ROS 



ROS 



Weftminfter-Abbey. Rofeingrave's additional fongs were 

 compofed in the ftyle of his friend Mimo Scarlatti, in whofe 

 mufic of NareifTus, though there were many new and pleaf- 

 ing pafiages and effefts, yet thofe acquainted with the ori- 

 ginal and happy freaks of this compofer in his harpfichord 

 pieces, would be furprifed at the fobriety and almoil dulnefs 

 of his fongs. His genius was not yet expanded, and he was 

 was not fo much ufed to write for the voice as his father, 

 who was the greateft vocal compofer of his time, as the fon 

 afterwards became the molt original and wonderful per- 

 former on the harpfichord, as well as compofer for that 

 inftrument. But it feems impoflible for any individual 

 to be equally great in any two things of difficult attain- 

 ment. 



Rofeingrave was likewife the editor of the firft edition of 

 Scarlatti's Harpfichord Leflbns, in 2 vols, long 4X0. 



His election to the place of organift of St. George's, 

 Hanover-fquare, was attended with very honourable cir- 

 cumttances. The parifhioners, confiding chiefly of perfons 

 of rank and fortune, being very delirous of having a good 

 organift, and unwilling to truit to their own judgment, or 

 be teazed by the felicitations of candidates of mean abilities, 

 requefted Mr. Handel, Dr. Pepufch, Dr. Greene, and Mr. 

 Galliard, to hear the competitors play, and determine their 

 degree of merit. 



The candidates were allowed half an hour each to mani- 

 feft their abilities on the organ, in whatever way they 

 pleafed, and then were feverally required to play extempore 

 on fubjefts given by the judges. Mr. Handel did not at- 

 tend in perlon, but fent his fubjeft. Among the numerous 

 candidates for this place there were feveral who acquitted 

 themfclves very well, during the half-hour of free-agency, 

 by playing with great neatnefs pieces they had probably 

 ftudied for the occafion ; but when fubjefts of fugue were 

 prefented to them for extemporaneous treatment, they 

 neither knew how nor when to bring in the anlwer, or even 

 to find harmony for the themes with cither hand when they 

 were brought in. Rofeingrave, on the contrary, whofe 

 tbyle, though too crude and learned for the generality of 

 hearers, when left to himfelf, treated the fubjefts given 

 with fuch fcienee and dexterity, inverting the order of notes, 

 augmenting and diminishing their value, introducing counter- 

 lubjcfts, and turning the themes to fo many ingenious pur- 

 pofes, that the judges were unanimous in declaring him the 

 victorious candidate. The late Dr. Arne and Mr. Mich. 

 Chrift. Felling, who were both prefent at this contention, 

 informed us of thefe particulars, which happened in the 

 year 1726, and fpoke with wonder of Rofeingrave as an 

 extempore fughilt ; but confirmed the general eenfure of his 

 crude harmony and extravagant modulation, which indeed 

 his printed compolitions imply. 



Rofeingrave having, a few years after this election, fixed 

 his affections on a lady of no dove-like conftancy, was re- 

 jected by her at the time he thought himfelf molt fecure of 

 being united to her for ever. This difappointment \v.i- fa 

 feverely felt by the unfortunate lover, as to occafion a tem- 

 porary and whimlical infanity. He ufed to fay, that the 

 lady's cruelty had fo literally and completely broke hi^ 

 heart, that he heard the firings ot it crack at the time la 

 received his lentenee ; and on that account ever after called 

 the diforder of his intellects his crepation, from the Italian 

 . rl> crepare, to crach. After this misfortune, poor Ro- 

 feingrave was never able to bear any kind of node, without 

 threat emotion. If, during his performance on the organ at 

 church, any one near him coughed, Sneezed, or I 1( w hi . 

 nofe with violence, he would inttaiitly quit the inftrument, 

 and run out of church, leemingly in the greatelt pain and 



terror, crying out that it was old /cratch who tormented 

 him, and played on his crepation. 



About the year 1737, on account of his occafional in- 

 fanity, he was fuperfeded at St. George's church by the 

 late Mr. Keeble, an excellent organift, intelligent teacher, 

 and a worthy man, who, during the life of Rofeingrave, 

 divided with him the falary. We prevailed on him once to 

 touch an organ at Byfield's, the organ-builder ; but his 

 nerves were then fo unftrung, that he could execute but 

 few of the learned idea* which his mental diforder had left 

 him. His fweetnefs of temper and willingnefs to inftruft 

 young perfons, who were eager in the purfuit of know- 

 ledge, tempted us frequently to vilit him at Mrs. Bray's, 

 Hampftead, where he refided. His converfation was very 

 entertaining and inilruftive, particularly on mufical fubjefts. 

 Indeed, his paflion for the art never quitted him to the time 

 of his death, which happened in Ireland about the year 

 1750. The inftrument on which he had exercifed himfelf, 

 in the moll enthufiailic part of his life, bore very uncommon 

 marks of diligence and perfeverance ; for he had worn the 

 ivory covering of many of the keys quite through to the 

 wood. In his younger days, when he enjoyed the mens 

 fana in corpore fano, he was regarded as having a power of 

 feizing the parts and ipirit of a fcorc, and executing the 

 moll difficult mufic at fight beyond any mufician in Europe. 

 Indeed, it was faid that he could read a mufic-book, if 

 turned topfy-turvy ; but this feems exaggeration of praife. 

 which few can believe, who know the difficulty, without 

 ocular and auricular demonftration. The harmony in the 

 voluntaries, which Rofeingrave publifhed, is rendered in- 

 tolerably harfh and ungrateful by a licentious and extrava- 

 gant modulation, and a more frequent life of the fharp third 

 and flat fixth than any compofer with whofe works we are 

 at all acquainted, not excepting Dr. Blow ; and his double 

 fugues are fo confufed by the too clofe fucceflion of un- 

 marked fubjefts, that it is impolliblc, at the end of the per- 

 formance, to remember what they are. His cantatas, 

 which he publifhed by fubfeription, being compofed on the 

 model of the elder Scarlatti, are the moll pleating of his 

 works ; but they were (lill-born, and never lived to fpeak 

 in public. 



ROSELLE, in Geography, a town of Etruria ; two miles 

 N. of Groffeto. 



ROSEMARKIE, a royal borough town in a parifh of 

 the lame name, in the county of Rofs, Scotland, is fituated 

 on the northern fhore of the Moray-frith, nearly oppofite 

 to fort George. It was conllituted a royal burgh by 

 Alexander II. king of Scotland ; but in the reign of king 

 James II. it was united with the town of ChaHonry, (fo 

 called from its having been the chanonry of Rofs, and the 

 reudence of the bilhop,) and re-incorporated by charter 

 under the name of Fortrofs, fince foftened to Fortrofe. 

 For fome further particulars retpefting this town, fee 

 FORTROSE, Carlifle's Topographical Dictionary of Scot- 

 land, 4-to. 181 3. 



ROSEMARY, in Botany. See ROSMARINUS. 



Rosemary, Poet's. See Osykis. 



RosemaKY, Wild, Maifi Cijlus. See LhDUM. 



Rosemary, in the Materia Medico, Rofemary has a 



fragrant aromatic fmell, and a bitterilh pungent talle. The 

 leaves and tops of this plant are the Strong! It with regard 

 to their fenflble qualities ; the flowers are not to be Separated 

 from their calyces or cups, as the active matter principally, 

 if not wholly, relides 111 the latter. 



Rofemary gives out its virtues completely to reftificd 

 fpirit, but only partially to water. The leaves and tops, 

 diitillid with water, yield a thin, light, pale-coloured cllVntial 



oil 



