LAD 
below; and, indeed, is merely the upper layer of the rock, 
decomposed and pulverized by the joint aCtion of the fun 
and rain in a fuccefflon of ages. The rock confifts of a 
mixture of clay, calx of iron in a fmall proportion, and 
a great deal of Siliceous earth and mica. The lea all 
round is of a dirty-yellowilh muddy colour, and of no 
great depth. The bottom is mud and clay. 
The Ladrones, and clufters of illands between them 
and the Southern extremity of China, are So near to each 
other, and to the main land, and are alSo So broken, as 
well as So irregular in their form and pofition, as to ap¬ 
pear like fragments, disjointed from the continent, and 
from each other, at remote periods, by the fucceffive vio¬ 
lence of mighty torrents, or in Some Sudden convulfions 
of nature. Thefe fragments have now a very barren and 
unproinifing afpeCt. In particular Spots, however, there 
are Some Scattered patches of pleafing verdure 5 but, in ge¬ 
neral, little better than naked rocks appear; and Scarcely 
ever a tree or fhrub is vifible among them. Thefe illands 
Serve chiefly as retreats for pirates, and for the temporary 
abode of filhermen. 
To the north of the Ladrones are many fmall illands, 
extending to Todos los Santos, lat. 30. N. thofe further to 
the north belonging to Japan. This group may either be 
arranged, fays Pinkerton, among the Ladrones, or might, 
perhaps, admit of a diftinCt appellation. The Golden and 
Silver Illes Seem to be So ftyled from Japanele fables, and, 
with a few other Scattered ides on the north of the Caro¬ 
lines, merit little attention. In thefe feas is the ftupen- 
dous rock called Lot’s Wife, rifing in the form of a py¬ 
ramid, and thus defcribed by Mr. Meares in his Voyage: 
44 The latitude was 29. 50. N. the longitude 14a. 2,3. E. of 
Greenwich. The waves broke againft its rugged front, 
with a fury proportioned to the immenle diftance they had 
to roll before they were interrupted by it. It rofe alrnoft 
perpendicular to the height of near three hundred and 
fifty feet. A fmall black rock appeared juft above the 
water, at about forty or fifty yards from the weftern edge. 
There was a cavern on its fouth-eaftern fide, into which 
the waters rolled with an awful and tremendous noife. 
In regarding this ltupendous rock, which flood alone in 
an immenfe ocean, we could not but confider it as an ob¬ 
ject which had been able to refill one of thofe great con¬ 
vulfions of nature that change the very form of thofe parts 
of the globe which they are permitted to defolate.” Gib- 
fon's Geography. Staunton's Emhajfy. Pinkerton. 
LADRO'NES, three fmall illands in the Pacific Ocean, 
on the coaft of Veragua : eight miles fouth-eaft of Cape 
Boruca. Lat. 8. 20. N. Ion. 83. 16. W. 
LADROO'N, a river of Africa, which runs into the 
Indian Sea in lat. 22. 36. S. 
L’ADVOCA'T (John-Baptift), a man of letters in 
France, born in 1709, was fon of the fubdelegate of Vau- 
couleurs, in the diocefe of Toul. He ftudied firft under 
the Jefuits at Pont-a-Mouffon, and afterwards at the Sor- 
bonne, of which fociety he was admitted a member. For 
iome time he occupied the cure of Domremi, the birth¬ 
place of Joan of Arc; but in 1740 he was called by the 
Sorbonne to fill one of its royal profelforlhips, and in 
1742 was made librarian. In 1751 he was appointed to 
the chair of Hebrew founded in thg Sorbonne by the pious 
duke of Orleans, which ftation he held till his death in 
1765. M. L’Advocat was a perfon of a highly eftimable 
c ha rafter, mild, humane, and undifguifed. As a writer 
be is chiefly known by his Didionnaire Gcographique portatif, 
8vo. frequently reprinted; and his Didionnaire Hijlorique 
portatif, two vols. 8vo. an ufeful compendium of biogra¬ 
phy, of which feveral editions have been given with Suc- 
ceflive improvements. He alfo publiflied a Hebrew Gram¬ 
mar, for the ufe of his pupils ; and after his death appear¬ 
ed feveral theological traffs of his compofition. 
