DICK, THOMAS, LL.D. 



DICTYS. 



HI 



or beast ; that the principle by means of which we act and perceive is 

 equally diffused throughout all living bodies, and cannot exist sepa- 

 rated from them ; and that there ii no existence except matter, which 

 U one and simple, the parts of which arc naturally so arranged that 

 it has life and perception. The greatest performance of Dictcarchus 

 was a treatise on the geography, politics, and manners of ' 

 which he called the ' Life of Greece ' (' E/UaSoj fllos). Of this a frag- 

 ment has como down to us, which U printed in Hudson's 'Geograpliici 

 M iuare,' and also edited by Marx in Creuzer's 'Meletemata e Discipl. 

 Antiquitatis,' p. iii. p. 174. It has been conjectured, with great 

 appearance of truth, that the citations from Dica>archus, in which his 

 treatises ' Ou Musical Contests,' ' On the Dionysian Contests,' &c., are 

 referred to, are drawn from thu comprehensive work, ami that the 

 grammarians have named them by the title of the subdivision to 

 which these subjects belonged, instead of the leading title of the book. 

 (See Nuke in tue ' Uhein. Mas.' for 1833, p. 47.) Dicoearchus's maps 

 were extant in the time of Cicero ('Kp. ad Att.,' vi. 2); but bis 

 geography was not much to bo depended upon. (Strabo, p. 104.) 

 Cicero was v t ry fond of the writings of Dictcarchus, and speaks of 

 him in terms of the warmest admiration. (' Ep. ad Att.,' ii. 2.) In the 

 extant fragment Dicsearcuue quotes Posidippus, and must therefore 

 have been alive in B.C. 289. We must distinguish him from a Lacedee- 

 monian grammarian of the tame name, who was a pupil of Aristarchua. 

 (See Suidas.) 



DICK, THOMAS, LL.D., was born in 1772. He was educated for 

 the Christian ministry in connection with the Secession Church of 

 Scotland, and wo believe held a pastoral charge in connection with 

 that body at Stirling iu the early part of his career, but it is as a 

 popular writer on physical science that be ii best known to the world. 

 The works by which he first became generally known weru the 

 Christian Philosopher,' and tlie 'Philosophy of lleligioo.' These 

 were followed by works on the 'Improvement of Society by the 

 Diffusion of Knowledge,' the 'Mental Illumination of Mankind,' ' The 

 Philosophy of a Future State,' a ' Treatise on the Solar System,' 

 'Celestial Scenery,' 'The Sidereal Heavens, 1 'The Practical Astro- 

 nomer,' and an essay on ' Christian Bene6ceuce, contrasted with 

 Covetouaness,' written in competition for the prize which was con- 

 ferred on Dr. Harris for his work, entitled ' Mammon : or Covetousne&a 

 the sin of the Christian Church.' Dr. Dick is a man of singularly 

 unobtrusive disposition, and has been content to labour perseveriugly 

 for the public instruction, although his immediate reward is but 

 small. His principal works have been reprinted at low prices, and 

 have had extensive circulation, yet the author has derived little 

 pecuniary benefit from them. A public subscription on his behalf as 

 an acknowledgment of the benefits be has conferred upon society was 

 projected a few years since by some of his admirers, but realised a 

 very small amount, the appeal having been more successful in America 

 than in the author's native country. Dr. Dick's works have been 

 reprinted and very exU-usively sold in the United States. Dr. Dick 

 resides in the small village of Doughty-Ferry, on the left bank of the 

 river Tay, in Forfarshire. Besides instructing the public by his pen, 

 Dr. Dick has been in the habit of accepting occasional appointments 

 to preach in neighbouring churches, and also to deliver popular 

 lectures on scientific subjects. A few years ago a small pension was 

 granted to him by thu government in acknowledgment of hu services 

 iu the advancement of popular rcie'nce. 



