Page:A cyclopaedia of female biography.djvu/471

 At her instigation, he conferred such extraordinary benefits on the Athenians, that they rendered him divine honours; and, as an acknowledgment of the influence Lamia had exercised in their favour, they dedicated a temple to her, under the name of "Venus Damia,"

LANDA, CATHARINE, eminent for her beauty and learning. She wrote a letter in Latin to Peter Bembo, which, with his answer, is printed in that author's works. She died in 1626, at a very early age.

LANDON, LETITIA ELIZABETH, known as L. E. L., in consequence of having first published under her initials only, was born at Hans Place, Chelsea, in 1802. Her father, Mr. Landon, was a partner in the house of Adairs, army agents. When about seven years of age. Miss Landon's parents removed to Trevor Park, not far from East Barnet, where, amidst scenes vividly depicted in various passages in her later works, were passed many of the happiest days of her childhood. In the "Traits and Trials of Early Life," in "The History of a Child," she is supposed to have pourtrayed that of her own early years; but the account is part romance and part reality.

In 1815, when Miss Landon was about thirteen years of age, the family quitted Trevor Park; and after a twelvemonths' residence at Lewis Place, Fulham, Mr. Landon removed to Brompton, where .a considerable part of his daughter's youth was passed, excepting a year or two spent with her grandmother in Sloane Street, and some occasional visits to her relations. Here, no sooner was she emancipated from the school-room, and allowed to pursue the bent of her own mind, than her poetical reveries were committed to paper; and through the encouraging kindness of Mr. Jerdan, the editor of the Literary Gazette, to whose judgment they were submitted, while still in her teens, the youthful writer had the pleasure of seeing some of her verses first appear in print, in the pages of that periodical, and visions of fame, perhaps, in some degree, comforted her for the reverses to which her family were then beginning to be subjected.

"The Fate of Adelaide," a romantic tale, and some minor poems, were published in 1821, when Miss Landon was nineteen; and the first of her principal poetical works was issued in 1824. In the summer of 1825, the "Troubadour" appeared, and several of her shorter poems.

Her father died about this time, and Miss Landon's literary exertions were directed to support her family and assist her brother.

Miss Landon has herself remarked, that "a history of the how and where works of imagination have been produced, would often be more extraordinary than the works themselves." A friend of hers observes, that "though a dilettante of literature would assign for the scene of her authorship a fairy-like boudoir, with rose-coloured and silver hangings, filled with all the luxuries of a fastidious taste," yet the reality was of a very different nature; for though her drawing-room was prettily furnished, it was her invariable habit to write in her bed-room,—"a homely-looking, although uncomfortable room, fronting the street, and barely furnished—with a simple white bed, at the foot of which was a small, old, oblong-