Samuel Rogers and his Contemporaries
Samuel Rogers to Henry Rogers, 25 October 1812
‘Palace, Hamilton: 25 Oct. 1812.
‘My dear Henry,—Your letter overtook me last week at this place, on my
arrival after a little journey of eight days through the Highlands, three of
which were fine—a large allowance, I believe, in the North. Menteith
lake, Loch Katrine, Loch Erne, Dunira, Dunkeld, Killiekrankie and Loch Leven
were the principal sights, and amply rewarded us. I say us, for the Dunmores were with me. Loch Katrine surpassed my
expectations, and is indeed the most beautiful thing ‘of the kind I ever
saw. I am here within a mile of Chatelherault, which Sarah remembers, and within two miles of
Bothwell Castle, which unluckily we did not see; but I hope to see all with her
before I die. I wrote her a long letter into ![]()
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Cheshire a month ago, and begin to fear she never
received it, as I have not heard from her. This I address to you at Wassall,
flattering myself that you are now there, and happy should I be to meet you
there; but one thing after another has delayed me. I am now waiting to see
Jeffrey, who is coming here in a day
or two, as he says, very kindly, to see me. He is to bring Dugald Stewart with him, and when they go, I
shall proceed instantly to Edinburgh, and, after staying there two or three
days, to Howick, if the Greys are at home to
receive me. I shall not, therefore, reach Wassall before the latter end of next
month, I fear; but I have set my heart upon being there, sooner or later. I
rejoice to hear that all the invalids are better, and hope they will soon be
well.
‘So Scarlett has
lost, and Brougham. Creevey, I was very sure, would hang as a dead
weight round his neck. Sharp wrote me
word that he was setting off to Honiton, but I have heard nothing since. It
must have been a joyful meeting at Wassall and worth going far to see. If you
write a line on receiving this, pray direct to me at the post office,
Edinburgh; if within a week, to Alnwick, Northumberland, through which I must
pass, whether I stop at Howick or not. It was part of my scheme to spend two or
three days at Castle Howard, but it will not now, I fear, be in my power. This
is a very large old house, and so cold that I can hardly keep body and soul
together. In my room is a whole-length of the beautiful Duchess of Hamilton by Sir Joshua Reynolds. On the table in the
gallery lies the book in which visitors enter their names, and it moved me a
little to see Sarah’s and mine
there written nine years ![]()
| 114 | ROGERS AND HIS CONTEMPORARIES | |
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ago. How many things have
happened since! With respect to Scotland, it certainly strikes me as much as
ever, and I am sure I have every reason to be pleased. I was glad to hear Mrs.
R. was better, and hope you have found her well. Pray give my love to Dan and Mrs. R. and all the family of girls
and boys, and to Sarah if with you, and believe me to be
ever, my dear Henry, yours
affectionately,
‘I am much obliged to you for your kindness to
Milly, and fear James has
fallen a victim to his idleness. I am very sorry indeed for Maltby.’
Henry Peter Brougham, first baron Brougham and Vaux (1778-1868)
Educated at Edinburgh University, he was a founder of the
Edinburgh
Review in which he chastised Byron's
Hours of Idleness; he
defended Queen Caroline in her trial for adultery (1820), established the London University
(1828), and was appointed lord chancellor (1830).
Thomas Creevey (1768-1838)
Whig politician aligned with Charles James Fox and Henry Brougham; he was MP for Thetford
(1802-06, 1807-18) Appleby (1820-26) and Downton (1831-32). He was convicted of libel in
1813.
Charles Grey, second earl Grey (1764-1845)
Whig statesman and lover of the Duchess of Devonshire; the second son of the first earl
(d. 1807), he was prime minister (1831-34).
Elizabeth Hamilton, duchess of Hamilton [née Gunning] (1733-1790)
The daughter of an Irish colonel, in 1752 she married the sixth duke of Hamilton, who
died in 1758; the following year she married John Campbell, afterwards Duke of Argyll. She
was lady-in-waiting to Queen Charlotte.
Francis Jeffrey, Lord Jeffrey (1773-1850)
Scottish barrister, Whig MP, and co-founder and editor of the
Edinburgh
Review (1802-29). As a reviewer he was the implacable foe of the Lake School of
poetry.
William Maltby (1764-1854)
A schoolmate and life-long friend of Samuel Rogers; he was a London solicitor and a
member of the King of Clubs. In 1809 he succeeded Richard Porson as principal librarian of
the London Institution.
Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792)
English portrait-painter and writer on art; he was the first president of the Royal
Academy (1768).
Daniel Rogers (1760 c.-1829)
Son of Thomas Rogers (1735-93) and eldest brother of the poet Thomas Rogers; he married
Martha Bowles and lived as a country squire near Stourbridge.
Henry Rogers (1774-1832)
Son of Thomas Rogers (1735-93) and youngest brother of the poet Thomas Rogers; he was the
head of the family bank, Rogers, Towgood, and Co. until 1824, and a friend of Charles
Lamb.
Samuel Rogers (1763-1855)
English poet, banker, and aesthete, author of the ever-popular
Pleasures of Memory (1792),
Columbus (1810),
Jaqueline (1814), and
Italy (1822-28).
Sarah Rogers (1772-1855)
Of Regent's Park. the younger sister of the poet Samuel Rogers; she lived with her
brother Henry in Highbury Terrace.
James Scarlett, first baron Abinger (1769-1844)
English barrister and politician educated at Trinity College, Cambridge and the Inner
Temple; he was a Whig MP (1819-34) who served as attorney-general in the Canning and
Wellington ministries.
Richard Sharp [Conversation Sharp] (1759-1835)
English merchant, Whig MP, and member of the Holland House set; he published
Letters and Essays in Poetry and Prose (1834).
Dugald Stewart (1753-1828)
Professor of moral philosophy at Edinburgh University (1785-1809); he was author of
Elements of the Philosophy of the Human Mind (1792-93).