DICKENS, CIIAULES, was born in 1812 at Portsmouth, where 

 his fattier, Mr. John Dickens, who held a situation iu the Navy Pay 

 department, was at that time stationed. The duties of his situa- 

 tion led Mr. John Dickens to reside at various naval ports; and 

 a portion of his distinguished son's childhood was thus spent at 

 Chatham and perhaps early recollections as well as literary atso- 

 ciations may have had their influence in leading to his recent pur- 

 chase of a property at Oadshill in that neighbourhood (the veritable 

 'Gadsbill' of r'alstafTa adventures iu 'Henry IV.'), as his permanent 

 place of residence (IbiCI. Uetiring on a pension shortly after the 

 conclusion of the war in 1815, the father of the novelist became con- 

 nected as a reporter with the London press. Intending his ton for 

 tho profession of an attorney, he placed him in an attorney's office for 

 that purpose; and here Mr. Dickens acquired experience in life 

 which be has since turned to account. An early passion for literature 

 howewr a passion which be was in the habit of gratifying by 

 abundant reading, more especially in tbo workn of the English 

 novelists and dramatists rendered him unwilling to remain in the 

 destined profession; and his father's connections enabled him to 

 exchange it for that of a newspaper critic and reporter. His first 

 engagement was on the ' True Sun ; ' from which bo transferred bis 

 cnticm to the 'Morning Chronicle,' then almost the leading daily 

 newspaper in London. His abilities as a reporter and deacriber of 

 scene* of city-life soon raised him high in the staff of this journal ; 

 ami probably there could have been no better training for his peculiar 

 talents of observation, whether of scenes or of physiognomies and 

 characters, than his occupation as a reporter afforded him. 1 1 m >! >: 

 as a literary artist was made iu the columns of the ' Morning Chronicle,' 

 to the evening edition of which he contributed those ' Sketches of 

 Ufo and Character ' which were afterwards (1836) published coll< 

 iu two volumes under the title of ' Sketches by Ho*.' Almost simul- 

 taneously with tho '.Sketches' Mr. Dickens published 'The Village. 



Coquettes: a comic opera' (1836). The success of the 'Sketches' 

 was so great, and they showed the possession of such an original vein 

 of humorous narrative and description, that the late Mr. Hall, of 

 the firm of Chapman and Hall, London publishers, proposed to Mr. 

 Dickens to write a story, iu the tiaiuu vein, to bo brought out in 

 monthly parts. Mr. Hall, we believe, even suggested ns a suitable 

 plan for such a story, that of describing the meetings and adventures 

 of a club of originals. Acting on this hint, though ho soon dropped 

 the machinery of a club, or uiude it subordinate, Mr. Dickens pro- 

 duced his world-famous 'Pickwick Papers,' published iu 137. The 

 success was beyond all calculation; and Mr. Dickens, -who about 

 this time married tho daughter of Mr. George Hogarth, u music . 

 and critic of eminence at once took his place, at tho ago of t \ 

 five, as the most popular novelist of the day. ' U.iver '1 v. i-t,' a novel 

 in three volumes, was his next publication (1S3S) ; contemporaneous 

 with which were 'The Memoirs of Joseph Uriuialdi, edited by lioz,' 

 iu two volumes. Then, iu the same serial form as ' Pickwick,' came 

 ' The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nicklcby ' (183U) ; followed by 

 'Master Humphrey's Clock,' published in weekly numbers in 

 and 1841, and containing the stories since known separately as ' The 

 Old Curiosity Shop,' and ' Barnaby Uudge : a Tale of the liiota of 

 1780.' After the conclusion of this publication Mr. Dickens vUited 

 America, where he was received with enthusiasm. Hi* impressions 

 of America and the Americans he published on his return iu his 

 'American Notes for General Circulation ' (1M-)- In 1843 was written 

 his little Christmas book, entitled 'A Chn-ima< Carol' the i, 

 that Berks of beautiful Chn.-tmas stories with which he has from time 

 to tirnu varied his larger publications. 



