LAWRENCE. 



1787, the family removed to London, and Lawrence 

 was admitted a student at the royal academy. His 

 subsequent career was successful and brilliant. He 

 was elected royal associate in 1791, and, on the death 

 of Sir J. Reynolds, the next year, was made painter 

 to the king. His reputation grew steadily, and he 

 was soon considered the first portrait painter of the 

 age in England. His scene from the Tempest was a 

 successful attempt at historical painting; but that 

 branch of the art receives too little encouragement 

 in England, in comparison with that of portrait paint- 

 ing, to induce a successful artist, in the latter depart- 

 ment, to cultivate the former. In 1815, he was 

 knighted by the prince regent, who also employed 

 him to take the likenesses of the sovereigns, and the 

 most distinguished persons of their suite. During 

 their visit to England, he finished the portrait of the 

 king of Prussia, and went to Aix-la-Chapelle, several 

 years afterwards, to paint Alexander ; thence he 

 went to Vienna, where he completed the portraits of 

 the emperor, the archdukes, Metternich, &c., and, 

 in Rome, painted Pius VII. and cardinal Gonsalvi. 

 On his return to England, he was elected president 

 of the royal academy, as successor to West. (q. v.) 

 This office he held till his death, which occurred sud- 

 denly, Jan. 7, 1830. His portraits are striking like- 

 nesses, and display a bold and free pencil ; but they 

 are, particularly his later ones, chargeable with 

 mannerism, and are not considered to be successful 

 in expressing the nicer shades of character. In his 

 drawing, there is a want of accuracy and finish. His 

 income for the last twenty years of his life, was from 

 10,000 to 20,000 ; but he died poor, owing to 

 his zeal to possess the first-rate productions of his art, 

 which he purchased at any price. The personal ap- 

 pearance of Sir Thomas Lawrence was striking and 

 agreeable. His countenance bore a marked resem- 

 blance to that of Canning, and he was always pleased 

 when this resemblance was observed. He was studi- 

 ous in dress, and went beyond the limits of correct 

 taste in this particular. A look of settled melancholy 

 was always upon his features, and there was a rest- 

 lessness in his manner that bespoke an unquiet spirit. 

 LAWRENCE, JAMES, a distinguished American 

 naval commander, was born at Burlington, New 

 Jersey, in 1781. He early manifested a strong pre- 

 dilection for the sea ; but his father, who was a law- 

 yer, was anxious that he should pursue his own pro- 

 fession ; and, when only thirteen years of age, he 

 commenced the study of the law ; but after the death 

 of his father, h"e entered the navy as a midshipman, in 

 1798. In 1801, the Tripoli war having commenced, 

 he was promoted, and, in 1803, was sent out to the 

 Mediterranean, as the first lieutenant of the schooner 

 Enterprise. While there, he performed a conspicuous 

 part in the destruction of the frigate Philadelphia, 

 which had been captured by the Tripolitans. In the 

 same year, he was invested with the temporary com- 

 mand of the Enterprise, during the bombardment of 

 Tripoli by commodore Preble, all the ships of the 

 squadron being employed to cover the boats during 

 the attack ; and so well did he execute his duty, that 

 the commodore could not restrain the expression of 

 his thanks. He remained in the Mediterranean three 

 years, and then returned with Preble to the United 

 States, having previously been transferred to the fri- 

 gate John Adams, as first lieutenant. In June, 1812, 

 war was declared between Great Britain and the 

 United States, and Lawrence, at the time in command 

 of the Hornet, a few days afterwards sailed with a 

 squadron under the orders of commodore Rogers, for 

 the purpose of intercepting the Jamaica fleet. They 

 returned, however, at the end of the following month, 

 to Boston, without having been able to accomplish 

 their object. Lawrence then accompanied commo- 



dore Bainbridge on a cruize to the, luist Indies ; but 

 they separated near St Salvador, on the coast of 

 Brazil, the Hornet remaining there to blockade a 

 British ship of war, laden with specie, till compelled 

 to retire by the arrival of a seventy-four. Feb. 24, 

 1813, the Hornet fell in with the brig Peacock, 

 captain Peake, which she took after a furious action 

 of fifteen minutes. This vessel was deemed one of 

 the finest of her class in the British navy. In the 

 number of her men and guns, she was somewhat 

 inferior to the Hornet. She sank before all the 

 prisoners could be removed. The latter was con- 

 siderably damaged in the rigging and sails, but her 

 hull was scarcely hurt. Lawrence returned to the 

 United States, where he was welcomed with the 

 applause due to his conduct ; but the most honour- 

 able eulogy bestowed upon him, was contained in a 

 letter, published by the officers of the Peacock, ex- 

 pressing their gratitude for the consideration and 

 kindness with which they had been treated. Shortly 

 after his return, he was ordered to repair to Bos- 

 ton, and take command of the frigate Chesapeake. 

 This he did with great regret, as the Chesapeake 

 was one of the worst ships in the navy. He had 

 been but a short time at Boston, when the British 

 frigate Shannon, captain Brocke, appeared before 

 tiie harbour, and defied the Chesapeake to combat. 

 Lawrence did not refuse the challenge, although 

 his ship was far from being in a condition for action ; 

 and, June 1, 1813, he sailed out of the harbour, and 

 engaged his opponent. After the ships had exchanged 

 several broadsides, and Lawrence had been wounded 

 in the leg, he called his boarders, when he received a 

 musket ball in his body. At the same time the 

 British boarded, and after a desperate resistance, 

 succeeded in taking possession of the ship. Almost 

 all the officers of the Chesapeake were either killed 

 or wounded. The last exclamation of Lawrence, as 

 they were carrying him below, after the fatal wound, 

 was, '' Don't give up the ship." He lingered for 

 four days in intense pain, and expired on the 5th of 

 June. He was buried at Halifax, with every mark 

 of honour. 



LAWRENCE, ST ; a Roman deacon, and martyr, 

 who, when his bishop, Sixtus, was led to death, cried 

 out, " Whither dost thou go, father, without thy 

 son ?" The bishop ordered him to remain, and to 

 take care of the treasures of the church; but he was 

 arrested, and ordered to give up these treasures. He 

 asked for three days' respite, during which he called 

 together all the poor and sick, whom he showed to 

 the satellites of the emperor, as those whose support 

 secured treasure in heaven. The instrument of his 

 martyrdom was a gridiron, on which he was burned 

 to death, in 254. (See Escwrial.) His day, in the 

 Catholic church, is August 10. 



LAWRENCE, ST. This river, one of the largest 

 in the world, is the outlet by which the waters of the 

 great lakes Superior, Huron, Michigan, Erie, and 

 Ontario, are poured into the ocean through the gulr 

 of St Lawrence. In different parts of its course, it is 

 known by different names. From the sea to lake 

 Ontario, it is called St Lawrence ; but the name 

 Cateraqui, or Jroquois, is sometimes applied to the 

 part between Montreal and lake Ontario. Between 

 lakes Ontario and Erie, it is called Niagara river ; 

 between lakes Erie and St Clair, Detroit river; be- 

 tween lakes St Clair and Huron, St Clair's river ; 

 between lakes Huron and Superior. St Mary's river, 

 or the Narrows, forming thus an uninterrupted con- 

 nexion of upwards of 2000 miles. It is navigable for 

 ships of the line to Quebec, about 400 miles, and to 

 Montreal for ships of GOO tons, 580 miles. Tlie 

 distance from Montreal to lake Ontario is 190 or 200 

 miles. The tide flows up as far as Three Rivers. 



