Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 13.djvu/252

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ROUQUETTE


212


ROWSHAM


held by Archbishop Bailleul in 1S30; for its Acts see "CoUectio Lacensis", IV, 513-36.

Hefele, Concitiengesch.; Bessin, Concilia Rotomagensis pro- Tincia: (Rouen. 1717); Pommeraye, S. Rotomag. Eccles. Concilia (Rouen. 1C77). MiCHAEL OtT.

Rouquette, Adrien, b. in Louisiana in 1813, of French parentage; d. as a missionary among the Choctaw Indians in 1887. The great passion of his vouth was devotion to the Choctaw Indians. He was sent north in 1824 to divert his mind from his savage associates. In 1829 he was sent to France and finished his collegiate studies in Paris, Nantes, and Rennes, winning his baccalaureate in 1833. He returned to New Orleans, but refused to mingle in worldly pleasures, and spent much time alone or among his Indian friends. Later he returned to Paris to study law, but preferred hterature, and returning to Louisiana, led a desultory life until 1842. He then made a third visit to France, where he pub- hshed his first poetic es.say, "Les Savannes". This was well received and he returned to Louisiana to become editor of "Le Propagateur Catholique". Ere long he found his true vocation and was ordained priest in 1845. Assigned to duty at the Cathedral of Saint Louis, at New Orleans, his eloquence crowded the building, and his holy life commanded the love and respect of all denominations. He served for four- teen years as a priest at New Orleans, then suddenly, in 1859, he severed all connection with civihzation and made his home for twenty-nine years as a missionary among the Choctaw Indians on the banks of Bayou La Combe. As a result of his patient labours he won many converts to the Faith. Among his pubhcations are: "La Thebiade de L'Am^rique", "L'Antoniade", "LaNouvelle Atala", "Wild Flowers".

S. B. Elder.

Rousseau, Jean-Baptiste, a French poet, b. in Paris, 16 April, 1670; d. at La Genette, near Brussels, 17 May, 1741. Although he was the son of a shoemaker, he was educated with the greatest care and made his studies at the Jesuit College of Louis le Grand, Paris. On account of his wit, he was admitted to the most exclusive salons. After a short sojourn in London, as pri- vate secretary to the French am- bassador, Tallard, lif fr('(iuontfd the irrcligicMis society whicli gathered at tlie Temple, the evil influence of which caused his misfortunes. His first dramatic at- tempts were fail- ures, but his epi- grams gained him He was elected to the Acad- and Belles-Lettres in 1700.


-11aJ-I I- 1 1. llOL-.^^I-AC

a portrait by Rigaud


a great reputation, erny of Inscriptions In 1710 he was accused of being the author of "Couplets infames", a libel of a mo.st licentious character. Having retorted that they had been written by Saurin, he was sentenced by the Parle- ment to pay four thousand livres damages to Saurin, and soon after sent to exile. He went first to Switzerland, where he was sheltered by the French ambassador, Ojunt de Luc, then to Vienna, to Prince Eugene's Cfjurt, and finally to Brussels. He tried several times to have the court's decision annulled, but failed because of the hostility of Voltaire and a few others. His works consist of: (1) a comedy


in prose, "Le caf(5" (1694), two operas, "Jason" (1696) and "V6nus et Adonis" (1697), and five comedies in verse, only two of which were produced on the stage, "Le flatteur" (1696) and "Le capri- cieux" (1700); (2) four books of odes, the first being an adaptation of the Psalms, two books of allegories and a score of cantatas; (3) his epigrams,the best part of his work, which will secure his fame; (4) his letters. His works were repeatedly reprinted from 1710 to 1820. His lyrics are not esteemed now, but he is still regarded as the greatest epigrammatist of the eighteenth century.

Brunetiere, Manuel de I'hixt. de la litl. francaise (Paris, 1899) ; Faguet, Revue des cours et conferences (Paris, 1899-1900).

Louis N. Delamarre.

Rovezzano, Benedetto da, sculptor and architect, b. in 1490, either at Rovezzano, near Florence, or, according to some authorities, at Canapalc, near Pistoia; d. at Flor- ence, 1530. His family name is said to have been Gra- tiniorGrazini. One of his most impor- tant works was the sculptures for the Church of St. John Gualbertus (1505); these sculptures were injured during the siege of Flor- ence, 1530. The mutilated frag- ments, five reliefs from the life of the saint, are in the Bar- gello. Benedetto executed many tombs, chiefly archi- tectural in design, with ornaments in sculpture. The monument of Odde Altoviti, Church of 8S. Apostoli, Florence, done in 1507, is by him ; the monument of Piero Soderini in the choir, church of the Carmine, Florence; and others. Leo X sent to Card. Wolsey twelve terra cotta medallions by Rovezzano and the sculptor him- self went to England in 1524. The cardinal engaged him upon a tomb for himself, but as he fell into dis- grace before its completion, it was finished by the king's order. Charles I wished to be buried in it, but the tomb remained empty until the death of Nelson. Rovezzano is bclic^ved to have acquired prosperity in I^ngland. He returned to Florencie in later life, an(l eiKlurcd long years of blindness before his death. Further works are the altar of St. Denis in the S. Trinita, Florence; two altars in the church of the Badia; door of Badia; door of SS. Apostoli; a St. John in marble in the Duomo; and in the Bargello, marble niches from the Palazzo Cepparcllo and a chimney piece.

Perkins, Tuncan Sculptors (London, 1886); Semper, Hervor- ragende Bildhauer, Architekten der Renaiasance (Dresden, 1880); Si.voer, Allgemcines Kilnsller Lexicon (Frankfort, 1901); Boo CARDO, Nuota Enciclopedia (Turin, 1888).

M. L. Handley.

Rowlands, Richard. See Verstegan, Richard.

Rowsham, Stephen, a native of Oxfordshire, en- tered Oriel {'olh'ge, Oxford, in 1572. He took orders in the Kiiglish Cliurch and was minister at the Univer- sity Church about 157S, but becoming convince(l of the truth of the Catholic religion he went to Reims (23 April, 15S1), wh<!re he was ordained priest, and sent on the Kngli.sh mission (30 April, 1582). Being recognized almost immediately on his landing, he was apprehended and sent to the Tower, 19 May, 1582,