Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XIV.djvu/474

 454 ROUSSEAU ROWAN the police having interdicted the readings of his Confessions at the house of Mme. d'Epinay, at that lady's own request, he became still more despondent. Early in 1778 he was in- vited by M. de Girardin to his country seat at Ermenonville, where he ended his life so sud- denly that rumors of suicide were circulated, but without sufficient evidence; he probably died from apoplexy. In 1794 his remains were removed to the Pantheon, where a statue of him had been erected ; and in 1815 the allied sovereigns honored his memory by exempting Ermenonville from all war taxes. No writer has been more bitterly denounced than Rous- seau, on account of his subversive theories and the errors of his life. But despite his sick- ly sentimentality, the subtle eloquence of his style is unrivalled in French literature, and his social and political theories, crude and erratic as they were, are redeemed by an all-pervading desire to increase the happiness of the laboring masses, and they paved the way for mighty reforms and revolutions. The most celebrated of his posthumous works is Les confessions (4 vols., Geneva, 1782), which like his other wri- tings has been translated into most civilized languages. One of the best complete editions of his works is by Musset-Pathay (23 vols., Paris, 1823-'6); and there are many earlier and later complete and select editions, besides (Etivret et correspondances inedites, by G. Streckeison-Moulton (Paris, 1861). The biog- raphy of Rousseau by Musset-Pathay (2 vols., 1821), though superior to preceding ones, has been eclipsed by John Morley's " Rousseau " (2 vols., London, 1873). See also Rousseau, set amis et set ennemis, by Streckeisen-Moulton (2 vols., Neufchatel, 1865); Voltaire et Jean Jacques Rousseau, by G. Desnoiresterres (Paris, 1875); and Jean Jacques Rousseau, sa vie et ses ouvrages, by Saint-Marc Girardin (2 vols., Paris, 1875). ROUSSEAU, Philippe, a French painter, born in Paris about 1808. He first exhibited land- scapes, and subsequently pictures of still life and animals. Among the most remarkable is " The Photographic Ape," with flowers (1866). In 1868 he exhibited his "Residence of Sir Walter Scott." ROUSSEAU, Theodorf, a French painter, born in Paris in 1812, died near Fontainebleau in December, 1867. His landscapes representing French scenery were greatly admired, and many of them figured at the exhibitions of 1855 and 1867. His "Sunset in Sologne" was sold in 1875 for 24,100 francs, his "Farm on the Bank of the Oise" for 28,100, and "The Gorges of Apremont" for 16,100. ROUSSET, Camllte Felix Mkhd, a French histo- rian, born in Paris, Feb. 15, 1821. He studied at the university of Paris, and was professor of history at the college Bourbon. His prin- cipal works are : Histoire de Louvois et de son administration politique et militaire (4 vols., 1861-'3), and Correspondance de Louis XV, et du marechalde NoailUs (2 vols., 1865). ROUSSILLON, an ancient province of S. France, now forming the greater part of the department of Pyrenees-Orientales. It took its name from the town of Ruscino, afterward called Rosciliona, and now Tour de Roussillon. It was taken from the Saracens by Pepin the Short in 759, and was governed by Frankish counts till 1172, when the last of them be- queathed it to Alfonso II. of Aragon. John II. of Aragon ceded it in 1462 to Louis XI. of France as security for borrowed money. Charles VIII. restored it to Ferdinand of Aragon in 1493. Louis XIII. conquered it in 1642, and by the treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659 it was annexed to France. ROUSSY, Girodet de. See GIBODET-TBIOSON. ROIVILLE, a S. W. county of Quebec, Cana- da, bounded N. W. by the Richelieu river; area, 244 sq. m. ; pop. in 1871, 17,634, of whom 16,954 were of French origin or de- scent. It is intersected by the Yamaska river, and by the Stanstead, Shefford, and Ohambly, and the Montreal, Chambly, and Sorel rail- ways. Capital, Ste. Marie de Monnoir. KOVK.o. I. A N. E. province of Italy, in Venetia, bordering on Verona, Padua, Venice, the Adriatic, Ferrara, and Mantua; area, 651 sq. m. ; pop. in 1872, 200,835. The Po and the Adige are the principal rivers, and there are three other navigable streams and two canals. The chief products are wheat, maize, and other grains, hemp, flax, wines, and wool. Silk culture is increasing. The province is divided into the districts of Adria, Ariano, Badia, Lendinara, Massa, Occhiobello, Pole- sella, and Rovigo. II. A town, capital of the province, on the Adigetto, 35 m. S. W. of Venice ; pop. about 10,000. It is surrounded by old walls flanked with towers, and pos- sesses a dilapidated castle. The river, spanned by four bridges, divides the town into two parts, the lower being called San Stefano and the upper San Giustino. In the principal square is a column on which once stood the lion of St. Mark. Besides the fine cathedral, there are 26 churches, but none of them re- markable. It contains also a seminary, a gym- nasium, an academy of sciences with a large library, and two theatres. The bishop of Adria usually resides here. The annual fair lasts eight days. Leather and saltpetre are the chief manufactures. The wine of the neighborhood has lost its ancient reputation. ROVIGO, Duke of. See SAVARY. ROWAN. I. A W. county of North Carolina, bordered partly on the E. by the Yadkin, and N. E. by the South Yadkin ; area, about 600 sq. m.; pop in 1870, 16,810, of whom 5,307 were colored. It has an uneven surface and a generally fertile soil. It is intersected by the Richmond and Danville and the Western North Carolina railroads. The chief productions in 1870 were 126,753 bushels of wheat, 289,400 of Indian corn, 119,132 of oats, 4,142 tons of hay, 520 bales of cotton, 54,810 Ibs. of tobacco, 9,699 of wool, 70,104 of butter, and 9,658 gal-