John Ormsby

“ He may be said to have been the first to make Velazquez known to English readers, for in Madrid alone Velazquez is to be seen, as he says, 'in all his protean variety of power.' His article upon Velazquez in the 'Penny Cyclopædia' was followed by one in the 'Quarterly Review' (No. clxv.) upon the predecessors of Velazquez and Murillo, and the history of the various schools of painting in Spain; and these, with the masterly article in No. cliv. upon the history of Spanish architecture, make up a treatise on Spanish art no less remarkable for its learning than for its lucidity and brilliancy. ”

“ It does not profess to be anything more than a mere outline sketch of the literary history of Spain, but, though not of unimpeachable accuracy any more than the authorities on which it relies, it is in the main correct, and is, moreover, written in a pleasant, lively style. It was translated, with additions, into French in 1810, under the title ‘Essai sur la Littérature Espagnole.’ During the next few years Dillon produced several works: ‘A Political Survey of the Sacred Roman Empire,’ dealing with the constitution and structure of the empire rather than with its history ”

“ B. "Come, come, you show ill-breeding, sir, I ween; 'T is like an ass your master thus to scorn." R. He is an ass, will die an ass, an ass was born; Why, he's in love; what's what's plainer to be seen?" ”

“ With all his enthusiasm for liberty, however, he was not disposed to extend it to the negroes in the West Indies. ‘God forbid,’ he says, ‘I should be an advocate for slavery as a system;’ but in their particular case he regarded it as a necessary evil, and believed that upon the whole they were far better off as slaves than they would be if set free. ”

“ The year before his death he had been nominated as one of the committee to decide upon a site for the National Gallery, but resigned on account of his health. He was three times married: first, in 1824, to a daughter of the Earl of Essex ”