men has been raised to such a pitch of glory ; and the ma-
ritime power of our enemies in the late war, has not only
been crippled, but absolutely annihilated. It has been
said, in order to derogate from the honour of the admiral^
that, m the instance of the 12th of April, it was the effect
of chance, and not effected by the foresight of sir George
Rodney. This idea has been satisfactorily exposed and
refuted. The only question on the subject is, whether the
honour of the plan is due to admiral Rodney or Mr. Clerk^
the author of a treatise on ^' Naval Tactics ;*' but on this
our limits will not permit us to enter.
With the brilliant victory of the 12th of April sir Greorge
closed his professional career ; to his title was added a peiir
aion of 2000/. to descend to his heirs. He died in London
the 24th of May, 1792. For his important services to the
West Indian islands in particular, a temple was^built to
receive his statue at Spanish Town, Jamaica.
A contemporary of the noble admiral said, that as an
officer of nautical abilities^ none were his superiors^ and
SIB R O D N E r.
but few^ his equals. He possessed a bold and original g6«
nius, which always carried him directly to the object be
bad in view. As a man, he was benevolent, generous, and
friendly. H^ has been known to be writing his private
letters, and dictating to three secretaries at the same time;*
^^ In private life he displayed the manners of an accom-*
plished gentleman ; and he who, when called by his coun-
try, coiald hurl its thunders against the foes, and lead its
navies to almost undeviating victory, was, in peace, the
oirnament of domestic society, and a pattern of that elegant
and polished behrviour, which almost always distinguishes
the higher orders among us." >
RODON, or DERODON (David), a celebrated French
professor of philosophy in the seventeenth century, was
born, according to fiayle, in Dauphiny,^ but more pro-
bably at Orange, where, as well as at Die, Nismes, and
Geneva, he taught philosophy, and was accounted the
greatest master of dialectics in his time. The story of
qui Erasmus ant diabolus has been told of him ; a stranger
to his person, when puzzled by his arguments, having ex-
claimed es diabolus aut Derodo. In physics he adhered to
the principles of Gassendus. He had been educated in
the protestant religion, but embraced that of popery in
1630, and published his reasons in a volume entitled
^* Quatre raisons pour lesquelles on duit quitter la religion
pretendue reformee," Paris, 1631, 12mo. Bayle had never
seen this, and makes him to have. been educated a papist.
But whatever satisfaction his '^ quatre raisons^* might have
jSifForded to the catholics, they were not of permanent in-
fluence on his own mind, for he afterwards became again
an adherent to the reformed religion, in which he died.
In 1645 he published in 8vo, his ^^ Disputatio de suppo-
sito," at Francfort (Orange), in which, Bayle tells us, he
declared for Nestorius against St. Cyril, not in admitting
two persons, but in maintaining that Nestorius does not
admit them, and that St. Cyril confounds the two natures
of Jesus Christ. This was the opinion of Giles Gaillard, a
gentleman of Provence, and an intimate friend of Rodon^s^
whoQi he often quotes, but without naming. The woirk
was condemned to be burnt by the parliament of Toulouse,
•nd the copies are therefore now very rare. Bayle had not
} Cbaroo6k'8 Biof . Navalis.— CoUiifi'f Peerage, hf sir £• Brydges.•Tr1Uo•^
Cyclopaedia.
R O D O N. 317
been able to procure one, and is obisled by Sorbiere iif
thinking that Gaillard wrote a* book with the same title as
Rodon's. But the work of Kodon which made the most
' noise was his ^^ Tombeau de la Messe/' or downfall of the
masSy published at Geneva in 1654, 8vo, 1662^ Amst. 1682.
'For this he was banished from France, by an arret of Jan.
29, 1663, on which he took refuge in Geneva^ where he
died in 1664. Saurin, who saw him in that city about the
tiine of his death, says he appeared to him to be perfectly
orthodox. His character is amply discussed in Saurin'a
controversy with Jurieu, "Examen de U Theologie de.M.
Jutieu, &c." and Jurieu^s answers.
Senebier, in his literary history of Geneva, gives the
following list of Rodon's other works: 1. ** Dispute de
rEucharistie," 1655, 8vo. 2. " Metaphj^sica," Orange,
1659, 8vo. 3. ** Logica resiituta," Geneva, 1659, 4to,
4. " De existentia Dei,". 1661, 4to. 5. « De Atomis,"
Geneva, 1662, 8vo. This is probably his " Disputatio,de
libertate et atomis," which he printed at Nismes the same
year. 6. " Disputatio realis de ente reali," Nismes, 1662.
7. " Disputes de la Messe," or a discourse on these w6rds,
"This is my body," Nismes," 1662, Svo. 8. " Discours
contre TAstrologie judiciare," 1663, Svo. 9. " Opera phi-
losophica," Geneva, 166i, 4to. 10. ** Philosophia con-
tracta," 1664, 4to. 1 1. ^^ La Lumiere de la raison opposde
.aux tenebres de Timpiet^," Geneva, 1665. 12. "Les In-
constants," Geneva, 1672, Svo, To these from Senebier,
we may add his "Compendium Logics^," 1663, 8vp^ and
:** L'Atbeisme convaincu," in 1649, 8vo. Some authors
ascribe to him a treatise entitled " Messe trouv6e\ dans
L'Ecriture,'' 1647, Svo, written when he was a catholic,
but there is more reason to attribute this to Lucas Jansen.*
ROE (Sir Thomas), an able statesman and ambassador,
was born at Low-Lay tun in. Essex, about 15S0, and ad-
mitted into Magdalen college, Oxford, in 1593. He was
taken from the university in a year or two ; and, after
•pending some time in one of the inns of court, and in
f ranee, was made esquire of the body to queen Elizabeths
In 1604, he was knighted by kin\; James ; and soon after
tent, by Henry prince of Wales, to make discoveries in
America. In 1614', he was sent ambassador to the great
Ipogul, at whose court he cantinueji till 16 IS. During hit
* * .
1 iif en. Diet. — Bios. Uulv. art. Deroduii«
$i4 ROE.
iresid«nc^ there, be emprloyed bhnself zeal6dsfy in t)ie«^
vice of the East India merchants, but gave a singH'lar offence
to the grand mogul. This monarch, hajbpy in his pricie
ftnd ignorance, fancied his dominions to be tbe greats
part of tbe habitable world. But his mortification was greM
when, in Mercator^s maps, presented to him by sir Tboasafe
Roe, he found that he possessed but a ^A)aU part of It ; and
he was so chagrined, that he ordeted the tiaps to be -givett
lo sir Thomas again. '
In 1620, he was elected a burgess for Cirencester lit
Gloucestershire ; and, the year foUowitig, se'n-t ambassador
to the grand seignor ; in which station be continued ond^
tbe sultans Osman, Mustapha, and Amu^ath IV. in his
passage to Constantinople, be wrote a letter to Villiers
iduke of Buckingham, then lord high admil^al, complaining
of the great increase of pirates in the Mediterranean sea*;
and, during bis embassy, sent ^* A true and faithful rela^
tion to his majesty and tbe prince of what hath lately hkp*-
pened in Constantinople, <:oncerning the death of suhah
•Osman, and tbe setting up of Mustapha his uncle," which
was printed at London in 1622, 4to. He kept a very cu^
'rious account of his nep^ociations at tbe Porte, which rt^
mained in manuscript till 1740, M'hen It was published, by
the society for promoting learning, under this title : ** Thte
Negotiations of Sir Thomas Roe, in bis Embassy to tbd
Ottoman Porte, from the year 1621 to ][628 inclusive ; con^
taiuing a great variety of curious and important matcero,
relating not only to the affairs of the Turkish empire, htH
also to those of the other states of Europe in that perioJ:
his correspondences with the most illustrious persons, fcUr
dignity or character, as, with the queen of Bohemia, Becfa^
lem Gabor prince of Transylvania, and other potentates df
different nations, &c. and many useful and instructive par-
ticulars, as well in relation to trade and commerce an to
subjects of literature ; as, ancient manuscripts, ' coin^^ ini-
scriptions, and other antiquities,' ' folio.
During bis residence in the East, he made a large cbK
lection of valuable manuscripts in the Greek and oirientlri
languages; which, in 1628, he presented to the Bodleittn
library. He also brought over the fine Alexandrian mftnthi>
script of the Greek Bible, sent as a present, to Charles'I.
by Cyril, patriarch of Constantinople; which has aincfe
been transcribed and published by Dr. Grabe. In 162d|
he was sent ambassador to mediate a peace between the
R O ft. ' 8l»
«
kings of Poland and Sweden. He succeeded in his nego^
daiion ; and gained so much credit witli tfae great Gu^-
tavus Adolpbus of Sweden, that be inspired that king with
m deaign, which he executed in 1630, of making a descent
into Germany to restore the freedom of the empire. AdoU
phos, upon gaining the victory of Leipsic, sent sir Thoma^
« present of 2000/. and in his letter calls him his *^ stre-
Imamjconsultorem," he being the first who had advised hrnh
to the war. He was afterwards employed in other negor-
ciatioiis. In 1640, be was chosen member of parliament
for the university of Oxford ; and shewed himself a persoh
of great eloquence, learning, and experience, as appeals
irom his printed speeches. The year after, he was sent
ambassador to the diet of 'Ratisbbn, in order to mediate thfe
restoration of the late king of Bohemians son to the pala-
tinate ; and, npon his return, was made chancellor of th^
garter, and one of the privy council. The calamities of
the nation, in which be could not avoid having a share,
not only embittered his life, but. probably contributed 'to
shorten it; for he died in Nov. 1644, An epitaph was
composed for him by Dr. Gerard Langbaine, but never set
^ : it may be seen in Wood's " Athen. Ox6n.'* By will
ix'e left to the Bodleian two hundred and forty-two silvdr '
medals.
' He^had ftll the accomplishments of the scholar, the gen-
tleman, and the courtier. He left a great number of ma'-
imscripts behind him ; and, in 17!S0, proposals were pub*
Wished for printing by subscription, in 5 vols, folio, " Thfe
'Negotiations and Embassies of Sir Thomas Roe, from 1620
'to 1644 :" but, the undertakets not meeting with sufficient
encouragement, the design was dropped, and 'only itie
"ydlume mentioned iibove was published in 1740 by Mr.
Kcbardson.^
' ROEBUCK (John), an eminent physician and gre^
benefact6rto Scotland, was born at Sheffield in Yorkshire,
4n 17 IB. Vth ftither was a considerable manufacturer and
-exporter of SheflSeld goods, and intended this his son for
'^e sahie business, but perceiving his inclination to learn-
%^, determined to give him a liberal education, or such
1M wa^ attainable atnong the dissenters, of which he wa(s
'6ne of the siric»t sort. After some school education, theref-
*(osef at Sheffield, he sent him to the academy kept by this
1 Bids. Brit-— Atb, Ox. wqI XL
»20 ROEBUCK.
Celebrated Dr. Doddridge at Norttiamptoni where thff
youug man laid the foundation of that classical taste aq4
knpwledge for which he was afterwards much distinguished^
From Northanipton he was sent to the university of Eldia^
burgh, where he studied medicine, and particularly che^f >
mistry. After the usual course of these studies here, he
pursued the same at Leyden, then considered a^ the &r^i .
medical school in Europe^ and took his doctors degree ia
February 1743.
Soon after his return from the continent, some circucnr
stances induced Dr. Roebuck to settle as a physician- at
Birmingham, where he met with great encouragement, and
at his leisure hours was induced to turn his studies and in-^
dustry to various objects besides those of his professibu.
Strongly attached to the rising science of chemistry, b^
conceived high views of extendinjg its usefulness, and ren-
dering it subservient to the impravement of arts and ma-
nufactures. With this view he fitted up a so^aii laboratory
in his bouse, in which he spent ev^y moment of histiose
which he could spare from the duties of bis. profession.
The first efforts of his genius and indnstry led him to the
discovery of certain improved methods of T>efiuiDg goldaqd >
silver, and particularly to an ingenious method of collect-
ing the sn)aller particles of these precious metals^ wbicb
had formerly been lost in the practical operations of iiiany
of the manufacturers. By other chemical processes, car^- •
ried on about the same time in his little laboratory, be dis-*.
covered also improved methods of making sublimate^,
.hartshorn, and sundry other articles of equal importance.
In order to render these beneficial to himself, and usefiiL.
.to the public, be associated himself with Mr. Samuel Gac*
bet, of .Birmingham, a gentleman of abilities and enter-,
prizitig spirit, and estabusbed a laboratory upon a large^
jcale, : which was productive of many advantages totthe
manufacturers of that place, and of sudb emolument to
themselves, as contributed greatly to the boldness of their,
future projects. *
The extensive use of the vitriolic (sulphuric) acid in. cbe^
.rnistry, and the prospect of its application to some of the,
.mechanic arts, had produced a great demand for thatarti'^>
cle, and turned the attention of the chetpists to various Inct-
thods of obtaining it.. Dr. Ward had made great progress^
in this, and was the first who established a profitable manu-^
facture, ^ut the price of it was still high, arising from th^
R O E B U C li. 3^1
great expence of the glass vessels, which be used in pro*
cl&nng it, and the frequent accidents to which th^'y were
)iable in the process. Dr. Roebuck, however, ^ho had
been for some time making experiments on the subject,
discovered a method of preparing it by substituting^, in
place of the glass vessels formerly used, liead ones of a great
size, -which, togenhei* with various other improvements in
different parrts of the process, completely efTected his end;
After '«he nece^s^ry preparations had been made, Messrs.
Roebuck ai>d Garbet established a manufacture of the oil of
vitriol a< Ptestort-pans in Scotland, in 1749, and not only
served the public at a cheaper rate than had ever been
done formerly, but realized a greater annual profit from a
smaller capital than bad been done in any similar'under'tak-
ing. The -vitriol work is still carried on at Preston-pans ;
but long before Dr. Roebuck^s death, be withdrew his ca-
pital from it. • -
'About this time Dr. Roebuck was urged, by some of his'
fHends, to leave Birmingham, and to settle as a physician
$t London, where his abilities might have a more extensive
field of exertion. But the chemical concerns, with which
be wis now deeply occupied, holding out to him the pro-
spect of a richer harvest, determined him to give up the
practice of medicine altogether, and to fix his residence
for the greatest part of the year in Scotland. In the pro-
secution of his chemical experiments, he had been led to
bestow great attention on the processes of smelting iron
stone, and had made some discoveries, by which that ope-
ration might be greatly facilitated, particularly by using
pit-codl in place of charcoal. This led him and his enter-
I^rizing partner to project a very extensive manufactory of
iron ; and such was the confidence which their friends re-
posed* in their abilities and integrity, that a'sufRcient capi-
tal was soon procured. When all previous matters had
bfeen concf^rted. Dr. Roebuck began« to look round for a
proper situation, and after a careful examination of many
places, at length made choice of a*spot on the banks of the
river Carron, as the most advantageous situation for the'
^lablishment of the iron manufacture. Here he found they
could easily command abundance of water for the neceasary
machinery; and in the neighbourhood of it, as well as tf\'^ty^
wb^re both along the nprth and south coasts of the Pfith of
Pbrtfa, were to be found inexhaustible quarries of ifon-stotie,
lime-stone, and coaL From Carron also, they cotild easily
Vou XXVI. Y
332 R O E B U C k.
transport their manufactures to different countries by 86a«
The communication with Glasgow at that time by land ca)r*
riage, which opened to them a ready way to the American
market, was| short and easy.
Many otb^r things, that need not -be here enumerated,
fell to Dr. Roebuck's share in preparing and providing for
the introduction of this new manufacture into Scotland,
particularly with respect to the planning and erection of
the furnaces and machinery. To insure success in that
department, nothing was omitted which ability, industry,
and experience could suggest. With this view be called in
the assistance of Mr. Smeaton, then by far the first engineer
in England, and from him received plans and drawings of
the water-wheels and blowing ap)3aratus, which, notwith-
standing all the mechanical improvements which have b^en
made since, remain unrivalled in any of the other iron-
works erected in Britain. This was the first introduction
of Mr. Smeaton into Scotland, and was the occasion of
various other displays of the skill and experience of that,
celebrated engineer in that part of the island. With the
same view, aud to the same effect^ in. a future period of his
operations, be employed the celebrated Mr. James Watt,
then of Glasgow, and had the merit of rendering that in-,
Tentive genius in the mechanical arts, better known both
iu Scotland and England. The necessary preparations for
the establishment of the iron works at Carron were finished
in the end of the year 1759, and on Jan. 1, 1760, the first
ifurnace was blown ; and in a short time afterwards a second;
was erected. The subsequent progress of this great work,
the many improvements introduced, and its vast importance
to Scotland, are matters of local history and interest, on
which we cannot enter in this place ; but enough has been
said to prove that it is to Dr. Roebuck that country owes
these great advantages.
When the business at Carron sunk by degrees into a
matter of ordinary detail, and afforded less scope for Dr^
^Roebuck's peculiar talents, he was^unfortunately tempted
«to engage in a new and different undertaking, from th^^
failure of which he suffered a reverse of fortune, was de-
prived of the advantages resulting from his other works, .
jand during the remainder of bis life became subjected ta:
^luch anxiety and disappointment This was his becoming.,
lessee of the duke of Hamilton's extensive coal and salt
works at Borrow9tounness» Tb€ coal there was I'epresented
ROEBUCK. Hi
to l^kist in great abundance, and understood to be of supe*
rior quality; and as Dr. Roebuck had made himself ac*
quainted with the most improved methods of working coal
in England, and then not practised in Scotland, he had
little doubt of this 'adventure turning out beneficial and
highly lucrative. In this, however, he was cruelly disap*
pointed; and the result was, that after many years of la-^
bour and industry, there were sunk in this project, not only
bis own) and the considerable fortune brought him by his
wife, but the regular profits of his more successful works :
and along therewith. What distressed him above every
thing, great sums of money borrowed from his relations
and friends, which he was never able to repay; not to
mention that from the same cause, he was, during the last
twenty years of his life, subject to a constant succession of
hopes and disappointments, to a course of labour and
drudgery ill suited to his taste. and turn of mind^ to the
irksome and teazing business of managing and studying the
humours of working colliers* But all these difficulties hir
persevering spirit would have overcome, if the never-ceas-
ing demands of his coal-works, after having exhausted the
profits, had not also compelled him. to withdraw his capital
from all his different works in succession : from the refining
work at Birmingham, the vitriol work at Preston-pans, the
iron works at Carron, as well as to part with his interest in
the project of improving the steam-engine, in which he had
become a partner with Mr. Watt, the original inventor, and
from which he bad reason to hope for future emolument.
It would be painful to mention the unhappy consequent*
ces of this ruinous adventure to his family and to himself.
It cut off for ever the flattering prospect which they had
of an independent fortune, suited tt> their education and
tank in life. It made many cruel encroachments upon the
time and occupations of a man whose mind was equally
fitted to enjoy the high attainments of science, and tha
elegant amusements of taste. As the price of so many
sacrifices, he was only enabled to draw from his colliery,
and \that by the indulgence of his creditors, a nipderate
annual maintenance for himself and his family during his
life. At his death, his widow was left without any pro-
vision whatever for her immediate or future suppoit, and
without the smallest advantage from the extraordinary exer'».
lions and meritorious industry of her husband.
Dr, Roebuck bad, some years before bis death, been
y 2
IH A O E B U C t.
4
attacked l^y a complaint that required a dangerous chirxust
gicial operation, which be rapported with his usual spirit
and resolution. . In a short time be was restored 4o a con-4
siderable share of his former health and activity ; but the
effects of it never entirely left him, and several slighter re^
turns of the complaint gradually impaired his constitution.
He still, however, continued^ until within a few weeks of
bis death, to visit his works, and to give directions to bis
clerks and overseers. He was confined to bis bed only a
few days, and died July 17, 1794, iu the seventy-sixth
year<i^f his age, retaining to the last all his faculties, his
spirit and good humour, as well as the great interest which
be took, as a man of science and reflection, in the uncom*
mon events which the present age has exhibited.
From a man so deeply and so constantly . engaged in
the detail of active business, many literary compositions
were not to be expected. The great object which he
kept invariably in view, and which gives him a just
claim to the respect and gratitude of bis country, was tp.
promote arts and manu&ctures, rather than to establish
theories and hypotheses;. The few essays which he left,
bowever, enable us. to judge of what might have bean ex-
pected from hia talents, knowledge, and boldness of inven-
tion, if he had bad more leisure fbr study and investiga-
tion* A comparison of the beat of Loudon and Edinburgh^
read in the Royal Society of London June 29, 1775 ; ^ex-
periine<its on ignited bodies, read there Feb. 16, 1776;
observations on the ripening and filling of com, read in the
Koyal Society of Edinburgh June 5, 1784, are all, the
\yritings of bis, two political pamphlets excepted, which
have been published.'
RO£L]Li (Hjsrmamn-AlexakdiER), a celebrated protes-
tant divHie, and theological professor, was born in .1653
at Doelberg, in Westphalia. He received, at Unna, an
excellent educatlbn in the Latin, Greek, and Hebcew lan-
guages, and in 1670 maintained with great ability a thesis
*^ de studio math^attco pbilbsopbice prflemittendo." In
ibe same year he went to Utrecht, where he received lee*
tares from the celebrated Francis Burmann on the scrip*'
tures; but on the war with France, was obUged to go .to
Cottingen, where be studied under James Alting: thia
place also becoming unsafe, be returned to Germany, and
> TraofactioBi of tbt Rojal Society of Edinborgh, toL IV*
It O E L L. $i>
ijtbdied fpir some time at Marparg, and after that at Hei-
delberg. From thence he went to Basil and Zurich; and
ID 1676 be once more visited the United Provinceis, and
tpent tfro years at the universities of Utrecht and Leaden. ^
No sooner bad be returned to his natite countrjr thacn he
received an invitation to become pastor of the protestant
church at Cologne, which he declined, owing to iit-heahh;
and be undertook the chaplainship to Elizabeth, abbess of
Hervorden, and daughter of Frederic, king of Bohemia |
which post he retained till the death of the princess, in
1680. After this be was appointed preacher to Albertinei
princess of Orange, and widow of William of Nassau j
audio 1686, was elected professor of divinity at the uni-
versity of Franeker. In June 1704 he was appointed, on
very honourable and advantageous term^, professor of di-» '
vinity at Utrecht, a post which he retained vvitb gre^t re-
putation till bis death, Juty 12, 1718, in the 66th year of
his age. Borman says, he was without dispute a first-rate
philosopher and divine; but leaves it to bis brethren to
determine whether he was not somewhat heretical in his
singular opinions on the generation of the don of God,
and on the temporal death of believers. These were ex-
pressed in his <* Theses Theologies de generatione filii,
et morte fidelium temporalis*' Francfort, ]6lA9, 4to, and
were answered by Vitringa and others. His principal
works are, 1. ^^Commentariusin princrpium epistolse Pauli
ad Ephesos," Utrecht, 1715, 4to. 2j A continuation of
the tome, with an exegesis on the Coloi^sians, ibid. 1731,
4to. 3. '' Es^plicatio Catecheseos Heidelbergensis,** ibid.
1728. 4. " Exegesis in Psalmum Ixxxix.'* Duisburg, 1728,
8vo. 5, '* Gulicbii Analysis et compendium' librorum
propbeticorum antique et novi foederis,*' Amst. 1683, 4to»
6. ** Oratio inauguralis de reiigione rational!," afterwards,
and often reprinted under the title of a* ^VDissertatio,"
which Heomann calls a very learned and elegant work.^
ROEMER (Olaus), a* Danish astronomer iamd mathe-
matician, was born at Arhusen in Jutland in 1644; and,
at eighteen, was sent to the university of Copenhagen. He
applied biinself assiduously to the study of' mathematics
and astronomy, and became such an adept in those scien-
ces, that, when Picard was sent by Lewis XIV. in 1671,
1 Chaofepte.— f Burman Traject. Eruditam,
526 R O E M E R.
to make observations in the North, he was so pleased wiA
'him, that he engaged him to return with him to France,
and had him presented to the king, who ordered him to
teach the daaphin mathematics, and settled a pension on
liim. He was joined with Picard and Cassini, in making
astroiiomical observations; and, in 1672, was admitted a,
member of the academy of sciences. During the ten years
-he resided at Paris, he gained a prodigious reputation by
liis discoveries ; yet is said to have complained afterwards
that his coadjutors ran away with the honour of many
things which belonged to him. In 1681, Christian V.
king of Denmark called him back to his own country, and
made him professor of astronomy at Copenhagen. He
employed him also in reforming the coin and the archi-
tecture, in regulating the weights and measures, and in
measuring the high roads throughout the kingdom. Fre*
deric IV. the successor of Christian, shewed the same
favour to Roemer, and conferred new dignities on him.
He was preparing to publish the result of his observatiqns,
when he died Sept. 19, 1710, aged 66 ; but some of his ob-
servations, with bis manner of making those observations^
were publisbedin 1735, under the title of ^* Basis Astro*
nomise," by bis scholar Peter Horrebow, then professor of
astronomy at Copenhagen. Roemer was the 6rst who
found out the velocity with which light moves, by means
of the eclipses of Jupiter's satellites. He bad observed
for many years that, when Jupiter was at his greatest dis-
tance from the earth, where he could be observed, the
Emersions of his first satellite happened constantly 1 5 or 1 6
minutes, later than the calculation gave them. Hence he
concluded that the light reflected by Jupiter took up this
time in running over the excess of distance, and conse-
quently that it took up 16 or 18 minutes in running over
the diameter of the earth's orbit, and 3 or 9 in coming
from the sun to us, provided its velocity was nearly uni-
form. This discovery bad at first many oppos^rs ; but it
was afterwards confirmed by Dr. Bradley in the most in-
genious and beautiful manner. ^
ROGER, or rather Richard of Hexham, an ancient
historian, was brought up in the convent of Hexham, in
Northumberland, where he embraced the monastic life,
^ Elogef des AcademicieDt^ toL l«— ^HqUoo's J)ictioaary.«->Chaufepie.— Bit>f«
. ft a G E R. S27
lind was elected prior some time at least'before IISS,. for
lie saw the Scottisix army march into Yorkshire, under
their king David L previous to the battle of the l^tandard,
which was fought in September that year. He wrote the
llistory of that campaign, wherein be points out, in the
most declamatory style, tiie ravages committed by the
Scottish army. But such was his ignorance, that he calls
t^he Highlanders, and Galovidians, who composed part of
king David^s army, Ptc^i, or Picts, as if they had painted
their bodies in tlae same manner as in ancient times ;
whereas those people only wore party-coloured garments^
which the Highlanders call Tartans. ^
ROGER OF HovEDEN. See HOVEDEN.
ROGERS (Benjamin), doctor of music, and an eccle-
siastical, composer, whose works are still contained in our
cathedral service, and for whose fame Anthony Wood has
manifested great zeal, was born at Windsor, and brought
up in that college under Dr. Nath. Giles ; being employed
there, first as a singing boy, and afterwards in the capa-
city of lay clerk or singing man. Thence he went to Ire<«
Ijand, and was appoiated organist of Christ-church ia
Dublin, where he continued till the breaking out of the
rebellion, in 1641 ; at which time, being forced to quit his
station, be returned to Windsor, where he was again re«
instated as choirman ; but being soon after silenced in coq^
sequence of the civil v^ars, he procured a subsistence by
teaching in the neighbourhood. And during this timci
according to his friend Anthony Wood, having addicted^
himself much to study, he acquired great credit as a
composer, and produced several' sets of airs in four parts
for violins and an organ, which being then imagined the
best that could be composed of that kind, were sent as
great rarities to the archduke Leopold, afterwards emperor,
^d himself a great musician ; and, upon their being per-
formed by his band, they were very much admired.
• In 1658, by the favour of his friend.Dr; Ingelo, he ob-
tained the degree of bachelor in music at Cambridge, and
acquired great reputation in that university by his exercise.
3oon after, on Dr. Ingelo going chaplain to Bulstrode
lord Whitelock, into Sweden, he carried with him some
of Rogers's best compositions, which, upon being repeat-
1 Taoner.—Twisden^s Decern Scriptores. — Whartoa's AngliA Sacra, vol. I.
Preface, p. 48.
82S R.O G E R S.
cdly (i^rformed in the . presence of Christiana^ qMen 0f
Sived«n, were very much applauded. At the restoratioil
be was appointed to compose the music that was performed
at.Guildhall| on the day his nctajesty and his brothers, the
dukes of York and Gloucester, dined there with the. lord-"
mayor, by which he greatly increased his reputation*.
About this time also he was chosen organist of Eton college,
which he resigned soon after, on being invited to Oxford^
where he was appointed to the same office in Magdalen
college. And in 1669; upon opening the new theatre iii
that city, be was created doctor in music. He continued^
says Ant. Wood, in the aniversity,^ where he was mncfat
esteemed, till 1685, when be was ejected, in company
with the fellows of bis college, by king James II. after
which- he long re»ded in the skirts of the town, wholly
disregarded.
' *' His compositions for instruments," says Ant. Wood/
^ whether in tv^o, three, or four parts, have been highly
valued, and were thirty years ^ago always first called for,'
taken out and played as well in the public music schools,*
as in private chambers : and DrJ Wilson, the professor,
(the greatest and most curious judge of music that ever
was), usually wept wb^n be heard them well performed^,
as being wrapt up in an ecstacy; of, if /ou will, melted
down: white others smiled,' or had their hands. and eyetf
Kfted up, at the excellence of them." *^ It is to be feared,^^
says Dr. Bumey, ^* that instead of weepings the wicked
lovers of modern music would now laughs if* they were to*
bear the quaint and starched strains, and see on paper the
rufl^ and roIUups'of honest Ben. Rogers at the Opera-r.
bouse, or professional concert, Hanover^s^uare.* But, alas$
what isr the secular music, that thirty years have not wfin*-
kled, withered, and rendered superannuated T' '
ROGERS (Charles), an antiquary, and a man of taste^
was born Aug. 2, 1711, in Dean-street, Soho, and receiv*
ed the first rudiments of education at a private school near
the Mews, but be did not for some time after this devote^
himself seriously to literary pursuits. When- be did, bow-*
ever, he exerted that innate industry and ap{>Ucation,'
which constituted a striking part of his character; and,
with no aid but bis own abilities, overcame all other diffi**
cutties which stood in the way of an acquaintance with'
) Boniey apd HftwUiis*f UitU of MvaU:,
B O G E R S: 32»
Jei|ni)nfg and scietice. ^ In May 1731, he wa^ placed m
the Custom-bouse, where he executed the duties of the
several places which he held, with strict attention and in«
tegrity, and at length arrived at tbe office of clerk of the
certificates, in which he continued almost to the end of
Ills life.
. From the time of his admission into the Custom-house^
he employed his leisure hours in the cultivation of his mind^
and in forming the valuable collection of print& and drawn
ings which he left behind him. In the course of these pur^
«oits, he beb&me acquainted with several persons of simir
lai^ taste, and among the rest Mr. Pond, a well-Jcnown and
judicious collector. By him he was introduced to the 8a#
<^ty of Antiquaries, Feb. 23, 1752, of which he became a
very nseful member, and was several timea chosen of the
council. In 1757, he was chosen a fellow of the Rojral
Society. After Mr. Rogers bad begun to form his collect
tlons, and had made some progress, he conceived the ides
of communicating, to tbe public, specimens of the manners
of the several different masters, a work requiring great
industry and perseverance, and likely to be attended with
gre^ expence. Tbe farmer he knew he could cominandjt
and tbe latter, as he was a bachelor, gave him little Con*^
cern. The execution of this undertaking may be con««
sidered as the principal object of his life. It appeared 'u$
1777, 2 volumes, folio, under the title of ** Descrtptioii;
of a Collection of Prints in imitation of drawings, to whlcb
are aniiexed. Lives of their authors, with explanatory and
critical notes.*' The selection consists of 1 f2 prints, en-
graved by Bartolozzi, Ryland, Basire, and other artists o£
reputation, from original drawings in tbe collections o( hisft
majesty, the duke of Marlborough, earls of Bute, Choi-
mondeLy, Spencer, lord Frederick Campbell, sir Josbcia
Reynolds, and his own. The heads of the different pain<^,
ters, and a variety of fanciful decorations, are also gives,,
in a peculiar style of engraving on wood, by Mr. Simon.
Watts. The whole performance at once reflects honour on
the country, as well as on the liberality of tbe undertaker^
who neither was, nor, it is supposed, ever expected to be
reimbursed the great expence he had incurred. Besides
this work, Mr. Rogers printed an anonymous ** Tranala-^
tion of Dante's Infei'no,"' 17S2, 4 to, in the performance of
which he chiefly attended to giving Jkbe sense of his author^
with fidelity, the character of a poet not seeming to have
«30 ROGERS.
•
been the object of bis ambition. He also published in the
'^ Archseologia/' vol. III. a paper on the antiquity of horse-
shoes ; and in vol. VI. an account of certain masks from
the Musquito shore. A curious letter of bis, to Mr. Astle,
on some ancient blocks used in printing, may be seen in
Gent. Mag. vol. LI. p. 169; and another paper, which was
|vad at the Society of Antiquaries, Feb. 18, 1779, is pre*
served in vol. LIV. p. 265. Mr. Rogers died Jan. 2, 1784,
'and was buried tn the family-vault in St. Lawrence Pount^
Bey burying-ground.*
ROGERS (Daniel), a man of considerable ability in
the conrt of queen Elizabeth, and who in some of bis writ-
ings calls himself Albimontanus, was the son of John Ro-
gers of Derytend in the parish of Aston in Warwickshire,
where he was born about ld40. His father, who had em«.
braced the reformed religion, being obliged to quit bis
country, at the accession of queen Mary, took his son
abroad with him, where, at Wittemberg, be was educated
vnder the celebrated Melancthon. When the death of
queen Mary had put an end to persecution for religion^
sake, Mr. Rogers, senior, returned with his family, and
placed his son at Oxford, where he appears to have taken
his degrees,' although Wood has not been able to specify
when, or in what college he studied. Afterwards he ob-
tained an introduction to court, where his talents recom-
mended him to the place of one of the clerks of the council,
and be bad the farther honour of being often employed by
queen Elizabeth in embassies to the Netherlands and other
parts^ in 1575, 1577, and 1588. During' these embassies
be appears to have acted with wisdom, diligence, and cau*
tion, and to have been of the greatest utility to Cecil from
the correct information he procured of the proceedings of
foreign governments. Strype, who had seen a volume of
his political notes and letters, formed during his residence
abroad, has preserved one of his communications to secre-
tary Cecil, in the appendix to his ^' Annals,*' No. 48. It
contains aome important intelligence on political subjects,
and is evidently the prodbction of a sensible man accus-
tomed to view the world and its inhabitants with an eye of
penetration and sagacity. Many of his letters and instruc-
Uous are among the Cotton. MSS. in the British Museum.
1 Gent. ^ag. toU LIV. where is a copy of bis portrait from sir Joshua |^y«
aolda.
A O Q £ R S. 331
He died Feb. 1 1, 1590^ and was buried in Sunbury cburch^
Middlesex.
Wood add9y that be was ^^ a very good man, excellently
well learned, a good Latin poet, and one chat was espe-
cially beloved by the famous antiquary and historian WiU
liam Camden, for whose sake he had laid the foundation of
^ A Discourse concerning the acts of the Britains, the form
of their Commonwealth, and the order and la^s by which
4hey lived'." This was intended for Camden's *' Britan**
nia,'' but be did not live to finish it. He wrote, 1. ^VOdae,
Epigrammata, Epitaphia," &c. in laudem et mortem Jo-
hannis Juelli Episc. Sarisbur. at the end of Humphrey**
Life of Jewell. 2. ^^ A memorial or oration of Dr. Dan.
Rogers on the death of Frederic IL and the accession of
Christian IV.*' (probably addressed to the senate of Den-
mark, Copenhagen, July 19, 1588). 3. ^^ Dr. RogersV
Search," being a repertory of various transactions relating
to Commerce : the two preceding are among the. Cotton
MSS. 4. '^ Dan. Kogersii Albimontii Angli, ad Stephani
Malescoti Catechesin TfO0-^Aiyn<ri$> carmine Latino,". Basil,
1567, 8va 5. " Elegia ad Gulielmum Cecilium baronem
Burleigh,'^ among the ^* Ulust. et clar. virorum .Epist. se-
lect." Leyden, 1617, 8vo. 6. *^ Epistolae tres ad Bucha**
nanum," among the '^ Epist. Bucbanani," Lond. 1711,
Qvo.. 7. ^' Epistola Adriano Yander Mylen," among the
above Leyden epistles. Among the Harieian MSS. is hit
*^ Letter to' Abraham Ortelius at Antwerp," compliment-
ing him on the glory he will reap from posterity by his
geographical works, and concluding with the mention of
his own commentary upon the laws and manners of the an-
cient Britons. Wood also mentions an epigram of his
printed with Ralph Aggas's description of Oxford in 1578«
Wood notices another Daniel Rogers, and his works,
** David's Cost ;" " A practical Catechism ;" " Lectures
upon the history of Naaman," &c. This, however, was
a puritan divine born in 1573, and educated at Cambridge.
He was son to Richard Rojgers, and brother to Ezekiel
Rogers, both puritan divines, and men of note in their day»
but we do not find in their memoirs much to recommend a
distinct article on either. It remains to be noticed, that
Strype, iii his Life of Whitgift, conjectures the above
Daniel Rogers, the ambassador, to be son to John Rogers
the proto- martyr ; but this is inconsistent with the above
account, and sterns founded on no authority, as the martyr
3St B O G E R 9.
BjO>ger!i nevet left the kingdom on the accession of qneei^ r
Mary, btit remained to be the first sacrifice to her infernal
bigot fy* *
ROGERS (John), the proto-martyr in the days of queen
Mary,^ received a liberal education in the university of
Cambridge, and there, we presume^ entered into holj^
ordersr Some time after this the company of merchant
adventurers^ as they were then called, appointed him theit
chaplain at Antwerp, where he remained many years*
T'his proved also the means of his convertion from popery^
for jBeeting there with Tindal and Coverdale, who had left
England that they might enjoy their religious opinions witU
snore freedom, he was induced by their conversation \.i
e^^amine the points in controversy more closely, the result
ef which was his embracing the sentiments of the reformers
as far as then understood. He also joined with thes.e ooU
leagues in making the first translation of the Bible intd
English, which appeared at Hamburgh in 1532, under thd
ictitious name of Thomas Matthew. Rogers was corrector
^f the press on this occasion, and translated that part oF
the Apocrypha which was left unfinishied by Tindal, and
also contributed some of the marginal notes. At Antwerp
Mr, Rogers married, and thence went to Wittemberg, and
had acquired such readiness in the Dutch language that he
was chosen pastor of a congregation there, which office
lie discharged greatly to their satisfaction until the acces*
sion of Edward VI. At this time bishop Ridley invited
him home, and made him prebendary and divinity«readei^
0>f St. lr^aul*s, where he was a very frequent preacher as
long as Edward lived. When queen Mary made her trium-
phal entry into London, Aug. 3, 1553, Rogers had the
boldness to preach a sermon at Paul's Cross on the follow^-^
ing Sunday, in which he exhorted the people to abided by
the doctrine taught in king Edward's day^, aftd to resist
popery in all its forms and superstitions. For this he wad
immediately called before the privy-council, in which were
several of the restored popish bishops, but appears no have
defended himself so ably that he was disfmissed unhurt.
This security, however, was not of long duration, and two
days before Mary issued her proclamation against flreach-^
ing the reformed doctrines (August 18) h^ was ordered to
a prisoner in his own house at St. Paul's. From
) Ath. Ox. vol.1, sew edit, by Bliss.— Brook*! LiTMof tbe Poriiam.
It O G E B j9.
in
tbis he might, it is thought, easily have escttped, and ha
certainly had many inducements to make theattefmpt fi^r
knew he could expect Yio forgiveness ; that he Bright he
well provided for in Germany ; and that he had a wife and
ten children ; but he preferred giving bis testimony to the
truth of what he had believed and preached, at whaltev^
risk.
After being confined six months in his own boose £#
was removed to Newgate, where his confinement was ag-
gravated by every species of severity ; and in January 1 555,
was examined before Gardiner, bishop of Winchester: the
{>urport of his examination, as written by himself, is gived
4i^t considerable length by Fox, but is not <:apable of abridge
pient. The issue was that Mr. Rogers was condemned to
he burnt on Feb. 4, which sentence he bore with the great--
est constancy and patience. On the day of his execution
he was awakened with some difficulty out of a sound sleeps'
and only requested of Bonner, who came to perform the
office of degrading him from holy orders, that he might see
his family ; but this was denied him. On bis way, how*
ever, to Sihithfield, his wife and ten children, with one at
the breast, contrived to meet him. When he came to die
0take, although not permitted to say much, he exhoite4
the jpeople to remain steady in the faith and doctrine which
had been taught them, and for which he was now williag
to resign his life. As he was the 6rst who had suffered m
this reign, and one well known for his piety and usefulness^
Ills death made no slight impression on the multitude who
witnessed it, many of whom were afterwards emboldei^^
by such scenes as this wretched reign presented, either to
suffer in the same cause, or to preserve the tenour aad
spirit of the reformation until the accession of Elizabeth
restored them to their liberty.*
ROGERS (Dr. John), an English divine, wais bom in
1679, at Ensham in Oxfordshire, where his father was vicat
and rector of Wick-Rissington, in . Gloucestershire. He
was educated at New college school, in Oxford ; and, i«
169?, elected scholar of Corpus Christi college. After
taking the degrees in arts, and entering int6 orders, lie
waited a long time for a fellowship, by reason of the siotr
Succession in the college ; but at length succeeded Mn
I Fox's Acts and Monuoients.— Sfcrype^s Cranmer, p, 59^ %%, 2^, 313, 341,
249| 441.-«-Wor«lsw9rth*ii Eecl. Biography.
S34 K O G E R S.
Edmund Chnbull, in 17O69 but in the mean time had beefH
preseVited to the vicarage of Buckland, in Berkshire, about
ten miles from Oxford, in which he continued about five
or six yeafsy dividing his time usefully between his cure
«nd the university. At the former he became so'popular,
that the inhabitants entered into a handsome subscription
for an afternoon sermon by him, which was discontinued
after he left them. In 1710, he took a bachelor of divi-
Bity^s degree ; and, two years after, went to London, to be
lecturer of St. Clement's Danes. He afterwards became
lecturer of the united parishes of Christ-church, and St.
Leonard's Foster-lane. In 1716, he was presented to th^
rectory of Wrington, in Somersetshire ; ^nd, the same year^
resigning his fellowship, married the bon. Mrs. Lydia Harje,
sister to the lord Colerane, who was his pupil in the uni-^
Tersity. Some time after, he was elected canon resident
tiary of the church of Wells ; in which he also bore the
office of sub-dean. In 1719, he engaged in the Bangorian
controversy, and published, upon that occasion, ^^ A Dis-
course of the visible and invisible Church of. Christ: in
which it is shewn, that the powers, claimed by the officers
of the visible church, are not inconsistent with the supre-
macy of Christ as head, or with the rights and liberties of
christians, as members of the invisible church,'' 8vo. The
Rev. Dr. Sykes having published an *' Answer to this Dis-
course," our author replied to him in " A Review of the
Discourse of the visible and invisible Church of Christ."
He gained much, credit by these performances, even
those who were against his argument allowing him to have
good parts and an excellent pen ; and the university of
Oxford made a public iacknowledgmeut of their opinion of
bis noerit, by conferring on him, in 1721, without his
knowledge, and by diploma, the degree of doctor in divi-.
nity. In 1726, he was made chaplain to George II. then
prince of Wales ; and about the same time appeared in
defence of Christianity, against the attacks of Collins in
his ** Scheme of Literal Prophecy." Rogers did not at
6r8t professedly write against the '^Scheme;" but, pub-
lishing, in 1727, a volume of sermons, entitled ^^ The
liecessity of Divine Revelation, and the truth of the Chris-
tian Religion, asserted," he prefixed to them " A Preface
with Remarks on the Scheme of Literal Prophecy." This
preface, however, in the opinion of his friends^ seemed
liable tQ some exception^ or at least to demand a mor« fulf
R O 0 E R 8» SSI
and distinct explication : and he received a letter upon it
the same year from his friend Dr. Natb. Marshall He en^
deavpured to give satisfaction to all ; and therefore^ Collint
having written ** A Letter to the Rev. Dr. Rogers, on oc-
casion of his eight Sermons concerning the necessity of
Divine Revelation, and the Preface prefixed to them/* our
author published <^ A Vindication of the Civil Establishment
of Religion, wherein some positions of Mr. Chandler, jth^
author of the ^ Literal Scheme,' &c. and an anonymouf
Letter on that subject, are occasionally considered. With
an Appendix, containing a Letter from the Rev. Dr. Mar-t
shall, and an Answer to the same,'' 1723, 8vo.
The same year, 1726, having resigned his lecture of St;
Clement's Danes, he retired from London, with ao inten«
tion to spend the remainder of his life in the country, chiefly
at Wrington : but he had not been there long, when ho
received an oifer, from the dean and chapter of St. Paul's,,
of the vicarage of St. Giles's Cripplegate, in London, iio'
was instituted to it, Oct. 1723, but with the greatest an x*
iety and reluctance; for be had set his heart upon the
country, and was then, as he had always been from his
youth, remarkably fond of rural exercises and diversioos*-
He did not enjoy his new preferment above six months;
for he died May ], 1729, in his fiftieth year. He was
buried in the parish church of Ensham, where a handsome
monument is erected to his memory : his funeral sermon
was preached by Dr. Marshall. After his decease, some
volumes of his sermons were published ; and two tracts, viz^
*^ Reasons against Conversion to the Church of Rome," and
" A Persuasive to Conformity addressed to Dissenters,'*
never before printed.
Dr. Rogers was a man of good abilities, and an excellent
writer, though no profound scholar, nor ambitious of being
thought one. He neither collected nor read many books;
being persuaded^ that a few well chosen, and read to good
purpose, serve infinitely more to edification, if.not so mxicli
to ostentation and parade. We are told, that the judicious
Hooker and the ingenious Mr. Norris were his favourites ;
and that he was particularly conversant^in their writings.^
ROGERS (Thomas), whom Wood styles " a most ad-
mirable theologist, an excellent preacher, and well deserv-
ing every way of the sacred function," was a native of Che'-^
I Life by Dr. Burton prefixt^d t9 his Sermons.— «Biog. BriL
SS6 R 0 G £ R &
ftbire, and entered a student of Christ church id 15€d. H^
took orders very early, and became a constant preacher |
was M. A. in 1 576, chaplain to Bancroft, bishop of London ;
and at last, in 1581, rector of Horninger, near Bury St«
Edmunds, in Suffolk, where he lived in great esteem, and
died Feb. 22, 161 6. These are all the pahiculars Wood
kas given of this Mr. Rogers, who appears to have been a
Voluminous author and translator. Among his .original
works are^ 1. *^ A Philosophical Discourse, entitled. The
Anatomy of the Mind," Loud. 1576, 8vo, with iBOme en-
comiststie verses by his fellow student, afterwards the cele-*
brated Camden. 2. " Of the End of the World, and Se-
cond Coming of Christ," ibid. Lond. 1577, 4to, reprinted
1582. and 1583, in 8vo. 3. ** The English Creed, wherein
is contained in tables an exposition on the articles which
every man is to subscribe unto,-' &c. ibid. 1579 and 1585,
foL This appears also to have been reprinted twice under
a somewhat different title; the last edition, in 1586 and 1621,
is called ^^ An Exposition of the 39 articles of the Church
of England," 4to. This work, according to Wood, was-
.not at first received so well as it deserved, and some things
in it he says gave offence, not only to papists and schisma-
tics, but even to ^* many protestants of a middle temper."
Wood has expressed their objections rather obscurely, but
it may be conjectured that Mr. Rogers interpreted the arti*
cles in their literal sense, and did not admit, as Wood adds,
of '^ the charitable latitude formerly allowed in those arti-
cles." 4. ^^ A golden chain taken out of the rich treasure-
house of the Psalms of David," ibid. ] 579 and 1587, 12mo.
5. '* Historical Dialogue touchingantichristandpopery," &c.
ibid. 1589, 8vo, 6. ** Sermons on Romans xii. v. 6, 7, 8,"
ibid. 1590. 7. ^* Miles Christianus, or, a Defence of all
necessary writings and writers, written against an Epistle
prefixed to a Catechism by Miles Moses," ibid. 1590, 4to«
8. ^^ Table of the law&il use of an Oath, and the cursed. .
state of vain swearers," ibid. 9. ** Two Dialogues," or
Conferences concerning kneeling at the Sacrament, ibid.
1608. Wood enumerates about thirteen volumes of trans-
lations from various foreign divines, among whom are St.
Augustine, Thomas a Kempis, &c. &c.^
ROGERS (Thomas), another English divine, of a some-
frhat different stamp, was the son and grandson of twa
1 Akh. Ox. TOl. I. new edit by BHm.
ROGERS^. %i1
Bttbcessive rectors of Bishops ttamptoii, itt W^rwicfeshir^i
where he was born, Dec. 27, 1660, and educated at the
free-school there. In Lent-term 1675, he entered of Tri-
tiity college, Oxford, but soon after removed to Hart hall^
where b6 took his degrees in arts, and went into holy or-
dtsrs. Wood celebrates him as a man of extraordinary me-
mory, and independent of the common helps to that faculty,
either in the pulpit or in conversationk * The latter he enli-
vened by quotations of uncommon accuracy^ particularly
from the classics, and would even give the page> &c. if re*
quiredi His sermons he carefully studied, yet delivered
them fluently without liotes, and, as Wood says, in elegant
and correct language. In July 1689) he was inducted to
the small rectory of Slapton, near Towcester, in North-
amptonshire. He died of the small-poX) while on a visit
ftt London, June 8, 1694^ and was buried in St. Saviour's^
Southwark. Wood speaks of him as a true son of the
ehurch of England, in opposition to all extremes, and his
writings shew him a friend to the revolution. Tliese writ-
ings are mostly poetical, published without his name. As
we have not seen any of them, we can only deduce from
some expressions used by Wood, that they were not all
becoming the character of a divine; their titles are, 1.
•* Lux occidentalis:' or Providence displayed in the coro-
nation of king William and queen Mary,^' Lond. 1689. 2,
" The Loyal and Impartial Satyrist, containing eight mis-
cellany poems,*' ibid. 1693, 4to. These seem mostly le-
velled at the Jesuits and Jacobites. 3. " A Poesy for Lo-
Yers,'* &c. ibid. 1693, 4to. 4. ** The conspiracy of guts
and brains; or an answer to the Turn-shams," ibid. 1693.
In prose, he wrote ** A true Protestant Bridle ; or some
cursory remarks upon a Sermon preached (by William Ste-
phens, rector of Sutton) before the Lord Mayor, &c. Jan.
30, 1693,-'' ibid. 1694, 4to; and the "Commonwealths-
mart unmasted,*^ a rebuke, as he calls it, to the " Account
t( Denmark,*' by Molesworth. This he dedicated, and
bad the honour to present to king William^ who received it
.very graciously.^
ROHAN (Henky DiJKE de), peer of France, prince of
Leon, colonel general of the Swiss and Grisons, one of the
freatest men France produced in his age, was born August
if 1572, at the castle of Blein, in Bretany. . He distin»
* Ath. Ox. rol. Hi
Vol. XXVL Z
SSS ROHAN.
guisbed himself at the siege of AmieDS when butsixtee^v
in presence of Henry IV. who bad a sincere regard for him,
and after the death of that prince he became chief of the
French protestants, to whom he rendered the most import*
WLtit services, both at tbe head of their armies, and in ne«
gociations. He fought with success in Holland, Germany^'
Italy, and France, and carried on three wars against Loui»
XIII. in favour of tbe protestants ; the last, however, ended
to tbe advantage of the catholics, in the capture of Rocbelle.
But notwithstanding the consternation into which this event
threw the. duke's party, be supported himself by those co-
pious resources with which his prudence furnished him,
refusing to surrender but on advantageous terms, and these
v^ere granted by the peace of 1629. The civil wars with
the protestants being thus terminated, he regained the fa*
vour of Louis XIII. but not choosing to live at court, retired
to Venice, and was chosen by that republic for their, gene-
ralissimo, after the unfortunate battle of Valleggio, against
the Imperialists, but tbe treaty of Querasque, concluded
June 29, 1631, rendered his plans useless* The king of
France afterwards employed him as ambassador extraordi-
nary to tbe Grisons, to assist them in reducing to obedience
the VaUeline, and counties of Bormio, and Chiavenes,
>vhich were supported in rebellion by the Spaniards and
Imperialists. The. Grisons immediately declared him their
general, and their choice wa^ confirmed by Louis XIII. who
appointed him in 1632, ambassador extraordinary to the HeU
yetic bodj^ ; but early in 1635, he received orders to return to
Venice, and having staid there some months, was sent back
to the Grisons, and seized tbe passages of the Valteline,
took Bormio, Chiavenes, and Biva^ and defeated the Ger-
mans and Spaniards. The Grisons having rebelled some
time after because France delayed to withdraw its forces,
he made a new treaty with them March 26, 1Q37, which
did not please the court, and this circumstance obljged him
to retire to Geneva, that he might avoid the resentment of
cardinal Richelieu ; but be left that city in January 1638,
|o join his friend the duke of Saxe Weimar, who was going
to engage the Imperialists near Rbinfeld. Tbe duke of
jlohan placed himself at the head of the Nassau regiment^
i^roke through the enemies* ranks, was wounded, Feb. 2d,
1638, and died of his wounds, April 13 following, aged
8fty-nine. He was the author of many works, among which
are, U ^< Memoirs,,'' tbe most complete edition of which
ft O tt A Ni 3S9
Is th 2 voW. l!2mo, conteining the transactions of PfAnce'
from 1610 to 1629. 2\ " Les int^r^sts des Printjesj'* 12md»
3. " Le parfait Capitaini^, ou V Abreg6 des Guerres des
Cottimentaires de C^saf,'* 12mov 4. " Memoii-es" and
Letters, relative to the waf of the Valtelini&s, 3 vols. 12aio;
Vol. L contains the *' Mcnaoirs ;" the two others^ the " Pieces
Justificatives')" the greatest part of which had never been
pdnted before. From the preface we leafn the following
tttiecdote V This nobleman being at Venice^ was informed
that the grand signor would sell him the kingdom of Cy
prus, and grant him the investure of it^ on condition of lipft
giving the Porte two hundred thousand crowns, and Sigreeing
to pay an annual tribute of twenty thousand crowns. The
duke being a pfotestant> intehded to purchase this island^
arid settle the protestant families of France and Germany'
"there. He negociated the affair skilfully with the Porte, by
means of the patriarch Cyril, with whom he was much con-
nected ) but that patriarch^s death, and other unexpected
incidents, prevented the e^cecution of his design* The
cibove anecdote originated in the memoirs of the duchess of
Rohan, Margaret de Bethune, daughter of the great Sully,
who married at Paris, Henry de Rohan, February 7, 1605*'
This lady, who was a protestant, tendered herself cele-
brated by her courage. She defended Castres against the
niarechal de Thymines, 1625, lived in strict conjugal har*>
mony with the duke her husband, atid died at Paris, Oct»
22, 1660. The French biographers tell us that all Henry
de Rohan^s works are excellent, and extremely proper to
form good soldiers : he writes like a great general and able
politician, and his letters on the war of the mountains are
very instructive. The duke trod in the steps of Sertorius,
which he had learned from Plutarch, and the marechal de
Catinat trod in those of the duke. To all these uncommon
talents, the duke joined great sweetness of temper, the
most affable and pleasing manners, and a degree of gene^^
rosity seldom seen. He discovered neither pride, ambition,
nor selfish views; and frequently said, that glofy and seal
for the public welfare, never encamp where private interest
is the commander. We have two good lives of this great
man, one by Fauvelet du Toe, Paris, 1666, 12mo, the
other by the Abb^, Perau, Paris, 1767, 2 vols; 12mo» — Some
notice may be taken of Benjamin de Rohan, brother oJf the
preceding, who supported the duke^s undertakings during
the protestant war, after having learned the military art in
z 2
SM n O H A N
Holland under prince Maurice of Nassau. He made bim^
aelf master of Lower Poitou, 1 622, ^nd went into England
soon after to solicit help for the Rochellers. In 1625, be
took tbe isle of Rh£, and ravaged the whole coast from the
mouth of the Garonne to that of tbe Loire, by tbe capture
of several merchant ships. M, Rohan was driven from the
isle of Bh6 some time after, then from that of Oleron, and
forced to retire into England, where he was active in pro-
curing the succour sent to Rochelle ; but that city being
taken, notwithstanding these succours, he would not re--
t^n to France^ and died in England 1630, leaving no
children.^
DO HAN (Anns), sister of the duke de Rohan, deserves
also to be mentioned as a zealous suj^porter of vbe reformed
religion during the civil wars, in which period she sustained
with great courage the hardships of tbe siege of Rochellet
and, with her mother, refused to he comprehended in the
capitulation, choosing rather to regain a prisoner of war.
She was celebrated among bei? party for her piety and cou*
rage, and generally respected for her learning and capa-
city. She was also admired for her poetical talents ; par-
ticularly for a poem written on the deatih of Henry IV. of
France. She studied the Old Testament in the original
language, and used in her devotions the Hebrew Psalms*
She died unmarried, September 20, 1 646, at Paris, in tbe
sixty-second year of her age. The celebrated Anna Maria
Schurman addressed some letters to this li^dy, which are in
the collection of her works*'
ROHAULT (Jam£s), a French philosopher, w^ tbe son
pf a rich merchant at Amiens, and born there in 1620. He
cultivated the languages and belles lettr^s in his own coun^.
try, and then was sent to Paris to study philosophy. He
seems to have been a lover of truth, and to have sought it
with much impartiality. He read the ancieot and modern
philosophers; but was most struck with Des Cartes^ of
whom he became a zealous follower, and drew up aa
abridgment and explanation of his philosophy witk great
clearness, and method. In tbe preface to his <' Physics^''
for so his work is entitled, he makes no scruple to say, thajt
^< the abilities and accomplishments of this philosopher
Viust oblige the whole world to confess, that France is at
(east as capable of producing and raisiiig mea versed in all
I Moreri. — Diet Hist.
^GfiK Oietf— Dicu det Femmei cekbre*.
R 0 !! A U L T. »*l
•arts and branches of knowledge as anciemt Greece." Cler*
seiier, well known for his translation of many pieces of
Des Cartes, conceived such an affection for Rohault, ont
account of hii attachment to this philosopher, that he gave
htm his daughter in marriage^ against all the remonstrances
of his family.
Robault's physics were written in French, but have been
translated into Latin by Dr. John Clarke, with his brother
Dt. Samuel Clarke's notes, in which the Cartesian errors
are corrected upon the Newtonian system. The fourth
and best edition of " Rohaulfci Pbysioa," by Clarke, is that
of 1718, 8vo« He wrote also << El^mens de Math£ma-«
tiques," a " Traltg de M^chanique," and " Entretiens sur
la Pbtlosophie :*' but these dialogues are founded and car-
ried on upon the principles of the Cartesian philosophy,
which has now no o^her merit than that of having corrected
the errors of the ahciehts. Rohault died in 1675, and left
behind him the character of an amiable and learned man,
and an able philosopher.
His posthumous works were collected and printed in two
fteat little voVutnes, first at Paris, and then at the Hague
ifi 1690. The contents of them are, 1. The first six books
df Euclid. 2. Trigonometry. 3. Practical Geometry. 4. .
FortiBcatiori. 5. Mechanics. 6. Perspective. 7. Spheri-
od(l Trigonometry. 8. Arithmetic.''
ROLAND (Marie-Jeanne Philepon), wife of one ot
the republican ministers of France, who signed the order
for the execution of the king, was born at Paris in 1754,
Sbewas the daughter of an engraver, and acquired some
skill in music and painting, and a general taste for the finei
arts. In 1780 she married Roland, and in 1787 visited
{Switzerland and England, and in these countries is said ta
have acquired that ardent attachment to the principles of
liberty, wJiich was in general so little understood by her
countrymen. M. Roland having been appointed inspector
ti the matiufactories at Lyons, was deputed to the consti*
tuent assembly, to obtain from it succours necessary for
the payment of the debt of that town. Madame Roland at
this period settled with her husband in the capital, and
took delight in making her honse the rendezvous of the
Brissotine party, and among them acquired such supe-
riority, that her biographers Would have us believe that,
1 lf«reri.-»MaTtia'f Biof . Pbilot .-rHutton't JDiiitioiiary.
