The Life of William Roscoe
Chapter XVIII. 1824
William Roscoe to his Jane Roscoe Hornblower, [1825?]
“As you are the only person who has favoured me with a
line since my departure, I address this to you, being in all probability the
last I shall write during my stay, although I can by no means say how long that
will be, as I am full of engagements, and am obliged to work (as the
ship-builders say) double tides. I will give you a specimen how my time passes.
Yesterday, engaged busily at home till twelve; then called, by appointment, on
the Duke of Gloucester, and sat with him
till one. Met the Earl of Bristol, with
whose father (the Bishop of Derry) I
formerly corresponded; afterwards made as many calls as my time would allow.
Dined at seven, at a small family party at Lady
Anson’s, with Mr. Coke
and Lady Anne (with whom I also dined the
day before, to celebrate her birthday), and sat till eleven o’clock; then
went to a grand assembly at Lady
Grosvenor’s, to which Lady
Derby sent me an invitation from Lady Gros-![]()
| 330 | LIFE OF WILLIAM ROSCOE. | |
![]()
venor; staid till near two o’clock; met with Captain Basil Hall, and had some conversation with him, which
made me amends for being almost stifled for two hours with dukes and duchesses,
&c. I have now just finished to-day’s visits, having seen
Mrs. Holland (my third call), and found her looking
very well again. I am now going to dine with Mr.
Anderdon, a gentleman I have never seen, but who lent me
Pope’s letters. To-morrow I am
to dine, at three, with my friend William
Allen, at Stoke Newington, when I intend to call on Mrs. Barbauld, and shall return after dinner
to Miss Duckworth’s (where I should have dined, had
I not been previously engaged), to meet Mrs. Gaskell,
Miss Aikin, and Mr.
Smyth. All this I should enjoy much more, if I did not so often
recollect there is a certain person who cannot partake it with me, and who,
whilst I am dragged about from one splendid mansion to another, is, I fear,
passing her hours in pain and anxiety; which I am sure, however, you and my
dear Mary Anne will do all in your power to alleviate during my absence, which
I seriously hope will not extend beyond the middle of next week. I have only
time to add my affectionate remembrances to the whole family circle,
including,” &c. &c.
“Be a good girl, my dear Jenny, and believe me
“Your kind father,
“W. R.”
Lucy Aikin (1781-1864)
English biographer and historian, the daughter of Dr. John Aikin and niece of Anna
Letitia Barbauld, whose works she edited (1825). She published in the
Literary Gazette.
William Allen (1770-1843)
Quaker chemist and philanthropist; he founded and edited
The
Philanthropist (1811-17).
John Lavicount Anderdon (1792-1874)
Educated at Harrow, he was a West India merchant who published a book on angling and
devotional works.
Anna Laetitia Barbauld [née Aikin] (1743-1825)
English poet and essayist, the sister of John Aikin, who married Rochemont Barbauld in
1774 and taught at Palgrave School, a dissenting academy (1774-85).
Captain Basil Hall (1788-1844)
Scottish seaman and traveler; after education at Edinburgh high school he entered the
Navy in 1802; he published
Fragments of Voyages and Travels
(1831-33) and other works.
Frederick William Hervey, first marquess of Bristol (1769-1859)
The son of Frederick Augustus Hervey, fourth earl of Bristol (d. 1803); educated at St.
John's College, Cambridge, he was a Whig MP for Bury St. Edmunds (1796-1803) and was
created marquess of Bristol in 1826.
Alexander Pope (1688-1744)
English poet and satirist; author of
The Rape of the Lock (1714)
and
The Dunciad (1728).
