Visitor.’ It is said that the authors were to receive one-third of the profits, and that the contract was for ninety-nine years. Boswell, however, throws doubt on the reality of ‘this supposed extraordinary contract’ (Boswell, Life of Johnson, ed. Hill, ii. 344, 345).
Rolt died on 2 March 1770, aged 45. He was twice married, and left a daughter by each of his wives. His second wife, who survived him many years, was, by her mother, related to the Percys of Worcester. After Rolt's death, Bishop Percy allowed her a pension.
Rolt is accused of conceit and incompetence. Though unacquainted with Dr. Johnson, he used to say, ‘I am just come from Sam Johnson’ (ib. i. 358). In the ‘Pasquinade’ (1753) he is described as ‘Dull Rolt long steep'd in Sedgeley's nut-brown beer.’ In addition to the works mentioned above, he published: 1. ‘The Ancient Rosciad,’ 1753. 2. ‘Memoirs of the Life of … James Lindesay, Earl of Crawfurd and Lindesay,’ &c., London, 1753, 4to. 3. ‘A New and Accurate History of South America,’ &c., London, 1756, 8vo. 4. ‘A New Dictionary of Trade and Commerce,’ &c., London, 1756, fol.; 2nd ed. London, 1761, fol. Dr. Johnson wrote the preface to this ‘wretched compilation’ (McCulloch), though he ‘never saw the man and never read the book.’ ‘The booksellers wanted a Preface. … I knew very well what such a dictionary should be, and I wrote a preface accordingly’ (Boswell). 5. ‘The Lives of the Principal Reformers, &c. … Embellished with the Heads of the Reformers … in Mezzotinto … by … Houston,’ London, 1759, fol., and other works. He also edited from the author's manuscript ‘Travels through Italy’ (1766), by Captain John Northall [q. v.] At the time of his death he had projected a ‘History of the Island of Man,’ which was published in 1773, and a ‘History of the British Empire in North America’ in six volumes, which has disappeared. ‘Select Pieces of the late R. Rolt (dedicated to Lady Sondes, by Mary Rolt),’ sm. 8vo, was published in 1772 for the benefit of Rolt's widow.
[Authorities quoted; Chalmers's Biographical Dictionary, xxvi. 353–6; Baker's Biogr. Dram.; Nichols's Literary Illustrations, iv. 687–91, vi. 61, 62; McCulloch's Literature of Political Economy, p. 52.]
ROMAINE, WILLIAM (1714–1795), divine, born at Hartlepool on 25 Sept. 1714, was younger son of William Romaine, a French protestant, who came to England at the revocation of the edict of Nantes, and settled at Hartlepool, where he carried on the trade of a corn-dealer. He became a loyal member of the church of England, and died in 1757. Romaine's letters attest the deep piety of his mother, who died in 1771.
When about ten years old William was sent to the school founded by Bernard Gilpin at Houghton-le-Spring, Durham, and matriculated on 10 April 1731 at Hart Hall (afterwards Hertford College), Oxford, where he was noted as much for his untidy and slovenly dress as for his ability. Migrating to Christ Church he graduated B.A. in 1734 and M.A. in 1737. He was ordained deacon the year before, and became curate of Lew-Trenchard, Devonshire. While still a deacon, he had the audacity to break a lance with Warburton, in a series of letters about the ‘Divine Legation’—a subject which he pursued in his first two sermons before the university of Oxford (1739, 1741). He was ordained priest by Hoadly (1738), probably to the curacy of Banstead, Surrey, which he held for some years with that of Horton in Middlesex. At Banstead he became acquainted with Sir Daniel Lambert, who made him his chaplain during his office as lord mayor of London (1741).
His theological views had not then taken their ultimate shape. His earliest published works attest a settlement of belief on orthodox lines and a lively interest in the apologetic and critical branches of theology. To critical study Romaine soon made a solid contribution by editing a new edition of the Hebrew concordance of Marius de Calasio, 1748. The evangelical revival, which had not touched him in his Oxford days, changed the current of his thought. At first he was attracted by Wesley's view of the Atonement, as made for all men and open freely to all that would accept it, and the righteousness of Christ as an inherent and not only an imputed righteousness (see Works, viii. 193). But in 1755 he had passed entirely to the side of Whitefield (see Sermons on the 107th Psalm,’ Works, vol. iv.), and from that time to the end of his life he remained the ablest exponent among the evangelicals of the highest Calvinistic doctrine, holding Wesley's views, especially in the matter of free will and perfection, as a subtle reproduction of the Romish theory of justification by works (see Works, viii. 125—letter to his sister; ‘Dialogue concerning Justification,’ ii. 260 seq.). In a letter written in 1766 Romaine has drawn the portrait of ‘a very, very vain, proud young man,’ who ‘knew almost everything but himself, and therefore was mighty fond of himself,’ and ‘met with many disappointments to his pride, till the Lord was
