220 Memoir of William Roscoe, Esq. 



John Sinclair, Sir James E. Smith, Dr Wallich, Dr Carey, Dr 

 Hooker. 



6. On his history of the Medici Family, with Fabbroni, 

 Moreni, Mecherini, Professor Sprengel, Count Bossi, and Mr 

 Henke. 



In person, Mr Roscoe was tall, and rather slender. In early 

 life he possessed much bodily activity : his hair was light au- 

 burn, almost inclining to red ; his full grey eye was clear and 

 mild ; his face expressive and cheerful. As he advanced in life, 

 the benevolent expression of his countenance remained, but the 

 vivacity of the features was tempered into a noble dignity, 

 which it was impossible to see without respect and admiration ; 

 while the mouth bespoke taste and feeling, and the clustering 

 hoary hair round his temples gave a venerable air to his manly 

 features. 



There are several representations of him ; but none of them 

 appear to me so finely to express the characteristic traits of his 

 head as John Gibson's medallion. The portrait in the Institu- 

 tion, and Spence's busts, give us Mr Roscoe in his decline with 

 great fidelity. Gibson's marble bust is said to recall his youth- 

 ful appearance ; but the Terra Cotta medallion is Mr Roscoe, 

 as I should wish to remember him. I may add, that it has been 

 exceedingly well copied in the fine medal, pubhshed by Mr Cle- 

 ments of this town, from a die by Clint. 



Of Mr Roscoe's genius and acquirements, his published works 

 present a better memorial than any panegyric can confer ; but I 

 may be permitted to state my conviction, after having examined 

 a great mass of his unfinished manuscript dissertations, that, had 

 he been left to pursue his original plan of literary retirement 

 instead of again plunging into the cares and anxieties of husi- 

 ness, he would have left behind a work on the History of the Fine 

 Arts, far superior to any thing on that subject which British 

 literature possesses. 



In public life, Mr Roscoe was a consistent and fearless cham- 

 pion of civil and religious liberty ; the uncompromising enemy 

 of oppression, and the humane advocate of a mitigation of the 

 severity of penal enactments. 



Of the qualities of his heart, as a private individual, it is im- 

 possible to speak too highly. In the relations of husband, fa- 



