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DIXON. 99 parts, and certainly the most hopeful young nobleman in Ireland.” The attractive pleasures of the English court, and the friendships he had there contracted, were powerful motives for his return to London, where, shortly after his arrival, he was made master of the horse to the Duchess of York, and married the lady Frances, eldest daughter of the Earl of Burlington, and widow of Colonel Courtney. Mar riage having soberised him, he now occupied his mind with literary projects, and began to distinguish himself by his poetry, and about this time projected a design, in conjunction with his friend Dryden, for refining and fixing the standard of our language; but this was entirely defeated by the religious commotions, that were then increasing daily; at which time the earl formed a resolution to pass the remainder of his life at Rome, telling his friends “it would be best to s i t next t o the chimney when the cham ber smoked,” a sentence, o f which Dr. Johnson says, the application seems not very clear. His departure, however, was delayed b y the gout, and h e was s o impatient, either o f hindrance, o r o f pain, that h e submitted himself t o a French empyric, who i s said t o have repelled the disease into his bowels. At the moment i n which h e expired, h e uttered with a n energy o f voice, that expressed the most fervent devotion, two lines o f his own version o f “Dies Irae,” “My God, my Father, and my Friend, Do not forsake me i n my end.” He died o n the 17th o f January, 1684, and was interred with great pomp i n Westminster Abbey. JOHN DIXON, An eminent mezzotinto engraver, who flourished about the year 1770, was a native o f Ireland. He was origi nally a silver engraver i n Dublin, and studied a t the Dublin Academy; but despising this inferior department o f his art, h e suddenly surprised the world with his admirable