L A L 



502 



L A L 



Lahore 



II 



I .l! il 



from its topographical situation, hag been consider- 

 ed as the country from which Hindostan might best 

 l ruled or conquered. See Malcolm's Political Hit- 

 lory of Inrtifi, and History of the Seiks ; Foster's Jour, 

 tiey from Bengal; and Asiatic Annual Register, vol. xi. 



(?) 



LAHORE, the capital of the last mentioned pro- 



vince, is situated on the south side of the Ravey river, 

 in North Latitude 31 50', and East Longitude 73 48'. 

 Jt is a place of great antiquity, and has undergone 

 many revolutions. After its capture by Sultan Ba- 

 toer in 1 520, it was for some time the residence of the 

 Mogul sovereigns ; and was greatly improved by Acber 

 and his immediate successors. It was afterwards for a 

 long time possessed by the Abdalli Afghans of Cabul, 

 by whom it is named Sikrei ; and is now occupied by 

 Rajah Runjeet Singh, the most powerful of the Seik 

 chiefs.* But as Amristir, about 40 miles to the south- 

 east, is the capital of the Seik nation, Lahore has been 

 greatly neglected, and may be said to be in a pro- 

 gressive state of desolation. In 1665, it is said to have 

 been about a league in extent, and is still a town of 

 considerable size with a good bazar. The walls are 

 lofty and decorated on the outside, but hastening to 

 ruin. The fort is a place of little strength, having no 

 ditch, or defences for cannon. The river on its northern 

 flank, though about 300 yards in breadth, is neither 

 deep nor rapid except at the height of the rains. There 

 are several manufactories of matchlock barrels, which 

 are esteemed the best in India, and also of cotton cloths, 

 and curious carpets. But the wealthier inhabitants have 

 migrated to Amristir, as a place of greater safety, and 

 many of the best private houses are falling into decay. 

 An avenue, celebrated by early Indian travellers, for- 

 merly extended from Lahore to Agra, a distance of 

 more than 500 miles, having an obelisk at the end of 

 every coss, and at every third coss a well for the re- 

 freshment of travellers. The principal remaining cu- 

 riosity in its neighbourhood is the magnificent mauso- 

 leum of Jehangeer, within a wall ^nearly 600 yards 

 square, about two miles north of the city. Lahore is 

 380 miles from Delhi ; 517 from Agra ; 639 from Luck- 

 now; 1.356 from Calcutta. See Kennel's Memoir of a 

 Map of Hindustan; Asiatic Annual Register, vol. xi.; and 

 Asiatic Journal, vol. iii. (q) 



LAKE. See PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY. 



LALANDE, JOSEPH JEROME LE FRAN$AIS, a cele- 

 brated French astronomer, was born at Bourg in Bresse, 

 in the department of the Ain, on the llth July 1732. 

 At the early age of six, he was anxious to know how 

 the stars were attached to the firmament ; two years 

 afterwards, his whole time was spent in writing ser- 

 mons, which he preached in the habit of a Jesuit ; and 

 in 174t, his time was occupied in observing the comet 

 which then appeared. Having been sent to the Jesuits 

 at Lyons, he conceived a great taste for poetry and elo- 



quence ; but an eclipse of the sun, which happened Ltdande. 

 about that time, turned his wiews towards- astronomy. ~~~~f~^*' 

 His friends, however, had destined him for the bar, and 

 in obedience to their wishes, he went to Pahs to study 

 law. A visit to the observatory, however, excited in 

 young Lalande an ardent passion for astronomy, and from 

 that moment he abandoned for ever his professional 

 studies. Having placed himself under the tuition of 

 Del isle, at that time one of the most celebrated of the 

 French astronomers, and professor of astronomy in the 

 College of France, he made rapid progress in his new 

 studies, and endeared himself to his master by the good- 

 ness of his disposition, and by his ardent love of know- 

 ledge. Lalande also attended the lectures* on natural 

 philosophy delivered in the College of France, by Le- 

 monnier, another celebrated astronomer, who was much 

 pleased with the progress of his pupil. The law studies 

 of Lalande being now finished, he received the title of 

 advocate at the age of 18; and, but for an accidental 

 event, he would have been for ever fixed in the profes- 

 sion which had been chosen for him. When Lacaille was 

 about to set off for the Cape of Good Hope, for the pur- 

 pose of determining themoon's parallax, and her distance 

 from the earth, it was found necessary that corresponding 

 observations should be made in the same meridian, and 

 at the greatest distance from the Cape that could be con- 

 veniently obtained. Berlin was chosen as the fittest 

 place for th's purpose, being 85" distant from the Cape, 

 and Lemonnier had indicated an intention of making the 

 observations himself; but when the time of his departure 

 arrived, he contrived to get his pupil Lalande appoint- 

 ed in his stead, although he was then only 18 years of 

 age. When the young astronomer was presented to 

 Frederick, he shewed some astonishment at his youth, 

 and remarked " the academy of sciences has, how- 

 ever appointed you ; and you will justify their choice." 

 From that moment he was admitted at Court, welcomed 

 by the academy, and became acquainted with the most 

 eminent persons of Berlin. The observations of La- 

 lande were made at the observatory of Berlin in 1751 

 and 1 752, and he has published an account of them, 

 and of the results deduced from a comparison of them 

 with the observations of Lacaille, in three memoirs, 

 which appeared in the memoirs of the academy for 

 1751, 1752, and 1753. 



Lalande was elected adjunct astronomer in the aca- 

 demy of sciences, on the 7th February, 1 753. He was 

 admitted associate on the 20th December, 1758, and 

 pensioner on the 4th March, 1772. 



The first separate work which he published, was en- 

 titled Etrennes historiqucs a I'usage dc la province de 

 Bresse, and appeared at Paris in 175,5. 



In 1757, he published his discourse, entitled L'esprit 

 de justice assure la gloire, el Id durie des Umpires, which 

 gained the prize offered by the academy, of Marseilles 

 in 1757. 



The more recent accounts from -India communicate th following intelligence respecting the personal qualifications and poli- 

 tical conduct of this enterprising chief. To a fine and prepossessing figure he unites a countenance remarkably animated. His eyes 

 are large, and of jet black, his forehead high, nose aquiline, mouth small, and smile expressive. He possesses a richly endowed mind, 

 is well versed in the Eastern dialects, and speaks with fluency one or more European languages. He selects his ministers with great 

 discrimination, and with a constant regard to their abilities. During the whole of his reign, war has been his delight j but, in a 

 late attempt to conquer Kashmir, he sustained a severe discomfiture through the treachery of his Sirdars, and gave a cruel vent to 

 his impatience upon his unhappy attendants. He has little confidence in his own subjects as soldiers, but places his chief reliance on 

 the hardy mountaineers of Afghanisdan. At Lahore he is said to appear to great advantage as the father of his people, administer- 

 ing mild and equal laws, patronising genius, relieving poverty, and, without the tyranny of Indian princes, at once awing and attach- 

 ing his subjects. He is amiable in private life, and courteous in his demeanour, though rather reserved in conversation ; but is de- 

 ceitful in politics, and terrible to his enemies. Under his administration the Punjab id daily regaining its prosperity by rebuilding of 

 , clearing of canals, and sinking of wells. 



