St. Mary's Beacon

Dr. Dionysius Lardner.—This well known writer upon scientific subjects met lately in Paris. He is popularly known in this country and England as the author and compiler of a cheap series of scientific works, numbering some two hundred volumes. Dr. Lardner was born in Ireland in 1793. He early showed a taste for art and science, and after several years of study, began to attract attention for the world by his writings. He was elected Professor of Natural History and Astronomy by the London University in 1828, which position he soon after vacated. He came to this country in 1834, and gave lectures in New York and several provincial cities. He was married twice, first to Miss Heaviside, the natural daughter of the celebrated Irish advocate. He got a divorce from her in 1840. In 1840 he ran away with the wife of a Captain Heavisides. The captain obtained damages in the courts to the amount of $40,000. On his death, which happened soon after, the amorous savant married the lady.