340 ROLAND.
for a time, she w|ts the secret paw^r that directed ilm
whole government of France ; perhaps one reason why U
was so ill directed. In March 1792, when the kingendea<H
voured to allay the public discontents, by appointing i^
popular administration, Roland was cbosei^ minister of the
interior, and what kind of minister be was may be conjec^r
tured from a speech of Danton^s. When Roland resigned,
and was urgently pressed by the assembly to resume bi^^
functions, Danton exclaimed, ^' if we give s^n invitation to
Roland, we must give one to bia wife too. I know all th^
virtues of the minister, but we want men who see other?
wise than by their wives," Indeed this lady, whp bad si
remarkably good opinion of herself, informs us in her me-r
moirs that she was in fact the minister without the name:
and revised, or perhaps dictated, the letter which Roland
addressed to the king on going out of office; ^^ if be bad
written sermons,^' said she, ^4 should have done thesaofie."
On the 7th of December, 1792} having appeared at the
bar of the national convention, to repel a denunciation
made against her, she spoke with ease and eloquence, and
was afterwards admitted to the honours of a sitting. SbQ
presented herself there again^ when the decree was passed
against her husband ; but then, her eloquence hi^ving lost
its charms, she was refused a bearing, and was herself s^ent
to the Abbaye. From this prison she wrote to the assembly^,
and to the minister of the interior ; her section also de-
manded her liberty, but it was in vain ; and on the 24tb
of June, 1793, she was sent to the convent of St, P^lagie^
which bad been converted into a prison, where she passed
her time in consoling her fellow prisoners, and composing^
an account of her own life, which has since been published.
At length she was called before the revolutionary tribunal^
and on Nov, 8, was condemned to death for baying con-
spired against the unity and indivisibility of the i-epu^licu
Her execution immediately followed On passing th^
statue of liberty, in the Plac^ de la Revolution, she bent
ber head towards it, exclaiming, ^^ O Liberty, how. many
crimes are perpetrated in thy name.'' She left on^ daygh-^
ler, whose only provision was her mother^« writingSy which
are as follow ; ^' Opuscules,"' on mor^l topics, which treat
of the soul, melancholy, morality, old age, fri^pdship, love,
retirement, &c, ; *' Voyage en Angleterre et en Suisse;"-
and when in prison she composed what she entitled ^' Ap^
pel i rimpartiale Posterity/' containing her owii private
ROLAND. «4f
ttiemoirs, a strange mixture of modern philosophy and
the current politics of the revolution, with rhapsodies of
romance, and every thing that can shew the dangers of a
*• little learning.^* Although this work was written when
she was in hourly expectation of death, its principal cha^*
tacteristics are levity and vanity. She was unquestionably
a woman of considerable abilities, and might have been,
what we are told she was very ambitious of, a second Ma*
eauley, without exciting the envy of the amiable part of
her sex ; but she would be the head of a political party
that was to guide the affairs of a distracted nation, and she '
fell a sacrifice to the confusion of principle in which she
had assisted.*
ROLANDINO, an early Italian historian^ was born ai
Padua in 1200. He studied at Bologna, and had kept a
chronicle of memorable events as they occurred, which was
continued by his son, and in 1262 was read publicly before
the university of Padua, submitted to an attentive exami-
nation, and solemnly approved. Rolandiuo died in 1276«
His history, which extends to 1260, is accounted faithful^
and has been highly praised by Vossius, who thinks that be
surpassed all the writers of his age in perspicuity, order,
and judgment. An edition of his work, with other chro«
nicies, was given at Venice in 1636, by Felix Osius, and
it has been reprinted by Muratori, in the seventh volume
of bis Italian historians.'
IiOi.LE (Henry), a learned and upright judge, was the
second «on of Robert Rolle of Heanton in Devonshire,
where he was born in 1589. In 1606 be entered Exeter
college, Oxford, and resided there about two years, after
which he was admitted a member of the Inner Temple,
Feb. 6, 1608, and studied thie law with great perseverance
and success. His contemporaries here were Littleton,
Herbert, Gardiner, and Selden, with all whom he formed
a lasting friendship. Being admitted to the bar, he prac>-
tised in the court of King^s Bench, and raised a very high
reputation as a sound lawyer. His reading and practicp
were equally extensive ; and he sedms to have been formed
by nature for patient study, deep penetration, and cleiSir-
ness |ind solidity of judgment. He soon discovered tb^
hinge upon which every cause turned, and when he wai
convinced himself, had the art of easily convincing oiher>
1 Appel a PimpartiaU Post«rit^.^Bio|^i Modtrae.— Diet. Hist.
• Mor«ri.
944 R O L L |L
In the latter end of the reign of James I. and beginning of
that of Charles I, he sat as member of parliament for KeU
lington in Cornwall; and in 163S was elected summer
reader of the Inner Temple, but the plague raging theii
in London, he did not read until Lent following, and ia
1640 he was made serjeant at law. On the breaking out
of the rebellion, he took the covenant, and, in 1645, was
made one of the judges ; and in 1648 was promoted to be
lord chief justice of the King's Bench, in which office hi^
integrity was acknowledged by the generality of the
loyalists themselves. He was, of all the judges, the most
averse from trying any of the king's party for treason^
thinking indeed that their defence, in which they insisted
upon the illegality of the government, was too well founded.
He resigned his office some time before his death, which
happened July 30, I656« He was buried in the church of
Shapwicke near Glastonbury in Somersetshire, the manor
of which he had purchased some years before, and had bif
residence there. In Tawstock church near Barnstaple in
Devonshire, is a monument to Alexander Rolie, a lawyer,
who died in 1660, aged forty -reight, and was probably soa
to our judge.
The *^ Reports of sir Henry Rolle in the King^s Bench
from 12 to 22 Jac. I.'' 2 vols, folio, French, as well as his
other learned woils, are held in great repute; and be-
sides these, which were printed in 1675, be wrote '^ Aa
Abridgment of Cases, and Resolutions of the Law,^' ia
French, which was published by sir Matthew Hale, with a
learned English preface, addressed to the young students
|n the law of England, in which he gives judge Rolle a very
high character. According to Wood, the '^ great men of
the law living in those times used to say, that this Henry
Rolle was a jW.man, and that Matthew Hale was a good
man ; yet the former was by nature penurious, and his wife
inade him worse : the other was contrary, being wonder-
fully charitable and open-handed.'^-— Mr. Hargrave men*
tions the above '^ Abridgment*' as excellent in its kind,
and in point of method, succinctness, legal precision^ an4
many other respects, fit to be proposed as an example for
other abridgments/^f the law. D'Anvers and Viner were .
so sensible of this, that they both adopted lord RoUe's
method ; in fact D'Anvers's abridgment, as far as it; goes^i
U translated from that of lord Rolle.^
• 1 Ath. Oi^, Tol. II.^->Brid|;maD's Le^al |lib1iopraph j. .
R O L L £» 345
UOLLE (MiCJ^BL), a French matbeonatician, was born
1^ Ambert^ a small town in Auvetgne, April 21, 1652. Hia
$r»t studies and employments were under notaries and at«
torneys ; occupations but little suited to his genius, and,
therefore be quitted tbeoi and went to Paris in 1675, with
no other recommendation than that of writing a fine hand,
and subsisted by giving lessons in penmanship. But as it
was his inclinatiott for the mathematics which had drawn
him to that city, he attended the masters in this science,
and soon became one himself. Ozanam^proposed a ques-
tion in arithmetic to him, to which Rolle gave a solution
so clear and good, tbat the minister Colbert made him a
handsome gratuity, which at last became a fixed pension.
He then abandoned penmanship, and gave himself up en-»
tirely to algebra and other branches of. the mathematics.
His conduct in life gained him many friends ; in which his
^ientific merit, bis peaceable and regular behaviour, with
an exact and scrupulous probity of manners, were conspi-»
CQ0U5* He was chosen a member of the ancient academy
of sciences in 1685, and named second geometrical-pen*
sionary on its renewal in 1699 ; which he enjoyed till hit
death, which happened July 5, 1719, at the age of 67.
The works published by Rolle were, 1. '^ A Treatise of
Algebra,'' 1690, 4to. 2. <^ A method of resolving Inde-
terminate Questions in Algebra,^' in 1699. Besides a great
many curious pieces inserted in the Memoirs of the Aca*
demy of Sciences, as follow i 1. A rule for the approxima-
tion of irrational cubes, an. 1 666^ vol. X. 2. A method of re-
volving equation^ of all degrees which are expressed in ge-
neral terms, an. 1666, vol. X. 3. Remarks upon geometric
lines, 1702 and 1703. 4. On the new system of infinity,
.1703, p. 312. 5. On the inverse method of tangents,
-1705, p. 25, 171, 222. 6. Method of finding the foci of
geometric lines of all kinds, 1706, p. 284. 7. On curves,
both geometrical and mechanical, with their radii of cur-
vature, .1707, pt 370, 8. On the construction of equationSf
1708, and 1709. 9. On the extermination of the unknown
quantities in the geometrical analysis, 1709, p. 419. 10.
Rules and remarks for the construction of equations, 1711,
p. 86. 11. On the application ot diopbantine rules to geo-
metry, 1712. 12. On a paradox in geometric efFections,
]^713, p. 243. 13. On geometric consiructioos, 1713, p.
961, and 1714, p. 5.' ^
1 fi|o|;e by FoQleqtlle.^Moreri.-^HttttoD^i Diet.
346 ft O L L I.
ROLLI (Paul Antonio), a learned Italian, was born 9t
Rome in 1687. He was the son of an architect, ami u
pupil of the celebrated Gravina, who inspired him with a
taste for learning and poetry. An intelligent and learned
English lord, we believe lord Burlington, having brought
him to London, introduced him to the female branches of
the royal family as their master in the Tuscan language,
and he remained in England until the death of queen Caro-
line, who patronized him. In 1729 he was elected a fel-
low of the Royal Society, by the title of Dr. Paul Antonio
Rolli. He returned to Italy in 1747, where he died in
1767, in the eightieth year of his age, leaving behind him
a very curious collection in natural history, &c. and a va-
luable and well-chosen library. His principal works first
appeared in London in 1735, 8vo, consist,ing of odes in
blank verse, elegies, songs, &c. after the manner of Ca-
tullus. There is likewise by him, a collection of epigrams,
of which there are a few good, printed at Florence in 1776,
8vo, and preceded by his life by the abb6 Fondini. Rolli
bore the character of one of the best Italian poets of his
day, and during his stay in London superintended editions
of several authors of his own country. The principal of
these were the satires of Ariosto, the burlesque works of
Bemi, Varchi, &c. 2 vols. 8vo ; the " Decamerorf* of Boc-
caccio, 1727, 4to and folio, from the valuable edition of
1527 ; and lastly, of the elegant ** Lucretius'^ of Marchetti
(see Marchetti), which, after the manuscript was re-^-
vised, was printed at London in 1717. There are like-
wise by Rolli, translations into Italian verse of Milton's
"Paradise Lost," 1735, folioj and of « Anacreon,'* 1739,
Svo. *
ROLLIN (Charles), a French writer of very great abi-
lities, was the second son of a master-cutler at Paris ; and
born there Jan. 30, 1661. He was intended, as well as
his elder brother, for his father?s profession ; when a Bene-
dictine, perceiving in him a peculiar turn for letters, com-
municated this to his mother, and pressed her to give him
a liberal education. The proposal was flattering, but as
she had been left a widow, and had nothing to depend
upon but the continuation of her late husband's business
and was incapable of providing for his education, she was rer
luctant to lose the advantages of her son's skill. The go94
1 Sue jd. Brhannioa,— Diet Hitt.— Burncy'g Hist of Masif^
R O L L I N. UT
Senedictine, however, removed part of her fears, by pro-
curing the youth a pension in the college of Du Plessis^
and RoUin was now suffered to pursue the natural bent of
his inclination. He distinguished himself immediately by
pans and application, and easily obtained the first rank
among his fellow-students. Many stories are told to his
advantage in this respect, and how he became known and
esteemed by the minister Pelletier, whose two eldest sons
were of Rollings class. He studied rhetoric in the college
of Du Plessis under Mr. Hersan, whose custom it was to
create emulation among his scholars, by bestowing on them
epithets, each according to his merit ; and is said to have
declared in public, that he knew not sufficiently to dis-
tinguish the young Rollin otherwise than by giving him
the title of ^' Divine :" and when Hersan was asked for
any piece in verse or prose, he used to refer them to RoU
lin, ^^ who,*' he said, *^ would do it better than he could."
Hersan intended Rollin for his successor, therefore first
took him as an assistant in 1683, and afterwards, in
1687, gave up the chair to him. The year after, Hersan,
with the king's leave and approbation, declined the pro-
fessorship of eloquence in the royal college in favour of
his beloved disciple Rollin, who was admitted into it. No
man ever exercised the functions of it with greater eclat :
be often made Latin orations, to celebrate the memorable
events of the times ; and frequently accompanied them
with poems, which were generally read and esteemed. In
1694, he was chosen rector of the university, and conti*
nued in that office two ye^rs, which was then a great mark
of distinction. By virtue of his office, he spoke the an-
nual panegyric upon Louis XIV. He made many useful
legolations in the university, and particularly revived the
•tudy of the Greek language, which was then growing into
neglect. He was a man of indefatigable attention, and
trained innumerable persons, who did honour to the churchy
che state, and the army. The first president Portail Wat
pleased one day to reproach Rollin in a jocular strain, as
if he exceeded even himself in doing business: to whom'
'Rollin replied, with that plainness and sincerity which was
natural to him, ^* It becomes you well. Sir, to reproach
me with this: it is* this habit of labour in me, which has
distinguished you in the place of advocate general, which
has raised you to that of first president : you owethe great-
liess of your fortune to me.''
84» R O L L I N»
Upon the expiration of the rectorship, cardinal NteiUen
engaged him to superintend the studies of hts nephews^
who were in the college of Laon ; and in this office he
was agreeably employed, when, in 1699, he was with
great reluctance made coadjutor to the principal of the
college of Beauvais. This college was then a kind of a
desert, inhabited by very few students, and without any
manner of discipline : but Rollings great reputation and in-
dustry soon made it a most flourishing society. In this si-
tuation be remained till 1712 ; when, the contests between
the Jesuits and the Jansenists drawing towards a crisis, he
fell a sacrifice to the prevalence of the former. F. Le TeU
lier, the king's confessor, and bigoted agent of the Jesuits,
infused into his master prejudices against Rollin, whose
connections with cardinal de Noailles would alone have
sufficed to have made him a Jansenist ; and on this account
he lost his share in the principality of Beauvais. No many
however, could have lost less in this than Rollin, who had
every thing left him that was necessary to make hira happy ;
retirement, books, and a decent competence. He .now
began to employ himself upon Qnintilian ; an auttor he
justly valued, and not without uneasiness saw neglected*.
He retrenched in him whatever. he thought rather cujfioui
than useful for the instruction of youth : he placed BiifniKi»*
ties or contents at the head of each chapter ; and he ae^
companied the text with short select notes. His edition ap^
peared in 1715, in 2 vols. 12mo, with an elegant preface^
Betting forth his method and views. ,
In 1720, the umversity of Paris, willing to have a bead
jiuitable to the importance of their interests in the then cri-
tical conjuncture of affairs, chose Rollin again rector: but
lie was displaced in about two months by a lettrede cachet»
The imiversity had presented to the parliament a petitiooi
in which it had protested against taking any part in tfae^ad*-
}ustment of the late disputes ; and their being congrata<^
lated 'm a public oration by Rollin on this step occasioned
the letter, which ordered them to chuse a rector of more
tnoderation. Whatever the university might suffer by the
removal of Rollin, the public was probably a gainer -, for
he ncyw applied himself to compose his excellent treatise
*^ Upon the manner of studying and teaching the Belki
Lettres :** " De la maniere d'etudier et d'enseigoer les
BellQ9 Lettres.** This work was published 1726, in two vo-
lumes, and two more in 1728, 8vo, at^d a copy of it
R O L LIN. H9*
presented to bishop Atterbury, then in bani^hinenty who
Wfote to Rollin a Latin letter, of great beauty and
elegance, which gives a just idea of our author and his.
writings. Whatever defects more recent inquiries have
discovered in this work, it was for many years the first of
its kind, and may, yet be recomme.nded as laying the foun*
dation of a go<Ml. taste.
Encouraged by the great success of this work, and the
hi^py reception it met with, he undertook another of
equal use and entertainment; his ^^ Histoire Ancienoe,''
&c. or ^' Ancient History of the Egyptians, Carthaginians,
Babylonians, Medesand Persians, Macedonians and Greeks,^*
which he finished in 13 vols. 8vo, and published between.
1730 and 1738. Voltaire, after having observed that Rol«
lin was '< the first member of the university of Paris wba
wrote French with dignity and correctness," say& of this
work, that *^ though the last volumes, which were writtea
in too great a hurry, are not equal to the first, it is never*
theless the best compilation that has yet appeared in any
language; because it is seldom that compilers are eloquent^
and Rollin was remarkably so." While the last volumes of
his "Ancient History" were printing, he published the finst
of his " Roman History ;'' which he lived to carry on^
trough the eighth and into part of the ninth, to the war
against the Cimbri, about seventy years before the battle
of Actium. Crevier, the worthy disciple of Rollin, con«
tinned the history to the, battle of Actiuaa, which closes the
tenth volume ; and has since completed the original plaii
of Rollin, in 16 vols. 12mo, which was to bring it down
from the foundation of the city to the reign oF Constantise
the Great. All these works of Rollin have met with uni«
versal approbation, been translated into several language^
and in English have long been popular, although strict
criticism may find much to object, as to inaccuracies, and
want of purity of style. What, however, forms an ho«
nourable distinction in all his works, is his regard for the
interests of religion and virtue.
This excellent person died Sept. 14, 1741. He had.been
named by the king a member of the academy of inscrip**
tions and belles lettres in 1701 : but, as he had not then
brought the college of Beauvais into repute, and found h^
had more business upon his bands than was consistent with
a decent attendance upon the functions of an academician^;
^e begged the privileges of a veteran, which were honoura«
S3(y R 0 L L I R
biy granted him. Yet he maintained his connexions with
the academy, attended their assemblies as often as be
could| laid the plan of his ^* Ancient History'' before^ tbem^
and demanded an academician for his censor. He was a*
mfan of many excellent qualities, very ingenious, consum-^
mate in polite learning, of rigid morals, and great piety^
which last has given some of his countrymen, and their*
imitators here, an opportunity to remark that he wanted,
nothing but a mixture of the philosophic in his nature to
make him a very complete person. When he was dis->-
charged from the rectorship in 1720, the words of the let-
tre de cachet were, as we have seen, that the university
should choose a rector of more moderation : but that was
hardly possible ; for, nothing could be more benign, more
pacific, or more moderate, than Rollin's temper.^ He
shewed, it must be owned, some zeal for the cause of Jan«
senism : he had a very great veneration for the memory of
abb6 Paris^ and had been seen with others to visit his tomb
in the church-yard of St. Medard, at Paris, and to pay his
devotions to him as a saint: he revised and retouched the
life of this abb^, which was printed in 1730: be translated
into Latin, at the request of father Quesnel, the protesta-
tiou of this saint, and was assisting in other works designed
to support Jansenism ; and, on these accounts, he became
obnoxious to the Jesuits and the court. It is related, that,
when he was one day introduced to cardinal Fleury, in
order to present him with a volume of his ^^ Roman His-
tory,'* the minister, very uncivilly, said to a head-officer
of the guards, *^ Sir, you should /endeavour to concert this
man :" to whom RoUin very well, and yet not disrespect-
fully, replied, ^* Oh, my lord, the gentleman would lose
his time ; I am an unconvertible, man." Rollin was, how-
ever, a very estimable character.- We find in his works,
generous and exalted sentiments, a zeal for the good of
society, a love of virtiue, a veneration for Providence, and
in short every thing, though on profane subjects, sancti-
fied with a spirit truly religious. So says even Voltaire,,
and we may add the similar testimony of the poet Rousseau,
who conceivjsd such a veneration for RolHn that he came
out of banishment incognito to Paris, on purpose to visit
and pay his respects to him. He looked upon his histories,
not only as the best models of the historic kind, but as a
complete, system of politics and morals, and a most inatruc*
R O L L O C K. Siii
tive school for princes as well as subjects to learn all their
duties in.'
ROLLOCK (Robert), the first principal of the college
of Edinburgh, was the son of David RoUock, of Poohouse,
or, as it is now written, Powis, in the neighbourhood of
Sterling, in Scotland. He was bom in 1555, and learned
the rudiments of the Latin language from Mr, Thomas Bu*
xhaoan, who kept, says archbishop Spotswood, a famous
school at that time, at Sterling, as we learn from Melchior
Adam, who appears to have copied from the Latin life of
Bollock. From school he was sent to the university of St,
Andrew's, and admitted a student in St. Salvator's callege.
His progress in the sciences, which were then taught, was
so gre^t and so rapid, that he had no sooner taken his
master's degree than he was chosen a professor of philoso-
phy, and immediately began to read lectures in St. Salva- .
tor's college. This must have been at a very early period
of life, for he quitted Sl Andrew's in 1583, when, accord*
ing to Mackenzie, he had taught philosophy for some time.
Not long before this period, the magistrates of Edinburg^h
having petitioned the king to erect a university in that city^
he granted them a charter under the great seal, allowing
them all the privileges of a university ; and the college
being built in 1582, they made choice of Mr. Rollock to
be their principal and professor of divinify.
At what time he was ordained, or whether ordained at
all, has been the subject of some controversy, but it is
certain that he became famous in the university, and among
his countrymen in general, for his lectures in theology,
and for the persuasive power of his preaching : for Calder-
wood assures us that in 1589, he aud Mr. Robert Bruce,
another popular preacher, made the earl of Bothwell so
sensible of his vicious courses, that, upon Nov. 9, his lord-
ship hui]tibied himself upon his knees in the east church in
ithe forenoon, and in the high church in the afternoon, con-
fessing before the people, with tears in his eyes, his disso-
lute and licentious life, and promising to prove for the
future, another man.
In 1593 principal Rollock and others were appointed by
the parliament to confer with the popish lords; and in the
next year he was ox»e of those who, by appointment of the
jg^eneral assembly of the church, met at Edinburgh in the
' NictrM^ Tol XLIII.— ChaufepTc* — Diet. Hist.
id2 tl O L L O C K.
month of May, and presented to bis msgesty a pApet eti*
titled ** The dangers which, through the impunity of ex-
communfeated papists, traffickers with the Spaniards, and
other enemies of the religion and estates, are imminent to
the true religion professed within this realm, bis majesty's
penon, crown, and liltrerty of this our native^ country.'* Ift
15^5 be was nominated one of the comifiissioners for the
visitation of colleges, to inquire itito the doctrine and life
of the several masters, the dfseipline usetf by them, the
state of thetr rents and Imng, and to mafce thei^ rt^port to
the next assembly. In 159^, the bebarioar of some of the
clergy baring drawn upon them tlie resentment of the I^ing^
Mr. Roltock was employed, on account of his moderation',
to soften that resentment, and to turn bis majesty's wrath
against the papists. In 1597 be was chosen moderator of
the general assembly, the highest dignity in the Scotch
church, and had the inflnence to get some abuses redressed.
Being one of the fourteen ministers appointed by this as->
sembly to take care of the afKiirs of the church, the first thing
which he did was to procure an act of the legislature, re^
storing to the bishops their seats in parliament. Though
he spent the greater part of his life in conducting the
affairs of the church, we have the authority, of Spotswood
for saying, that be would have preferred retirement and
study. To the bustle of public life, especially at that tur-
bulent period, his constitution was not equal ; and his in«
dination would have confined him to his college and his
library. He was dreadfully afflicted with the stone; the
torments of which he long bore with the fortitude and resig-
nation of a Christian. He died at Edinburgh Feb. 28, 1 598^
in the forty-third year of his age, having exhorted bis
brethren, with his dying breath, to carry themselves more
dutifully to their gracious sovereign.
The only English work Mr. Rollock published was,
** Certain Sermons on several places of St. Paul's Epistles,**
Edinburgh, 1597, 8vo. The rest of his works are in Latin^
and consist of commentaries on Daniel, on the gospel of
St. John, on some of the Psalms,- and on most of the
Epistles. Besides these he published ** Prolegomena in
primum liBrum Quosstionum Theodori Bezse;'* "Tractatus
de vocatione efficaci,*' Edinburgh, 1 597 ; ** Questiones ei
Responsiones aliquot, de i^dere Dei et de SacrameHtis,'^
ibid, 1596, Svo; " Tractatus brevis de providentia Dei ;*'
and *^ Tractatus de Excommunicatione,'' Lond. 1604>
R O L L O C K. »53
Geneva, 1602, 8vo. A Latin life of bim was published
by George Robertson at Edinburgh in 1599, 12n]0, which
Melchior Adam has chiefly followed. It contains enco-
miums and epitaphs on Mr* Rollock from many of the most
eminent divines and scholars of his time. ' ,
ROLT (Richard), an English historical and miscella*
necus writer, was born in 1724 or 1725, it is thought at
Shrewsbury, but descended from a family of that name in
Bedfordshire. He was first placed under an officer of the
excise in the North of England, but having, in 1745,
joined the rebel army, he was dismissed from his situation*
He then went over to Dublin to visit Ambrose Philips the
poet, who was his relation^ but, owing to Philips's death
soon after, failed of procuring any establishment in that
country. While in Ireland he is said to have published
Akenside*s ** Pleasures of the Imagination," as his own,
but his biographer has refuted this story. He probably,
by more honourable means, recommended himself to per-
sons of distinction, as his poem, entitled '' Cambria" was^
when first written, intended to have been patronized by sir
.Watkin Williams Wynne, and when corrected and pre-
pared for the press, as it now stands, was sbewn to Fre-
deric prince of Wales, by general Oglethorpe and lord
Middlesex ; by whose interest he had permission to dedi^
cate it to prince George, his present majesty, when it was
printed, in 1749, in 4to. On the 25th of September of
the same year, sir Watkin Williams Wynne was killed by
a fall jfrom his horse ; and in the following month Rolt
published a poem to his memory, which was highly ad-
inired, and very popular among his countrymen.
By the above-mentioned, and some other eminent per«
sons, Rolt was encouraged to undertake his *^ History of
the general War" which terminated in 1748. This was
published in four successive vplumes, octavo, and procured
him a correspondence with Voltaire, who sent bim some
flattering letters. He was also engaged to write the '^ Life
of John earl of Craufurd," an officer of distinction. The
above publications do him no discredit ; and he shewed
considerable ability in defending the case of Clifford against
ihe Dutch West India company, and in a reply to the
answers of the Dutch civilians in that case ; as also in a
1 Mackenste't Scotch Writers, vol. til.-— MelcKior Adam.-^Dr. Gleig^s'Sup-
Pnent to the Eacycl* BriU--*PaUer'ft Abel Redi?iTui«~SpoU«ood'i History,
Vol. XXVI. A a
iS4 fe O L T*
series of letters concerning the Untigallican privateer and
prize, which had been illegally seized and confiscated by
the Spaniards.
Being an author by profession, be was constantly em*
ployed by the booksellers in successive compilations, bisto-
1-ical, commercial, &c. and in periodical publications, in
which he was concerned with Smart and others. In one of
these, " The Universal Visitor," be and Smart are said to
have been bound by a contract to engage in no other un*
dertaking, and that this contract was to remain in force
"for the term of ninety-nine years." So absurd an en-
gagement, if it ever existed; could not be supposed to
last long. Rolt, who had no other resources but from his
pen, was not to be confined in his employment^ which in
one instance was thought rather singular, but more recent
times have afforded many similar impositions. Mr. Wood-
ington, a relation of his wife, being in India, became ac«
quainted with captain John Nortball, of the royal regiment
of artillery, the second in command at the siege of Surat,
where be died of an apoplectic fit in the march to that
city in February 1759. This gentlen()an, having been sta-
tioned at Minorca, had made an excursion, in 1753, td
Italy, of which be completed an entire tour; and being a
man of curiosity and taste, noted down in his pocket-book
all the fine pictures, statues, &c. with such reniarks as
everj'wher^ occurred to him. This pocket-book fell into
the hands of Mr. Woodington ; who, at his return to
England, gave it to Rolt, and he from this manuscript
journal, with the help of former printed travels, compiled
a large octavo volume, which be published under the titl«
of " Travels through Italy ; containing new and curious
Observations on that country : with the most authentic Ac-
count yet published of capital Pieces in Painting, Sculp«-
ture, and Architecture, that are to be seen in Italy. By
John Nortball,* esq.*' &c. &c. &c. 1766.
But Rolt's chief supplies were by writing cantatas, songs,
.&c. for the theatres, Vauxhall, Sadler's-wells, and other
places of public resort. Of these he composed above an
liundred, supplying, at the shortest notice, the demands
of musical composers for those diurnal entertainments dur^
ing many years. He also produced two dramatic pieces,
viz. ** Eliza," an English opera, in three acts, 1754, and
>^ Almena," an English opera, in threq acts, 1764. For
the former of theie the music was i^ompose^ by Dr. Arne^
R O L T. iSS
I
and for the latter by his son ; and they were both per*
formed with good success at Drury-lane theatre. In
the '* Biographia Dramatica** is ascribed to him another
opera, " The Royal Shepherd," 1763 ; but as he omitted
it in a list of bis works, which he drew up to accompany
proposals for a subscription in October 1769, it is doubted
whether that omission must be ascribed to his not being the
author, or to its having been ill received by the public^ a9
is related in <* Biographia Draraatica."
The proposals for printing, by subscription, his poetical
works, was the last attempt of Mr. Rolt, who died March 2,
1770, aged 45 ; having had two wives, by each of whom
he left a daughter. To his second wife, who survived him
many years, and who, by her mother, was descended from
the Percys of Worcester, the late bishop of Dromore, .
to whom she was thus related, allowed a pension to her
death.
The following catalogue of Mr. Holt's publications^ i»
subjoined to his proposals in 1769. But many of themi,
were published without his name, and in weekly numbers.
Infolio> he published, I. "A Dictionary of Trade and Com-
merce ; dedicated, Jby permission, to George Lord Anson.'*
To this Johnson wrote the preface. 2. ^^ Lives of the Re-
formers ; dedicated to the Princess Dowager of Wales ;'^ a
decent compilation, but most valued for a fine set of mez*
2otinto heads. In quarto, 3. *^ Life of John earl of Crau«
furd; dedicated to his grace James duke of Hamilton.'^
In octavo, &c. 4. " History of the General War from. 1739
to 1748,'' 4 vols. 1st volume dedicated to admiral Ver-*
non ; 2d, to John earl Grenville ; 3d, to his grace Charle«
duke of Marlborough ; 4th to George Dunk, earl of Hali-
fax. 5. "Universal Visitor, with several Songs." (la
this he joined with Christopher Smart, as is before-men-
tioned.) 6. " Account of capt. Northall's Travels through
Italy." 7. ** Letters concerning the Antigallican priva-
teer." 8. " Case of Clifford against the Dutch West In-
dia Company." 9. " Reply to the Answer of the Dutcl|L
Civilians to Clifford's Case." 10. " History of England,"
4 vols. 11. " History of France," »l vol. 12. " History
of Egypt," 4 vols. 13. *« History of Greece," 6 vols*
14. ** Cambria; inscribed to Prince George" (bis present
majesty.) 15. "Eliza," an English opera. 16. " Al-
mena," an English opera. 17. "A Monody on the D^th
q£ Frederic Priace of Wales." 18. ^* An Elejgiac Ode ta
I I
^56 R O L t.
the mempry of Edward Augustus, Duke of York." l^*
" A Poem on the Death of sir Watkin Williams Wynne,
bart/' 20. *^ Shakspeare in Elysium to Mr. Garrick.*'
21. ** The Ancient Rosciad/' published in 1753.
At the time of his decease, he had projected the follow**
ing : '^ History of the Isle of Man/' in 1 vol. afterwards
. published in 1773, 8vo; and <' History of the British Empir^
in North America/' in six volumes. And after his death
were published, for the benefit of bis widow, ** Select
Pieces of the late R. Rolt (dedicated, by permission, to
the Right Hon. L^dy Sondes, by Mary Rolt), 1772,"
small 8vo.
This lady Sondes, who was daughter of the right hon.
Henry Pelham, was one of the most charitable persons of
quality in her time. She had a little French woman^ who
was her almoner^ and whose whole life was spent in find-
ing out proper objects for her lady's bounty, which she
distributed with a zeal for their welfare, and a delicacy for
their feelings, which makes it the subject of regret, that
the name of this excellent creature is not recollected.
They, unsolicited, discovered and applied to Mrs. Rolt
the protection of lady Sondesj on the death of her bus-
band. '
ROMAINE (William), an English divine aod writer of
great popularity, was born at Hartlepool in the county of
Durhanh, Sept. 25, 1714. His father, one of the French
protestants who took refuge in England upon the revoca-
tion of the edict of Nantz, resided at Hartlepool as a mer-
chant, and particularly as a dealer in corn. He had two
sons and three daughters, whom he educated in the strict
doctrines and discipline of the church of England, and
lived to see well settled in the world before he left it in
1757. His second son, William, gave indication, at a
very early age, of considerable talents, and a laudable
eagerness to improve them. This induced his father to
send him to the grammar-school, at Houghton-le>Spring,
a village in the road from Durham to Sunderland. This
School was founded by the celebrated Bernard Gilpin, rec-
tor of that parish at the memorable sera of the reformation.
At this seminary Mr. Romaine remained seven years, and
in 1730 or 1731 was sent to Oxford, where he was entered
first at Hertford-college, and thence removed to Christ^
* £ttropeao Maf. for 1803,— 6iog« Dram.— BoswcU't Lift of J<>hnf9a.
R 0 M A I N E. 351
diurcb. tie resided principally at Oxford till he took his
degree of master of arts^ Oct. 15, 1737, having been or-
dained a deacon at Hereford, a year before, by Dr. Eger*
ton, bishop of that diocese.
, His first engagement was the curacy of Loe Trenchard,
Dear Lidford in Devonshire. In tl)e year following he ap*
^ears to have been resident at Epsom in Surrey, from the
elate of a letter from him, Oct. 4, 1738, to rev. William
Warburton, upon the publication of his ^< Divine Legation
»f Moses." In the same year he was ordained a priest by
Dr. Hoadly, bishop of Winchester. His title for order*
was probably a nomination to the church of Banstead,
which he served some years, together with that of Horton^
near Epsom, being curate to Mr. Edwards, who had both
the^e livings. At Banstead he became acquainted with sir
Daniel Lambert, lord-mayor of London in 1741, whp had
a country-house in this parish, and appointed Mr. Romaine
to be chaplain during his mayoralty.
The first seripon which he printed had been preached
before the university of Oxford, March 4, 1739. It wa»
entitled ^* The Divine Legation of Moses demonstrated^
from his having made express mention of, and insisted sa
much on, the doctrine of a future state; whereby Mr.
Wariiurton's attempt to prove the Divine Legation of
Moses from the omission of a future state, is proved to b^
absurd, and destructive of all revelation." This was fol-
lowed by a second sermon, preached also before the uni-
versity, entitled ^* Future rewards and punishments proved
to be the sanctions of the Mosaic dispensation." These
sermons and the letter above-mentioned to Mr. Warburton
involved him in a personal dispute^ with that gentleman ^
Mr. Romaine in his letter attempted to be witty and sar-
castic; Warburton used the same weapons and could han-
dle them better. The controversy, however, did not last
long. Mr. Romaine appeared to more advantage iti 1742,
in another sermon before the university, entitled ^' Jep-
thah's Vow fulfilled, and his daughter not sacrificed."
The ingenuity with which he proved this opinion obtained
him much credit, and was by many looked upon as a new
discovery, which it certainly was not, as the same point was
contended for in a sermon printed in the works of Dr.
Thomas Taylor, of Aldermanbury, an eminent puritan
• See an account of it in *' Tbe Works of the Learned," for Aagoit 1739.
358 R'O M A 1 N E.
divine, v^ho died in 1632. Besides other sermons before the
university, be preached one in 1757, entitled ^* The Lord
oi|r Righteousness,*' in consequence of which he was re-
fused any future admission into the university pulpit. He
interpreted the articles of the church in the strict Calvi-
' nistic sense, which at this time gave great offence.
, Mr. Romaine had been engaged in superintending for
the press a new edition of '^ Galas io's Hebrew Concord-
ance and Lexicon,*' in four volumes folio, a work which
employed him seven years, and in 1747 he publi^ed the
first volume. The original of this work was the concord*
ance of Rabbi Nathan, a Jew, entitled ^^ Meir Nethib,"
published at Venice in 1523, fol. with great faults and de-.
fects. A second edition was published at fiasil by Fr6ben,
much more correct, in 158J, fol.. The third edition i»
this of Calasio, which he swelled into four large volumes
by adding, I . A Latin translation of Rab. Nathan's expla-*.
nation of the several roots, with the author's own enlarge^
ments. 2. The Rabbinical, Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic
words, derived from, or agreeing with the Hebrew root in
signification. 3. A literal version of the Hebrew text,
4. The variations of the Vulgate and Septuagint 5. The
proper name^ of men, rivers, mountains. Mr. Rx)maine's
work is a very splendid and useful book, improved from
that of Calasio, but in point of usefulness thought greatly
inferior to Dr. Taylor's Hebrew concordance. The hon.
and rev. Mr. Cadogan, in the life of Mr. Romaine, censure^
him for having omitted his author's account of the word
which is usually rendered God, and having substituted his
own in the body of the work ; a liberty which no editor i$
entitled to take, although he may be justified in adding,
by way of note, to what his author has advauced.
The theological sentiments of Mr. Romaine were not so
common in bis early d<ays as they are now, and therefore
rendered him more conspicuous. As a clergyman of the
church oPEngland he adhered to the most rigid interpre-
tation of the thirty-nine articles. The grand point which
)ie laboured in the pulpit, and in all his writings, was the
doctrine of the imputed righteousness of Christ. He was
also a zealous disciple of the celebrated Hutchinson, at a
time when he had not many followers in this kingdom*
From some dissatisfaction, however, or want of success in
his ministry, he appears to have formed an intention of
leaving England, and settling in the country of bis ances-*
B. O M A I N E. 359
y^n, Hq wat prevented from executing this desigD^ by
what he pioiTsIy deemed a providential interposition. He
bad actually made the necessary preparations, and waa
going to the water-side, in order to secure his passage,
when be was met by a gentleman, a total stranger to him,
who asked him if his name was not Romaine. He answered
that it was. The gentleman had fbrmerly been acquainted
with his father, and^ observing a strong resemblance to
bim in bb son, was induced to make the inquiry. After
some introductory conversation, he told him, that the lee--
turesiiip for the united parishes of St. George's Botolph-
lane and St, Botolph's Billingsgate was then vacant ; and
that, having some interest in those parishes, he would
exert it in his behalf, if he would become a candidate for
the lectureship. Mr. Romaine consented, provided he
9hould not be obliged to canvass in person ^ a custom
which he always thought inconsistent with the character of
a clergyman, and against which he openly protested many
years afterwards, when he was candidate for the living of
Blackfriars. He was chosen lecturer of St. Botolph*s in
1748, and the year following lecturer of St. Dunstan's in
the West. In the person of his predecessor in the latter
(Dr. Terrick), two lectureships were united: theonefounded
by Dr. White, for the use of the benchers of the Temple i
the other a common parish lectureship. Mr. Romaine wa%.
elected to both, and continued some years in the quiet
exercise of his office, until an opposition arose which ended
in a law-suit that deprived him of the parish-lectureship^
but confirmed him in that founded by Dr. White, and en-
dowed with a salary of eighteen pounds a-year. Lest thi^
should be removed from the parish, the use of the church
was granted to him, but as lord Mansfield's decision was,
that seven o'clock in the evening was a convenient time tQ
preach the lecture, the church-wardens refused to open
the church till that hour, and to light it when there was
occasion. His predecessor, however. Dr. Terrickf then
become bishop of London, interposed so effectually, and
gave such a character of Mr. Romaine, that this ungenet-
rous opposition ce^ed, every proper accommodation was
allowed to his congregation, and he continued quietly to
exercise his ministry here to the end of his life.
In 1750 he was appointed assistant morning preacher in
the church of St. George, Hanover-square. The rector,
•who both appointed him to this place, and removed him
360 R O M A I N E.
from it, was Dr. Trebeck. Mr. Cadogan informs us that
'^ the first act originated not in personal friendship, but in
the recommendation of his character : the latter arose from
the popularity and plainness of his ministry. He preached
Christ crucified among those who are least disposed to re-
ceive him. The church was filled with the poor, >^and for-
saken by the rich : and that which (as a nobleman is said to
have observed) was never' complained of in aplay-house»
was admitted as a just cause of complaint in the house ' of
God. When notice was given him that the crowd t>f peo-
ple attending from different parts caused great inconveni-
ence to the inhabitants, who could not safely get to their
seats, he received it in the most placid manner, and said,
he was willing to relinquish an office which he had faithfully
performed, hoping that his doctrine had been Christian^
and owning the inconvenience vvhich had attended the pa-
rishioners.'*
About 1752, he was appointed professor of astronomy in
Gresham college. His knowledge of the subject was sufB*
cient to qualify him for this situation, but his zeal for Hut-
chinsonian principles led him to dispute some parts of th6
^Jewtonian philosophy in a way which did not greatly ad-
vance his reputation, atid he did not retain his professor-
ship long. He was far more popular afterwards in his op-
position to the Jew Bill. All his , writings on this subject
were collected by himself, and printed by the city of Lon-
don. On quitting his situation in St. George's, Hanover-
square, in 1756, be became curate and morning preacheir
at St. Olave's, Southwark, and when he left it in 1759, he
became morning preacher, for nearly two years, at St. Bar-
tholomew the Great, near West Smithfield. In 1764, he
was chosen by the inhabitants of St. Andrew, Wardrobe,
and St. Anne, filackfriars, to be their rector, the right of
presentation, which is vested in the crown and in the pa-
rishioners alternately, then belonging to the latter. This
produced a suit in chancery, which was decided in his fa-
vour in 1766. In this situation he continued during thirty
years, and was probably the most popular preacher of hia
day. It was noticed in the newspapers that on the Good
Friday after bis being settled here, be administered the
sacrament to upwards of five hundred persons, and on the
Sunday following to upwards of three hundred, numbers
which had never been remembered by the oldest inhabit-
ant. From this time be devoted himself to the service of
R O M A I N E. Z6V
his parishiDtiers an^ hb hearers at St Dunstan^s, hdt was
frequently solicited to plead the cause of charity for various
institutions, and few preachers ever produced more money
on such occasions.
His useful labours at length terminated on Sunday, July
26f 1795. During his illness, which lasted seven weeks,
bis zeal, his faith, his animated views of immortality, ac-
corded with the uniform example of his life, and evinced,
in the gradual approaches of death, the hope, and conso-
lation, and triumph of a Christian. His character through-
out life was uniform and regular : his surviving friends
have dwelt on it with pleasure, and it certainly was as free
from frailty as the imperfect state of human nature can ad-
mit. The only prominent objection was a degree of hasti-
ness of temper, or occasional irritability, but even that he
had conquered, in a great measure, many years before his
death. By tlvem to whom bis preaching was acceptable,
and to whom his memory is yet dear, his printed works are
'^held in high estimation, and have gone through various
editions. Besides the single Sermons, Calasio's Concord-
ance, atid a Comment on the 107th Psalm, Mr. Romaine
published, in the cours^ of his life, 1. ** Twelve Sermons
upon Solomon's Song," 1759. 2. "Twelve Discourses upon
the Law and Gospd," 1760. 3. "The Life of Faith," 1763.
4. ** The Scripture Doctrine of the Sacrament of the Lord's
Supper," 1765. 5. « The Walk of Faith," 1771, 2 vols.
6. " An Essay on Psalmody," 1775. 7. " The Triumph
of Faith."
These were collected soon after his death, in a uniform
edition, with some additional pieces and a life, in which a
very full account is given of his religious principles and
ministerial labours. He appears to have been in some re-
spects an extraordinary character. Although usually re-
proached with being a methodist, a word which is not al-
ways very clearly understood by those who employ it in
the service of controversial animositv. he was one of the
raost zealous advocates for the church of England that has
appeared in nK)dern times. His attachment to her doctrines
and discipline, indeed, was such as left him but a moderate
share of respect for the dissenters, by whom he was often
accused of intolerance and bigotry. Towards the close of
life,, however, it is salid, he entertained more caudour to-
wards the Calvinist dissenters, although he was to the last a
strenuous advocate for the service and forms of the church;
«62 RO MAINE.
and it is certain that tnany dissenters of the stricter sort
contributed to increase Ins audiences, which were in gene-,
tal the fullest ever known in London. Nor ought it to b«
forgotten in the catalogue of his virtues that he evinced^ in
money matters, a great share of independent spirit. He
refused large offers from the booksellers for the use of hi'
Dame to religious compilations, and on one occasion no les^
than 500/. when his annual income did not amount to half
the sum* His funeral, besides being attended by a very
numerous concourse of friends, and a long train of carriages
^f persons of considerable rank, was honoured with the pre-
tence of the city marshals and other officers, and funeral
sermons were preached on the occasion in various churches^
some of which were afterwards published* ^ Mr. Komaioe
married in 1755, a Miss Price, who survived him about
&ix years, by whom he had a daughter who died young,
and two sons, the eldest. Dr. Romaine of Reading, now
living, the second, capt. Romaine, who died in 17812, a|
Trincomale, in the island of Ceylon.^
ROMANO, JULIO. See PIPPL
ROME DE LUSLE (John Baptist Louis), a distin-
guished French mineralogist, was born in 1736, at Gray
in Franche-Comt4, and had scarcely acquired some know-
ledge of Latin, before he was sent to India in quality of
secretary to a corps of engineers. It is not certain at
what period he returned, but he went again to India iu
1757, was taken prisoner at Pondicherry, and came to
Europe in 1764, after suffering five years' captivity, Al
this period, in his twenty-ninth year, he directed his at-
tention to natural history in company with M. Sage, who
appears to be the first Frenchman who directed his chemi-
cal knowledge to the explanation of mineralogy. In n6&^
he published a^' Letter to M. Bertrand on fresh-water po-
lypes;'' The polypus he considered as a hive, a recep-
tacle for an infinity of small isolated animals, directed to
the same purpose, that of repairing any loss in the parent ;
but this opinion was supported only by its ingenuity, with-
out the aid of experiments. His nrst step in iuineralogy
was the publication of a ^' Catalogue raisonn^e" of M. Dar
Vila's collection, which he wished to dispose of. It was
published in 1767, 3 vols. 8vo, and thence arose his eager
wish to examine the forms of crystals, and to construct a
1 Life prefixed to his works by the hon. and re?. William Bromley Cadoi^n.
ROME D E L*I S L E. 3dS
igrstem on ^bis pliifi* His first essay on crystallography was
publUbed in 1771} and contains 110 species of crystals, of
wjiicb Linnasus knew only about 40, though the number
has be«n since extended to above 400. From this work
M. de L'lsle^s fame arose ; his ^correspondence was culti«*
vated, and Linnaeus added his warmest praises to the ap*
plause of philosophers. Our author's fame from this time
rapidiy increased, and he was judged worthy of a seat in
almost every academy but that of his own country. . By
the academicians of Paris he was styled contemptuously a
maker of catalogues, and in reality, from a scanty fortune,
as well m a wish to extend his knowledge of specimens, he
was much employed in this business; and from 1767 to
1782, be published eight explanatory catalogues of diffe^
rent collections. In 1778 he published an explanation of
M. Sage's theory of chemistry ; and in the following ye^r
a memoir against the central fire under the title of ** L'Ac*
tton de Feu central banni de la surface du globe, et le
Soleil retabli dans ses droits.'' . But in the interval his great
work was constantly kept in view, and his new edition ap-
peared in 1783, ^* Christailographie, ou description dea
formes propres a tons les corps du regno minerale," 4 vols.
Of this elaborate work, it has been justly said that those
only who have examined it frequently, can judge of the
great labour which it must have cost, the extent of the
author's erudition, and the information to be collected from
it, independent of the science of crystallization, which baa
here attained a state approaching to peifection.
As executor to M. d'Ennery, who possessed a very rich
collection of medals, he was induced to examine the rela-^
tion of the Roman pound to the French marc, and the value
of the money of the different nations of European and
Asiastic Greece. This produced his " Metrologie, ou Ta-i
bles pour servir a I'intelligence des poids et des mesures.
des anciens d'apres leur rapport avec les poids et les me^
. sures de la France," which was published in 1789, and ad«
dressed to the national assembly to guide their new regu-
lations of weights and measures. From the immense la-
bours of his various works, his eyes soon failed, and his
later enjoyments arose from the fanciful prospects of the
great good bis country and the whole world was to derive
from the revolution. He died of a dropsy, at Paris, March
10, 1790.*
> CiiU Rev^vol. LXX —Die!. Hist.
j6* n o M N E r.
ROMNEY (George), an eminent ipodern artist, wat
born at Dalton, in Lancashire, Dec. 26, 1734, where his
father was a merchant, builder, and farmer, but derived
from none of his occupations more than what yielded s
bare maintenance to his numerous family. In his twelfth
y^ar, George was taken from the village school, and en-
gaged to superintend his father*s workmen ; his leisure
hours he employed in carving ; and being fond of music,
made a violin for himself, which be preserved till his deatb.
He was first tempted to draw, from seeing some ordinary
prints in a magazine, which he imitated with considerable
success : and his first attempt at portrait was from memory,
when endeavouring to describe the features of a stranger
whom be had seen at church. After some attempts by his
fiither to place him in trade, be consented to let him be-
come a painter, and his first master was an artist of the
name of Steele, who taught him, to a certain extent, the
knowledge and use of the materials of the art. Leaving
this master, he began to practise portrait-painting in the
country, and being ambitious to try his fate in the metro*
polis, as soon as he had acquired nearly an hundred gui-
neas, he took thirty for his travelling expences, and leav-
ing the remainder with his wife, set out for, and arrived in
London in 1762.
He fi^st resided in the city, where he painted portraits
at five guineas a head, and acquired considerable practice
through the friendly assistance of that worthy and benevo-
lent man, Daniel Brathwaite, esq. then comptroller of the
foreign post-office. In 1764 he visited France, and sur-
veyed the various repositories of art at Paris, and on his
return resided in Gray's-inn, where his practice encreased,
especially among the gentlemen of the long robe. In 1765,
be obtained a prize from the Society for the Encourage-
ment of Arts and Sciences, for an historical picture, the
<* Death of king Edmund.** In 1768 he removed to Great
Newport- street, still increasing in practice and fame ; but,
consoious of the necessity of cultivating his taste by an in-
spection of the great works of art in Italy, he set out thi-
ther in March 1773, with Mr. Ozias Humphrey, a minia-
ture painter of celebrity, and remained two years, leading
a studious and recluse life, and making some few copies.
On his return in July 1775, he took a house in Caven-
dish-square, where he resided, until be retired in 1798,
from public practice, to Hampstead, for the sake of purer
R O M N E Y. S65
air. During the preceding twenty years, he enjoyed un-
interrupted success in bis profession, to which he was so
ardently attached, that his whole delight was in it. His
talents, in return, were highly esteemed, and encouraged
by an ioimense influx of employn^ent. In one year only
(1785), be painted portraits to the value of 363 5^. His
prices now were, for a, whole-length, eighty guineas ; half
whole-length, sixty; half-length, forty ; a kit-cat, thirty;
Bnd for a head, twenty guineas. It is very remarkable,
however, that be never became a member of the Royal
Academy, nor ever exhibited in its rooms. When the
Boydeil Sbakspeare was projected, Romney contributed
bis aid. He had a quick and keen relish for the beauties.
of that poet, although his own fancy was so volatile, and
his mode of reading so desultory, that it may be questioned
if he ever read, without interruption, two acts of the dra-
mas that he most cordially admired. After be had fini&bed
his fine picture for *' The Tempest," he was induced ia
1790 to visit Paris again, with his biographer Mr. Hayley
find another friend ^ but on his return in 1791 resumed bis
labours for the Sbakspeare gallery, and painted some pic*
tures for the prince of Wales. In 1797 he felt a «light
paralytic stroke, which affected his eye and his hand, and
prevented him from continuing bis professional labours*
It was then he retired to Hampsteaci,but, finding his health
still decline, he, in 1799, revisited his native country, where^
he died Nov. 15, 1802.
. Of Romney, as an artist, it is by no means easy to ap-
preciate the just character. That he possessed genius and
talents in an eminent degree, no one can deny. Fuseli, in
his edition of Pilkington^s Dictionary, has said, ^^ that be
was made for the times, and the times for him*/' It had
* ** To Romney as a portrait-pain- position of odour witfiotit decided
ter the pubMc have borne ample testi- masses of light and shade, he is not
mooy ; he was made for the times, and always happy in the balance : he be«-
the times f»r him. If he had not ge* comes livid without freshness, and foxy
iiius to lead, he had too much origin- without glow. Those who wish to fo'rni
ality to follow, and whenever be chose an idea of his historic powers may
was nearer to the first than to the last consult the pictures of the Storm from
of his competitors. Practice had given the Tempest, the Cassandra from Trol-
bim rapidity of execution, and nature las and Cressida, and the Infant Shak-
an eye sufficiently just for form, and speare of the Boydeil gajlery. Rom-
not ungenial for colour. His women ney, as artist and as man, is entitled
have often naiW/e, sometimes elegance, to commendation and esteem; but tiis
with an artless bloom and freshness of life fumivhes a signal proof of the f^*
tint. His men in general have more tility of the idea that genius is of z,
spirit than dignity, and more of pre- passive quality, and may be laid by
ience tbaa reality of character* When . or taken up as a man pleasea.*' Pi&
' be attewpii w |'r9duc« effects by op« kington, by Fuseli.
366 ft O M N E Y.
•
perhaps, says the critic in the Cyclopsedia, been cnofe
just to have observed that llomney was made for better
times than those in which he lived. His perception of art
was far purer than most of his contemporaries, at ieast id
this country, were capable of enjoying; and it must be
remembered, that no one ever set forth in the career of an
artist under greater disadvantages than he did. The taste
he imbibed for simplicity and grandeur, on seeing, at an
advanced period of his life, the works of the ancient artists,
prove what might have been fairly expected of him, had
he been sooner initiated in the mysteries of his art. With^
out this aid, Romney had to separate for himself the par-
tial, from the general effects of nature ; and the inequality
with which he, in this point, met the rivafry of more for-
tunate artists, is too evident in most of his productions^
Frequently, his chiaroscuro is ill conducted, and his har-
mony of forms and colours imperfect, even in pictures pro-
duced when enjoying the height of his intellectual power,
and at the happiest period oJF his executive skill : at the
fame time they exhibit great fertility of invention, witb
sweetness and delicacy of sentiment.
He was happily endowed with an inquisitive mind, that
delighted in science, and pursued it warmly, with the best
means he had ; and he possessed a versatility of genius,
which is exemplified by the variety of subjects he chose for
representation. Both the comic and serious impressions of
the mind had charms for him. Early in life he painted two
pictures from Tristram Shandy ; one, of the arrival of Dr.
Slop at Shandy-hall, after the unlucky catastrophe he met
with on the road ; which afforded scope for sentimental
comic humour j the other from the affecting story of the
death of Le Fevre ; both of them were highly approved for
truth and propriety of feeling and expression, though dif-
fering so widely in their effects upon the mind. His jour-*
oey to Italy expanded bis view of art ; new scenes, and
new sources of information, were presented to him, of wbicb
he did not neglect to avail himself. The works of fancy
be produced after his return home exemplify the use he
made of the two years he spent among the unrivalled pro*<
ductions of art he there met with. The purity and per-
fection of ancient sculpture appear to have made the deep«i
est impression upon bis mind; and he afterwards assi-
duously cherished the taste be then imbibed, by procuring
a collection, of casts from the best oiodels of aneient ata-^
R O M N E Y. »6t
tues, groups, basso-relievos, &c. which he would sit by the
hour to contemplate; examining their appearances under
all changes of sun-shine, and common day-light; and with
lamps, prepared on purpose, he would try their effects in
various modes of illumination, with rapturous delight*
Hence, grandeur and simplicity became the principal ob*
jects of bis ambition ; he perceived these qualities dis-
tinctly, and employed them judiciously; even whilst imi-«
tating nature in his most usual occupation, — portrait paint«i
lug. To present his figure, or tell his story, with simple
undisturbed effect, rejecting all unnecessary minutias, wzn^
the point he aimed at and obtained.
On bis return from the continent his zeal for historical
painting revived, or rather became strengthened. In se-
veral epistles to Mr. Hayley, he laments his confinement to
portraits : in one he says, '^ this cursed portrait paintings
how I am shackled with it ! I am determined to live fru-
gally, and cut it short as soon as I can.^* In another, he
chentions his ** wish to bet retired, in order to compose with
more effect and propriety." And whenever he returned to
London from Eastham, the hostpitable retreat of bis admir-
ing correspondent and friend, whose playfulness of fancy was
a constant and useful stimulus to Komney's dejected and
desponding mind, he felt it a weight of drudgery again t6
fail into the trammels' of portraiture ; yet from the enjoy-
ment he by nature found in the practice of his profession,
a short time inured him afresh to it, and still he felt plea^
sure in tracing the features of each uew face that presented
itself; till again bis exhausted fraine required the exhilara-
tion of retirement, and the refreshment afforded by pure
uncontaminated air, free from the gross vapours of a great
and populous city. It is not a little surprising that amidst
fais continual labours in that branch of the art he more im-
mediately professed, be should have found time to product
so great a number of fancy pictures as he left behind bim.
Hie also frequently spent bis evenings in making large carr
toons in charcoal, of subjects which suited bis fancy ; — ge*
nerally of a sublime cast. Amongst these was one of the
dream of Attossa, from the Persian of ^schylus, which *
was conducted with the taste and feeling of the ancieri't
Greek artists. ' ,
He was in general fortunate in the choice of his histonqal
subjects; and certainly, in this respect, had far the ad -
yaaia^e of bis great rival, sir Joshua Reynolds ; and n*
868 R O M N E y.
less so in the power of expression, which he scarcely eret
failed to obtain; whilst the latter, in his historical picture^
has rarely been so happy. Reynolds gave beauty and grace
to his figures : Romney imparted souL The former de**
lights the eye with, the harmony and richness of colour^
and beauty of effect ; the latter thrills and gratifies . tbf!
heart with truth and force of expression, in action find
countenance; wrpught with more simplicity^ but with less
art. His picture of Ophelia seated upon a branch of atree^
the breaking of which threatens her destruction in the
stream below^ whilst the melancholy distraction visible 19
her lovely face accounts for her apparent insensibility, t^
danger, is a sufficient proof of this assertion. His com-
position also of *^ Titania and her Indian Votaress,!' in th«
possession of Mr. Beckford ; ^^ Titania, Puck, and tb^
Changeling,'' at sir John Leicester's, and others of bis works
of the like playful and interesting kind, might bf brought
forward to support iu In portraiture, however^ the justljf
exalted president of the royal academy stood alone, ajn^
Romney was not able to cope with him. In the compoT
sition of his figures, our artist exhibited the taste he had
acquired by the study of the antique ; and h^ adH^irably
varied the characters of .his heads. The arrangement of
drapery which he adopted, partook largely of the same
ftyle ; and being well understood, was painted, with great
dexterity ; though it noust be confessed, that in fori^, it
was not unfrequently better adapted to sculpture than tq
painting. His style of colouring was simple and broad* ,
in that of his flesh he was very successful ; exhibiting a
great variety of complexion, with much wajrmth an^TJcb?
ness. It was not always; however, that his piqtures were
€U)mplete in the general tone; but crude discordfi.ip^tcol9ur^
were sometimes. introduced in the back-grounds, which np(
being blended or broken into unison with the hue of th§
principal figures, interrupted the harmony of the whole.
