Page:A biographical dictionary of eminent Scotsmen, vol 7.djvu/61

Rh theologicall observations, both delightful and useful ; with 48 Meditations in Verse." But his most celebrated work in the department of poetry, is his "Virgilii Evangelisantis Christiados Libri xiii.," which was published at London in 1634, and again in 1638 and 1659. This is a cento from Virgil, giving a view of the leading features of sacred history, from the murder of Abel to the ascension of Christ. It excited considerable notice in its day, and was more lately brought before the public attention by Lauder, who accused Milton of having plagiarized it Lauder says, that by many Ross's Christiad is esteemed equal with the Æneid. The opening lines may serve as a specimen:

His chief works in the department of history, are, " Animadversions and Observations upon Sir Walter Raleigh's History of the World, wherein his Mistakes are noted, and some doubtful Passages noted," London, 1653 ; and "The History of the World, the Second Part, in six books, being a Continuation of Sir Walter Raleigh's," London, 1652. "This," says Granger, (3d edit vol. iii. p. 32,) is like a piece of bad Gothic tacked to a magnificent pile of Roman architecture, which serves to heighten the effect of it, while it exposes its own deficiency in strength and beauty." In 1652, was published, with a portrait of the author, "Pansebia, or View of all the Religions in the World, with the Lives of certain notorious Hereticks." Afterwards reprinted in 1672, 1675, 1683, &c. Ross entered into controversy with Hobbes, Sir Thomas Browne, Hervey, and Sir Kenelm Digby ; and has left, among others, the following controversial writings: "Observations upon Hobbes's Leviathan," 1653; "Arcana Microcosmi, or the Hid Secrets of Man's Body discovered, in Anatomical Duel between Aristotle and Galen ; with a Refutation of Thomas Browne's Vulgar Errors, from Bacon's Natural History, and Hervey's book De Generatione," 1651 ; the " Philosophical Touchstone, or Observations on Sir Kenelm Digby's Discourse on the Nature of Bodies and of the Reasonable Soul, and Spinosa's Opinion of the Mortality of the Soul, briefly confuted," 1645. This does not exhaust the catalogue of Ross's writings. Besides many ascribed to him on doubtful authority, there remain to be mentioned: "The New Planet, no Planet, or the Earth no Wandering Star, against Galilzeus and Copernicus," 1640; "Mystagogus Poeticus, or the Muses' Interpreter," 1647, which went through six editions;" Enchiridium Oratorium et Poeticum," 1650; "Medicus Medicatus, or the Physician's Religion cured," 1645; " Melisomachia;" "Colloquia Plautina;" "Chronology, in English;" "Chymera Pythagorica," no date; "Tonsor ad cutem Rasus," 1629; "Questions and Answers on the First Six Chapters of Genesis," 1620; "The Picture of the Conscience," 1646; "God's House, or the House of Prayer, vindicated from Profaneness," 1642 ; " God's House made a Den of Thieves," 1642. These two last pieces are sermons.

ROSS,, frequently confounded with the former, was the son of James Ross, minister at Strachan, in Kincardineshire, and afterwards at Aberdeen. The date of his birth has not been ascertained, but it was probably between 1570 and 1580. He was for some time minister of the parish of Insch, in 1631 he was appointed minister of Footdee, a catechetical charge in the close vicinity of Aberdeen; and in 1636, was chosen one of the ministers of St Nicholas' church in that city. Ross, like bis colleagues, supported the episcopal