380 
R O S 
Westmeath, by the river Shannon on the east. It is bounded 
by Galway on the south, on the west by Mayo, on the north 
by Sligo, and on the north-east by Leitrim. Its greatest extent 
from north to south is, according to Dr. Beaufort, 60 English 
miles, and its breadth about the middle of the county, 37 
English miles. The latter varies considerably, being in 
some parts less than 10 miles. Roscommon is a flat open 
country, in some places sprinkled with rocks, in many in¬ 
terrupted by extensive bogs, and but little diversified with 
hills. The only mountains within the county are in a nar¬ 
row part between Lough Arrow and Lough Allen ; and these 
are become valuable, on account of the coal and iron which 
they are found to contain. The lofty Curlew mountains, 
which join Lough Arrow, separate this county from Sligo. 
The Shannon beautifully delineates the eastern confines, 
branching in a course of 50 miles into several fine lakes, of 
which Lough Ree, Lough Baffin, and Lough Allen, are the 
largest. The Suck divides it from Galway for a great length 
of way, till it loses its name and waters in the Shannon. A 
number of small streams from the interior intersect the 
county, fertilizing and enlivening the fields. The largest of 
the lakes is Lough Key, in the north of the county, which is 
rendered delightful by wooded islands and surrounding 
groves. The soil is fertile; limestone and marl are abundant, 
and the climate not severe. The county-has long been 
famed for its pastures; but as population increases, wants and 
cares are augmented, and pasturage gives way to tillage, as a 
more abundant source of supply. Hence we find, that al¬ 
though pasturage is calculated to cramp population, yet, by the 
introduction of manufactures, the latter may be so increased, 
that pastures must be broken up and tilled. This natural 
course of events has operated very powerfully in Roscommon. 
The manufacture of linen and woollen stuffs has been dif¬ 
fused ; bounties have also been offered for farinaceous pro¬ 
duce ; and under these necessities and incitements, pasturage 
has considerably decreased. The area measures346,650 acres, 
or 545 square miles, equal to 556,847 acres, or 869 square 
English miles. This county contains 56 parishes, 22 of 
which have churches. The population is estimated at 86,000. 
Roscommon is the county town; but Boyle is more thriving. 
ROSCOMMON, a town of Ireland, in the county of the 
same .name. It is a place of great antiquity, and has a castle, 
which was erected in 1268. Before the Union, it sent two 
members to the Irish parliament; 36 miles north-east of 
Galway, and 68 west-north-west of Dublin. Lat. 53. 35. N. 
long. 8. 8. W. 
ROSCOMMON, a post village of the United States, in 
Steuben county, New York. 
ROSE, s. [pope, Sax. rose, Fr. rosa, Lat.] A flower. 
See Rosa. —Here without thorn the rose. Milton .—For 
her the unfading rose of Eden blooms. Pope. —A riband 
gather’d into a knot in the form of a rose, and serving as a 
kind of ornamental shoe-tye, or knee-band. 
Those roses 
Were big enough to hide a cloven foot. B. Jonson. 
Under the ROSE. Of this vulgar saying, Dr. Johnson 
produces only the following opinion of Sir Thomas Brown, 
from his Vulgar Errours: “ By desiring a secrecy to words 
spoke under the rose, we mean, in society and compotation, 
from the ancient custom in symposiack meetings, to wear 
chaplets of roses about their heads.” Sir Thomas has else¬ 
where considered the rose as the symbol o f silence ; which 
others also have stated, calling it the flower of Venus, con¬ 
secrated by Cupid to Harpocrates, the god of silence. Todd 
says there is a curious passage in an old book, which has 
hitherto escaped observation, that graphically illustrates the 
secrecy required in respect to speaking under the rose. 
