Dyer, GEORGE

Dyer, GEORGE, antiquary and scholar, was born in London, March 15, 1755; and educated first at Christ's Hospital, and afterwards at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, which he entered in 1774. He took his degree of B.A. in 1778. During the next fourteen years he was variously engaged, chiefly at Cambridge, as tutor and usher, but he finally settled in London in 1792. Here he devoted himself principally to literature, and produced, among many works of less note, the History of the University and Colleges of Cambridge (1814), and Privileges of the University of Cambridge (1824). He also contributed largely to the New Monthly and Gentleman's Magazine, made indexes, and corrected for the press. He contributed the original matter to Valpy's classics, 141 volumes (1809–31), but became blind when his work was done. The incident of his walking into the New River and being nearly drowned is chronicled by Charles Lamb in his essay 'Amicus Redivivus.' He died in Clifford's Inn, 2d March 1841. Dyer was a man of remarkable straightforwardness and honesty of character, qualities which are everywhere discernible in his works. He was destitute of humour, slovenly in dress and in his home surroundings. 'For integrity and single-heartedness,' Lamb ranked him 'among the best patterns of his species.' He was also a poet, although now forgotten, and never famous.