44 



DENNER DENON. 



ter, was born at Hamburg in 1685, and died at Ros- 

 tock in 1749. He was especially dbtiagvhhed lor 

 the remarkable exactness of his execution, or rather 

 the almost microscopic accuracy of his paintings. 

 He learned to draw at Altona, and to paint in oil at 

 Dantzic, and afterwards travelled. All the northern 

 princes invited him to their courts to paint their 

 portraits. The emperor Charles VI. paid him 4700 

 florins for the head of an aged woman. It is now in 

 the imperial gallery at Vienna. Denner likewise 

 painted ihe head of an old man for the same prince, 

 a pendant of Uie former, which is also a masterpiece. 

 There are some beautiful portraits painted by him in 

 Muenicli. 



DENNER, JOHN CHRISTIAN, invented the clarinet. 

 He was born at Leipsic in 1655, and went to Nu- 

 rembeg with Ids parents in his eighth year, where 

 he was employed in making wind instruments, 

 especially flutes. He died in 1707. 



DENNEWITZ ; a small town in the march of 

 Brandenburg, famous for the battle between the 

 French and Prussians, September 6, 1813, the former 

 commanded by Ney (under whom were Oudinot, 

 Bertrand, Regnier, and Arrighi), the latter by Tau- 

 enzien and Buelow. 40,000 Prussians maintained 

 their ground for several hours against 80,000 French ; 

 and, on the arrival of the Russian and Swedish bat- 

 talions, victory declared hi favour of the allies, who, 

 after the Russians and Swedes came up, were far 

 superior hi numbers. The French were defeated, 

 and fled in disorder, with their auxiliaries, consisting 

 of Bavarians, Wurtembergians, Saxons, and Poles. 

 This battle was a consequence of the battle at Gros- 

 beeren (q. v.). 



DENNIE, JOSEPH, an American writer, was born 

 in Boston, August, 30, 1768. He early evinced a 

 decided fondness 'for polite literature, and entered 

 Harvard college in 1787. He left this institution in 

 1790, and entered the office of a lawyer at Charles- 

 ton, N. H. At the expiration of three years, he 

 made a successful debut at the bar. From Charles- 

 ton he soon removed to Walpole, where he opened an 

 office, but gained very little business, owing to his 

 literary taste and irregular habits. For four months, 

 he officiated as reader of prayers for an Episcopalian 

 congregation at Claremont. In the spring of 1795, 

 he endeavoured to establish, at Boston, a weekly 

 paper under the title of The Tablet. This, however, 

 survived but a short time. Not long after, he re- 

 turned to Walpole, to act as editor of the Fanner's 

 Museum, a journal in which he published a series of 

 essays, with the signature of The Lay Preacher. In 

 1799, he went to Philadelphia, in consequence of be- 

 ing appointed a clerk in the office of the secretary of 

 state. On the dismissal of his patron, Mr Pickering, 

 he left the department, and engaged in the conduct 

 of a literary journal, the Port Folio, for which his 

 name and talents acquired considerable patronage 

 and celebrity. His reputation, his colloquial powers, 

 and amiable disposition, attracted to him a large 

 number of literary disciples and coadjutors. With 

 industry and discretion, he might have gained inde- 

 pendence and permanent happiness ; but he was de- 

 ficient in both qualities, and gradually destroyed, by 

 his imprudence, his bodily constitution, as well as all 

 hopes of fortune. January, 7, 1812, he died a 

 victim to anxiety and complicated disease. Mr 

 Dennie possessed a delicate taste, & beautiful style, 

 a ready pen, a rich fund of elegant literature, 

 an excellent heart, and a captivating countenance 

 and manner, and, with a proper exercise of industry 

 and judgment, might have acquired a lasting repu- 

 tation. 



DENNIS, JOHN ; an English dramatist and critic. 

 He was the son of a citizen of London, where he was 



torn in 1657. Having completed his studies at 

 Cambridge, he made the tour of France and Italy, 

 and, on his return, devoted himself to literary oc- 

 cupations, living upon his fortune, which liad been 

 left him by an uncle. In 1697, he produced a 

 comedy, entitled Plot and no Plot, which was follow- 

 ed by several dramatic pieces and poems of little 

 value. He also became a political writer for the 

 whig party. The irritability of his disposition, 

 heightened probably, by the unprosperous state of 

 his finances, involved him in perpetual broils, and 

 made him a sort of standing jest with the wits of his 

 time. Having written a tragedy entitled Liberty 

 Asserted, which became popular during the war with 

 LouisXIV., in consequence of the abuse of the French 

 with which it abounded, Dennis thought that mon- 

 arch would never forgive the insult : when, there- 

 fore, the treaty of Utrecht was about to be conclud- 

 ed, he entreated the duke of Marlborough to save 

 him from being delivered up to the French govern- 

 ment, as a state criminal. The duke told him tliat 

 he thought he might make himself easy ; for though 

 he had, he conceived, done as much harm to the 

 French as Mr Dennis, he had not thought it neces- 

 sary to seek for personal indemnity. When his 

 Appius and Virginia was performed, he introduced 

 a new method of imitating thunder, said to be still 

 used at the theatre. The tragedy was soon set 

 aside ; but some time after, Dennis, being present 

 at the representation of Macbeth, perceived that his 

 new invention had been adopted ; on which he ex- 

 claimed, " S'death! how these rascals use me ; they 

 will not let my play run, yet they steal my thunder." 

 He wrote some severe strictures on Addison's Cato 

 and Pope's Rape of the Lock. Pope, in return, gave 

 liim a place in the Dunciad, and, in conjunction with 

 Swift, produced a sarcastic tract, entitled A Narra- 

 tive of the deplorable Frenzy of Mr John Dennis. 

 After he had dissipated his fortune, the duke of 

 Marlborough procured him the place of land waiter 

 at the custom-house. This he disposed of, reserv- 

 ing only a temporary annuity ; and in his old age, 

 his necessities were relieved by a benefit at the Hay- 

 market theatre, to which his former antagonist, Pope, 

 contributed a prologue. He died soon after, Janu 

 ary 6, 1734. 



DENNY, the name of a town and parish in Stir- 

 lingshire. The town is situated on the south bank 

 of the Carron, about eighteen miles from Glasgow, 

 and is a thriving place, from its proximity to several 

 paper mills, printfields, and other public works. It 

 also derives considerable trade from its vicinity to 

 the Forth and Clyde Canal, which intersects the par- 

 ish, and affords a ready conveyance for the freestone 

 and coal abounding hi the neighbourhood. The 

 parish is four miles long, and about two and a half 

 broad : well cultivated and fertile. Population in 

 1831, 3843. 



DENON, DOMINIQUE VIVANT, BARON DE, a dis- 

 tinguished French artist, was born Feb. 4, 1747, at 

 Chalons-sur-Saone, of a noble family. He was des- 

 tined to study law at Paris, where he was favoura- 

 bly received in society ; and his talent and inclina- 

 tion led him to devote himself to the arts. A comedy 

 which he wrote, called the Good Father, gained him 

 the favour of the ladies. His amiable manners made 

 him a favourite of Louis XV., who appointed him 

 gentilhomme ordinaire about his person. He was 

 afterwards attached to an embassy at St Petersburg, 

 where Catharine, however, observed him with a 

 jealous eye. Subsequently he was intrusted with a 

 diplomatic mission to Switzerland. On this occasion, 

 he drew Voltaire's likeness (engraved by St Aubin), 

 and the well known picture Le DejeAner de Ferney. 

 He then occupied, during seven years, a place in tiw 



