Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 51.djvu/50

 gaged in a dispute with them as to the proprietary rights over certain lands on Long Island. Soon after Richard Nicolls, governor of New York, denounced Scott as 'born to work mischief,' and as having brought about the dismemberment of New York through the grant to Berkeley and Carteret of the lands on the Delaware. In 1667 he told Williamson, Arlington's secretary, a string of lies about New England. According to him, the antinomian disturbances in Massachusetts were caused by Sir Henry Vane and his two mistresses, Mrs. Hutchinson and Mrs. Dyer.

About this time Scott succeeded in imposing on an unhappy widow, Dorothea Gotherson, a landholder on Long Island. Her maiden name was Scott, and John Scott seems to have persuaded her that they were akin, and to have swindled her out of a large sum. He then returned to London. In 1677 he made common cause with Titus Oates, and charged Pepys and his colleague, Sir Anthony Deane, with betraying the secrets of the admiralty to the French, a charge which was no doubt intended to strike at Pepys's superior, the Duke of York. Pepys and Deane were committed for trial. Fortunately an inquiry into Scott's character disclosed so many iniquities—not only the frauds connected with land already mentioned, but also kidnapping and theft of jewels—that the prosecution was abandoned. Among Scott's other crimes, he is said to have swindled the Dutch government out of 7,000l., and to have been hanged in effigy at the Hague, an honour which he also enjoyed at the hands of his regiment, whose cashbox he carried off. He likewise offered the French court information which should enable them to destroy our fleet. In this case, however, it is said that he played the part of a double traitor, since the information was worthless. In 1681 he killed a hackney coachman and fled the kingdom, but was seen again in a seaman's disguise and reported to Pepys in 1696. After this we hear no more of him.



SCOTT, JOHN (1730–1783), quaker poet, youngest son of Samuel Scott, a quaker linendraper, by his wife, Martha Wilkins, was born in the Grange Walk, Bermondsey, on 9 Jan. 1730. At seven he commenced Latin under John Clarke, a Scottish schoolmaster of Bermondsey; but his father's removal to Amwell, Hertfordshire, in 1740 interrupted his education. He developed a taste for poetry, and wrote verses in the 'Gentleman's Magazine' between 1753 and 1758. After 1760 he paid occasional visits to London, and made the acquaintance of [q. v.], who introduced him to Dr. Johnson. In November 1770 he took a house at Amwell, frequented Mrs. Montagu's parties, and made many literary friends. Among them was Dr. Beattie, in whose defence Scott afterwards wrote letters to the 'Gentleman's Magazine' (March 1778). Dr. Johnson, who visited Scott at Amwell, wrote that he 'loved' Scott. Scott published in 1776 his descriptive poem, 'Amwell' (2nd edit. 1776, 4to; reprinted Dublin, 1776). His 'Poetical Works' (London, 1782, 8vo; reprinted 1786 and 1795) were attacked by the 'Critical Review' (July 1782, p. 47), and Scott ill-advisedly defended himself in 'A Letter to the Critical Reviewers,' London, 1782, 8vo. He next collected his 'Critical Essays;' but before they were published he died at his house at Ratcliff, 12 Dec. 1783, and was buried at the Friends' burial-ground there. In 1767 he married Sarah Frogley, the daughter of a self-educated bricklayer, to whom he owed his first introduction to the poets. She died a year later with her infant, and Scott wrote an 'Elegie' (London, 1769, 4to; 2nd edit. 1769). By his second wife, Mary, daughter of Abraham de Horne, Scott left one daughter, Maria de Horne Scott, aged six at his death.

Johnson consented to write a sketch of Scott's life to accompany the 'Essays;' but, his death intervening, it was undertaken by Hoole, and published in 1785. A portrait by Townsend, engraved by J. Hall, which is prefixed, is said to be inexact.

Scott's verses were appreciated by his contemporaries. Besides the works mentioned he wrote: His collected poetical works and life, the latter based upon Hoole's, are included in the series of 'British Poets' by Anderson, Chalmers, Campbell, Davenport Park, and Sanford.
 * 1) 'Four Elegies, descriptive and moral,' 4to, 1760.
 * 2) 'Observations on the State of the Parochial and Vagrant Poor,' 1773, 8vo.
 * 3) 'Remarks on the Patriot' [by Dr. Johnson], 1775, 8vo.
 * 4) 'Digests of the General Highway and Turnpike Laws,' &c., London, 1778, 8vo.
 * 5) 'Four Moral Eclogues,' London, 1778, 4to; reprinted in the 'Cabinet of Poetry,' 1808.

(1719–1788), elder brother of the above, born in Gracechurch Street, London, on 21 May 1719, settled at Hertford and became a quaker minister. Of sober temperament, inclined to melancholy, he was deeply read in the writings of [q. v.], [q. v.], and other mystics. He published a 'Memoir of the