Memoir of William Roscoe, Esq. 205 



of Letters, with a view to the Life of Leo X. ; a subject which 

 had been recommended to him by Horace Walpole (Lord Or- 

 ford), and some other hterary friends, after his successful publi- 

 cation of the Life of Lorenzo the Magnificent 



In the year 1798, the want of a public reading-room on a 

 iK'tter footing than Liverpool then could boast, caused the 

 foundation of our Athenaeum. The plan suggested by Dr 

 Kutter was warmly supported by Mr Koscoe, Dr Currie, Mr 

 George Case, and some other gentlemen, who, exerting their in- 

 fluence among their friends, obtained so general a subscription 

 in Liverpool, that the foundations of our magnificent Consulta- 

 tion Library and News-Roora were speedily laid, and a consi. 

 derable collection of books soon formed. In this institution, as 

 creditable to his native town, Mr Roscoe always took much de- 

 light. 



The numerous strangers who were now attracted to Liver- 

 pool, chiefly by the reputation of our distinguished fellow-citizen, 

 caused such encroachments on his time, notwithstanding his re- 

 tirement from business, that he resolved to retreat into the coun- 

 try ; and with this view he purchased half of the estate of AI- 

 lerton from the representatives of Mrs Hardman, and removed 

 to that beautiful spot in 1 799. In a playful letter to Fuseli the 

 painter, Mr Roscoe mentions his removal, and his intention of 

 not again embarking in any kind of business, but of dedicating 

 himself wholly to agricultural and literary pursuits. His tastes 

 were simple, his views moderate, and his means fully competent 

 to realize his plans ; from which it is greatly to be lamented 

 that any circumstances should ever have induced him to deviate. 

 While employed as a professional man to arrange the involved 

 concerns of the bank of Messrs J. & W. Clarke, he was thus 

 brought into contact with Sir Benjamin Hammet, a London 

 Banker, who held acceptances of the Liverpool Bank to an im- 

 mense amount (I am informed for L. 200,000). Hammet was 

 so struck with Roscoe's ability in arranging the affairs of his 

 friends, that he wished him to become a partner in the concern. 

 This he repeatedly refused ; but Hammet threatening, in case of 

 his refusal to join the concern, to make it bankrupt, Roscoe, satis- 

 fied that the assets were, in ordinary times, more than sufficient 

 to cover the demands against the bank, finally consented, and 



