The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-03-01 00:00:00

of 1815, when the distinguished party assembled in the
preceding year at Holkham were invited to meet him at
Allerton.

Owing to various circumstances, much difficulty was
experienced at the end of 1815 by the banking-house in
which Mr. Roscoe was a partner, and on the 25th of
Januarv,lBl6,they suspended their payments. Mr. Roscoe,
with the ready consent of the creditors, undertook the
arrangement of the affairs ; and, when a committee de-
clared the house solvent, ha drew lip a plan by which he
proposed to discharge the waole of the debts in six years.
But the noble struggle whch he made was of no avail,
and the depreciation of their property, coupled with other
unexpected reasons, obliged Mr. Roscoe to surrender the
management of his affairs. He resolved to offer up to
public sale the whole of hiseffects, including those books
and works of art which he had employed himself in col-
lecting for half a century, and which were so much
endeared to him. The cdlection produced upwards of
£19,000,
At the meeting for the eablishnaent of the Royal In-
stitution, Mr. Roscoe was tut upon the committee, and
the first report was from Its pen. He likewise delivered
the introductory lecture. ]n 1825 he resigned the office
of president of the Literary and Philosophical Society ;
shortly afterwards he was aided to the list of the mem-
bers of the Philadelphia Liman Society.
In 1818, a year devoted chiefly to the settlement of the
affairs of the bank, Mr. Roscoe superintended the pub-
lication of a collection of hynns for the use of the congre-
gation of Protestant Dissenters, at Renshaw-street, of
which he was a member. In 1819 he published his
" Observations on Penal Jurisprudence and the Refor-
mation of Offenders," n Itch was followed by " Addi-
tional Observations," in repy to an Edinburgh Reviewer.
besides other pamphlets ot the nature and objects of
punishment.
The affairs of Mr. Roscoe terminating in bankruptcy,
he retired to Chatmoss, whew he translated a portion of
Dante's immortal poem. On his certificate being granted
he returned to Liverpool, and shortly afterwards retired
altogether from husiness. Unkrown to himself, his
friends subscribed the sum ef £2,500, which was vested
in trustees for the benefit of himself and family. Shortly
afterwards he published the " Illustrations of the Life of
Lorenzo de Medici," which was translated into Italian,
and led to a friendship between its author and the dis-
tinguished M. Sismondi. He next issued a " Memoir of
Richard Robert Jones," who vv*s firs introduced to Mr.
Roscoe's attention in 1806. In the summer of 1822 he
took a house in Lodge-lane, Toxteth-park, where he pre-
pared for the press his new edition of the works of Pope,
and "A Declaration of the Objects of the Liverpool So-
ciety for Promoting the Abolition of Slivery."
In the autumn of 1824 he suffered in irreparable loss
in the death of Mrs. Roscoe, whose health for a long
time had been in a very precarious state
Resuming the study of botany, he elevated much atten-
tion to the Monandrian plants, of which le made a new ar-
rangement usually called Scitaminete. Nr. Roscoe in the
same year was elected an honorary assodate of the Royal
Society of Literature, and afterwards an associate of the
first class. Subsequently he received Lisa gold medal of
the society; and he was also elected corresponding mem-
ber of the Academy della Cruses, and of the New York
Horticultural Society.
His new edition of Pope involved him b a controversy
with the Rev. W. Lisle Bowles, as to the character of the
author of the " Essay on Man." Towards the close
of the year 1825 the health of Roscoe was considerably
affected, insomuch that he was frequently unable to
pursue his usual literary avocations. He began to feel
the pressure of years, not only in the failure of his bodily
strength, but in the increasing difficulty of mental exer-
tion. He was, happily, able to complete tht magnificent
catalogue of the Holkham MSS. On Sunday, December
16, 1827, he was suddenly attacked with paralysis ; but
he soon recovered the use of the hand affected by the
malady, notwithstanding that he persisted in preparing
for the press the " Letters to Mr. Stephen Alen, of New
York," against the injunctions of his media attendant.
With a serenity and cheerfulness which neither age nor
ailment could overcast—in the full enjoyment of the
pleasures afforded by the works of nature, of fancy, and
of art—with the high tone of feeling, and thebenevolent
dispositions of youth, unchilled by a wintry etc—William
Roscoe passed his closing days on earth in s mood of
uniform, unvarying, and calm gladness. He retained all
his warmth of feeling, his animating views d human
nature, and his benevolent purposes. He bet not his
sensibility to the beauties of poetry ; nor did he ever give
way to depression of mind or gloomy apprehension.
More than half a century had elapsed since he lost his
early friends, Holden and Rigby ; twenty-five yers since
the grave closed over the remains of Currie and otCiarke ;
and now he was destined to stand by and see pass away,
in quick succession, Dr. Parr, Dr. Aikin, Fuseli, and Sir
James Smith—all of whom had been attracted to him by
the ties of no common friendships.
In 1831, he partly prepared for publication, "Poems,
Original and Fugitive, written between the yews 1770
and 1830 ;" which, however, he did not live to complete;
and, in a tranquil and happy frame of mind, Win. Roscoe
expired at eleven o'clock on Thursday morning, file 30th
of June, 1831. The immediate cause of his death was an
effusion of water on the chest. He was interred in the
burying ground attached to the Unitarian Chapel, in
Renshaw-street. He left a family surviving him of six
sons and two daughters. He had lost a daughter in
infancy, and a son in mature age. Soon after his ieath a
monument was raised by public subscription to his me-
mory.
With the Marquis of Lansdowne he enjoyed a long and
confidential correspondence on political topics ; the
Duke of Gloucester he corresponded on Slavery and other
subjects ; and among his friends and constant correspond-
ents were Lord Holland. Lord Erskine, Sir Samuel
Romilly, Lord Brougham, Sir James Mackintosh, Sir
Philip Francis, Fuseli, Mr. Whitbread, Dr. Currie, Mr.
William Smith, Rammohun Roy, Wilberforce, Clarkson,
Macaulay (father of the historian), Lord Orford, Lord
Carlisle, Rogers, Rev. James Graham, Campbell, Mont-
gomery, Wilson, Hogg, Hector Macneill, Bernard Bar-
ton, Dr. Parr, Dr. Aikin, Dr. Dibdin, Miss Edgeworth,
Mrs. Barbauld, Miss Aikin, Mrs. Wolstoncroft, Mr.
Coke, Mr. John Shepherd, and many others.
In person, Mr. Itoscoe was tall and rather slender.
His hair was light auburn; his full great eye was clear
and mild ; his face expressive and cheerful.
WILLIAM ROSCOE'S FAMILY

