DICKENSON, JOHN (fl. 1594), romance-writer, was the author of:
- ‘Arisbas, Euphues amidst his Slumbers, or Cupids Journey to Hell,’ &c., 1594, 4to, dedicated ‘To the right worshipfull Maister Edward Dyer, Esquire.’
- ‘Greene in Conceipt. New raised from his graue to Write the Tragique Historie of Faire Valeria of London,’ &c., 1598, 4to, with a woodcut on the title-page representing Robert Greene in his shroud, writing at a table.
- ‘The Shepheardes Complaint; a passionate Eclogue, written in English Hexameters: Wherevnto are annexed other Conceits,’ &c., n. d. (circ. 1594), 4to, of which only one copy (preserved at Lamport Hall) is extant.
Dickenson was a pupil in the school of Lyly and Greene. He had a light hand for verse (though little can be said in favour of his ‘passionate Eclogue’) and introduced some graceful lyrics into his romances. Three short poems from ‘The Shepheardes Complaint’ are included in ‘England's Helicon,’ 1600.
There was also a John Dickenson who resided in the Low Countries and published:
- ‘Deorum Consessus, siue Apollinis ac Mineruæ querela,’ &c., 1591, 8vo, of which there is a unique copy in the Bodleian Library.
- ‘Specvlum Tragicvm, Regvm, Principvm & Magnatvm superioris sæculi celebriorum ruinas exitusque calamitosos breviter complectens,’ &c., Delft, 1601, 8vo, reprinted in 1602, 1603, and 1605.
- ‘Miscellanea ex Historiis Anglicanis concinnata,’ &c., Leyden, 1606, 4to.
It is not clear whether this writer, whose latinity (both in verse and prose) has the charm of ease and elegance, is to be identified with the author of the romances. Dr. Grosart has included the romances among his ‘Occasional Issues.’
[Grosart's Introduction to Dickenson's Works; Collier's Bibl. Cat. i. 219–20; England's Helicon, ed. Bullen, p. xviii.]
DICKIE, GEORGE, M.D. (1812–1882), botanist, born at Aberdeen 23 Nov. 1812, was educated at Marischal College in that city, where he graduated A.M. in 1830, and prosecuted the study of medicine in the universities of Aberdeen and Edinburgh. From 1839 he lectured on botany for ten years in King's College, Aberdeen, and in that university for shorter periods on natural history and materia medica. In 1849 he was appointed professor of natural history in Belfast, where he taught botany, geology, physical geography, and zoology. From this he was transferred in 1860 to the chair of botany at Aberdeen, which he held until 1877, when failing health caused his retirement.
He was a fellow of the Royal and Linnean Societies, and was a constant contributor to many scientific journals, as may be seen by reference to the list given in the Royal Society's ‘Catalogue of Scientific Papers.’ His separate works are:
- ‘Flora of Aberdeen,’ in 1838.
- ‘Botanist's Guide to the Counties of Aberdeen, Banff, and Kincardine,’ in 1860.
- ‘Flora of Ulster,’ in 1864.
In conjunction with Dr. m'Cosh he wrote ‘Typical Forms and Special Ends in Creation,’ 1856; he also supplied much information to Macgillivray's ‘Natural History of Deeside and Braemar,’ 1855, and certain arctic narratives. His earlier articles deal with vegetable morphology and physiology, but from 1844 onwards his attention was increasingly devoted to algæ, and during his later years this group entirely engrossed his attention. His knowledge of marine algæ was very extensive, and collections which were received at Kew were regularly sent to him for determination and description. In 1861 a severe illness withdrew him from active fieldwork, while bronchial troubles and increasing deafness made him an invalid during his later years. He died at Aberdeen on 15 July 1882.
[Proc. Linn. Soc. 1882–3, p. 40; Cat. Scientific Papers, ii. 283, vii. 531.
DICKINSON, CHARLES (1792–1842), bishop of Meath, was born in Cork in August 1792, being the son (the youngest but one of sixteen children) of a respectable citizen, whose father, an English gentleman from Cumberland, had in early life settled in that city. His mother, whose maiden name was Austen, was of an old family in the same part of Ireland. He was a precocious child, and his readiness at arithmetical calculation when only five or six years old was surprising. He entered Trinity College, Dublin, in 1810, under the tutorship of the Rev. Dr. Mere-
