R O U 
On one occasion Rousseau, when in extreme old age, allowed 
himself with much difficulty to be prevailed upon to accom¬ 
pany the above lady and her friends to the theatre. As his 
fear of being recognized by the public was his excuse for 
not going, and as his reluctance was only overcome by the 
promise of a back seat, Madame de Genlis was highly 
surprized to observe during the whole performance he was 
getting up or setting down, thrusting his head forwards, and 
by every other means endeavouring to excite notice. A few 
persons recognised him, and he was pointed out in their boxes 
as an object of curiosity. Piqued at the little emotion he 
excited, the old gentleman broke off all acquaintance with de 
Genlis, alleging that she had persuaded him to go to the 
theatre for the purpose of shewing him and gratifying her 
foolish vanity. To return to his history. In 1775 his “ Pyg¬ 
malion” was acted with great success at the Comedie 
Fran^ise. He seems to havepassed some of his latter years 
more tranquilly than any former period of his life, having 
consented to renounce all farther discussion of those con¬ 
troverted topics which had involved him in so many hostilities* 
and to keep his philosophy for his own use. Still, however, 
suspicious of the machinations of a supposed confederacy 
against him, he accepted in May, 1778, an invitation from the 
Marquis de Girardin to retire with his wife to a small house 
near his beautiful seat of Ermenonville, where he died of an 
apoplectic attack in the following July, at the age of 66. The 
marquis erected a monument for him in the Isle of Poplars in 
his pleasure grounds, with the inscription.— Ici repose 
VHomme de la Nature et de la Verite. 
After Rousseau’s death, were published his “ Confessions,” 
in six books, in which he has given a minute account of his 
life to his 30th year. This very singular piece of auto¬ 
biography is itself a striking exemplification of character; for 
scarcely any work of the kind can be found (that of Cardan 
perhaps excepted) in which circumstances so degrading and 
humiliating are related with so little reserve; whilst the air 
of importance given to the most trivial incidents in which he 
was concerned, and the cynical contempt of shame implied 
by exhibiting himself thus naked to the world, prove it to 
have been dictated more by self-consequence than by con¬ 
trition. He might, indeed, have passed for a better man if 
this work had not been written, but he could not have had a 
pretext for talking so much about himself. Another 
posthumous work, entitled “ Les Reveries du Promeneur 
Solitaire,” gives a view of his thoughts and sentiments at a 
later period, when his mind was occupied with all the con¬ 
tests and vexations he had undergone on account of his 
waitings,’'and when he fancied himself the object of a grand 
confederacy of foes. This too is highly characteristic ; and, 
together with several small pieces in vindication of himself, 
might be advantageously studied by one who was curious to 
anatomize the whole mind of this moral and literary phe¬ 
nomenon. To the list of his writings already noticed, might 
be added many more of smaller importance, but all marked 
with his peculiar warmth and energy of style, and vigour of 
thinking. He was one of the writers who exercised the 
greatest influence upon the opinions of his age; and at the 
period of the French revolution his works were referred to as 
of the highest authority in political matters, and his memory 
was almost deified. His reputation has since been in the 
wane; but as long as the language lasts in which he wrote, 
he cannot cease to be regarded as one of its greatest authors. 
His works have been published collectively in 17 vols. 4to. 
Confess, de Rousseau. Senebier Hist. Lit. de Geneve. 
Mem. of Baron Grimm. Mem. of Mad. Ge?i/is. 
ROUSSEL (William), a learned French Benedictine of 
the congregation of St. Maur, who flourished at the beginning 
of the 18th century, was born at Conehes, a small town 
within the diocese of Evreux in Normandy, in the year 1658. 
He became a member of the congregation in the year 1680, 
and at first chiefly directed his attention to those studies 
which should qualify him for the office of a preacher. As he 
possessed a fine genius, and very excellent oratorical talents, 
his pulpit-exhibitions soon became the theme of general 
commendation at Paris, and were attended by numerous 
R 0 U 411 
audiences. Preferring retirement and quiet, however, to the 
love of fame, he withdrew from the capital to Rheims, and 
afterwards to Argenteuil, where he spent the remainder of his 
life in devotion and study. He died at the last mentioned 
place in 1717, when he was about 59 years of age. He 
published an excellent translation of “ The Letters of St. 
Jerome,” in 3 vols. 8vo.; the two first of which appeared in 
1704, and the third, containing the critical letters on that 
father on the sacred scriptures, in 1707. They are accom¬ 
panied with a good preface, learned and useful notes and 
remarks, and moral maxims collected from the works of St. 
Jerome. He was also the author of an “ Eloge” on father 
Mabillon, which is said to be a masterly composition, and is 
inserted in the different “ Bibliotheques" of the authors who 
were members of the congregation of St. Maur. Father 
Roussel had employed many years in making preparations 
for writing a “ Literary History of France,” and his materials 
had become so considerable that he was on the point of 
commencing that work, when his superiors directed him to 
employ his pen in drawing up a history of his congregation. 
Scarcely had he laid the plan of this undertaking, before, 
death terminated his labours in the year 1717, when he was 
about the age of 59. The collections which he made for his 
“ Literary History of France,” were delivered over to father 
Rivet, a member of the same congregation, who availed him¬ 
self of them. See Rivet. 
ROUSSELAR, an inland town of the Netherlands, in 
East Flanders. Population 3100. 
ROUSSILLON, the name, before the revolution, of a 
small province in the south of France, bounded by Langue¬ 
doc, Spain, arid the Mediterranean. In the south it is moun¬ 
tainous; but the rest of the province is level, and traversed 
by a number of small rivers descending from the Pyrenees, 
the principal of which are the Tet and the Tech. The cli¬ 
mate is warm, or rather hot, and not only wine, but olives, 
and in certain spots oranges, and even pomegranates, grow 
here in the open air. Sheep are numerous in the mountains,, 
and their wool is in general of good quality. The chief town 
is Perpignan. Roussillon now forms the department of the 
Eastern Pyrenees. 
ROUSiLLON, a small town in the south-east of France, 
department of the Isere, with a castle, and 1500 inhabitants; 
12 miles south-south-west of Vienne. 
ROUSSINES, a large village in the south-west of France, 
department of the Charente, with 1100 inhabitants, and con-- 
siderable iron-works. 
ROUT, s. [route, old Fr. rot, Teut. rotte. Germ. 
ruta, routa, low Lat. “ r/iawd, rhnwter, Welsh, caterva- 
turma, rhodio, vagari.”] A clamorous multitude; a rab¬ 
ble ; a tumultuous crowd. 
Besides the endless routs of wretched thralls. 
Which thither were assembled day by day 
From all the world. Spenser. 
Nor do I name of men the common rout. 
That, wandering loose about. 
Grow up and perish, as the summer fly. Milton. 
[Route, Fr.] Confusion of an army defeated or dispersed. 
Thy army. 
As if they could not stand when thou wer’t down, 
Dispersed in rout, betook them all to fly. Daniel, 
Their mightiest quell’d, the battle swerv’d. 
With many an inrode gor’d; deformed rout 
Enter’d, and foul disorder. Milton. 
To ROUT,, v. a. To dissipate and put into confusion 
by defeat.—That part of the king’s horSe, that charged the 
Scots,, so totally routed and defeated their whole army, that 
they fled. Clarendon. 
To ROUT, v. n. To assemble in clamorous and 
tumultuous crouds.—The meaner sort routed together, and 
suddenly assailing the earl in his house, slew him. Bacon, 
To ROUT, or Rowt, v . n. [hriota, Icel. hpucan. 
Sax.] To snore in sleep. Obsolete. 
The 