The executive part of bis works was free, learned, and
precise, without being triBing or minute, possessing great
simplicity, and exhibiting a purity of feeling consonant
with the style of his compositions. He aimed at the .bes(
of all principles in the imitation of nature, viz. to generalize
its effects ; he even carried it so far as to subject himself
to the charge of negligence in the completion of his forms :
but the truth of his imitation is sufficiently perfect to satisfy
the miada of those who regard nature systematically, and
Mt iitdividuallvy or too minutely. In a word^ adds the
eritic whom we have ptincipally followed ifn this character^
every lover of art who knows how to appreciate truly what
k most valuable in painting, will hold the nameof Romney
in increasing estimationi the more frequently and impar-
tially he examines his productions.'
RONDELET (William), a celebrated professor of phy-»
tic at Montpellier, was born in that city, September 27,
1507. - After having practised in various places of inferior
note, he went to Parisi learned Greek there, and returning
to his native city, practised physic with great credit. So
ardent was M. de Rondelet^s application to anatomy, that
be dissected one of his own children, which gained him the
character of an unnatural father. He died at R^almont, in
Albigeois, July 18, 1566. He is principally celebrated for
his treatise on 6shes, in Latin, 1554, 2 torn. fol. and 1558,
fol« in French* Of his medical works there is a collection
printed at Geneva, 1628, 8 vo, but they are not equaLto
the high reputation their author had acquired. It is this
physician whom Rabelais ridicules under the name of Ron-*
dibilis. His life may be found in Joubert's works. *
RONSARD (Pbter de), a French poet, of a noble far
nily, was born in Vendomois, the same year that Francis
I; was taken prisoner before Pavia ; that is, in 1524. This
circamstance is what he himself affixes to the time of his
birth ; though from other passages in his works it might
be concluded that he was not born till 1526. He was
brought up at Paris, in the college of Navarre ; but, taking
some disgust to bis studies, became a page of the duke of
Orleans. This duke resigned him to the king of Scotland,
James V. whom he attended from Paris into Scotland iu
1537, and continued there two years, after which he re**
aided about half a year in England. But the duke of Or-*
leans took him again, and employed him in several nego-
tiations. Ronsard accompanied Lazarus de Baif to the
diet of Spire; and, in his conversations with that lesrned
ihan, conceived a passfon for letters. He learned Greek
under Doraf with Antony de Baif, the son of Lazarus ; and
afterwards devoted himself entirely to poetry, in which he
acquired great reputation. The kings Henry U. Francis
IL Charles IX. and Henry UL had a particular esteem for
< Life by Hftyley.— Reet*t CyclopaBdia.
t £loy Diet. HUU deMedceine.— Ualltfr, BibU M«d. «t Aaaton.
VouXXVI. B a :
370 • R O N S A E|).
biro, and became his. liberal patrons. In 1 562 h0 put him«t
self at the head of some soldiers in Vendomois, and foiigbt
against the protestants, which occasioned the publicatioa
of some very satirical pieces against him at Orleans, ia
which he was represented as a priest : but he defended
himself in verse, and denied his being an ecclesiastic. He
had, however, some benefices in commendam ; and, among
others, the priory of St. Cosmas near Tours, where he died
in 1585. Du Perron, after wai*ds cardinal, made his fu-
neral oration ; and a noble monument was erected there to
his memory some years after. He was much afBicted with
the gout, which, it is said, was owing to his debauched
way .of life. His poems consist of odes, hymns, elegies^
sonnets, epigrams, and pieces of amatory poetry, not o£
the most chaste description. He was considered in his day
as possessing great talents for poetry ; but these are not aa
visible to the eye of modern criticism. His style is ex-i
tremely harsh and obscure, which, it is ,said, would have
been more excusable, bad he not been preceded by Marot.
What learning he had appears in a pedantic aflectation of
allusions, examples, and words, drawn from Greek and
Latin, which increase the obscurity of his style« Boileau
justly says ^* It is the approbation of posterity alone which:
must establish the true merit of works. Whatever eclat a
writer may make during his life, whatever eloges he may>
receive, we cannot conclude infallibly from this, that his?
works are excellent. False beauties, novelty of style, and.
a particular taste or manner of judging,, which happens to!
prevail at that time, may raise a writer into high credit and-,
esteem,; and, in the next age, when the eyes of men are
opened, that which was the object of admiration, shall he.
the object of contempt. We have a fine example of this
in Ronsard, and his imitators, Du Bellay, Du Bartas, Des«.
portes, who in the last age were admired by all the world,
in this are read by nobody." The best editions of Ron^r
«ard's works are those by Binet, Paris, 1587, or L 604, 5>
vols. 12mo, and by Richelet, 1623, 2 vols. foL^
ROOKE (sir George), a brave naval oHicer, was borni
in Kent, 1650, of an ancient and honourable family. His.
father, sir William Rooke, knight, qualified him by a pro-,
per education for a liberal profession ; but was at last,
obliged to give way to his inclination to the navy. His
} Gen. Di(;t— Mortji.-^Dict. HifU
R o o K £r. $n
first station was that of a volunteer, from which hid merit
raised him by regular steps to be Tice-admiral, and one of
the council to prince George of Denmark, lord high ad«
miral. He had the command of several expeditions in the*
reigns of William and Anne, in which bis conduct and
courage were eminently displayed. The former appeared
in his behaviour on the Irish station, when he was serit as
commodore with a squadron to assist in the reduction of
that kingdom ; in his wise and prudent management when
he preserved so great a part of the Smyrna fleet, which"
fortune bad put into the hands of the French, who sufiered
themselves to be deprived of an immense booty by the
superior skill of this admiral ; but more particularly in ther
taking of Gibraltar, which was a project conceived and
executed in less than a week, though it has since endured
sieges of not only months but years, and more than once
baffled the united forces of France and Spain. Of his
courage he gave abundant testimonies, but especially in
burning the French ships at La Hogue, and in the battle
of Malaga, where he behaved with all the resolution of a*
British admiral ; and, as he was first in command, was first
also in danger ; and all times must preserve the memory of
his glorious action at Vigo.
- He was chosen in several parliaments the representative
foir Portsmouth ; but, in that house, his free independent
spirit did not recomnlend him much to ministerial favour.
An attempt was made to ruin him in king William^s esteem,'
and to get him removed from the admiralty-board ; but
that prince answered plainly, ** I will not ; sir George
Rooke served me faithfully at sea, and I will never displace
him for acting as he thinks most for the service of his country
in the House of Commons :'* an answer worthy of a British
king, as it tends to preserve the freedom of our constitu-
tion, and the liberty of parliament. • In 1701 be voted for
Mr. Harley to be speaker of the House of Commons, in op-
position to the court; which brought on him many severe
reflections from the whig party, and attempts were made
to obscure all the great actions that hedid. From this pe*
riod, Burnet never mentions him without the utmost pre-
judice and partiality. In his relation of the Vigo enter*
prize, he says he very unwillingly steered his coiirse that
way ; and, without allowing the admiral any. share of tfae^
honour of the action, only says, *^ the ships broke the
boom, and forced the port," as if they had done it without
B B 2
373 R O O K E.
commandy and Rooke bad no concern in the matter the
taking of Gibraltar, an action in whicb tbe greatest bravery
and military skill was shewn, he will have to be the effect
of pure chance* Such was the prevalence of party spirit^
that it obliged this brave commander to quit the service of
his country, and to spend the latter part of bis life in retire-
ment. Perhaps, indeed, he was himself, in party matters,
too warm and eager. His good conduct and courage, how-
ever, are unimpeachable. He was thrice married; and,
by his second lady (Mrs. Luttrel) left one son.
He died Jan. 24, 1708-9, in his fifty-eighth year, and
was buried in Canterbury cathedral, where a monument is
erected to his memory. In his private life he was a good
husband, and a kind master, lived hospiubly towards his
neighbours, and left behind him a moderate fortdne ; so
moderate, that when he came to make his will it surprized
those who were present; but sir George assigned the rea-
son in a few words, ^ I do not leave much,*' said he, ^<but
what I leave was honestly gotten ; it never cost a sailor a
tear, or the nation a farthing.*' '
ROOKE (Lawr£Nce), an English astronomer and geo-
metrician, was born at Deptford, in Kent, 1623, and edu-
cated at Eton school, whence he removed to King's college,
Cambridge, in 1639. After taking the degree of M. A. in
1647, be retired for some time into the country, but in
1650 went to Oxford, and settled in Wadham college, that
he might associate with Dr. Wilkins, and Mr. Seth Ward
the astronomy professor ; and also accompany Mr. Bojie
in his chemical operations. After the death of Mr. Foster
he was chosen astronomy professor in Gresbam college,
London, in 1652. He made somd observations upon the
comet at Oxford, which appeared in the month of Decem-
ber that year; which were printed by Mr. Seth Ward the
year following. And, in 1655, Dr. Wallis publishing his
treatise on couic sections, he dedicated that work to thos^
two gentlemen. In 1657 Mr. Rooke was permitted to ex-
change the astronomy professorship for that of geometry*
This step might seem strange, as astronomy still continued
to be his favourite study ; but it was thought to have been
from tbe convenience of the lodgings, whkh opened behind
the reading hall^ and therefore were proper for the recep-
tion of 4hose gentlemen after the lectures, who, in 1960,
4 Biof . Btit.«-*Biurail<i Qw^ tinti*
11 O 0 It E; 473
hAA the foundation of the royal society. . Most of those
learned men wba had been accustomed to assemble with,
him ac Oxford, coming to London, joined with other phi*
losophicai gentlemeui and usually met at Gresham college
to hear Mr. Rooke^s lectures, and afterwards withdrew into
his apartment; till their meetings were interrupted by the
quartering of soldiers in the college in ]658. And after
dbe royal society came to be formed into a regular body,
Mr. Rooke was very zealous and serviceable in promoting
that great and useful institution ; though he did no| live
till it received its establishment by the royal charter.
The marquis of Dorchester, a patron of learning, and
learned himself, used to Entertain Mr. Rooke at his seat at
Higbgate after the restoration, and bring him every
Wednesday in his coach to the Royal Society, which then
met on that day of the week at Gresham college. But the
last time Mr. Rooke was at Higbgate, he walked from
thence ; and it being in the summer, be overheated himself,
and taking cold after it, he was thrown into a fever, which
cost him his life. He died at his apartments at Gresham^
college, June 27, 1662, in the fortieth year of his age. It
va? reckoned very unfortunate that his death happened the
very night that he had for some years expected to finish
his accurate observations on the satellites of Jupiter. Whea
be found his^ illness prevented him from making that obser*
yation. Dr. Pope says, be sent to the Society bis request^
that some other person, properly qualified, might be ap-
pointed for that purpose ; so intent was be to the last oa
making those carious and useful discoveries, in which he
bad been so long engaged. He made a nuncupatory will,
leaving what he bad to Dr. Ward, then lately made bishop
of Exeter: whom he permitted to receive what was due
upon bond, if the debtors offered payment willingly, other*
wise he would not have the bonds put in suit : *^ for,^' said
be, ^* as I never was in law, nor had any contention with
any man, in my life-time, neither would I be so after my
death."
Few persons have left behind them a more agreeable
character than Mr. Rooke, from every person that was ac-.
quainted with kim, or with his qualifications ; and in no-
tfiing more than for bis veracity : for what he asserted po-
sitively, might be fully relied on : but if his opinion was
asked concerning any thing that was dubious, his usual an-
swer was^ ^^ I have no opinion.'^ Mr. Hook has given this
S7% K O O K B.
copious, dioirgh concise character of him:' '^ I'nev^ wiw
acquainted with any person who knew more, and spoke less,
being indeed eminent for the knowledge and imprdvement
of astronomy.'* Dn Wren and Dr. Seth Ward describe him
as a man of profound judgment, a vast comprehension,- pro-
digious memory, and solid experience. His skill in the
mathematics was reverenced by all th^ lovers of those stu-
dies, and his perfection in many*other sorts of learning de-
i^erves no less admiration ; but above all, as another writer
characterizes him, his extensive* knowledge had a right
influence on the temper of his mind, which had all the
humility, calmness, 45trength, and sincerity of a sound
philosopher. For more particulars of his character we may
refer to Dr« Isaac Barrow's oration at Gresham college.
The only pieces which were published from his papers
consist of ^^ Observationes in Cometam, qui mense Decem-
bri anno 1652 apparuit;" printed by Dr. Seth Ward in his
" Lectures on Cbmets," 1653, 4to. " Directions for Sea-
men going to the East and West Indies," which were drawn
up at the appointment of the Royal Society, and inserted
in their Transactions for 1665; <^ A Method for observing
the Eclipses of the Moon," in the Phtlos. Trans, for Febv
1666^ f^ A Discourse concerning the Observations of the
Eclipses of the Satellites of Jupiter," in the History of the
Royal Society, p.* 183; and "An Account of an Experi*
ment made with Oil in a long Tube," read to the Royal
Society, April 23, 1662. By this experiment it was found,
that the oil sunk when the sun shone out, and rose when he
was clouded ; the proportions of which are set down in the
account.'
ROOKER (Michael), or Michael Angelo, an hono-
rary name given him by Paul Sandby, was the son of Ed-
ward Rooker, an engraver, who died in 1774, and whose
excellence lay in engraving architecture, particularly the
section of St. Paul's cathedral, from a drawing by Wale,.
Athich i^ bis finest, and a very wonderful performance.^
Michael, who was born in 1743, after being taught the use
of the graver by his father, was placed under the care of
bis father's friend, Paul Sandby, to be instructed in draw-
ing and painting landscape. He appeared first as ^n en-
graver, in which capacity he gave early proofs of ability,
which were confirmed by his mature productions, excellent
I Atb. Ox. vol. n.— .Popt'g Life of Seth Ward, p. 110.— Ward's Greabam
ProfesiorS'V-Quttoa's Diet.
ft* O O K E R. S7'5
'fpecimens of which may be seen in a view of Wolterton
cball, Nottinghamshire, and in many other prints which he
eograved. But his talents were not confined to the graver,
for he also employed the pencil, and in 1772 exhibited a
view of Temple Bar, as it then stood, which had consider-
able merit. He was for many years employed as principal
aeene-painter for the little theatre in the Hay-market; and
in the summer season generally visited some part of the
country, where he selected views, of which he afterwards
made finished drawings ; so that at his death he possessed a
very numerous collection of topographical drawings of greait
merit. It is, however, on his powers as an engraver that
bis fame principally depends. He was for many years en«
gaged to engrave the bead-pieces to the Oxford almanacks,
for which he received 50/. each, a large sum in those days,
although not unsuitable to his merit, or the liberality of his
employers. But this engagement he relinquished a few
years before his death, because he took a dislike to the
practice of engraving. The Oxford views were executed
from his own drawings, and exhibit some of the best and
most accurate that ever were taken of that beautiful city.
He died suddenly, after a lingering illness, at his lodg-
ings in Dean-^tr/eet, Soho, March 3, 1801, about fifty-
eight years of age, and was buried at St. Giles' s-iti-the*
Fields. His drawings, of which he left a large collection,
produced, at a sale of four days, the sum of 1240/. His
was chosen among those who were elected the first associate's
of the Royal Academy. There was something rough in hi&
manners, but he was a man of integrity.^
ROPER, Margaret. See sir Thomas MORE.
ROQUE (Anthony de la), a French poet, was born in
1672, at Marseilles, and employed twenty years as editor
of the Mercu re de France, in which he acquired considefr.
able reputation. He died October 3, 1744, at Paris. He
wrote the words of the operas, viz. " M6die et Jason,'* and
" Th6ono6,'* though they pass for the abb6 Pellegrin's,
and made a very valuable collection of prints, &c. a (5urious
catalogue of which was given by the late M. Gersaint. M.
de la Roque was created knight of the military order of St.
Louis after the battle of Malplaquet, where he was wound-
edy having taken the post, which one of the king^s guards
had just quitted, from a presentiment that he should be
1 ' Edwards's Anecdotes of Pamting.— Strati's Dictionary^
»7« R O Q U E.
killed in it. His brother John de la Roque asaisU^ iAvsk io
the ^'Mercury,'* from 1722, when he first undertoqk it^^
luid died at Paris, December 28, 1745, aged eigbty^four.
He had traveUed into the East, and left the following works :
" Vo'iage de la Palestine,*' 12aio; <* Vo'iage de Sjrie, et da
Mont Liban^ avec un Abrege de la Vie de M. du Chasteuil,?
2 vols. 12mo. He had also promised to publish his '< Yo'i^m
Litt6raire de Normandie,^' but it has not appeared.^
ROQUES (Peter), a pious and learned Protestant cler*
gyman, was born in i685, at Caune, a small town in Uppeir
l^nguedoc. He was appointed minister of the French
church at Basil, in 1710, in which city he acquired the
highest reputi^tion by his integrity and bis writings, Imd
died there, 1748. Those of his communion greatly value
his very numerous works, th^ principal of which are, ^^ Le
Pasteur ETangelique,*' 4to. This his admirers praise in
the higheat terms, and continually recommend the study
of; it to th^ir young divines. He also wrote ** Sermons aur
^divers sujets de morale ;'* a theological and critical disserr
tation, in which the author endeavours to prove that the
soul of Jesus Christ was a pure and glorious intelligence in
heaven before its union with a human body. This opinion^,
which i% far from new, being attacked by M. de la Chapelloy
in tom. 24f of ^^ La Defense du Christianism,'MVI. Roques
answered them in the journal printed 1640, at Genevfi,. He
aba was editor of an enlarged edition of Moreri's Diction-
^xy^ Basils 173 J, 6voIs. fol.; the new edition of ^^ Mar-
tin's Bible,'* 2 vols. 4to ; an edition of M. Basns^e's
<< Dissertations on Duels, and the Orders of Knighthood^'*
1740, augmented; several pieces in the ** Helvetic Jour-
pal,'* and in the ** Bibliotheqne Germanique." '
ROSA' (i^ALVATOR), an eminent painter, was the son of
a land surveyor, and born at Naples in 1615. He was
brought up onder Francisco Francanzano, a painter of thajb
cityy and hia relation, hut was forced to get his bread by
exposing bis pictures to sale in stalls in the streets. Lan*
franco, the painter, happening to pass by, bought one, and
to encourage Salvator bespoke more. Salvator placing
himself afterwards under Ribera, with whom he lived till
he was twenty, and his father thien dying, Ribera took hiqi
with hiiP to Rome. After four years' stay in that city, durr
ing which Salvator made considerahle progress in his arty
t MQreri.?^IKct. Hist. 9 Pict, HItt. de VArocat.
ROSA. 877
cardinal Brancacci carried him to his bishopric ol Viterbo,
where he painted several pieces. He staid same time «t
Naples, but gave the preference to Rome, and wherever
Jbe went he made himself friends by his picturesque and
poetic talents. As he now began to have a name^ prince
John Charles of Medici, being at Rome, carried him to
florence, where he staid nineyears^ dividing his time be*
tween painting and poetry: he had a particular turn for
satiric poetry ; and understood music. The literati at Flo«
rerice were highly delighted with his conversation ; and bis
bouse was a kind of academy, where plays written by faim-
«elf were often represented, and he constantly played some
part in thehi.
He painted miany pieces for the grand duke and the
prince his son, who rewarded him generously. The Maffet
carried him to their seat at Volterra, where be painted
several pictures, residing there upwards of a year: but
literature took up the greatest part of his time, and it wst
here that he composed bis satires, of which there have beea
several editions^
After his return froni Florence he fixed at Rome, where
for a long time he would sell none of his paintings but at aii
extravagant price. He did not, however, like to be called
a landscape painter, his ambition being for the cbaraeter of
aa able history painter. He painted several pieces for the
churches, which are indisputable proofs of his capacity for
history: but his business was. frequently interrupted by big.
iUjro for poetic satire, which he often interspersed with songs,
and took a pleasure in reciting tbem. The philosopher ap»
pear^d in his manner of living ; and he endeavoured to shew
it also in his paintings, always conveying in them some
moral. Such was bis love of liberty, that be declined en^
teringjnio the service of any prince, though often invited. ^
He was much of an humourist, and loved a practical joke^
When the painters of Rome had refused to receive him into
the academy of St. Luke, on a holiday, when he knew they
were to meet, and several paintings were exposed in the •
church of that saint, he caused one qf his own lo be carried
thither, in which he had concealed his manner ; and shew*
ing it, told them that it was done by a surgeon to whom
bey had judged very ill in refusing a place in tbeir acade-*
my, having the greatest need of one to set the limbs which
they daily dislocated or distorted. Another time, finding
a harpsichord on which he had sat down to play, good fdr
'3T8 .K O S it.
iiotbing, '^ ril mak«,'' says he, *^ this harpsichord worth
at least iOO crowns." He painted on the lid a piece which
immediately fetched that money. A gentleman ilestrous
of having the pictures of his friends in his gallery, desired
Salvator to draw them. He did it, but made all the por-
traits caricatures) in which he excelled : but as he drew
himself) among the rest^ in the same manner, none could
be offended.
He was a man of a very generous spirit, and worked for
deputation) Vather than gain. A man of great wealth bad
been loiig treating with him for a large landscape, and every
time he came Salvator raised his price 100 crowns. The
gentleman expressing his surprise, Salvator told him, tht^t
M^ith all his riches he could not purchase it; and t»put an
end to the other*s importunities, destroyed it before his
face* The constable Colonna bespoke a large painting, on
which Salvator bestowed great pains, and delivered it, with
out asking any price. The constable generously sent bim
« purse of gold. Salvator, seeing his work rewarded so
liberally, sent the constable a second piece, which was no
less geuerously paid for than the first : a third, aod a fourth
followed ; and at each time the constable augmented thb
aum. On receiving a fifth painting, he sent Salvator two
purses equal to the first, and thanked him ; but told him
the match was not equal ; for he could not so easily fill
purses with gold, as Salvator could cover canvas with fine
paintings.
After a long stay at Rome, Salvator was seized with a
dropsy; and during his illness he married his mistress, a
Florentine, by whom he had had several children. It was
with the utmost reluctance he consented to this marriage.
He had long known her to be a bad woman of low birth, and
. she bad always behaved rather like a mistress ever him,
than a servant. He knew that he had shared her favours
with several others : and the thoughts of her character made
ber, at this time, the object of his aversion ; because he
foresaw the loss of his honour (if he took her for a wife) of
which he was extremely tender. He was persuaded, how*
ever, by the importunities of his confessor. A tedious ilU
ness made no alteration in' his characteristic humour. He
ended his days at Rome, in'1673, aged fifty-e]|rht.
In both the sister arts of poesy and painting, he was
esteemed one of the most excellent masters that Italy pro-
duced in the seventeenth century. In the first, bid pro*
R O S A. T^g
I
Tince was satire ; in the latt^Ci landscapeK, battles, havens,
&c. with littte Bgures, wbicti are still admired, and are
purchased at high prices. Mr. Fuseli says that, without
choice of form in design, or nuich propriety of conception,
by picturesque combination, concordant tones, facility and
dash of pencil, he obtained a conspicuous place among
bistoric painters. Though his talent was better adapted to
smaller dimensions, he knew bow to AH an altar-piece or a
large canvas with striking and terrific effects, of which the
conspiracy of Catiline, in the house of Martelli at Florence,
is a powerful instance. In landscape he was a genius. His
ehoice is the original scenery of Abruzzo, which he made
often, though not always, a vehicle of terror : he delights
in idea« of desolation, solitude, and danger, impenetrable
forests, rocky or storm* lashed shores; in lonely dells lead^
ing to dens and caverns of banditti, alpine ridges, trees
blasted by lightning or sapped by time, or stretching their
extravagant arms athwart a murky sky, louring or thunder-
ing clouds, and suns shorn of their beajns. His figures are
wandering shepherds, forlorn travellers, wrecked mariners,
banditti lurking for their prey, or dividing their spoils.
But this genuine vein of sublimity or terror forsook him in
tbe pursuit of witcheries, apparitions, and spectres ; here
be is only grotesque or capricious. His celebrated witch
of Endor is a hag ; and cauldrons, skeletons, bats^ toads,
and herbs, are vainly accumulated to palliate the want of
dignity and pathos in Saul, and of sublimity in the a'ppa«
ritioB.
Among some musical MSS. purchased at Rome in 1770,
was the mu8ic*book of Salvator Rosa, in which are con-
tained, not only airs and cantatas set by Carissimi, Cesti,
Luigi, Cavalli, Legrenzi, Capellini, Pasqualini, and Ban*
dini, of which the words of several are by Salvator Rosa ;
but eight entire cantatas written, set, and transcribed by
this celebrated painter himself. The book was purcbased
of his great grand-daughter, who inhabited the house in
which her ancestor lived and died. The hand-writing was
ascertained by collation with his letters and. satires, ,of
which the originals are still preserved by his descendants.
The historians of Italian poetry, though they often mentions
Salvator as a satirist, seem never to have heard of his lyrical
productions. This book is fully described by Dr. Burney.^^
^ ArgeDville« vol. II.-— Sir Joshua Reynolds's Workt,*«Pil)(mgton by Fuieli.*^
pr. Barney iu RejBs's Cyclopsedia.
SSO ROSCELLINUS.
ROSALBA* SeeCARRIERA.
ROSCOMMON. See DILLON.
ROSCELLINUS, RUZELIN, or RUCELIN, a eanoii
of Compeigne, who flourished about the end of the eleventh
century, was born in Bretagne. He was a man weU
versed in the learning of the times, a profound dialectician,
•nd the most eminent doctor of the sect called Nonmudisi^^
and by applying some of their tenets to the subject ^f the
Trinity e'kcited a warm controversy in France aboitt 1089.
He held it inconceivable and imposaible that the son of
God should assume the human natu)re alone, i. e. without
the Father and the Holy Ghost becoming incarnate also,
'loniess by the three persons in the Godhead were meant
three distinct o^ec/^i or natures existing separately (such
as three angels or three distinct spirits), though endued
with one will and acting by one power. When it was
insinuated to Roscellinus, that this manner of reasoning led
directly to Tritheism, or tl»e doctrine of three Gods,
'he answered boldiy, that the existence of three Gods
might be asserted with truth, were not the expression
harsh, and contrary to the phraseology generally re-^
ceived. He was, however, oblig^ to retract this error in
a council held at Soissons, in 1092 ; but he resumed it
when the council was dismissed and the danger apparently
o^ev. He was, however, assaulted on account of fats doc-*
tpine, and therefore took refuge in England, where he
excvted a controversy of another kind, by maintaining,
among other things, that persons born out of lawful wed->
k>ck 'Ought to be, deemed incapable of admission to. holy
orders. Some even of the prelates being in this condition,
RosceUimis made very powerful enemies, and. among
others Anselmy archbishop 6f Canterbury, and was fioaliy
obliged ' to quit England. He then returned to France^
and by propagating his doctrine concerning the Trinity^
, Occasioned such contests as made him glad to retire to
Aquitaine, where he passed the rest of his days unmolested.
He is supposed to have died about 1 106. Such is the ac-
teouiyt given of his doctrines by John, his accuser^ in a let-
ter t6 Anselm, published by Baluzius in bis ^^Misoellaa^a^'*
and by others who, however, as the annotatoron Moshdun
remarks, were the inveterate enemies of RoscoUinus, .and
perhapa comprehended his meaning imperfectly^ f>t per^^
verted it wilfully. But as none of the writings of this me-
taphysical ecclesiastic ar^ extant, we cannot form any
R O S C I U S. 4*t
other notion of the conttoveny than appeal's from the testi-«
mony of his enemies. '
- R08CIUS (QuiNTUS), a Roman actor, was born at La-
nurium, and became so celebrated on tlie stage that every
actor of superior eminence to his contemporaries has been
since called a Roscius. It is said that he was not without
some personal defects ; particularly bis eyes were so dis-
torted that he always appeared on the stage with a. mask}
but tberRomans> frequently obliged him to take it o6f9 and
overlooked the deformities of his face, that they might die
better hear his elegant pronunciation. In private life he
was so much esteemed as to be raised to the rank of sena-
tor. When falsely accused, Cicero, who had been one of
bis pupils, undertook his defence, and cleared him of the
malevolent aspersions of his enemies, in an elegant ofatiom
extant in bis works. Roscius wrote a treatise^ which,
however^ has not descended to our times,' compariag viith
great success and learning, the profession of the orator
with that of the comedian. He died abotit 6 1 before
Christ. His daily pay for acting is said to have been 1000
denarii« or 32/. 6s, of our money, though Cicero makes hist
yearly income amount to the enormous sum of M,434/v 10^.
Dr. Burney observes^ that there are several passages in
Cicero concerning Roscius^ whicb^ if the aocient actors^
Roihans as well as Greeks, did not declaim in mttsioal
notes, would he wholly unintelligible. He tells us (de
Orat;}, that Rosctiis had always said^ when age should di«
minish his foroe, be would not abandon the stage, but
would proportion bis performance to his powers, aixi make
music conform to the weakness of his voice ; which really
happened : for the same author informs us (de Leg.), that
in* bis old age he* sung tn a lower pitch of voice, and made
the tibieines play slower. As there were combats, or con-
tests, established by the ancients for the voice, as well as
for other parts of the Gymnasticey those who taught the
management of the voice were called f^wcrMt, phonasci;
and under their instructions were put all those who^were
destined' to be orators, singers, and comedians* Rosciu;;
bad an academy for declamation, at which he ta^ught seve*
ral persons, preparatory to their speaking in public, or
going on the stage. These are proofs sufficient of tb^
dramatic declamation of the ancients being uttered in mu«
\
I Mor«ri. — Mosheioii and note.
392 R O* S E.
sical tonesti agreeitig with those of the musical iostrumeijts
by which they were accompanied.^ i
ROSE (John Baptist), a wonhy French priest, a doc->
tor in divihity and member of the academy of Besan^ooj^
was born at Quingey, Feb. 7, 1716. Of bis early history
we find no account, previous to bis appearing as an author
in 1767, when he published, 1« ^^Trait6 elementaire de
Morale," 2 vols. l2mo, which had the year before gained'
the prize offered by the academy of Dijon, and was thought
a performance of very superior merit. 2. ^* La Morale
evangelique, compar^e a celle des diflPerentes sectes de re*
ligion et de philosophie," 1772, 2 vols. 12mo. 3. ^'Trait^/
sur ie Providence," which was read in MS. and appro vedt
by cardinal de Choiseul, previous to its being published.'
4./^ L' Esprit des Peres, compart^ aux plus celebres ecri--
vains, sur les matieres interessantes de la philosophie et de*
la religion,'^ 1791, 3 vols. 12mo. In this work he attemptst
to prove that the fathers are unanimous in all the essential
doctrines of religion* M. Rose was also a good mathema-'
tician, and in 1778 sent to the academy of sciences at*
Paris, a ^^ Memoire sur une courbe a double courbure," of
which it is sufficient to say that it was approved by La
Place, and printed in 1779 at Besan9on. In the same
year he sent to the same academy, a memoir, which bad
been read in that of Besangon, relative to ^< the passage of
Venus over the Sun.'' In 1791 he published a small M'ork
on <^ the organization of the Clergy,'' and left some valu-
able papers in manuscript. He appears to have escaped
the dangers of the revolution, although an orthodox and'
pious priest. He died August 12, 1805, and the tears of
the poor spoke his eulogium.'
ROSE (Samuel), a learned barrister, and a very amia-
ble man, was born June 20, 1767, at Chiswick in Middle-
sex, where his father Dr. William Rose, a native of Scot-
land, conducted an academy during many years, with con*-'
aiderable emolument and unblemished reputation. Dr.
Rose was known in the literary world as one of the earliest
writers in the Monthly Review, and as the author of a very
elegant translation of Sallust. He had originally been an
assistant to Dr. Doddridge at Northampton, and married a
daughter of Dr. Samuel Clark, of St. Alban's, a divine of
»
1 Ciceron. Opera.— MorerL—Bumey in Recs'i Cyplopwdia.
3 Diet. Hi;it. SupplemeaU
B O S £^ I8S
taltots and eminence among the dissenters. She bbre him
mainy children ; but Samuel was his only surviving son^
^nd afcer a successful education under his father, was sent
invl784 to the university of Glasgow. There he resided
in the house of the late professor Richardson, a philoso<«
pbcor and poet, between whom and his pupil, a friendship
and correspondence commenced which terminated only
witti^ the life of the latter. Mr. Rose also gained the esteem
of several other learned men in Scotland, with whom he
afterwards maintained a correspondence. Nor was this
wonderful, for his manners were uncommonly amiable and
attractive, and his studies amply justified the respect paid
to him. He gained every prize, except one, for which he
contended as a student of the university.
After passing three winters at Glasgow, he attended the
courts of law in Edinburgh, and here obtained an introduc^^
tion to the celebrated Dr. Adam Smith, who was so highly
pleased with him, that as long as he resided in Edinburgh,,
Mr. Rose was constantly invited to the literary circle o(
thajt eminent philosopher. His subsequent intimacy with
Cowper appears in Mr. Hayley's interesting volumes, and
perhaps Cowper's visit to Mr. Rose in Chancery-lane is
oneof the. most affecting incidents in the eventful history
of that poet. Mr. Rose had the misfortune to lose his ex'^'
cellent father, while he was pursuing, his studies in tlie*
North ; but a loss so unseasonable did not induce him 16
shrink from the first irksome labours of an arduous profes*
sion. Having entered his name at Lincoln's*Inn, Nov. 6,
] 786, he devoted himself to the law, for which he seemed
equally prepared by nature and education. With a mind
acute and powerful, with a fund of classical learning, and
of general knowledge, with an early command of language,
and with manners, as we have already noticed, peculiarly
conciliating, be had every thing to hope. Though hi^
spirit was naturally ardent, be submitted to the most tire**
some process of early discipline in bis profession, placing
himself under 'a special pleader in 1787, and attending'
him three years. Being called to the bar in 1796, he at^*-
tacbed himself to the home circuit, and to the sessions of
Sussex. . His first opportunity of displaying professional-
ability occurred ijp Chichester, where, having a clergyman
for bis.client, he conciliated the esteem of his audience bv
expatiating with propriety, eloquence, and success, on the
character of a 'divine. He was still more admired for the
8S4 ROSE.
mre talent of ezftmining a witness with a becoming mik-f
lure of acuteness and homanity; and upon the wbole hitf
friends were penoaded, from this first display of bis talents^
that he was destined to rise by sure^ though stow degrees^
to the highest honours of his profession^
In this they were unfortunately disappointed. Thoogh
like most men of middling stati^re, he possessed a cohsf^
derable portion of bodily strength and agility, his consthu^
tion was uatarally delicate, and symptoms of decline ap«
peared very vuibly in the end of 1S03. His coniplatnt
was seTcrely aggravated by attending the Sussex sessioit9
In 1804, where be caught a cold so severe that it produced •
a rheumatic fever in the head, and 'within a feiv motiths
his frame and countenance discovered the most alamin]^'
appearance of a rapid and incurable decay. In the course
of the autumn, he tried the air of the Kentish eoast ; but^
returned to London, in a state so far from receverj'j that'
bis physicians considered his disorder aa a oonfitmed bcfe-*
tic, which after much lingering pain, bomeby bitu 4vith
uncommon patience, proved fatal, at bis bouse in Chan^
eery -lane, Dec 20, 1804, in bis thirty-eighth year: '
Mr. Rose married in 1791, a daughter of Dr. Farr, pby«'
sician to the RoyaUhospital, near Plymotstb, a lady, wfaiO'
with a moderate portipn, brooght bim the more valuable
dower of an elevated understanding. By this, lady be bad
four sons. An ardent love, of literature bad ever been* s
characteristic of Mr. Rose, and be gave a signd proof of -
it in the closing scene of bis life. He had been requested to
revise the collected works and life of Goldsmith, publiabed
in 1801. In the course of his tbree weeks ooa^nement to*
the bed of death, he corrected some inaccumcies in that *
interesting publication, and seut bis corrections with the
expressive farewell of a dying man to the publishers. > In
17f 2 he produced an improved edition of lord chief baron
Comyn*s << Reports," and in 1800, in a quarto edition^
** The Digest of the Laws of England/' by the same emi-
nent lawyer, corrected and continued ; inscribing tbe first
to lord Thurlow, and the second to lord Loughborough* *
ROSEL (John AuousTUsy, a painter and entomoiogisti
the descendant of a decayed noble family, was born in •
1705 near Arnstadt, and settled at NureoEiberg as a minia*
ture-painter, but particularly distinguished himself as om{
4
^ > Hayley's Life sf CowpWi ToU III, Sro.
B o 8 K i:: ats
•f fbe gfoAtett inieet-pMtem^ Tbe works wiiklr lieptili^
)^litt4 from kit cokraffed desigm will ffeot only, whilst they
l«i#li iotefest the olMsic entooK^gist, hvi ercf y one whose
itiaie for form and celoHr m ftHiinal nature' is not confined
to men, quadrupeds^ or birdai He treated objects wbicli
re^i^ired ihd miaQteiless of Demier, with eqoai truth and
better judgment, in a style of energy and animated gran^^
d^iH* "which eppifiacbes to history. As » writer he is a^ an^
tbentic and fuibful as tiresome and prolix ; bot tboogfa be
lived m the iufaocy of the seienoe, the sim^e and constant
characteristics by which he distinguished the classes of the
g9nm% be represented and described, have not yet been
super^^ed by the complex and involred systems -of bus
sujQcessors. He died in 1759.*
AOSEN (Nicholas), an eminent phy«ieiali, wbescf
treatmeoi of Linnsens we have already noticed (see Lm^
VMU9f p. 3^7), was bom .Feb* I, 1706, at a village nestf
Gouenburgh, and was sent to the college of that place iii
171&. His father was a divine, and be was intended for
tlie same profession, bet gave a decided ptoferenoe to
medicine, which he stadied at Lund under. Kittian Stobielis^^
After residing four years >at this university be went tot
StOpkbolm^ and beeame to tor i» « noblenan^s family. Inr
1724^ when the assessor Martin died at Upsal,- Rosen be-u
cmmA Siibstikfite professor of physic ; bm before be toviif
upon .him. this office^ he made a toor thnmgb Gefmany^^
9mitZAfhadf France, and Holland, and took bis doeter'a
degree sut Harderwyk to 17 30. In the* spring' of the fot^
y^^g year he entered on his profossorship at Upsat^ be*
came member of the academy of sciences there, and wae^
reeeif ed a membev ef the royal eeademy of Haeckholm ifi>
1139, 1ft 1741^ be became ofdinary professor in room of
Rudbeek; ia 1757, be was created a knight of tlse order
of the pelaf star, and was. ennobled in l7S2,'9vbea<|ilee4
Loaiaa Ulriea gare him Use name of Reeenstein. He^
gaiaed great cmebrity 'as pli^eiao to the ncyyat feifeily of
Sweden, and receieed iiv 17M,, for his inoculation of -seme^
of.tbem for the ssnall pox, a reward of 100,000 rka doHare
from the abatea ef the kingdom. In hisr last tUnessv faia
•nissosity to . Limimfis was so subdised, tfaet be reipiested*
the medical asststaace oi that ceiebrated^ '-man; - He died"
Jujgrr jt ^K n'Z^^ The. academ^p srff Stockhokn atrdck^w eMdal^
Vol. XXVI. C q
S8$ ROSEIC
10 bis memorj, #idi tbe inscriptioD, '^ ^cdli ieeus intfe'*
Ubile nostri.** He bad a brptber, wbo was also eminent ai
ft pbysician and botanist; and in honoar ofbotb, Thtrtiberg
named a plant RoMcnin. .Dr. Nicholas Rosen's principal
works, wbtcb were all pobiisbed in the Swedish language,
are, ** A medical repository of Domestic Medicine,** 9^^*
lisbed by order of the queen dowager, Ice. ; *' A Treatis^
on tbe Diseases of Children,^' which has been translated inlet
German, English, Datcb, French, and Italian. He ton-*
tributed likewise several papers to the memoirs of the aca-^
demy of Stockholm.*
ROSINUS (John), in German Roszfeld, an able anti-
quary, was born at Eisenac in Thuringia about 1550. H^
was educated in the university of Jena ; in 1579, became
sob-rector of a school at Ratisbon ; and, afterwards was
chosen minister of a Lutheran church at Wickerstadt, in
the duchy of Weimar/ In 1592, he was invited to Naum^
burg in Saxony, to be preacher at the cathedral church j
and there continued till 1626, when he died of tbe plagu^
He was a very learned man, and the first who composed 8
body of Roman antiquities, entitled ^' Antiquitatum Roma^
oarum libri decern,** printed at Basil in 1585, folio. It
was at, first censured by some critics, but is ably defi^nded
by Fabricitts in his ^' Bibliographia Antiquaria.*' It went
through several editions ; tbe latter of which have larger
additions by Dempster. That of Amsterdam, 1 68 5, in 4to,
is printed with an Elzevir letter, upon a good paper, and
bas the following title : *' Joannis Rosiui Antiquitatum Roi'
manarum corpus . absoluttssimiun. Gum notis doetissimisr
ac locupletissimis Thoms Dempsteri J. C^ Huic postremte'
edxtioni accuratissimse accesserunt Pauli Manutii libri IL
de Legibus & de Senatu, cum Andress Scbotti Electts. 1«
De Priscis Romanis Gentibus ac Familiis. 2. DeTribubda
Rom. XXXV. Rdsticis atque Urbanis* 8« De iudis festbque-
Romanis ex Kalendario-Vetere. Cum Indieelocupletis*^
iimo, & sneis figuris accuratissimis/' His other works are^
<* Exempla pietatis illiistris, seu'vitse triomr Saxonies Du-*-
cum electorum, Frederici II. Sapientis; Joannis Constantif,
et JoMnis Frederici Magnanwit\^^ Jena, 1602, 4to; a cotf-
tinuation of ^ Drecbderi Chronicon^^* Leipsic, 1594, Svo^
<^ Anti^Turcica Lutberi,*' in German^ a collection of some
writings .of Luther of the prophetic kind, against the Turk^-
Leipsic, 1506, 8v6.*
& itoeT«r'8 Lifii of LiBD«as> p. ^O^^ffic^ HisU < Nicerdn, roLlKXU^.
% O S S. :»S7
. 'ftOSS> Jbt ROSSE (Alexander), a volominous autbo^
^f the seventeenth century^ was burn in ,1590 in Scotland;
mid became a divine, but left that country in Charles I.'s
reign, and was appointed one of his majescy^s cbaplainsy
and master of the free-scliool at Southampton* He died
in .1654, leaving a handsome bequest to the above school,
from which it is said he had retired for some time before
his death, and passed the remainder of hi» days in the fa-
mily of the Henleys of Hampshire, to whom he left a large
Ijbrary and a considerable sum of moneys part of which
was concealed among his books. Echard says <' he was a
busy^ various, and voluminous writer, who by his pen and
other ways mad^ a considerable noise and figure in these
times, and who so managed his aflPairi), that in the midst of
these storms, he died very rich, as appears from the several
benefactions he made.^* . We have a list before us of thirty
pieces by this author, but whether published separately,
each forming a volume, we know not. Most of them oc*
cur very seldom. Among them are some whose dates we
have recovered, but cannot vouch for the accuracy of the
list. 1. '^ Comment, de Terras motu refutatum,-' Lond»
JL634, 4to. 2. ^' The new Planet no Planet) or, tbe earth
no wandering star," ibid. 1640, 4to, reprinted in 1646.'
8. *< Virgtlius Evangelizans," ibid. 1634, 8vo». This is a
cento on the life of Christ, collected entirely from Virgil*-
Granger says it is ingenious, and was deservedly admired*
4. " Medicus medicatus, or, the physician's religion cured,**
ibid. 1645, 8vo. This was one of the pieces in which he
attacked the reputation of sir Thomas Browne in his^ *' Re*
ligio Medici/^ . We find him returning to the charge after*
wftrds in. a work entitled, 5. ^^ Refutation of Dr. Browne's
Vulgar Errors,'' ibid. 1653, 8vo. 6. <' Observations upon
^ir Kenelm Digby's Discourse on the nature of Bodies,"
ibid. 1645, 4to. 7. *^ The picture of the Conscience,*'
ibid. 1646, 12mo, 8. *< The Muses' Interpreter," ibid.
1646, 8vo. 9. ^^ Arcana Micrososmi,'' ibid. 1651 and
1653, 12mo and .8vo. ^ 10. ^^Observations upon Hobbes'a
Leviathan," ibid* 1653, 12mo. il» *^ Observations upon
air Walter Raleigh's History of the World," ibid. ISnao^
After this he published ** A Continiimtion" of that history,
which Granger calls his *^ great work ;" but adds, that iti»
like a piece of bad Gothic tacked to a magnificent pile of
Roman architecture, which serves to heighten the effect
mi it^ while it exposes its own deficiency ia strength juid
Cc 2
388 R O S &
beauty. 12* " An Epitome^' of the same history. iS.
** A View of all ReligionSy** the work far which he is best
known, and which has passed through various editions, the
sixth in 168S. It had the merit of being the first compilat-
tion x>f the kind in our language, and attained a great de-
gree of popularity. 1 4. ** Abridgment and translation of
John Wollebius^s Christian divinity," ibid. 1657, Svo. 15.
^^ Three Decades of Divine Meditations,** no date. Thia
is one of bis poetical works, and valued in the ** Bibtio*
theca Anglo-Poetica'* at 8/. Hs. 16. ^ Mel Hetieoniuni,
or. Poetical Honey gathered out of the weeds of Parnassus,
Ilc.*' ibid. 1642, 8vo. This, of which an account is given
by Mr. Park in the ** Cefisura Literaria/' h an attempt to
spirftualize the Greek and Roman mythology. In moral
and metre it resembles Quarles. Of the following works
we have no dates: ** De rebus Judaicis, libri quatuor,** in
hexameter verse ; " Rasura tonsoris,** prose ; " Chymera
Pythagoria;" *' Meditations upon Predestination;*' •♦Ques-
tions upon Genesis ;** <* Melissomachia ;*' ^ Four books of
Epigrams,*' in Latin elegiacs ; <* Mystagogus poeticus ;'*
**ColkKiuiaPlantina;** « Chronology,** in English ; *^ Cbris-
tiados poematis libri tredecim,*' with others^ which seem
of doubtful authority.'
ROSSI (John Victor), a learned Italian, who assumed
and is generally known by the name of Janus Nicius EftY^
THR£VS, was bom at Rome, of a noble, but not opulent
family, about 1577. He studied in the college of the Je-
suits, and before he was nineteen years of age had inada
such progress in the law, tfhat he was permitted to give
lessons or the subject* These were so much admired by a
. magistrate of emrnence, that he appoin t^d Rossi his auditor $
but as this gentleman died the same year, att bis' hopes
from his patronage were disappointed. The law, however^
still holding out the prospect of those honours to which he
aspired, he omitted no opportmiity of increasing his know^
ledge under the difection of Lepidus Piccolomtni, one of
the most famous lawyers of his time, and who advised him
to tvm pleader; but Piccolomini dying soon after, Rossi was
so discouraged by this second disap^nlmeiit liiat, as he
bad devoted himself to the study of the ia^ vath^r from
. ambition than Hiking, he bow determined to employ his
1 Ccni. Lit. vol. nr.-«ref's Ikidiliraf, wtefe h« it wUaie^ to in MfQ ncH*
-known lines: "There was an ancient philosopher, Who had rtad Alexaii4iW
Bmi oT«r**'^Lottiiser'ACoiiiDioa-ptacie Book, ^tfl* Ml.i-Ofaa|er, t>»l. 1I|«
R O 8 S I. 389
time in the uttidy of jibe bdlea leitres. ; With tbii view he
became a member of the academy of the Umoristi, where
he read several o{ his compositions, the style of which waa
Sft much admired by Marcel Vestri, secretary of the briefs
to pope Paul V.y that he invited Rossi to his house^ to as-
sist in drawing up thie briefs, and with a view that he shoul4
be his successor in case of himself rising to higher prefer-*
QAjent. ,Rossi soon made himself useful in this office, but
unfortunately Vestri died in about eight months, and Rossi
was again left unemployed. Many expedients he tried>.
and made many applications, but without success, and his
only consolation, we are told, he derived from his vanity,
which suggested to him, that persons in office would not
employ faim> from a consciousness of their inferiority to him,
Aud a jealousy of bis supplanting them. It appears, how-*
<9ver, that a certain satirical and arrogant temper was more
to blame ; for this was what he could not easily repress.
. At length, in 1608, when he was in his thirty-first year,
the cardinal Andrew Peretti look him into his service, at
secretary, and with him he lived near twenty years, that
is, until the cardinal's death, in 162*8, Rossi tells us in
one of his letters that he accepted this situation much
against his will, and- remained in it only because he could
obtain no other ; and complains of tlie little care the car-*
dinal took to promote his dependents, and his general want
of liberality towards them. His residence here, however,
a|>pears to have cured him of all bis ambitiop, and be re«
aolved for the future to devote himself to study only. From
this time accordingly, he was employed in perusing the
.scriptures and the fathers, and in the composition of his
various works ; and that be might be enabled to enjoy all
this in quiet, he went to a retired part of Rome, where he
afterwards built a small church dedicated to St. Mary. In
some of bis works he styles himself a Roman citizen, and a
commissary of the water of Marana; but, according to one
of bia letters to Fabio Cbigi, afterwards pope Alexander
^11,, he neither' knew what the duty of that office was,
what this water of Marana was, where it came from, whi-
iber it flowed, or what benefit, the people of Rome derived
from it, except that he had been told it turned some mills.
There was, however, an annual salary annexed^ which he
found not incoavenient. He died Nov. 15, 1647, and wai
interred in the church which he built for the use of the
hermits of the congregation of Peter of Pisa, whom alsa he
made his heirs.
»90 K O S S K
His firsi publication is'entitled '^ Endeniib libri Decern/'
Cologne (Leyden), 1645. To this, which is a bitter satire
on the corrupt ma:4iners of the Romans, he prefixed his as*
sumed name of Janus Nicius Erythrseus. His other work»
consist of '* Dialogues,*' religious tracts, orations, and let^
ters; but that for which he is most known is his ** Pinaco**
theca imaginum illustrinm doctrine Tel ingenii laude vjro-
rum, qui auctore superstite diem suum obierunt,*' in thre^
parts, Cologn, 1643 — 1648, reprinted at Leipsic in 1692,
and in 1729. As containing many particulars of contem-
porary history, this is a work necessary to be consulted^
but it contains more opinions than facts, and bis criticisms
are often injudicious.*
ROSTGAARD (Frederick), a learned Dane, was born-
Aug. 30, 1671, at Kraagerop, a country seat belonging to
bis father, whose heir he became in 1 684. Great care was
taken of bis education by his guardians, and after studying^
some time at the university of Copenhagen, it was reoom«*
mended to Kim to visit other universities, where eminent
professors were to be found. He accordingly set out in
1690, and spent ten years in extending his knowledge of
the belles lettres, civil law, &c. and had for his masters
Mprhof, Grscvius, Gronovius, &c. While at Leyden in
169:iy he published *< Delicise quorundam poetarum Dano«t
rum," 2 vols. 12mo. He passed a considerable time in
England, particularly at Oxford, for the sake of the M9,
treasures in the Bodleian library, and employed himself
much in reading and copying Greek MSS; He afterwards
continued the same researches among the libraries of Pa-
ris, where he resided for four years, and applied with ar*
dour to the study of the oriental languages. Among the
MSS. which he copied in Paris, were the letters of the ce-
lebrated sophist Libanius, a good number of which he had
also found in England, and communicated these for Wolffs
edition of that author, published at Amsterdam in 1739.
Both in France and Italy, which he next visited, he made
large purchases of valuable MSS. On his return home in
1700, the king made him counsellor of justice, and keeper
of the private archives. In 17)0 he was made counsellor
of state, and, some years after, justiciary of the supreme
tribunal. In 1721 he was appointed first secretary of the
Danish chancery, but lost this office in 1725 by the maw
^ NiccroB, vol XXXIII.-- $aiU«t Jngemeiui.
R O S T O A A E D. 3dt
sdimatfons of flome ieoemie^ who were jealous of bis
'favour at court. Being now obliged to leave Copenbageliy
he sold his fine library, reserving only a few useful books
.svbich might divert his time during his . retirement. This
Jibrary contained about 5000 printed books, and 1068 ma»
iinscripts, as appears by the sale catalogue published at
Copenhagen in 1726. His disgrace, however, did not last
Jong. Having ^ectually cleared up his character, the
king, Frederick IV. outde hini^ in 17279 baillie of Anders
^kow, which post he retained until 1730. He then retired
to his estate at Kraagerop, and employed his time iii study.
He was about to put the finishing hand to his *^ Lexicon*
iinguse Danicse/* when he died suddenly April 26, 1745.
He was editor of the works of Andrew Bordiogius^ a muck
esteemed Danish poet, which were published in 1735, 410^
and had the principal hand in the '^ Enchiridion studiosi^
Arabice conscriptum a Borhaueddino Alzernouchi, &c.'*
published by Adrian Reland at Utrecht in 1710. He as^
sisted in other learned works, particularly Duker^is Thucy^
elides.'
ROSWEIDE <HEitiBERt), a learned eeclesiastieat antU
quary, was born at Utrecht in 1569, and entered the so^
ciety of the Jesuits at Doway in Flanders, when he was
twenty years of age. His tMe led bim to examine ih6
libraries of the monasteries in that city^ until he was called
to be professor of philosophy and divioity, first at Doway,
«nd afterwards at Antwerp, where he attained very consi«
derable reputation. He died in 1629, at the age of sixty^
He published, in 1607, '^ Fasti Sanctorum quorum Vita» in
Belgicis Bibliotbecis Manuscriptss asservantur,** which he
intended as a specimen of a larger work, and which was-
the prelude of the immense collection by Bollandus and
others, under the title of <^ Acta Sanctorum/' He was
author of many other works, aaiong which is ^* An Account
of the Hermits of Egypt and Palestine/'/* An Ecclesiastical
History from the time of Christ to pope Urban VIIJ.'* %
vols, folio ; and ** The History of the Belgic Church/' In'
none of these 4id he ever rue above the prejudices of his
order, but shewed himself the zealous advocate of super*-
stitioii and credulity, while he treated those who differed
from him with very little respect.'
. ROTGANS (Luke), a vecy celebrated Dutch poet, was
born Oct. 1645, of a distinguished family at Amsterdam*
1 l^ortfri. I Barmao Traject* £rudit.«rAlesanibe»— Poppen BibL BeJf •
I
392 R O T G A M 8.
He went into t&c arniy during tbe Datcb vnt in 167d ; hnt
having served two jeurs, retired to a beautiful countjry
house he had on tbe Vecfat, and devoted himtelf wholly to
atudy and poetrj. He afterwards took a journey to Parist
Mi$d ou his return home married Ann Adrianna de Salingre,
who left htiu a widower with two daughters in 1689. He
died cf tbe small- pox Nov. S, 1710, aged sixty-six. His
works are, " The Life of William III,'* king of England ;
an epic poem in eight books, much admired by bis coud*'
Itrjrmen; and several 'other poems in Dutch, Lewarden,
1715, 4to. Rotgans, Vondel, and Antonides^ are the
three most celebrated Dutch poets.'
ROTROU (John DB), a celebrated French poet, was
hotn August 21, 1609, at Dreux. Tbe merit of bis come.*
dms And tragedies gained the favour of cardinal de Richer
iieu» who gave him a pension ; and what was a higher ho«
Hour, the famous Peter Corneille called him bis father in tnu
gedy, and highly valued his works. It is said that Rotroi|
lived at s, great expence, and when be was distressed for
money, could compose a piece in two months. He pur<»
chased a civil office, in the bailiwic of Dreux, and held it
till his death, which happened at Dreux, June 28, 1650*
This author left thirty-seven dramatic pieces, among which
^* Antigone,'* and ** Venceslas/* are tbe most esteemed*
Tbe best oiF them may be found in the *< Theatre 1 rao.^
Soia," Paris, 1737, 12 vols. 12mo; but it is very di65cul|
to procvre a complete set of his works. When all tbe poeta
combined against the ** Cid,'* Rotrou alone refused to hu««
laonr eaitdtnal Richeiieu^s jealousy, though he received ^
pension of 600 Kvres from him, and coiitihued always the
anlmirer end aealons parti2an of Corneille. When settled
at Drena^ he gained the esteem of the whole province by^
hia integrity, prudent c<tnduct, and piety. That citjp
being visited fay an epidemical disorder, his friends at Pana
pressed him in the most earnest manner to quit so dange*
it>us a situation^ and save his life ; * but he replied, that he
oould Dot answer it to his conscience to follow their advice,^
because he was the only person who could keep things in:
any order at that time, ending his letter with the . following
words : ^' Not but that the hazard I run is very great, for
while I write the bells are tollitig for the twenty^secoad.
person who hats died this day. They will toll for me when
> Morer'u— Dlat Hitt.
VR O T R O U. 3«
it piemses God.*^ He was attacked himself some days afeer^
«iid died) as the French biographers expreiss themselres^
with the most fervent sentiments of religion and piety^ *
ROUB ILIAC (Lewis-Francis), a very eminent sculp«-
tor, was a native of Lyons in France ; but of his early his^
tory no memoirs have been discovered* He appears to
have come to England, about the time that Rysbrach^a
fame was at its height, and became a very formidable rival
lx> that estcellent artist, who had at the same time to con<^
tend with the growing merit of Scheemaker. Roubiliae
is said, however, to have had little business tintil sie £d^
^ard Walpole recommended him to execute half the bustt
«t Trinity -^college, Dublin; and, by the same patron*i
int^est, he was employed on the fine monument of tha
general John duke of Argyle, in Westminster-abbey, omn
which the statue of eloquence is particularly graceful and
masterly ; but it has been thought that his fame was most
(Completely fixed by his statue of Handel in VauxhaiU
gardens. Tw6 of his principal works are the monuments
^f the duke and duchess of Montague in Northampton^
fifaire, well performed^ and magnificent, although perhapa
wanting in simplicity. His statue of Georgel. in the Se^
nate^house at Cambridge, is well executed ; as is that of
their chancellor, Charles duke of Somerset, except that in
is in a Vandyke-dress, which might not be the fault of the
sculptor. His statue of sir Isaac Newton, in the chapel of
Trinity*college, has always been greatly admired; but
lord Orford objects, that the air is a little too pert for S(»
grave a man. This able artist died Jan. 11, 1762, and
was buried in the parish of St. Martin's in the Fields, wbere^
he had lived,
Mr. Scott of Crown-street, Westminster, had a sketch
ef Roubitiac's head, in oil, by himself, which be painted
A little before his death. The late Edward Bridgen, esq.
had an excellent model of a monument for genei^al Wolfeji
by Roubiliac, which was his. last work, and was intended to
have, been executed in marble for Westminster-abbey. The
design is said to have been far preferable to that now in the*
abbey. Lord Chesterfield used to assert, that Roubiliac
only was a statuary, and all the rest were stone'«cutter9.-
Iloubiliac bad a turn fpr poetry, and wrote «ome satires in
French ^nerse.^
» M<>reri,— Diet. Hift. '
* Walpol€*s Aaecau«s.--^ent. Mag. tol. LIIl. and LVIH
i9^ R O U &
ROUS, or ROUSE (Francis), a very conspicuous cha^'
yacter during the republican state of England^ descended
' from an ancient family in Devonshire, was the yodnger son
x>f sir Anthony Rous, knight, by EHzabeth, his.fifst wife,
daughter of Thomas Southcote, gent. He was born al:
Halton, in Cornwall, in 157D, and entered a commoner
A>f Broadgate*hall, now Pembroke*college, Oxford, where
be took a bachelor^s degree in arts. He afterwards studied
the law, and there is a report that he took orders, and
preached at Saltash ; but for this there was probably no
other foundation than what bis works afforded, which would
not have disgraced many of the divines of that period. It
is evident that be bad studied religious controversy witd
inore attention than laymen usually bestow on such subr
jecis. His destination, however, was to make a 6gure in
Eolitical history. In the first parliament called by Charles L
e was returned for Trurot in Cornwall, for Tregony in th©
third, and for Truro again in the 15th and 16th of that
reign ; in all which he proved one of the most zealpus ene-r
inies to the established church, and a vehement dedaimer
•gainst what he termed innovations and abuses both iq
church and state, and particularly against Arminianism^
which was also the subject of some of his works. Ijle was
one of the few laymen appointed by the Commons to sit iii
the Assembly of Divines at Westminster. In the parlia-^
ment called in 1653^ he was one of the representatives foe
Devonshire, and at that time was first chosen chairman,
and then speaker for a month ; but continued^ during the
whole sitting, to forward CromwelPs plans. . He procured
a vote, that Cromwell, Lambert, Harrison, DisbrowOf and
Tomlinson, should sit in that house as members.; and after**
wards proposed, that the parliament should resign the go-
vertment into CromwelPs hands, with the title of Protector.