“ Among the pagans (in old tyme) those, that invited any, 
shewed them .the doore threshold, saying these words; Let 
nothing pass over this, that is to say, let nothing be reported 
over this threshold of any thing that shall be done at this 
banquet. And for this cause (for the present) in many 
countries they lay table-cloths upon their tables, whereupon 
R 0 S 
are painted roses, shewing thereby, that all the words*, 
spoken thereat, ought to be hidden under it.” Wodroejihe,’ 
Fr. and Eng. Gramm. 4to. 1623. This, though curious, 
only points to a “ foregone conclusion;” shewing rather 
the effect tjian the origin of the phrase in question. We are 
inclined to think, that the saying arose during the wars of 
York and Lancaster, from the very natural circumstance that 
whatever was said by men wearing the rose, was expected to 
be held secret from the opposite party; or, they might have 
sworn secrecy by the rose. This seems particularly borne 
out by Beaumont and Fletcher, saying, “ I speak it now 
■without the rose.” 
If this make us speak 
Bold words anon, ’tis all under the rose 
Forgotten! Beaum. 
Now that you and I are together, and under-the ruse 
too, as they say, why should not we drink somewhat 
briskly ? Goodman. 
We must not, however, forget to mention, that there was 
a tradition among the ancients, that the god of love made a- 
present to Harpocrates, the god of silence, of a beautiful 
rose, the first that had been known, to engage him not to 
discover any of the private practices of his mother Venus. 
And hence it became a custom to have a rose placed in their 
rooms of mirth and entertainment, that under the assurance 
thereof, they might be induced to lay aside all constraint, 
and speak what they pleased. 
ROSE, pret. of rise. —Eve— rose and went forth among 
her flowers. Milton. 
ROSE, a small river of Guadaloupe, which runs east, and 
enters the sea in the bay of Cul de Sac. 
ROSE BAY. See Nerium.—Rose, Campion. See 
Agrostemma.—Rose, China, the name by which some 
call the ketmia of botanists. See Hibiscus.—Rose, Christ¬ 
mas. See Helleborus.—Rose, Corn. See Papaver. 
—Rose, mountain-bay, or dwarf-bay, a name by which the 
chameerhodendros of botanists is sometimes called. See 
Kalmia and Rhododendrum. — Rose, Guelder, a name 
sometimes given to the opulus, or water-elder. See Vibur¬ 
num.—Rose, .Virginian Guelder. See Spiraca.—Rose, 
Martinico. See Hibiscus.—Rose of Jericho, a name' by 
which some call the hesperis. See Anastatica.—Rose 
Mallow. See Aliza.- — Rose, South Sea, a name sometimes 
given to the Nerium of botanists ; which see.— Rose, Rock, 
See Cistus. 
ROSES, Essence of. There is scarcely a more valuable 
perfume in the world, than the essence of damask roses, and 
scarcely any thing is obtained from its subject with more 
difficulty, and in less quantity. All essences or essential- 
oils are, while in the plant, contained in certain vesicles 
lodged in different parts, and of different structure; these 
vesicles are in the rose particularly small and tender, and 
are placed very superficially ; the consequence of this is, that 
there is originally but a very little of this essence in the 
flower, and this is the very subject that will be dissipated 
and lost when the flowers are gathered and thrown in a heap 
together, as they are succulent, and very quickly heat* in 
lying together. To avoid all dissipation and waste of this 
choice essence, the roses should be thrown into the still as 
soon as gathered, and distilled with very little water, and 
that an a balneum Mariae ; then the fire is to be continued 
so long as the flowers float separate about in the water; but 
as soon as they form themselves into a cake, and slick 
to the bottom, the distillation should be finished, as they 
then yield no more essence. With all these precautions, 
however, it is with great difficulty we can procure-any. 
essence of roses. What we obtain by this distillation being 
chiefly a very odoriferous and fragrant water. In the 
warmer countries the same caution affords a larger quantity 
of oil, which may be separated and preserved under the 
name of the essence. In Italy, they make some quantity 
of it, but there it is very dear ; a vast quantity of the 
flowers yielding only a very little essence, and that being 
thick • 
