Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 03.djvu/407

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DICHLAMYDEOUS 35S DICKINSON DICHLAMYDEOUS, a term in botany applied by De Candolle to distin^ish those dicotyledonous flowers possessed of both calyx and corolla from his Mono- chlamydese, in which not more than one floral envelope is present. DICHOGAMY, a provision in herma- phrodite flowers to prevent self-fertili- zation, the stamens and pistils within the same flower not being matured at the same time. DICHOTOMY, in lo^c, a distribution or separation of ideas by pairs; the di- vieion of a class into two sub-classes opposed to each other by contradiction. In botany, a term applied to that kind of branching by a constant furcation or division into two parts, as where the stem of a plant branches into two branchlets, each of which in its turn divides into others, and so on. Example, the mistle- toe. The veins of various ferns thus branch dichotomously. In astronomy, that phase of the moon whei'e it appears bisected or is only half illuminated, as at the quadratures. DICHROISM, the property by which a crystallized body assumes two or more colors, according to the direction by which light is transmitted through it. Examples, iolite, mica, muriate of pal- ladium, etc. Dichroism depends upon the absorption of some of the colored rays of the polarized light in its passage through the crystal, this absorption varying with the different relative positions of the planes of primitive polarization of these rays to the axis of double refraction of the crystals, so that the two pencils formed by double refraction are differ- ently colored. DICHROITE. See Cordierite. DICKENS, CHARLES, an English novelist; bom in Landport, Portsea, Feb. 7, 1812. Early in life the law was selected as his future profession, but the drudgery of an attorney's office worried him, and removing to London he became a reporter of Parliamentary debates for the "Morning Chronicle" newspaper. To this journal he presently contributed a series of papers sketching off the social characteristics of English middle and low class life. In 1836, under the title of "Tales and Sketches by Boz" the papers were published in two volumes. The production of the celebrated "Pickwick Papers," in the year following (1837), conclusively stamped him as an author of a peculiarly original cast of genius. A long and brilliant series of successes followed. His works include: "Sketches by Boz" (1835-1836) ; "Pickwick Papers" (1837); "Oliver Twist" (1838-1839); "Nicholas Nickleby" (1839); "Master Humphrey's Clock" (1840-1841), a weekly issue in periodical form, com- prising among others the installments of "Old Curiosity Shop" and "Barna- by Rudge"; "American Notes" (1842); "A Christmas Carol" (1843) ; "Mar- tin Chuzzlewit" (1844); "The Chimes" (1844); "The Cricket on the Hearth" (1845); "Pictures from Italy" (1846); "The Battle of Life" (1846) ; "Dom- bey and Son" (1848); "The Haunted Man" (1848); "David Copperfield" (1850); "Bleak House" (1853); "A Child's History of England" (1854); "Hard Times" (1854); "Little Dorrit" CHARLES DICKENS (1857) ; "A Tale of Two Cities" (1859) ; "Great Expectations" (1861) ; "Our Mu- tual Friend" (1865) ; "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" (1870), unfinished; and many short pieces and humorous essays, stories, and sketches. He died in Gad's Hill Place, near Rochester (England), June 9, 1870. DICKINSON, EMILY, an American poet; born in Amherst, Mass., Dec. 10, 1830. Living the life of a recluse, she wrote much verse in forms peculiar to herself. In 1892 a collection of her poems was issued which received warm praise from competent critics. In all, three volumes of her verse and prose have appeared. She died in Amherst, May 15, 1886. DICKINSON, GOLDS WORTHY LOWES, an English writer and scholar. He was educated at the Charterhouse School and at King's College, Cambridge, where he became a lecturer. He studied also at the London School of Economics