His original intention was to form the English common^
wealth after the model of the Jewish ^ but as a theocracy
was rejected, he made the above proposal in favour of
Cromwell, whom he affected to look upon as a compound
of the characters of Moses and Joshua, In gratitude for
this, he was declared one of his highnesses privy* council,
In 1656, he was returned one of the members for Corur
wall ; and in the year following was seated in the House of ,
Lords. He had been made provost of Eton in 1643, and ^
had a college-lease, which together were worth 12004. per ]
annum. He died at Acton^ n^ar LondoQ| Jan. 7, 1659,
ROUS. 39S
f
ftVid was buried with great pomp at Eton^ and a standard--
pennon, with other things relating to abaron, were erected
over bis grave) hot these were taken away at the Restora<t
tion. We have omitted to notice, that be was principal
trier and approver of public preachers, and a commissioner^
for the ejectment of *' scandalous and ignorant ministers.**
He founded three fellowships in Pembroke college, and^
bequeathed other property to pious uses. Lord Clarendon
and other contemporaries undervalue his abilities, which'
certainly did not appear to much advantage in parliamenn,
where his speeches were rode, vulgar, and enthusiastic, ^
both in style and sentiment, yet perhaps not the worse
adapted to the understandings of his hearers. Wood hat
given a long catalogue of his writings, the principal of
which relating to subjects of religious controversy, or ge*
neral piety, were collected in a folio printed at London
in 1657, under the title of ''The Works of Francis Rous,
esq. or treatises and meditations dedicated to the saints,
and to the excellent throughout the three nations^" Thia
has Faithome's fine print from the picture in Pembroke
college. He published also, a tract, '' The Lawfulness of
obeying the present Government,** 1649, 4to. and ''Mella
Patrum,'* a thick octavo, 1650^ containing what may be
termed the beauties of the fathers of the first three centu^
ries; <' Interiora regni Dei/' 1665, 12mo, and a transla*
tion of the Psalms into English metre, printed in 1645, by
order of the House of Commons. His son Francis was a
^onng physician of great talents, but died early in life in
J643« When at Merton college, be was distinguished for
classical attainments, and published a work on Greek anti*
quities, ''Archteologise Atticae libri tres,'* Oxon. 1637,'
which Wood says went through several impressions,^
ROUSE, or ROSS (John), usually called the antiquary
of Warwick, was born in that town, and educated there
until fit for the university. He then went to Oxford, and
studied at Baliol college, where he took his master's de« .
gree in arts, and became soon afterwards a canon of Os*
ney. English antiquities became early his favourite pur«
suit, and he had all the zeal, if not all the judgment of a
irue antiquary. Besides examining closely into the written
records in both universities, he travelled over the greater
« Atb. Ov;to1. it — Nobl«'f Memoin^f Crsoiwelly to1# L p. 400.— Iiytam*t
ll^Tisooi,.voUlJf»»Gnu;^er, vol. Hit
99€ llO US E.
part of the kingdom to acquire inform'atioil on the spot
where memorable events occurred, or any memorials were
preserved. He then took up his residence at Gay*C1iffe
in Warwickshire, where he had a possession granted him
either by the earls of Warwick or by Edward IV, and died
Jan. 14, 1491. He wrote much on the civil and ecclesias-
tical antiquities of Warwick, and a history of our king«,
which is extant in the Cotton library, and that of Bene't
college, Cambridge, and was published by Hearne in 1716.
In this are many collections relative to the antiquities of
our universities. There is a noble MS. of his history of
the earls of Warwick in the Bodleian library, with drawings
of the seveValearis, their coats of arms, &c. '
KOUSSEAU (James), a distinguished French painter,
was born at Paris in 1630. His first studies were under
the direction of Swanefelt, but he afterwards visited Italy,-
and accomplished himself in architecture, perspective, and
landscape. On his return to Paris he immediately ob-».
tained eminence, and was employed at Marly. He was
truly accomplished in painting edifices from his minute
attrition to the principles of architecture. After being
patronized by Louis XIV. he was compelled to leave his
native country on account of his religion, being a strict
protestant. Rousseau afterwards visited Holland, whence
he was invited to England by the duke of Montague, to
exert his talents on the magnificent palace at Bloorosbury^
now the British museum. Here he painted a great deal;
and many of his works are also to be seen at Hampton-
Court. He died in England in 1694, and was buried in
St. Anne's, Sobo.
In the choice of bis scenes he shews remarkable elegance
of taste ; bis grounds are well broken, his distances welU;
conducted, his skies finely imagined, as well as judiciously
adapted, and there appears great harmony in most of his.
compositions* He ornamented his landscapes with edifices
and ruii>s, in the Roman taste of arcbitetture, after the
manner of Poussin ; his figures were placed in such per*
spective proportions as deluded the eye agreeably to .the
proper point of sight ; and in his architecture we see ele*
gance of fancy united with nature and truth.
The pictures of this master are not frequently to be pur-
chased ; and when they are> their estimation is high. He
> TaDQer.-*Lelaiid and Pits.^-Nicolfoiff Bitt. Ubtvf.
R O U S S E A IT. zn
^ man of probity, piety, and beneirolei^ce ; and at bis
4eath he bequeathed the greatest part of his substance to
relieve those in England wbo^ like himself, were refugees
on account of the Freech persecution. ^
ROUSSEAU (John Baftibt), a celebrated French poet^
was born at Paris '\n 1669 : he was the son of a shoe-maker,
who, however, being a man of substance, gave him a good
education ; and Rousseau soon shewed himself worthy of
Hi He diseovered early a turn for poetry ; and, at twenty,
was distinguished for some little productions, full of ele«
gance, taste, and spirit. In 1688 he attended M. de Bon-
repos as page in bis embassy to the court of Denmark ; and
passed thence to England vrith marshal Tallard in quality
of secretary. Yet, be had so little of avarice and ambiiioti
in his nature, that he never conceived the notion of ma-*
king a fortune ; and actually refused some places which bit
friends bad procured for him. In 1701 he was admitted
into the academy of inacriptions and belles lettrcs. He
bad now obtained the reputation of a poet of the first rank,
expected a place in the French academy, and was in bopea
of obtaining Boileau's pension, which was about to be va-
cant, when an affair broke out which obliged him to quit
bis country, and embittered his whole life afterwards*
Some * verses full of reflections, and of a very exceptionable
nature, were produced as Rousseau's. Rousseau denied
that they were his, and nmintained them to be forgeries,
contrived for his rain by those who envied and bated him.
He was tried in form ; and, by aa arrest of parliament in
17 12, banished the kingdom for ever. Voltaire,, who cer-
tainly has not shewn himself well affected to this poet, yet
expresaes himself thus upon the affair of his banishment:
^'^ Those couplets, which ware the cause of bis banishment,
and are like several which he owned, must either be im-^
pated to him, or tbe two tribunals, wliich pronounced
sentence upon him, must be dtsboooured* Not that two
tribunals, and even more munerons bodies, may not unani-
muMisly conunit very great acts of injustice when a spirit of
party prevails. There was a violent party against IlouSf^
aeaa.*' The truth, however, is^ that Ronsseau was the
author, although he denied it, and the probability is, that-
the tiibunal before which he was tried had proof of this ;
such at least seems, to be tbe opinion «i>f most French writers.
I
1 PiikiiiStoii;— Wal^lt*t AoecdAtcff.— Stmtt'f Dictiowirr* *
»& no u a s E A u-
He liow withdrew to Switeerland, where he found a jmM
lector in the count de Luc, the French ambassador to the
Helvetic body ; who carried him to Baden> and introduced
bim to prince Eugene, who was there. He continued with
the prince till the conclusion of the peace at Baden ; and
then accompanying bim to Vienna, wa9 introduced by him
to the emperor'a court. He continued here three years, a$
the end of which he might have returned to his own couu"
try, some jpowerful friends offering to procure letters of
grace for recalling him ; but he answered, ^* that it did not
become a man, unjustly oppressed, to seal an ignominious
sentence by accepting such terms ^ and that letters of grace
might do well enough for those that wanted them, but cer«
tainly not for him who only desired justice/* He was af*
terwards at Brussels, and in 1721 went over to London^
where he printed, in a very elegant manner, a collectioa
of his poems, in 2 vols« 4to. The profits hence arising
put his finances into good condition; but, placing bis mo-
ney with the emperor*» company at Ostendy* which failed
soon after, he w^ reduced to the necesMty of relying upow
private benefactions. The duke of Aremberg gave him the
privilege of his table at Bhissels ; and, when ibis noble«
man was obliged to go to the army in Germainy in 173^3, he
settled on him a handsome pension, and assigned bim an
apartment in his castle of Eugtiien near Brussels. Rous**
seau, losing afterwards the good graces of tbe duke of
Aremberg, as be had before lost those of prince Eugene^
for he does not seem to have been happily formed for de-*
pendence, listened at length to proposals of returning to
France, and for that purpose went incognito to Paris ie
1739. He stayed there some little time ; but, finding hia
affairs in no promising train, set out for Brussels* He con«»
tinued some time at tbe Hague, where he was seized witb
an apoplexy ; but recovered so far as to be removed to Brus«
sels, .where be finished his unfortunate life, March 17, 174i«
He now declared upon his death- bed, as he bad declared
to RoUin at Paris a little, before, that he was not tbe au<<
thor of the'verses which occasioned his banishment.
His executor, conformably to his intentions, gave ft
complete and beautiful edition of bis works at Paris, 1743^
in 3 vols. 4to, and a)so in 4 vols* 12mo. They contain
odes, epistles, epigrams, and comedies, in verse ; . and ft
collection of letters, in prose ; and have procured him the
eharacter of the Aiest lyric poet of France* Voltaire^ who
R O U S S E A IX t99
U not tiippoiied to have done justice to Rousseau, owns, how-
ever, that *^ his odes are beautiful, diversified, and abound
with images ; that, in bis hymns, be equals the harmony
and devotion observable in the spiritual songs of Racine ;
and that his epigran)s are finished with greater care than
those of Marot. He was not," continues the critic, ^ so
successful in operas, which require sensibility ; nor in co-
medies, which cannec succeed without gaiety. In both
these qualities he was deficient; and therefore' failed in
operas and comedies, as being foreign to bis geniiis.*' ^
ROUSSEAU (JOHK Jame$), an eccentric genius of our
own times, has enabled us to give an account of him by si
publication which himself left behind him, under the title
of *' Les Confessions de J. J. Rousseau, suivies des Reveries
dtt Promeneur SoKtaire," Geneve, 1783, 2 volumes, 8vo.
He was born at Geneva in 1711; his parents were, Isaac
Rousseau, an ingenious watch»maker, and Susannah Ber-
nard, the daughter of a clergyman, who was more rich than
her husband (he having fifteen brothers and sisters). She
had also wisdom and beauty, so that she was no easy prize ;
but a love, which commenced in their childhood, at Ibngth,
after many difficulties, produced a happy marriage. And
at the same time his mother's brother, Gabriel, an engi-
neer, married one of his father's sisters. After the birth
of one son, his father went to Constantinople, and was
watch-maker to the seraglio ; and ten months after his re*
turn our author was born, infirm and sickly, and cost his
mother her life. The sensibility which was all that his
parents left him, constituted (he says) their happiness, but
occasioned all his misfortunes. He was *^ born almost dy*
ing," but was preserved and reared by the tenderness of ail
knut (his father's sister). He remembers not how he learned
to read, but only recollects that his first studies were some
romances left by bis mother, which engaged his father, as
well as himself, whole nights, and gave him a very early
knowledge of the passions, and also wild and romantic
notions of human life.' The romances ended with the sum-
mer of 1719. Better books succeeded, furnished by the
library of his mother's father, viz. ** Le Sueur's History of
the Church and the Empire ;"»'< Bossuet's Discourses on
Universal History;" " Plutarch's Lives;*' *• Nani's History
•f Venice ;" " Ovid's Metamorphoses ;'* " La Bruyere -/^
} MoftrL— Diet. HUtw«.VolUim*i Siecls de Louii XIV.
409 JtOUSflEAU.
f' Fontendi«*i Worldi, and Dialogue* of the Dead ;'^ cnJ
ftoine volumes of ** MoKere/' Of these ^' Plotircli'* wae
bU favourite; and be soon preferred Agesilaus, Brntua^
and Aristidesy to Oroondates, Artamenes, and «^tibfi> and
to tliese livesi and tbe convenationa that tbey occasioned
with his father, he imputes that free and republican s|Mrit^
that fierce and intractable character, which ever after wae
bis torment. His brother, who was seven years older, and
foilowed his fatber^s basiness, being neglected in his edii«
catipn, behaved so ill, and was so incorrigible, that be fled
into Germany, and was never beard of afterwards. On the
contrary, the utmost attention was bestowed on John Janes^
and he was almost idolized by all. Yet be bad (be owns)
all the faults of bis age ; he was a prater, a glutton, and
sometimes a liar ; be stole fruity sweetmeats, and victuals ^
but he never delighted in being mischievous or waslefaU iii
accusing others, or in tormenting poor animals. He xe«»
lates, however, an indelicate trick be played one Madame
Clot while she was at prayers, which still, lie says^ direrts
him, because '^ she was tbe most fretful old woman be* eire#
knewi' His *^ taste, or rather passion, for music*' be owed
to his aunt Susan, who sang most sweetly ;^ and he pamta
ber in most pleasing colours. A dispute, whiob bis faftber
bad with a French captain obliging him to quit (jenen^
our author was left under tbe care of bia nnde Bernard, then
employed on the fortifications, who having a soe of ibm
same age, these cousins were boarded together at Bosaeyr^
at M. Lambercier's, a clergyman, to learn Latin^ and etber
branches of educsition* In this viUoge be pasaed swo. bap<«
py years, and formed an afiectiotiate friendship wkk hia
cousin Bernard/ A slight offence, tbe breaking tbe tfeeth
of a comb,' with which be was charged, but denied it, aftd
of which now, &fty years after, be avows bis innocenee^ but
for which he was severely punished, and alike cltasatae^
ment, wbicb, for a like offence, was also unjustly inftieted
oh his cousin, gave both at last a distaste for this paradise^
and great pleasure in being removed from it Tbia iaeii^
dent made a deep and lasting impression upon bim, as did
another about planting a willow and a walnot tree, forwbicll
we must refer to bis own account At bis return to Ctnt^
va be continued two or three years with bk uncle, losing
bis time, it not being determined whether he sboald be »
watch-maker, an attorney, or a minister. To the last be
was most inclined, but that the small remains of his mo>*
B O U S S E A; a 4X>i
tfaer^f fortune would not admit Iq the mean time! he leicn*^
ed to draw, for which he had a taste, and read ^^ Euclid's
Elements" with his cousin. Thus they led an idle, but not
a vicious life, making cages, flutes, shuttle-cocks, drums,
houses, cross'^bows, and puppets, imitating t^iinch^ jaiciing
plays, and at last making sermons. He often visited bis
father^ who was then settled at Mion, a small town, in the
country of Vaud^ and there he 'recounts two amours (as
he calls them) that he had, at the age of eleven, with two
grown misses, whom he archly, describes. At last be
was placed with M. Massiron, register of the city, to
learn his business ; but, being . by him soon dismissed
for his stupidity^ he was bound apprentice, not, how-
ever, to a watch-maker, but to an engraver, a. brutal
vnretch, who not only treated him most inhumanly, but
taught him to lie, to be idle, ^nd to steal.; Of the latter
he gives some instances. In. his sixteenth year, having
twice on a Sunday been lockedout of the cityrgates, and
being severely threatened by bis master if he stayed out a
third time, by an unlucky circumstance, this event happen-
ing, he swore never to return again, sending word privately
to his cousin Bernard of what he proposed, and where be
might once more see him ; which be did, not. to dissuade
him,, but to make him some presents. They stben parted
with tears, but never met or corresponded more, ^^ which
was a pity, as they were.made to love each other." . After
making some reflections on what would have been his fate
if he had fallen into the bands of a better master, he in-'^
forms us that at Consignon, in Savoy, two leagues from Ge-
neva, be had the curiosity to see the rector^ M. de Pontverre^
a name famous in their history, and accordingly.went.to visit
bim^and was well received,^nd regaled with sucba good din-
neras prevented his replying to his host^s arguments in favour
of holy mother Church, and against the heresy pf Geneva.
Instead of sending him back to his family, this devout
priest endeavoured to coiwert him, and recommended him
to mad. de Warens, a good charitable lady, lately corir
verted, at Annecy^ who bad quitted her husband, her fa-
mily, her country, and her religion, for a pension of 150Q
Piedmontese livres, allowed her by the King of Sardinia.
He arrived at Annecy on Palm-Sunday^ 1728 ; apd saw ma-
dam, de Warens. This epoch of his life determined bis
character. He was then in the middle of his 16th year;
khough not handsome, he was well n^de, bad black hair.
Vol. XXVI. Do
«M R O U S 8 B A a
and small tparUing eyeSf &o. charMs, of wbicb* iuilac%ilyt
he waa not unconscious. The lady too, who waa tbea 2%
be describes as bewg highly agrewble and engaging^ and
having many personal charms^ aiihougb her size was smalli
and her stature short. Being ^Id she was just gone lo the
Cordeliers church, he overtook her at the door, was sla^wlf
with her appearance, so different from that of the. old
crabbed devotee which he bad imagined, and was iostautly
proselyted to her religion. He gave her a letter from M.
de Pontverre, to which be added one of his own. She
glanced at the former, but read the latter^ and would have
read it again, if her servant had not reminded her of ita
being churoh*time* She then bade John Jam^ go to her
house, ask for some breakfast, ^nd wait her return ficom
mass. Her accomplishments he paints in brilliant colours ;
considers her as a good Catholic; and, in shorty at fisst
sight, was inspired by her with the strongest attachment,
and the utmost confidence. She kept him to dinner, and
then inquiring his circumstances, urged him to go to
Turin, where, in a seminary for the inttruction of catechu*
mens, he might be maintained till his conversion wsas ao*
complished ; and engaged also to prevail on M. de Bernet,
the titular bishop of Geneva, to contribute largely to the
ezpence of bis journey. This promise she performed. He
gave his consent, being desirous, of seeing the capital, and
of climbing the Alps. She also reinforcw his purse, gave
him privately ample instructions ; and, entrusting him to
the care of a countryman and his wife, they parted on Asb^
Wednesday. The day after, his Esther came in quest of
him, accompanied by his friend M. Rixal, a watch-maker,
like himself, and a good poet. They visited madam de
Warens, hot only lamented with her, instead of pursuing
and overtaking him, which they might, they being on
horseback, and he on foot. His brother had been lost by
a like negligence. Having some independent fortune
from their mother, it seemed as if their father connived* at
their flight in order to secure it to himself, an idea which
gave our author great uneasiness. After a pleasant journey
with his two companions, be arrived at Turin, but without
money, cloaths, or linen. His letters of recommendation
admitted him into the seminary ; a course of life, and a
mode of instruction, with which he was soon disgusted. In
two months, however, be made his abjuration, was baptiaed
at the cathedral, absolved of heresy by the inquisitor^ and
.ROUSSEAU. 403
then dismissed, with about 20 liyres in bis pocket ; thus, at
once, made an apostate and a dupe^ with all his hopes in
an instant annulled. After traversing the streets, and
viewing the buildings, he took at night a mean lodging,
where he continued some days. To the king's chapel, in
particular, be was frequently allured by his taste for music,
w^ich, then began to discover itself. His purse, at last,
being almost exhausted, he looked out for employment,
and at last found it, as an engraver of plate, by means of a
young woman, madame Basile, whose husband, a gold-
smitb, was abroad, and had left her under the care of a
clerk, or an iEgiathus, as Rousseau styles him. Nothing, he
declares, but what was innocent, passed betwixt him and
this lady, though her charms made great impression on
him ; and soon after, her husband returning, and finding
him at dinner with her confessor, the clerk, &e. immedi-
ately dismissed him the house. His landlady, a soldier's wife^
after this procured him the place of footman to the countess
dowager of VercuUis, whose livery he wore ; but his busi-
ness was to write the letters which she dictated, a cancer
in her breast preventing her writing them herself; letters,
he says, equal to those of madam de Sevign^. This service
terminated, in three months, with his lady's death, who left
iifim nothing, though she had great curiosity to know his
history, and to read bis letters to madam de Warens. He
saw her expire with many tears — her life having been that
of a woman of wit and sense, her death being that of a
sage.^ Her heir and nephew, the count de la Roque,
gave him 30 livres and his newcloaths; but, on leaving
this service, he committed, he owns, a diabolical action, by
falsely, accusing Marion, the cook, of giving him a rose-
coloured silver ribbon belonging to one of the chamber-
maids, which was found upon him, and which he himself
bad stolen. This crime, which was an insupportable load
on his conscience, he says, all his life after, and which be
never avowed before, not even to Madam de Warens, was
one principal inducement to his writing his ** Confessions,"
and he hopes, <^ has been expiated by his subsequent mis^
fortunes, and by forty years of rectitude and honour in the
mosrt difficult situations.'* On leaving this service^ he re*
turned to his lodgings, and, among other acquaintances
that he had made, often visited M. Gaime, a Savoyard Mb6^
the original of the ** Savoyard Vicar,'* to whose virtnout
and religious instructions^ he professe»s the highest obliga-*
DD 2
404 ROUSSEAU.
tions. The count de la Roqae, thoagb he neglected to call
upon him, procured him, however, a place with the count
de GouTon, an eqaerry to the queen, where he lived moch
at his ease, and out of livery. Though happy in this fa-
mily, being favoured by all, frequently waiting on the
count's beautiful grand -daughter, honoured with lessons by
the abb6, his younger sou, and having reason to expect an
establishment in the train of his eldest son, ambassador to
Venice, he absurdly relinquished all this by obliging the
count lo dbmiss him for his attachment to one of his coun-
trymen, named Bacle, who inveigled him to accompany
him in his way back to Geneva ; and an artificial fountain,
which the abM de Gouvon had given him, helped, as their
purse was light, to maintain them till it broke. At Auuecy
he parted with his companion, and hastened to madam de
Warens, who, instead of reproaching, lodged him in her
best chamber, and ** Little One*' (Petit) was his name, and
^* Mama** hers. There he lived most happily and inno-
cently, he declares, till a relation of ** Mama,*' a M. d*Au-
bonne, suggested that Johu*James was fit fot nothing but
the priesthood, but first advised his completing his educa*
tion by learning Latin. To this the bishop not only con-
sented, but gave him a pension. Reluctantly he obeyed^
carrying to the seminary of St. Lazarus no book but Cle*
rambault*s cantatas, learning nothing there but one of his
airs, and therefore being soon dismissed for his insuffici-
ency. Yet madam de Warens did not abandon him. His
taste for music then made them think of his being a musi-
cian, and boarding for that purpose with M. le Maitre, the
organist of the cathedral, who lived near ** Mama,** and
presided at her weekly concerts. There he continued for
a year, but his passion for her prevented his learning even
music. Le Maitre, disgusted with the Chapter, and de-
termined to leave them, was accompanied in his flight, as
iar as Lyons, by John- James; but, being subject to fits,
and attacked by one of them in the streets, he was deserted
in distress by his Pithless friend, who turned the cornei^
and left him. This ia his third painful *< Confession.** He
instantly returned to Annecy and *< Mama ; but she, alals !
was gone to Paris. After this, be informs us of the many
girls that were enamoured of him : of his^ journey with one
of them, OQ foot, to Fribourg ; of his visiting his father, in
his way, at Nion ; and of bis great distress at Lausanne,
which reduced him to the Expedient of teaching music.
ROUSSEAU. 405
4
which he knew not, saying he was of Paris, where he had
never been, and changing his name to Voussore, the ana^
f^ram of Rousseau. But here his ignorance and his im- ^\
prudence exposed hioi to public shame, by his attempting
what be could not execute. . Being thus discomiitecl, and
unable to subsist at Lausanne, he removed to Neufchatel,
where he passed the winter. There he succeeded better,
aud, at length, by teaching music, insensibly learned it.
At Boudry, accidentally meeting a Greek bishop. Archi-
mandrite of Jerusalem, who was making a collection in
Europe to repair the holy sepulchre, our adventurer was
prevailed upon to accompany him as his secretary and in*
terpreter ; and, in consequence, travelled, alms*-gathering,
through Switzerland ; harangued the senate of Berne, &c. ;
but at Soleure, the French ambassador, the marquis de
Bonac, having made him discover who he was, detained
him in his service, without allowing him even to take leave
of his ^^ poor Archimandrite,*' and sent him (as he desired)
to Paris, to travel with the nephew of M. Goddard, a Swiss
colonel in the French service. This fortnight's journey
waa the happiest time of his life. In his ideas of the mag-
nificence of Paris, Versailles, &c. he greatly mistook. He
was also much flattered, and little served. Colonel Goddard's
proposals being very inadequate to his expectations, he
was advised to decline accepting them. Hearing that his
dear ** Mama" had been gone two months to Savoy, Turin,
or Switzerland, he determined to follow h6r ; and, on the
road, sent by the post a paper of satirical verses, to the old
avaricious colonel, the only satii'e that he ever wrote. At
Lyons he visited mademoiselle du Chatelet, a friend of
madam de Warens; but whether that lady was gone to
Savoy or Piedmont, she could not inform him. She urged
bind, however, to stay at Lyons, till she ^wrote and had an
answer, an offer which he accepted, although his purse was
.almost exhausted, and he was often reduced to lie in the
streets, yet without concern or apprehension, choosing ra-
tbtr to pay for bread than a lodging. At length, M. Roll-
.ebon, an Antonian, accidentally bj^earing him sing in the
street a cantata of Batistin, employed him some days in
copying music, fed him well, and gave him a crown, which,
be owns, he little deserved, his transcripts were so incor-
rect and faulty. And, soon after, be heard news of *^ Mama,''
who was at Chambery, and received money to enable him
^ join her« He found her constant and affectionate; and
406 R O U S S E A Ur
she immedsately introduced bim to' the intendant^ who bad
provided bim the place of a secretary to the comaiiMioners
appointed by the king to make a general survey of tbe
country, a place which, though not very lucrative, afforded
him an honourable maintenance, for the first time in bis life*
This happened in 1732, he being then near 21. He Iddged
with ** Mama/* in whose affection, however, be bad a formU
dable rival in her steward, Claude Anet; yet they all liVed
together on the be^t terms. The succeeding eight or dine
years, viz. till 1741, when he set out for Paris, had few or,
no events. His taste for music made him resign Ins em*
ployment for that of teaching that science ; and several of
bis young fenmle schplars (all charming) he describes and
introduces to his readers. To alienate him from other se**
ducers, at length his ^' Mama** (he says) proposed to him
being his mistress, and became so ; yet sadness and sor-
row embittered bis delights, and, from the maternal light
in which he had been accustomed to view this philosophi-
cal lady, who sinned, he adds, more through error than
from passion, he deemed himself incestuous. And let it
be remembered that she had a husband, and had had many
other gallants. Such is his ^^ good-hearted'* heroine, the
Aspasia of his Socrates, as h^ calls her, and such was he.
This is another of his ** Confessions.'* Thus madam de
Warens, Rqusseau, and Anet, lived together in the most
perfect union, till a pleurisy deprived him of the latter.
In consequence of the loss of this good manager, all her
affairs were soon in the . utmost disorder, though John-
James succeeded to the stewardship, and though he pawned
his own credit to support hers. Determining now to com-
pose, and for that purpose, first to learn, music, he ap*
plied to the abb6 Blanchard, organist of the cathedral of
Besan^on. But, just as they were going to begin^ he
heard that his portmanteau, with all his cloaths, was seized
at Rousses, a French custom-house on the borders of
l^witzerland, because he had accidentally, in a new waist-
coat-pocket, a Janspnist parody of the first scene of Ra*-
cine*s ** Mithridates,*' of which he had not read ten lines.
This loss made him return to Chambery, totally disap-
pointed, and resolved, in future, to attach himself solely tp
^^ Mama^*' who, by degrees, reinstated his wardrobe. And
still contmuing to study Rameau, he succeeded, at last, in
some compositions, which were much approved by. good
judges, and thus did not lose his scholars. From this sera
It O U S S E A U. 40t
ha dates Ins conmxion with his old friend Gsufiecohrt, ah
amiable man» since dead, and M. de Coozie, a Savoyard
gentieasan, then living. The extravagance of his mistress^
in spite of all his remonstrances, made him absent himself
from her, which increased their ezpences, but at the same
time procured him many respectable friends, whom he
iianies. His uncle Bernard was now dead in Carolina, whither
he went in order to build Charles-town, as was his cousin, in
the service of the king of Prussia. His health at this time
visibly, but unaccountably, declined. ** The sword cut
the scabbard." Besides his disorderly passions, his illness
was partly occasioned by the fury with which he studied
ehess, shutting himself up, for that purpose, whole days
and nights, till he looked like a corpse, and partly by his
concern and anxiety for madam de Warens, who by her
maternal care and attention saved his life. Being ordered
by her to drink milk in the country, he prevailed on her to
accompany him, and, about the end of the summer of 1736^
they settled at Charmettes, near the gate of Chambery, but
solitary and retired, in a house whose situation he describes
with rapture. '^Moments dear and regretted." However, not
being able to bear milk, having recourse to water, which
almost killed him, and leaving off wine, he lost his appe<*
ttte, and biid a violent nervous affection, which, at the end
of some weeks, left him with a beating of his arteries,, and
tingling in his ears, which have lasted from that time to the
present, 30 years after ; and, from being a good sleeper,
h^ became sleepless, and constantly short-breathed. ^'This
accident, which might have destroyed his body, only de*
stro}^ed bis passions, and produced a happy effect on his
soul.'* <* Mama" too, he says, was religious ; yet, though
she believed in purgatory, she did not believe in hell. The
summer passed amidst their garden, their pigeons, their cows,
&c. ; the autumn in their vintage and their fruit- gathering^
and in the winter they i^eturned, as from exile, to town. Not
thinking that he should live till spribg, he did not stir out^
nor see any one but madam de Warens and M. Salomon,
their physician, an honest man, and a great Cartesian,
whose conversation was better than all his priescriptions. la
short, John -James studied hard, recovered, went abroad,
saw all his acquaintance again, and, to his great surprise and
joy, beheld the buds of the spring, and went with his mis*
tress again to Charmettes. There, being soon fatigued
with digging in the garden, he divided his time betweeii
40» . R O U S S E A U."
the pigeon-house (so taming those timid, birds as, la
induce them to perch on his arms and head), bee-hives, and
books of science, beginning with philosophy, and proceed*
ing to elementary geometry, Latin (to him, who had no
memory, the most difficuh), history, geography, and astro-
nomy. One night, as he was observing the stars in his
garden, with a planisphere, a candle secured in a pail, a
telescope, &c. dressed in a flapped hat, and a wadded
petren-Pair of ^* Mama*s,^' he was taken by some peasauta
for a conjurer. In future, he observed withcoit a lights
and consulted his planisphere at. home. The writings of
Port- royal and of the Oratory had now made him half a
Jansenist. But his confessor and anotfauer Jesuit set his
mind at ease, and he bad recourse to. several . ridiculous
expedients to know whether he was in a state of salvation.
In the mean time, their rural felicity continued, and, coor
trary to his advice, madam de Warens became by d^reea
a great farmer, of which he foresaw ruin must be the con-
sequence*
In the ensuing winter he received some music from Italyi,
and, being now of age^ it was agreed that he should go
in the spring to -Geneva, to demand the remains of his
mother's fortune. He went accordingly, and his father
came also to Geneva, undisturbed, his affair being now
buried in oblivion. No difficulty was occasioned by our
author's change of religion ; his brother's death not being
legally proved, he could not claim his share, and therefore
readily left it to contribute towards the maintenance of his
father, vwho enjoyed it as long as be lived. At length he
received his money, turned part of it into livres, and flew
with the rest to *^ Mama," who received it without affecta-
tion, and employed most of it for his use. His health,
however, decayed visibly, and he was again horribly op-
pressed with the vapours. At length his researches into
anatomy made him suspect that his disorder was a polypus
in the heart. Salomon seemed struck with the same idea.
And having heard that M. Fizes, of Mpntpellier, had cured
such a polypus, he went immediately to consult him,
assisted by the supply from Geneva. But two ladies,
whom he met at Moirans, especially the elder. Mad. N. at
once banished his fever, his vapours, bis polypus, and all
his palpitations, except those which she herself had ex-
cited, and would not cure. Without knowing a word. of
English, he here thought proper to pass for an Englishman
ROUSSEAU. 409
and a JacobitC) and called himself Mr. Dudding. , Leaving
the other lady at Romans, with madam N. and an old sick
marquis, he travelled slowly and agreeably to Saint Mar-
Collin, Valence, Montelimar (before which the marquis
left them), and at length, after having agreed to pass the
winter together, these lovers (for such they became) parted
with mutual regret. Filled with the ideas of madam N.
and her daughter, whom ahe idolised, he mus^ from
Pont St Esprit to Remoulin. He visited Pont-du-Gard,
the first work of the Romans that he had seen, and the
Arena of Nimes, a work stilt more magnificent; in all
these journeys forG:etting that he was ill till he arrived at
Montpeliier. Froni abundant precaution he boarded with
an Irish physician, named Fitz- Moris, and consulted M.
Fizes, as niadam N. had advised him. Finding that the
doctors knew nothing of his disorder, and only endea-
n^oured to amuse him and make him ^^ swallow his own
money,*' he left Montpeliier at the end of November, after
six weeks or two months stay, leaving twelVe louis there
for no purpose, save for a course of anatomy, just begun
tinder M. Fitz- Moris, but which the horrible stench of
ciissected ' bodies rendered insupportable. Whether he
should return to ** Mama,'' or go (^s he had promised) to
madam N. was now the question. Reason, however, here
tur«ied the scale. At Poiit St. Esprit he burnt his direc*
tion, and took the road to Chambery, " for the first time
in his life indebted to his studies, preferring his duty to
pleasure, and deserving his own esteem." At his return
to madam de Warens, he found his place supplied by a
young man of the Pays de Vaud, named Vintzenried, a
journeyman barber, whom he paints in the most disgust-
ing colours. This name not being noble enough, he
changed it for that of M. de Courtilles, by which he was
afterwards known at Chambery, and in Maurienne, where
be m.'trried. He being every thing in the house, and
Rousseau nothing, all his pleasures vanished like a dream,
and at length he determined to quit this abode, once so
dear, to which his "Mama" readily consented. And being
invited to educate the children of M. de Malby, grand
provost of Lyons, he set out for that city, without ref^ret-
ting a separation of which the sole idea would formerly
have been paitiful as death to them both. Unqualified for
a preceptor, both by temper and manners, and much dis-
gusted with his treatment by the provost, he quitted his
410 It O 17 9 S E A U.
family in about k year ; and sighing for madam de Warensi
flevr once more to throw himself at her feet She received
him with good •nature, but he could not recover the past
His former happiness, he found, was deiad for lever. He
eontinued there, however, still foreseeing her mpproacfatng
ruin, and the seizure of her person ; and to retrieve her af«
fairs, forming castles in the air, and hiving made an im*
prov)ement (as he thought) in muaical notes, frofo which he
bad great expectations, he sold his book?, and set out for
Paris, to conmiunicate his scheme to the academy.
*^ Such (he concludes) have been the errors and tfa^
faults of my yoath. I have given a history of them with a
fidelity with which my heart is satisfied. Jf, in the sequel,
I have honoured my tnature age with some virtues, I should
have told them as frankly, and such was my design — But
I must stop here. Time may undraw the curtain. If my
memoir reaches posterity, one day or other it will perhlqps
learn what I bad to say. Then it will know why I am silent.*'
An account of the last moments of this celebrated man
may be an acceptable addition to his life* He rose in per-
fect health, to all appearance, oii Thursday morning at
ftve o^clock (bis usual hour in summer), and walked with a
young pupil, son to the marquis de Girardin, lord of Ei*-
snenonville in France. About ffeven he returnied to his
house alone, and asked bis wife if breakfast was ready.
Finding it was not, he told her he would go for Some mo»
ments into the wood, and desired her to call him when
breakfast was on the table. He was accordingly called,
returned home, drank a dish of cofiee, went out again,
and came back a few minutes after. About eight, his
wife * went down stairs to pay the account of a smith; but
scarcely bad she been a moment below, when she heard
him complain. She returned immediately, attd found him
sitting on a chair, with a ghastly countenance, his head
reclining on his hand, and his elbow sustained by a desk.
" What is the matter, my dear firiend,** said she, " ane
you indisposed ?'* ** I feel,** answered he, " a painful
anxiety, and the keen pains of a cholic.** Upon this Mrs.
Rousseau left the room, as if she intended to look for
something, and sent to the castle an account of her hus-
band's illness. The marchioness^ on this alarmiog tiews^
* This lady he married in 1769, whom he basely sent to the hospital,
aft^r haviog lived with her some years, Sach was the man who talked of ipo-
«ad bad by her fire children^ all of rality, and wrote upon education!
ROUSSEAU. 411
mn with the utmost expedition to the cottage of the philo-
fopher; and) tha,t she might not alarm him, she ^a d she
came to inquire whether the music that bad been portoruied
during the night in the open air before the castle, had not
disturbed him and Mrs. Rousseau. The philosopher re-
plied, with the utmost tranquillity of tone and aspect,
*^ Madam, I know very well that it is not any thing relative
to music that brings you here : I am very sopsible of your
goodness : but I am much out of order, and I beg it as s
favour that you will leave me alone with my wife, to whom
I have a great many things to say at this instant.^* Madam
de Girardin immediately withdrew. Upon this, Rousseaa
desired his wife to shut the door, to lock it on the inside,
and to come and sit by him, ^^ I shall do so, my dear
friend,'* said she ;. ^f I am now sitting beside you — how do
you find yourself ?'*
Rousseau* '^ I grow worse— ->I feel a chilly cold — a
shivering over my^ whole body — give me your hands, and
see if you can Warm me — Ah!— r that gentle warmth is
pleasing — «.but the pains pf the colic return *- they are very
keen.'*
Mrs. Rousseau. *^ Do not you think, my dear friend,
th^tt it would be proper to take some remedy to remove
t^ese pains ?"
Rousseau. ^^ My dear -^ be so good as to open the win*,
dows, that I may have the pleasure of seeing once more
the verdure of that field — bow beautiful it is! how |^ure
the air! how serene the sky ! — What grandeur and mag*
nificeiice in the aspect of nature !"
Mrs. Rousseau. ^^ But, my good friend, .why do these
objects affect you so particularly at present f "
Rousseau. " My dear — It was always my earnest de-
sire that it would please .God to take me out of the world
before you — my prayer has been heard — and my wish
will 3oon have its accomplishment. Look at that sun,
whose smiling aspect seems to call me hence ! There is
my God — God himself — ^who opens to me the bosom of
his paternal goodness, and invites me to taste and enjoy,
at last,' that eternal and unalterable tranquillity, which I
have so long aud so ardently panted after. My dear spouse
— do not weep — you have always desired to see me happy.
I am now going to be truly so ! Do not leave me : I will
iiave none but you to remain with me — you, alone, shall
close ihy eyes."
412 ROUSSEAU.
Mrs. Rousseau. " My dear — my good friend — banisfa
those apprehensions — and let me give you something — I
hope that this indisposition will not be of a long continu-
ance !*'
Rousseau. '^ I feel in my breast something like sharp
pins, which occasions violent pains — My dear — if I have
ever given yon any uneasiness and trouble, or exposed
youy by our conjugal union, to misfortunes, which you
would otherwise have avoided, I hope you will forgive me/'
Mrs. Rousseau. ^' Alas ! my dear friend, it is rather my
duty to ask your pardon for any uneasy moments you may
have suffered on my account, or through my means.''
Rousseau. ** Ah ! my dear, how happy a thing is it to
die, when one has no reason for remorse or self- reproach !
— Eternal Being ! the soul that I am now going to give
thee back, is as pure, at this moment, as it was when it
proceeded from thee : render it partaker of thy felicity !
My dear — I have found in the marquis of Girardin and his
lady the marks of even parental tenderness and affection :
tell them that I revere their virtues, and that I thank them,
with my dying breath, for all the proofs I have received 6f
their goodness and friendship i- 1 desire that you may have
my bbdy opened immediately after my death, and that
you will order an exact account to be drawn up of the
state of its various parts: tell monsieur and madame de
Girardin, that 1 hope they will allow me to be buried in
their gardens, in any part of them that they may think
proper."
Mrs. Rousseau. *^ How you afflict me — my dear friend !
I intreat you, by the tender attachment you have always
professed for me, to take something."
Rousseau. ** I shall — since you desire it — Ah ! I feel
in my head a strange motion ! a blow which — I am tor-
mented with pains — Being of Beings! God! (here he re-
mained for a considerable time with his eyes raised to hea-
ven) — my dear spouse ! let me embrace you ! help me to
walk a little."
Here his extreme weakness prevented his walking with-
out help ; and Mrs. Rousseau being unable to support him,
he fell gently on the floor, where, after having remained
for some time motionless, he sent forth a deep sigh, and
expired, July 1778. Next ds^y bis body was opened in
presence of a competent number of witnesses $ and anin-
quest being held by the proper officers, the surgeons declared
R O U S S E A y- 41S
upon oath, that all the parts of the body were sound, and
that a serous apoplexy, of which palpable marks appeared
in the brain, was the cause of his death ^. The marquis
de Girardin ordered the body to be embalmed; after which
it was laid in a coffin of oak, lined with lead, and was
buried.
Such is the private life of Rousseau, as given by himself
in his '^ Confessiotis/* These Confessions, M, Sennebier,
author of the literary history of Geneva, very justly says,
<* appear a very dangerous book, and paint Rousseau in such
colours as we should liever have ventured to use in his por«
trait. The excellent analyses which we meet with of some
sentiments, and the excellent anatomy which he gives of
some actions, are not sufficient to counterbalance the de-
testable matter which is found in them, and the unceasing
obliquities every where to be met with." What renders
this book the more pernicious is, not only the baseness of
the vices which he has disclosed, but the manner in which
be endeavoured to unite them with the virtues.
It becomes necessary now to recur to some particulars of
Rousseau's more public and literary life, which was in
many respects as censurable as his private. The com-
mencement of his literary career was in 1750. The aca-
demy of Dijon had proposed the question, ^^ Whether the
jrevival of the arts and sciences has contributed to the re-
finement of manners." Rousseau, it is said, at first in-
clined to the affirmative side of the question ; but Diderot
told him it was a kind of pons asinorMn, and advised him
to support the negative, and he would answer for his suc-
cess. Nor was he disappointed, for this paradoxical dis-
course was allowed to be admirably yvritten, and replete
with the deepest reasoning, and was publicly crowned with
the approbation of the academicians. Several answers ap-
peared against it, one of which was written by Stanislaus,
king of Poland, who was, however, so much an admirer of
Rousseau, that when the latter was ridiculed on the stage
of Nancy, by Palissot, in his " Comedie des Philosophes,"
the king, then duke of Lorraine, deprived Palissot of his
place at the academy of Nancy. On this occasion Rous-
seau, with far more sense, interceded for him, and obtained
bis restoration.
* There was a current report that Rousseau had poisoned hiniseir, which has
bees repeated mere reeeatly by Ibe baroneis Staehl and oibers. •
4U ROUSSEAU.
In 1752 Rousseau wrote a comedy entitled ^^Nareisse,
ou PAmant de iui-m^me.*' He also composed a musical
enteriaincnent of " Le Deviii du ViDage^" which was re^
presented with the greatest success at Paris. His next
piece was *^ Lettre sur la Musique Frangoise,'* which was
to prove that the French had no such thing as vocal music^
and that, from the defects in their language, they could
not have it. This able work so excited the resentment bf
the French, that! he is said to have been burnt in effigy. In
1754 he returned to Geneva, where he abjured the catho-
lic faith, and was restored to the rights of citizenship. He
now wrote his ^* Discours sur les Causes de Tln^galit^ par-
mi les Hommes, et sur TOrigine des Soci£t6s.'' This en-
deavour to prove that all mankind are equal has (in the
opinion of a modern critic, by no means partial to Rous-
seau's character) been much misunderstood by critics, and
misrepresented by wits. Even by the author's confession^
it is rather a jeu d'esprit than a philosophical inquiry ; for
he owns that the natural state, such as he represeuts it, did
prol3ably never take place, and probably never will ; and
if it had taken place, he seems to think it impossible that
mankind should ever have emerged from it without some.
very extraordinary alteration in the course of nature. He
also says that this natural state is not the most advantageous
for man ; for that the most delightful sentiments of the hu-
man mind could not exert themselves till man had relin-
quished his brutal and solitary nature, and become a do-
mestic animal. At this period, and previous to the esta^
blishment of property, he places the age most favourable
to human happiness; which is precisely what the poet&
have done before him, in their descriptions of the golden
age. After publishing this rhapsody, Rousseau did not
remain long at Geneva, but returned to France, and lived
sometime at Paris, after which be retired to Montmorency^
and published, in 1758, his << Lettre" to M. D'Alembert
on the design of establishing a theatre at Geneva, which
he proved could not be necessary in a place circumstanced
as Geneva was. D'Alembert and Marmontel, however,
replied, and Voltaire appears from this time to have begun
bis hatred for Rousseau, with whom he and the rest of the
philosophers had hitherto cordially co-operated against the
Christian religion. Rousseau wanted that uniform hatred
to revealed religion which the others called consistency,
and his fancy was apt to ramble beyond the limits they had
#et.
R O U S S IS A. U. *lf
In 1760 be publish^ his celebrated novel ^titled
^^ Lettres de deux Amaos/* &c. but generally known by
ibe (itle of ^* Julie, ou la Nou?elle Heloise/' This epis-"
folary romance, of which the plot is iil-managed, and thq
arrangemeut bad» like all other works of genius, has its
)>eauties as well as its defects. Some of the letters are^
jodeed, admirable, both for style and sentiment, but none
of the- personages are really interesting. The character of
St^ Preux is weak, and often forced. Julia is 'an assem*
blage of teoderness and pity, of elevation of soul, and of
coquetry, of natural parts and pedantry. Wolmar is a
violent man, aod almost beyond the limits of nature. In
fine, when he wishes to change his style, and adopt that of
the speaker, he does not long support it, and every atr
tempt embarrasses the author and cools the reader. In this
Dojrel, however, Rousseau^s talent of rendering every thing
problematical, appears very conspicuous, as, in his argu«»
ments in favour of, and against, duelling, which afford
^n apology foe suicide, and a just condemnation of it ; of
big facility in palliating the crime of adultery, and his
strong reasons to make it abhorred; on the one hand^ in
declamations against social happiness, on the other in trans-*
ports in favour of humanity ; here in violent rhapsodieit
agasBst philosophers ; there by a rage for adopting their
opinions ; the existence of God is attacked by sophistry^
and atheists confuted by the most irrefragable arguments;
the Christian religion combated by the most specious ob-*>
jections, and celebrated by the most sublime eulogies*
Yet in the preface to this work the author attempts to justify
his consistency ; he says public spectacles are necessary for
great cities, and, romances for a corrupted people. ** I
have," he adds, *^ viewed the manners of my age, and
have published these letters. Why did I not live at a time
when, I ought to have thrown them into the fire?*' He
affects also to say that they were not intended for an ex*
tensive circulation, and that they will suit but few readers.
.With regard to their effects on the female sex, he pretends
to satisfy his conscience with saying '* No chaste young
woman ever reads romances ; and I have given this book a
decisive title, that on opening it a reader may know what
to expect. She who, notwithstanding, shall dare to read it
single page, is undone; but let her not impute her ruii^
to me-*-the mischief wa[s doqe before.^'
416 R O U S 6 E A U.
Such is the -impudence of this man, who had made hk
work as seductive as possible, and would have been greatly
mortified if it had not produced its effect. Whoever, in^
deed, reads his <* Confessions*' will see that sensuality was^
first and last, his predominant vice, and that moral corrupt
tioii became early familiar to him. The only wonder is^
that he should ever have been considered as a moral leacbei^
because, in order to introduce his depraved sophistry with
more effect, he mixed with it some moral less^^ns. Yet
there was a time when this was a favourite work even in
our country, and it is to be feared, has been the pattern of
many others, which, although written with less ability, have
been encouraged in the same circles which once gave it
fashion to Rousseau. His next attempt was to recommend
republicanism in a work entitle^ ^' Du Contr&t Social, ou
Principes du Droit Politique,'' in which be bore his part^
along with the Encyclopaedists, in exciting those awful de^
lusions which produced the French revolution and all its
disastrous consequences. It was, however, less cautious
than some of his former productions, and was immediately
prohibited in France and Switzerland ; and. hence his iasi^
ing enmity to all existing establishments, civil and religions^
which brought on what be and his friends were pleased to
consider as persecution. This appeared particularly in bis
'^Emilie, ou de {'Education," which Was published in 1762;
In this work, with many remarks that may be useful, there
are others so mischievous and impious, that whenever it
produces an effect, it must be of the worst kind. It was
not, however, his dogmas on education only, which excited
*the public hostility to this work, so much as his insolent de*
clamation against all which the world had agreed to hold
sacred, mixed, as in his former novel, with an affected
admiration of the morals of the gospel, and the character
of its founder; and it is remarkable that, in this last conde-^
scensioHy he so much di8plea^ed his former colleagues^ Vol-
taire, D'Alembert, &c. that they joined the public voices
although from different and concealed motives. In truth,
they thought, like others,^ that there was too much of an
insane inconsistency about Rousseau, and that no party
could rank htm among its supporters. In the mean time^
as soon as published, the French parliament condemned
this book, and entered into a criminal prosecution against
the author, which forced him to a precipitate retreat. He
directed his steps to his native country, but Genera shut
ROUSSEAU. 417
lier gates against him, and both at Paris and Geneva, the ,
>' Emile'Vwas burot by the common hangman. At length
be was for a time allowed to take shelter in Switzerlaiid,
where. he published a letter to the archbishop of Paris, in
aimwer to his maridemerU for the burning of the ^^ Emile :^*
and also his '^ Lettres de la Montague/' in which occurs
tbe following almost blasphemous paragraph : — ^^ How/*
says he^ '* can I enter into a justification of this work? T,
who think that I have effaced by. it the faults of my whole
life; 1, who place the evils it has drawn upon me as a ba-
lance to those which I have committed ; I who, filled with
confidence, hope one day ta say to the supreme Arbiter,
* Deign in thy clemency to judge a weak mortal :' I have,
it is. true, done much ill upon, earth, but 1 have published
this writing." In these letters too, he continued his hos-
tility to revealed religion, in a manner that excited against
him great indignation among the clergy of Neufchatel; and
in September 1765, the populace attacked his house and
his person, and with much difficulty he reached Strasburg
in a very destitute condition, where he waited till the wea*
tber permitted, and then set out for Paris, and appeared in
the habit of an Armenian. The celebrated Hume at this
time, resided in Paris, and. being applied to in favour, of
Roasseauy. undertook to find him an asylum in England, to
which he accordingly conducted him in the beginning of
tbe^year 1766^ and provided him with an agreeable situa*
lion. But Rousseau, whose vanity and perverse temper
were ungovernable, and who thought he was not receivcfd
in this country, with the respect due.to the first personage
in Europe, which he. conceived himself to be, took it in his
iiead that Hume was in league with the French philosophers
to injure his fame, and after abusing his benefactor in a
letter, in the most gross nianner, and even refusing a pen-
sion from the crown, left England in 1767, and went to
France^ At this period he published his/^ Dictionnaire de
JVIusique." Of this work Dr. Burney, after pointing out
some defects, says, that ^^ more good taste, intelligence,
and extensive xi^wa are to be found in his original articles,
not only than in any former musical dictionary, but in all
ih^'bookaon the subject of music which the literature of
Ii'Tance can boast. Aod his ^ Lettre sur la Musi que Fran-
cois,' may be safely pronounced the best piece of musical
criticism that has ever been produced in any modern lan-
guage. It must, however, be confessed, that his treatment
Vol. XXVI. E ?
415 fe O U S S E A a.
of French music is very sarcastic, not to say conteinptooa»;
but the music, the national character avantageuXy and es«
elusive admiration of their own music, required strong lan-^
guage. It had been proved long since, that they were not
to be laughed out of their bad taste in any one of i the fine
arts: the national architecture, painting, and senlptore,
were, in general, bad, and not what a traveller returning
from Italy could bear to look at : though there have been
now and then individual French artists of every kind, who
have travelled and studied antiquity as well as the great
masters of the Italian school ; and it is now said, that at the
Institute they are trying seriously to correct their errorS|
and to establish a classical taste throughout the empire.*'
In 1768, be resumed his botanical pursuits, which bo
conducted with equal taste andjudgment, by collecting and
studying the plants on the mountains of Dauphin^. Dur-
ing the year 1770, be appeared at a coffee-house in Parts
in his ordinary dress, and took much pleasure in the adikii-
ration of the surrounding crowd. This seems always to be
his ambition, and he was never content unless when occu-
pying the public attention, even while he seemed conscious
be could not draw the public respect. The conclusion of
bis life we have given before. The influence of bis opi-
nions was once most extensive in France, and reached even
this country in a greater degree than could have been wished.
One reason might be, that in ^England, for many years we
were accustotned to contemplate Rousseau only as a man
persecuted for freedom of opinion, and this excited a sym-
pathy which tolerated more than mature reflection could
justify. Rousseau was naturally a man of great talents, and
might have been one of the first of philosophers, if his ge-
nius had not been perverted in early life. He does not
appear to have been a man of learning : his education, we
have seen, was neglected, and irregular : but imagination
was his forte; and this, under the guidance of a sensual ap-
petite, which never forsook him, led him to be the great
jnaster of seduction in morals, while his early association
with Voltaire, D'Alembert, and Diderot, tempted him to
rival them in impiety ; and even when be quarrelled with
them, as he did with alt his contemporaries, he still pur*
sued the object by himself ; and his sophistries, perhapa
more than the wit and argument of his former colleagues^
powerfully contributed to that delusion which afflicted the
.i^ontinent with so much misery. — ^AltbougbRousseau^s works
R O 'U S S E A U/ 419
are i^ss read now, he must ever be considered by the l^rench
as one of their first writers: and they continue to print very
splendid editions of his works, the last and finest of which
is that printed by Didot, 1796 — 1801, 25 vols, royal eigh-
teens, of which only 100 copies were struck off. ^
ROUSSEL (William), a learned Benedictine of the
congregation de St. Maur, was born at Conches in Nor«
mandy in 1658. He made profession, September 23, 1680,
and distinguished himself in his order, by his genius and
talents for the pulpit ; but preferring the tranquillity of a
private life, retired to Rheims, where he made a good
French translation of St. Jerome's ^< Letters," which was
reprinted, 1713, 3 vpls. Svo; and an elegant '^Eulogy on
Pere Mabillon." He undertook also the Literary History
of France, but had scarcely traced out his plan, and col-
lected somte materials on that subject, when he died at Ar«
genteuil, October 5, 1717, aged fifty-nine. The plan was
completed by father Rivet. *
ROUSSEL (p£T£B), a French physician, was born at
Ax, in the diocese of Pamier, and after a course of medi-
cal studies, took his degree at Montpellier, and afterwards
practised for some time $tt Paris. But he became at length
averse to practice, and employed his time chiefly in study,
which produced a work very highly praised by La Harpe,
entitled, '^ System physique et moral de la Femme," 1777,
i2mo. This, however, may not be thought very compli-
mentary to the ladies, as his principal object is to prove
that they are to be considered as children, and consequently
as having the same vivacity and the same inconstancy, the
same fickleness of temper, the same caprices of liking and
disliking, &c. La Harpe praises the style and philosophy
of this work, which the author intended to have followed
up by a ^' Sy Sterne physique et moral de THomme," but
did not live to complete it. He was a man of singular dif-
fidence and mildness of manner, and so much courted ob-
scurity and retirement, that he used to say, that two ages
of fame were not worth two days of quiet. He wrote the
^loge on Bordeu, which was published in 1772, and afceri-
wards {prefixed to the works of that physician, and he con-
tributed some memoirs to the literary journals. He died
, 1 Rousseau's Coofessions.-— Diet, . HisU— Senebier Hist. LU« de Qen^ve.—
Rees*s Cyciopsedia. — Barmd's Memoirs.
• MQreri.—Di«t. Hist.
£ £ 2
420 tt t) U S S E T.
Sept. 18, 1802, at Chateaudun, on the Loire, to which be
had retired a few months before, on account of bad health:^
ROUSSET (John De Missy), a voluminous French
writer, was born at Laon, in Picardy, Aug. 26, 1686. His
father and mother were of good families, both protestar^ts,
and sufferers for their religion. His mother's body was or-
dered to be drawn upon a hurdle, because she died in the
protestant faith, and his father was condemned to be hanged
for endeavouring to escape into HoUandj but was saved at
the intercession of the chancellor Voisin, who prievailed on
the Jesuit La Chaise to obtain bis pardon. His son was
educated first at the college of Laon, and afterwards in that
of Du Piessis at Paris. Having finished his philosophical
studies, some family discontents, owing to the introduction
of a step-mother, determined him to go to HoUaild, where
he entered into the company of the French cadets attached
to the regiment of guards belonging to the States-general.
He served with reputation until after the battle of Malpla-
quet, when he returned to his studies, and married. In
order to maintain himself and family, he commenced the
business of teaching for fourteen or fifteen years at the
Hague, and educated in that time above fifty young men
of family, who afterwards rose to offices of distinction in
the republic. Tliis employment, however, he relinquished
in. 1723, in order to devote his time to the study 6f politics
and history, and became editor or contributor tp various
literary and political journals, in which he was assisted by
some Frenchmen of talents, who, like himself, had taken
refuge in Hollapd. Political writers are not always safe,
even in republics; and Kousset, in 1747, having written
son^e pamphlets against the magistrates, and in favour of
the prince of Orange, was arrested at Amsterdam, and
confined for some week^ there or at the Hague ; but when
the prince was made Stadtholder, by the name of William
IV. he not only released Rousset, but soon aiter conferred
on him the title of counsellor extraordinary, and appointed
him his historiographer. Returning now to Amsterdam,
he plunged farther into politics by becoming one of the
chiefs of the party known in that country by the nttme of
Doelisten, from Poeie, the name of a hotel where they as-^
sembled. This party obtained what they demanded, but
the stadtholder wishing to unite all parties in the common
I Dick Hist.
R O U S S E T. 421
■* -
cause, and the Doelisten having become obn6xious to the
public, he dismissed Rousset, in 1749, from the places he
had conferred on him, and forbid the publication of a work
he had written against the French court. Rousset being at
the same time informed that he was in danger of being taken
up, went to Brussels, where his pen was his chief resource,
and there be died in 1762.
The principal works of this laborious writer were, 1.
f< Description geographique, historique, et politique, ^ du
royaume de Sardaigne,'' Cologn, 1718, 12mo. 2. <^ His-
toire de cardinal Albt^eroni,'* translated from the Spanish,
Hague, 1719, 12mo, and in 1720 enlarged to 2 y6ls. 3.
^' Mercure historique et politique,^^ 15 rols. from August
1724 to July 1749. 4. <^ Histoire du prince Eugene, du
due de Marlborough, du pridce d'Orange," Hague, 1729 —
1747, 3 vols.; fol. the first volume was by Dumont. The
whole is valued chiefly for its fine plates and plans. 5.
^' Supplenient au Corps Diplomatique de J. Dumont," new
arranged with large additions by Rousset, Amst. and Hague,
1739, 5 vols. fol. 6. " Interets des Puissances de TEurope,"
founded on febe treaties concluded at the peace of Utrecht,
Hague, 1733, 2 vols. 4to, reprinted with additions, &c. .
four times ; but the last edition of Trevoux, 1736, 14 vols.
