L A W 



Law, John v ith what views and intentions shares in the company 

 I araretto werc . sou nt "ftc-r. A line of distinction was not drawn 

 --1,- _'- betwixt those who wished to bo connected with the 

 scheme from more secular and private ends, and those 

 who entertained enlightened ideas of national improve- 

 ment. In a word, the Missisippi system presents to 

 our view a stately fabric, but destitute of a proper 

 foundation. In it we discover a great and enterprising 

 mind, devising plans of political good ; while, at the 

 same time, we discern the want of that cool and dis- 

 criminating judgment, from the union of which with 

 genius, the most beneficial effects may be expected. 



The prosperous career of Law was now terminated. 

 The rage of the populace continually increased, and he 

 s.-iw no prospect either of favour or of safety, if he 

 remained any longer at Paris. Accordingly "he left 

 France, and came once more to his native country. He 

 went by the way of Holland, passing under the name 

 of M. du .lardin. Wherever he was known, he was 

 received by all ranks with kindness and respect. All 

 were desirous to see the man who had extended his 

 fame far and wide, and who, from an obscure and pri- 

 vate station, had, by the exertion of his own abilities, 

 risen to the highest civil rank which a commoner can 

 attain. He passed through Brussels and Venice, and 

 went to England by the way of Bohemia, Hanover, and 

 Denmark. At Copenhagen, he found a British squa- 

 dron, in which he was safely conveyed to London. 

 There he took a splendid house, and was daily visited 

 by the first ranks of people. Soon after his arrival, he 

 heard of the confiscation of his property in France. 

 Conscious, however, of the rectitude of his intentions, 

 and of the fidelity with which he had conducted him- 

 self in die different stations which he was appointed to 

 fill, he naturally expected, that, r.fter the fullest inves- 

 tigation, die balance would be found considerably in 

 his favour. In this, his expectations were frustrated. 

 The regent, who had always been his friend, and who 

 did not desert him in this sad reversal of his fortunes, 

 died suddenly on die 2d December, 1723. With him 

 perished die last hopes of Law. All prospect of reco- 

 vering any part of his property became every day faint- 

 er and fiiinter. His official salary, which, through the 

 regent's kindness, had hitherto been regularly trans- 

 mitted to him, was discontinued. He soon became em- 

 barrassed. Suits against him were commenced both in 

 England and in France, and he was threatened with 

 imprisonment by his creditors. He made another at- 

 tempt, through the Duke of Bourbon, prime minister 

 of France, to recover his property ; but this entirely 

 failed. In the year 1725, he bid a final adieu to Bri- 

 tain, and fixed his residence at Venice. There he died in 

 a state of comparative indigence, on the 2 1 st of March, 

 1 729, in the 58th year of his age. He was buried in 

 one of the churches of the city, where a monument is 

 erected to his memory. The following epitaph appear- 

 ed soon after: 



Ce ettt cct Ecossois ccttlre, 

 Ce calculator sans tgale, 

 Que, par les regies de I'algibre, 

 A mis la France a. Vhopital. 



LAWRENCE, ST. See CANADA, vol. V. p. 323, S29, 

 331, 3i5. 



LAYBACH. See CAUNIOLA, vol. V. p. 475, 476. 



LAZARETTO, is the name of a public building for 

 the reception of persons who are appointed to perform 

 quarantine, in consequence of coming from places sus- 

 pected of the plague. See Howard's Account of the 

 principal Lazarettos in Europe, Warrington, 1780, and 

 the article QUARANTINE. 



692 



L E B 



LAZULI LAPIS. See MINERALOGY. 



LEAD. See CHEMISTRY, vol. VI. p. 24, 25 02 

 METALLURGY and MINERALOGY. ' f ' 



LEADHILLS. See LANARKSHIRE, vol. XII. p. 514 



LEAF. See BOTANY, vol. IV. p. 39. and p. 58. 

 sect. V. 



LEAGUE. See MEASURES. 



LEAGUE OF THE TBN JURISDICTIONS. See Gnr- 

 SONS, vol. X. p. 520. 



LEASE. See AGRTCULTURR, Index, and LAW of 

 Seal/find, vol. XII. p. 670. 



LEATHER, is a substance prepared from die skins 

 of several sorts of animals, for various important pur- 

 poses. It is used particularly by glovers, harness, 

 makers, coachmakers, saddlers, breeches-makers, gilt- 

 leather-makers, chairmakers, shoemakers, and book- 

 binders. An account of the art of preparing leather 

 will be found under TAN NINO. 



LEBADEA, is a town in Turkey, situated between 

 Delphi and Thebes. The streets of the town are nar- 

 row and ill paved; and in consequence of the numerous 

 conduits and channels for supplying mills and reser- 

 voirs from the bed of the Hercyna, water is seen falling- 

 in ail directions. Lebadea is celebrated for the Hieron 

 of Trophonius, which is situated a few paces from the 

 spot where the river Hefcyna issues from beneath a 

 rock. None of the Grecian antiquities are better au- 

 thenticated than this. An uncertainty, however, exists 

 respecting the Adytum, or residence of the oracle, in 

 consequence of the interior not having been explored in 

 modern times. The narrow aperture, supposed to lead 

 to the Adytum, is close to the ground, and is choaked 

 with stones and rubbish. Below die aperture, a foun- 

 tain issues from several small pipes into a bath, paved 

 with large hewn stones and pieces of marble, and which 

 was used by those who came to consult the oracle. 



The most sacred part of the Hieron, containing the 

 entrance to the Adytum, and the niches for the dona 

 votiva, is a perpendicular rock of black marble facing 

 the east. The niches, which are 12 in number, are 

 above the Adytum, and to the right and left of it. and 

 have different shapes and magnitudes. The largest is 

 an entire chamber of stone, containing a stone bench, 

 which may have been the throne of Mnemosyne. This 

 chamber is 5 feet 10 inches from die ground, and the 

 whole of it is hewn from the solid rock. It is 12 feet 

 8 inches long, 1 1 feet 3 inches wide, and 8 feet 8 inches 

 high. The stone bench is 8 feet 9 inches long, 14, 

 inches wide, and J 8 inches high. 



The fountain which we have mentioned, serves to 

 supply the town of Lebadea with its best water. 



Dr. Clarke ascended the citadel on the summit of the 

 rock above the cave, and found there the capital of a 

 large Corinthian pillar, of a rare variety. It was made 

 of the hard black marble of the rocks upon which the 

 citadel stands. Within the fortress he observed a few 

 fragments of antiquity ; and in a mosque near it some 

 inscriptions. 



Lebadea has a considerable commerce in the pro- 

 duce of Attica, Bo?otia, and Thessaly, and carries on a 

 thriving export trade even to London, of corn, and cot- 

 ton, and currant raisins, which it procures from Parras. 

 The ancient Anticyra, now Aspropiti, is the port of Le 

 badea. The wine of Orchomenus is sold here, and is 

 sometimes like the clearest spring water. The honey 

 of Lebadea is sent to the Grand Signior's seraglio. Le 

 badea contains 1 500 houses. A very full and interest- 

 ing account of the cave of Trophonius, with a drawing 

 of it, will be found in Dr. E. D. Clarke's Travels, vo- 

 iv. p. 125136. 



T.aznli 

 hpb 



il 

 Lebd. 



