Page:Cyclopaedia, Chambers - Volume 2.djvu/74

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LAP

lecls, Specimens of each whereof he gives in the Lord's- Prayer, in 1595. De Recoles, in his Addition to the World otDavifi, has publi/hed the Fater-nojicr in all the Lan- guages fpoke among Chrillians ; and M.Chawberlayne has lately propofed to do the fame in 100 Languages, a Speci- men of which has been already publi/hed. Liberia Gen- tilis wrote of the Mixture of Languages, in 1603. And Father Rehuer's Difcourfe on Etymologies, is a Work of the fame Kind. In 1613, Dttret publi/hed a Treafurc of the Hiftory of Languages ; and Guichart of the Etymolo- gical Harmony of Languages, in 1619. Brerezvood has made curious Enquiries into the Difference of Languages and Re- ligions.

Among the Maltcfe, the Word Language is ufed for Na- tion. The Order of Knights is divided into eight Langua- ges, three whereof ate for France, viz. the Language of Provence, of Juvsrgne, and of France, ; two for Spain, thofe of Caji'rfe and Arragon ; the other three are the Languages of Italy, England, and Germany. Each of thefe Languages has its Chief, who prefides in Affemblies of the Language to which he belongs.

LANGUED, a Term in Heraldry, applied to fuch Animals whofe Tongue appears out of their Mouths, be- ing of a Colour different from that of the Animal.

LANGUOR fignifies a Faintnefs, which may arife from a Want or Decay of Spirits thro' Indigellion, or too much Exercife j or from an additional Weight of Fluids, from a Diminution of Secretion by the common Difchar- ges.

LANIGEROUS, anything that bears Wool. Hence Lanigerot'.s Trees, among HerbaliHs, arc thofe Trees that bear a woolly downy Subftance, as the black, white, and trembling Poplars, Ofiers, and Willows of all Sorts.

LANTHORN, an Utenfil of tranfparent Matter, fer- ving for the Prefervation and Conveyance of Light, not- withstanding the Inconveniences of Wind or Weather. F.piBetus''s Lanthorn is faid to have been fold for 3000 Drachms. Lanthorm are made of Glafs, Horn, Paper, %£c. That of Diogenes was held in great Veneration among the Antients ; and that of 'Judas is ilill preferved in the Treafury of St. Venys, as a very curious Piece of Anti- quity. Lanthoms were formerly made of the Horn of a wild Bull call'd Urtisj which when cut into thin La- mina*, Fliny tells us was very tranfparent. A Dark Lant- horn, is a Lanthorn with only one Opening, or Light, which, too, may be clofed up, when the Light is to be entirely hid, and may be presented to the Perfon one would fee, without being perceiv'd one's felf. The An- tients had their Dark Lanthoms, but they differ'd from ours ; they were covered with four Skins, one of each Side or Light, three whereof were black, and only the fourth tranfparent. Cafauhon who gives us the Descrip- tion, took it from a Manufcript of Julius Frontimts. Thefe were principally ufed in their Armies when they were to march privately off from their Enemies in the Night-time. The Word Lanthorn is derived from the Latin laterna of lateo, I am hidden, eo quod lucem habeat interims claufam, in regard the Light is hidden within, fays ljidore and Lambin. But according to Fezron, Laterna comes from the Celtic Letem ; ana according to Salmafms, Lanthorn comes from lato, in regard it bears a Lamp or a Light.

In China they have a celebrated Feaft call'd the Feaft of Lanthoms, held on the 15th Day of the firft Month; 'Tis fo call'd from the infinite Number of Lanthoms hung out in the Houfes and Streets 5 which, 'tis faid, is not lefs than two hundred Millions : infomuch that it rather ap- pears a Fit of Madnefs than of Feafting. On this Day are expofed Lanthoms of all Prices, whereof fome are faid to coft 2000 Crowns. Some of their Grandees re- trench fomewhat every day out of their Table, out of their Drefs, Equipage, ££c. to appear the more magnifi- cent in Lanthoms. They are adorn 'd with Gilding, Sculp- ture, Painting, Japanning, &c. and as to their Size, 'tis extravagant; fome are from -5 to 30 Foot Diameter: they reprefent Halls and Chambers, and two or three fuch Machines together would make handfome Houfes ; fo that in China they are able to eat T lodge, receive Vifits, have Balls, and acl Flays in a Lanthorn. To illumine them, they mould have Bonefires ; but as that would be inconvenient, they content themfelves with lighting up in them an infinite Number of Torches or Lamps, which at a diftance have a beautiful EffecT:. In thefe they exhibit various Kinds of Shews to divert the People. Befides thefe monftrous Lanthoms, there is an infinite Number of lefs : thefe ufually confift of fix Faces or Lights, each about 4 Feet high, and one and a half broad, framed in Wood finely gilt and adorned ; over thefe they flretch a fine tranfparent Silk, curioufly painted with Flowers, Trees, and fometimes Human Figures: the Painting is very extraordinary, and the Colours extremely bright ; and whentheTorches are lighted, they appear very beau- tiful and furprizing.

