Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 01.djvu/351

 ; first in Park's ponderous ‘Heliconia,’ 1815, and again, for private circulation, by Mr. Collier, 1867.

Allott's other production, ‘Wits Theater,’ is a collection of moral sayings gathered from classical authors, anecdotes of famous men, historical epitomes, and the like. It contains plenty of curious information, but is hardly less wearisome than Meres's ‘Wit's Treasury.’



ALLOTT, WILLIAM (d. 1590?), catholic divine, was a native of Lincolnshire, and received his education in the university of Cambridge, though he does not appear to have graduated. When Queen Elizabeth came to the throne, he retired to the continent, and took up his residence at Louvain, where he studied divinity for some years and was ordained priest. He afterwards lived for some time at Cologne, and returned to England in 1579. He was in high favour with Mary Queen of Scots, whom he frequently visited in her confinement. After some years spent upon the English mission he was imprisoned and banished with many others of his religious profession. The Queen of Scots, in return for his services to her, sent him a letter recommending him to her friends in France, and, at her request, he was made canon of St. Quintin in Picardy. The fatigues of the mission and too great application to study having impaired his health, the physicians advised him to take a journey to Spa, where he died of the dropsy about 1590. During his abode in the Low Countries he became acquainted with Lord Morley and his brother Charles Parker, bishop elect at the time of Queen Mary's death. Both of them had retired from England on account of religion, and were particular benefactors to Allott during his studies, as they were to many other students similarly situated.

Allott was the author of ‘Thesaurus Bibliorum, omnem utriusque Vitæ antidotum secundum utriusque instrumenti veritatem & historiam succinctè complectens. Cui in calce accessit Index Evangeliorum Dominicalium in series suas certas & capita dissectorum, omnibus Pastoribus & Concionatoribus admodum utilis.’ Antwerp, 1577, 8vo; Lyons, 1580, 8vo; Antwerp, 1581, 8vo; Lyons, 1585, 8vo; Cologne, 1612; with epistles dedicatory to Pope Gregory XIII and Lord Morley.



ALLSOP, THOMAS (1795–1880), stockbroker, author, commonly described as the ‘favourite disciple of Coleridge,’ was born 10 April 1795 at Stainsborough Hall, near Wirksworth, Derbyshire, a property which belonged to his grandfather. Allsop was educated at Wirksworth grammar school. Though originally intended to follow his father's profession, an irresistible desire to see more of the world than was possible in a secluded Derbyshire village led him to abandon farming for the experience of London, whither he went at the age of seventeen. There he entered the large silkmercery establishment of his uncle, Mr. Harding, at Waterloo House, Pall Mall, with whom he remained some years. Ultimately he left for the Stock Exchange, where he acquired a moderate competency during the early years of railway construction; he promoted those lines, other things being equal, best calculated to insure the social intercourse of the people. At eighty-two he remembered vividly circumstances occurring when he was but nine years old. Resting at the gate of a large field, half gorse and bog, on the farm of Stainsborough in the autumn of 1804, there came to him an impression that the life he saw around him was as unreal as the scenes of a play. He was not conscious in after days that this experience had any effect upon him, but the course of his inner life seemed coloured by it. Such a man would be naturally attracted to lectures by Coleridge, and he heard those delivered by him in 1818. Struck by the qualities of that remarkable speaker, Allsop addressed a letter to him of such pertinence and suggestiveness, so ‘manly, simple, and correct,’ as Coleridge described it, that he asked to meet the writer, and thereupon grew up an acquaintanceship which lasted all the life of the poet, who became a constant guest at Allsop's house, and maintained an intimacy with him as remarkable as any of the better-known friendships of great men. On the poet's death Allsop published in two volumes his most considerable work, entitled the ‘Letters, Conversations, and Recollections of Samuel Taylor Coleridge.’ As is often the case with ardent disciples, themselves of independent force of character, Allsop read into his master's mind thoughts which were his own alone, and included in his volumes some things needful to those who would judge of the many-mindedness of Coleridge,  Rh