The eldest daughter of this distinguished man was
married in the year 1825 to nomas Jevons, Esq., of
Liverpool. His son Henry, by 'Thom his life has been
written, died in 1836, having been called to the bar in
1826, and written, in addition to iris father's biography,
many able digests of different bran:hes of the law.
CONTEMPORARY ESTIMATES OF ROSCOE.
" I can bear testimony," said the Hon. G. C. Ver-
planck, of New York, " to the philanthropic zeal with
which Roscoe entered into the examination of every ques-
tion of improvement on this side of the Atlantic ; to the
warm interest he took in everything that concerned the
cause of civil and religious liberty, cf education of hu-
manity ; his zeal, his courage, and his unwearied efforts

in promoting the success of all of them."
" To say the truth," said Mr. Coke, The representative
of the Leicesters, " he is a most extraordinary personage ;
such a head, such a heart, such suaviiy of disposition,
such courage in the pursuit of what is right, such pure
philanthropy, are seldom combined in one individual."
Ros,

COE AND GIBSON.
Roscoe was one of the first who observed and encou-
raged the genius of Gibson, whose works as a sculptor have

since gained him such deserved celebrity

While Gibson

, •
was yet a student, he was frequently invited to Allerton
Hall ; and he had free access to the various works of art

which Mr. Roscoe was delighted to look over in his coin-

pany. And, in 1827, when Gibson presente•l a marble
bust of his first friend to the Liverpool Royal institution,
he accompanied it with the statement :—" To that gen-
tleman I am indebted for what little merit I may possess
as a sculptor."