12mo, is said to have been mutilated » 7. ^^ Recueil His-
torique d'Actes et de Negociations," from the peace of i
Utrecht, Hague, 1728, Amst. 1755, 21 vols. 12mo; but
with the addition of some other political tracts and collec-
tions by our author, is generally to be found in 25 vols.
8. ^' Relation historique de la grande Revolution arriv^e
dans la republique des Provinces-Unies en. 1747,'^ Amst.
4to, without date. Rousset was also editor of Mably's
*^ Droit Public ;'* the abb6 Raynal's history of the Stadbol-
derate, in which he attacks the abb6 and his country; St.
Maur's French translation of Milton ; Mrs. Maniey*s ^^ Ata-
lantis," &c. In alibis works, his ambition was to pass for
a man of such impartiality that the reader could, discover
neither his country nor his religion. In this,, however, he
has not always succeeded, altiu>ugh it is apparent that his
attachment to both had been considerably weakened.'
ROWE (Elizab£TH), an English lady, celebrated for
personal accomplishments, and her elcigant writings both
in verse and prose, was the daughter of Mr. Waiter Singer,
a dissenting minister, and born at Ilchester in Somerset-
I Diet Hilt
42S R O W E.
•hire, Sept. 11, 1674. Her father was possessed of a com-
petent estate near Frome in that county, where he lived ;
but, being imprisoned at Ilchester for nonconformity, mar-
ried and settled in that town. The daughter, whose ta-
lents in other respects appeared very early, began to write
verses at twelve years of age. She was also fond of the
sister-ails, music and painting ; and her father was at the
expence of a master, to instruct her in the latter. She was
^Iso early accustomed to devout exercises, in which her
mind was sincere, ardent, and unconstrained : and this ha-
bit, which grew naturally from constitution, was also power-
fully confirmed by education and example. She was early
acquainted with the pious bishop Ken, who had a Very high
opinion of her ; and, at his request, wrote her paraphrase
on the 38th chapter of Job. In 1696, the 22d of her age,
v^ collection of her poems was published : they were en-
titled ** Poems on several occasions, by Philomela,** her
name being concealed, but they contributed to introduce
her to \he public with great advantage.
She understood the French and Italian tongues well ; for
which, however, she bad no other tutor than the hon. Mr.
Tbynne, son to lord Weymouth, who kindly took upon him
the task of teaching her. Her uncommon therit, and the
charms of her person and conversation, procured hertnany
admirers ; and, among others, it is said that Prior the poet
made his addressed to her. There ivas certainly much of
friendship, if not of love, between them ; and Prior's answer
to Mrs. Rowe^-s, then Mirs. Singer^s, pastoral on those sub-
jects, gives room to suspect that there was something more
than friendship on his side. In the mean time, MnTbo*
mas Rowe, the son of a dissenting clergyman, a gentle-
man of uncommon parts and learning, and also of some
talents for poetry, was the successful suitor. She was ad-
vanced to the age of thirty»-six, before their interview at
Bath in 1709, and be was ten or twelve years younger. It
appears, however, to have been a match of affection on
both sides. Some considerable time after his marriage, he
wrote to her under the name of Delia a very tender ode,
full of the warmest sentiments of connubial friendship'
and affection : five years constituted the short period of
their happiness. Mr. Rowe died of a consumption in May
1715, aged twenty-eight years, and was unfeignedly la-
mented by his amiable partner. The elegy «he composed'
upon his death is one of her best poems.
R O W E, 4ii
I
It wbs only out of a regard to Mr. Rowe, that sim bad
hitherto endured Loodon in the winter-season, and there-
fore, on his de€easei she retired to Frome, where her pro-
perty chiefly lay, and where she vvrote the greatest p^rt of
her works. Her ^^ Friendship in Death, in twenty letters
from the dead to the living/' was published in 17£8 ; and
her '^ Letters Moral and Entertaining*' were printed, the
first part in 1729, the second iu 1731, apd the third in
1733, 8vo,both written wit;h the pious intention of exciting
the careless and dissipated part of the world to an atten-
tion to their best interests, and written in a style consider-
ably elegant, ^nd perhaps at that time new, striking, co-
pious, and luxuriant. In 1736, she published ^^The His-
tory of Joseph," a poem, which she had written in her
younger years. She did not long survive this publication ;
/or she died of an apoplexy, as was supposed, Feb. 20,
1736-7, in the sixty-third year of her age. In her cabinet
were found letters to several of her friends, which she had
ordered to be delivered immediately after her decease, that
the advice they contained might be the more impressive*
The rev. Dr. Isaac Watts, agreeably to her request, revised
and published her devotions in 1737, under the title of
** Devout Exercises of the heart in Meditation and Soli-
loquy. Praise, and Prayer j'* and, in 1739, her " Miscel-
laneous Works in prose and verse" were published in 2 .
vols. 8vo, with an account of her life and writings prefixed.
These have ofteuibeen reprinted, and still retain a consi-
derable share of popularity. Her persou is thus described :
Although the was not a regular beauty, she possessed a
large share of the charms of her sex. She was of a mode-
rate stature, her hair of a fine colour, her eyes of a darkish
grey inclining to blue, and full of fire. Her complexion
was very fair, and a natural blush glowed in her cheeks^
She spoke gracefully, her voice was exceedingly sweet and
harmonious ; and she had a softness in her aspect, which
inspired love, yet not without son\e mixture of that awe
and veneration which distinguished sense and virtue, ap-
parent in the countenance, are wont to create.^
ROWE (Nicolas), an eminent dramatic poet, was the
son of John Rowe, esq. serjeant at law, and born at Little
Berkford in Bedfordshire in 1673. His family had long
poMesaed a considerable estate, with a good house, at Lamr
1 Life prefixed to her Works. — Biog. Brit.
424* R^O W E.
bertoun in Devonshire. His ancestor from whom he de-*
scended in a direct Hoe, receiveVi the arms borne by his
descendants for his bravjery in the holy war. His father,
John Rowe, who was the first that quitted his paternal
acres to practise any part of profit, professed the law, and
published Benlow^s and Da)Uson*s Reports in the reign of
James the Second, when, in opposition to the notions* then
diligently propagated, of dispensing power, he ventured
to remark how low his authors rated the prerogative. He
was made a serjeant, and died April 30, 1692. He was
buried in thb Temple church.
Nicholas was sent for education to a grammar-school in
Highgate ; whence he was removed to Westminster in 1688,
where he acquired great perfection in classical literature,
under Dr. Busby. To his skill in Greek and Latin he is
said to have added some knowledge of the Hebrew ; but
poetry was his early bent and darling study. His father,
designing him for bis own profession, took him from that
school, when he was about sixteen, and entered him a
3tudent in the Middle Temple. Being capable of attain-
ing any branch of knowledge/ he made a great progress in
the law ; and would doubtless have arrived at eminence in
that profession,' if the love of the belles lettres, and of
jpoetry in particular, had not predominated. At the age
of nineteen, he was, by the death of his father, left more
to his own direction, and probably from that time gave up
all thoughts of the law. When be was fwe and twenty, he
wrote his first tragedy, called ** The Ambitious Step-Mo«
ther ;'' and this meeting with universal applause, induced
him to devote himself wholly to elegant literature. - After*
wards he wrote these following tragedies : ** Tamerlane,"
«* The Fair Penitent," ** Ulysses,'' The Royal Convert,'*
** Jane Shore," ** Lady Jane Grey ;" and a comedy called
*^ The Bfter." He wrote also several poems upon diflerent
subjects, but mostly of a temporary kind, which have been
published under the title of '^ Miscellaneous Works," in
one volume : as his dramatic works have been in two.
ftowe is chiefly to be considered (Dr. Johnson observes)
in the light of a tragic -writer and a translator. In his at-
tempt at comedy he failed so much, that be wisely gave up
the pursuit of the comic miUse, and his ^< Biter'- is not in*
serted in his works; and his occasional poems and short
compositions are rarejy worlhy of either praise or cen-
sure ; for they seem the casual sports of a mind seeking
^
R O W E. 425
ralher to amuse its leisure than to exercise its powers. Iti
tl^e construction of his dramas there is not^much art ; he is
npt a nice observer of the unities. He extends time, and
varies place, as his convenience requires. To vary the
plf^ce is not (in the opinionH>f the learned critic from whom
these observations are borrowed) any violation of nature^
if the change be made between the acts; for it is no less
easy for the spectator to suppose himself at Athens in the
second act, than at Thebes in the first ; but to change the
s^ene as is done by R(»we in the middle of an act, is to
add more acts to the play, since an act is so much of the
business as is transacted without interruption. Rowe, by
this licence, easily extricates himself from difficulties ; as
in ^< Lady Jane Gray,'' when we have been terrified with
all the dreadful pomp of public execution, and are wpn-
dering how the 'heroine or poet will proceed, no sooner has
Jane pronounced some prophetic rhimes^ than — pass and be
gone-^the sceqe closes, and Pembroke and Gardiner are
turned out upon the stage. ** I know not," says Dr. John*
son, 'f that there can be found in his plays any deep search
into nature, any accurate discriminations of kindred qua-
lities, or nice display of passion in its progress; all is
general and undefined. Ner does he much interest or
affqct the auditor, except in ^^ Jane Shore," who is always
seen, and heard with pity. . Alicia is a character of empty
ooise, with no resemblance to real sorrow or to natural mad-
ness." It is concluded, therefore, that Rowe's reputation
arises principally from the reasonableness and propriety
of some of his scenes, from the elegance of his diction,
and the suavity of his verse. He seldom moves either pity
or terror, but he often elevates the sentiments ; he seldom
pierces the breast, but he always delights the ear, and
often improves the understanding. Being a great admirer
pf Shakspeare, he gave the public an edition of his plays ;
to which he prefixed an account of that great man's life.
Sut the most considerable of Mr. Rowe*s performances
was a translation of ^^ Lucan's Pharsalia," which .he just
lived to finish, but not to publish ; for it did not appear
in print till 1728, ten years after his death. It is said he
had another ta4ent,.not usual with dramatic authors. Mrs.
Oldfield affirmed, that tlie best school she had ever. known
wasy hearing Rowe read her part in his tragedies.
In the mean time, the love of poetry and books did not
make him unfit for business ; for nobody applied closer to
426 ' R O W £.
it when occasion required. Tlie duke of Queensberrjr^
when secretary of state, made him secretary of public af«
fairs. After the duke's death, all avenues were stopped to
his preferment; and, during the rest of queen Anne*s
reign, he passed his time in study. A story, indeed, is
t6ld,r rather an improbable one, which shews that he had
some acquaintance with ministers. It is said^ that he went
One day to pay his court to the lord treasurer Oxford, who
asked him, ** if he understood Spanish well ?'' He an-
swered, <^No:*' but, thinking that his lordship might in-
tend to send him into Spain on some honourable commis-
sion, he presently added, ** that he did not doubt but he
could shortly be able both to understand and to speak it.**
Tiie earl approving what he said, Rowe took his leave;
and, retiring a few weeks to learn the language, waited
again on the earl to acquaint him with it. His lordship
asking him, '* if he was sure he understood it thoroughly,*'
and Rowe affirming that he did, ** How happy are you,
Mr. Rowe,*' said the earl, '* that you can have the plea-
sure of reading and understanding the history of Don
Quixote in the original !** On the accession of George I.
he was made poet laureat, and one of the land-surveyors
of the customs in the port of London. The prince of
Wales conferred on him the clerkship of his council ; and
the lord chancellor Parker made him his secretary for the
presentations. He did not enjoy these promotions long, for
he died Dec. 6, 171 8, in his 45th year.
. Mr. Rowe was twice married, had a son by his first wife,
and a daughter by his second. He was a handsome, genteel
man ; and his mind was as amiable as his person. He lived
beloved, and at his death had the honour to be lamented
by Mr. Pope, in an epitaph which is printed in Pope's
works, although it was not affixed on Mr. Rowe's monu«
tnent, in Westminster-abbey, where he was interred in
the Poet's corner. '
ROWLEY (William), a physician of some note in bis
day, was of a family of Irish extraction, but born in Lon-
don, Nov. 18, 1743. After a liberal education, he deter*
mined to the profession of surgery, and became a pupil at
St Thomas's Hospital, under Mr. Thomas Baker. Being
duly qualified, he went into the king's service, in which
he continued from 1760 to 1763, and was present at the
1 Biog. Brit.— Johnson'! I^ivtes*
ROWLEY. 427
siege of BMJeisIe, and the taking of the Havanntth. By the
patronage of admiral Keppei be obtained a confidential si-
tuation under the administration, and in obedience to their
instructions made a voyage, in the course of which he
tisited Jamaica, Hispanioia, Cuba, and all the Leeward-
islands. On his return to England he was liberally re-
warded for this service, which he had performed to the
entire satisfaction of his employers. In the course of those
voyages, as well as during his visits to the continent, he
became an excellent French and Italian scholar, and col-
lected many valuable specimens of the fine arts. Having
now encouragement to settle in London, he first commenced
practice as a surgeon and accoucheur, during which he
resided in Holborn, Harley-street, Castle-street, Leices-
ter-fields, and lastly in Savile-row. At what time he di-
gressed so far from practice as to go to Oxford, we know
not, but he was entered of St. Alban hall, where he took
his degree of M. A. in May 1787, and that of bachelor of
medicine in June 1788. He was desirous also of obtaining
his doctor's degree in that faculty, but this was refused^
owing probably to his not keeping his regular terms. He
obtained, however, a doctor's diploma from the university
of St Andrew, in Scotland, and was admitted a licentiate
of the college of physicians, and from this time his practice
as a physician was considerably extensive and lucrative.
He was chosen physician to the St. Mary-le-bone infirmary,
and consulting physician to the queen's Lying-in hospital,
in both which stations he was distinguished for his humane
attention to the poor patients, and bis judicious treatment.
He died of a cold, caught at a funeral, March 17, 1806.
Dr. Rowley wrote a great many medical pamphlets on
various subjects, arising from the practice or peculiar dis-
eases of his day, the titles of which it is unnecessary to
specify, as in 1794, he re-published the whole, with cor-
rections and additions, in 4 vols. 8vo. under the title of
** The rational practice of Phj^ick of William Rowley.'*
He appears to have been a man of extensive reading ; and
his practice, if not his theory, was in general conformable
CO that of his brethren, who did not, however, hold him in
the highest regard, as in iiiost of his works he seemed less
ambitious of professional fame, than of popularity. When
the Cow-pock was introduced. Dr. Rowley joined his
learned friend Dr. Moseley, in direct hostility to the plan^
and thus added a few more enemies to those he had created
428 R O W £•
by bis former attacks on some of the most eminient phy-
sicians of his time, Fothergill, Huxham, Pringle, Fordyce,
Wall, Gregory, Cullen, &c. In 1793 he published a work
under the title of *^ Schola medicinas universalis nova/*
2 vols. 4to, and afterwards a sort of translation of it in one
volume 4 to. This appears to have excited very little at-
tention, although he was at great expence in engraving
anatomical, &c. plates, and referred to it in many of his
subsequent pamphlets on " Injections," " The Hydroce-
phalus," "The Plague," &c. Dr. Rowley had much
taste for music, and some for poetry* We are told he
wrote light verses, and songs of a humorous cast, with great
facility. *
ROWNING (John), an ingenious English mathematician
and philosopher, was fellow of Magdalen college, Cam-
bridge, and afterwards rector of Anderby in Lincolnshire^
in the gift of that society. He was a constant attendant at
the meetings of the Spalding Society, and was a man of a
philosophical turn of mind, though of a cheerful and com-
panionable disposition. He had a good genius for mecha-
nical contrivances in particular. In 1738 he printed at
Cambridge, in 8vo, *^ A Compendious System of Natural
Philosophy," in 2 vols. 8vo ; a very ingenious work, which
has gone through several editions. He had also two
pieces inserted in the Philosophical Transactions, viz.
i. ^^ A Description of a Barometer wherein the Scale of
Variation may be increased at pleasure ;" vol. 38, p. 39.
And 2. *^ Directions for making a Machine for finding the
Roots of Equations universally, with the manner of using it;"
vol. 60, p. 240. Mr. Rowning died at his lodgings in
Carey-street, near Lincoln's-Inn Fields, the latter end of
November 1771, at the age of seventy-two.. Though a
very ingenious and pleasant man, he had but an unpromis-
ing and forbidding appearance : he was tall, stooping in
the shoulders, and of a sallow down-looking countenance \
, ROY (Louis le), in Latin Regius, a learned professor,
was born at Constance, in Normandy, about the beginning
of the 16th century. In the course of his studies he not
only became a good Greek and Latin scholar, but particu-
larly cultivated his native language, the French, which he
endeavoured to polish and refine. After passing several
years in Italy and at court, he settled at Paris, whiere, in
1570, he was appointed to the professorship of Greek.
1 Gent. Mag. Vol. LXXVI. t Nichols's Bowyer Hntton»s Dictionary.
ROY. 42§
After this he studied the law four years- at Toulouse*; and
frequented the bar at the parliament of Paris, in which he
exercised some kind of magistracy; but his inattention to
domestic affairs reduced him at last to depend upon the
liberality of others for his daily subsistence, a misery almost .
insupportable in him who was naturally of a haughty
temper, would never admit of a superior, and treated
many of his learned contemporaries with great disdain.
He died July 2, 1577. One of his best perfornoances was
an elegantly written life of the learned Budueus. His others
were good translations into French of part of the works of
Plato, Aristotle, and Demosthenes, which he enriched with
learned commentaries, and proved his intimate acquaint-
ance with the original language.'
ROY (Julian David Le), an architect and antiquary^
vras born at Paris in 1728, and was son of Julian le Roy, a
celebrated mechanist, who so excelled in the art of watch-
making, that his time-pieces acquired the same celebrity
in France as those of Graham in England. He died at Paris
in 1759, at the age of 74, leaving four sons; of whom
Julian became an eminent architect, and greatly improved
the French style of architecture. He wrote, 1. " Ruines
des plus beaux Monumens de la Grece,'' which obtained for
the author admission into the Academy of Inscriptions. ' This
first appe'^Bired in 1758, but many errors haviug^een pointed
out by our Athenian Stuart, he published a more correct
edition in 1770, 2. ** Histoire de la disposition et des
formes differentes des Temples des Chretiens ;" 3. " Ob-
servations sur les Edifices des anciens Peuples. 4. '< De la
Marine des anciens Peuples." 5. " Les Navires des An-
ciens," 1783, 8vo, and in 1785, another on the same sub-
ject ; which was followed, in 1796, by a memoir on cutting
maats in the Pyrenees. This ingenious man died at Paris
in the year 1803, at the age of seventy-five. His brother
*P£T£R was watch-<maker to the king, and published me-
moirs for the clock-makers of Paris, " Etrehnes Chrono-
metriques," ^^ Treatise on the Labours of Harrison- and le
Roy for the Discovery of- Longitude at Sea." He died in
4785; The English, on account of their numerous disco-
veries in this art, had enjoyed such a reputation for the ex-
cellence of their clocks and watches, that they found every
wher4 a market, in preference to any others, and the
1 Nioeron, vol. XXIX. — Moreri.
4«0 ROY.
French tbetnselres were obliged to come to Eogland for
tbeir time-pieces, until Julian le Roy, the father, had the
honour of removing, in part, this pre-eminence, and of
transferring it to the French. He made many discoveries
in the construction of repeating-qlocks and watches : in
second and horizontal watches he invented an universal
compass vrith a^ sight ; an extremely useful and simple
contrivance for drawing a meridional line, and finding the
declination of the needle ; and a new universal horizontal
dial. It is to him we are indebted for the method of com-
pensating for the effects of heat and cold in the balances of
chronometers, by the unequal expansion of different me-
tals, a discovery which has been brought by our English
artists to a state of great perfection, although it had been
thrown aside by the inventor's son, Peter. ^
ROYE (Guy le), >archbishop of Rheims in the four-
teenth century, was the son of Matthew le Roye, the
fourth of that name, grand master of the French archery,
descended from an ancient and illustrious family, originally
of Picardy. He was first canon of Noyon, then dean of St.
Quintin, and lived at the papal court while the popes resided
at Avignon ; but followed Gregory XI. to Rome, and after-
wards attached himself to the party of Cleoient VII. and of
Peter de Luna, afterwards Benedict XIII. Guy le Roye
was successively bishop of Verdun, Castres, and Dol, arch-
bishop of Tours, then of Sens, and lastly, archbishop of
Rheims in 1391. He held a provincial council in 1407,
mod set out to attend the council of Pisa two years after ;
but on his arrival at Voutre, a town situated five leagues
from Genoa, one of his suite happened to quarrel with one
of the inhabitants, and killed him* This naturally excited
a violent tumult among the populace, who in their fury
surrounded the prelate!s house ; and while he was endea->
vouring to appease them, one of the mob wounded him
from a cross-bow, of which he died June 8, 1409. He
founded the college of Rheims at Paris, in 1399. He left a
book> entitled ^^ Poctriiiale Sapientiae," written in 1 388, and
trainslated into French the year following, by a monk of Clug-
ni, under the title of ** Doctrinal de Sapience,'' printed in 4to,
black letter, with the addition of examples and short sto-
ries, soeie of which have a species of simple and rather
coarse humour ; but not ill adapted to the taste of the
1 Uict. Hist.— Rees's Cyclopwlit.
R O y E. 4Sl
tttnes. The good archbishop is said to have written it <* for
the health of his soul, and of the souls of all bis people,**
and had such an opinion of its efficacy, that he gave it the
authority of homilies, commanding that every parish in his
diocese should be provided with a copy, and that the cu-*
rates and chaplains of the said parishes, should read to the
people two or three chapters, with promises of pardon for
certain readings. Caxton, who seems to have entertained
almost as high an opinion of this work, translated aiid
printed it in 1489, in a folio size. According to Mr. Dib-
din, who has given a minute description, with specimens^
of this ^' Doctrinal of Sapyence,^ there are not more thau
four perfect copies extant.'
ROZI£R (Francis), an eminent agricultural writer, was
born at Lyons, Jan. 34, 1734. His father, who was engaged
in commerce, dying while he was young, and without pro-
perty, he entered. into the ecclesiastical order ; but he bad
scarce ended his studies, when the soil, cultivation, &c. of
the beautiful country near Lyons, began to occupy his at-
tention, and Columella, Varro, and Olivier de Serres, be-
came his favourite authors. In the study of botany he
took La Tourette for his guide, who was his countryman
and friend. With him, after being^ appointed director of
the school at Lyons, which he soon left, he published, in
1766, *^ Elementary Demonstrations of Botany,'' a work
that passed through many editions. In 1771 he went to
Paris, where he began to publish the '^ Journal de Physique
et d'Hbtoire Naturelle," which was conducted with
greater reputation than in the hands of his predecessor
Gauthier d'Agoty. In this work he gave clear and inte-
resting accounts of all new discoveries in physics, chemis-
try, and natnral history. Having been, by the recommen-
dation of the king of Poland, presented to* a valuable
priory, be had leisure to turn his attention to his favourite
project of a complete body, or ^' Cours d' Agriculture." As
Paris was not the place for an object of this kind, he pur-
/ chased an estate at Beziers, where his studies and obser-
vations enabled him to complete bis ** Cours," in 10 vols*
4to, except the last, which did not appear uU after the
author's death. In .1788 .he went to Lyons, and was ad-
mitted a member t>f the academy, and the government gave
him the direction of the public nursery ground. On the
■ Mortri.— Diet. Hist— Dibdin's Typographical Aniiquitiea* toI. t.
432 R O Z I £ R.
revolution Rozter was one of its earliest partizans^ and one
of its victipis; for in September 1793, during the siege of
Lyons, a bomb failing upon his bed, buried fats body in the
ruins of his house. He was author of several treatises on
the method of making wines, and distilling brandy, on the
culture of turnip and cole-seed, on oil-mills, and other
machinery.^
RUBENS (Peter Paul), an illu$trious artist, was of a
distinguished family at Antwerp, where some say he was
born in 1577 ; but according to others he was born at Co*
logne, to whicb place his fadier had retired for security, tn
avoid the calamities of civil war. On his return to Antwerp,
our artist was educs^ted with the greatest care, and as he bad
shoi^n some turn for design, was placed for instruction
under Tobias Verhaecht, a landscape painter of some note'^
but soon exchanged this master in order to study historical
painting under Adam Van Oort. But as the surly temper
of this artist was incompatible with the more amiable dis^
position of Rubens, he soon left him also, and . attached
himself to Otho Venius, whom he found a man of learning^
candour, and congeniality of taste ; and* although he rose
infinitely above this preceptor, he ever preserved' the
highest esteem for him. From Venius,. Rubens probably
acquired his taste for allegory, one of his least merits, it is
true, but one to which he was indebted for a considerable
share of popularity, in an age when allegory was ifi
fashion. '
After continuing about four years with Venius, the latter,
who admired his progress, candidly told him that be could
no farther advance it, and that be must visit Italy. Tbfis
was Rubens's secret wish, but the means by which )>e ^ ac*
complished it have been variously represented. Sandrart,
who was intimately acquainted with him, and accompanied
him when he travelled through Holland, . tells us that the
archduke Albert, governor of the Netherlands, .conceived
so high an opinion of Rubens, - from the accounts he bad
received of his superior talents, that be engaged him in- his
service, employed him to paint several fine designs forbis
own pialace, and recommended him in the most honour^
able manner to the duke of Mantua, in whose court he
might have access constantly to an admirable collection of
painnngs and antique statues, and have an opportunity of
A Diet. Hilt.
, •
it U 6 £ N S. ^«S
imptDv|ng bimself by studying as well as copying tb^ fb|;«
tuer, and designing after the latter. On bis arrival at
Mantua he was received with a degree of distinction worthy
of his merit , and while he continued there, he added con-
siderably to his knowledge, tboiigb he iLttached hiniself i|i
a more particular manner to the style of colouring pecu-
liar to the Venetian school. From Mantua he visited
Rome, Venice, and other cities of Italy, and studied thie
lyorks of the greatest painters, ftoih the time of Raphael
.to his own, and accomplished bimself in colouring, by the
accurate observations be made on the style of Titian and
.Paolo Veronese. It has been objected, however^ that h.e
.neglected to refine his taste as much as he ought by tixe
antique^ though most of th^ memorable artists in painting
had sublimed their own ideas of grace, expression, elegant
simplicity, beautiful proportion, and nature, principally by
tbeir makiag those antiques their perpetual studies and
models.
. On his return to Mantua, he painted three magniiiceqt
pictures for the church of the Jesuits, which in point of
exQcution and freedom of force in effect, rank nearly
among his best productions. His patron, wishing to have
copies of some of the most celebrated pictures at Rome,
sent Rubens thither for that purpose, which while he per-
formed with great skill, he employed no less diligence in
studying the originals. In 1605, he was honoured with one
of those mixed commissions, of statesman and artist, with
which he was frequently entrusted, and which place tb^
Various powers of Rubens in a* very singular light. This
was no less than an embassy from Mantua to the court of
Spain. Carrying with him some magnificent presents fot
the duke of Lerma, the favourite minister of Philip ill.
he painted at the same time the picture of this monarch,
and received from him such flattering marks of distinction,
as probably facilitated the political purpose of his errand.
.Soon after his return. to Mantua, he again visited Rome,
and there and at Genoa painted some pictures for the
.churches^ which gteatly advanced his reputation. On tlie
death of his mother^ w,hom he appears to have deeply re*
gretted, he formed the design of settling ^n Italy, but by
..the persuasion of the archduke Albert and the Infanta Isa*
bella, was induced to take up his retidence at Antwerp.
Here he married his first jwife, Elizabeth Brants, and built
VouXXVI. Fp
434 RUBENS.
a magnificent house, which be enriched with the cholce^rt
specimens of the antique, and with valuable pidtores.
His amazing success very naturally created enemies,
and among others Abraham Janssens defied him to a trial of
strength. Rubens ianswered, that he would contend with
him when he had shi^wn himself to be a competitor worthy
of him. Others il)ore,s€lcre):ly endeavoured tp injure him
by attributing the best parts of his pictures to his pupils,
and Sbhiit and Rombout^ abused him for lack of invention! ;
this he answered by relieving their necessities and procur-
ing them employment, while by engaging in those varieties
of art, landscapes, lion and cfocodile-hunting, and other
iliiscellaneous subjects, he decidedly established his claim
to the title of an universal painter, and covered his calum-
niators with shame and confusion. Amidst so much
hostility, from the envy of contemporaries, one friendly
offer must not be forgot. A visionary chemist, who had
been labouring to produce il^e philosopher's stone, offered
our artist a share of the laboratory and its advantages. Ru-
bens took him to his painting-room, and told him that
twenty years before he had discovered the art of making
gold by his palette and pencils.
In 1620 he received a commission from Mary de Me-
. dici, to adorn the gallery of the palace of the Luxeiftbourg,
for which he e^^ecuted a well-known series of paintings,
exhibiting the principal events of the life of that princess.
The whole wer'e completed in three years, Jin astonishing
instance both of art and labour.. It was at this period he
became known to the duke of Buckingham, who was theft)
on a tour with prince Charles. He afterwards became the
purchaser of Rubens's rich museum of works of art, for
which he is said to have given 10,000/. sterling.
On the return of Rubens to Antwerp, he was honoured
with several conferences wi^h the Infanta Isabella;, and was
by her dispatched on. a political mission to the court of
Madrid, where he arrived in 1628, and was most graciousfy
received by Philip IV. He acquitted himself in his novel
Capacity to the satisfaction of that monarch, and his minis-
ter, £be duke de Olivares, by both of whom he was highly
esteemed ; and while his talents as a diplomatist met with
the siuccess they merited, those of the painter were hot
neglc^cted. ;
Tile duke de Olivares had just completed the foundation
Rubens. 435
bf a convent of Carmelites, at the small town of Loeches,
near Madrid, and the king, as a mark of his favour to tii^
minister, commissioned Rubens to paint four pictures fot
their church, which h6 es^ecUted itvbis grandest style, and'
*the richest glow of his colouring. He alsb painted eight
grand pictures for the great saloOii of the ^al^ce at Ma-
drid, which are tegaVded among the il^ost brilliant of his
productions. Their subjects were, the Rd^e of the Sabines ^
the battle between the Romans dndSabines; the Bath of
piana; Perseus and Andrbm^da; the R&pe of Helen ; the
Judgment of Paris ; Juno, Minervls^ and Venus ^ ahd th6
Triumph of Bacchus. He also pointed ist large pbrtrait of
the king oh hofseback, with other figureiS ; and a bictur^
6f the martyrdom of the aJ>ostle St. Andrew, which Was iti
the church dedicated l6 that saint. Foir these extraordi-
nary productions he was I'lchly ire^arded, i^eceived the
honour 6f knighthood, and wali presented with the golden
key as gentleman bf the chamber to the kibg. In 162d
he returned to Flanders, akid thus, iii the shbrt space bf
little more than nine months, he designed and esceCUted
so extensive a series of pictures^ a labour Which, to aiky
Other artist not possessed of his extraordinary powers, mui^t
have retjuired the exertion of many years. When he had
)^^ndered the account of his inission to the tnfahta, she dis-
patched him to Eilgland, to sound the disposition of the
goveirnment on the subject of a j^eacie. There for a time
becoh(^ealed the pbv^e^s granted to hini tb negociate upon
the subject, which he afterwards produced with success,
lb the Mean timfe, as Lbrd Orfoi'd observes, neither
Oharles I. nor Rubens overlooked in th6 ambassador the
talents of the painter. The king engaged hiiti to paint the
Veiling bf the Ban(j[uetting-faouse, the design the dpothe-^
bsis of king James I. The original sketch for the mid41e
compartment was long preserved at Hobghton. Rubebs
received 3000/. for this work. During his residence hefe
he pointed ^or the king the St. Geol*ge, foUr feet high and
seVbn feet wide. His majesty was I'eprbsehted in the Saint,
the queen in Cleodelinde : each figure one foot and a half
higrh : At a distance a view of Richmond and the Thames.
Of
In England are still sevelral capital works of Rubens, at
Blenheim, Wilton, Easton, &b. He was knighted during
his residebbe here^ which Lord Orford supposes did not
^exceed a year. The French, in their late barbafous irrup*-
tions into the Netherlands, robbed Flanders of fifty-two of
F F 2
436 RUBENS.
Rubens's best pictures, which, however have probably since
found their way to their former destination.
Rubens continued to enjoy his well-earned fame and
honours, with uninterrupted success, till he arrived at his
fifty-eighth year, when he was attacked with stron? fits of
gout, which debilitated his frame, and unfitted him for
great exertions : he abandoned, therefore, all larger works,
and confined himself to easel painting. Yet he continued
to exercise his art until 1640, when he died at the age of
sixty- three. He was buried, with extraordinary pomp, in
the church of St. James at Antwerp, under the altar of his
private chapel, which he had previously decorated with a
very fine picture. A monument was erected to him by his
wife and children, with an epitaph in Latin, eulogizing lus
talents and virtues, and displaying their success.
He left a son Albert Rubens, who was born at Ant-
werp in 1614, and succeeded his father in his post as
secretary to the council, devoting his leisure to literary
pursuits. He died in 1657, leaving behind him many,
works, as monuments of his great learning and sound judg-
ment, of which the following may be mentioned. ** Regum
et Imperatorum Romanorum Numismata,'* which is a com-
mentary on the medals of the duke of Arschot: ^^De Re
Vestiaria Veterum :" " Dissertatio de Gemma Tiberiana
et Augustea — de Urbibus Neocoris — de natali Die Csesa-
ris Augusti,*' which were published by Graevius in the
** Thesaurus Antiq. Roman.'*
Lord Orford has observed that ''one cannot write the
. life of Rubens, without transcribing twenty authors ;*' and
. certainly twice twenty critics may be quoted who have di-
lated on his merits as an artist, with more or less discrimi-
nation. In concluding his article, however, we shall con-
fine oursdves to the opinion of sir Joshua Reynolds, from
its acknowledged superiority.
'' The elevated situation,** says our great artist, '' on
which Rubens stands in the esteem of the world, is alone
a sufficient reason for some examination of his pretensions.
His fame is extended Over a great part of the Continent,
without a rival; and it may be justly said, that he has
enriched his country, not in a figurative sense only, by
the great examples of art which he left, but by what some
would think a more solid advantage, the wealth arising from
the concourse of strangers whom bis works continually invite
to Antwerp, which would otherwise have little to reward
RUBENS, 437
the visit of a cqnnoisseur. To the city of Dueseldorp he
has been an equal benefactor. The gallery of that city is
considered as containing one of th^ greatest collections of
pictures in the world ; but if the works of Rubens were
taken from it, I will venture to assert, that this great re-
pository would be reduced to at least half its value. To
extend his glory still farther, he gives to Paris one of its
Qiost striking features, the Luxembourg gallery ; and if to
these we add the many towns, .churches, and private ca-
binets, where a single picture of Rubens confers eminence,
we cannot hesitate to place him in the first rank of illustri-
ous painters.
'* Though I still entertain the same general opinion both
in regard to his. excellencies and his defects, yet having
now seen his greatest compositions, where he has more
means of displaying those parts of his art in which he par-
ticularly excelled, my estimation of his genius is of course
raised. It is only in large compositions that his powers
seem to have room to expand themselves. They really
increase in proportion to the size of the canvas on which
they are 'to be displayed. His superiority is not seen in
easel pictures, nor even in detached parts of his greater
works ; which are seldom eminently beautiful. It does not
lie in an attitude, or in any peculiar expression, but in
the general effect, in the genius which pervades and illu-
minates the whole.
^^ I remember to have observed in a picture of Diatreci,
which I saw in a private cabinet at Brussels, the contrary
effect In that performance there appeared to be a total
absence of this pervading genius ; though every individual
figure was correctly drawn, and to the action of each as
careful an attention was paid, as if it wer'e a set academy
figure. Here seemed to be nothing left to chance ; all the
nymphs (the subject was the Bath of Diana) were what the
ladies call tn attitudes; yet, without being able to censure
it for incorrectness, or any other defect, I thought it one of
the coldest and most insipid pictures I ever beheld.
** The works of Rubens have that peculiar property al-
ways attendant on genius, to attract attention, and enforce
admiration, in spite of ail their faults. It is owing to this
fascinating power that the performances of those painters
with which he is surrounded, though they have, perhaps,
fewer defects, yet appear spiritless, tame, and insipid;
^uch as the altar-pieces of Crayer, Schutz, Segers, Hey-
439 RUBENS.
sens, Tysens, Van.BvileOy and the rest. They are done hy
men whose bands, and indeed all their faculties, appear ta.
have been cramped and confined ; and it is evident that;,
every thing they did was th^ effect of great labour and
pains. The productions of Rubens, on the contrary, seen;
to flow with a freedom and prodigality, as. if they cost hini
nothing ; and to the general animation of the composition,
there is always a correspondent spirit in the executio.n of
the work, ^he striking brilliancy of his colours, and theii;'
lively oppositioi^ to each other, the flowing liberty and
freedom of his outline, the animated pencil with which
every object i^ touched, s^II contribute to awaken and keep
alive the attention of the spectator; awaken in him, in
9pme measure, correspondent seqsations^ and make him
fieel a df|gree, pf that enthusias^l with which the painter
was carried away. Ti'o this we add the con^plete i^nifprmity
in all tlie part^ of the work, sio that the whole seeois to he.
conducted^ au<j grow out pf one mind ; every thing is of a
piece^ and fitsi its place. Even his taste of drawihg and of
form appears to correspond better with his colouring ancC
composition, than if he had adopted any other mann^fji
though that manner, simply considered, might be better i
it is here as in personal attractions ; there is frequently
found a certain agreement and correspondence in the whole
together, which is often more captivating than mere regur
lar beauty,
f* Rutens appears to have had that confidence in him-
self, which it is necessary for every aiftist to assume, when
he has finished his studies, and may vesture, in sorpe mea-
sure, to throw asid^ the fetters of authority; to popsider
%\xe rules as subject to bis controi^l, ^nd not himself subject
%o the rules ;. ^o risk and to 4^re extraordinary attempts
without a guide, abandoning himself to his own sensations,
and depending upon them. To this confidence must be
in^puted that origin^^Iity of mfinner by which he may be
truly said to have extended the limits of the art. After
Rubens had made up hi^ manner, he never looked out of
himself for assistance ; there is consequently very little in
his works, that appears to be taken from other master?, if
he has borrpwed any thing, hp hiE^s had the .address, to
change and adapt it so well to the rest of bis| ^or^, that
the theft is not discoverable.
" Besides ^be excellency of Rubens in thesp general
powers, he possessed the true art of imitating. He saw tb^
RUBENS. 439
object of nature with a painter^s eye; he saw at once the
predominant feature by which every object is knbwn and
distinguished ; and as soon as seen, it was executed with a
facility that is astonishing : and let me add^ this facility is
tp a painter, when he closely examines a picture^ a source
of great pleasure. How far thi^ excellence may be per-
ceived or felt by those who are not painters, I know hot ;
to them pertainly it 13 npt enough that objects be truly re-
pre^eqted ; th^y pust likewise be represented with grace ;
which means here, that the work is done with facility, and
without effort. Rubens was, perhaps, the greatest master
in the mechanical part of the art, the best workman with'
hU tools that ever exercised a pencil. This part of the
^rt, though it does not hold a rank with the powers of in-
vention, of giying character and expression, has yet in it
what ipay be cajled genius. It is certainly something that
cannot be taught by words, though it may be learned by a
frequent examination of those pictures which possess this
excellence. Jt is felt by very few painters; and it is as
r^re at this time among the living painters, as any of the
hjghpr excellencies of the art.
*' Xhis power, which Rubens possiessed in the highest
degree, enabled him to represent whatever he undertook
better than any other painter. His animals, particularly
lions and horses, are so admirable, that it may be said they
were never properly represented but by him. * His pqrtraits
rank with the best works of the painters who have made
that branch of the art the sole business of their lives ; and
of those he has left a great variety of specimens. The
same may be said of his landiscapes ; and though Claude
Lorrain finished more minutely^i as becomes a professor in
^ny particular branch, jet there is ' such an airiness and
facility in the landscapes of Rubens, that a painter would
las soon wish to be the author of them, ^s those of Claude,
or any other artist whatever.
" The pictures of Rubens have this effect upon the spec-
tator, that he feels himself in no wise disposed to pick out
and dwell on bis defects. The criticisms which are made
on him are indeed often unreasonable. His style ought no
more to be blamed for not having the sublimity of Michael
Angelo, than Ovid should be censured because he is not
Hke Virgil.
*^^ However, it must be acknowledged, that he wanted
,|Dany excellencies, which would have perfectly united with
440 . II U B E N a
hip style. Among those we may reckon beauty in his fe^
ii>ale qharacters : sometimes, indeed, they make approaches
to it ; they are healthy and comely women, but seldom, if
ever, possess any degree of elegance : the same may be
said of bis young men and children : his old men have
that sort of dignity which a bushy beard will confer ; but'
he never possessed a poetical conception of character. In
his representations of the highest characters in the Chris-
tian or the fabulous world, instead of soniething above
humanity, which might fill the idea which is conceived of
such beings, the spectator finds little more than mere
paortals, such as he meets with every day.
<^ The incorrectness of Rubens, in regard to his out-
Une» oft^ner proceeds from haste and carelessness, than
from inability : there are in his great works, to which he
seems to have paid more particular attention, naked. figures
as eminent for their drawing as for their colouring. He
appears to have entertained a great abhorrence of the
meagre dry manner of his predecessors, the old German
and l^lemish painters ; to avoid which, be kept his outline
large and Rowing: this, carried to an extreme, produced
that heaviness which is so frequently found in his figures.
Another defect of this great painter is, his inattention to
the foldings of his drapery, especially that of his woof^en ;
it is scarcely ever cast with any choice or skill.
^^ Carlo Maratti and Rubens are^ in this respect, in opr
posite extremes ; one discovers too much art in the dispo-*
sitions of drapery, and the other too little. Rubens^s dra-
pery, besides, is not properly historical; the quality of
the stuff of which it is composed, is too accurately distin-
guished ; resembling the manner of Paul Veronese. This
drapery is less offensive in Rubens than it would be in
many other painters, as it partly contributes to that rich-
ness which is the peculiar character of his style, which we
j^o not pretend to set forth ^s qf tb^ most simple and sub-
lime kind. *
, *' The difference of the manner of Rubens from that of
l^ny other painter before him, is in nothing more distin-
guishable than in his colouring, which is totally different
ixom that of Titian, Corregio, or any of the great colour*-
ists. The effect of his pictures may be not improperly
compared to clusters of flowers ; all bis colours appear as
clear and as beautiful : at the same time he has avoided
that tawdry effect "vfhich one would ei^pect such gay colours
Il U J3 & K 6. 44t
I
^6 produce ; in this respect res^mbltog Baroeei more tbaa
liny other painter. What was said lof an ancient painter
Itiay be applied to those two artists-— that their figuroa
look as if they fed upon roses.
<< It would be a curious ahd a p)nofitable study for %
painter, to examine the difference, and the cause of that
difference of effect in the works of Corregio and Rubens^
both excellent in different ways. The preference pro-
bably would be given according to the different habits of
the connoisseur : those who had received their first imprea*
tions from the works of Rubens, would censure Corregib
as heavy ; an4 the admirers of Corregio would say Rubeni
Wanted solidity of effect. There is lightness, airiness, and
facility in Rubens, his advocates will urge, and cotkipara*
tively a laborious heaviness in Corregio ; whose admirers
will complain of Rubens^s manner being careless ^nd un-
finished, whilst the works of Corregio are wrought to the
highest degree of delicacy ; and what may be advanced ia
favour of Corregio's breadth of light, will, by his ceusurers,
be called affected and pedantic. It must be observed, that
we are speaking solely of the manner, the effect of the
picture ; and we may conclude^ according to the custom in
pastoral poetry, by bestowing on each of these illustriouf
painters a garland, without attributing superiority to either^
** To conclude, I will venture to repeat in favour of Rd-
bens, what I have before said in regard to the Dutch school
•—that those who cannot see the extraordinary merit of thift
great painter, either have a narrow conception of the va^
riety of art, or are led away by the affectation of approving
nothing but what comes from the Italian school.^* *
RUCCELLAI (Bernard), in Latin Oricellarius, a
learned writer of the fifteenth century, was born in 1449.
His mother was daughter of the celebrated Pallas Strozzi^
one of the inost powerful and opulent citizens of Florence,
a great patron of literature, and who in his collections of
books and antiquities, was the rival of Niccoli, and even of
the Medicis themselves. To this last mentioned illustrious
family Bernard became allied, in his seventeenth year, by hia
marriage with the sister of Lorenzo, which joyful occasion
his father John I^uccellai is said to bavje celebrated with
princely magnificence, at the expence of 37,000 florins.
, t
> Pilkington.— Argenyine.<«rDi»campt.«— Sir J. Reynoldii*i Workt.««^I^Bef'#
Cyclopaedia^
442 R U C C E L L A I.
Bernard after bis marriage pursued his studies with tbe
sfune avidity as before; and after Lorenzo de Medici^s.
death, the Platonic academy found in him a very generous,
protector. He built a magnificent palace, with gardens
and groves convenient for the philosophic conferences held
by the academician^, and ornamented it with the most var,
liable specimens of the antique, collected at an imipense
e^^pence,
Like many other scholars of that day, he added political
skill to his literary accomplishments, and held some offices
of trust and importance. In 1480 be was chosen gonfa-
lokiier of justice ; and four years after, the republic appointed
bim ambassador to tbe state of Genoa, whiph was followed,
by three other embassies, one to Ferdinand king of Na-
ples, and two to Charles VIIL king of France. During th^.
ri^volutions which toqlf, place at Naples i^bout the end of
the fifteenth century, Ruccellai took a part, for which
some Florentine historians censure him ; but whether his
conduct was patriotic or factious, is not yery clear, although
tbe former is most probable. He died in 1514, and was
interred in the church of St. Maria Novella, tbe fagade of
which, begun by hi$ father, he finished with great magni-?
iicence.
Ruccellai^s principal work '^ De Urbe Roma,'' contains
an accurate accountpf wh^t the anpiient writers have handed
down respe<;tiiig thie magnificent edifices of that city, and
was in all respef^ts the best work of the kind that had then
appeared. It was first published in the collection entitled
<^ Rerum Ital. Scriptores Florentini.'' He left also a his-
tory of the war of Pisa« and another of the descent of
Charles VIIL into Italy,' « De Bello Pisano," and " De
Sello Italico ;'' the latter of which is said to have been
£rst printed at London by Brindley in 1724, and both by
Powyer in 1733 ; but this last edition we do not find men-
tipned in Mr. Nichols's very accurate and elaborate )ist of
the productions of Bowyer's press, In 1752 was published
^t Leipsic a treatise on the Roman magistracy, *^ De ma-
gistratibus Roma.nis," written by Ruccellai, and sent to
tbe editor by the learned antiquary Gori, who discovered
it fit Florence. Ruccellai was also a poet, and appes^rs in
the <* Canti Camascialeschi" as the author of the *^ Trionf9
della calunnia." In poetry, however, be was eclipsed by
bis son, the subject of our next article.^
I TipbMcbit— >GiDfiicn4 Hift. Lit. ^'Italie.— Roicoe*i JLortozode Medici.
RUCCELLAI. 44S
ftDCCELLAl (John), fourth son to the preceding^ was
born at Florence, Oct. 20, 1475, at a time when his family
w^ in the plenitude of its power. By what masters he was
educated we have not been told, but it may be presumed^
from bis father's character, that he procured him the best
which Florence could afford ; and it is said that he became
very accomplished in the Greek and Latin languages, as '
weir as in his own. In 1505 he was sent as ambassador
from Florence to Venice. In the tumult raised by the
younger citizens of Florence on the return of the Medici in
1512^ and which contributed so greatly to facilitate that
event, he and his brother Pallas took a principal part, ap«*
parently in opposition to the wishes of their father, who
was on thie popular sid^. On the elevation of Leo X. and
the appointment of his nephew Lorenzo to the government
of'Naples, Ruccellai is supposed to have accompanied the
latter to Rome, when he went to assume the Insignia of
captain -^general of the church. In 15)5 he attended Leo
on bis visit to Florence, on which occasion the pontiff was
entertained. in the gardens of the Ruccellai with the repre*
sentation of the tragedy of " Rosmunda,** written by our
author in Italian blank verse. As Ruccellai entered into
the ecclesiastical order, it has appeared surprising that Leo
did not raise him to the purple; but political reasons, and
not any want of esteem, seem to have prevented this, for
he sent him, at a very important crisis^ as his legate to
Francis I. in which station he continued until Leo^s death.
After this event he returned to Florence, and was deputed^
with five other ' principal citizens, to congratulate the new
pope Adrian VI. which he performed in an oration yet ex*
tant. The succeeding pope Clement VII. appointed Rue*
cellai keeper of the castle of St. Angelo, whence he obtained
the name of II Castellano. He died in 1 526. His fame
rests chiefly on his poem of the ^' Api,'' or Bees, which was
published iu 1539, and will secure to its author a high rank
among the writers of didactic poetry. *^ His diction,"" says
Mr. Roscoe, *^ is pure without being insipid, and simple
without becoming vulgar; and in the course of his work he
has given decisive proofs of his scientific acquirements, par-
ticularly on subjects of natural history.^' Besides the tra-
gedy of *^ Rosmunda,*' already noticed, he wrote another,
^' Oreste/* which remained in manuscript until published
by Scipio Maffei in \kis ^* Teatro ItaUano,*' who considers
^t as superior to hia *^ Rosmunda/' They are both imita*
4«4 R U C C E L L A L
tions of Euripides. Ao edition of all bis works was printed
at Padua in 1772, 8vo, and his poem of the *' Bees^* was
translated into Frencli by Pingeron, in 1770.^
RUDBECK (Oi.AUS or Olof), one of the earliest culti-
vators of natural science in Sweden, was the son of John
Rudbeck, bishop of Vester^s, a considerable patron of let-
ters, and by whose exertions the Swedish Bible was pub«
lished in 1618, He was born in 1630, and educated at
Upsah Anatomy was his early study, and he prosecuted it
with sucli success, that at the age of nineteen or twenty he
made the important discovery of the lymphatic vessels in
the liver, and ^oon afterwards, of those of other parts of.
the body; In Bartholine be had a rival in this discovery,
which indeed both appear to have made independent of
each other ; but Haller gives the priority, in point of time,
to Rudbeck. Rudbeck, having also made botany a part of
his pursuits, contributed, out of his own means, to the ad-
Tancement of that science, by founding a garden, which
he afterwards gave to the university of Upsal. After a visit
to Holland in 1653, he devoted himself to medicine, and
to the instruction of his pupils in anatomy. In 1658 he
was appointed professor of medicine, and was fixed at Up-
sal for the remainder of his life. Besides the attention
which he gave to the above-mentioned pursuits, he very
early addicted himself to the study of languages, history,
antiquities, architecture, and music, as well as the prac-*
tical art o( drawing, and was so much regarded as a man
'io£ taste, that the public festivals and decorations, at thjB
coronation of the young king Charles XI. in 1660, were
put entirely under bis direction.
The first botanical publication of Rudbeck scenes to have
been his ^^ Catalogus plantarum horti Upsaliensis,'' printed
at Upsal in 1658, the year after the establishment of that
collection^ To this little volume a preface in Xatin and
Swedish is prefixed, treating of practical horticulture, and
recommending botany for its agreeableness and utility.
The list^ is of course not very ample, but pontains several
exotic s^pecies and varieties. An appendix to this cata-
log-ue was printed in 1666^ the garden having been, by
t)^ time, considerably enriched. The same year, 166^
anothersiipilar work appeared, '^Deliciss Vallis Jacobsse;*'
a catalogue, alphabetical like the former, of a garden at
1 TiraboscliK— Ginguetti Hist, lit^ d'ltalie, vol. VI.— Roscoe's Leo.
R U & B E C K. 44^
• • •
jacobus Dabiy near Stockholm. This^ which was anony-
mous, is a little book of extreme rarity, insomuch that
Haller speaks of it by report only. A Latin poem is pre-
fixed to the work, describing the beauty of this villa, its
orangery, aviary, plantations^ and fountains.
It is uncertain at what period of his life Rudbeck first con-
ceived the vast project of his " Campi Elysii," in which all
the plants in the world, as far as they had been discovered^
were to be represented by wooden cuts, in twelve folio vo-
lumes^ disposed according to Bauhin's *• Pinax." For this
stupendous work he is said to have prepared ten or eleven
thousand figures, and the first and isecond volumes were
already printed, when a dreadful fire reduced alo^ost the
whole town of Upsal to ashes, in 1702. Three copies only
of the first volume escaped the fire, two of which remain in
Sweden, and the third is preserved in the Sherardian library
at Oxford. A few leaves, wanting in this last t;opy^ are
.supplied in manuscript. A number of the blocks of this
very volume, which consists of grasses and their allies,
came into England with the Linnaean collection ; and hav-
ing been compared with the Oxford copy, an impression
of them was given to the public in 1789, by sir James Ed-
ward Smith, president of the Linnasan society, under the
title of ** Reliquias Rudbeckianse,'* the appropriate letter-
press of each figure, and the Linnsean names, being sub-
joined. An historical preface is prefixed to this edition, as
well as a dedication to Dr. John Gustavus Acrel, professor
of medicine at Upsal, who was entrusted with the sale of
the Linnaean museum and library.
The second volume of the ** Campi Elysii** came firom
the press a little before the former ; so that several copies
'having got abroad, escaped the destruction of the rest.
Even this, however, is a very rare book, the price of which
can hardly be estimated. A copy was bought by professor
Jacquin in Germany, many years ago, for about 30 guineas*
This volume is in the Linnsean, Banksian, and Sherardian
libraries. Containing liliaceous plants, and the Orchis
tribe, it is much more splendid than the first. The figures
are copied from all quarters, though several are original,
and amount to about 600 in dll, many of them executed
with great correctness and elegance. The preface attri*
butea the anticipated publii^ation of this volume to the
greater popularity and attraction . of its contents ; 9l|d
«peaks of many ol the intended figures of the whole work»
4*6 It U D B £ C K.
fts to be executed from drawings made by the author httA^
self) after original specimens, either preserved in Burser^s
fine Swiss herbarium, or obtained from other quarters* Th#
author speaks of bis son and nephew, each of the same
name with himself, as his coadjutors, and the destined con-
tinuators of this laborious undertaking. The destruction
of bis materials is extremely to b6 regretted ; for such a
repository of the botanical knowledge of the time woutd
have beeu highly valuable to succeeding writers ; particu-
larly as illustrating the plants of Bauhin, so many of which
are to be determined from Burser^s herbarium only.
The author^s other work, as scarce as the preceding,
having shared the same fate, is entitled *< Atlantica, sive
Hanheim vera Japheti posterorum sedes ac patria, &c.*^
1698 — 1702, 4 vols, folio. This work was written in the
Swedish language, but is accompanied by a Latin transla-
tion. The fourth volume was put to press in 1702, and the
printer was in the second alphabet, when the fire above
mentioned took place, and consumed this volume as well
as the others, with all the author^ copy, except two or
three seu of the printed sheets, which have, if we mistake
not, been supplied by manuscript in the few copies extant.
.The president of the Linnaean society has one of the pre«
ceding volumes, composed of wooden cuts; but the whole
work, which Brunet has accurately described, has copper*
plate frontispieces and other finished engravings, maps,
&;c. The aim of this singular performance was to prove
that Sweden had been the terrestrial paradise of our 6rst
parents, the Atlantis of Plato, the place whence the Ger-
mans, French, English, Danes, Greeks, and Romans, and
all nations came, and the source of all learning, ancient
mythology, arts and sciences ; but all that the author has
.really proved is, how much profound learning may be
. brought to bear upon a wild and untenable hypothesis.
Rudbeck died a few months after the destruction of his
works, Sept. 2, 1702, in the seventy-second .year of his
age, having nine years before resigned the professorships
of botany and anatomy to his son. He is said to have been
a man of a mild and amiable character, and as much es*-
I teemed for his personal qualities as for his learning.'
. RUDBECK (Olaus), son of the preceding, was born
z% Upsal in 1660, and under his father's direction studied
'r^ Ree&*s Cyclopedia, by Sir J. E. Smith. <u^toeYer^i Life of tiaoKits, p. fiS,—
^SakiiOMNnisticoB.*— BniQ^'i^MaiiueNu Libraire.— ^filoyi Dict« Ui9C 4e Medev
<;iiie«
il U D B £ C K. 44^7
medicine^ botany^ atid antiquities. He took his doctor^s
'degree at Utrecht, in 1690, publishing' on that occasion
an able dissertation, *^ De fundamentali Plantarum Notiti&
rite acquirend^/' In this he asserts the necessity of ai^
ranging and distinguishing the genera of plants by their
fructification alone, and prefers such leading principles as
are derived from the fruit, rather than from the corolla.
He rejei^ts habit, colour, sensible qualities, time of flower*
ing, &c. on which so much stress has been laid by super-
ficial observers ; while, on the other hand, he declines be-
ing implicitly led by the more abstruse principles of certain
more- philosophical botanists. He had previously, at Upsal^
in 16S6, defended a thesis ** De Propagatione Plantarum,'*
which is less original, though highly creditable as a school
exercise. In 1695, he set out from Upsal on a tour to
Lapland, accompanied by two sons of count Gyllenborg*
After his return he prepared a very ample account of bis
jounvey, having made a number of drawings for the pur-
pose. The first part, published in 1701, in Lectin and
Swedish, is dedicated to king Charles XII. in a Latin, as
well as Swedishi poem, and ornamented with a magnificent
wood-cut of the Pedicuhris Sceptrum-^Carolinum. But this
volume, a thin 4to, goes no further than the province of
Upland. The rest of the materials, except a collection of
drawings of plants, which still exist, and perhaps rather
belong to the ^^ Campi Elysii," seem to have perished in
the fire of Upsal. - Such indeed w-as the fate of most of the
copies of the work just mentioned, entitled ^^ Laponia ilkrs-
trata," which is therefore an extremely scarce book.
In 1720 Rudbeck, in conjunction with Benzelius, after-
wards archbishop of Upsal, founded the Swedish academy
of sciences, as it was then called; though subsequently,
when other similar establishments arose at Stockholm,
Lund, .&c. the original one was entitled the Royal Aca-
demy of -Upsal.. This institution still flourishes, and has
produced several volumes of Transactions in Latin. In the
first, printed in 1720, is a catalogue of plants^ observed by
Rudbeck in Lapland. He published several curious dis-
sertations from time to time, which evince his deep erudi-
tion, though he betrays, like his father, somewhat of a
paradoxical turn. He was particularly skilled in oriental
literature, and was hei^ce led to undertake the explanation
of some of the most obscure subjects of natural history in
the sacred scriptures. He contends that Bvrith^ mentioned
4id R U D B £ C K.
by some of ibe propbeU» is neither w berb, ilor any kiii^
of soap^ but a purple dye. He also undercook to deraoii-
virate that the Vtidaim were raspberries. The two dijiser-
.tations which contain these opinions appeared in 1733, in
4l0t but the author bad previously given to the world three
. others, the inaugural essays of some of bis pupils, od JSk-
deraf in 1707, 4to; on Mandragi^rUy in 1702; and on the
JRuhm arciicus of Linnaeus, in 1716, both in SvOy with good
. cuts. His most elaborate and eccentric performaqce.of ali,
.perhaps, is a dissertation on the bird iie^/ax^,, which our trans-
;totion of the Bible renders a quail. Some have thought it
a locust, but Rudbeck will have it a flying-fish. He in-
tended to publish a great philological work entitled '^ Lexi-
. con Harmonicum,'' when death arrested his career, March
. S3, 1740. In bis latter days, finding himself unable, to
leave home and lecture as usual, he fixed bis choice, as an
assistant, on Linnaeus, then in bis twenty-third year^ who
first supplied Budbeck's place in 1730, with much appro-
bation.^
RUOBORNE^ or RODBURNE (Thomas), bishop of
St. David's in the fifteenth century, was, according to
Fuller, a native of Hertfordshire, and took bis name from
Rttdborne, a village near St. Alban's ; but Wood says he
was born at Rodburne in Wiltshire. He studied at Merton
college, Oxford, and became one of the greatest matbema-
licians of bis day, and an able architect. He built the gate-
way and fine tower of Merton college, and probably the
• chapel» for that seems improperly given to bishop Rede^
He was so much esteemed, that Henry V. who became ac-
-ijuainted with him when a student at Queen's college, af-
terwards appointed him his chaplain, on his going to France
. previous to the battle of Agincourt. He received some
, ecclesiastical preferments, as the prebend of Horton in the
church of Salisbury, the living of East Deping in Lincoln-
shire, and the archdeaconry of Sudbury. He served the
• office of proctor in the university, and was elected chan-
' cellor, but Wood thinks that if he accepted this office, he
did not retain it long. In 14'26 he was admitted warden of
. Merton college, which he appears to have resigned the fol-
lowing year. In 1433 he was promoted to the see vkf St.
