Page:Dictionary of Indian Biography.djvu/264

 LAWSON, SIR CHARLES ALLEN (1838–)

Son of Jonathan Wise Lawson : born May 17, 1838 : Secretary of the Madras Chamber of Commerce, 1862–92 : Editor Madras Daily News, 1863 : Madras Times, 1864–68 : founded and edited Madras Mail, 1868–92 : author of At Home on Furlough, 1868 and 1874 : The Private Life of Warren Hastings, 1895 : knighted, 1887.

LEACH, ESTHER (1809–1843)

Actress : daughter of a soldier, and wife of Serg-Major John Leach, Fort WiUiam : educated at Berhampur by the regimental schoolmaster : selected when a girl to take part in the regimental performances : attracted the notice of the officers, and presented with a copy of Shakespeare : for 20 years the favourite actress at the Calcutta and Chowringhi Theatres : visited England, and, after her return, joined the new Sans Souci Theatre in Park Street (now St. Xavier's College), Calcutta. On Nov. 2, 1843, while playing a part in the Handsome Husband, her dress caught fire on the stage : she was severely burnt, and died a few days later : entirely self-taught, but a very versatile actress : styled the " Indian Siddons," also good in comedy : described as "for talent and personal attractions, without a rival, even in England."

LE BAS, REV. CHARLES WEBB (1779–1861)

Born April 26, 1779 : son of Charles I.e Bas, a shopkeeper in Bond Street : educated at Hyde Abbey School, Winchester, and Trinity College, Cambridge : Scholar, 4th Wrangler and Craven Scholar : Fellow : B.A., 1800 : called to the bar from Lincoln's Inn, but ordained in 1809 : Prebendary of Lincoln, 181 2 : Mathematical Professor and Dean at the E.I. College, Haileybury, in 1813, and Principal, 1837–43 : retired : died Jan. 25, 1861 : wrote about 80 articles in the British Critic and in the British Magazine : author of geographical works, and several biographies (among them that of Bishop Middleton, the first Bishop of Calcutta) and tracts and sermons : he was equally vigorous and copious as a preacher.

LEBEDEFF, HERASIM (1749–1815?)

A Russian : said to be a Ukraine peasant : took part in a Russian Embassy to Naples, 1775 : visited Paris and London : left England, 1785, apparently as a bandmaster, for Madras : stayed there 2 years : to Calcutta in Aug. 1787 : there met with a Pandit who taught him Sanskrit, Bengali, Hindustani (the mixed Indian dialect, as he called it) : built, with Government permission, an Indian theatre at Calcutta, 1795 : translated two English plays (The Disguise and Love is the Best Doctor) into Bengali : the former was publicly performed in Nov. 1795, and March, 1796, with great applause (according to its author) : he then became theatrical manager to the Great Mogul and finally returned to England, 1801, after more than 20 years in the East. In London he puljlished his Hindustani grammar (Grammar of the Pure and Mixed East Indian Dialects, arranged according to the Brahmenian System of the Shamscrit Language), 1801, and made the acquaintance of Woronzow, the Russian Ambassador, who sent him to Russia. He was employed in the Russian Foreign Office and given a large subvention towards founding at St. Petersburg the "Imprimerie Indienne," a Sanskrit Press : died after 1815.

LE COUTEUR, JOHN (1761–1835)

Of a Jersey family : entered the 95th regt. in 1780 : went to India in 1781 : led two forlorn hopes against Hyder Ali : was under General Mathews in Malabar, and with him besieged at Bednore by the French and Tippoo, and taken prisoner in 1783 : cruelly treated as a prisoner at Chitaldrug : released in 1784: served in Jersey as inspecting officer of militia : in Jamaica : Lieutenant-Governor of Curacoa in 1813 : Lt-General, 1821 : died April 23, 1835 : wrote Letters from India, 1790.

LEEKE, SIR HENRY JOHN (1790?–1870)

Son of Samuel Leeke : entered the Navy in 1803 : served in the Mediterranean, on the coast of Africa : knighted in 1835 : and K.H. : Superintendent and C. in C. of the Indian Navy, 1852 : in the Persian war, 1856–7, he commanded the squadron which conveyed the troops : bombarded