The Life of Samuel Johnson - James Boswell [753]
Dempster, Miss, George Dempster’s sister: 654, 920
Dennis, John (1657–1734), literary critic; author of Britannia triumphans (1704); achieved modest success as a playwright; early critic of Dryden; critical works included An Essay on the Genius and Writings of Shakespear (1712), The Stage Defended (1726), The Grounds of Criticism in Poetry (1704) and Remarks upon Cato (1713); ridiculed by Pope in The Dunciad (1728) and An Essay on Criticism (1711): 539, 782n.a
Derrick, Samuel (1724–69), author; translated de Bergerac into A Voyage to the Moon (1753); ambivalent acquaintance with S.J. and J.B., the latter describing him as this ‘little blackguard pimping dog’; master of ceremonies at Bath and Tunbridge Wells (1763), a role for which mocked by Smollett as a ‘puny monarch’inHumphry Clinker ($$): $$ 4, 205, 209, 239,240, 724,870, 889 n. a
Desmoulins, Mr, husband of the following, a writing master: 644 n. a, 722, 843
Desmoulins, Mrs (b. 1716): 644, 685, 692, 720, 725, 814, 859, 879, 891, 904, 941 n. b, 998
Desmoulins, John (fl. 1784), son of the preceding: 990
Devaynes, John, George III’s apothecary: 914
Devonshire, Georgiana Spencer, Duchess of (1757–1806), wife of the 5th Duke, political hostess; fashion trend-setter; friends included Richard Brinsley Sheridan, who satirized the Devonshire circle in The School for Scandal; friend of the young Prince of Wales, afterwards George IV; ruined by involvement in publicity for Charles James Fox’s election campaign; forced into exile after affair with Charles Grey (1791): 726, 961
Diamond, Mr, apothecary: 133
Dick, Sir Alexander (1703–85), physician; fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (1727); president of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (1756–63); fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (1783); correspondent of J.B. and S.J.; J.B. apparently wished to marry his daughter: 574, 575, 590, 875, 906, 907
Dilly, Charles (1739–1807), bookseller brother of Edward; specialist in ‘dissenting’ and ‘American’ literature; practically adopted J.B., who claimed was made to feel ‘like blood relation’; book shop was a ‘kind of Coffee house for authors’ (Benjamin Rush); S.J. his frequent guest; approached to serve as Alderman and sheriff of London: 141, 393, 395, 397, 443, 492, 522, 553, 554, 555, 714, 716, 736, 828, 833, 836, 837, 904
Dilly, Edward (1732–79), bookseller brother of Charles; had a commercial interest in the Public Advertiser and the London Magazine; loyal supporter of John Wilkes; fiercely pro-American; friends included S.J. and Benjamin Franklin; ran book shop at the sign of the Rose and Crown at 22 Poultry, near Mansion House: 393, 443, 522, 553, 554, 555, 579, 580, 589, 677, 678,679, 714,716, 717,734, 737, 819, 822, 829, 837, 904,917, 945
Dilly, John, or ‘Squire’ (1731–1806), brother of the preceding: 828, 830
Diogenes Laertius (c.ad 200–250), philosophical writer and biographer: 769
‘Dives’: 347
Dixie, or Dixey, Sir Wolstan (c.1701–67), patron of Market Bosworth School: 50n. c
Dodd, Dr William (1729–77), Church of England clergyman and forger; compiled The Beauties of Shakespeare (1752); almost solely responsible for the Christian Magazine (1760–67); author of a Commentary of the Bible (1764); delivered the Lady Moyer lectures at St Paul’s Cathedral from 1754; forged bill worth £4, 200 in name of Earl of Chesterfield and received the death penalty; S.J. agreed to help in campaign for pardon: 16, 585, 586, 589, 590, 593, 597, 598, 599, 600, 601, 602, 605, 612, 613, 658, 669, 675, 878
Dodington, George Bubb, Baron Melcombe (1691–1762), politician: 796 n. a
Dodsley, James (1724–97), bookseller; younger brother of Robert; ran shop at the sign of Tully’s Head in Pall Mall; sold new titles by Goldsmith, Sterne, Walpole and Graves; most popular publication was Burke’s Reflections; did not possess the energy or talent of his brother: 104, in, 503
Dodsley, Robert (1703–64), bookseller and writer; friend and correspondent of Pope; opened shop at Tully’s Head (1735);