mble celebrities in all
departments, being famous. He was the author of the following poems: _The
Pleasures of Memory_ (1792), _Columbus_ (1810), _Jacqueline_ (1814),
_Human Life_ (1819), and _Italy_ (1822). R. was emphatically the poet of
taste, and his writings, while full of allusion and finished description,
rarely show passion or intensity of feeling; but are rather the
reflections and memory-pictures of a man of high culture and refinement
expressed in polished verse. He had considerable powers of conversation
and sarcasm. He was offered, but declined, the laureateship.

ROLLE, RICHARD (1290?-1349).--Hermit and poet, _b._ at Thornton,
Yorkshire, was at Oxf. Impressed by the uncertainty and the snares of
life he decided to become a hermit, a resolution which he carried out
with somewhat romantic circumstances. He wrote various religious
treatises in Latin and English, turned the Psalms into English verse, and
composed a poem--_The Pricke of Conscience_--in 7 books, in which is
shown the attitude of protest which was rising against certain Papal
pretensions and doctrines.

ROLLOCK, ROBERT (1555?-1599).--Theologian and scholar, _b._ in
Stirlingshire, was first a Prof. in St. Andrews, and then the first
Principal of the Univ. of Edin. He also held office as Prof. of Theology,
and was one of the ministers of the High Church. He was one of the
earliest of Protestant commentators. He wrote chiefly in Latin, but some
of his sermons and commentaries are in vernacular Scotch.

ROPER, WILLIAM (1496-1578).--Biographer, _s._ of a Kentish gentleman,
_m._ Margaret, _dau._ of Sir Thomas More. He has a place in literature
for his excellent and appreciative biography of his father-in-law. He was
a member of various Parliaments between 1529 and 1558. Although he
remained a Roman Catholic, he was permitted to retain his office of
prothonotary of the Court of King's Bench after the accession of
Elizabeth.

ROSCOE, WILLIAM (1753-1831).--Historian, _s._ of a market-gardener near
Liverpool, for a time assisted his _f._, devoting all his spare time to
mental improvement. Subsequently he entered the office of an attorney,
and in due time went into business on his own account, continuing,
however, his literary studies. In 1799 he joined a local bank as partner
and manager, which proved an unfortunate step, as the bank was obliged,
in 1816, to suspend payment. In 1795 he rose into fame at a bound by his
_Life of Lorenzo de' Medic