BIOGRAPHY 



427 



the armies of the Dutch and Bavarians. In 1629. he 

 settled in Holland, in which country he devoted him- 

 self to his favorite studies of the natural and exact 

 sciences. In 1637, he produced his celebrated discourse 

 on the "Method of Reasoning, and of Investigating 

 Scientific Truth "; and. in 1641. he published his "Medi- 

 tationes de Prima Philosophia," a work of the grandest 

 metaphysical research and speculation, indoctrinating 

 a new system of philosophy named after its author, 

 "Cartesianism." In 1644, appeared his theory of the 

 world as expounded in the "Principia Philosophia'." 

 In 1647, the French Government gave him a pension 

 of 3,000 livres. About 1648, he proceeded to Sweden 

 upon the invitation of Queen Christina, and died there 



are afterwards. 



Desmoulins (da'-moo-lang), Benedict Carntlle, born 

 in 17t)J; .studied with the notorious Robespierre, and 

 was a man of great talent. In 1789, he was much ad- 

 mired as an orator, and harangued on all occasions in 

 favor of liberty; but his companions eventually sent 

 him to the scaffold. He perished by the guillotine in . 

 April. 1794. 



De Soto, Hernando (da-o'-to), a Spanish explorer; 1 

 born about 1500, followed the path of Cortez and Pizarro, 

 under the latter of whom he served in Peru. In ! 



inducted an expedition from Florida, which resulted 

 in the discovery of the Mississippi. Died in Louisiana 

 in 1. _'. 



D \ ere, Aubrey Thomas, born in 1814;. poet and 

 political writer of Irish nationality, first published, in 

 1842, "The Waldenses." In 1872, he produced the 

 "Legends of St. Patrick"; in 1879, "Legends of the 

 Saxon Saints," and in 1882, "The Foray of Queen 

 Meade, and Other Legends of Ireland's Heroic Age," 

 etc. 



Dewar, Sir James, F. R. S., Fullerian professor of 

 chemistry, Royal Institution, London; was born in 

 Kincardine, September 20, 1842; educated at Dollar 

 Academy and Edinburgh University; M. A. and Hon. 

 1. 1.. D., Glasgow, St. Andrews, Aberdeen, and Edin- 

 burph; I). Sc. f Oxford, Victoria, and Dublin. With 

 ; rederick Abel he invented cordite, and he has dis- 

 tinguished himself by his researches into the properties 

 of matter at low temperatures, and into the nature 

 and properties of atmospheric air. He was the first to 

 liquefy and solidify hydrogen. Received French Acad- 

 emy's Lavoisier gold medal, in 1894, and Matteucci 

 medal of Italian Society of Science in 1906; elected 

 foreign member of National Academy of Sciences, Wash- 

 :i. in 1907, and corresponding member of Academy 

 of Sciences in 1907. Knighted, June 24, 1904. 



Deue\. (.eorue, admiral in United States Navy; 

 born in Montpelier, Vt.. December 26. 1837; appointed 

 to Naval Academy. September 23, 1854; graduated in 

 1858, as passed midshipman; LL. D., University of 

 Pennsylvania, Princeton t'niversity. 1898. Attached to 

 steam frigate "W abash," Mediterranean squadron, until 

 1861; then to steam sloop "Mississippi" of West Gulf 

 squadron; commissioned lieutenant. April 19, 1861: 

 .irragut's squadron which forced the passage of 

 St. Philip and Fort Jackson. April. 1862, and par- 

 tted in the attack on Fort St. Philip and the sub- 

 sequent fights with gunboats and ironclads, which gave 

 Farragut possession of New Orleans. In the smoke of 

 the battle of Port Hudson, the "Mississippi'* lost her 

 bearings and ran ashore under the guns of the land 

 batteries, and the officers and men took to the boats 

 after setting the vessel on fire. Was afterward on sev- 

 eral vessels in North Atlantic blockading squadron, 

 then in l.uropean squadron, and later on various duties 

 and at different stations, being promoted to commander. 

 April. 1872; cnj.t.i.;. r. 1884; commodore. 



lary 9. 1896. In January. 1898. assumed command 

 of Asiatic squadron. On May 1, 1898. in Manila 

 he commanded in the greatest naval battle since Trafal- 

 gar, completely annihilating the Spanish Asiatic squad- 

 inder Admiral Moiitojo. d<-tr.i\iin' eleven and 

 .mi' all other vessels and all the land batteries, 

 MI the loss of a man on the American side. I 

 diately upon receipt of official new- ,- WM 



promoted to rear admiral, and thanked by resolution of 

 Congress; member of United States Philippine Commis- 

 sion. 1 Vi'.i. promoted to admiral, March 2, 1800. 

 De Win. John. i "itch Htatesman: was 

 1026. at Dort. in Holland. A work, entitled the 

 ments of Cur\ 



of 23. WM greatly admired. In 1660. he WM chosen 

 of Dort. and subsequently attained the 

 ity of pensionary of Boll 

 , perpetual edict for abolishing the office of 

 , and was ; inked for his patriotic 



At a later period. Holland 

 the French, popular rage WM unjustly directed against 



him. and he. with his brother, Cornelius, were 

 nated. with circumstances of great cruelty, by the popu- 

 lace, in Io7_'. 



