Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 14.djvu/227

 to English philology, issuing in 1806 a learned prolepsis of a new English dictionary, and a very laborious specimen of the dictionary itself. Its execution is not without merit, but the design was on too great a scale for Dawson to hope to complete it, and the public did not encourage the attempt. As a parochial clergyman Dawson showed exemplary diligence. His memory is preserved at Burgh in the name of a sheltered pathway, near the rectory, known as ‘the doctor's walk.’ He died at Burgh on 15 June 1814, aged 85, and was buried in his chancel on 21 June. The entry of burial, by F. Clarke, his curate, describes him as ‘eruditus, pius, dilectus, defletus.’ His wife, Mary, died on 22 June 1803, aged 80. A ground slab in the chancel has inscriptions to their memories.

Dawson issued at least eighteen publications, of which the following are the chief: 1. ‘Some Assistance offered to Parents with respect to the Religious Education of their Children,’ 1759, 4to. 2. ‘An Illustration of several Texts of Scripture, particularly those in which the Logos occurs,’ &c., 1765, 8vo (substance of Lady Moyer's lecture, 1764–1765). 3. Seven separate pamphlets, 1766–1769, all 8vo, in defence of the ‘Confessional,’ against Rutherforth, J. Rotheram, Ridley, Balguy, &c. 4. Three separate pamphlets, 1771–3, all 8vo, in support of the Feathers' petition, the most notable being ‘Free Thoughts on the subject of a farther Reformation of the Church of England,’ 1771, 8vo. 5. ‘The Necessitarian, or the Question concerning Liberty and Necessity stated, in XIX Letters,’ 1783, 8vo. 6. Three separate sermons, Ipswich, 1780–95, all 4to. 7. ‘Prolepsis Philologiæ Anglicanæ,’ &c., Ipswich, 1806, large 4to. 8. ‘Philologia Anglicana; or a Philological and Synonymical Dictionary of the English Language,’ &c., Ipswich, 1806, pt. i. large 4to (all published; includes A– Adornment). The British Museum Catalogue ascribes to him a pamphlet against necessity which belongs to John Dawson (1734–1820) [q. v.]

[Monthly Repos. 1810, pp. 324, 474, 1814, pp. 264, 506; Rutt's Memoirs of Priestley, 1831–1832, i. 140, 167, 174, ii. 209; Pickford's Brief Hist. of Congleton Unit. Chapel, 1883, p. 8; Yates's Manuscript Account of Students on Dr. Williams's Foundation, in Dr. Williams's library; extracts from records of Presbyterian Board, per W. D. Jeremy; information from the Rev. A. Maude, rector of Burgh.]  DAWSON or DAVISON, EDWARD (1576?–1624?), jesuit, the only son of respectable parents, ‘connected with Sir Anthony Staunden,’ was born in London in 1576 or 1578 (, Jesuit Collections, p. 80). He completed his studies in Spain, and after being ordained priest was sent to the English mission. He was soon apprehended and lodged in gaol, where he remained till 1606, when he was sentenced to perpetual exile, with forty-five other priests (, Records, vi. 522). He entered the Society of Jesus at Louvain in 1606 or 1609 (ib. vol. vii. pt. i. p. 196). Having been sent back to England on the mission, he laboured for some time in London and in Lincolnshire. Recalled by his superiors to Ghent, he obtained permission to devote himself to the spiritual care of the English and Irish soldiers who were suffering from the plague in the Low Countries. He soon caught the contagion, and expired at Brussels on 22 Dec. 1622, according to the necrology of the province, but the year is incorrect (, Hist. Missionis Anglicanæ Soc. Jesu, p. 449). He more probably died in 1624. Dodd states that he died at St. Omer about 1623 (Church Hist. ii. 393). Southwell says he was ‘ob opinionem doctrinæ, concionandi facultatem, et morum comitatem, illustribus viris peracceptus’ (Bibl. Script. Soc. Jesu, p. 185).

He published: 1. ‘A Practical Method of Meditation,’ St. Omer, 1614, 12mo. 2. ‘Lives of many Saints,’ Douay, 1615, folio, translated from the Spanish of Father Peter Ribadeneira (, Bibl. des Ecrivains de la Compagnie de Jésus, ed. 1869, i. 1535).

[Authorities cited above.]  DAWSON, GEORGE (1637–1700), jurist, was educated at St. John's College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. in 1658–9, M.A. in 1662, and was presented by his college to the vicarage of Sunninghill, Berkshire, where he died in 1700, aged 63.

He wrote: ‘Origo Legum; or a Treatise of the Origin of Laws, and their obliging power; as also of their great variety; and why some laws are immutable, and some not; but may suffer change, or cease to be, or be suspended, or abrogated. In seven books,’ London, 1694, folio. Dedicated to King William and Queen Mary.

[Ashmole's Berkshire (1723), ii. 446; Addit. MS. 5867, f. 8 b; Cantabr. Grad. (1787), p. 112; Lowndes's Bibl. Man. (Bohn), p. 604; information from the Rev. H. R. Luard, D.D.]  DAWSON, GEORGE (1821–1876), preacher, lecturer, and politician, was born 24 Feb. 1821, at 36 Hunter Street, Brunswick Square, London, where his father Jonathan had established and conducted a high-class academy from 1809 to 1852. The example and training of his father and the school, and some