Chapter Lynceus to Lyttelton of L by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Lynceus to Lyttelton

Lynceus (2 syl.) was so sharp-sighted he could see through the earth, and distinguish objects nine miles off.

That Lynceus may be matched with Gautard's sight.”
Hall: Satires, iv. 1.

“Non possis oculo quantum contendere Lynceus.”
Horace: 1 Epistle, i. 28.

Lynch Law Mob-law, law administered by private persons. According to Webster, the word lynch refers to a Mr. James Lynch, a farmer, of Piedmont, in Virginia. The tale is that, as Piedmont, on the frontier, was seven miles from any law court, the neighbours, in 1686, selected James Lynch, a man of good judgment and great impartiality, to pass sentence on offenders for the nonce. His judgments were so judicious that he acquired the name of Judge Lynch, and this sort of law went by the name of Lynch law. In confirmation of this story, we are told there was a James Lynch Fitz-Stephen, who was warden of Galway in 1526; and in the capacity of warden he passed sentence of death on his own son for murder. (See Burlaw .)

“George was lynched, as he deserved.”- Emerson: English Traits, chap. ix

Lynch-pin (Anglo-Saxon, lynis, an axle), whence club. (Qy. lynch-law.)

Lynchnobians Booksellers and publishers. Rabelais says they inhabit a little hamlet near Lantern-land, and live by lanterns. (Pantagruel, v. 33.)

Lynx proverbial for its piercing eyesight, is a fabulous beast, half dog and half panther, but not like either in character. The cat-like animal now called a lynx is not remarkable for keen-sightedness.

Lynx-eyed Having as keen a sight as a lynx. Some think the word lynx is a perversion of Lynceus. (See above.)

Lyon King-of-Arms Chief heraldic officer for Scotland; so called from the lion rampant in the Scottish regal escutcheon.

Lyonnesse (3 syl.). “That sweet land of Lyonnesse”- a tract between the Land's End and the Scilly Isles, now submerged full “forty fathoms under water.” Arthur came from this mythical country.

Lyre (The). That of Terpander and Olympus had only three strings; the Scythian lyre had five; that of Simonides had eight; and that of Timotheus (3 syl.) had twelve. It was played either with the fingers or with a plectrum. The lyre is called by poets a “shell,” because the cords of the lyre used by Orpheus (2 syl.), Amphion, and Apollo, were stretched on the shell of a tortoise. Hercules used boxwood instead.
   Amphion built Thebes with the music of his lyre, for the very stones moved of their own accord into walls and houses.
   Arion charmed the dolphins by the music of his lyre, and when the bard was thrown overboard one of them carried him safely to Taenarus.
   Hercules was taught music by Linus. One day, being reproved, the strong man broke the head of his master with his own lyre.
   Orpheus charmed savage beasts, and even the infernal gods, with the music of his lyre.

Lysander and Rosicrucius Lyttelton invoked by Thomson in his Spring, was George, Lord Lyttelton, of Hagley, Worcestershire, who procured from the Prince of Wales a pension of £100 a year for the poet. Lucinda was Lucy Fortescue, daughter of Hugh Fortescue, of Devonshire.