DIXON

dixon, henry hall (1822-1870), english sporting writer over the _nom de plume_ "the druid," was born at warwick bridge, cumberland, on the 16th of may 1822, and was educated at rugby and at trinity college, cambridge, where he graduated in 1846. he took up the profession of the law, but, though called to the bar in 1853, soon returned to sporting journalism, in which he had already made a name for himself, and began to write regularly for the _sporting magazine_, in the pages of which appeared three of his novels, _post and paddock_ (1856), _silk and scarlet_ (1859), and _scott and sebright_ (1862). he also published a legal compendium entitled _the law of the farm_ (1858), which ran through several editions. his other more important works were _field and fern_ (1865), giving an account of the herds and flocks of scotland, and _saddle and sirloin_ (1870), treating in the same manner those of england. he died at kensington on the 16th of march 1870. see hon. francis lawley, _life and times of "the druid"_ (london, 1895).