In 1844 appeared, as a monthly serial, ' The Life and Adventures of 

 Martin Chuzzlewit ; ' and iu tho same year ho vi-ited Italy uud 

 resided there for some time. His second Christmas book, ' Tho 

 Chimes,' appeared in 1845. On January 1, 1346, Mr. Dickens pre- 

 sented himself in a new capacity, as the chief editor of ' Tho Daily 

 N e \v.- ,' then organised as a liberal morning newspaper, with a numerous 

 staff of select writers to support it by their united talents. Hero 

 appeared Mr. Dickeus's 'Pictures of Italy,' afterwards pul>l 

 collectively (1846). After some time however Mr. Dicken.-. re-i^m d 

 his editorship, and the organisation of the paper was changed. The. 

 some year, 1846, saw the pubiicatiou of his ' Battle of Late : a Love- 

 Story,' and 'The Cricket on the Hearth : a Fairy Tale for Christmas.' 

 His next venture was his ' Dealings with the Firm of Douibcy uud 

 Son,' commenced in the favourite form of a monthly serial in 1-iT, 

 and finished in 1848, in time to permit the publication of u Christmas 

 story for that year, called ' Tho Haunted Mail uud the Cihost's 

 Bargain.' Next came the ' History of David Coppertield ' iu numbers, 

 concluded in 1850. In this year Mr. Dickens started the v. 

 literary periodical, which ho has siuce conducted under tin; title of 

 ' Household Words,' and his own contributions to which during so 

 many years must of themselves amount to a considerable, body of lite- 

 rature. Here appeared his ' Child's History of England,' since ivpn!>- 

 lished in three volumes (1852-53), and the powerful story called ' ll.ird 

 Times,' since r published in one. volume (1854). In 1563 was con- 

 cluded another of his larger serial stories, ' Bleak House ; ' and while 

 we write (1856) his ' Little Dorrit' is in progress. 



Any commentary on the genius of a writer, whoso works are so 

 well known en those of Mr. Dickens is hero unnecessary. Wli 

 the English language is spoken or read his name is a ' household 

 word ; ' of many of his works there aro translations into tho chief 

 European languages ; and, though English literature should go on 

 increasing in bulk for centuries to come, his place in it is secure. We 

 may note however iu connection with hi* influence on tue history of 

 our literature, firtt, his great effects as the founder of a new stylo cf 

 English novel, differing from that of Richardson, from that ol i-Vidm,;, 

 from that of Scott, and from that of any other preceding writer, with 

 perhaps the exception, to a certain extent, of Do Foe ; iccomlly, hu 

 effects on the form of popular publications, as the first eminent practi- 

 tioner of the serial form of narrative. Mr. Dickens's voluminous:. 

 an author is also to be noted. Nor is it only as an author that ho im- 

 presses his contemporaries, lie is known as a umu taking a lively interest 

 in many social and philanthropic question*, and proving tho fame by 

 his public conduct, as well as by the zealous criticisms of social 

 wrongs and abuses with which his books abound, and which ho has 

 on many occasions enforced with great effect by his speeches ou 

 public occasions. 



U1CTY8, a Cretan who accompanied Idomencus to tbo siege of 

 Troy, and the reputed author of a history of the Trojan war, of which 

 a Latin prose translation U still extant. This work, according to the. 

 Introduction prefixed to the Latin translation, was discovered in the 

 reign of Nero, in a tomb near Qnossus, which was laid o]>eu by an 

 earthquake. It was written in 1'l.n m< iau characters, and tr.ii 

 into Greek by one Eutraxida*, or Praxis, at the command of 

 this translation has not come down to us; the Latin version which wo 

 possess is attributed to (juintus Septiniiu.", who lived in the 3rd. or 

 4th century A.D., and contains the first five books, with an abridgment 

 of tho remainder. The story related above does not seem worthy of 

 much credit, bnt there is little doubt that the work is very an 

 though its exact date is uncertain. Tho beet c.litiou is that l.y IVn- 

 zonius (1702, vo), to whoso preliminary dissertation tho reader is 



