DICKSON, John Frederick. 17.9.1835 — London 21.12.1891. Sir. British Civil Servant and Pāli Scholar in Sri Lanka. Son of Robert D., a physician, of Harmondsworth, Middlesex. Educated in Westminster and studied from 1855 at Christ Church, Oxford. Graduated B.A. in 1859 and joined colonial service. Served in Ceylon: from 1859…
DIBBEN, Cecilia J. 18?? — 19??. Britishwoman, apparently interested in Pāli. Her sister is perhaps Miss A. M. Dibben, who compiled the index to the first vol. of Buddhadatta’s manuals (L., P.T.S, 1915), rev. by C. A. F. Rhys Davids. In the Niddesa edition (vol. 1. L., P.T.S. 1916) the editors (La…
DEWHURST, Robert Paget. Clitheroe, Lancashire 21.7.1869 — 27.12.1935. British Civil Servant and Indologist in India. Son of James Dewhurst and Frances Elizabeth. Educated at Clitheroe Grammar School, studies from 1888 at Oxford (Balliol College, M.A.). In 1892 joined the I.C.S., served in North India. Back in Britain (1904?), he was…
DE VINCENTIS, Gherardo. 1845 — 19??. Italian Iranian (Persian) Scholar, also interested in Sanskrit. Professor of Persian at Regio Istituto Orientale di Napoli: incaricato 1878, eo. 1890, ord. 1904-07. Died before 1935. Publications: Il Gulistan, ossia il Roseto dello Scheich Sadi di Schiraz. Prima versione italiana … con commentario critico…
DEVÈZE, Gérard. Nîmes 5.8.1856 — 19??. French Journalist (?) interested in Sanskrit, Tamil and Urdū. At É.L.O.V. student of Vinson, diplome of Tamil (1885) and of Hindūstānī (1891), also diplome of É.P.H.É. (in Sanskrit?). Editor of Magasin pittoresque in Paris (1917). Publications: “Une légende çivaiste d’après une version de l’Inde…
DEUSSEN, Paul Jakob. Oberdreis/Westerwald, Kr. Neuwied 7.1.1845 — Kiel 6.7.1919. German Indologist and Philosopher. Professor in Kiel. Son of Adam D., a minister, and Jakobine Ingelbach. Attended Gymnasium in Elberfeld and Landesschule in Pforta, where his classmate and future life-long friend Friedrich Nietzsche introduced him to Schopenhauer’s philosophy. In 1864-69…
DE STEFANI, Eduardo Luigi. Naples 4.6.1869 — Rome 10.9.1921 (hardly 1913?). Italian Linguist (Greek Scholar) interested in Indology. Professor in Rome. After studies at Florence under Pavolini he was appointed in 1910 the “incaricato dell’ insegnamento della grammatica latina e greca” at R. Università di Roma and stayed there until…
DESIDERI, Ippolito. Pistoia 21.12.1684 — Rome 14.8.1733. S.J. Italian Missionary and a Pioneer of Tibetology, in Tibet in 1715-21, in India 1714-15, 1721-27, last years in Rome. Son of Iacopo D. and Maria Maddalena Cappellini, a patrician family. Joined Jesuits in 1700 and studied in Rome, from 1706 taught literature…
DESGRANGES, Jean-François (Pouillon-Desgranges). Bonneval (Eure-et-Loir) 30.9.1765 — Paris 8.11.1848 (or 1851). French Former Priest and Teacher, the author of the first French Sanskrit grammar. Because of missing information and misinformation (he is often claimed to be an officer), this was very hard nut to crack, only solved through the valuable…
DESGODINS, Auguste. Manheulles (Meuse) 16.10.1826 — Padang (Pedong) near Darjeeling 14.3.1913. Father. French Missionary and Tibetan Scholar. Son of Charles Michel François D. and Marie Joséphine de Roton. Studied theology in Verdun and Saint-Sulpice, ordained priest in 1850. After a few years as priest in Verdun he joined Missions étrangères…