Chapter Lane to La Roche of L by Brewer's Readers Handbook

manner which she retained through life, “I dare not, sir; I would rather read to all England. But suppose, sir, you do me the honour of reading them to me?” There was something so unassuming and childlike in the request, that the manager entered into the oddity of it, and read to her nearly the whole play.—Boaden.

Lano, a Scandinavian lake, which emitted in autumn noxious vapours.

He dwells at the waters of Lano, which sends forth the vapour of death.—The War of Inis-Thona.

Lanternize (To) is to spend one’s time in literary trifles, to write books, to waste time in “brown studies,” etc.—Rabelais: Pantagruel, v. 33 (1545).

Lantern-Land, the land of authors, whose works are their lanterns. The inhabitants, called “Lanterners” (Lanternois), are bac helors and masters of arts, doctors and professo rs, prelate s and divines of the council of Trent, and all other wise ones of the earth. Here are the lanterns of Aristotle, Epicuros, and Aristophanês; the dark earthen lantern of Epictetos, the duplex lantern of Martial, and many others. The sovereign was a queen when Pantagruel visited the realm to make inquiry about the “Oracle of the Holy Bottle.”—Rabelais: Pantagruel, v. 32, 33 (1545).

Lanternois, pretenders to science, quacks of all sorts, and authors generally. They are the inhabitants of Lanternland, and their literary productions are “lanterns.”—Rabelais: Pantagruel, v. 32, 33 (1545).

Laocoon [La.ok.o.on], a Trojan priest, who, with his two sons, was crushed to death by serpents. Thomson, in his Liberty, iv., has described the group, which represents these three in their death-agony. The group was discovered in 1506, in the baths of Titus, and is now in the Vatican. It was sculptured at the command of Titus by Agesander, Polydorus, and Athenodorus, in the fifth century B. C.—Virgil: Æneid, ii. 201-227.

Laodamia, wife of Protesilaos who was slain at the siege of Troy. She prayed that she might be allowed to converse with her dead husband for three hours, and her request was granted; but when her husband returned to hadês, she accompanied him thither.

(Wordsworth has a poem on this subject, entitled Laodamia.)

Laodicea, now Latakia, noted for its tobacco and sponge. (See Rev. iii. 14–18.)

Laon. (See Revolt of Islam.)

Lapet (Mons.), a model of poltroonery, the very “Ercles’ Vein” of fanatical cowardice. M. Lapet would fancy the world out of joint if no one gave him a tweak of the nose or lug of the ear. He was the author of a book on the “punctilios of duelling.”—Fletcher: Nice Valour or The Passionate Madman (1647).

Lappet, the “glory of all chambermaids.”—Fielding: The Miser (1732).

Lapraick (Laurie), friend of Steenie Steenson, in Wandering Willie’s tale.—Sir W. Scott: Redgauntlet (time, George III.).

Laprel, the rabbit, in the beast-epic entitled Reynard the Fox, by Heinrich von Alkmaar (1498).

Laputa, the flying island, inhabited by scientific quacks. This is the “Lantern-land” of Rabelais, where wise ones lanternized, and were so absorbed in thought that attendants, called “Flappers,” were appointed to flap them on the mouth and ears with blown bladders when their attention to mundane matters was required.—Swift: Gulliver’s Travels (“Voyage to Laputa,” 1726).

Lara, the name assumed by Conrad the corsair after the death of Medora. On his return to his native country, he was recognized by sir Ezzelin at the table of lord Otho, and charged home by him. Lara