David's, from which the king, Henry YI. would have trans-
lated him to Ely ; but Wood says, ^' could not effect it;**
1 Reet'i Cyclopiedia.— Haller Bibl. Bot.— Stoever'i Unnsus, p. 24.
fc U O B O R N E* 449
tl^ died about 1442. The tower and chapel of Merum
witl long remain monuments of his skill and taste. He wa»
also a benefactor to t^e first public library in Oxford. Like
the majority in his day^ he was an opponent of the first at-
tempts at reformation in religioti, and in 1411 was one of
the commissioners for suppressing WicklifTs doctrines and
writings. He wrote, according to Bale^ a ** Chronicle/*-
and some epistles ** ad Thomam Waldenem et alios^** He
must be distinguished from the Thomas Rudborne^ whose
** Historia Major Wintoniensis'* is printed by Wharton in
Vol. L of his '< Anglia Sacra,^' who was, however, a monk
of Winchester about the middle of the. same century, but
survived bishop Rudborne.'
RUDDIMAN (Thomas), a very eminent grammarian
and critic, was born in October 16-74, at Raggel, in the
parish of Boyndie and county of Banff, Scotland. His fa-
ther, James Ruddiman, was a farmer, and so strongly at-
tached to the bouse of Stuart, as to shed tears on the death
of Charles IT. His son was educated in Latin grammar at
the parish-school of Boyndie, and quickly surpassed his
class-fellows in vigour of application. At the age of sixteen
he was desirous of going to the university, and when his
father opposed this inclination, because he thought him too
young, he set out, without his knowledge, to King^s coU
lege, Aberdeen, and obtained by his skill in Latin, the
first exhibition, or bursary, as it is there called, of that
year. After studying at this college for four years, he ob-
tained the degree of piaster of arts. Though he was only
twenty years of age when he left Aberdeen, it appears from
a book entitled, *^ Rhetoricorum Libri tres," composed
before this period, but n^ver published, that he had then
read the Roman classics with uncommon attention and ad-
vantage.
He was soon aftei^ etigaged as a tutor in a gentleman^s
family, which situation he quitted in about a year for that
of schoolmaster in the parish of LaiVrence-Kirk* After
passing three years and a half in this employment, he had
a favourable opportunity of removing to advantage, owing
to an accidental introduction to the celebrated Dr. Fit-
cairne. This gentleman happening to pass through Law^
•rence-iCirk^ was detained by a violent storm, and wanting
t Baler Piti« wd TaaiMn^-Oodwin ds Pnesaiibus*— W^sd't Hiitory of O^
legetfand Hall«.
Vol. XXVI. Go
450 R U D D I M A N*
amusement, inquired of bis hostess whether she cotXi pro-*
cure him any agreeable companion at dinner. She replied^i
that the parish schoolmaster, though, young, was said to
be learned, and, though modest, she was sure could talk.
Pitcairne was delighted with the conversation and learning
of his new companion, and invited him to Edinburgh, with
a promise of his patronage^ Ruddiman accordingly quit-
ted Lawrence-Kirk, and soon after his arrival at Edinburgh
was appointed assistant- keeper of the advocates' library.
The emoluments of this place were trifling, but it made htm
known and made him learned ; and after the regular bour^
of attendance at the library (from 10 to 3) he occupied his
leisure hours as a private tutor in the Latin language to va«
rious young gentlemen. As his merits became better known,
bis assistance was anxiously solicited by those who were
engaged in literary publications. His first employment of
this kind was as editor to sir Robert Sibbald*s '* Introductio
ad bistoriam rerum a Romanis gestarum in ea Borealis Bri-
tannisB parte quas ultra murum Picttcum est,'' and he like-*
wise contributed his aid to Sir Robert Spottiswood's '' Prac**-
tiques of the Laws of Scotland." So little was literary la«
hour rewarded at that time^ that for the former of these
works he received only 3/. and for the latter 5/. Such poor
encouragement obliged him, in 1707^ to commence ai!c-
%ioneer. The same year he published an edition of ^' Vo*
luseni de Animi Tranquillitate Dialogus," to which be pre*
fixed a life of Volusenus, or Wilson, a learned countryman^
who had been patronized by cardinal VVolsey. In 1709^
he published '^ Johnstoni Cantici Solomonis Paraphrasis
Poetica," and '^ Johnstoni Cantica," with notes, which he
dedicated to bis friend and patron Dr. Pitcairne.- The edi-'
tion consisted of two hundred copies, which he sold at one
' shilling each. The expence of printing amounted to SL \Qs*
. He was next employed by Freebairne, the bookseller, on a
new edition of Gawin Douglas's *^ Virgil's £neid," which
be corrected tbruughout, added the glossary, and probably
the forty-two general rules for understanding the language^
for all which he received the sum of 8/. 6s. Sd.
Hii» reputation having now reached distant parts, he was
invited by the magistrates of Dundee to be rector of this
grammar-school there, but his salary as librarian baviog'
been increased to 30/. 6s, Sd. he was induced to decline the
offer. In 1711 he assisted bishop Si^e in publishing tho
folio edition of ^^ Drummond of Hawtbornden's Works;"
R U D D I M A N. 451
and Dr. Abercrombie, in preparing for the press bis *^ Mar-
itial Atchievements." In 1713 be lost his friend Dr. Piu
cain>ey for whom he composed an epitaph, and conducted
the sale of his library, which was disposed of to the Czar
Peter the Great. In 1714, he published his *^ Rudiments
of the Latin tongue,^' which soon superseded all other
books of the kind, and is still taught in all the grammar-
schools in Scotland. He lived to see fifteen editions of it
sold.
His next publication was tlie Works of Buchanan, in two
volumes 1715, fol. His account of his life, and opinion of
that history, so different from that (till then) entertained by.,
his coun.trymen, drew on him many enemies. A counter
edition of Buchanan's works was set about by a society who
formed themselves for that purpose, and, after promising
their aid to Burman as their editor, disappointed him, ana
left him to publish it in 1725, with Ruddiman's preface and
notes, and a few of his own. Ruddiman's edition opens
^ith a preface pretendedly of Freebairn, which had plainly
been written by Ruddiman* He gave also an elaborate
statement of the various editions of Buchanan^s separate
works, exposed the' chronological errors and spirit of the
History, and laid open the sources whence be drew the
do&uments which enabled him to rectify both. He ac-
knowledged, with the warmest thankfulness, the obliga-
tions be owed to several men of learning for their able as-
sistance in this difficult task. Sir David Dalrymple, th^
lord-advocate of Scotland, contributed his intelligent help
with the kindness of a friend. Fletcher of Saltoun, the
** Cato of the age,*' promoted the design with the usual
ardour of his spirit ; and Pitcaime gave bis continual aid
vfbile he lived. He meations also John Drummond, M. D.
Laurence^Dundas, professor of languages in the college at
Edinburgh, John Macdonald, James Anderson, a whig, and
John Gillan, a Jacobite, as two antiquaries who were for-
ward to assist his labours. This preface naturally led on to
the life of Buchanan, said to have been written by himself
two years before his death ; of which assertion Ruddiman
expressed bis doubts in a note, without perceiving, what
appears to bave been the fact, that sir Peter Young was the
resd author of it
After having been so long accustomed to superintend the
press, Ruddiman was led to form the plan of erecting a
priuting-offioe hinaiielC Accordingly, in 1715, be com"*
Q Q 2
452 R U D D I M A N.
inenced printer, in partnership with his brother Walter,
who had been regularly bred to the business; and some
years after h|e was appointed printer to the university along
with James Davidson, a bookseller. In 1718, be became
one of the founders of the first literary society in Scotland.
In 1725, he published the first part of his ^* Grammaticst
LatinsQ Institutiones,** which treats of etymology; and the
second part, which explains the nature and principles .of
syntax, appeared in 1732. He also wrote a third part on
|»rosody, which is said to be more copious and correct than
any other publication on the subject, but, for want of en«
couragement, he published only an abridgment of it. He
next engaged in the tnanagement of a newspaper, << The
Caledonian Mercury,'* from which he derived more profit
than fame, it being a mere dry record of occurrences.
This paper continued in his family until 1772, when it wa$
sold to Mr. Robertson, and still exists.
Afler the desith of the principal keeper of the advocates*
library, Mr. Ruddlman was appointed his successor, but
without any increase of salary. He was, however, now
Acquiring by his other employments a competence accord->'
ine to his moderate desires, and independent spfrit. In
17^9, he published what is known by the name of Ander*'
son's ** Diplomata Sdoti&e," from having been begun bjr
Anderson, but wad finished by Ruddiman, who wrote the
admirable preface^ which displays a greater extent of
knowledge than ady of his other productions. During the
rebellion in 1745, although Ruddiman was firmly attached
to the house of Stuart, he took no active part, but employed
himself in writing critical observations on Borman's com^
mentary on Lucan^
During the last fourteen yeats of his life, he was almost
incessantly engaged in controversy, first, with auditor
Benson, on the comparative merit of Buchanan and John-
ston as poets. His next antagonist was Logan, one of thd
ministers of Edinburgh. Of Benson we have already taken.
some notice. The subject of Ruddiman's controversy with
Logan was, whether the crown of Scotland was strictly
hereditary, and whether the birth of Robert IIL was legi-
tiniate ? Ruddiman maintained the affirmative in both
points. He was soon after called upon to repel the attacks
6f Mr. Love, k schoolmaster at Dalkeith, who wrote in de-*
fence of Buchanan's character.
About thil lime he gave his assistance to Mr. Ames, in
R U D D I M A N. 453
I^U typographical researches. In October 1751, at the
age of 77, he was obliged to ask the aid of physicians for
preserving his eye- sight, which, however, they did not
effect. Yet this misfortune, that to a scholar cannot easily
be supplied, did not prevent him from doing kind acts to
his relations, and continuing his correspondence with bis.
friends, nor from pursuing his studies, and producing his
edition of Livy, in four volumes 12mo, which Harwood
declares to be one of the most accurate that ever was pub-
lished. Glasgow had to boast of the spotless perfection of
her Horace, in 1744; Edinburgh had reason^ said that
critic, to triumph in the immaculate purity of lluddiman's
J^ivy, in 1751. Ruddiman resigned his place of keeper to
the advocates^ library in a very handsome English Ijetter ;
and the celebrated David Hume was appointed td succeed
him. Mr. Ruddiman soon gave a fine specimen of his
knowledge of the Latin language, in a letter on the subject
to Mr. John Garden, of Brechin, 1712, still in MS.; but,
with his usual judgment, he concluded bis elaborate disser?
tation by remarking, that, if the Latin tongue be writteii
with Roman accuracy, Roman pronunciation may be left,
without much inconvenience, to find its own fashion in the
lesu'ned worid. He had scarcely closed this friendly corr
respondence when he was called from his favourite studies
into an acrimonious contest, by James Man, master of the
j)oor-hospitaI fn Aberdeen, concerning his edition of Bu-;*
chanan's Works, which had been published 38 years before.
Of this we have already taken notice in our account of Mr.
Man. Mr. Ruddiman died at Edinburgh, Jan. 19, 1757,
,when he had advanced into the eighty-third year of his
^ge, and was buried in the cemetery of the Grey Friers.
His brother and partner, Walter, died in 1770, aged 83.
Of Ruddiman*s talents and learning his works afford the
jnpst satisfactory proofs. His memory was tenacious ahd
exact, and he was so great a master of the Latin language^
.that perhaps he has not been equalled since the da3's of
Buchanan. His personal character was recommended by
^any virtues, and upon the whole he may justly be^ con,-
#idered as an. honour to his native country, and a benefacr
tor to classical Uter^ure. Many very interesting uiemori*
als of him, and of the state of learning and opinions ia
bis time, may be found in the work to which we are chiefly
indebted for the materials of this account. *
> «' The Life of Tbopias Raddimaiii" by Qtm$,9 Chalmerf, Eiq. F. IL S. ke*
1794, STOb-^Bacyd. BriUumica.
454 R (J S.
HUE (Charles de la), a French onLtor and poet, was
' born at P^iris in 1643, and educated in the Jesaits' college,
where he afterwards became pr6fessor of humanity and
rhetoric. In 1667, when only twenty-four, he wrote a
Latin poem, upon the conquests of Lewis XIV. which
was thought so excellent, that Peter Corneille translated
it into French, and presented it to the king; apologizing,
at the same time, for not being able to convey to his ma-
jesty the beauties of the original. No introduction could
be more favourable, and the king shewed him singular re-
spect ever after. He was one of those who had the care
of the Delphine editions of the classics ; and Virgil was
allotted to him, which he published with good notes, and
a correct life of the author, in 1676, 4to. He published
also panegyrics, funeral orations, and sermons, which shew
him to have been a very great orator : but his master-piece
is a funeral oration for the prince of Luxembourg. There
are also tragedies of his writing in Latin and French, which
had the approbation of Corneille, and therefore cannot be
without merit; but he would not suffer them to be per-r
formed. A collection of his Latin poems was published at
Paris, in 1680, in 12mo, and at Antwerp in 1693. He
died at Paris May 27, 1725, in bis eighty-second year.**
RUE (Charles de la), was a Benedictine monk, born
in 1685, who became so learned in the Greek and He-
brew languages, and in divinity, that Montfaucon took
him into his friendship, and made him an associate with
him in his studies. Montfaucon had published, in 1713,
the remains of " Origen*s Hexapla ;** and was very desir-
ous, that a correct and complete edition should be given
of the whole works of this illustrious father. His own en«
gagements not permitting him, he prevailed with de la
Sue, whose abilities and learning he knew to be sufKcient
for the work, to undertake it: and accordingly two vo-
lumes were published by him, iti 1733, folio, with proper
prefaces and useful notes. A third volume was ready for
the press, when de la Rue died in 1739; and though it
was published afterwards by his nephew, yet the edition
of Origen not being quite completed, some remaining
pieces, together with thr " Origenianft*^ of Huettus, were
published in 1759, as a fourth volume, and the whole
reprinted in 1780 by Oberthur, at Wiselburg, in 15 vols,
8vo.*
' If orerL-r JXct Hif t. t jbkL
R U F F I. 455
RUFFI (Anthony D£}, the historian of Marseilles, was
born there in 1607, and bred to the law. Being appointed
counsellor to the seneschalcy of his native plac^, he prac-
tised in that court for some years, and with a scrupulous
integrity rather uncommon ; for we are told that on one
occasion when, by his own neglect, a client had lost his
cause, he sent hira a sum of money equivalent to that loss.
He was a man of learning, and a good antiqu£^ry, and em-
ployed much of his time in collecting materials for his
*^ History of Marseilles,'* which he published in 1642. In
1654 he was made a counsellor of state, and next year
published a life of Gaspard de Simiane, known by the
name of the chevalier dela Coste, and about the same time
a history of the counts of Provence from 934 to 1480. He
died April 3, 1689, aged eighty-two. His son Louis An-
thony, who followed similar pursuits, added to his father's
History of Marseilles a second volume, in an edition pub-
lished in 1696, and illustrated with plates of seals, coins,
&c. He was author, likewise, of ^' Dissertations Histori-
ques et Critiques sur TOrigine des Comtes des Provence,
de Venaissin, de Forcalquier, et des Vicomtes de Mar-
seille;'' and in 1716 he published <^ Une Dissertation
Historique, Chronologique, et Critique sur les Eveques de
Marseille." Both these were intended as preludes to more
elaborate works on the subject, which he was prevented
from completing by his death, March 26, 1724, in the
fiixty-sixth year of bis age. '
RUFFINUS, or RUFINUS, a very celebrated priest of
Aquileia, called by some Toranius, was born about the
middle of the fourth century, at Concordia, a small city ia
Italy. He retired to a monastery in Aquileia, and devoted
himself wholly to reading and meditating on tjbe sacred
scriptures and the writings of the holy fathers. St. Jerome
passing that way became much attached to him, and vowed
an indissoluble friendship. When St. Jerome retired into
the east some years after, RufRnus, inconsolable for their
separation, resolved to quit Aquileia in search of his friend.
He accordingly embarked for Egypt, visited the ''hermits
who inhabited the deserts, and having been told much of
the charity of St. Melania tlie eldcTy had the ^atisfaction of
seeing her at Alexandria, where he went to hear the cele-
J^ated Didymus. The piety which Melania observed in
\ iJ^orerij^-^Niceropi vol. I.
456 R U f F I N U S.
RuiBnus induced b^r to make bim ber confident, i^-hich he
.continued to be while they remained in the Eacit, which wai9
about thif ty years., But the Arians, who ruled in the reign
of Valeus, raised a cruel persecution against RuffinHs» ca3(
him into a dungeon, and loaded him with chainsi where be
suffered the torments of hunger and thirst, and they after-
wards banished him to the most desolate part, of Palestine.
Melania ransomed him, with several other exiles, and re-
lumed to Palestine with him. It was at this period, that
St. Jerome, supposing Ruffiuus would go directly to Jeru-»
salem, wrote to a friend in that city to congr^^tulate him
on the occasion, in the following terms : ** You will see
the marks of holiness shine ' in the person of Ruffinus,
whereas I am but his dust. It is enough for my weak eye^
to support the lustre of his virtues. He has lately been
further purified in the crucible of persecution, and is now
whiter than snow, while I am defiled with all manner of
sins.** Ruflfinus built a monastery on mount Olivet, con*
verted numbers of sinners, re-united to the church above
.400 solitaries, who had engaged in the schism of Antiocb|
and persuaded several Macedonians and Arians to renounce
their errors. He, at the same time, translated such, Greek
books as appeared to him the most interesting ; but bis
translations of Origen*s works, particularly <^ the Book of
principles,** occasioned that rupture between him and St,
Jerome, which made so much noise in the churchy and sq
deeply afflicted St. Augustine, and all the great men of
their time. Ruflinus was cited to Rome by pope Anasta?
tius, who is said to have condemned his translation of
*' the Book of principles.** Being accused of heresy, he
published some very orthodox apologies, which discover
great ingenuity. His chief plea was, ^^ That be meant to
be merely a translator, without undertaking to support or
' defend any thing reprehensible in Origen*s works.** He
• went afterwards into Sicily, and died there about the
year 410. He translated from Greek into Latin, *^ Jose*
phus;** ^^ The Ecclesiastical History,** by Eusebius, to
ivhich he added, two books; several of Origen*s writings,
with his " Apology** by St. Pamphilius ; ten of St. Gregory
. of Nazianzen*s Discourses, and eight of St. Ba$il*s, in all
which he has been accused of taking great liberties, and
in some of them acknowledges it. He has also lefta Tifact
in defence of Origen ; two " Apologies** against St. Je-
rome ; ** Commentaries*' on Jacob's benedictions^ on Ho-
RUFFINUS. '4W
%ea, Joel, and Amos ; several <' Lives of the Fathers of the
desert/' and ** An Exposition of the Creed,*' which has
always been valued. His works were printed at Paris, bSSQ,
fol.; but the ** Commentary on the Psalms,"- which bean
bis name, was not written by him. The abb£ Gervase has
published a ^^ Life of Ruffinus/' 2 vols. 12mo. '
RUFFHEAD (Owen), a law and miscellaneous writer,
was born about 1723 in Piccadilly, where his father was
his majesty^s baker, and having bought a lottery ticket for
Owen, when in his infancy, which was drawn a prize o^
500/. he determined to expend it upon his education for
the professibn of the law. He was accordingly entered of
the Middle Temple, and by studying here, as well as at
school, with great diligence, became a good general scho-
lar, and an acute barrister, although he never arrived
at great eminence in his profession.' He endeavoured,
however, to form some political connexions ; and when, in
1757, Murphy wrote a periodical paper, in favour of Mr*
Henry Fox, afterwards lord Holland, called << The Test,^*
R«6Fhead set up another, in opposition, called <^ The Con-
Test." Dn Johnson, who then conducted the '^ Literary
Magazine/' after giving a few of both these papers, adds,
f^ Of these p&pers of the Test and Con-test, we have given
a very copious specimen, and hope that w,e shall give no
more. The debate seems merely personal, no one topic
of general import having been yet attempted. Of the mo-
tives of the author of the Test, whoever he be, I believe^
every man who speaks honestly, speaks with abhorrence*
Of the Con-test, which, being defensive, is less blanieable»
I have yet heard jno great commendation. The language
is that of a man struggling after elegance,' and catching
finery in its stead; the author of the Con-test is more
knowing : of wit neither can boast ; in the Test it is fror
,quently attempted, but always by mean and despicable
imitations, without the least glimmer of intrinsic light,
without a single effort of original thought." RufFhead
wrote other pamphlets on temporary political subjects, the
last of which was a defence of the conduct of admini$tra-
tion in the affair of Wilkes, entitled ^' The case of the late
Election for the county of Middlesex considered," in an-
swer to sir William Meredith's pamphlet on the same sub*
jecf;; Of his law writings, the first was a continuation of
«
} G«Te, ToU I.-^IHipi0t<"rMoreri.— iSttii OnottMt.
454 RUFFHEAB.
\
Cay's *^ Statutes** to the 13 George III. 9 rols. fol.; and
the second an edition of the Statutes, which goes under
his own name, which he did not live to publish, as it ap«
peared in 1771, but which has been since regularly con-
tinued, making 1 S vols. 4to. For this, or his political ser*
Vices, be was about to have been promoted to the place of
one of the secretaries of the Treasury, when he died Oct*
25, 1769, in his forty-sixth year.
Sdoie time before his death, bishop Warburton, who
probably thought the task might involve himself in inqui*
Ties not re/ty suitable to the dignity of his order, employed
Bufniead to write the *' Life of Pope," but himself revised
the sheets, and occasionally contributed a paragraph, al-
though n^liier was sufficiently attentive to accuracy of
.dates, which, in Pope*s history, are matters of no small in^
portaneeyx^imr was ^e work in general creditable ta the
•ubjecH <i» Ruffhead had no taste for poetry or criticism.
•The public, -however, knowing to whom he must be in-
' debted for most of bis materials, read the book with
some avidity, and it was twice reprinted, but has since
bwfi superseded by more able pens. .The university of
.Edinburgh conferred the degree of LL. D. on RuflFbead, in
^1766, which, we believe, he never assumed, although itv
^ortbouck's dictionary he is called Dr. RufFhead. Among
^kk other literary engagements. Sir John Hawkins informs
/•us that he was employed as reviewer of books i^n the Gen^
tlemon^a Magazine, until employed on Cay's Statutes : and
^aome^tidie before his death the proprietors of Cbambers^s
Cyelopssdia engaged him to superintend a new edition of
^that'wqrk: he was paid a considerable sum on account,
bat, having done nothing, the booksellers recovered the
money of his heirs. He left one son, Thomass RufFhead,
'^ho died curate of Prittlewell, iu Essex, in 179B.^
. RUFLFS, the Ephesian, a physician and anatomist in the
reign of the emperor Trajan, obtained great reputation by
t bis extensive knowledge and experience. Galen esteemed
,. JiioLOoe of the most able of the physicians who had pre-
ceded him, Rufus appears to have cultivated aoatomy, by
dissectinfg brutes, with great zeal and success. He traced
the>'origin of the nerves in the brain, and considered some
<kf them as contributing to motion, and others to sensar
tion. He even observed the capsule of the crystalline len^
1 Northoack'iPictionary.WiFeDt. Mag. vol. LXIiTC
R U F US. 4S§
in the eye. He considered the heart as the seat of life,
and of the animal beat, and as the origin of the pulse,
^hich he ascribed to tbe spirit of its left ventricle an^ of
the arteries ; and he remarked the difference in^ the capa-
city and thickness of tbe tv^o ventricles. He deemed the
spleen to be a very useless viscus, and his successors have
never discovered its use. He examined very fully the
organs of generation, and the kidnies and bladder ; he has
left^ indeed, a very good treatise on the diseases of the
urinary organs^ and the methods of cure. He also wrote
a work on purgative medicines, mentioning tiieir different
qualities, the countries from which they were obtmined ;
and a little treatise on the names given by tbe Greeks to
tbe different parts of the body. Galen affirms also that Bu«
fus was the author of an essay on the materia TnedkOf
written in verse; and Suidas mentions a treatise of bis on
•'the atra bilisy with some other essays ; but thes* are lost.
What remains of his works are to be found in the ^^ Artis
medicss principes'* of Stephens, and printed separately at
London, Gr. and Lat. 4to, by W. Clinch, 1726.*
* RUGGLE (Georo£), the author of a celebrated dramatic
satire, was born at Lavenham in Suffolk, where bis father
was a clothier, probably in November 1575. He was edu*
cated at the free grammar school of Lavenham, and made
such progress, that great hopes were entertained of the ad«
vantageis he might derive from an university edocation^
which his father was encouraged to give him. He was ac*
cordingly admitted of St. John's college, Canibridgei^ June
26, 1 589, but foreseeing no chance of a maintenance there;
removed to Trinity college, and obtained a scholarship in
1593, about which time, he probably took the degree of
B. A. as he did that of M. A. in 1597, and entered into
holy orders* From Trinity he removed to Clare-hall, and
was elected a fellow of that society, to which afterwards bft
was a benefactor.
Having a taste for polite literature, he studied to acquire
a familiar knowledge of the French and Italian languages ;
but particularly of the Greek and Latin * poets, historians,
and orators* Among the Italian writers, the productions
of John Baptist Porta, were his favourites. This author^e
comedies, in our account of him, are erroneously said not
to be extant^ instead of esteemed. 'An edition of them wat
published in 1726, 4to, but there were old editions ^ftheai
> JEloy, Diet* Ulsty de Medicine*— Reet't'Cjelopadia*
♦60 R U G G L E.
all in Ruggle's time, and he evidently cangfat tbeir s^ril,
His/Mgnoramus'' owes >inucb to Porta's " Trappolaria.**
In the mean time, Ruggle's reputation for learning became
an inducement with many parents and guardians to place
their sons at Clare-hall, un^er bis tuition. In 1^04^ be
was appointed one of the two taxers in the university. This
seems the only distinction he obtained, except that in the
following year, when king James visited Oxford, he was
admitted M. A. It is said to have been in consequence of
a litigious dispute carried on, in 1611, between the univer-
sity, and the mayor and corporation of Cambridge, that he
conceived an unfavourable opinion of the gentlemen of the
law, and thought some pf their practices a fair subject for
ridicule. With this view he completed his comedy called
*^ Ignoramus,'^ which was acted at the university before
James I. both in March and May 1614, and is said to have
highly delighted his majesty ; the pleasure, indeed, which
it gave him is rather oddly expressed. '^ Spectando et ri^
deado rex tantum, non cacatus !*' The lawyers are said to
have felt the force of the ridicule, and to have expressed
the wartnest reseutmenjt against the poet and his perform^
ance* A very correct edition of this comedy, with a life
pf the author, was published in 1787, by Mr. John Sidney
Hawkins, . 8vo. Two other plays are ascribed to Ruggle,
5* Club Lajiv,'* and " Revera, or Verity >'- but neither ha^e
been printed^ Mr. Ruggle resigned his fellowship in 1620,
probably on succeeding to an estate, and died between
Sept j5, 1621, and Nov. 3, 1622, the former being the date
^ of bis will, the latter the day when it was proved. Mr,
Hawkinses opinion of the famed " Ignoramus" is, we are
afraid higher than modern taste and humour can^Uow. '
RUHNKEN. SeeRHUNKEN.
. RUINART (Thierry), a French theologian, was born
4it Rheims, June 10, 1657, and became a Benedictine
monk in 1674. He studied the scriptures, the fathers, and
ecclesiastical writers, in so masterly a way, that Mabijlon
chose hioi for a companion in his literary labours. He
shewed himself not unwortjhy of the good opinion Mabillon
>ad*conceived of him, when he published, in 1639, ** Acta
Pdrimorpm Martyrum," &c. *to, meaning the martyrs pft^jB
fii^t four centuries. lo ^ preface to this work, he endes^-
^vouirs to fiefute ii notion, which oyr D.odwell had adva^ice4
in a piece " De pauqit^te Martyrjipi," insci^fed ^up^ong bis
1 Edtlioa bj Mr. iiawUnf*
R U I N A R T.
461
** Dissertationes Cyprianicse.'' A new edition of tfak
work, with alterations and additions, was printed in 17 15,
folio. Ruinart published other learned works, as ** Hist,
persecution is Vandaiicae/' '* Iter Literarium in Alsatiam et
Lotbaringiam,*'&c.; and assisted Mabillon,whom he survived,
and whose life he wrote, in the publication of the acts of
the saints, and annals of their order. He gave also an ex*
cellent edition 6f the works of " Gregory of Tours," at
Paris, 1699, in folio* When Mabillon died, in 1707, he
was appointed to continue the work in which he had jointly
laboured with him ; upon which he travelled to Cham-
pagne, in quest of new memoirs, but on his return to Paris
died Sept. 24, 1707.*
RUMFORD. SeeTHOMSON,
RUMPH (George Everard), a doctor of physic in the
university of Hanau, and a member of the academy of
naturalists, was born at Hanau in 1637. He went to Am-
boyna, and became consul and senior merchant there, whick
did not prevent his employing his leisure moments in coU
lecting the plants of that country ; being so fond of botany
as to acquire great skill in it without any instruction. AU
though he lost his sight at the age of forty-three, he could
discover the nature and shape of a plant by his taste and
feeling. He comprised all the plants which he had col-
lected in the country where he settled, in twelve books^
and dedicated them to the governor and council of the India
company in 1690. They were not, however, printed then-j
but John Burman published them from 1740 to 1750, T
vols. fol. which have commonly the date of 1751, under
the title of ** Herbarium Amboinense," 1755. Burman has
ftdded an Auccuarium,- with the table usuallj^ bound at the
end of torn. YI. This work has some of the faults, or rather
misfortunes, of a posthumous publication ; and the reader
must always keep in mind that the figures, far inferior to
those of the *^ Hortus Maiabaricus,*' are generally not
aK>re than half thd size of nature. The original drawings
still in existence are said to be viery fine. Rumph also
left, *' Imagines piscium testaceorum,*' Leyden, 17 ll, foh
reprinted 1739 ; the former is much valued for the plates.
He wrotej besides^ ^' The political History oif Amboyna,^'
which has never been printed, but a copy is deposited m
t NiocroBf ToU 11.
K«-Da Pin.
462 • R U N C I M A N.
the India covtipSLuys chest Wt Ainsterdaniy and another ttC
Anrboyna. ^
RUNCIMAN (Alexander), a Scotch painter, was bom
at Edinborgh in 1736, where his father, who was an arcfai*
tecty probably taught him^ome-of the principles of his art.
Mr. Fuseli says he served an apprenticeship to a coach^
painter, and ^^ acquired a practice of brush, a facility of
penciliog, and much mechanic knowledge of colour, be-
iore bo had attained any correct notions of design/' The
Scotch account, on the other hand, says he was placed as
an apprentice to John and Robert Norries, the former of
whom was a celebrated landscape painter (no-wbere iipoa
record, however,) and under his instructions Runciman
inade rapid improvement in the art. From 1755 he painted
Isindscapes on bis owi^ account, and in 1760 attempted his-
torical works. About 1766 he accompanied or soon foU
lowed his younger brother John, who had excited much
livelier expectations of his abilities as an artist, to Rome ;
llfhere John, who was of a delicate and consumptive habit,
toon fell a victim to the climate, and his obstinate exertions
in art, Alexander continued his. studies under the pa-
tronage and with the support of sir James Clerk, a Scottidi
baronet, and gave a specimen of his abilities before his
departure, in a picture of considerable size, representing
Ulysses surprising Nausica at play with her maids : it ex-
Ubitedf with the defects and manner of Giulio Romano in
atyle» design, and expression, a tone, a juice, and breadth
of e^ar, resembling Tintoretto. At his return to Scot*
land in 1771, Runciman was employed by his patron to
decorate the hail at Penuecuik, with a series of subjects
from Ossian ; in the course of some years he was made
•iMsler of a public institution for promoting design, and
•diedOet21, 1785. Jacob More, the landscape-painter^
who dtod at Rome, was his pupil ; and John Brown, cele-^^
Vated for design, his friend. One of his capital picturea
is the! Ascension, an altar-piece in the episcopal chapel^
Edinburgh; another a Lear, which, with his Andromeda^
and ^' Agrippina landing with the ashes of Gennamcus^**
are highly praised by his couutrymeti. Edwards mention*
having seen two etchings by this artist, the tme '* Sigis-i^
^nnda weeping over the heart of Tancred ;.'' the other a
\ £loy» DicL HUt«— Rces*8 Cyoloj
R U N D L E. 46&
Tiew of Edinburgh, which is executed with great spirit and
tai^e. '
RUNDLE (Thomas), LL. D. an English divine, and
bishop of Derry in Ireland, was born in the parish of
Milton*AbbQt, near Tayistock, in Devonshire, about 1686,
of what family is not known. He was educated at the free*
tefaool of Ezetei:, under the care of Mr. John Reynolds,
uncle to the ce^lebrated painter sir Joshua Reynolds. la
1702 he was removed to Exeter college, Oxford, and
about this time his friend and fellow collegian, Joseph
Taylor, esq. (father of Thomas Taylor, of Denbury,. esq.)
introduced him to Mr. Edward Talbot, of Oriel college,
the second son of Dr. William Talbot, at that time bishop
of Oxford* This event was of great importance in his
future life, as it secured him the friendship and patronage
of the Talbot family, to whom he owed all bis promotion*,:
He commenced bachelor of civil laws in July 17 10, and
two years afterwards became acquainted with the celebrated \
Wbiston, and was inclined to adopt his notions astu se^ •-
viving what jie called primitive Christianity. Mr. Whiston, .^
who has given us many particulars respecting bishop Run- ^
die in bis ** Memoirs of his own Life,'' says that Mr«-
Rundle, before he entered into holy orders, became «o^
disgusted at the corrupt state of the church, and^at tbej>
tyranny of the ecclesiastical laws, that he sometioies de« '
clared against obeying them, even where they, w^ire in
themselves not unlawful, which, adds Whi^ton, <'.wfui fiir-e:
ther than I could go with him." The truth seems iQ^bfive
been, as stated by bishop Rundle's late biograph^rnftjbat
the singular character of Whiston, his profound erudition, ,
and disinterested attachment to the doctrines of, Arias,*
supported by an ostensible love of truth, were likely -^
attract the notice of young men who, in the ardour ^ ffect
inquiry, did not immediately perceive the pemicio^ ten*,
dancy of their new opinions. ^ . /
Soon after Mr. Rundle's acquaintance with bishop Tal-,
bot became an intimacy, be was ordiuned by him in t^ 18,
and published a discourse on Acts x. 34, 35.- In 1720 he
was promoted by that prelate, on his removal to Salisbury,
to t^ archdeaponry of Wilts ; and upon the demise of Mf»
Edward Talbot, iu the same year, was constituted ^trea«7
«4irer of the church of Sarnm. These were the first boua*
> ^Murk'ft Biof* ScoUr-PUkiDf ton by Fiuelu
464 K U N D L l!.
ties of bis munificent patron, who retained him iroih tbif
time as his domestic chaplain, and particularly delighted
in his elegant manners and brilliant conversation. When
bishop Talbot was translated to Durham, he continued Mr.
Bundle of his household, and on Jan. 23, 1721, collated
him to the first stall in that cathedral ; but on Nov. 12, in
the following year, he was removed to the twelfth prebend.
He had likewise the valuable masteriihip of Sherborne hos<*^
pital, an appointment incompatible with the cure of souls^
but which, it will appear from the foregoing list of pre-
ferments, lie had never undertaken* If any period of his
life afforded^ him more than ordinary satisfaction, it was
this. He was esteemed, in a d^ree far beyond what is
usually to be Attained in friendships between persons of
unequal rank, by the great and good family who patronised
him. He had opportunities of gratifying his literary pro-
pensities, by frequent conversations with the first iu al-
most every branch of science, and by the most select epis-
tolary correspondences. He becs^me particularly known
at this time to the republic of letters by the liberal support
he gave to Thomson, upon his publishing his " Winter,"
whose acquaintance he instantly sought; and whom, having
recommended to lord chancellor Talbot as a proper person
to superintend his son^s education during the grand tour^
Thomson found himself on his return rewarded by a lu-
crative appointment. On July 5, 1723, he had proceeded
LL. D. as necessary to the dignities he enjoyed, and was
associated with Dr. Seeker, afterwards archbishop of Can^
terbury, as resident chaplain at the palace at Durham. '
When bishop Talbot died, in 1730, his son, the lord
chancellor, particularly distinguished Dr. Bundle as 'his
friend, and entertained him on the same terms as his father
had done. The first efibrt, faoWever, which his loniship
made for his advancement was attended with very eiiKtraot^
dinary consequences, and formed the basis of a controversy
of considerable warmth, although not of long duration. In
«]>ec« 1733, the see of Gloucester becoming vacant by 'l}ie
tieath of Dr. Sydall, the brd chancellor seiieited that pM^
ferment for his friend Dr. Rundle, but was reffised. Df^
Edn^und Gibson, hisliop of London, had at this timd ' th^
l;reaiest* weight in ecclesiastical appointments, and had
long entertained doubts of the soundness of Dr.RundleV
principles. This coul4 not have arisen from his former
intimacy with Whiston, and his forbearance of Chubby
B U N D L E* 461
the professed foes of flaodern episcopacy, but i$ siud to
have proceeded from ififormatioa given him by Mr. Veofi,
minister pf St. AQtbolin's, who reported an improper coo-
TersatioD held by Dr. Rojidle in his presence, which lk:»
Rundle afterwards declared he never had held, and that'
the obnoxious words must have been used by some other
person in company. Dr. Gibson, however, peremptorily
declared against the admission of a suspected deist to the
sacred bench, and lord Talbot, we are told, after ably as*^
sorting the injustice of the charge, and detectiog the si-
nister means that were made use of to support it^ withdrew
his petition with disdain.
All this could not be (known without exciting consider-
able interest in the public mipd. In a few weeks a pamph-
let appeared, entitled ^' Reasons alledged against Dr.
Rundle^s promotion to the see of Gloucester,^' &c. This
was written by Dr. Sykes, and followed by several other
pamphlets, of which Dr. Disney, jo his ^* Life of Sykes,''
has given a list of ten. Even Wbistoo vindicated his old
firieod in a very candid manner. Perhaps hi§ best vindi*-
cation is in a letter to Mr. Duacombe, originally published
ia ^^ Hughes's Correspondence,^' which Dr. Rundle wrote
in the confidence of friendship, and in which he appears
to uite no disguise. As to Dr. Sykes's pamphlelis, they
evidently wae waritten more with a view to raise a clamour
against Dr. Gibson, than to serve the interest of Dr. Run*
die. Dr. Gibson, in his causes for rejecting Dr. Rundle,
might have been misinformed, and We trust he was so; but
they who accuse him of excessive bigotry, would do WteU to
recollect, that he was the pn'omoter of Dr. Hoadly to llie
Jbishopric of Winchester.
T.be issue of this matter, liawever, was, that the bishop
-of London proposed Dr. Benson^ the friend of Dr. Rundle,
for the vacant see of Gloucester, and Dr. Rundle was soon
after .pronioted to the lucrative bishopric of Derry in Ire-
'iland, to which he was consecrated February 1734^5. The
asperisions thrown on his character in England had by tfaii
rtime reached Ireland, and xreated great discontent at the
.appointment ; but a residence of a few years, and repeated
jBLGts of public munificence and private generosity, gradu-
ally endeared him to the pfopLe of Ireland. He died at
his palace in Dublin April 14, 1743, scarcely sixty yeai#
of age. Having survived the nearer connections of his
own family^ he left his property, amounting to 2Q,000/r
Vol. XXVI. H h
«6 R U N D L E.
priDcipally to the hpn. John Talbot, second son to the
chancellor. His person is said to have been slender, and
not inelegantly formed. As to bis character as a man^ he '
appears to have been distinguished by many virtues, and >
by some weaknesses. His biographer says, he was preci-
pitate in forming friendships, and as ready to Teiinquish
them ; a character by no means amiable ; but for which,
perhaps, some excuse might be formed, if we were made
acquainted with the nature of his friendships. Unsuspi-
cious men often contract friendships which, upon a closer
inspection, they find unworthy and untenable ^ and this
may happen before years have accumulated experience, if
not without blame, at,least with some excuse ; and perhaps
Dr. Rundle did not always suffer himself to be deceived.
His character as a divine, we see, once laboured under
suspicion, and if we except his own declaration, it was*
principally vindicated by those who were not very friendly
to the church. The attestations of Pope and Swift can
add little to his reputation. There was nothing, however,
in his public conduct subsequent to the clamour raised
against him, which could be censured ; and the last letter
he appears to have written, a little before his death, to ,
archdeacon S. breathes the language of genuine piety.
Of his works, we have nothing, except four occasional
sermons, one of which we have mentioned ; a second was
preached in England, and the other two in Ireland, in
1734, 1735, and 1736* In 1790, appeared "Letters of
the late Thomas Rundle, LL. D,*' &c. to Mrs. Barbara
Sandys, of Miserden, in Gloucestershire, with introductory
Memoirs, by James Dallaway, M . A. of Trinity-college^
Oxford," 2 vols. 1 2mo. To these .memoirs we areJndebted
for the facts In this sketch. The letters ar^ entertaining, and
display much kindness of disposition ; but are not other-
wise of superior merit. *
RUPERJ (Prince), third son of the king of Bohemia,
by the> princess Elizabeth, eldest daughter of James I, of
England,, was born 1619, and educated, like most German
princes, for the army ; and those who have been lea^t in-
'dined to favour him, admit that he was well adapted, both
by natural abilities and acquired endowments, to form a
great commander. On the commencement of the rebel*
lion, which happened when he was scarcely of age, be"
^ Memoirs as above.
R U P E R T, 467
offered his services to Charles I. and throuofbout the whole
war behaved with great intrepidity. But his courage was
of that kind which is better calculated for attack than de-
fence, and is less adapted to the land service than that of
the sea, where precipitate valour, Granger observes, is in
its- element. He seldom engaged but he gained the ad van**.
tage, which he generally lost by pushing it too far. He
was better qualified to storm a citadel, or «ven mount a
breach, than patiently to sustain a siege, and would have
been an excellent assistant to a general of a cooler head.
In consideration of his services, for which we refer to the
general histories of the times, and on account of his affinity to
him, king Charles made him a knight of the garter, and a
free denizen, and advanced him to the dignity of a peer of
England, by the title of earl of Holdernesse and duke of
Cumberland.
When the civil war was over, he went abroad with. a pass
from the parliament ; but when the fleet revolted to the
prince of Wales, he readily went on board, and distin-
guished himself by the vigour of his counsels. His advice,
however, was not followed, but on the return of the fleet to
Holland, as the command of it was left to him, he sailed
to Ireland, where he endeavoured to support the declining
royal cause. He was quickly pursued by the superior fleet
of the parliament, under Popham and Blake, who, in the
winter of 1649, blocked him up in the haven of Kinsalej
whence he eacaped, by making a bold effort, and pushing
.through their fleet.
After the Restoration, he was invited to return to Eng-
land, ' and had several offices conferred upon him. In April
.166.2, he was sworn a member of the privy-council; and
in December following, was admitted a fellow of the Royal
Society. In 1666, the king appointed him, in conjunction
with the duke of Albemarle, to command the fleet, and he
now exhibited all the qualifies that are necessary to con-
.stitute a great admiral. By his return to the fleet on
June 3d., he wrested from the Dutch the only victory they
had the appearance of gaining ; and on the 24th of the
same month, he beat them effectually, pursued them to
their own coast, and blocked up their harbour. The great
intrepidity which be displayed, in this naval war, was
highly and justly celebrated ; and in the last Dutch war of
that reign be seemed to retain all the activity and fire of his
.youtb^ and defeated the enemy in several engagements.
HH t
468 RUPERT.*
From this time prince Rupert led a retired Hfe^ inostf]^
at Windsor-castie, of which bt^ t^as goviernor, and spent a
great part of his time in the pi'osecution of tchemical and
philosophical experiments, as well as the practice of me-
chanic arts. He delighted in tnaking locks for fire-arms,
and was the inventor of a composition called, from him,
Princess metal. He commanicated to the Royal Society
his improvements upoii gunpowder, by refining the sevenil
if^gredients, and making it more cariefniiy, which augmented
its force, in comparison of ordinary powder, inthepropor-
tit!>ii of ten to one. He also acquainted them with an en*
gitie he had contrived for raising water, and isent them an
histrtiment for casting any platform into perspective, and
fdr which they deputed a select committee of their mem*
hers to return him their thanks, tie was tk^ inventor of a
gun for discharging several bullets with the utmost *speed^
fecility, and safety ; and the Royal Society received from
his highness the intimation ef a cei'tain method of biotring
np rocks in mines, and other snbterraneoos places. Dr.
Hooke has preserved another invention of hift for lerdking.
hail-shot of all siaeis. He devised a particular kind of serewv
by the means of which, observations taken by a qusfdnant
at sea were secured from receiving any aherotion by the
unsteadiness of the observer*); hand, or throtigh the imotton
of the ship. It was said that he had also, among dtber se-
crets, that of melting or running black lead, like auMital,
into a mould, and reducing it again into its orrgiiyal form.
But there is one invention of which he has the credit,
which requires more particular notice. SeflMes being men-
tioned by foreign authors with applause for hh ^kitl in
|)ainting, he- was considered as the inventor of meas^otioko,
owing, des it is said, to the folli3wing casual occumeace.
Going out early one morning during bia retirement a(
Brussels, he observed the ceniinel at some distanoe from
his post, very busy doing something to his f>ieee. The
prince asked the soldier what he was aboat ? he replied,
the dew had fallen in the night, and made his fusil rwsty,
and that he Was scrapittgand cleaning it. The prince look-
ing at it, was struck with some^in^ IHee a figure eaeeninto
the barrel, with innumerable littte boles closed togethiffr
like friezed work On gold or silver, part of ivhfch the fellow
bud scraped away. The prinde tnimediaitely concdived
that some contrivance might be foutrd tocoiper a bmw piaDe
with such a grained ground of fiue pressed hoksp, whicfa
RUPERT.. 469
woold undoubtedly give an impressioq all black ; ai^d that
by acraping away proper parts, the smooth superficies woi^ld
leave the rest of the paper white. Coaimunicating bis idea
to Wallerant Vaillant,. a reputable painter then in the
neighbourhood of Brussels, they made several experiments^
and at last invented a steel roller with projecting points or
teeth like a file, which effectually produced the black
gtfoundy and which being scraped away, or dimitiished at
pieasttire, left the gradations of light.
Such was the invention of mezzotinto, according to lord
Qrford, Mr. Evelyn, and Mr. Vertue y but the baron Hein-
nekin affirms that ^* it was not prince Rupert who invented
the art of engraving in mezzotinto, as Vertue and several
other authors pretend to say ; but it was the lieutenant co-
lonel de Siegen, an officer in the service of the landgrave
of Hesse, who first engraved in this manner; and the print
which he produced was a portrait of the princess Amelia
Elizabeth of Hesse, engraved as early as the year 1643*
Prince Rupert, he adds, learned the secret from this gen-
tleman, and brought it into England when he came over
the second time with Charles 11.^' Mr. Strutt, who make9
this quotation, says, that he. has not seen the print thus
spoken of by the baron : and. the precise date of prince
Rupert's discovery is no where mentioned. But if a mez-
zotinto engraving dated seventeen years before the restora*
tion can be produced, and the date be genuine, it certainly
goes far toward proving Heinnekin's assertion. Vertue
acknowledges to have seen an oval head of Leopold Wil*
liam, archduke of Austria, in mezzotinto, that was dated
in 1656, which he esteems the earliest. It is inscribed
^' Tbeodorus Casparus a Furstenburgh canonicus ad vivum
l^inxit et fecit ;'' but this argues Uttie against prince Ru-r
pert's discovery, since it is quite within probability that
Casparus might have learned the art from the prince or
Vaillant during their residence in the Low Countries.
The earliest of Rupert's engravings in mezzotinto, that
is now extant, is dated in 1658. It is an half length figure
from Spagnoletto : the subject, an executioner holding ^
sword in one hand, and in the other a head, which is pro*
babiy intended for that of John the Baptist, and upon the
sword are the initials R. P. F« surmounted with a coronet.
It is further distinguished by the following inscription on a
tablet beneath, " SP in RVP. P. fecit. Francofurti. anno
J658M. A.P. M."
470 r;u p e r t^
\
Prince Rupert died, at his bouse in Spring Gardens, Nor*
29, 1689, and was interred in Henry the Vlltfaf's chapel^
regretted as one whose aim in all bis actions and all his ac«
complishments was the public good. He was a great pro«
motet of the trade to Africa, and a principal protector of
the Royal African Company; as a proof of wbicb, before
the first Dutch war in this reign, he offered his majesty to
sail with a squadron to the coast of Guinea, in order to vin-
dicate the honour of the crown, assert tbe just rights of th&
company, and redress the injuries done to the nation ; ,biit
the king, unwilling to hazard his person atsucha distance,
and in so sickly a clitnate, though he received tbe motion:
kindly, would not consent to it, but contented himself with
taking an officer of his recommendation (captain Holmes),*
under whom the squadron was sent. He was an active
member of the Council of trade. It was owing to his aQJi-<
citations, after being at great expence, not only in tbe
inquiry into the value, but in sending ships thither, that
the Hudson's Bay Company was erected, of which he was
the first governor appointed by the charter. In memory of
him, a considerable opening on the east side of that bay,
in Terra de Labrador, is called Rupert^s river. In gene**
ral, his highness was a great friend to seamen, and* to all
learned, ingenious, and public-spirited persons, and as-»
sisted them with his purse, as well as afforded them his
countenance: He was concerned in tbe patent for annealed
cannon, in a glass-house, and other undertakings forac^-
quiring or improving manufactures. Strict justice has been,
done to his highnesses many virtues, and amiable qualities,
in that excellent character of him by bishop Sprat. In re*
spect to his private life, be was so just, so beneficent, so
courteous, that his memory remained dear to all who knew
him. " This," observes Campbell, " I say of my own
knowledge; having often heard old people in Berkshire
speak in raptures of prince Rupert.'*
After his desith his collection of pictures was sold by
auction; but his jewels, which were appraised by three
jewellers at 20,000/. were disposed of by way of lottery, as
appears by the Gazette 1683, Nos..l864, 1873,,&c. The
tickets were 5/. each, and the largest prize a great pearl
necklace valued at 8000/. The lowest prizes were valued
at 100/. Tbe advertisement states that this lottery was to
be " drawn in his majesty's presence, who is pleased to
declare that he himself will see all tbe prizes put iu among
R U P E R T, 471.
the blanks, anjd that the whole shall be managed with all
equity and Fairness, nothing being intended but the sale
of the jewels at a moderate value."
Prince Rupert, who never was married, left a natural
9on,. usually called Dudley Rupert, by a daughter of Henry
Bard viscount Bellemont, though styled in bis father's last
will and testanient Dudley Bard. He was educated at
Eton school, and afterwards placed under the care of that
celebrated mathematician sir Jonas Moore at the Tower.
Here he continued till the demise of the prince, when he
niade a tour into Germany to take possession of a consider*
able fortune which had been bequeathed to him. He was
very kindly received by ihe Palatine family, to whom he
had the honour of being so nearly allied. In 1686 he made
a campaign in Hungary, and distinguished himself at the
siege of Buda, where he had the misfortune to lose bis
life, in. the month of July or August, in a desperate at-
tempt made by some English gentlemen upon the fortifica*
tions of that city, in the twentieth year of his age ; and,
though so young, be bad signalized his courage in such
an extraordinary manner, that his death was exceedingly
regretted.*
RUSH (Benjamin), an eminent American physician,
was born near Bristol^ in the state of Pennsylvania, Jan.f,
1745. His ancestors, quakers, were of the number of
those who followed the celebrated William Penn to Penn*
sylvania, in 1683. His father dying while Benjamin was
yet young, bis education devolved upon bis mother, who
placed bim, at an early age, under the direction of the
late rev. Samuel Finley, at West Nottingham, in Chester
county, Pennsylvania,, by whom he Was taught the rudi-
ments of classical knowledgie. From this academy he was
removed to the college of Princeton, where he finished his
classical education, and was admitted to the degree oC
A. B. in 1760, when be bad not yet completed bis sixteenth
year. He was now left to choose a profession, and having
given the preference to the science and practice of medi-
cine, he placed himself under the care of the late Dr. John
Redman, of Philadelphia, a gentleman who had deservedly-
obtained ail extensive share of professional business, and
.who was justly considered an excellent practitioner. With
» Sir George Bromley's "Collection of Original Royal Letters/' 1787, 8vo.
— CampbelPs Lives of th* Admirals.— Walpole's Anecdoiet.--«Strutt*8 Diet.—
. Ree s's Cyclopaedia.
472 RUSH.
*
t)r. Redman young Aush continued some time, ttilousljr
engaged in the acquisition of tbe several branches of medi-
cine ; but as no institution for t)ie purpose of medical in*
fftruction was then established in Philadelphia, he came oTer
to Edinburgh, and there took bis doctor^s degree in 1768,
after bating performed the usual collegiate duties with
iifuch honour, and published his inaogural dissertation
^ De Concoctione jCiborum in Ventriculo.*' In this per*
fbrmance be Candidly acknowledged himself indebted, for
many of the opinions which be advanced, to bis diitin*
goished teacher Dr. Cullen. ,
About the period of Dr. Rush's return to bis natire coun-
try, the first attempt was made in Philadelphia for the m**
ganization of a medical school. Lectures on anatomy and
surgery had indeed been delivered, in that city, in 1763
and 1764, to a small class of pupils, by the late Dr. Wil-*
Kam Shippen, who, two years previous, had returned from
Europe, where he bad completed his education under the
direction of tbe celebrated Dr. William Hunter ; and, in
1765, Dr. John Morgan, also, gave instruction on the in-
stitutes of medicine and tbe practice of physic. Three
years after this, the venerable Dr« Kubn, who had been a
pupil of ,tbe illustrious Linneeus, and had preceded Dr.
Rush in his medical honours only one year, was made pro<>
fessor of botany and the materia medica, and Dr. Rush
became professor of chemistry immediately upon his arrival
from England in 1769, a situation which he filled in such
a manner as did great credit to his talents, and contributed
much to the prosperity of the new school. When the dis-
pute between the mother-country and the colonies took
place. Dr. Rush sided with his countrymen; in 1776 was
chosen a member of the congress for the state of Pennsyl-
vania; and in 1777 was appointed surgeon -general of the
military ho.^pital in the middle department, but in tbe
same year he exchanged this for the office of physician-
general, which, owing to some misunderstanding among
the managers of the hospital stores, he resigned in Feb-
ruary following. He still, however, continued to take an
active part in the politics of the state to which he belonged,
and contributed to the formation of a new government,
that which prevailed before in Pennsylvania appearing to
him and others very defective.
Soon after, he formed the resolution of retiring from
political life, and from this time may be considered as
RUSH. 47 »
•xdaiively occnpied in duties pertainiiig to bis pi^fisubn*
As an author he first wrote, in 1770) an account of the ef^
fects of the stramoniuiD, or thorn apple, which was pub-^
Ksfaed in the Transactions of the American Pbiiosophieal
Society, toI. I. The same year be addressed a tetter, on
the usefulness of wort in ill-conditioned ulcers^ to bis friend
Dr. Huck, of London, which was published in the Medical
Observations and Inquiries of London, vol. IV. In 1774
he read, before the Philosophical Society, his interesting
^* Inquiry into the Natural History of Medicine among the
Indians of North America,'* which formed the subject of an
anniversary oration. He this year again addressed another
letter to Dr. Huck, containing some remarks on bilious fer
vers, which was printed in the London Medical Observa-
tions and Inquiries, vol. V. To this succeeded his ** Ac-
count of the Influence of the Military and Political Events
of the American Revolution upon the Human Body, and
Obselrvations upon the Diseases of the Military Hospitals
of the United States,'* wbich his situation in the army emi-
nently qualified him to make. In 1785 he offered to the
Philosophical Society of Philadelphia an ** Inquiry into the
cause of the increase of Bilious and Intermitting Fevers in
Pennsylvania,-'* published in their Transactions, vol. II. ;
and soon after, in quick succession,- appeared *^ Observa-
tions on Tetanus,** an ** Inquiry into the Influence of Phy-
sical Causes upon the Moral Faculty,'* ^^ Remarks on the
Effects of ardent Spirits upon the body and mind/* and his
^^ Inquiry into the Causes and Cure of the Pulmonary Con-
sumption.'* About this time also appeared his paper en-
titled '* Information to Europeans disposed to migrate to
the United States,'^ in a letter to a friend in Great Britain ;
a subject which had already occupied the attention of Di^
Franklin, but which Dr. Rush considered still further de-
serving notice, on account of the important changes which
the United States had lately undergone. To this paper
followed bis " Observations on the Population of Pennsyl-
vania,** " Observations on Tobacco," and his ** Essay on
the Study of the Latin and Greek Languages,'* which was
first published in the American Museum of Philadelphia.
This last mentioned paper, which has been the fertile topic
of much animadversion, was, with several other essays of
Dr. Rush, and his eulogiums on Dr. Cullen and the illus-
trious Rittenhouse, the former delivered in 1790, the lat-
ter in 1796, embodied in an octavo volume, entitled " Es-
says, literary, moral, and philosophical,** published in 179S.
4W R U S EL
In 1791, the medical colleges of Philftdelphia, ,wbicfay.
on account of. certain legislative proceedings, had exisjted
as two distinct establishments since 1788, becaoie united
under the name of the ttniversity of Pennsylvania ; and Dr.
Rush was appointed to tbecKair of the professorship of the
institutes of medicine and clinical practice. He now, gave:
to . the public his ^* Lectures upon the cause of Animal
Life." The same year he presented to the Philosophical So-
ciety his ^^ Account of the Sugar Maple Tree of the United
States," which was published in their Transactions, vol. IIL^
and in 1792, ** Observations^ intended to favour a suppor
sition that the black colour of the negro is derived from le«
prosy," published in their Transactions, vol. IV.
The year 1793 is memorable in the medical aunals of the
United States, on account of the great mortality occasioned
by the yellow fever, which prevailed in the city of Phila-*
delphia ; and the history of that epidemic, which was pubr.
lished by Dr. Rush in 1794, cannot be too highly valued,
both for his minute and accurate description of the disease,,
and the many important facto be has recorded in relation
to it. It was comprised in one volume 8vo, and has under-
gone several editions, and been extensively circulated in
the Spanish and in the French languages. About this pe«
riod also, he offered to the medical world his observations
on the *' Symptoms and Cur^ of Dropsy'' in general, and
on ^^ Hydrocephalus Internus ;" an ^^ Account of the In^
fiuenza," as it appeared in Philadelphia in 1789, 1790, and
1791 ; and ^'Observations on the state of. the Body and
Mind in Old Age." In 1797 came out his ^' Observations
on the nature and cure of Gout, and on Hydrophobia ;" an
*^ Inquiry into the cause and cure of the Cholera lofan*
turn ;" << Observations on Cynanche Tracbealis," &c.
