IV. Account of yoHN Roebuck, M.D. ¥.R. S.EDm. Co??!- 

 municated by Mr Jjrdine, F. R. S. Ed in. and Profejfor 

 of Logich in the Univerjity ofGlafgow, 



[_Read Jpril j^. 1796.] 



DOCTOR John Roebuck was born at Sheffield in York- 

 fhire, in the year 171 8. His father was a confiderable 

 manufadlurer and exporter of Sheffield goods, who, by his abi- 

 lities and induftry, had acquired a competent fortune. John, 

 his eldeft fon, the fubje(5l of this memoir, was intended, by his 

 father, for carrying on his own lucrative bufmefs at Sheffield ; but 

 was, from his early youth, irrefiftably attached to other purfuits, 

 more calculated to gratify his ambition, and give fuller play to 

 his powers. Notwithftanding this difappointment in his fa- 

 vourite objedl, his father had liberality enough to encourage his 

 rlfing genius, and to give him all the advantages of a regular 

 (education. 



After he had gone through the ufual courfe of the Gram- 

 mar-fchool at Sheffield, both his father and mother being ftricl 

 diifenters, they placed their fon, for fome years, under the tui- 

 tion of the Jate Dr Doddridge, who was, at that time, mafter 

 of an Acaderny at; Northampton, and had juflly acquired high 

 reputatior^ among the diffenters, both as a divine and as an in- 

 Ilru(5lor of youth. Under the Do(5lor's care Mr Roebuck made 

 gr^at proficiency, and laid the foundation of that claffical tafte 

 and knowledge for which he was afterwards eminently diftin- 



VoL, IV. (I) guiffied. 