Dickens, Charles, was born in 1812, in Landport. 

 Portsmouth, where his father held a small appointment 

 in the navy pay-office; but when this position WM lost 

 the family came to London and Dickens's youth WM 

 spent in constant penury and want. For some time he 

 was employed in a blacking factory, but at 12 years of 

 age he WM again sent to school, and after three years' 

 tuition he entered an attorney's office. Then he became 

 a shorthand writer, and at 19 obtained the position of 

 parliamentary reporter. During the years 1831 to 1836 

 he represented various papers latterly the "Morning 

 Chronicle" and in 1836 his "Sketches by Bos" were 

 published in a collected form. A publishing firm wish- 

 ing to produce an illustrated periodical. Dickens under- 

 took the letterpress, and produced the " Pickwick Papers." 

 At the same time he was writing "Oliver Twist. In 

 1 M_'. he visited America, and wrote on his return the 

 "American Notes." In 1843 he began to publish "Mar- 

 tin Chuzzlewit," which at first fell rather flat. and. in 

 order to economize, Dickens went to live at Genoa. 

 When the "Daily News" WM started Dickens WM ap- 

 pointed editor, but he retired very soon, and busied 

 himself in further novel-writing ' Dombey and Son." 

 "David Copperfield." "Bleak House." and "Little 

 Don-it." all being produced between 1846 and 1855. 

 In 1850 he started the periodical "Household Words." 

 afterwards changed to "All the Year Round." In 1858. 

 he separated from his wife. In this year he first ap- 

 peared as a public reader of his own works, and from 

 1866 to 1870. he was almost continuously employed in 

 this task, his success being unexampled. In 1867. he 

 made a lecturing tour in America, where he was received 

 with great enthusiasm, despite his unpalatable "Amer- 

 ican Notes." The strain proved too great for his con- 

 stitution, and he died (1870), suddenly at his house at 

 Cladshill. leaving his last novel. "Edwin Drood." incom- 

 plete. 



Dielman, Frederick, artist; born in Hanover. Ger- 

 many, December 25. 1847; came to United States in 

 childhood; graduate of Cal vert College; was topographer 

 and draughtsman in United States' engineering depart- 

 ment. 1866-72; studied art under Dies at Royal Acad- 

 emy, Munich; opened studio in New York. 1876; Na- 

 tional Academician since 1883; president National 

 Academy of Design since 1899; member Art Commis- 

 sion. New York, 1901-03; etc. Illustrator and figure 

 painter; designer of mosaic panels "Law" and "His- 

 tory " in new Congressional Library, and of large mosaic. 

 "Thrift," Albany Savings Bank, and the decorations 

 in new building of the Washington "Evening Star"; 

 professor descnptiye geometry and drawing, college. 

 city of New York, since 1903. 



Dill. James Brooks, lawyer, capitalist; born in 

 Spencerport. N. V.. July -J5. 1854; graduateof Yni 

 New York fn,x,.rsitv Law School. 1878; adm 

 bar. 1S78; Phil 



Author: "Business _ . 



tions," "Banking and Trust Company Laws of New 



.Iet>e\ ." 



Dillon. John. M. I'., born in 1851: was edu 

 the r.-itholi.- i of Dublin. He assisted Parnell 



and Michael Da\itt m founding the Land League in 

 and m I^sn. \v.,^ ejected member of narhament 

 for Count\ lii>perary (a position hi- u Blake 



Dillon, had previous held). he WM 



arrested, but in a few months wan liberated on th< 

 of ill-health, and for , time withdrew from the jx.liticnl 

 arena, not sympathi ting with 1 tude towards 



the land act. In 1885 he again took hie seat in parlia- 

 ment M member for Ea*t Mayo, and m 1880. in oonse- 

 BJMSJM of h,s rapportini the Plan at Can peJgn, WM 

 and bound over to keep the 



a* t'ndci i o,,i BeJfci un i dmlB timtton i^',. 



look one of the ,,,,,-, pffWn :;. II OPPOgIMM 



to the government .-,- a l,-ad,-i ol the I- ,-h p.utv. and 

 twC MBViOWd un-i.-. E Us* sjfa MS* kfigl 



:, MS*) sad HUM 



Dunns his absence Parnell's 

 by the larger section of the 



Specialty, corporation law. 

 Dill on Corpora- 



endui 



Australia to coll< 



be WM again, w 



art. but escaped from Ireland in 



America to collect funds 



gSnUD i 



I,,-!, J..MN 



heal the breach 

 less, be returned to 



ied unu 

 irin America. 

 Dioircnes (<fi-6i*-ww) a nti ilosjonher of the school 



of Athens. hTmade'himietf notorious by his abnegation 



| , ,- , , -,, , .d. fcVOi BO 



! <.,.:,- , ROted tr-i 



