Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 32.djvu/410

Lefroy of Observations in North America.' 1851, p. 175. 20. Royal Society of Tasmania—Presidential Address, 1881, p. 1: 'On the Magnetic Variation of Hobart,' p. 39.

 LEFROY, THOMAS LANGLOIS (1776–1869), Irish judge, born 8 Jan. 1776 in county Limerick, was eldest son of Anthony Lefroy of Carrickglass, co. Longford. His father, the representative of a Flemish protestant family which had sought refuge in England in the sixteenth century, was sometime colonel of the 9th dragoons. His mother's name was Anne Gardiner. He was educated from 2 Nov. 1790 at Trinity College, Dublin, where, after taking numerous university prizes and medals, he graduated B. A. in 1795, and afterwards LL.B. and LL.D. in 1827. He was called to the Irish bar in 1797, and practised for many years in equity with great success. He became king's counsel in 1806, king's Serjeant in 1808, and in 1819 a bencher of the King's Inns. He was frequently appointed a commissioner of assize, but in 1830, being mortified by his omission from the commissions, he resigned his 8erjeantcy (, Correspondence of O'Connell, i. 196). A typical Irish protestant tory, he first entered parliament in 1830 as one of the members for the university of Dublin. He steadily voted with Peel, and opposed the Irish measures of the Melbourne administration, but he made no great figure as a speaker in the House of Commons, tnough he spoke often. A baronetcy is said to have been offered to him in 1839. Having represented the university till 1841, he was then appointed a baron of the Irish court of exchequer, and took part in the political trials of 1848. In 1852 he became lord chief justice of the queen's bench, and, in spite of old age, did not resign that post until 1866. He died at Newcourt, near Bray, 4 May 1869, and was buried at Mount Jerome cemetery 12 May. He published in 1802 a law tract on 'Proceedings in Elegit.' and in 1806, with John Schoales, 'Reports of Cases in the Irish Court of Chancery under Lord Redesdale from 1802 to 1806.' He married in 1799 at Abergavenny Mary, only daughter and heiress of Jeffrey Paul of Silver Spring, co. Wexford, by whom he had four sons and three daughters.  LEGAT, FRANCIS (1755–1809), engraver, was born in 1755 at Edinburgh. He is sometimes stated to have been of French origin, and he may possibly have been a descendant of François Leguat [q. v.] Legat studied art under Alexander Runciman [q. v.], and according to some accounts learnt engraving from Sir Robert Strange [q. v.] This is, however, uncertain. Legat came to London about 1780, and took lodgings at 22 Charles Street, Westminster, where he engraved for Boydell 'Mary Queen of Scots resigning the Crown.' from a picture by Gavin Hamilton (1730-1797) [q.v.], in the collection of James Boswell. Here also he engraved 'The Princes in the Tower.' from a picture by J. Northcote, R.A., in the collection of the 'Earl of Egremont. About 1790 he left Charles Street for Sloane Sauare, where he completed an engraving or 'The Death of Cordelia,' after the picture by James Barry, R. A., in the Shakespeare Gallery. In 1797 he moved again to 21 Pleasant Row, Camden Town, where he completed a plate of 'Cassandra' (a portrait of Lady Hamilton) from 'Troilus and Cressida.' after the picture by G. Romney in the Shakespeare Gallery. He finally moved in 1799 to 2 Charles Street, near the Middlesex Hospital, where he resided till his death. Here he engraved 'Ophelia' and 'King, Queen, and Laertes in Hamlet.' after pictures by Benjamin West. He was appointed historical engraver to the Prince of Wales. Encouraged by his success and the money brought to Boydell by his engravings, Legat determined to publish an engraving on his own account, and secured a picture of 'The Death of Sir Ralph Abercrombie' by Stothard for that purpose. The subscription list did not fill, and Legat fell into pecuniary embarrassment. He suffered from mental depression, and died in Charles Street on 7 April 1809, in his fifty-fifth year (Gent Mag. 1809, i. 890). He was buried in Old St. Pancras churchyard. His debts were paid by a friend, Mr. Kemp, and the unfinished plate was sold to Mr. Bowyer of the Historic Gallery, Pall Mall, who had it completed. Legat also engraved 'The Continence of Scipio.' after Nicolas Poussin, 'Andromeda.' after A. Runciman, vignettes and other subjects, after Smirke, Fuseli, &c, for 'Bell's British Theatre.' and other small subjects. He was a conscientious engraver, and paid attention to the study of drawing. He is described as quiet and intelligent, with some literary ability. A small portrait of him by Runciman was engraved by T. Prescott. 