User:Rich Farmbrough/DNB/P/e/Peter Roberts

Peter Roberts||| Peter Roberts (1760?–1819), divine and antiquary, son of John Roberts, was born about 1760 at Tai'n y Nant, Ruabon, Denbighshire. His father, a clockmaker, moved in a few years after his birth to Wrexham, where Roberts was educated at the grammar school, then under Edward Davies. When about fifteen he entered St. Asaph grammar school as pupil assistant to Peter Williams. Through the Irish pupils in the school he became known to Dr. Henry Ussher, afterwards professor of astronomy in the University of Dublin, who procured him admission as a sizar to that university. Hav- ing graduated with an M.A., he remained in Dublin as a private tutor, studying especially oriental languages and astronomy. His proficiency in the latter subject gave him some hope of succeeding his friend and patron, Ussher; but the appointment of Dr. John Brinkley in 1792 led to his devoting himself to the career of a family tutor, an occupation he followed for many years. Two of his pupils, Lords Lanesborough and Bolton, in course of time assigned him a pension, which enabled him to give all his time to study. In 1811 Bishop Cleaver gave him the rectory of Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog, and in 1814 he was presented by Lord Crewe to the vicarage of Madeley, Shropshire. In December 1818 he exchanged Llanarmon for the rectory of Halkin, Flintshire, but soon after settling there died of apoplexy on 21 May 1819. His monument in the church styles him 'in legibus, moribus, institutis, annalibus, poesi, musica gentis Cambro-Britannicæ instructissimus'. His chief works were: 1. 'Harmony of the Epistles', published by the Cambridge University Press, 1800. 2. 'Christianity Vindicated' (in answer to Volney's 'Ruins'), 1800. 3. 'Sketch of the Early History of the Cymry', London, 1803. 4. 'Chronicle of the Kings of Britain', a translation of one of the Welsh versions of Geoffrey of Monmouth, with illustrative dissertations, London, 1811. 5. 'Cambrian Popular Antiquities', London, 1815. 6. 'History of Oswestry', published anonymously in 1815. Other works were published by him on the origin of constellations, the art of correspondence, prophecy, and the church of Rome. Roberts was a scholar of wide reading but inferior judgement. The 'Cambrian Popular Antiquities', dealing with Welsh rustic customs and superstitions, is his most valuable contribution to letters.

DNB references
These references are found in the DNB article referred to above.