Sir James (1511-1582), an eminent English lawyer, who was at one time speaker of the House of Commons, and was afterwards chief judge of the court of common pleas in the reign of Elizabeth. He published a large collection of Reports, and several law tracts, which have been eulogized both by Coke and Camden.

Dyer, John, an English poet, the son of Robert Dyer, a Welsh solicitor of great ability, was born in 1700. He received his education at Westminster school under the care of Dr Freind, and was then called home to be instructed in his father's profession. His genius, however, soon led him to abandon the study of law; for besides his early taste for poetry, he had a passion no less strong for the arts of design, and determined to make painting his profession. With this view, having studied some time under a master, he became, as he himself narrates, an itinerant painter, and wandered about South Wales. About 1727 he printed Grongar Hill. Being probably dissatisfied with his own proficiency, he made the tour of Italy, where, besides the usual study of the remains of antiquity, and the works of the great masters, he frequently spent whole days sketching the picturesque scenery in the neighbourhood of Rome and Florence. Images drawn from thence naturally transferred themselves into his poetical compositions. The principal beauties of The Ruins of Rome are perhaps of this kind; and the description of various landscapes in The Fleece have been particularly admired. On his return to England he published The Ruins of Rome, 1740; but soon found that he could not relish a town life, nor submit to the assiduity required in his profession. Having been advised by his friends to enter into holy orders, he was ordained by the Bishop of Lincoln, and had a degree conferred on him.

About the same time he married a lady of Coleshill, named Ensor, "whose grandmother," says he, "was a Shakespeare, descended from a brother of every body's Shakespeare." His ecclesiastical provision was for a long time but slender. His first patron, Mr Harper, gave him, in 1741, Calthorpe, in Leicestershire, of L80 a-year; on which he lived ten years; and in April 1751 he exchanged it for Belchford, in Lincolnshire, of L75, which was given him by Lord Chancellor Hardwicke. His circumstances afterwards began to be more favourable. In 1752 Sir John Heathcoat gave him Coningsby, of L140 a-year; and, in 1756, when he received the honorary degree of LL.B., he obtained from the chancellor, Kirby-on-Bane, of L110. In 1757 he published The Fleece, his chief poetical work, of which Dr Johnson relates this ludicrous story. Dodseth the bookseller was one day mentioning it to a critical visitor, with more expectation of success than the other could easily admit. In the conversation the author's age was asked; and being represented as advanced in life, "He will," said the critic, "be buried in woollen." He did not indeed long outlive that publication, nor enjoy the increase of his preferments; for a consumptive disorder, with which he had long struggled, carried him off in 1758.

Dyle, a river of Belgium. See Belgium.

Dynameter, an instrument for ascertaining the magnifying power of telescopes, consists of a small tube with a transparent plate accurately divided. It is fixed to the tube of the telescope, in order to measure the diameter of the image of the eye-glass.