In 1788, many of his medical papers were collected to-
gether, and published under the title of ^' Medical Inqui«
ries and Observations," vol. I. These he, from time. to
time^ continued, embracing most of the writings above
enumerated, besides observations on the climate of. Penn-
sylvania, and some others,- until a fifth volume was com*
pleted in 1798. In 1801 he added to his character as a
writer,* by the publication of six << Introductory Lectures
to a course of lectures upon the institutes and practice of
Medicine," delivered in the university of Pennsylvania. . In
1804 a new and corrected edition of his '^ Medical Inqui-
ries," &c. was priiited in four volumes, 8vo. In 1806 be
RUSH. 475^
also published a second edition of his ^'Essays.*' In 1809,
such was the demand for the *^ Medical Inquiries and Ob- ^
servations," he again revh^ed and enlarged the work through-
oat, for a third edition, in which be continued his several
histories of the yellow fe?er, as it prevailed in Philadelphia
from 1793 to 1809. It also contained a ^* Defence of Blood-
letting, as a remedy for certain diseases ;" a view of the
comparative state of medicine in Philadelphia between
1760 and 1766, and 1809; an *^ Inquiry into the various
sources of the usual forms of summer and autumnal Dis-
eases in the United States/' and the means of preventing
them ; and the recantation of his opinion of the contagious
nature of the yellow fever.
He BOW formed the idea of selecting some of the4>est
practical works for republication in America, and in order
to render them more useful, of adding to them such notes
as might the better adapt them to the diseases of his own
country. His editions of Sydenham and of Cleghorn were
published in 1809, and in 1810 appeared those of Pringle'
and Hillary. In • 1 8 1 1 appeared a volume of ^^ Introductory
Lectures,^' containing those he had formerly -published,
with ten others delivered at different years before bis class,
and also two upon the plea&ures of the senses and of th^
mind. His work upon the ** Diseases of the Mind,'* which
had long and ardently been looked for, was next added to
his writings. It appeared towards the close of 1812, in
one volume octavo. The last effort of his pen was a letter'
on hydrophobia, containing additional reasons in support
of the theory he had formerly advanced, as to the seat of
the disease being chiefly in the blood-vessels. It was ad- ^
dressed to Dr. Hosack, and written not many days before
his fatal illness.
While thus assiduously engaged in enriching medical
science with the valuable fruits of his long and extensive
experience, and in the active discharge of the practical
duties of bis profession, he was, on the evening of the 13th
of A|>ril, .1813, seized with symptoms of general febrile
irritation, which were soon accompanied with considerable
pain in his chest. His constitution was naturally delicate,
and he had acquired from previous illness, a predisposition
to an affection of his lungs. He lost a moderate quantity
of blood, by which he f^lt himself considerably relieved^
But his strength was not sufficient to overcome, the severity
of bis complaint; the beneficial effects resulting from tb^
4.76 RUSH,
most skilful trealment were but of tempovsry dnratiari. His '
disease rapidly assumed a typhus character, attended with
great stupor, and a disinclination to coiiTersation. In other
respects, however, he retained his faculties, and the per-
fect consciousness of his approaching dissolution. On
Monday evening ensuing, after a short illness, of five days,
and in the sixty-ninth year of his age^ he ended bia trnly
valuable and exemplary life. His death was the snbj€»ct of
universal lamentation, and he was foljowed to the grave by
thousands, who assembled to bear testimony to bis ex-
cellence.
In Jan. 1776, be married miss Julia Stockton, daughter
of the hon. judge Stockton, of New Jersey, a lady of an
excellent understanding, and whose amiable disposition
and cultivated mind eminently qualified her as the com-
panion of Dr. Rush. Thirteen children were the fruits, of
their marriage, nine of whom still survive. Two of these
are chosen to offices of high respectability in the general
government of the United States.
It were no easy task to'do adequate justice to the great
talents, the useful labours, and the exemplary character of
Dr. Rush. From the preceding sketch, it is presumed,
some idea may be formed of his incessant devotedness. to
the improvement of that profession of which be was so
bright an ornament ; and many, additional particulars may
be seen in our authority, which we mnsl necessarily omit.
In private life, his disposition and deportment were in the
highest degree exemplary and amiable. His writings are
highly estimable, both on account of their extent and their
variety. Instead of being a mere collator of the opinions
of others, he was constantly making discoveries and im«
provements of his own ; and from the results of Us indi-
vidual experience and observation, added more facts to
th^ science of medicine, than all who had preceded him
in his native country. His description of diseases, for mi*
Auteness and accuracy of detail cannot be exceeded, and
ifnay . safely be regarded as models of their kind* In the
treatment of gout, dropsy, consumption of tbe lungs, and
the diseases of old age, he enlarged our views of tbe animal
economy, and threw more light upon the peculiar character
of these afflicting disorders than is to be derived from the
investigations of any other writer. His volume on the dis-
eases of the mind, in as far as it exhibits the infinitely va-
ried forms which those diseases exhibit, is a storehouse of
RUSH. 177
iitfitruetion. Had his labours been limited to these sob*
jects atone, his >character wouJd deservedly have been die*
riBhed by future ages. His reputation, however, will |)er^
nanently depend upon his several histories of the epidefnics
of the United States^ wbteh - have rentlered his name fa<-
miliar wherever medical science is culttrated. The respect
and consideration which his publications procured for him
Muotfg his contemporaries was such, that the highest bo<^
nours were accumulated *apoTi him in different parts oC
Europe, as well as in his ewn country, and h« was ad->
ttiitted a idciember of matiy of the most distinguished literary
ai^ philosophi^^al associations.^
RlTSflWORTH (John), an Esglssh gentlenvan, author
of the *^ fitiftorical Ccdiections," was of an ancient family,,
atnd born in Northumberland about 1607.. He was for a
»h6rt time a student in the university -of Oxford ; but left
it without being matriculated, and entered himself of Lin^
coln^ Inn, w^ve be became a barrister. But, his iiidio
ivation leading him more to state^afiairs than the common.
ia#, he began eariy. to cake down in sheet-band, speeches
and passages at conferences in parliament, and Arom the
hing'B own month what he spake to both houses ; and con-
trived to be on all ooeasionsf an eye and ear witness of the
tno^ important public transactions. He also personally
-attended and observed all occurrences of moment, during
eleven y«Fars interval of parliament from 1630 to 1640, in
Hbe^ar-chamber, court of honour, and. eischequer-cham-
ber, when the judges met the«e upon extraordinary cases ;
and at the council-tabie, when great causes were tried
^before the king a«id counciL He also frequently traveled
iifn pursuit of information to considerable distances, and was
firesent, during vhe civil war, at the eamp at Berwiok, at
vhe fight at Newburn, at the treaty of Rippon, and at ^the
■great council at York.
Im 164#hew^ chosen an assistant to Henry flange,
^sq. clerk of the house of commons ; and this funiished him
whh a,noeher desirable opportunity of gratifying his cu-
riosity, by iiecoming acquainted with the debates in the
liduse, and being privy to their proceedings. The house
likewise reposed such confidence in him that they en-
trusted him with their weightiest ai&irs ; particularly in
• ■ . ."'
* From the <* Americap Medical «nd Pbilosoplucal Register/' condaeted by
Dr. Hosack and Br,TradciS| of New York, and obligingly remitted to us by the
hitter.
473 R U S H W O R T H.
cooreyifig messages and addresses to the king wlnte at
York*; between which place and London be is said to ba^e
rode frequently in twenty -four hours. For these senrices
be was rewarded with presents, and recommended to a
place in the excise, which, however, it does not appear
that he ever receiveJ. In 1643 be took the covenant; and
wbeu sir Thomas Fairfax, who was bis near relation, was
appointed general of the parliament forces, be was made
bis secretary, in which office he did great services to bis
master, and has been commended for not making a large
fortune, as be safely might, in this office. During the
siege of Oxford in 1646 be was very secviceable to Fair-
fax, and while the treaty of surrender was pending, acted
as courier between the army and the government at Lon-
don. In 1649, being in Fairfax's suite at Oxford, be was
created M. A. as a member of Queen's college, and at the
same time was made one of the delegates to take into con-
sideration the affitirs depending between the citizens of
Oxford and ^be^ members of that university. Upon Fair-
fax's laying down bis commission of general, Rusbwortb
went and resided for. some time in Lincoln's Ion, and,
beieg in much . esteem with the prevailing powers, was
appointed one of the committee, ip Jan. 1651-2, to con-
sult about the reformation of the common law. In 1658
he was chosen one of the burgesses foir Berwick-upon-
Tweed, to serve in the protector Richard's parliament;
and was again chosen for the same place in what was called
the beaKng parliament, which met April 25, 1660. *
After the RestQration he presented to the king sev.eral
of the privy-council's books, which he bad preserved from
ruin during the late distractions; but does not appear
to. have received any other reward than thanks, which was
given him by (he clerk of the council in bis nutjesty's name.
Sir Orlando Bridgman, lord-keeper. of the great seal, ap^
pointed him his secretary in 1677, and continoed him in
that office as long as he kept the seals. In 1678 he was a
third time elected burgess for Berwick, as he was in the
succeeding parliament in 1679, and afterwards for the Ox-
ford parliament. Upon the dissolution of this, be lived in
the utmost retirement and obscurity in Westminster. He
had many opportunities of enriching himself^ at least of
obtaining a comfortable subsistence ; but, either througli
carelessness or extravagance, he never became master of
an}* considerable possessions. He bad a small annual peD«>
R U S H W O R T H- 479
sibnofS/. or \0L from the government of MiissachosettV
Bay, for procuring them papers from the public offices,
but this was withdrawn when be became incapable of sup«
plying them. At length, being arrested for debt, be was
committed to the King's Bench prison in Southwark, where
he dragged on the last six years of his life in a miserable
condition, having greatly lost 'the use of bis understanding-
and memory, partly by age, and partly by drinking stronjf
liquors to keep up his spirits. There be died May:12,
16^, about eighty^tbree years of age, and was buried be^
hind the pulpit in St. George's church, Southwark. He
had several daughters, one of whom was married to sir
Frkncis Vane.
His ^^ Historical Collections of private passages in State»
weighty matters in Law, and remarkable proceedings in
Parliament," were published at different times, in folio*
The first part, from 1618 to 1629, was published in 1659.
The copy had been presented to Oliver Cromwell when he
was protector ; but he, havingnoieisuret6pefuse.it, re-
commended it to VVhitelock, who •running it over made
some alterations and additions. The second part ap^
peared in 1680; the third in 1692; and the fourth and
la&t, which extends to 1648, in 1701. All the seven vo*
lumes were reprinted together in 1721, with the trial of the
earl of Strafford, published in 1630, which makes the
whole eight volumes. This work has been highly extolled
by -some, and as much condemned by others. All who
have been averse to Charles I. and his measures, have
highly extolled it; ail who have been favourers of that
king and his cause, have represented it as extremely par-
tial, and discredited it as much as possible. But the per-
son who professedly set himself to, oppose it, and to ruin
its credit, was Dr. John Nalson, of Cambridge, who pub*
lished, by the special command of Charles II. '' An impart*
tial collection of the great af&irs of Stat«, from the begin-
ning of the Scotch rebellion in 1639 to the murder of
king Charles I. wherein the first occasions and whole series
of the late troubles in England, Scotland, and Ireland, are
faithfully represented. Taken from authentic records, and
methodically digested.'* The title promises to bring the
history down to the murder of Charles L but Nalson lived
only to put out two vols, in folio, 1682 and 1683, which
bring it no lower than Jan. 1641-2. He professes, in the
intrdidaction to this work, to make it appear that ^^ Mr.
*m R.U S H wo RT H.
Busfawortfa hath concealed trutbt eDdeaTonced to Wmtigatft
the prevailing detractions of the Ute times^ as well as their
barbarous actions^ aad^ with a kiad of a rebound^ to libei
the goy eminent at second-hand f* and so far.itis certainj^
that bis aim and design was to decry the conduct of th^
court, and to favour the cause of the parJiament,; for whick
reason it is easy to conceive that be would be more forward
to admit into his collections what made fo^ ^than against
that pur{)ose. The authors of the ^^Parlia^le2ltary.C!br|9*
nicle^' have also proved that B4ishwortb suppressed wmok
which, aa impartial collector would have iiiserfeedi nor.caia
we suppose that he could .be very impantial iq the .early
part of the work, which was submitted to Cromwell ox hiif
adherents. His Collecitioas^ however^ cannot be without
grea^ use, if it be only io .present na with ofkt sid^ of the
question. . .
It is said that Rush worth supplied, himsolf plentifully
from the grand eoUeotion of pampbleta made by iWUiMoa
tbe bookseUer, wfaidi ccmmenced firom .th§ iaUibrendof
1 640, and was caoried down to tibe BestoratiQiv. - T)iey
were^uoiifosfidy bousid in upwards of two thousand rvolumei:
of diiferent siaes, and eonsisted of dlumK thirty (thow^aAd
tracts. TomUnson is, said to have nefused fipur th^^usaud
pounds for this coUeetioa. Williami BryoM had by &r itbe.
greatest band in these pamphlets, having written iabcKve
a 60 i»f tbem himself^ . Near aa hundred were wriiteD.bjr
and concenwiag John Liibame* The oataiegae, wJeooh nicaa
taken, by Marmadiihe Foster, the auctioneer, .consisto of
twelve tplio volumes. So .«carce were many of ibeae ica^ts^
eiwn at id>eir •ftrat publicadcm, that king Charles I. is xe^
ported to have given liefi pounds for only reading on^s of
cbem over, wihiob he coold no where else procure^ ai^h^
owner's house in St, Paol'a Church-yard. The Author from
Mrbom we have boniowed theae lurtiaahirs, «ays that Mc»
ilusfam'orrt) ^* did, most plenttfuUy, supply bimself from
ijke8e&4afitain6, how abundasitly soever he represents the
Acts tbeneiu eorntpfeed with .fiction ; how fondly aoevfur hft
aeems to magnify Us own sagacity, in. the distinguishmeot
of >ooe fram the other.; and how suspiciously spever he disr
ceenntenances ail farther examinatiob into tbemy than that
iwfaerewitfa he hath been pleased to present us ; where he
iexpi*esses himself thus slightingly of these very authorities,
*wfaioh have yet so liberally contributed to such of the massy
4emes, passing under his Jiame^ whereof he was the inl
ft us H wo R t H. 43 1
tompiler. ' Posterity/ says be {u e. Rushworth), V^hould
.know, that some durst write the truth, whilst other men*9
iancies were more busy than their bands; forging rela-
tions ; buildings and battering castles in the air ; publish-
ing speeches, as spoken in parliament, which were never
spoken there; printing declarations^ which were never
passed ; relating battles wfai<;h were never fought ; and
,victdries which were never obtained ; dispersing letters
which were never writ by the authors ; together with many
such contrivances to abet a party or interest — Pudet hac
ifpprifbria. Such practices, and the experience I had there-
of, and the impossibility for any man, in after-ages, to
ground a true history, by relying on the printed pamphlets
of our days which passed the press while it was without
ebntroul^ obliged me to all the pains and charge I have
been at for many years together, to make a great collec-
tion ; and, whilst such things were fresh iu memory, to
separate truth from falsehood, things real from things fic-
titious, or imaginary/ *' '
RUSHTON (Edwaed), a Roman catholic writer, was
bom in Lancashire, and after being instructed in the clas-
sics at school, was admitted of Brazenose college, Oxford,
about 1568, where he took bi& degree of A. B. in 1572.
Next year, being a Roman catholic, he left the university,
and joined his countrymen of that persuasion at Doway,
where he pursued bis studies, and took his degrees in divi*-
Bity. In 1577» he was sent to Rome, and ordained priest,
end appointed to go to England as a missionary. Here«
.however, he was taken up. and sentenced to die, but after
•four years imprisonment, this was commuted for banish-
ment, in 1585* He then went abroad, and was about to
receive his academical honours at Lovaine, when he died
there of the plague in 1588. He was the first publisher of
.Sanders's book, ** De schismate AngUoano," 1585, 8vO)
to which be added a third part ; and a fourth, by way of ap-
pendix, appeared in 1638, which contained from his pen a
list of those who suffered for popery in Henry the Vlllth's
.time.. He also published ^* Synopsis rerum ecclesiasticarum
ad annam Christi 1577,*' for the use of the students at
Doway, ecclesiastical history being mi|ch his study : and a
** Profesaion-of Faith." •
1 Ath. Oy. voL II. — Biog. firit.*^Disaertation upon Pamphlets in Morgao'f
Pbttnix BrJUnnieii8« p. 557»-«-lietter in MSS. Had* 75^. in Maty's Rvf'itw,
vol. UU p. 249. « Podd*ft Ch. Hist. yoU II«
Vol. XXVI, * ^ " * 1 1
48ft . ft US SIC L.
ROSSElr (Alexandeb), physician to the t.tg\uik,hdterf
Ht Atepp6) wHs born at Ediid^ur^h, atid by his fatber devoted,
at an early period, to tnedicioe. After studying graamiae,
be spenit two years in the university, and was thea pUieed
tinde^r tbe care of his uncle, an eminent practitmier in
bbydlc. In 17S2, 3^ and 4, be eontimied his studies* under
(bef professdrs of Edinburgh, till the time of k» t;oming to
London, from which place be embarked for Turkey in 1740,
land settled at Aleppo. Heve he assiduoasly applied -bioiM
idf to acquire a knowledge of the language, and to £onm
an intimate acquaintance with tbe most experieneed ^t9^
tiiieners; bot he ^oon attained a superior disttnctioa^. and
nvras consulted by all ranks and professions, Franks,. Greeks^
Artilehians, Jews, and even Tories themselves, llie I^n-
t)dha of Aleppo parttoulariy admitted him to his fatasililarity
and confidence, which ensibled Dr. Rossel to render tiait
most important services to the footory ; tbe Pascha, indeed^
did not fail to consult i^im in every aot of importance, and
many of the criminals who were Natives owed their lives to
9r. Rtt«sel*s'interpOsilfeo. TheFa^ba carried bia esteem
for htm sN) for, tlmt he sent some vaiu^le presonta totbib
aged fWther, laying to him, ^^ I am obtii^ed for yeior irteiid^
lihjp and assistance.*' His valuable '^ History;of Alepfw''
^as first publv^d in 1755; and has be^n tvanslaled into
different 'European languages^ al»d a new edition was nittf^
recently pliblished, on a teryeatat^d scale, by faiaibnitfaar
Dr. Patriek tlussel. Itis not Mcessary ber^ to- expatiate
ih praise of this pubUcatiM, but tba i(emai4cs ontba plagaa
liate been found of utility to every European aation ; and,
possibly, have tended to check tbe progress of riiat diwjb
fnl Scourge. On bis return to England,^ he dK)^e.th^:mel-
tr^polis for his liesldenoe, aVkdin lt^9 was eleetad^pbysu-
cian of ^. Thomases IiO!q[>ital, in v^hith sttaatioobe oaati^
fiued to the time of his death, wbk^ haippened'ia 1970.
The Royal Society are cMiged to Dr. itussel far many va.^*
4iiable t!Ommuhicatk)ns, and the Medical Society vi«re
tinder 6bligations to him for many iiaportaMpapers.. His
f^baracter was that of a constant, sensible, and unrigbt^ fsiaiii^
a 'Physician of great skill and exp^ience, a-p)easiaig 6oa»
^anion, and a benevoletitimaa,
His brother, Dr. Patrick Rusi^^v ^^ ^daad Jidy. s;
1805, in his seventy «rninth. year, succeeded him as pbyai*
ciaii to the English factory at Aleppo. Ha published «
copious "Trefatise on the Plague/' in 179 J, 4to, hatiog
:b tJ 8 8 ft ii 4«s
imJ aBipiecqjpitfidnrtietof trbstiif^tbait^ AiiteiM
idnring febe yeart 1760^ 1761; and 176^; in tUs «wrk
-besides a ymct^l of tbe progvesi) and a wieiJtal btotbry el
ikevflmney Dr. RussM imerted a fbll diMatiiom of tM
acrfa^mit of qntiTaiitine, lazarectoet, mi of thie ^loliMy to be
adofited iQ' times of pesiilence. He libenrifle pubiisbet
t^< Deictifftlons ainl%nr«S'Of twro bmidved fisbos i(»>llee«e4
en the coast of Coromandel," 1^03, 2 vols: fel; and previ*
bQsfytatbit, in 17949 a neweditioti 0f bisbrotlMr'ii''^ Na«
tnral History of Ateppo," upon aTeryevilarged stale. He
was a aaah of learning and vvit : spehe the Arabi)^ whiofa Mi
acqaired dm'iug bis residence at Aleppb^ witbthe fluenejf
of bis motber-tongue : a»d was, like bis bveltber, df a
IriendJy and betievdlent diisposition.'
aU88£L (Oeorge), a yiim of learning and if^i^titlby^
die son ofXllbristopher Russei) eis^. df Mirnoreai was berU
in 1728& He was brod at WestnyinsMr-sebbdl, and ia 174^
Was admitted a member of St. Mirths liatt, Olfdrd. He
eokninenced a poet in 1744^ or hm^A ; for in bistyollectioti
lire- yerseson soring lad^ Oieabetb fioyle 'daf^ee at ^Mdii'^^
atoo on faer fatber^s bittb^ay in tbat yeat^. <ln Apvil 1750
he am adaiinted baebelor of aru^ 'btft'dMrnot'doMinine or
complete bis degree untd 1752. About 195^ be'obtfelined
tbe reetory of Bkttil, in the '^tobese ofOerk^ in Ireland, by
Ike {Mttwnage of Jobn, ffAb eart of Cork and Ofrery. Whh
ikat nobleman be appears feohave lite'd in intiiha^y^ as "vrefl
aa witb bis second son^ fiatsiiltoft Boyie, and fret[Uenfly
▼isited iMkiMon. It^ died in I7e7 ; and two yearti after^
arere published, in QiroU. 8vo, ^The Wotkii of ibe kte
Keir. George Rasset, Reotcnr ofSkaMi in the diocese of
CUnrk^'*' From the iew specimbns Mr. 'Miildhe 4ms gt^en^
' beaetdssgftisctfied in ^ylng stiat these works^ ttabugh Mtle
known) owing {wobably totb^ft having been ptibH^hed only
so IvelMd^ bft^e very considerable iiterit.^
auSSEL (WniLiAM), atitbor of the ^' Hikory of Modem
£vydpe^^' and osber >work^, was bom in 174^9^ iii Mve ceutity
df Mid-* Lothian, Soe«)aikl, -and receivefl sonoe kndvrtedge
of'Oireak «nd ijatin at the scb^dl «of InreHeilbbn^ Aieer
sans fttCitaef ins«Mtolidns at Bdinbur^, ^ wtis bound ap^
prestioe tolhe liookseHirig and prin^ng 'biisfoess for'^frve'
yearsy dering ^^itb^ at^his leasilre botli's^ be read ittiidh/
and acquired* a coasifd^riible fund of genei^V knowledge.
^ eent. U^f. voir XU, and hSXV. ; . ^ Maloii^s Dif^Sv ^^ ' • t'^f^
112
484 R U S S E L.
At tbfe end of his apprenticeship, he published a ** Collect
tion of Modern Poems," the selection of which was thought
judicious. About 1763 he made an attempt to adapt Cre*
billon's *^ Rhadamisthe et Zenobie" to the British -stage,
which, was offered to the manager of the Drury-lane theatre ;
but, as Murphy's Zenobia was at that time in rehearsal, it
was deemed imprudent to accept of another play on the
same subject.
, Next year he issued proposals for publishing. a second
volume of his '^ Collection of Modern Poems," and retired
to the country jn order to anrange the materials. During
his absence from Edinburgh, he maintained an epistolary
correspondence with lord Elibank, Miss Scott of Benham,
Mr. Dalzel, and Dr. Ogikie, to whose friendship hb youth*
fttl ingenuity had recommended him; but the projected
volume never made its appearance. In 1765, lord Elibank
having invited him to his seat in East Lothian, be there
spent the greater part of the autumn, and had an opportu-
nity of conversing with many eminent men. To this noble-
man he seems to have looked for favour and protectieo ; and
in the hope of obtaining preferment through his influenae^
he relinquished his original employment, and prosecuted
the study of history and polite literature. .>,.>...
Having resided with his father till the month of May 1 767^
he set out for London, with hopes that were soon disap-
pointed, and after waiting in vain for promotion, he was
under the necessity of engaging himself as a CfiirectcHr of
^he press of William Strahao, after^ard^.* his ooiajesty/s
printer, which in 1 769 he exchanged for the office of overseer
to the printing-office of Brown and Adlard. «.During the
same year he published an *^ Ode to Fprtitude,"' which was
immediately, reprinted at Edinburgh by. his former mapters,
Martin and Witherspoon. His *^ Sentimentali Tales" ap-
peared in 1770. From this time he wrote many essays ta
prose and verse for the monthly publications. In 1772^ be
published a ^^ Collection of Fables, Moral aiid Sentimentid,*''
and an /^ Essay on the Character, Manners, and Genius of
Women,*' from the French of M. Thomas ; and seems about
lliis period to. have commenced an author by profes^ion.^
His ^'' Julia, a Poetical Romance,'' made its appearan<se in
the year 1774, but with no great success. He was after-^
wards engi^ed in composing the *^ History^ of .America,'*,
which was published in iMjmbers, and completed in 1779 ;
this was Ifoixmrably ipeceiftd by the puUic^ and has far
R U S S EL. 4d5
B^ore of the spirit of original thinking and accurate iiifor-
ination than is tube found in works published in that shape*
In the course of the same year, he ako pubKslied the two
6r8t volumes of his ^^ History of Modern Europe/' and the
notice which they attracted exceeded his most sanguine
expectations.
! About this time he was a frequent contributor to the va-
rious Magazines then in circulation. His occasional poems
inserted in these publications would form a volume of con-
siderable size, but it seems to be allowed by his friepds,
would, if so published, diminish rather than increase his
reputation. In the estimate of his own literary merits fa^
dissented from the general voice. His historical works,
which have met with a very favourable reception, he regarded
as greatly inferior to his poetical works, which have been
totally neglected.
In 1780 bis studies met with a temporary interruption :
he embarked for Jamaica in order to recover some money
due to him as the heir of his brother James, who had died
in that island. In 1783 he published ^' The Tragic Muse/'
a very just compliment to the transcendant abilities of Mrs.
•Siddons. Jn 1784 he completed his ^^ History of Modern
Europe,'' by the addition of three volumes. He remained
for some time in London, without any particular engage-
ment of the literary kind, from which, being now in easy
circumstances, he appears to have meditated a retreat. In
1787 he went to Scotland, married Miss Scott, a very
amiable woman, and settled at a place called Knottyholm,
a small distance from the town of Langholm in Scotland.
In 1792 he obtained from the university of St. Andrew's,
the honorary degree of doctor of laws, with which he wished
to adorn the title-page of his ^^ History of AncientEurope,'*
an undertaking which he bad now begun, and completed
twa volumes in 17^3 ; but this, neither as to plan or execu-
tion, was so highly valued as his former work. He was in
truth less fit for the task than he had been, and being en-
gaged in disputes with his booksellers, bis niind became
iiurt ami irritated. Some letters we have seen fr<»n him
at this period shew that it was not quite sound ; and that
the atrong sense of injury which he felt wais in a great
measure without foundation. While in this state a stroke
.of palsy terminated his life, Jan. 1, 1794, in the forty-
seventh year of his age.
Dr. Russel was a man of indefatigable industry. Before
y
.^Hfi ft U '8 B j: f...
•h^ hM pwpfeeled one scheme, anotbei; alvvayt preseiitiM) it-
,f0lf to his mind. Besides two complete tragedies, entitle^
/'PyirhiiV aod *^ Zenobia," he left befaii^ bim sm apa-
lj$i» of Brjant's Mythology, and the foUowing' unfinished
pjTQdactiQfis : 1. " Th« Earl of Stra^rd," a tr^agedy.
2. " Modern Life," a comedy. 3. " The Love Marriage,''
.%p opfta> 4. " Humao Happiness,'' a poetti intended to
jiave been Goniptised ia four boohs. 5. ^ A Historical and
philQ^ophical View of the progress of mankind in th&
}mQyf\fidge of the Terraqueous Globe." 6. ** The Histoiy
fill Modero. Europe, part ilL &om the peace of Pari^ In
1763, to die general pacifkatton in 178.^" 7. '^ Th^s
^HkftQry. of Engla^nd froni the beginning of the reign of
.(jefMTgeilL to tfafe condtisian of the AnieruTan war.*^ I<i
fk^ ,c<imppsiHcu3 of the )ast of these works be was engag>ed
at the time of his death. It was to be comprised in threb
.ifoluoses 8vx>; for ^tc caopy^^right of whieh Mr* Cadelihad
Mipi4afeed to pay seven hundred and fifty pounds. Hiss
i^ JHi^^ory of Dftod^rn Europe" has lately been reprinted,
X9^%\fi ,aa additionisLl Toliimie ^' to tfae peace of AHiiens,"^ by
J)r. Coo^,. and contihttes to be a standard bciok for scho^
^rs of the lapfejB classes. His ^ Aneient Histoi^y'' htfs
liei^er been completed,
I^. Buasel, without exhibiting t/be gracet of polished
)ife, yraa an pgreea^ compaaioji, and possessed a consih
^erstUe f»nd of genetal knowied^ and a zeallbr ikerar
pf^X^ wA geiHus, irhiicb appro^idned to ewtbttsiasm. in ai|
^s undertalings, he was strictly honourable, and deserved
,^e Qoniidenee repooed in him b}* his etuployersv*
RyS9£L (WfUiMM^ tIPTH EARL AII0 TtKST UmLU OF
ItewoBjei), was eldest son efi Francis fom^th earl €^ Beir
ford, by .Oathacihe, sole daughter aiid heir of Giles Bvidgea,
jlofd Cbaodbis, aad was born in ]^f 14. He was'edueatesl
in iMagdalen college, Osibrd^ and; wai mside hmgbt of thi^
Jt»th at die coronation of king CharieaL He waa a memh
Jber of the Long-parfiaineiu, wMeb me<{ ^ W^semJRSteip,
^Avember 3, 1640; aiid Ma*y 9^ fiDllowifn|^, ttp0» Ibe cte^rfAt
of his lather, sueeeeded him in bis honoliri l^d esiase. l^
inly 1642,. baling, a^wed hit sentusieiHa against the me4s>r
j(Ures punoied by the court, he wi^s appointed by ihe pttr^
« jyuunent general of the bourse, m ^e army: raHed in ahot^.
defence against t^ king i smdi the m8fc|ui« of ilertfo«f4
]jl V 8 $ ¥ &. 4&7
being sent by hit msy^ftty intp th^ We&t to* levy for^cs^ ia
•ojcder to relieve Portsmouth, the earl of Bedford had thp
^odiniand of t»even thousand foot| and eight f^il troops o^f
borse» to prevent his success in those parts ; and marche^
with such expedition, that he forced tli^ m^rqui^ out cjf
Somersetshire, where his power and interest were believe^
umjuestionable, and thus destroyed all hopes of forming aa
4irmy for the king in the Wes^. He afterwards joined thp
eari of EsaeK, and in the battle of Edgehill commanded
tlie reserve of horse, which saved the whple axmy, wbeji
the horse of both. wings bad been defeated, and, after doing
great execution on the king's infantry, brought off their
.own foot ; so that it became doubtft|l vrho ha^ the victory,
this reserve being the only body of fprces that stood tbe{r
ground in good order. In 1643, be, and the earls pf Holp
'land and Clare, conferred with the earl of Essex, who be-
came dissatiafied with the war ; and they had sp mupb iur
fluence in the House of Lordd, that, on the 5th of ^ugu^t
the same year, that House desired a conference with tbp
.Commons, and declared to them their • respliitipo of send-
ing iHopositions for peace to the king, and hop^d they
would join with bim. But by the artifice of P^poiugtpif,
lord mayor of London, who procured a. petition from the
'Comaioo-'Council of that city against ^ pea^^ ^^cji tu-
oiaUs were raised to terrify tbe^ lords, that tbey left thp
towfi, the Commons refii^ing to agree to their j;)rppositiao|«
.The earls of Bedford a|>d Holland resolved thf r^fore to gf>
to Oxford ; but their purpose being discovered or ^specjtir
ed, tbey with some difficulty g<>t into the king'sig^cij^on at
Wallingfomi, from whence the. governor nent ao gcpo.uqt <^
their arrival to the council at Oxford. The ,king iwas thefi
ajt the siege of Gbucester, and the copncil divided in tbejr
optnioos, ill what maaoer to ^ece,ive tii^t^ ; but.Jtiis m^
jesty uf on bis retiira determined on a middle w^yi by air
lowing tlMm lo come to Oxford^ and every pi^rson to trestf;
IhMi there as they thought fit) while bim^lf wpsi^d r^gs^rd
iheas according to their future bebavioiAr. Accordingly tbp
two earte came» and> together with th^ earl pf.CiarQ, en,-
jbeced into the lung's service in Glpucest^rshire, waited
nfMMi his majesty througbout his march, charged in tbie
roy«l re^ime&( of horse ak the battle of Newbury with gretf
bravery, and in all respects bebaved thewMMv^. w^ Upo|^
tbe kiiig's return to Oxford, be spoke to tbevo on aU pcqa«
•ions, very graeioufly ; biit« tbey w^ee^ i\(A XtWiH in \U»
488 It U S S £ t.
ftame manner by others of the eourty so that the earl of
Hoiiand going away first, the earls of Bedford and Clare
followed, and came to the earl of Essex at Su Albao^ oa
' Christmas-day, 1643. Soon after this, by order of parlia-
ment, the earl of Bedford was taken into custody by the
black rod, and his estate sequestered, as was likewise the
earl of Clarets, till the parliament, pleased with their suc-
cesses against the king in 1644, ordered their sequestra^
tions to be taken off, and on the 17th of April the yearfoU
lowing, the earl of Bedford, with the earU of Leicester and
Clare, and the lords Paget, Rich, and Conway, who bad
left Oxford, and joined the parliament at London, took
the covenant before the commissioners of the great-aeaK
He did not, however, interpose in any public affairs, till
the House of Peers met in 1660, when the earl of Man<^
Chester^ their speaker, was ordered by them to write tp
bim to take his place among them; which he accordUngly
did, being assured of their design to restore the king ; and
on the 27th of April that year, he was appointed one of the
managers of the. conference with the House of Commons^
^'to consider of some ways and m^ans to make up ^b«
Breaches and distractions of the kingdom ;^' and on the 5th
of May was one of the committee of peers " for viewing
and considering, what ordinances had been made since thm
House of Lords were voted useless, which now passed as
acts of parliiiment, and to draw up and prepare an act of
parliament to be presented to the House to repeal what
they should think fit.** . ;
After the restoration of king Chades IL the earl of B^*
ford, notwithstanding his past conduct, was so far in hia
favour, that at the solemnity of his coronation, on April 2^,
1661, he had the honour to carry Str Edward's scepter;
and, on May 29, 1672, was elected a knight of the most
noble order of the garter. When the prince and princesi|
of Orange came to the throne^ he waa sworn one of theic
privy council ; and at their coronation, on April 11,. iS%%
carried the queen's scepter with the dove. They coosti*;
tuted his lordship, on May 10, 1689, lord lieutenant of the
counties of Bedford and Cambridge^ and, on^ March !>
1691, lord, lieutenant and custos rotulorum for the. county
of Middlesex, and the liberties of Westminster. He sought
for no other honours or employm^mts ; but their miyesties^
on May 11, 1694, created him marquis of Tavistock' and
4uke of S^dfordi andi ix^ ciiuiqera^in^: hU qier^a ia |be
R U S S £ L. 48»
"patent it is expressed, " That this >vas n6t the least, that
lie was father to the lord Rassel, the ornament of his age^
^bose great merits it was not enough to transmit by history
to posterity ; bat they vrere willing to record them in their
Toyal patent, to remain in the family, as a monument con*
vecrated to his consummate virtue; whose name could
never be forgot, so long as men preserved any esteem for
-sanctity of manners, greatness of mind, and a love to their
"Country, constant even to death. Therefore to solace his
excellent father for so great a loss, to celebrate the memorjr
of so noble a son, and to excite his worthy grandson, the
lieir of such mighty hopes, more cheerfully to emulate and
follow the example of his illustrious father, they intailed
this high dignity upon the earl and his posterity/'
This duke, in 1695, having made the settlements pre-
Tious to -his grandson's marrying Elizabeth, only daughter
and heir of John Howlaud, of Stretham, esq. who was one
of the greatest fortunes of that time, it was thought con-
venient, for the honour of this alliance, to make him baron
Howland, of Strethanx in Surrey, on June 13 the same
year. His grace died in the eighty- seventh year of his
age, September 7, 1700, and was buried with his ancestors
«t Cheneys, where a most noble monument is erected for
him and his countess (who died on May 10, 1681-, aged
sixty-four), their two figures being exhibited under a ca«
nopy, supported by two pillars of the Corinthiah order.'
RUSSEL (Lord Wiixtam), the third son of the pre*-
ceding, and for whose sake indeed some account was
thought qeeessary of his father, was born about 1641. He
was bred up in those principles of liberty for which his fa-
ther had fought, but in his youth partook freeiy of the
dissipations of the cburt of Charles II, until his marriage in
1667 reclaimed him, and he became afterwards a sedate
and unblemished character, as to morals. He represented
the county of Bedford in four parliaments, and was consi-
dered as one of the heads. of the whig party. The first
affair, however, in which he co-operated with this party,
has thrown some obscurity on his character. When Charles
II. exasperated against the court of France for withdraw-
ing the pension he had been mean enough hitherto to re*
£eive, wished to join the continental confederacy against
J^ms XIV. the wbigs, who dreaded the giving Charles ajf
I QqfjaDM*9 Peerage by Sir E. Bgr^f es.-««Birc)iHi Livef.
490 A U S « E t,
pcmy thMi mlghi a« Ukely be emplgyed 9g^i$iait di^r owp
country ai9 against France^ raised ao oppositba to (he o^eah
f Qre ; aod tbi« bf^ing acceptable to ibe French biog, an in**
tngue OQii^aieoaed between some of the wbigs and Bariilon,
the Freaeb ambassador, the oonsequenoe.Qf which was tbehr
yeoeiviog bribea fsoni bini to ibwart the mea^tiresof xiw
€Quit. Sir John Batrynipie has given «a Ijat of the inem^
bers who thos accepted money, from the enemy of nbeir
coustry -, and although lord Ilussel is said .posHi¥ely to haire
fefosed to aet so meanly , there seems liitle reason to,dattbe
Ibat be was concerned in the intsigua The defence set
lip for him on this occasion amounts to little more than that
in certain eases Ibe means may be justified by the end.
In I679y when the king f<>mid it expedient to ingratiate
Jitmsetf with tb0 wings, lord William H^ssel was appointed
pile of. bis new council ; but ibis could not last* long, Ua in
ihefoUawing year be promoted the bill for the exclusion. of
the diiJEe of York from the throne, the debate upon whiob
avaa opened by him en the f 6th of October^ wi^ a declara**
Hion of bis opinioo, that the life of bis msjestyi tiae safety
of the nation, and the prot^staat peligien, were in graot
danger frani popery 4 and th^t either that paiJiament mi^
auppress the growth and power thereof^ or else pc)|)ery
would soon destroy, not only pariiaineBts» but all that was
dear ^md valuable to tbem, for wbtcb reason he otoved, thai
they might in th^ first place take into consideration^ bow
40 suppress pofiecy^ and prevent a popish successor. The
faiil being «ecerdiBgly passed in the [IO1100 of Como^toa^
his lordship, on the iitb of November, cariied it up to the
peers ; who rejecting it» tbe Commons were exasperated
at this, and lord Russel in particular said,, tb^t if ever there
ahonid happen in this nation any such change, as th^ be
shouki not have the liberty to live a protesiam, be w9s re-
solved to die one ; asd therefore would not wittingly h^ktm
^e hands of their enemies strengtbened^ But ihlioe^ an4
airoilar speecfaes iron other mfembl&rs, heving disguwted
tbe court, tbe paclissReat was proifegued eo the 10th of
January, 16dO-:l. Hoirever, thje necessity of the kiag'6
affairs requiring the meeting of another parlimnrntt bis wip^
jesty called one, whidi assembled tt Oxfond on the 91st of
Mar^ foUowang ; 111 whieb lord Rassel served again aa
Itaigbt of tbe shite for the eoaety qt Bedford^ B^t aaoK
ther bill of exclusion being moved for by sir Robert Clay*
ton, who was seconded by his tordship, that pdriikment was
It IJ 8 8 £ L, 491
f 00n after dissolyedy and no other called during the reigh
of king CbarljDs IL who now seemed determit^d to govern
.fvitbouc one.
This state of affairs led to fi conspiracy, in which the duke
of Monmouth, lord Russel, and others, were ooncertted, to
|ict in coi^cevt with the duke of Argyle and the Scotch.
The leaders of this party bad different views ; bqt lord
'William Bussel i$ said to have wished for nothing morb
'than the exclusion of the duke of York, and a redress ctf
j^rt^vances. While this was in meditation, another plot
•Vfts laid by other conspirators to assassinate the king ot|
*fai# return from Newmarket, at a farm called the Rye-houso,
ffom which tbi^ plot has taken its name. Both consptra*?
-eies baving been discovered, lord WiHiam Russet was ap*
pr^hended and brought to trial at the Ok) Bailey July IS^
16S3. In the indictment, the nobl(» lord was charged with
the treasofiable purpose of kilUng the king, which was made
|tn inference from his being engaged in, a plan of insurrec-
tion. ^^ On the whole,." says Hume, after describing rh^
TiBttfre of the evidence produced on the trial, '^ it was un^
doubted ly proved, that the insurrection had been delibe*
fated on by the pr^oner, and fully resolved ; the surprisad
pf the guards deliberated on^ blu not fully resolved, and
^hft an assassini^tion had not b^en once mentioned or ima-
gined by bim. So far the matter of fact seems Certain :
out still, with regard to the law, there remained a difficuHy^
. ^d tfajit an important one. The English laws of treasoui
both in the manner of defining that criote, and in the proof
required, are the mildest and most indulj^ent, and con$e-
?uentiy the most equitable, that s^re any where to be found,
'he two chief species of treason contained in the statute of
^dw. HI. are the compassing and intending of tbe king's
death, and the aetufilly levying of war against him ; and by
the law of Mary, the crime must be proved; by the concur-
riag testimony of t^p witnesses, to tsomjp overt act, teudia^
to'th^se purposes. But the lawyers, partiy^ desirous of
payine court to the sovereign-, partly convinced of the ill
^onsequeneas whid^ might attend such narrow limitations^
liad introduced a gresi^ter latitude, bot{| in the proof and
fieftnition of the crime ; and tl^e jury, f^fter a very short
deliberation, found the prisonef guilty, and sentence of
death was passed upon bim. As be refused to adopc $om^
ineans Which were very likely to have enabled bim toes-
p^ifpe, k has been imputed, hy his skdmirers, to (i^e pressing^
492 .R V S'S £ L.
solicitations of his frienck, that h€f wrot^ a tery meahly stip*
plicatory letter to the duke of York, in which he declared,
^^ that what he had done in opposition to his royal highness,
did not proceed from any personal ill- will or animosity to
him, but merely from opinion, that it was tl^e best way for
preserving the religion established by law; in which if
he was mistaken, yet he had acted sincerely, without any
ill end in it. And as for any base design against the diike^s
person, he hoped he wpuld be so just to him, as not to think
him capable of so vile a thought. But that be was now
resolved, and did faithfully engage himself, that if it should
please the king to pardon him, and if his royal highness
would interpose in it, h^ would in no sort meddle any mo^e
in the least opposition to his highness, but would b^ rea-
dily determined to live in any part of the world, which the
king should prescribe, and would wholly wit|vdra«ir himself
from the affairs of England, unless called by bis majesty's
orders to s^rve him ; which he should never be wauting to
do to the uttermost of his power. And that . if. Us royal
highness would be so gracious to him^ as to move on bia
account, as it would be an engagement upon him' beyontl
what he could in reason expect, so it woold make the
deepest impression on him possible; for no'fear of death
could work so much upon him, as so great an obligatioe
would for ever do." A few days after be;wrote a letter to
the king, tOvbe delivered after bis death, as it was by his
uncle coir Russel ; in which be observed, ** that his chief
business was humbly to ask his majesty's pardon for any
thing he had either said or done, which might l€k>k like
want of respect to him, or of duty to bis government ; in
which, though he did to the last moment acquit himself of
all designs against his person, or of altering the goverti-
ment, and protested he knew of no design then on foot
against either, yet he did not deny, but t^e bad heard many
things, and said some things, contrary to his duty ; for
which he had asked God's pardon,*' &c. &c«
As he drew near to the close of life, conjugal aflfection
was the feeling that clung closest to his hteart ; and when
be had taken bis last, farewell of his wife, he said, ** The
bitterness of death is now over.'* He suffered the sentence
of his judges with resignation and composure. Some of
bis expressions imply. an unusual degree, of indifiereuce in
this last extremity. The, day before his execution he was
seized with a bleeding at the nose : '* I ^all not now le(
R t) S S £ L. 493
-blood to divert this distemper/' said he to' bishop BurneY^
;who was present ; '^ that will be done to-morrow.*' . A little
.before the sheriffs conducted him to his carriage, that wa^
-to convey him to the scaffold, he wound up his wktch^
.*< Now I have done/' said he, ^^ with time, and hencefbrth
must think solely of eternity.*'
The execution was pierformed July 21, not Oh Tov<rer«
hill, the common place of execution for men of high fank^
•but in Lincoln's'inn-lields ^ and as.he passed on in his coacb^
the multitude imagined they beheld virtue and liberty
ifitting by his side. He was the most popular among his
pwfi party, and perhaps the least obnoxious to the opposite
faction ; and bis melancholy fate united every heatrt in a
tender compassion for him. Without the least change of
jQountenance, he laid his head on the block, and at two
strokes it was severed from his b.ody. He was, at the time
of his death, only forty^two years of age. Burnet says^
'^ he was a man of great candour and of a general reputa-
tion, universally beloved and trusted ; of a generous and
obliging temper. He had given such proofs of an * un-
daunted courage and of an unshaken firmness, that no man
of that time had so entire a credit in the nation as he had.
He.qviickly got out of some of the disorders, into which
the court bad drawn him, and ever after that his liCe was
unblemished in all respects. He had from his first educa-
tion an inclination to favour the non-conformists; and
wished the laws could have been made easier to them, or
they more. pliant to. the law. He was a slow man, of little
discourse; but he bad a truejqdgrbent, when he considered
l;hings at his own leisure. His understanding was not de-
fective, but his virtues were so eqninent, that they would
nipre than balance real defects, if any bad been found in
t)xe other."
i At the revolutionan act was passisd on March. 16^ l€S8-9,
for anQulliog and' making void the attainder of William
Russel, esq. commonly called Lord Russel ; aud about the
aaoie.time Henry lord De la Mere published ^^ The late
Lord Russers.Case: with Observations upon it," in which
be affirms. that his lordship could not be guilty of the iti-
dictment he was tried on ; which he inferred from the law
qf t,he case, and from the inconsistencies and^contradictions
in the evidence against his lordship. , Sir Robert Atkyns
also, one of the judges of the court of convnon pleas, pub-
lished a ^^ Defence of the lat^ Lord Ryssel's Innocency,'*
494 tl U 8 S £. t.
pjripted in 1694; but tha grealesi bUtaotir paid to fait mH^
nory is in the preamble to bis faihet's patetit^ tFsnseribecl in
our acGooat of bioi. His lordship iliarrieid the kidy Bachel^
second jdaugbter^ and at length heir to Thoinas Wriotfaes^
ley, earl of Seuthan^plot^ lord high treasurer of England^
the widow of Francis Vaugba,n, eldest aon df Richard eail
of Ca«bery. She died Scfpt. 29, 1723, aged eigbty^^seven.
This iady's *< LeU^s," poblished in 177S, ei^hibit her
E>ty, Virtue, and eoiUugal affection, and have imasorta^
^ed ber memory. *
His implacable ^etiemy^ ibe duiib of York, wben Jaaaca 11^
was remiaded of bis courage and virtues in a Tery afiecthig
manner. Upoa the approach of tbe prince of Orai>ge» tke
infatuated king called "an e&traordinany council to eonsidet
Qi bis bigbness's prqposaki Lord William Rusael's fatberi
tbe earl of Bedford, being of tl^a number, tbe king' made
earnest apfdicatioa to bim, saying, ^* My lord^ yea aare a
gpod man, and have a great influence; you can do. much
for me at this tioie." Hia lordsbip replied^ *^ I am en old
man, and can do but little, but i once bad a son"^-^^Tfafli
king felt tbe full force of tbis appeal^ aiid<waaatroek dumb^i
RUST (George), one of the leairned divines who ww
contemporary witb Cudwoirtb^ Wbiofaoet, TillotsoD, and
Wortbingpton, at tbe uaiFeraUy , of Cambridge, was «a wA*
tive of tbat towo^ ai^d educated atCbrtat'acoUegCy of winch
be bec^a^ie iellow, aud piohably took bis degrees at ftba
uSkUal peciods, though we do nbt 'find lus naase in tbe list- of
graduates publiabed some years ago. Mr. Joaeph CttaaYil^
in bis p|:e£ace to £>«. Ruat^s <^ Discourse of Truth,'' tells ua
tbat, wbeaat tl^e university, be ^^ lived in great etteeni
and reputation for bia «eniiienjt leamiiigand mttiea^' and
was (Que of tbe firftt in ibe untvecnty wbooverQame the prQ*i
judices of tbe education of the times before the iTestonftiosf >
and was ^eryiiustvumefttal «te eiriarge oriiera. He bad loo
greaA a soul for tbe tjrifles of tbat age, and saw' eaviy tbd
i>akedne8s 'of pbrasea and iiuicies. He ont^grewitbe prd4
trended orthodoxy of tbose day% and addict^ biasft^ to
1)1^ primitive learoiiiig ^and tbeolegy, in wlut^i be efwa tfaen
became a gc^t maater." In 1 6 5 i be dkeUweved in bis ow«r
cbapel a iliscourse lApon Proverbs xjL 27, whieb in 14^
he preached agiaia at St Mary 'a in Cambridge. This fi^€»
' * Collinses Peerage, by Sir £. Brydges.'^Biog. Brk.r-^Oeo. PIct^^^B.iirMi'S
0«i» Timif .— e;KV» life Of Tilbtton.te*d3istne*8 J^istory.
. a U 8 T. 49d
•
Was fim pdbiUhed by Mr. Josl&ph GIsdvII at London ih
1€«2; in 8fo, under the title of ** A .Ditscootse oS Trath,'*
in a Tolfune entitled *^ Two ofaoice aud useful Treatues>;
the one Lux Orientalis : or an inquiry. iDto tbeopiirion i»f
the Eastern sages concerning the pre-existeoce^of souls:
•being a key to unlock the grand mysteries of Proiodeace
in fetation to man^s sin and misery.." The other, ^* ADis*
CfMJFse of Truth, by the labe reverend Dr. Rust, l«rd:bi^hop
of Dnomore to Ireland. With ai»i9otattons rnii them boifa/^
The annotations are supposed to be wrkteo'fajr 'Dr. Htmfr
More^ to whose school Dr. Rust appears to htire belonged.
On the ri^storatioOy bishop Jenamy Tayloo^ ftxeeeeir^ the
i^acancy in the deanery of Counor in Jrehind, aent^te-Oaai^-
bridge for some learned andi^ngeniDiis nmn^ whosttgbt be
fit for that dignity*. Tfae-cfaoioe Ceil ypoo 'Dr^B-iEist,* whioh
eorUBsponding witbv^be great incUnaisoti *fae bad to bi&^pon>*
-versniit with that emiuient prelate, he gladly 'aoeepteil of of^
hastened to Irelaiidly and hmded at Dublin aboot. August
1 66 iv He was roeeived with igrtut 'kindness and n^speot
by bishop' Taylor, and prefet red te the -deanery tof'Goanor
as-seoh lis it was void, whicb was ehortly after, and in ^662
te tfaereolory 4)f the island of Magee in •the^saotte'dboese.
Upon thebishop^s^deoth, August 13., I667| he<preadbed hia
funeral aermon, ' which was ^printed. . Tlie bishoprics -wcite
Dow divided; Dr. Boyle,^ doan of Cork, was nominated
biihop of Down and Oontior, and J>r..Ru8d:, bishop of Dro^-
ttione, in whiob he conttnoed till bisdeathi which was oc*-
cttstoned by a fever in Dec. 1670. He was interred in th^
ehoVr-of the cathedral of Dromore m a vault mode for his
pt^deeessor bi^bop Taylor, whose body was depoMled th^e.
Mr. GManvil, who was very parttcuhirly acquainted with
himi tells us, ^^that he was a man>of a^ciear mind, a deep
judgflaeat, and searching wit, greatly learned in all the besft
aortsr of knowledge, old and new, a thoughtful and diligent
itiqdif^r, of a free' undei'standing and -irast capacily, joined
wi«h^4tngular' modesty and unusual sweetness of temper,
W^iich made him the darting «f fiU that (knew him. He w^
a person of great piety and .generosity, a hearty lover of
G^d^atid mae, •an^exoellent preaoher^ a wise governor, a
profownd' philosopher, a ^tose reasoner, and sd^ove all, a
troe'and exempkiry Cbristiao^ In short, he was one, who
iiad ail'tb^ <)tialk6oaiions of a priaiiii?^ bishop^ and of an
extraordinary man.'* Dr. Rust's other works were, " A
Letter of Resolutioti Concerning Origeil and the chief of
4a^ ft U S T.
his opinidnSj'* Lmicf* i&61, 4to ; twd ^rmdnsi one at iU4
funeral of the earl of Moiint'-AiexaDcler^ the. otfaer on the
death of bishop Taylor; and ^' Remains/* published by
Henry Hallyweli, Lond; 1686, 4to. ^
RUTGERS (JoHif), an able critic And negpciator, was
born of an ancient family at Dordrecht or Uort^ Aug. 2$^
1589* He received a part of his early edoeation at hon^
and wa^ afterwards placed under the instructions of Ce»rd
' Vossius. In 1 605 he was sent to Leydeu^ whefe he studied
under Batidiusj with whom be also resided^ Scaliger, and
Heinsius. After remaining here si;K yeara^ he travelled yi
1611 into France, resided two years at Paris, aod took the
degree of licentiate in law at Orleans; les» froin incli;iar^
tion than to please hb parents^ • He returned toDort, Sep^.
tember 13^ 1613, the day after his mother died, andsoo^
after went to the Hague, where he was admitted to Ihe
«bar; but remaining af«i;se to this profession, aod uuc0Xr
tain what to adopt in its place, the Swedish ambassador^
who had been desired : by his royal master to se^Qd bica a
person from Holland qualified for the pp»t of Q€MliseilQr»=
proposed.it: to Rutgers, and he having accepted, the offer^
they departed for Stockholm' in May 1614. - Findings ou
their arrival, that the king was in Livonia,, on accQunt of
the war with Muscovy, they took* that route, and wh^n thejr
^arrived at Nerva, the king received Rutgers .mth so gi»afc
kindness, that the latter, although he had. taken Ihia jour*
ney without any determined purpose, or the hopes jof a
fixed settlement, now resolved to attach himself to bis OEia*
jesty's service. He was after thfs employed three tiines aa
envoy from that prince to Holland upon very impofi^nt
affairs, in which he acquitted himself to the entire satisfies-'
tion of his majesty, who ennobled him in 1619. He visited
•Bohemia, Denmark, and several German courts, in the
same quality ; and lastly he resided at the Hague, as mU
ffiister from Gustavus to that republic, where he died Octi
26, 1625, at the early age of thirty*six. His works are^
I. ^* Notse in Horatium," added to an edition of that poet
by Robert Stephens, in 1613, and reprinted in 1.699 and
1713. 2. << Variarum lectioiium libri tres, quibus utrius*
que linguae scriptores, qua emendantur, qua illustrantur)'*
Leyden, 1618. This is justly esteemed as a veiry lear^^ad
work, imd, what was ;iot so common then, a very judiciou*
RUTGERS. 497
ipecimen of drkteism. 3. <*Not« in Martial^m,^' added
lO'Seriverius's eficcdlent and scarce edition of leio, i2ino.
4. ^^Spicilegium in Apuleium," printed in Elmenhorst's
Bdition of 1621, 8Vo. 5. << Emendatioties in Q. Curtium,^'
Igi^en in the Leyden edition of 1626, 13in0. 6. << Poe*
mat^,^' printed with Nicolas Heihsius's poems, Leyden, 1 653,
and A^mst. 1669, 8vo. This Heinstus, the son . of Daniel
HeiHsio^ was Riitgefs's nephew. 7. " Lectiones Venn-
ma,*' acMled -^to Peter Barman*^ Horace, 1699, 12inoj
^. *< Vitit JaiM Rntgersti,'* &c. written by himself, and pob-
liAed by another nephew, William Goes^ Lieyden, 1646^
4to, of 14 pageis but republished with his poems, and else**
where. Rutgers bequeathed his library to Daniel Hein->
aius, bis brother-in-law, who printed a catalogue of it
io 1630.^ I •* ;
• fiUTHERFORD (John), a learned pbj^sician, and one
of * the founders of the medical school of Edinburgh, waa
the son oftherev. ^-^'— Ruthetfo^d, minister of Yarrow,
In die. county of Selkirk, Scotland, and was born Aug; 1^
X€95. ■ He received bis school-education at Selkirk, wbetv
there i$ e?ery reason to believe he made a ifapid prognest
in the knowledge of the Latin and Greek languages. In
1708, or 1710, he went to the university of Edinburgh^
aad after the regular course of classical studies, matt^
nnaieB, andnittural philosophy, engaged himself as appren-
tk» to Mr. Alexander Nesbit, at that rime an eminent
silrgeoo, with whom he remained until 1716, when he went
tetLoodon. There he attended some of the hospitab, and
the ieoture^r read on anatomy by Dr. Douglas, on aurgery
by AncM, and on nMteria medica by Strother* He next
pioeeeded to Leyden, which, from the leeturen of Boer<»
haave, was. then the most celebrated medical school ia
Ettrope. In 1719, be went to France, and about the ead
of July of that year was admitted to the degree of M. D»
in the university of Rheims. He passed the following win-*
ter in IHiria, chiefly for the sake of Winalow'd private de«
moostrattons in anatomy, and. in 1720. returned to Britain.
\ In 1721, be settled a» a physician at Edinburgh, and
ao<m afterwards Drs. Rutherford, Sinclair, Plummer, and
Innes, purchased aiaboratbry, where they prepared com»
pound nedicines^ aa art then little known in Scotland ^
bet, having higher views than the mere profits of auchai
> Niceron. vol. XXXlI.^Fopp«i Bibl. B«lgica.-«SaxU OnoaMSt,
VouXXVL Kk
4«» R tr.r.H E Jl F O H D-
speculation/ they detDonstrated, as iEar m: they were thes
known,, the operations of chemistry, to a numerous au«
dience: and soon afterwards, by the advice of tb^ir old
master Boediaave^ they extended their lectures to other
branches of physic. In 1725, they were appointed joint
professors .in the uniTersity: where, we believe, each, -for
iome time, read lectures in evety depwrtoo^nt of medical
science, anatomy excepted, and carried fbrwsMrd their
classes in rotation. The anatomical leqtuxes were read by
the elder Monro, who bad been settled a year or two be^
fore them in Edinburgh* But on the death of Dr. InneS)
a particular branch of medical science was allotted; to each
of the other three professors. Dr. Plummer was appointed
professor of chemistry and materia medica, Dr, Sinclair of
the institutes of physic, and Dr. Rutherford of the prac«
tice ; and thus they had the hpliour to eattbUsb the medi-
cal school of Edinburgh. The lectmes on the inatitutei
9nd pxactice of pbyMc were then^ and for many yeart
afterwards, delivered in l^atio, of vhich Dr. Rutberferd
bad a great cooimandt and talked the language more
fluently jtban that o£ his country. Thi^ practice, we believe^
was afterwards discontinued by th^ successors of tfae«a
founders ; but Dr. Rutherford lectured ia Latin as lopg al
lie filled the practical chair.
