DALGAIRNS, JOHN DOBREE
In religion BERNARD; Oratorian theologian of Scottish and not Manx origin, born on the island of Guernsey on 21 Oct. 1818, died at Burgess Hill near Brighton on 6 Apr. 1876.
He entered Oxford at Exeter College in 1836. A zealous follower of Newman, he wrote a letter in French to the Paris newspaper *L’Univers* on the Oxford Movement; this was followed by correspondence with the Passionist Father Domenico Barberi. In 1842 he joined Newman at Littlemore and wrote several of the *Lives of the Saints* that Newman published. Father Domenico received him into the Church on 29 Sept. 1845, several weeks before Newman. He then stayed at Langres in France with Abbot Jovain, whom he had met at Oxford in 1841; he was ordained priest in Dec. 1846. At Easter 1847 he joined Newman in Rome and entered the Oratorian novitiate under Prof. Rossi. Returning to England, he lived at Maryvale and in London, then at the Birmingham Oratory (1853–56); afterwards he remained in London, where for a short time he succeeded Fr. Faber as superior (1863). He was eminent as a preacher, writer and spiritual director. He was also noted as a learned historian and philologist. From 1869 he took part in the meetings of the *Metaphysical Society*, where his precision, learning and humility in discussion aroused the admiration of non-Catholics.
He published the *Scale of Perfection* by W. Hilton; besides various translations and other writings, he left three classical works of spirituality: *The Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus* (London 1853); *The German Mystics of the Fourteenth Century* (ibid. 1858); *The Holy Communion* (Dublin 1861).
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DALILA
Hebrew Dĕlîlâh = “slender, delicate” (most probable etymology); LXX: Δαλιαδά.
A woman whose nationality—whether Jewess or Philistine—is debated; she was Samson’s wife or companion (probably a Philistine and lover) and certainly the fatal cause of his downfall, according to Judg 16:4–18. She came from Sorec (today the ruins of Sūrk?) on the northern border of Philistia with the territory of Dan, a few km from Saraa (today Sarʿah), Samson’s birthplace.
By her arts of seduction Dalila several times tried to extract from the giant the secret of his prodigious strength. Thrice disappointed by false revelations—such as that he could be bound with fresh bowstrings, or with new ropes, and that seven of his long Nazirite locks were fastened to the loom—she finally, urged on by the gold of the Philistines, learned that Samson could be overpowered by shaving off his long Nazirite hair. The giant, shorn by her while asleep and then sold for 1,100 shekels, blinded by his enemies and set to grind at the mill in Gaza, later took vengeance when his hair and Nazirite spirit grew back, by toppling the temple of Dagon, thronged for a mocking celebration of his defeat. *See* pl. LXXV.