Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 49.djvu/429

  [Notice of the Rushworth family in the Gent. Mag. 1816, i. 643; Baker's History of Northampton; information kindly given to the writer by the Rev. Robert Hull, M.A., vicar of All Saints, Northampton.] 

RUSHWORTH or RICHWORTH, WILLIAM (d. 1637), catholic controversialist, was a native of Lincolnshire, and received his education in the English College at Douay, where he went by the name of Charles Ross. He was ordained priest on 29 Sept. 1615, and on 8 March 1617–18 he undertook the office of general prefect, which he resigned on 18 Aug. 1618. Soon afterwards he was sent to the mission in England, where he died in 1637. His anonymous biographer says: ‘He was a man curious in divinity, controversies, mathematicks, and physick, but chiefly delighted in mathematics, and, by the name of Robinson, entertained correspondence with the learned Oughtred.’

He left in manuscript a work which was published under the title of ‘The Dialogves of William Richworth; or, the iudgmend [sic] of common sense in the choise of Religion,’ Paris (John Mestais), 1640 (12mo, pp. 582; reprinted, Paris, 1648, 12mo). Another edition, corrected and enlarged by the Rev. Thomas White, who added a fourth dialogue, is entitled: ‘Rushworth's Dialogues. Or the Judgment of common sence in the choyce of Religion,’ Paris, 1654, 8vo, pp. 280. William Chillingworth wrote: ‘An Answer to some Passages in Rushworth's Dialogues’ which appeared at the end of the ninth edition of his ‘Works,’ London, 1727, fol., and Matthew Poole also replied to Rushworth in ‘The Nullity of the Romish Faith,’ 1667 and 1679. Thomas White published ‘An Apology for Rushworth's Dialogues. Wherein the Exceptions of the Lords Falkland and Digby are answer'd, and the Arts of their commended Daillé discovered,’ Paris, 1654, 8vo; and another vindication of Rushworth appeared in a work entitled ‘Tradidi Vobis; or the Traditionary Conveyance of Faith Cleer'd in the rational way, against the exceptions of a Learned Opponent. By J[ohn] B[elson], Esquire,’ London, 1662, 12mo.

[Memoir prefixed to his Dialogues, 1640; Dodd's Church Hist. iii. 92; Tillotson's Works, 1720, pref.] 

RUSSEL. [See also .]

RUSSEL, ALEXANDER (1814–1876), journalist, was born on 10 Dec. 1814 at Edinburgh. His father, a solicitor and a liberal in politics, died when his son was very young. His mother, a daughter of John Somerville, clerk in the jury court, survived till he was fifty. After attending the classical school kept by the Rev. Ross Kennedy in St. James's Square in his native city, young Russel was apprenticed to a printer. John Johnstone, who was afterwards editor of the ‘Inverness Courier,’ was one of his fellow-apprentices. Johnstone's wife, Christian Isobel Johnstone [q. v.], had a large share in editing ‘Tait's Magazine,’ and gave Russel the opportunity of contributing to that magazine. In 1839 he was appointed editor of the ‘Berwick Advertiser,’ at a salary, payable weekly, of 70l. He was expected to employ a part of each day in reading newspapers and selecting and abridging articles from them, to review new publications, to report the proceedings at public meetings, to compile a summary of news and write political articles. The proprietor, who made these conditions, added: ‘And, lastly, the attacks of our political adversary will be expected to produce your retort.’ Having learned shorthand in boyhood, he was able to act as reporter as well as to write articles. While at Berwick he made the acquaintance of David Robertson of Ladykirk, afterwards Lord Marjoribanks, and with him took an active share in Northumbrian political contests. In 1842 he left Berwick for Cupar, where he edited the ‘Fife Herald.’ At Cupar he formed the acquaintance of some influential members of the liberal party, including Admiral Wemyss and Edward Ellice, the elder and younger [qq.v.]. After two years' hard work in Cupar he became editor of a new journal in Kilmarnock. John Ritchie [see under, (1781–1831)], one of the founders of the ‘Scotsman,’ being impressed with his articles, invited him to become the assistant of Charles Maclaren [q. v.], the editor of the ‘Scotsman.’ In March 1845 Russel returned to his native city to fill an important position in the office of its principal newspaper.

Three years after Russel joined the staff of the ‘Scotsman’ he became the editor. In that capacity he had to write as well as to supervise and direct, and the force and freshness of his articles found immediate favour with the public. He impressed his personality upon the paper, and uncritical readers arrived at the conclusion that everything in it which interested them was from his pen. In later years the ‘Scotsman’ became as much identified with Russel's name as the ‘Times’ with the names of the Walters and Delane. He especially exerted himself to further the objects of the Anti-Corn-law League and to draw attention to the destitution of the highlands, while he laboured with success to raise