Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 49.djvu/273

 of Lords on 30 Jan. 1779 he advocated an extension of toleration to the dissenters (, Church of England, i. 435-6). John Wesley attended divine service in Exeter Cathedral on Sunday, 18 Aug. 1772, and was much pleased with it. The bishop thereupon asked him to dinner (an invitation which was censured by some), and the guest was delighted with 'the dinner, sufficient but not redundant, plain and good, but not delicate,' and with his host's 'genuine unaffected courtesy' (Journal, iv. 227;, Lit. Anecd. v. 230-1). Dr. Oliver says of him: 'This learned member of the Royal Society'—he was elected F.R.S. on 23 Feb. 1758—'was as modest as he was learned' (Bishops of Exeter, p. 164). Peter Pindar acknowledged Ross to be 'a man of sense, honest and just,' but sneered at him for pleading poverty when George III visited Exeter, for foisting the king on the hospitality of Dean Buller, and for hoarding his pence for the sake of 'Old Weymouth of Longleat,' his early patron (, Works, 1812 edit. i. 264-5/iii. 470-2). For some time before his death his faculties were greatly impaired. He died at the palace, Exeter, on 14 Aug. 1792, and was buried on 18 Aug. in the south aisle of the choir, the place being marked by a flat tombstone and the inscription 'J. R., D.D., 1792.' A tablet in the same aisle bears a longer inscription (cf. Gent. Mag. 1783, p. 428). The bishop, after providing liberally for his servants and giving the greater part of his library to the chapter of Exeter, left his fortune to Miss Eliza Maria Garway, a distant relative; she was stepdaughter of Samuel Collett of Worcester, and afterwards married Sir Nigel Bowyer Gresley of Drakelow, Derbyshire (, Baronetage, i. 97).

When Markland, who was unduly sceptical as a critic, brought out a volume of 'Remarks on the Epistles of Cicero to Brutus,' and added thereto 'a Dissertation upon Four Orations ascribed to Cicero' (which are included in most editions of Cicero), Ross published an ironical 'Dissertation in which the Defence of P. Sulla ascribed to Cicero is clearly proved to be spurious after the manner of Mr. Markland.' Gray described Ross's effort as ingenious, although the irony was 'not quite transparent' (Letters of Gray and Mason, ed. Mitford, p. 204). Ross edited in 1749, with numerous notes, a competent edition of the letters of Cicero 'ad familiares.' He was the author of several single sermons, and revised Polwhele's 'English Orator' (, Traditions, i. 158-9). He patronised George Ashby (1724-1808) [q. v.] (, Lit. Anecd. i. 577, ii. 186-9).

A poor half-length portrait of Ross is in the hall at the palace, Exeter.



ROSS, JOHN (1763–1837), musician, was born at Newcastle-on-Tyne on 12 Oct. 1763, and studied for seven years with Hawdon, organist of St. Nicholas's Church there. From 1783 to 1836 he was organist of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Aberdeen, and was for several years organist to the Aberdeen musical society. In Aberdeen he was long the only resident musician of any standing. He died on 28 July 1837 at Craigie Park, a suburban residence which he had purchased and improved at a cost of 2,000l. Ross was a prolific composer of pianoforte and vocal music, but, with the exception of one or two songs, such as ‘The Maid of Arranteenie’ and ‘Keen blaws the wind o'er the braes o' Gleniffer,’ his works have not survived. He contributed several airs to R. A. Smith's ‘Scottish Minstrel,’ and was complimented by [q. v.] for setting some of his songs to music. He edited ‘Sacred Music, consisting of Chants, Psalms, and Hymns for three Voices,’ London, 1828, the tunes in which are mostly his own. His anthem, ‘When sculptured urns,’ was once very popular.



ROSS, JOHN (1777–1856), rear-admiral and Arctic navigator, born on 24 June 1777, was fourth son of Andrew Ross of Balsarroch in Wigtonshire, and minister of Inch, by his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Corsane, provost of Dumfries, as his direct ancestors of the same name had been for seventeen successive generations. Andrew Ross [q. v.] was an elder brother. From November 1786 to 1789 Ross was borne on the books of the Pearl in the Mediterranean, and in 1790 he joined the Impregnable at Portsmouth. His captain, Sir Thomas Byard, advised him to go to sea in the merchant service, promising to keep his name on the ship's books. He accordingly went to Greenock, and was bound