misanthropy, but independent and
manly.

OLDMIXON, JOHN (1673-1742).--Historical and miscellaneous writer,
belonged to an old Somersetshire family, wrote some, now forgotten,
dramas and poems which, along with an essay on criticism, in which he
attacked Addison, Swift, and Pope, earned for him a place in _The
Dunciad_. He was also the author of _The British Empire in America_
(1708), _Secret History of Europe_ (against the Stuarts), and in his
_Critical History_ (1724-26) attacked Clarendon's _History of the
Rebellion_. All these works are partisan in their tone. O. was one of the
most prolific pamphleteers of his day.

OLDYS, WILLIAM (1696-1761).--Antiquary, wrote a Life of Sir W. Raleigh
prefixed to an ed. of his works (1736), a _Dissertation on Pamphlets_
(1731), and was joint ed. with Dr. Johnson of the _Harleian Miscellany_.
He amassed many interesting facts in literary history, the fruits of
diligent, though obscure, industry. The only poem of his that still lives
is the beautiful little anacreontic beginning "Busy, curious, thirsty
Fly." O. held the office of Norroy-King-at-Arms. He produced in 1737 _The
British Librarian_, a valuable work left unfinished.

OLIPHANT, LAURENCE (1829-1888).--Novelist and miscellaneous writer, _s._
of Sir Anthony O., Chief Justice of Ceylon. The first 38 years of his
life were spent in desultory study, travel, and adventure, varied by
occasional diplomatic employment. His travels included, besides
Continental countries, the shores of the Black Sea, Circassia, where he
was _Times_ correspondent, America, China, and Japan. He was in the
Crimean War, Indian Mutiny, Chinese War, the military operations of
Garibaldi, and the Polish insurrection, and served as private sec. to
Lord Elgin in Washington, Canada, and China, and as Sec. of Legation in
Japan. In 1865 he entered Parliament, and gave promise of political
eminence, when in 1867 he came under the influence of Thomas L. Harris,
an American mystic of questionable character, went with him to America,
and joined the Brotherhood of the New Life. In 1870-71 he was
correspondent for the _Times_ in the Franco-German War. Ultimately he
broke away from the influence of Harris and went to Palestine, where he
founded a community of Jewish immigrants at Haifa. After revisiting
America he returned to England, but immediately fell ill and _d._ at
Twickenham. O. was a voluminous and versatile author, publishing books
of travel, novels, a