MR. PANIZZI AND THE LATE WILLIAM ROS.EOE.
In a letter to Mr. Rogers, written in the year 1830,
Rosede thus introduces Mr. Panizzi to the notice of that

gentleman :

" This is intended to be delivered to you

by my highly valued friend, Signor Antonio Panizzi,.pro.
fessor of the Italian language in the London University,
who lived some years in Liverpool, whence he is now

returning, after visiting the numerous friends whom he

has made during his residence here

He is probably

already known to you by his literary works, particularly
his edition of Bojardo and Arrozoto, now publishing ; in
_ .

addition to which, I beg leave to add my testimony, .not
only to his abilities as an excellent scholar, but to his ex-
perienced worth as a sincere friend, and to his character

as a man."

A LITERARY SAlLOR.—Amongst the large number of
persons who solicited the literary advice and assistance of
William Roscoe was a sailor, whose letter we are fortu-

nately enablA to append. The precious document runs
as follows :

" Kind Sir i take this oportonity of wrighting to you
being advised by a Lady of Liverpool to do so in order to
tell you i am a Britieh Sailor that as Lately arived in
England after aving maid moy escape from the cost of
New Zeland were i was ten years a prisner and is Most
beautiful) tatued over the face and body, and as wrote a

manuscript of every think Consirning the interior of New

Zealand,- the war;, Mariages, Berings, and the Discrip-
tions of every Animals of Birds Beasts and Reptils and
Menney others of the South Sceas, the Manuscript is va-
luable and wold make a Book of 200 Pages if wrote by a
Good Editor being such enformation as Never yet being in
print not eying the menes of printing it moy selfe i wish to
Dispose and being advised to wright to you Concerning it i
ahold wish for you to send me a note wether i must atend

at your house or whether you will wait on me at Mr. Cal-
vert's Exhibition in the market Liverpool where they are
exhibiting me as a curiosity. Your obedient Servint,

" JOHN ROTHERFOOT."

LORD'S DAY OBSERVANCE.-It has been said that
when slaves become masters, they are very much dis-
posed to tyrannize in their turn over their newly-acquired
property. This, perhaps, will explain the strange spec-
tacle exhibited at Drury-lane Theatre, when a knot of
workmen resolved to use their own freedom on the
Lord's-day, in such a manner as to require another knot
of workmen to toil upon that day for the amusement
of their new masters. Master Webster, a carpenter,
abused those who out of pure regard for the working
classes tried to shut up railroads and the Post-office
on the Lord's-day. Webster considers it a shame
that he should be deprived of a rest upon the
Sabbath ; be has no notion of working seven days for
six days' pay; he intends to rest and enjoy himself on the
Lord's-day; but having thus become his own master on
that day, he is fully resolved that a few servants shall
work that day for him. Webster having thus become
a master, insists upon it that omnibus-drivers, and con-
ductors, and cabmen, and steamboat men, and railway
men, and waiters, and all sorts of slaves shall wait
on Master Webster on his day of rest. What cares
this carpenter set free whether the sweat stands upon
the brow of the engine-driver or the stoker of
a railway carriage ? Let the clerks be all in
their places to hand Master Webster a ticket, waiters
or waitresses to attend his beck and call. Let the
poor postman walk ten miles to bring him a Sabbath-
breaking newspaper. He knows something of theology
too : " The Sabbath was made for man," says he; that
means for Master Webster, not for cabmen, omnibus
drivers, canal men, publicans, postmen, railwaymen, and
such vile public slaves. Let them get their Sabbath where
they can, two Sabbaths in the week, one for the masters
and the other for the servants—but let them not dare to
stand in the way of their lords and masters ia Drury-lane
Tim/etc&