LYR 



LYT 



Horace with cythara and lyra) epigo- 

 nium, simmicium, and pandoron ; which 

 were all struck with the hand, a plectrum 

 or a little iron-rod. We have no satisfac- 

 tory account of their shape, structure, or 

 number of strings ; their bare names only 

 have been transmitted to us by the an- 

 cients. We see, indeed, numbers of in- 

 struments on old medals ; but whether 

 they are any of these, we cannot find out. 

 The modern lyre, or Welsh harp, con- 

 sisting- of forty strings, is sufficiently 

 known. The lyre among poets, painters, 

 statuaries, carvers, &c. is attributed to 

 Apollo and the Muses. 



LYKE, in astronomy, a constellation of 

 the northern hemisphere. See ASTRO- 

 NOMY. 



LYRIC, in general, signifies something 

 sung or played on the lyre ; but it is more 

 particularly applied to the ancient odes 

 and stanzas, answering to our airs and 

 songs, and may be played on instruments. 

 This species of poetry was originally em- 

 ployed in celebrating the praises of gods 

 and heroes, though it was afterwards in- 

 troduced into feasts and public diversions. 

 Mr. Barnes shows how unjust it is to ex- 

 clude heroic subjects from this kind of 

 verse, which is capable of all the eleva- 

 tion such matters require. The charac- 

 teristic of this kind of poetry is, accord- 

 ing to Trap, the sweetness and variety 

 of the verse, the delicacy of the words 

 and thoughts, the agreeableness of the 

 numbers, and the description of things 

 most pleasing in their own natures. At 

 first the lyric verse was only of one kind, 

 but afterwards they so continued to vary 

 the feet and numbers, that the variety of 

 them now are almost innumerable, 



This kind of poem is distinguished 

 from all other odes, by the happy transi- 

 tions and digressions which it beautifully 

 admits, and the surprising and natural 

 easy returns to the subject, which is not 

 to be obtained without great judgment 

 and genius. 



The lyric is, of all kinds of poetry, the 

 most poetical, and is as distinct, both in 

 style and thought, from the rest, as poe- 

 try is in general from prose : it is the 



boldest of all other kinds, full of rapture, 

 and elevated from common languu 

 most that is possible : some odes there 

 are likewise, in the free and loose manner, 

 which seem to avoid all method, and yet 

 are conducted by a very clear one, which 

 affects transitions seemingly without art, 

 but for that reason have tiie more of \t ; 

 which are above connection, and delrght 

 in exclamations and frequent invocations 

 of the muses, which begin and end 

 abruptly, and are carried on through a 

 variety of matter with a sort of divine 

 pathos, above rules and laws, and without 

 regard to the common forms of grammar. 

 Pindar has set his successors the example 

 of digressions and excursions. To write 

 a lyric poem are required, not only a 

 flowing imagination, brightness, life, sub- 

 limity, and elegance, but the nicest art 

 and finest judgment, so as to seem luxu- 

 riant, and not be so ; and under the show 

 of transgressing all laws, to preserve 

 them. 



LYSIMACHIA, in botany, loosestrife, 

 a genus of the Pentandria Monogynia 

 class and order. Natural order of Rota- 

 cex. Lysimachiae, Jussieu. Essential 

 character: corolla wheel-shaped; cap- 

 sule globular, mucronate, ten-valved. 

 There are twelve species; most of these 

 have perennial roots, herbaceous stems, 

 and the leaves opposite ; flowers axillary, 

 or terminating solitary, or else in spike* 

 or corymbs. 



LYTHRUM, in botany, ivilloiv-herb, a 

 genus of the Dodecandria Monogynia class 

 and order. Natural order of Caly can the- 

 mae. Salicariae, Jussieu. Essential cha- 

 racter : calyx twelve-toothed ; petals six, 

 inserted into the calyx : capsule two- 

 celled, many-seeded. There are eighteen 

 species. 



LYTTA, in natural history, a genus of 

 insects of the order Coleoptera. Antennae 

 filiform ; four feelers, unequal, the hind 

 ones clavate ; thorax roundish ; head in- 

 flected, gibbous ; shells soft, flexile, as 

 long as the abdomen. There are upwards 

 of thirty species, many of which are equal 

 in virtue to the L. vesicatoria or blistering 

 fly, (Cantharides of the shops.) 



