Life and Times of the " Druid " (H. H. Dixon).
By the Hon. Francis Lawley. (Vinton and Co.)—It is indeed "time," as Mr. Lawley writes," that a life of perhaps the most pleasing sporting writer of the century should be written or attempted." The neglect with which he has been treated by the biographical dictionaries, and by the " Dictionary of National Biography" in particular, is incomprehensible. The writer of this notice, in response to the usual request made through the Athenmum, mentioned his name in good time to Mr. Leslie Stephen, specifying his claims to notice ; but did not even receive a reply. The "Dictionary" bestows, as inthe current volume, more than a column on cone obscure prize-fighter ; but the most genial and accom- plished of all writers of his class it deliberately neglected. Mr. Dixon was no common man. Educated at Rugby (under Dr. Arnold) and at Cambridge, he was called to the Bar. But sport was too fascinating, and he gave up his great abilities to the task of chronicling it. How thoroughly he did this, how great the literary skill with which he treated his subjects, how interesting he contrived to make them even to the non- sporting reader, can only be realised by reading his books. The charm which they have is quite extraordinary, while the know- ledge with which they are informed is nothing less than amazing. We are glad to see that a new edition of them is published uniform with the volume which we are now noticing. Personally, Mr. Dixon was all that is estimable. There was nothing fast or " horsey " about him. He was a worthy head of a family and a devout Christian. Unfortunately, hard work and exposure broke down his health ; he died in his forty-ninth year. We thank Mr. Lawley for a sympathetic memoir of a good man. The works published in a new edition are, " Silk and Scarlet," " Post and Paddock," " Saddle and Sirloin," and " Scott and Sebright." The wealth of knowledge in any one of them would set up the ordinary sporting writer for life.
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