Ahqot 174€, he introduced a very great impnovemeatiB
the course of medical edupation. Sensible that, abstract
tessonsoD the iiytDptoms and the mode of tjreatiiig variona
diseases, of which the student knew little but the oamea»
could scarcely be of any benefit, he ba<l fer some tiaie
encouraged his pupils to bong patients to bim.on Situpw
dmy, when he inquired into the nature of their diseasaa,
and preser^d for them in the prcM^nce of the class. Tbii
gave rise to a course of clmical lectures, the utility of
whiok was so obvious, liiat it was enacte<i^ by a decrae of
the senate of the univer«ty, that no ntan abould be ad-r
mitted to a|i examination for bis doctor^s de^gree^ wjbo iiad
not attended those lectures, :to. which an /ex^elleot hoe*
pilal, then lately erected, gafe.tb^ pralesaori ^very.oppor-
tnnity of doing ample jostice. He resigned bis piD£e»oc«
•bifi in 1765^ after barnig taught mediliine indiffiareptde*
partments for upwards of 'forty years, an4 wasauccaeded
by Dr. John Gfiegory. Dr. Rudierford lived^ after tfaispe^
hod, highly respected by many eminent physicians who bad
RUTHERFORTa 493
been his pupils,' till 1779, when he died at Edinburgh^ ia
the eighty-fourth year of bis age. *
RUTHERFORTH CnaoMAs), an ingenious philosopher
«nd divine, the son of the rev. Thomas Rutherforth, rector
of Papworth Everard, in the county of Cambridge, who
had made large collections for an history of that county,
was born October 13, 1712. He was entered of St. John's
college, Cambridge, about 1725, and took his' degrees of
A.Ek 1729, and A.M. 1733. He was then chosen fellow,
and proceeded bachelor of divinity in 1740. Two years
after he was chosen fellow of the Royal Society, and in
1745, on being appointed professor of divinity, took liis
doctor^s degree, and^was appointed chaplain to his royal
highaess the prince of Wales, In the church, he was pro-
moted to be rector of Barrow in Suffolk, of Shenfield in
Essex, axid of Barley in Hertfo^rdshire, and archdeacon of
Essex, He communicated to the Gentleman's Society at
Spalding a curious correction of Plutarch's description of
the instrument used to renew the vestal fire, as relating to
the triangle with which the instrument was formed. It was
nothing but a concave speculum, whose principal focus
which collected the rays is not in the centre of concavity^
bub at the distance of half a diameter from its surface : but
some of the ancients thought otherwise, as appears frbm
yrop. 31 of Eticlid's <* Catoptrics ;*' and, though this piece
bas been thought spurious, and this error a proof of it, the
9Pphist and Plutarch might easily know as little of mathe-
QQtatics. He publisfaed ** An Essay on the nature and obli-
gations of Virtue," 1744, 8vo, which Mr. Maiirice John-
son, of Spalding, in a letter to Dr. Birch, calls <*an use*
&1, ingenious, and learned piece, wherein the noble au-^
tbor of the Characteristics, and all other authors' ancient and
modem, are, as to their notions and dogmata^ duly, can-
didly, and in a gqntleman»like manner, considered, and
fuUy, to my satisfaction, answered as becomes a Christian
diyine. f f yon have not yet read that amiable work, I n^ust
(notwithstanding, as we have been told by some, whom he
apdwers in his Xlth and last chapters, do not so much ap-
prove it) not fo^year recommending it to your perusal.'^
ff Tifro Sermqns preached at Cambridge," 1747, 8vo. ** A,
System jof Natural Philosophy, Cambridge,'' 1748, %y^dit.
4to. <* A Letter to Dr. Middleton in defence of bishop
\ Dr. Gle%*s Suppl. to the EncycK Bfittttoica.
K K 2
!*r.>K-r
^00 RUTHERFORTIL
Sherlock on Prophecy,'* 1750, 8vo. «* A Discourse on
Miracles," 1751, 8vo. " Institutes of Natural Law," 1754,
2 vols. 8vo. « A Charge to the Clergy of Essex,** 1753,
4to, reprinted with three others in 1763, 8vo. " Two
Letters to Dr. Kennicott,'* 1761 and 1762. ** A Vindica-
tion of the Right of Protestant Cbprches to require the
Clergy to subscribe to. an established Confession of Faith
•and Doctrines, in a Charge delivered at a Visitation, July
)IT66,V Cambridge, 1766, 8vo. A second, the same year.
<^ A Letter to Archdeacon Blackburn,** 1767, 8 vo, on the
same subject. He died Oct. 5, 1771, aged frfty-nide,
having married a sister of the late sir Anthony Thomas
Abdy, hart of Albins, in Essex, by whom he had two sons,
one of whom survived him. Dr. Rutfaerforth was interred
in the: church* at Barley, where, on his monument, it is
'said, that " be was po less eminent for his piety and inte*
grity than his extensive learning ; arid filled every public
'Station in which he was placed with general approbation,
in private life, his bebavibur was truly amiable. He was
esteemed, beloved, and honoured by his family aiid friends ;
and his death was sincerely lamented by ail who ever heard
,of bis well-deserved character.**'
RUTILIUS (NuMATiANUs), a Latin poet, who was ad-
"vanced to high employments at the Roman court, was a
military tribune, and anout 414 A. D. was prefect of Rome,*
"^and in order to succour his native country, then ov^r-run
by the Visigoths, took a journey to Gaul, of which he wrote
•a description in elegiac verse. It consisted of ttvo books,
of which the latter is lost. The work ' giv^s a favourable
Impression of the writer, as a Pagan, though it has been
greatly censured by Christian writers^ on account of somd
Iremarks he makes on the conduct and manners of the Chris-
tians. This ^Mtinerarium** was discovered in 14^4 at a
monastery, and has been several times printed. *The best
editions are those of 1582 and 1687. It is inserted in BaV-
inann*s ** Poets Minores,*' and in Mattaire*s " Corpus Poe-
tarum.***
RUTTY (John), a medical observer and writer of very
eonsiderable learning, was born in Ireland, most probably,
at Dublin, Dec* 26, 1698, His parents appear to have
b^ongecl tq the people called Quakers, and were, as he
, ■ _ • ' ** ■ "^
^ NichoU'i Bowjer.-i»-Hntteo'8 Dictionary.
f ISorerL-i-VOfsiiu de H^U lAt.—- Fabricii BIbl. Lst«
R U T T Y- m
tells \i9, aoiong <'tbe more refined prdfessors'* of that re-
ligion. Id his eleventh year, he was sent V to a seminary
of the like,'* which, he says, was a school not only of
learning, but religion. Two years after he was removed
to a school where there ** was far less religion/' and from
this to bis eighteenth year he was *< at various mixed
schools, and among aliens.^^ In his twentieth year he was
again placed in a family of friends; and such w.ere the re-
ligious impressions of his youth, that he seems at various
times tjo have considered the acquisition of human learning
as a crime. He pursued it, however, and beg^n a course
of medical studies in Ireland, which he continued in Lon-
don, and finished in Holland, probably at Leyden, then
the chief medical school in Europe. Even here he cannot
help telling us, that ** the object was all nature and phy-
sic, no grace/' In 1723, having returned to bis native
country, he began practice, in what place he does not
mention, but in the following year he ^^ was transplanted
to Dublin by a singular providence,*' and attained much
reputation. Soon after, he began a scheme for the improve-
meut of the Materia Medica, in which he persevered for
upwards of forty years, and which produced a work which
we shall shortly notice.
In 1733, he began his '^ History of the rise and progress
of the people called Quakers in Ireland, from 1653 to
1750," which was printed at Dublin in 1751, 4to.^ It was
peculiar to Dr. Rutty. that all his publicatio^is were the re^
suit. of careful industry and observation long continued. Of
this work, not having seen it, or any account of it, we are
unable to speak with precisipn. He:tells us, however, that
he did not undertake it for rewai*d, but from zeal» *^ and a
cordial love to the exer<;;ise of Christian discipline apnong
jtheih^ extended not to a few external particulars only, as
dress and address, but also to the inordinate pursuit of
riches, to lukewarmness, and to profaneness, and all im^
morality." In 1737, he published an ^^ fssay on Women's
preaching^," %vith a rebuke to false prophets, who had
long gtveo him offence : some censure, he adds, ensued
from this« From 1740 to 1745, be was engaged on the
* Tf this was against female preach- tome of us dull reatoners, renders them
ing, Dr. Rmty afterwards changed his far better sp«ak«rst and fitter instru*
nind, for in his Diary for 176B, be ment« far a superior power to aDimate
says that ** The natural volubility of and direct; a mystery of grace disco-
the sex, beyond all comparison sope- verpd, and amply displayed to puhkie
rior in cCeet to what it delirered by view in ear society aloi^ !"
ios? rutty;
€€
Natufaf History of the county of Dublin.'^ This, how-
. ever, was not published until 1772. He tells i)s, that ti6w
^* he was led a long dance oil birds, fishes, and fossils, and
in compotatians for information, and was greatly hurt in his
spirituals by this means,'* &c. In truth, these compota-
tions appear throughout the greater part of his life, to have
been an almost constant source of uneasiness, and self-con-
diemnation. in every page of his " Spiritual Diary," he
laments over his doses of whiskey and the ilUhumour they
produced, although his friends assure us that, both as to
temper and temperance, his conduct was rather exemplary
than blameable. Yet he had acquired a habit of magnify^
ing the least infirmities into crimes, and this pervades the
whole of the volumes which he filled with his Diary.
The first publication by which he Was known, in his pro-
fessional character, in this country, was a very elaborate
^ work, entitled, ** A Methodical Synopsis of Mineral Wa-
ters, comprehending the most celebrated Medicinal waters^
both cold and hot, of Great Britain, Ireland, France, Ger*
n^any, and Italy, and several other parts of the wor]d>
wherein their several impregnating minerals being f^evi'<*
ously described, and their characteristics investigated, each
water is reduced to its proper genus ; and besides the parti*
cular analysis, the virtues, uses, and abuses of the water
are described, in a method entirely new. Interspersed, with
tables, tending to throw a light upon this intricate^ubje<;jt;
and abstracts of the principal authors who have tridated of
mineral water's ; and the accounts dispersed in the acts of
hiost of the learned societies in Europe, are collected and
properly digested,** 1756, 4to. In the preface he informs
lis that his original intention was only to do justice to bis
own country, by giving a history of the mineral waters of
Ireland, which appeared to him to be as considerable, both
in number and variety, as those of any part of Europe of
equal extent ; but this inquiry obliging him to institute a
comparison between the Irish waters, and those of other
countries, he extended his plan at last to a general history of
mineral waters. This, however, appears to have been uuforta*
iiate for the reputation of the work, by obliging him to give
accounts, at second hand, of many mineral waters, parti*
cularly some remarkable ones in England, which he- had
no opportunity of examining and analyzing; and hence
there are many inaccuracies in a work, otherwise valuable,
and evidently the result of much study and extensiv*
H U T T T. 508
in<)uiry. Dr. Ratty informs ns that this work engaged hioi
ill a controversy for three years. With this we are unac*-
quainteii, having seen only a scurrilous pamphlet by one
Lucas, an apothecary, and of some note as a mob-patriol^
htit which was spcAeii of in the literary journals of the day
with the contempt which it appears to have amply deserved^
and could scarcely have been worthy of Dr* Rutty'9 notice.
Dr, Rutty^s next publication, in 1770, was ^* A Chrono-
'logical History of the Weather and Seasons, and of the
prevailing diseases in Dublin : with their various periods,
suecessionsy and revolutions, during the space of forty
years. With a comparative view of the difference of the
Irish climate and diseases, and those of England and other
countries,*' 8vo. This was followed by ^f An Essay towards
a Natural History of the County of Dublin^" 1772, 2 vols.
8vo« This work, we have seen> he had begun in 1740.
> It was now published in consequence of the institution of
the ^f Physico-historical Society*' of Dublin, the object of
which was to procure the natural and civil history of every
county in the kingdom. Those of Waterford, Cork, and
Kerry, had been written by Mr* Smith, and that of the
ooudty of Down by another band, and Dr, Rutty under*
to^ that of Dublin, which he executed, if in a manner
less pleasing than Mr. Smith, to the general reader, was
not less interesting to men of science.
J>jr. Rutty died April 27, 1775 ^ and after his death were
published ** Observations on the London and Edinburgh
Dispensatoriesy with an account of the variotis subjects of
the Materia Medica, not contained in either,of those works,**
lllQ, 12mo. In this Dr. Rutty contends, but with no
gveat force of argument, or proof from their efficacy, that
several medicines were improperly omitted in the kbove
diapensatories. ^^ Materia Medica Antiqua et Nova, repuT'*
gata et illustrata; sive de Medicamentorum simplicium
officinalium facultatibus tractatus^'' 4to. On this compi«
lation he had bestowed forty years, and calls it << the prin*
eipai w(»rk of his life,*' but it has not acquired the same
estimation with the faculty. Besides being unnecessarily
prolix, thene are many sy inptoms of credu,lity in the efficacy
of certain medicines, which does no honour to the regular
practitionert The last of thi's author's works which appear-
ed, was his <V Spiritual Diary and Soliloquies,** 1776, ^
vols. 8vo, one of the most extraordinary of those books
which have been published under the title of ^^Confessions.*'
504 K U T T ¥.
It is scarcely possible, however, to read it or cbaracterize
It with gravity, being a series of pioiis meditations perpe-i^
iually interrupted with records of too much whislLey^piggisk
or. swinish eatingf and ill temper. Had his .friends beea
left to their own judgment, this strange farrago bad n^ver
Itppeared ; but by a clause in his will, his executors weee
.obliged to puUbh it. Nor, after all, does it exhibit a mA
character of the man ;. who^ we are assured by his friends
(in the preface), was correct and temperate in his conduot
atid mode of living, a man. of great benevolenee, and a
very useful, as be certainly was a very learned physician*^
IIUYSCH (Frederic), a celebrated anatomist and phj^-
sician, was born at the Hague, in. the month of Marck
iiSSS, where his father was cojoimissary of the States-gene-
ral. Being sent to the university of Leydeo, he devoted
himself to the study of anatomy, botany, and chemistry^
especially to the practical investigation of these sciences,
having conceived an early bias to the profession of- medi-
cine. He repaired also to f]ianeker, for the farther pursuit
of his studies; but received the degree of doctcHr at Ley-
den, in 1664. Even during his pupilage at Leydeo> he
was applied to by Sylvius and Van Home, to assist them- in
combating the vanity of Bilsius, who came thither to-«eit«
bibit.his boasted method of preserving dead bodies.
After taking his (degree, Ruysch returned to ibe Hague,
where be married, and began . practice. In 166;ir he pub-
lished his treatise on the ' lacteal and lymphatic 'vetseh,
which contained the result of his inquiries while engaged
in the dispute wjth Bilsius. In this work he does not deny
that the exiatence of valves in the lymphatic had been no-
ticed, before^ but he claims the honour of having iirst de-
moQatrated them, and taught the ' method of jdiscovedog
them.; This ingenious tract immediately procured him re-
potation ; and be was invited the year a&er to the chair of
anatomy at Amsterdam ; an invitation which be gladly ac-
cepted ; and anatomy, both human and companative, hence-
forth constituted the principal object of bis life : be spared
neither time^ labour, nor expence, for the attainment of
bis purposes ; he was almost continually employed in dis-*
^ettion, and not only examined with the most minute ex-
actness every ofgan/a/:the human body, but devised means
l>y.)/i^bich to faciUtaCfe the detection and dehionstration> of
. ' • . . .■•'■■■ • • ' ' ■ ■
^ 1 S[Mritiia) Di,ary pA'^'nt.— -Monthly and Critical Reviews.
R- U Y S C H: SOJf
the dilferaiit partis, and «& preserve and exhibittlietA' tbusi
^kenoBstrated. If be were not the discoverer of the use of
injections, for the display of vascular and other structure^
h& contribiUed, together witb the suggestions of De Graaf
And Swammerdam, by bis own ingenuity and industry, to
introdoee that important practice among anatomists. Hit
ccrilectionof injected bodies is described, indeed, as mar-
vetlotts ; the finest tissue of capillary vessels being filled
"With the coloured Squids, so as to represent the freshness of
youth,, and to ia»itate sleep rather than death. In this way
faeiiiad preserved foetuses in regylar gradation, as well as
young and adult subjects, and innumerable animals of aH
aorta and countries. His museuin, indeed, both in the ex-
Jtent,, variety, and arrangement of its contents, became
•ultimately the most otaguificent that any private individual
•had ever accumulated, and * was the « resort of visitors of
every description; generals, ambassadors, princes, and
even kings, were happy in the opportunity of examining it.
The czar Peter, in . his journey through Holland in 1698,
frequently dined at the frugal table of Ruysch, in order to
apend whole days in his cabinet; and in 1717, on his re-
turn, to Holland, the czar purchased it of him for 30,000
florins, and sent it to Petersburg. The indefatigable anar
tomist immediately commenced the labour of supplying its
place by a new collection.
In the course of his invest-igations Ruysch became the
anikor of some discoveries, which, however, were not at(
tinfaoown to other anatomists ; for his fault was a neglect of
reading, and therefore he sometimes gave as new what
eaber. writers bad described. Among other parts which he
investigated minutely, were the pulmonary circuU^tion (iu
which he claims the discovery of the bronchial artery), the
structure of the ear, of the brain, of the lymphatic and
glandular system.
Ruysqb was appointed professor of physic in 1 685, a post
which, be filled with honour and reputation until 1728;
when he unhappily broke his thigh by a fall in his chamber.
He wan also nominated siiperiiitendant of the mid wives at
Amsterdam^ in the exercise of which oflBce he introduced
«ome iniprovements. He was a member .of the royal so-^
ciety of London, and of the academy of sciences of Paris,'
having succeeded sir Isaac Newton in the latter body in
1727. In the same year he had the misfortune to lose his
son, Henry Ruysch, also doctor of physic, who, like bim«*
506 R U Y S C H.
self, was an able practitioDer, wdil skilled in an^omy mid
botanyi and was supposed to have materially insisted bim
in his publications,^ inventions, and experiments. Thia
loss deprived bim of his best assistance in completing tbe.
second collection of rarities, which he was occupied ia
making. His youngest daughter, however, who was still
unmarried, and had been initiated, into all tbe mysteries^
of his anatomical experiments, was fully qualified to. assist
him, and be proceeded with bis iiew museum, retaining
bis general health until the commencement of 1731, when
he was cai^ried ofT by a fever, in tbe ninety-4hird year*0f
his age.
Ruysch was tbe author of many publications, several of
which were controversial ; for his want .of reading,, and
consequent differences with some of the learned of his pro^
fession, led him into frequent disputes. It becomes, boiv^
ever, unnecessary to repeat the titles of them as separately
published, since the whole w^e published at Amsterdam
in 1721, under the title of ^' Opera omnia Anatomico*Me^
dibo-Chirurgica, and again in 1735, 5 vols. 4to, which is
the most complete edition. His^son, Henry Rdysch> p«b*^
Ksbed '^ Theatrum universale omnium animalium,'^ 1718,
12 vols. fol. *
RtJYSDAAL (Jacob), a celebrated landscai^-painter
of Holland, was born at Haerlem in 1636; and, though.it
is not known by what artist be was instructed, yet it is
afErmed that some of his productions, when be was only
twelve years of age, surprised the best painters. Nature
was his principal instructor as well as his guide; for he
studied her incessantly. The^ trees, skies, . waters,, and
grounds, of which his subjects were composed, were all
sketched upon tbe spot, just as they allured bis eye, or
delighted his imagination. His general subjects were, views
of the banks of rivers ; hilly ground, with.nat«iral cascades;
a country, interspersed with cottages and huts; solemn
scenes of woods and groves, with roads through them ; wind^
mills and watermills; but he rarely painted any subject
without a river, brook, or pool of water, which he esr^
pressed with all possible truth and transparency. He like^
wise particularly, excelled in representifig torrents, and im^
petuous falls of water; in which subjects. the foam on one
part, and the pellucid appearance of the water in another^
> Eloy Diet. Hist. 4^ Medecine.-^Re^s's Cyclopadia^^—NiceroDy ▼ol. X^U
R U Y S I> A A L. 507
were described witb wonderful force and grandeur* Sir
Joshua Reynolds says there is a clearness in bis landscapes
scarce seen in those (^f any oth^r painter. Most of the coU
lections in England are adorned with some of the works of
this master. He died in 1681, aged forty- five.
He had a brother, Solomon Ruysdaal, who was born
at Haerlem in 1616, and was also a painter of landscapes,
but in every respect far inferior to Jacob. The best com*
aiendation given him by the writers on this subject is, that
he was a cold imitator of Schoeft and Van Goyen, and
ahboogh his pictures have somewhat that is plausible, suf*
ficient to engage the attention of thoi^e who are prejudiced
in favour of the name of Ruysdaal, yet, to persons of true
judgment and taste, they are in no great estimation; and
the eye is disgusted with too predominant a tint of yellow,
which is diffused through the whole. He rendered himself,
however, considerable, by having discovered the art of
imitating variegated marbles with surprising exactness; and
he gave to his compositions an appearance so curiously si*
milar to the real marble, that it was scarce possible to dis-
cern any diflference, either in the weight, the colour, or the
lustre of the polish. He died in 1670. '
. RUYTER (Michael- Adrian D£), a celebrated Dutch
admiral, was bom at Flushing in 1607, and entered into
the naval service of his country very early. Much of the
early part of bis life was spent in the service in the West
Indies, to which he is said to have made eight voyages, and
two to Brasih In 1641 he was sent to the assistance of the
Portuguese,: who had thrown off the yoke of Spain, and on
this occasion he was raised to the rank of rear-admiral. He
afterwards reudered some important services on tbe Bar*
bary coast, entering tbe roatl of Sallee in a single ship,
although five Algerine corsairs disputed the passage. Wlien
war broke out^ in 1652, between the English and Dutch,
Van Tromp having been disgraced, De Ruyter was ap^
pointed to the command of a separate squadron, for the
purpose of convoying home a rich fleet of merchantmen.
He fell in with the English admiral Ayscough, with whom
he had an engagement off Plymouth, in the month of Au*
gust, which lasted two days, and terminated so far to the
advantage of the Dutch, that he brought his convoy safe
into port. In the following October De liuy^er and De -
> Ars^nville, rol. III. — Pilkingtoo. — Strutt.
J(br R U Y T E R. '
Witte bad ati action with Plaice and Ayscougb o|i the'
Flemish coast, which was severely contested ; .but De Ruy*
ter, being deserted by some ot'hte captains, found it ad>
visable to retreat to his own coast, the loss having been
nearly equal on both sides. . Van Tromp was now restored
to tiie chief command, and De Ruyter had a squadton un-
der him in the battle of December, off Fbikstone, in wbicb
Blake ^as obliged to take shelter in the Thames. De
Rnyter likewise distinguished himself in the terrible battle
of three daj's, fought in February 1653, between Tromp
and Blake, near the mouth of the Channel. |n the mnjiilfei
of June, Tromp and De Ruyter engaged Monk and Dean
off Nieuport ; and after a battle of two days, in which the
two Dutch admirals successively rescued each other from
imminent danger, the Dutch confessed their inferiority by
retiring behind their own sand-bank$, where having received
areinforoen^ent, they were enabled to attack thc^ English
under Monk and Lawson, near Scheveling. In the final
battle between the two fleets Tromp was killed, and De
Ruyter compelled to withdraw his shattered ships to tb6
Meuse« After the peace, which was concluded the foUow^
ing year, De Ruyter was sent to cruize in the Mediterrfr^
neian, to reinforce Opdam; aod this service being effected^,
he returned to his station, and put an end to the predatory
warfare carried on by the French privateers. The Doteh
having quarrelled with Portugal, De Ruyter exhibited hi»
vigilance, taking several Portuguese ships at theMnouth of
thel'agus, and made several prizes fnom the Brazil fleets
till a want of provisions obliged him to return to Holland;
War having recommenced between the Swedes and Danes
in 1 658, De Ruyter, who was sient with a fleet to the as«
sistance of the latter, made a descent on the island of Fu*
nen, defeated the Swedes, and forced them io surrendar
at discretion in Nyborg, whither, they had retired. He
then wintered at Copenhagen, where the king of Denmark
ennobled him for his services* In 1662 he was sent with 8
, strong squadron to curb the insolence of the Barbary states^
who had exercised their piracy upon the Dujteii ahipping^.
and succeeded entirely to the satisfaction of his employers..
At the commencement of the diaputes between Charles U;
and the United Provinces, De Ruyter had a comaaand on
the coafit of Africa, where he recovered tbe.forts which had
been taken from the Dutch by the English, and made
prizes of some merchant ships. After the (defeat of tb^
K U Y T E R, 50^
fleet of Opdam by the dake of York in 1665> De Ruyter
relufiied> and was raised to the rank of lieutenant-admiral-
generai of the Dutch navy. The first service of De Ruyter
was to convoy home a fleet of merchanttnen ; and in June
i€6€, the great fleets of the two maritime powers met in
the Downs; the Dutch commanded by De Ruyter and
Tromp, the English by prince Rupert, and Munk, now
the duke of Albemarle. In the three days* fight which en*
sued, the Dutch had the advantage, though the valour of
the English rendered the contest very severe ; and on the
foortfay the English, who bad been the greatest sufferers,
trHhdrew to their harbours.
In the following August the duke of Albemarle and prince
Rupert fell in, near the coast of Esse^c, with De Ruyter
a,iMl Tromp, and in the ensuing action, Tromp, eagerly
pursuing a defeated division of the English fleet, left De
Ruyter alone to conteod with the main body of the enemy,
who, after a long and most severe contest, was obliged to
l^etrear^ exclaiming, how wretched he was that not one
bullet of so many thousands would free him from the dis-
gracew The year 1667 was memorable for the disgrace'
which the reigo pf Charles II. incurred by the triumphant
^trance of the Duttb into the Thames. Negociations for
peace had been carrying on at Breda, which De Witte had
protracted, while he hastened the naval preparations; which
being completed, the Dutch fleet appeared in the Thames,
^nder the command of De. Ruyter, and took Sheerness, and
burnt several English men of war. The peace which soont-
followed gave some repose to De Ruyter, till the alliance
between Charles II. at)d Louis XIV. against the Dutch,
rendered his services ag^in necessary. In June 167^, mih
a fleet of ninety-one sail, he attacked the combined fleets'
of one hundred and thirty s&ii, under the command of the:
duke of York, lord Sandwich, and coant d^Estrees, in Sole-
bay; an obstinate engagement took place, which was in
some measure undecided^ as night parted them, but De^
Ruyter kept the sea, and safely convoyed home a fleet of
mercbafntmen. In 1673 he was again sent to sea with a^
strong fleet in quest of the combined English and French>
tvfao were pn^ the Dutch coast. Three engagements took*
place, which were^ obstinateiy .fought, but both partier
claimed the victory. De Ruyter^s other actions against the
French were of 4ittle. comparative importance. In the Ust,
liMrever^ fought near Messina^ against the Friench Reet^
^10 R U Y T E R.
April 21 1 I676y he was mortally wounded by a cannoir-sbot,
and died a week after in the port of Syracuse, deeply re<^
gretted by his countr}\ He was interred at Amsterdam, at
the public expense, and a superb monument erected to hvi
memory. *
RUZZANTE. See BEOLCO.
RYCKE (Theodore de), a learned critic, of the se-
Tenteenth century, was professor of history at Leyden,
He was born in 1640, and after studying, probably at that
university, be visited England, France, and Italy, and was
every where esteemed for his talents and address. On his
return to Holland he followed the profession of the law foi^
some time at the Hague, but having little inclination for
either the istudy or practice of it, be accepted the profes-^
sorshipof history at Leyden, and became aii honour to the
university. His lectures were much crowded, and he added
to the reputation they procured bim by his publications,
particularly his edition of Tacitus, which Dr. Harwood
pronounces ** a very correct and excellent one." It con-*
sists of 2 vols. 12mo, printed at Leyden in 1687^ the first
containing the text of Tacitus, the second Rycke's notes,
which are very valuable, and illustrate many passages that
bad escaped the notice or sagacity of fats predecessors. He
published also a curious disserution << De primis Italise^
colonis, et de adventu iEne® in Italiam," the subject of
which was to refute the opinion of Bochai^t, who maintained
tbskt £neas had never seen Italy, tte wrote another dis«
^rfation on giants, in which he collected all that bad been
writtf^p on those remarkable beings ; an ^ Oratio de Pa-
lipg^nesia litdrarum in terris nostris," published by Krieg*'
l^itlSt at Jena in 17D3; and published somie other critical
ij^prJMf. He died- in 1690. Many of his letters are in the*
ppstbuQiQUS works of Fvanctu^i. *
. flYER (ANDREVi^ DU), sieur de Malesais, a native of
]^r<;igny, in M&coapis, was gentleman in ordinary of the
Icing's bedcbaoaber, ^x\A knight of the holy sepulchre, in
tj)^ 17th cenLuafy^ He resided a l0ng time at Constant.
tjn9p)i^ ip his majesty^s; sc^rvioe, was French consul in Egypt,
}^^ff^% |hi9 Turkish and Ai^bic langnages, and died soon
after bi?^ rfHncn lo Fvanoe. His works are, *^ A' Turkish
<^rf^pii|ar/' in Latip, f«^h 1^^^; ^^oj A French ^'Trans-*.
- •-* . . , , ■ ■ • . ^ .
^ Campbell'4 Lives of the Adwii^l^wR^'f .C;<^fM^f^
' Mloreri. — SmU Onomatt. .
» Y E R. ^li
latJoo of Uie Koran)*' 1649, l2ino» reprinted at Amsier^-
dam, .1770, 2 vols. 12ino9 but this v^ork is not esteemed,
the author having injudiciously blended the reveries of
the Mahometan commentators with the. text of Mahomet;
A French translation of ** Gulistan, or the empire of
the Roses^'' written by $adi, chief of the Persian poets,
Paris, 1634, 8vo. Gentius has translated the same book
into Latin^ under the title of *< Rosarium poeticum." ^
: RYER (P£T£r), historiograpber to the king, and one
pf the forty members of the French academy, was born
1605, at Paris, and was the son of Isaac Ryer, who died
about 1631, and has left some "Pastoral Poems." Peter
Ryer gaiiied some reputation by his translations, though
they were not exact, his urgent engagements with the
booksellers preventing him from reviewing and correcting
them properly. He obtained the place of king's secretary
in 1616, but having married imprudently, sold it in 1633^
jvas afterwards secretary to Ciesar duke de Vendome,
and bad a brevet of historiographer of France, wifeb a
pension from the crown. He died November 6, 1658, at
Pai:is, ag^d fifty-three, leaving French translations of nu^
m.^JC(]{Us works. Du Ryer's style is pure and smooth ; b^
wrote with great ease, both in verse and prose, and could
dpubtless h^ve furnished the publick with very excellent
yirprks^ bad not the necessity of providing for liis family,
4e{Htived him of leisure to pctlish and bring them to per<i>
foctipQ* He also wrote nineteen tragedies, amoi^g which
" AlayoHi&e," *^ Saul,V and " Scevole," are still remem-
))^ed;*
RiVLAND (William Wynne), an eminent engraver,
was born in London in the year 1732. His genius for the
Qhq s^rts manifested itself at an early period of his life, and
be ifias accordingly placed under Ravenet. At the expi-»
ration of his engagement be was patronized by his godfa*
iher $ir Watkin Williams Wynne, and went to Paris, wbere^
for ftve years, under the guidance of Boucher, who at that
tioi^ )ed the fashion in art, he applied with great assiduity
to the study of drawing, but did not neglect to improve
himself also in the. practical part of engraving. From the
^eisttgns o^^this principal misleader of the taste of Fcance,
Rytefid engraved several plaices, of which the principal an4
l^obably the best engraving he ever performed, is rathei^
I Gen. ])ict.— ])ict, Hiit^ > Gen. Pict«-*-N'>tfero9i toI^^XXIL— DU^His^.
512 RtLAIfD.
•ft large work, of which the subject is <' Jupiter ftn'd Leda.^
Jn this he has displayed great power as an engraver in
Jines« The print has a fine transparent tone ; he has tem«
pered the flimsy touchiness of the French taste with a por<*
tion of RaveneOs solidity ; the soft firmness of flesh h
ably characterized in the figure of Leda, and tlie delicacy
4)ftfae swan, and various textures of the surrounding ob^
jects, are rendered with mueh feeling and judiciods subser-^
Tiency to the principal parts. Such other proofs did he
give of his abilities, as to obtain an honorary gold inedal;
which entitled him to purspoe his studies at the academy 11^
Rome, which he afterwards did with great suiccess. Ftov&
Boucher, however, he acquired a false taste, whtcb di«
rerted his talents from^ the mark at which he was evidently
and successfully aiming when he produced his ^Jupiter
and Leda ;'' and this error was heightened by the fashion of
stippling which be learned in France, and introduced, witK
ills own modifications, into England. Kyland employed
•tippling, so as irather to. imitate such drawings as are*
stumped than such as are hatched with cllalk, by wfaicb
means be softened down ail energy of sty te^ aiid has left
posterity to regret the voluntary emasculation of the piEHV^
ers he had manifested in his ''Jupiter and Ledaii^* ' '
. Soon after his return to England, be, however, enf
graved in lines a portrait of the queen, after Coates, wsi
that portrait of hts majesty* after Allan Ramsay, whicfaf^
Strange, from a misunderstandings either with the earl of
Bute oif Bamsay, had*declihed, but they possess tieitber the
vigour nor taste of his '' Jupiter and Leda.*' From this time
be was appbinted engraver to the king, and received aa
annual salary. .1
His subsequent engravings, in the chalk tmmner, are^
chiefly after Angelica Kauffman, and consist of four half*
sheet circles, of which the subjects are, ''Juno obtaining
the Cestus of Venus," "A Sacrifice to Pan,** "Cupid
bound," and " Cupid asleep ;" " Queen Eleanor sucking^
the poisoh from the wounded Edward- 1." (auf ^jfcellen^
engraving of the kind) ; " Lady Elizabeth Grey soliciling'
the restoration of her Lands;" "Maria,** from Steme^^
Sentimental Journey, and " Patience," bodi upright ovids^
aka " King John ratifying Abgna Charta." l^e last plate
being left, by Ryland*s unfortumtte death, in an unfiniahe4[
state, was afterwards conopleted by Bartolozzi. This^ar*
tist also engraved in lioesj " Antiaqbus and Stratoai<^e»^'
R 3f I A N I>. SIX
frfip l^ieteo de Cprtoo^ ^pd " The fint I(|(qit1^v? bejw^ii.
Edgar wd £Ifiida,*' fropi Apgeliga Kauffm^Oi bptl^ Urge
Bjki>d*^ engravings in the navel roannei: wqre, for t^
most part, printed in red, and this ipannej of ^ngravj^g
soop obtained the name of ^^ the red ch^iji: maqper)*^ s^ngl.
was run softer lyith avidity by the public* With sp myph
heedless anxiety was it pui:sued> tb^t people never stopped
tg consider vifbether even red cb^lk pr §tunjip)e4 dr^wjng^^
tbem^elve^ pf which these prints were prgfe^s^d iq[\itaiti9n^
were sp good irepresent^tipns of nature, pr afforded fi^ mea|^^
so happy wd efeoient of transfusing the spul pf puinynf ^
ai? the. art which previously existed of engravipg iii }ih6^'
and which was then es;ercised in high perie(;tion by ^ar^
tplpizigi, Strange» Yiv*J^^s» *"^ WppUet : it wa^ enough tim^
it was new and red -, Ryland and novelty led tbq yyayi ^p4.
fa^hipo Qod the printsellers followed.
The end of Ryland wa? awful, In 1753, soi^fi tempprary
epib^irra^inei^t led him to the crime of fprgery, for vyhicK
he .was e^ecH^ed in the WJ?nth of August of tha^l. year.?
RYMEB (Tj^pu^^), aq antiquary ^i>d critic^ w8^^ hq^n, ia
tbe^Nprthoffingla^id, and educated at theaiyimmar-schoQl pf
Jf^ortballertan^^ whwce he wa* admitted'i^'§choJar at Sidpey
QQlleget Cambf idgJ5- On qu^ttiog th^ )fnive^jty, he becwf^
a ij^eiDber of Gray>-in^ j ^nA in )^93 succeeded Mr. Shad-
w^Jl as hi^Jtoy^ographer to kipg WiUiap^ HI. Ete reo^er^
bij^aself kuQwo ^r^t as a writer fpr the ?t^> by h^s prpduc-
tipR of *.' Edgar," a tragedy* ift 1678, ^hi^h ^?jgit|ed lUtl©
approbatwip or }f%(\my uo^l he became jbe a^fhor pf " A
View pf the Tr^igedies of the last age," vyhlch pgc^sif)ue.4
^h.Qse admirable remarks by Dryden, preserved in the pre-
face to OJr. pplmiii^'s edition of " Be^^mpnt .^nd Fletcher/*
and ^ii^e by Pr. Johnsop in hi? " life of Dryd/^n.'* Jlyr
mf r y^s^ a npan pf cpnsiderabl/^ learitii^g^ and ^ )i>ver pf
poetry ; but bad few requisites for the character of a critic p
and wa^ induced .almost totally disqualified for it^ by want of
candour ^ and the liberties he tppk with Shakspe^ari^, in his
" View pf the Tragedies of the 1^3t age," drejv upon him tb#
severity pf every admirer of that poet. HjU own t$dent9 fgr
draj^atic peltry were e^tjreipely inferior tp thps? pf tb^
persons whp^ writings be ha» with 39 ni^uch rigour ^tr
• strati's Diet.— Life of Eytand, 1783, 8vo.*-fU«a'i C^cTopsedia, art. Eoi^liik
fiograTing.
Vol. XXVI. Ll
«14 R Y M E R.
- i
tacked, as appears very Evidently by his tragedy of ** fid-
gar.*^ But, although we cannot subscribe either to bis fame
or his judgment as a poet or critic, it cannot be denied that
be was a very useful compiler of records, and his '* Fcedera'*
will ever entitle his memory to respect. While cdllecting
this great work, he employed himself, like a royal historio-
grapher, as one of his biographers says/ in detecting the
falsehood, and ascertaining the truth of history. In 1702,
he published his first letter to bishop Nicolson, in which^
he endeavours to free king Robert III. of Scotland, beyond
. air dispute, from* the imputation of bastardy. J9e soon'
after published his second letter to bishop Nicolson, ^* con-
taining an historical deduction of the alliances betweeti
France and Scotland ; whereby the pretended old league
with Charlemagne i^ disproved, and the true old league is
ascertained.*'
It was in king Willidm^s councils that it was first deter-
mined to print, by authority, the public conventions of
Great Britain with other powers > atid Mr. Rymer being se-
lected as the editor, a warrant, empowering him to search
the public repositories for this great design, was granted
Aug. 26, 1693. Mr. Rymer then undertook the work,' which
he entitled. " Fcedfera ;" the first volume was published in
1704, and in 1707, Mr. Robert Sanderson was appointed
his assistant, the warrant being renewed for that purpose.
Mr. Rymer lived to publish fifteen folio volumes of this
work ; and from his collections a sixteenth was published
by SandersoT), who, by a warrant dated Feb. 15, 1717, was
continued the sole conductor of this laborious undertaking,'
and completed it in twenty volumes, the last of which ap-
peared in 1735. This Sanderson, who was usher of the
court of chancery, clerk of the chapel of the rolls, and
fellow of the society of antiquaries, died Dec. 25, 1741.
Mr. Rykner diedDec. 14, 1713, and was buried in the
parish church of St. Clement Danes. Some specimens of
bis poetry are preserved in the first volumfe of Mr. Nichols's
<< Sdect Collection of Miscellany Poems," 1780. Afier
his death was published, in 1714, a small treatise by him
" Of the antiquity, power, and decay of Parliaments;**
and in the same year, ** Some translations from Greek^
Latin, and Italian poets, with other verses and songs, never
before printed," which, not being sufficient to inake a vo-
lume in 12mo, were published in a collection called *^ Gu-
R T M E JR. 515
rioas Amusements, by> a gentleman of Peiobroke-haU in
Cambridge/*, . . .
As historiographer, the ^VFoedera'* were not the only
labo^rs^of Rymer. He left an unpublished collectioa, re-
lating ta. the. government and history of England, from
1II5 tol6dd, in iifty-eight volumes, now in tbe British.
Museum. The " Foedera" wa^abridged by Rapjn.in French
in Le Clerc's .^^ Bibliotheque,*' and a translation of it pub-
lished in English by Stephen Whatley, in 173 1, 4 vols. 8vo;
What is more remarkable, an edition of the whole it>f the
original was printed at the Hague, in 1749, in 10 very large
volumes, folio.^
. RYSBRACH (John Michael), a very eminent sculp-
tor, was born in 1694,: at Antwerp. His father was a larid-
scape-painter, and bad been in England, but quitted it with
Largilliere, and went to Paris, where be married, and re-
turning to Brussels and Antwerp, died in the latter inJ726>
at the age of eighty. Michael, bis son, arrived here in
1720, and after . modelling some smalLiigures in clay, to
show his skill, succeeded sq well in a bust of tbe earl of
Nottingham, that he began to be employed on large worksi)
pauticularly monuments, in wbpich his art and industry gave
general satisfaction. His models were thoroughly studied,
and ably executed ; and as a sculptor capable of furnishing
statues was now found, our taste in monuments improved,
which, till Rysbracb's time had depended mor^ op masoncy
and marbles than statuary, on which he taught tbe. age to
depend for its best ornaments ; and altbovigh hq is too fond
of pyramids for back-grounds, his figures are well.dis-^.
posed, simple and great.
Among bis works may be enumerated, the monuments
of vsir Isaac Newton and of the duk^ of Marlborough at
Blenheim, . and the equestrian statue in, bronze of king
William at Bristol, in 1733, for which he .received 1 800^ ;
a. great many busts, and most of tbem very like, as of Pope,
Gibbs, sir Robert Walpole, tbe duke and duchess of Ar-»
fyle, tbe .duchess of Marlborough, lord Bolingl^roke^
i^ootton, Ben. Jonson, Butler, Milton, Cromwell, and
bimself ; the statues of George I. and XL at tb^ Rcgral Ex-
ch^ge; tbe beads, in the hermitage at Rich mood, ao.4
those of the English worthies at Stov^e*
1 Nichols's Poems and Bowyer. — Cbalmera's Collection ofTr^^^'^^* — ^Nicol-
•on's Hist. Library, — Censura Literaria, vol. I.<^Malone'i Dry den, val. 11.
p. 301.— Ayscoitgh's Catalogue.
L L S
5l« R Y S 6 * A C H.
The c6mp^tft!on of .^^cbef^maker a»d RotfMIM Wrt tK«'
business, if not the reputation of Rysbrach, forso^d tittle,'
afid induced him to produce his three sfatues of PdUsedk),
Inigo Jones, and Fiamingo,* and at IdH bis cbe< d^cfcUiTi^j
his Hercules ; ati exquisite siimttiaty of bis khowl^g^,
skill, and jtidgmefrt. Thi^ athletic naiue, for w'bicfh be
borrowed the head of the Eglrnesian god^ was compiled
from various parts and limbs of ^ereu or eight of thestribrfg*'^
est and best rhade men in London, chiefly the bruisers and
boxers* df the tbeii flourishing amphitheatre for bdSiitg : the
s(;olptor s^lefctlrig the parts which were the most troly
formed in each. The arms were Broughton*s», the bfeasti
a celebrated coach rrrstn^s, a brtliser, and the legs wefe tlidse
of Ellis the painter, a great fri^quenter of that gymttastutn.
As the games 6f tliat OJy wpit academy frequently termi-
nated at the gallows, it wa& sooti after (Suppressed by act of
parliament ; so that ih reality Rysbi-ach*s Hercules is the
itioritiment of those gladiators. It was purchased by Mr.'
Hbiu'e, and h the principal ortiament of the noble teihpk;
at Stourhead, that beautiful assemblage of art, taste, and
landscapes.
Mr. Hysbhicih, \tho^had by no means raised a fortune
equal to his desert?, before hi^ death made a public sAl^
of hid retnaitiing works and models, to <wbich be added a
large collection of his Owtt historic drawing^, conceived and
executed iti the true taste of the great Italiah masters*
Ahother sale f6l!oWed his death, wiiich happened Jan. 8,^
1770. He had two brothers^ Peter Andreas, and G. Rys-
brach, v<rh6 painted fish, dead fowls, and landscape, with
considerable merit, particularly th*e elder, who iv^s bofcli
at Paris in 1 500, and died irt England of a eonsumption in
1748. He must be distitiguisbed from another hmdi^ekpt*
paintel* of the serenteeftlh century of the same name, wbt)
wds a datite of Antwerp.*
RYVE8 (BituKo), iieteted to sfr Thomas Ryves, meh-
tioned in thii tiext artiele, a loyal divine atid edebrftted
preacher, was borti ih Dorsetshire, *tid edux;kted tit Ne#
etrflege, OxfortI, of which he biecame one of tbe clerks in
1 6 lO, and was afterwards, in 1 6 16, appointed One of thie
dw^Wns of Magdalen collegie. Having ttikeh Ms d^tieed
in arts, he attained great reputation ks t preacher, Md was
made vicar of Stanwell, in Middlesex, rector of St. Mar-
' V^'a!poIe*s Anecdotes.
E y V £ s.
.517
tip'9 Viatry, in London^ icbaplaia to king Charlies I. and
in 1639, doctor in divinity. When the rebellion- broke
.QVJ^ be was sequestered and plundered. Ac the resftoration
.Qf king Cbarl^ II. he had tb.e deanry of Wiiodsor con/erred
jan him, with the rectory of Acton, in Middlesex, an^i was
nnade aecretary to the garter. He died July 1 3, 1677. His
iWorlM» are, " Mer<cwrius Rusticus^ or, the Country's Cow-
plaint, recounting the sad events.of this unparalleled W^Xj*^
&c^ These Mercuries begin August 22, 164^. ^* fifercu-*
rius Rusiicus, the 2d part, giving an account of 3acr,ileges
^ioand upon Cathedrals/' &c. When the war was eaded,
all these Mercuries were reprinted in 3vo, in .1646 and
4647. with an addition of the papers ^lU>wing: 1. <'A
^'eiiera.l Bill of Mortality gf the Clergy of London^ &c. 9r
a b^ief IVlartyroiogy and Catalogue of the learned and reli-
Ifious Ministersof the City gf London, who have been im-
prisoned, plundered," &c. 2. '^ Querela .Cantabrigiensis;
or^ a Remonstrance by way of Apology for the banished
M^mher^ of the flourishing ^University of Cambridge," J.
*>^ Micrg-^Chrpnlcoo ; or, a brief Chronology of the Tia^e
aod Place of the Batties, Sieges, Conflicts, and other r^-
4fl^arkable passage^ which have happened betwixt his Ma«
je/»ty aud iibe l^arliaoaent," &c. 4. " A Catalogue of alj,
iwr rm^st part o^f the jLordss, Knights^ Comjinandens, aad
P<«^«pn« of Quality, slain or eXieci;^ted by Law MartifU^ fropi
i^be (beginning of vhis uoaatural War fto March 26 y l.6fl7-»"
J^^ b^ we rpitay observe, that ithe edition qf 1647 hp
fgko^ in iMban ishatpf 16^^. Dr. Bfyves basiU^ewi^ pnu^t^d
^veral <9CQasioaal 8er{x>^i% ^pd ^ it^fl ^>bave jafLsi^ted \n
nVb^roebebrated Polyglot Bible.V
;RYy^S 4sir Thomas), sop of ,ipbp ilyve^ qf Danoiery
^(luri;, pr, »b Fuller ^>'s, i^f Lii|tLe jU^gton,, iii Poa:$(3t-
shire, was born in the latter end of the ^Vlth century,
and was educated at Winchester-school, whence he was
admitted of New ooilege, Oieford, in '150^, became ^llow
in 1598, and applying himself to the study of the civil law,
commenced doctor in that faculty in 1610. He was a ce-
lebrated civilian in doctors' commons and the court of ad-
miralty, and when he had established his fame in England,
was, in 1618, prefei^sod 4o j»e -one -of the masters in chan*
eery, and judge of the faculties and prerogative court in
Ireland^ where he was held in equal esteem for his know-
1 Ath. Ox. vol. JI.-*Walker'8 Sufferiogs.
Sli ' R Y V E S.
ledge in the laws. Upon king Charles Looming to the
crown, be was made his advocate, and knighted : and,
.when the rebellion broke out, he was very firm to the royal
cau^e, and although advanced in life, engaged in several
battles, and received several wounds in his majesty's ser-
vice. He was one of the assistants to the king at the treaty
of peace in the Isle of Wight. Sir Thomas Ryves was not
only a very eminent civilian, and a good common lawyer,
but likewise very accomplished in polite learning ; and,
particularly, wrote in Latin with unusual delicacy and cor-
rectness. He died in 1651, and was buried in St. Cieme'nt
D^nes, near Temple Bar, London. His works are, 1.
** The Vicar's Plea ; or, a competency of Means due to
Vicars out of the several parishes, notwithstanding their
impropriations.^' This book is written with a great deal of
learning and strength of argument 2. *^ Regiminis An-
glican! in Hibernia Defensio, adversus Analecten, lib. 3,"
London, 1624, 4to. This was the answer to a book called
^' Analecta Sacra," supposed to be written by David Roth,
titular bishop of Ossory, a good antiquary, according to
Usher, but a bigoted Roman catholic, if the author of this
\rork. Sir Thomas Ryves's object is, to vindicate the.con-
' duct of the Irish government as far as respects the Roman
catholics, and his book includes much curious information
respecting the state of opinions at that time. 3. ^^Impe-
ratoris J ustiniani* defensio adversus Alemannum," Lond.
1626, 12mo. Alemanni had taken great liberties with the
chlaracter of Justinian in his edition of Procopius, which
our civilian, thought it his duty to censure. 4. '^ Histpria
Navalis," Lond. 1629, 12mo, enlarged afterwards into two
publications, '^ Historise Navalis antiquse libri quatuor,
ibid. 1633, 8vo, and << Historic Navalis mediae . libri tres,
ibid. 1640, 8vo.*
1 Atb. Ox. vol. IL— Foller*! Worthies.— Harrit'g edition of Ware.~Uilie^«
JUfe and Letter8.*r-Coote's Caialogoe of Cifilians.
9f
r %
INDEX
TO THE
TWENTY-SIXTH VOLUME.
Those marked thus * are new.
Those marked f are re-written>' with additions.
Page
Ramazzini, Bemardin 1
fRameau, John Philip 8
*Raniler^ Chas. William 4
f Ramsay, Allan ib.
* — : Allan, Son 10
■ And. Michael . • . . 11
* ■ I James 13
*Ramsden, Jesse 17
* Ramus, Peter 18
♦Ramusio, J. B «3
*Ranc^, A. J. Le B. de . . . . . ib.
'^Ranconet, Aimar de 85
*Randall, John , .26
* John, Mus. D 27
^Randolph, Thos. Statesman .ib.
t Poet 29
I Divine. .. . 30
* John 33
't'Raphael ....«« 35
f Raphelengius, Francis • ... 44
fRapin^ Nich 45
t-~— - Ren^ 46
■ de Thoyias^ JP^ul . . 47
Page
fRastall, John :51
t William 53
^Ratclifie, Thomas ...54
^Ratherius 57
"^Ratramn ib.
*Ratte, S.H. de ..58
^Raulin, John ib.
^Rauwolf, Leonard 59
^Ravenet, S. Francis ib.
*Ravenscroft, Thomas 60
*Ravis, Christian 62
tRawley, WUl 63
Rawlinson, Christopher. ... 65
Thomas 67
. ^- Richard 69
Ray, Benjamin 73
John 75
^Raymond, Lord 84
fRaynal, Will, Thomas ib.
♦Raynaud, Theoph 88
♦Raynerius ib.
♦Razzi, Giantonio 89
♦Readiiog^ John ib.
590
INDEX.
Page
f Reaumur^ R. A. F 9}
f Reboulet^ Simon 98
*Recorde, Robert ib.
+Redi, Francis 100
*RedmaD^ John lol
*Reed, Joseph 103
* Isaac 9 104
*Rhese, John Da\id . . _ . . 107
♦Reeves, Will 108
♦Reginald, Ant. .* 109
♦Regino ib.
Regis, Peter Sykan ib.
fRegius, Urban .110
Regnard, J. F. • 1 12
Regnier, Mathurin . ^ 1 13
Des Marets, F. S. 114
*Reid, Thomas 115
♦Reigny, L. A. B. .....*... 121
f Reineccius^ Reinier 122
Reinesi'us, Thomas ib.
f Reinhold, Erasmus 123
f Reiske; John James 125
Reland, Hadrian 131
fRembrandt, Van Ryn 133
♦Remigius, or St. Remi . . . 138
♦-i of Rheims ib.
*- — of Auxcrre . . ... ib.
*Renau I>'Elisagaray,,Bem. 1^9
Renaudot, Eusdnus 140
'^ — ^.^^.i^ Theophragtns . . 141
*Ilenn1ger, Michael ib.
♦Reqtfeno, Vincente 142
♦Resenius, John Paul .. ...143
J- -.- .Peter John 144
Retz, J: F. P.t:ardind . . 145
^ReUchlin, John 146
*Reves, James dc 149
*Reti(*kzky, Cliarles ib.
*Reyher, Samad ISO
rfReyneau, Chas. Ren€ .... 151
♦Reynolds, Edward 152
* .- Henry ReveH. . , .156
f ^ ' - Sir Joshna 158
♦Rezzonioo, Anth. Jos 166
f Rhazes . 167
fRheiianus, Beatus 169
♦Rhehferd, James 171
fRhetitus, George j0ac[himJ72
' f Rhodiginus, Lud.tkEliiis. .173
Rhodbinan^ Laurent. . . . 174
♦Rbunken, David .> . . 174
fRibadeneira, Peter 177
♦Ricard, Dominic 178
Ricaut, Sir Paul ib.
♦Riccati, Vincent 180
♦Ricci, Matthew ib.
* Michael Angelo 181
t Sebastian ib.
- fRJccioli, John Bapt.. . 182
♦Riccoboni, Louis 183
♦Richard, of St. Victor 184
♦>■*-- ■* ■>- Anglicus ib.
♦ Armachanus . . . . I85
* of Cirencester . . 187
fRichardsoB, John 188
t — — ^— Jonathan 189
*— „: Joseph 191
t* ■ Samuel ib,
* • William 19^
fUchelet, Caesar Peter 200
fRichelieu, Armand du
f^iessis .. •• ....*..•••••• m*
♦Richer, Edmund 206
♦ Peter de Belleval. . 207
fRicius, Paul 308
♦JJider, John ib.
fRidgley, Thomas 999
t Ridley, Nicholas ItW
t Glostor JtTS
♦ James ......... .^1
* Thomas .«2
Rienzi, Ntc. Gstb. ........ fh.
Rigaltius, Nick -228
♦Rightwisey JtAm. 229
♦Riley, John •. ib.
♦Rinaldi, Oderie t^o
♦Ringelbergius, J. F ib.
♦Ringgli, GoHhaKl «31
f Rinuecini, Ottaivio -1832
♦Riolan, John -. . , . 1^33
*.^ John, SOB lb.
f Rixfley, <5eorge .^...1835
♦Rii«co, Manuel ib.
♦Ri6d<Hi, Tiiatram ib.
-♦Ritsen, Joseph ^6
♦ *- Isaac 1KS7
♦Rittangdras, J.^ 1888
♦Rittcnhoiise, Dmd. . . . ^ .-1BS9
Ritterafau8ius,*Ceiinul . . . .tb»
♦Riyaak, David. .... -JI4I
INDEX
fsn
Page
^Rivey John Jtxitph MI
^♦Rivct, Aridnew «4^
4^ De la Grange^ Ant. «45
*Riviere> Lazarus 944
*Rivinua, Aug. (Quirinus . . S43
fRtzwo, Davn} 947
^Roberts^ Bain^ Charles . . . 348
*— Francis 952
*Robertdon, Joseph . . . ♦ . . 953
^■^ Thomas 95d
— Will, of lreland957
f.^ Will, historian 96^
♦Roberval, Giles ^emoniie . 971
*Robespit»rfe, Max. Isidore 9/9
Robins, Benjatiiin 977
*— John 983
♦Robinson, Anastasia 983
*— Hugh 987
^^^ — u- — John . . 988
* Maria 990
* Richard 999
f Robert 994
* Tancred 998
* Thomas 999
*Robison, John 303
fRobortello, Francis 308
*Rocaberti, John Thomas de,ib.
♦Rocca, Angelus 309
*Rochefort, William de ib.
Rochefoucault, F. duke of 310
fRodney, Lord 311
**Rodon, David 316
Roe, Sir Thomas 317
^Roebuck) Jdin 81^
*RoelI, Hermann Alex.. . . 394
Roemer, Olaus 396
Roger of Hexham 396
^Rogers, Benjamin ^397
* Charles . ... 398
* Daniel 330
* John >. » . .339
Dr. John 333
* Thomas, of Che8h.335
* Tho. of Warwicks.336
tRohan, Henry, duke of . . 337
* Anne . . . ; 340
Rohault, James . . . . , ib.
♦Roland, M. J. P 341
.♦Rolandhdo 343
*Rolle, Henry ib.
Page
fRoUe, Miehcl « ./, ,.349
♦RoUi, Paul Ant 319
Roliin, Charles .^ifc-
fRollock, Robert ,..,... .3m
*RoU, Richard .358
♦Romaine, William 3&6t
*Rome De L'Isle, J. B. L, .369
*Roniney, George 304
♦Rondelet, Wiaiam , 369
Ronsard, Peter de ib.
Rooke, Sir George 370
t— — — Laurence 379
♦Rooker, Micbad 374
♦Roque,. Ant. de la 375
^Rx)ques> Peter < 37^
tRosa, Salvator ib.
♦Roscellinus 3S0
♦Rosdus, Quintus \ 381
♦Rose, John Baptist 389
*" Samuel ib.
*RoseJ, John Augustus. . . ,^B4
♦Rosen, Nicholas 385
Rosinus, John 386
^♦Ross, Alexander 387
♦Rossi, John Victor 388
♦Rostgaard, Frederick .... 390
♦Rosweide, Heribert ...... 391
♦Rotgans, Luke ib.
♦Rotrou, John de 399
♦Roubiliac, Lewis-Francis. . 393
♦Rous, or Rouse, Francis. . 394
t — — John 395
f Rousseau, James 396
-*- — '— John Bapt. ^ . . . 397
— - John James . . . 399
♦RoUssel, William 419
* Peter ib.
♦Rousset, John de Missy . . 490
Rowe, Elizabeth 491
Nicholas 493
♦Rowley^ William 496
tRowning, John ........ 498
♦Roy, Louis Le ib.
♦ Julian David Le 499
♦Roye, Guy Le 430
♦Rozier, Francis 431
fRubens, P. P 432
♦Ruccellai, Bernard 441
. ♦■< ■ John 443
♦Rudbtck^ Olfttts 444
5<t IN
* Page
*Rudbeck, 01aus/8on .... 446
^Rudbome^ Thomas . . 448
f Ruddiman, Thomas 449
Rue, Charles de 1^ 454
*- Benedictine . . ib.
^Ruffiy Anthony 455
^Ruffinus ib,
♦RuflFhead, Owen 457
fRufus, the Ephesian ..... 458
*Ruggle, George 459
Ruinart, Thierry 460
*Rumph, George Everard. . 461
^Runeiman, Alex 463
*Rundle, Thomas 463
♦Rupert, Prince . . , 466
♦Rush, BeE^. 471
Rushworth, John , 477
♦Rushton, Edward 481
Russell, Alexander 482
* Patrick ib.
*■ ■' George 483
EX
Page
*feufifleU, William ...ib.
♦RusseU, WiU. duke of Bedf.4d6
* Lord William . . . .489
*Rust, George 494
♦Rutgers, John 496
♦Rutherford, John ... 497
Rutherforth, Thomas .... 499
♦Rutilius, Numatianus .... 500
♦Rutty, John ib.
fRuysch, Frederic, 504
Ruysdaal, Jacob 506
♦ ■ — Solomon 507
♦Ruyter, Michael- Adrian de ib.
♦Rycke, Theodore de. •. . . . . 510
♦Ryer, Andrew du ib.
t Peter 511
♦Ryland, William Wynne . . ib.
fRymer, Thomas. .-. 513
♦Rysbrach, John Michael.. 515
Ryves, Bruno 516
Sir Thomas 517
END OF THE TWENTY-SIXTH VOLUME.
■EsaasHp
Printed by Niehols, Son, and Bentley,
RedXtionPassAjj^e,' Fleet Street, London.
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