Page:A biographical dictionary of eminent Scotsmen, vol 7.djvu/60

190 that "they had been a blessing to him during a long series of years, and had never caused him one hour's pain."

Mr Hose was the author of a considerable number of fugitive political writings, and of a respectable historical treatise, which he published with his name, under the title of "Observations on the Historical Work of Mr Fox." These "Observations" were prompted partly by a dissent from some of the political views in the History of James II., and partly by a wish to clear some charges brought against Sir Patrick Hume, the ancestor of his patron and friend, the earl of Marchmont, whose executor he was. The political opinions in the work, though opposed in some points to those of Mr Fox, are considered liberal, considering the general strain of the author's political life. Mr Rose also superintended, under the direction of the House of Lords, the publication of a superb engraved edition of Doomsday Book.

ROSS,, a very voluminous writer, but remembered less for his numerous works, than for a celebrated couplet in Hudibras:

He was born in Aberdeen in the year 1590; but his parentage has not been ascertained, nor have the circumstances of his early life been recorded. He has been generally confounded with a contemporary of the same name, of whom some account will be found in the next memoir. At what time he quitted Scotland is unknown; but it is supposed that not long after his arrival in England, he was appointed master of the grammar school of Southampton, and chaplain to Charles I. These appointments were probably procured through the influence of Laud, archbishop of Canterbury, to whom he expresses his obligations in the dedication of his "Commentum de Terrae Motu Circular! Refutatum." This work appeared at London in 1634; and though professedly written against Lansbergius and Carpentarius, two advocates of the Copernican theory, contains, in fact, an epitome of all the arguments that have been adduced against that system. The Latinity is respectable, and the argument is managed with considerable skill. During the struggles of the great civil war, Ross espoused the royal cause, and his writings are filled with praises of the king, and denunciations of the parliament. It has been remarked by Echard, however, that he "so managed his affairs, that, in the midst of these storms, he died very rich, as appears from the several benefactions he made." His death took place early in 1654. We learn from the MSS. of Sir Robert Sibbald, that, by his will, dated 21st February, 1653, and probated 19th April, 1654, among numerous other benefactions, he left £200 to the town council of Aberdeen, for the foundation of two bursaries; £50 to the poor of Southampton; £50 to the poor of the parish of All-Saints; and £50 to the Bodleian library. There is scarcely a subject in the wide range of literature, on which Ross has not left a work. His first publication appears to have been poetical: "Rerum Judaicarum Libri Duo", London, 1617. To these he added a third book in 1619, and a fourth in 1632. The rarest of his poetical effusions bears no date, but is entitled " Three Decads of Divine Meditations, whereof each one containeth three parts. 1. History. 2. An Allegory. 3. A Prayer. With a Commendation of a Private Country Life." This work has been priced so high as £8 8s. " Four Books of Epigrams in Latin Elegiacs," also appeared without a date; and in 1642 he published, "Mel Heliconium, or Poetical Honey gathered out of the Weeds of Parnassus. The first book is divided into vii chapters, according to the first vii letters of the alphabet, containing 48 fictions, out of which are extracted many historicall, naturall, morall, politicall, and