Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume X.djvu/399

 LEYDEN L'HOPITAL 393 printing offices. Large quantities of grain, butter, and cheese are sold at the weekly mar- kets. The population has nearly doubled since the beginning of the 19th century. The siege of Leyden and its heroic defence against the Spaniards, in the Dutch war of independence, forms one of the most interesting episodes in the history of the Dutch republic. To re- lieve the place, the prince of Orange cut the dikes, and a favorable wind brought in the waters so rapidly that more than 1,000 of the besiegers were drowned. The same wind wafted in the fleet of Boisot, which entered on the morning of Oct. 3, 1574, and brought relief to the inhabitants, who were on the verge of starvation. The university was founded in the following year by the prince of Orange in commemoration of this event. Leyden is associated with American history through the pilgrim fathers, who, after their arrival at Amsterdam from England in 1608, removed to Leyden in 1609, where they remained un- til their departure for the new world in 1620. LEYDEN, John, a Scottish author, born at Denholm, Roxburghshire, Sept. 8, 1775, died in Batavia, Aug. 28, 1811. He studied at the university of Edinburgh, and was ordained iri 1798 ; but not attaining any success in the clerical profession, he abandoned it, and applied himself to the study of medicine. In 1802 he was appointed assistant surgeon in the East India company's service, and on arriving at Madras turned his attention to the oriental languages. In 1806 he removed to Calcutta, where he was appointed professor of Hindos- tanee in Fort William college, and shortly after- ward judge of the Twenty-Four Pergunnahs. In 1809 he was made a commissioner of the court of requests, and in 1810 assay master of the mint. Having accompanied Lord Minto in an expedition against the Dutch colony of Java in 1811, he there contracted a fever which proved fatal. The most important of his works are a " Historical Account of Discoveries and Travels in Africa " (enlarged and completed by Hugh Murray, 2 vols., Edinburgh, 1817), and " An Essay on the Languages and Literature of the Indo-Chinese Nations," published in vol. x. of the "Asiatic Researches." His poetical remains were published in London in 1819 by the Rev. John Morton, and a new edition of his "Poems and Ballads," with a memoir by Sir Water Scott (first published in the " Edin- burgh Annual Register" for 1811), in 1858. LEIDEN, Lucas van, otherwise called LUCAS DAMMESZ, a Dutch painter, born in Leyden in 1494, died in 1533. At 10 years of age he was placed with Cornelis Engelbrechtsen, a paint- er of Leyden, and two years later he produced a picture of St. Hubert. At 14 he engraved the celebrated print of "Mohammed killing Sergius." He subsequently rose to eminence in Holland, was an intimate friend and corre- spondent of Albrecht Durer, and finished a large number of pictures. He painted in oil, in distemper, and on glass, and essayed history, landscape, and portraits, but inclined rather to scenes of common life. His most important work is the "Last Judgment" in the town hall at Leyden, a picture of very large size. He was equally celebrated as an engraver, working on wood as well as copper. LEIDEN JAR. See ELECTEICITY, vol. vi., p. 509. LEYS, Jean Angnste Henri, a Belgian painter, born in Antwerp, Feb. 18, 1815, died there, Aug. 26, 1869. When 15 years old he entered the studio of his brother-in-law Ferdinand de Braekeleer. In 1833 his " Combat of a Gren- adier and a Cossack" was exhibited in Ant- werp, and attracted much attention. After travelling in France and Holland he returned to Antwerp, whence his fame spread over Eu- rope. Among his most celebrated paintings previous to 1855 are "The Spanish Fury in 1576," "The White Hoods," "Interior of a Painter's Studio," "A Wedding in the 17th Century," "Faust and Wagner," "Albert Du- rer at Antwerp," and " Faust and Margaret." His paintings, excellent in other respects, were especially remarkable for the splendor of their coloring. In 1845 he was made a member of the royal Belgian academy, and in 1849 of the board of directors of the academy of fine arts in Antwerp. To the Paris exhibition of 1855 he sent "The New Year in Flanders" and other pictures, for which one of the great gold medals was awarded him. On his return from Paris his fellow citizens received him with pub- lic demonstrations, and presented him with a magnificent golden crown. From this time he devoted himself entirely to historical paint- ing, his subjects being principally scenes from mediseval, and especially from Flemish history. His "Mary of Burgundy giving Alms to the Poor" was sold by auction in London in 1861 for 1,000 guineas. In 1865 he was made a baron. At the time of his death he had nearly finished the frescoes in the great hall of the town house of Antwerp, representing scenes from Flemish history, and which may perhaps be regarded as the highest effort of his genius. LIIA-SSA. See LASSA. L'HOPITAL, or L'Hospital, Michel de, a French statesman, born at Aigueperse, Auvergne, about 1505, died near Etampes in March, 1573. He was made president of the court of accounts in 1554, and chancellor of France in 1560. In the former office he proved his integrity and courage by refusing the 20,000 livres which Henry II. demanded for Diana of Poitiers; in the latter he refused to sign a sentence of death against the prince of Conde". His aim was to moderate all parties, and he opposed violence in politics and intolerance in religion. To him were due the edict of Romorantin (1560), which prevented the establishment of the inquisition in France ; the ordinance of Or- leans (1561), at once an administrative, judicial, and religious code ; the edict of pacification (1562), which authorized the free exercise of Protestant worship, with certain precautions