Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-08-02
From the Liverpool Times.
The LIFE of WILLIAM ROSCOE, BY bis
Son, HENRY Roscoe


wronged, If there had been no biography OF nos
coe. That eminent individual left, indeed, TWO
kinds of monuments to his fsme-the adn'fao'e
works Of his pen, and the public institutions Oh
which he was the founder; yet there was IN 'ne
whole Of his long career, political, literary anu
social. such beautiful consistency ana harmony
tina, . fine examplar would have been lost to 80.
cety. if the portrait of his character and iie hau
not been presented at full length
The axiom that ga prophet has no honor 10
his own country" is of eternal TRUTH notwith'
standing seeming instances to the contrary
Roscoe was not fully appreciated even IN Liver
pool. Envy in some, political anu party PreJu'
dices in others, familiarity IN considerable
number. and in almost all . want oil acquaintance
with the numerous works oi genius and acts oi
public spirit with which his long lite was crowd.
ed. combined to render the general estimate Of
Mr.. Roscoe lower than it ought to have BEEN
And this we say, though we perfectly well know
that he was the object of warm admiration and
epdeared friendship to many Of the first men
amongst us. Even his friends have remarked,
since the publication Of his life, that it has rails
ed him still higher in their estimation. The bio.
graphy presents him as youth in humble cir
cumstances, who had every thing to create Tor
himself both 10 the way Of fortune and OF reputa'
ton, and Who, by the exercise OF the fine talents
and noble disposition with which he was blessed,
raised himself to an eminence of fame and OF use.
fuIness which very few are able to reach. His
life ia a study. Rare indeed is the union ut mo
raj and intellectual graces which II presents. --
He was not faultless, and his reverses OF fortune
furnish a lesson that may be useful to the man oil
business, that may check pride, and may restrain
from the undue indulgence even OF 'audable and
noble tastes; but it is scarcely possible to exag-
eerate the credit due to him for the benevolence,
the public spirit. the integrity, the enlarged sense
of rieht and Justice, the ardent love OF truth,
which pervaded his whole life. Who can look
back upon the generous and bold part he so early
took against slavery and the slave-trade, even
when living in the midst OF mercantile Popula'
ton living by the unhallowed trattic,-upon his
advocacy Of Parliamentary Reform and Religious
Liberty, when those causes were betrayed by their
most distinguished friends, and when they brought
obloauy aud danger on every one that adhered
to them-withOut admiring his unbending intrgri-
ty, 6rmness, and consistency?
These volumes are highly interesting to the p9'
itician. the man Of letters. and the phanthropIst
Roscoe had for his friends and correspondents
mauy Of the most distinguished men in Eng gland
ItaIy, America, and other countries lie took
an active part in politics. and held high rank in
the literary world; and his biography necessarily
includes many passages of one OF the most event
full periods in the history Of mankind. Mr..
Henry Roscoe has performed his delicate task
with Judgment, feeling and modesty, and has al
wavs where it was possible, allowed his father 10
sneak for himself. This biography and that of
DIR. Curree, each of them written BY sons not an.
worthy Of their descent, will form good library
companions. and will be regarded with pride by
the inhabitants Of Liverpool.
Towards the close of his life, Mr.. Roscoe
wrote brief and unfinished sketch Of his early
wears; from which We make the following selec-
tions:-
81 was born on the 9th day Of March, 1855,
at the Old Bowling Green House, on Mount
Pleasant, one Of the Oldest houses yet standing
in Liverpool" "When | tax my
memory / find some circumstances which gave
indications of my future character. One OF
these is, decided aversion to compulsion and
restraint, insomuch that remember, to this day,
being carried TO schoolmistress By servant
with a rod, not without violent struggling and
opposition, before l had the honor OF being
breeched; and throughout my future life, 1t was
| with great difficulty that was induced to sub
nit to the restraints and attendance necessary to
acquire any share Of learning"
"At six years Of age, was taken from under
the care OF my good old schooImistress, and
placed under the tuition Of Mr. Martin, who
| kept daily school for boys in Paradise.street,
in the middle Of Liverpool, where | improved
myself in reading English, and where i was fire.
quently admitted to the use Of his little book
case. filled with the best authors of that period.
| To his care, with the instructions Of kind and
sBsctionate mother, believe may safely attri
butte any good principles which may have appear
ed in my conduct during my future life. 1t is
to her owe the inculcation Of those sentiments
of humanity, which became principle in my
mind"
"After remaining about two years with Mr..
Martin, was removed to Mr.. Sykes, who kept
school in the same house, for writing and arth.
metic, to which we're added instructions in Eng
! lish grammer."
"When was twelve years Of age | quilted
school, my master having reported that | had
learned all that he was capable Of teaching the. {"
Adjoining to my fathers property was a
considerable mandatory Of British china ware.
With the painters employed in these works l
became intimate, and frequently assisted them
in their labours, in which was toerably expert
I