Lanthorn in Architecture, a kind of little Dome raifed over a large one, or over the Roof of a Building, to give Light, and to fervefor a Corona, or to finiih the Build- ing. The Word is alfo ufed for a fquare Cage of Car- pentry, with Glafs in it, placed over the Ridge of a Cor- ridor, or a Gallery between two Rows of Shops, to illu- mine them, as that in the Royal- Ex change, London.

Magic Lanthorn, in Opticks, the Name of a Machine, which in the Dark reprefents various Images and Spectres on a Wall, or other white Surface, fo odd and furprizing, that thofe who are not in the Secret, think them the EffecT: of Magic. Sec Magic.

LANUGO fignifies a Down, or foft woolly Subftance, which grows upon fome Plants, which therefore are cal- led lanuginous Plants.

LAPIDARY, an Artificer who cuts precious Stones. The Word is alio applied to Merchants who trade in 'em, and Vertuofo's well vers'd in their Nature, Kind, &c. in which Senfe, the prefent Great Mogul is faid to be one of the greatcft Lapidaries in the World.

The Art of cutting precious Stones is very antient ; but like other Arts, its Original was very imperfect: Th® French have fucceeded in it the bell ; and the Lapidaries of Faris, who have been a Corporation fince the Year 1290, have carried it, efpecially cutting of Diamonds cal- led Brillants, to its laft Perfection. There are various Machines ufed in the cutting of precious Stones, according to the Quality of the Matter to be cut. The Diamond, which is extremely hard, is cut and form'd on a Wheel of foft Steel, turn'd by a kind of Mill, with Diamond Duit , temper'd in Oil of Olives ; and this ferves to poli/h 'em as well as to cut 'em. Oriental Rubies, Saphires, and Topazes, are cut and form'd on a Copper Wheel, with Oil of Olives, and Diamond Dull; they arc poliih'd on ano- ther Copper Wheel, with Tripoli and Water. Rubies, Emeralds, Hyacinths, Amethyfts, Grenats, Agats, and other Stones lefs hard, are cut on a Leaden Wheel, with Smalt and Water, and polilhed on a Tin Wheel with Tri- poli. Turquois of the old and new Rock, Lapis, Girafol, and Opal, are cut and poli/h'd on a Wooden Wheel with Tripoli. See Diamond, Ruby, &c.

Lapidary Stile, is a Stile proper for Infcriptions. This is a kind of Medium between Profe and Verfe ; the jejune and the brillant are here equally to be avoided. Cicero has prefcribed theRulesof it; Accedat oportet Oratio -varia vehement, flena Spirttus. Omnium Sententiarum Gravitate, omnium Verborum fonderibus eji utendum. The Lapidary Stile which was lott with the ancient Monuments, has been retriev'd at the Beginning of this Age, by Count Emanuel Thefauro : It is now ufed various Ways at the beginning of Books ; and even Epillles Dedicatory are compofed in it whereof we have no Example among the Antients.

LAPIDESCENT,from Lapis a Stone, any thing which has a Property of turning Bodies into a ftony Nature, as many Spring- Waters will do to Pieces of Wood, and other like Subftances. See Petrifa&ion.

LAPID1FICATION, in Chymiftry; an Aaion by which any Subflance is converted into Stone: This is done by diffolving a Metal, forinflance, in a corrofive Spirit or Menftruum, and afterwards boiling that Diffolu- tion into the Confidence of a Stone. Lapidijication is practi- fed in Metals, fixed Salts, and Salts of Plants. The Term is alfo ufed in making artificial Stones. See Fetrifafiim*

LAPIS CALAMINARIS. See Calamine.

LAPIS DE GOA. See Go^-Stone. _ LAPIS INFERNALIS, a cauflick Stone prepared va- rious Ways j fometimes of ftrong Soap-Lees evaporated to a Drynefs, and the Remainder kept in a Glafs well flopp'd from the Air : fometimes it is made of Vitriol and Tartar, calcined Sal Armoniac, and Quick-Lime boil'd in Water to a llrong Lixivium, then flxain'd and evaporated till it is dry.

LAPIS LAZULI, a Mineral Stone of a blue Colour. Fliny and Diofcoridts make it a Sand, Agricola a Mineral found in the Veins of the Earth ; but the truth is, *tis a mere Stone, call'd by way of Excellence Lapis, or Lapis Lazuli. When perfect, 'tis itudded with little Specks or Stars of Gold ; for which Rcafon, Mefue calls it Lapis Stel- latus: and to be good, mould be able to refill Fire and Smoak, and to come out of 'em with new Luilrc. It is found in Mines of Gold, Silver, and Copper, as alfo in Pits of Marble ; which laft is that generally in Ufe. Naturalifls diflingui/h three Kinds of Lapis. 1 he firft call'd old Rock, which is pure, fmooth, a fine blue, with beauti- ful yellow Streaks like Veins of Gold, which yet are fre- quently no more than Veins of Pyrites. The iecond cal- led the new Rock, is Huffed with common Stones; its Colour is weaker, and its Price lower : thefe two Kinds are brought from Ferfia and Siam ; the third Kind is brought from the Mountains of Auverpie. This is mix'd with the common Rock whence it is dug, it is of a pale blue, and is fprinkled with greenifti Spots, with Veins

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