L’ADVOCA'T (Louis-Francis), a French counfellor 
and pliilofophical writer, was born at Paris in the year 
2644, He was admitted counfellor to the king, appointed 
malter in ordinary in the chamber of accounts in 1671 3 
LAD 79 
and died dean of that chamber, in 1735, 1° the ninety-firft 
year of his age. He was an able magiftrate, had fucceff- 
fully cultivated literature, and was well converfant with 
philofophy. He was the author of “Dialogues relating 
to a new Syftem of inoral and natural Philofophy, or a 
Search after Happinefs under the Guidance of the Light 
of Nature,” 1722, i2mo. which Dupin fpeaks of as a 
well-written production, abounding in folid reflections, 
and juft well-conneCted reafonings. The authors of the 
Memoires de Trevoux, when giving an analyfis of them, 
in one of their numbers for that year, brought forward 
a variety of objections againft this work. To thefe the 
author replied in 1728, by publifhing “A New Syftem of 
Philofophy, founded on the indifputable Nature of Things, 
compared with the Opinions of the ancient Philofophers 
relating to the firft Principles of Nature, &c. to which is 
added a Treatife on the Nature of the Soul and the Ex- 
iltence of God, &c.” in two vols. nrao. Morcri. 
LA DY, f. [derived from two Saxon words, hlaejr big, 
which figriify loaf-day, which words have in time been 
contracted into the prefent appellation. As to the ori¬ 
ginal application of this expreflion, it may be obferved, 
that heretofore it was the fafhion for thofe families whom 
God had bleffed with affluence to live conftantly at their 
manfion-houfes in the country, and that once a-week, or 
oftener, the lady of the manor diftributed to her poor 
neighbours, with her own hands, a certain quantity of 
bread; but the praClice, which gave rife to this title is 
now as little known as the meaning of it; however, it 
may be from that liofpitable cuftom, that to this day the 
ladies in this kingdom ferve the meat at their own tables. 
Ency. Brit. ] A woman of high rank ; the title of lady 
properly belongs to the wives of knights, of all degrees 
. above them, (except the wives of bilhops,) and the daugh¬ 
ters of earls, and all of higher ranks.—I would thy huf- 
band were dead ; I would make thee my lady. —I your 
lady, Sir John ? alas, I fhould be a pitiful lady. Shakefpeare . 
An illuftrious or eminent woman.—We find on medals 
the reprefentations of ladies, that have given occafion to 
whole volumes on the account only' of a face. Add fon on 
Ancient Medals. 
Should I fliun the dangers of the w'ar, 
With fcorn the Trojans would reward my pains, 
And their proud ladies with their fweeping trains. Dryden . 
A word of complaifance ufed of women.—I hope I may 
lpeak of women without offence to the ladies. Guardian . 
Say, good Caefar, 
That I fome lady- trifles have referv’d, 
Immoment toys, things of fuch dignity 
As we greet modern friends withal. Shakefpeare , 
Miftrefs, importing power and dominion ; as, lady of thi 
manor: 
Of all thefe bounds, even from this line to this. 
With fliadowy forefts, and with champaigns rich’d 
With plenteous rivers and wide-fkirted meads. 
We make thee lady. Shakefpeare's King Lear. 
LA'DY’s-BED'STRAW, f. A plant of the ftellate 
kind. See Galium. 
LA'DY-BIRD, Lady-Cow, or Lady-fly, f. A fmall 
red infeCl. See Coccinella, vol. vi. 
This lady-fy I take from off the grafs, 
Whofe lpotted back might fcarlet red furpafs. Gay. 
LADY’s BOW'ER. See Clematis. 
LADY’s CHAPEL, a name invented by modern ar¬ 
chitects and virtuofi to fignify the chapel which is gene¬ 
rally found in our ancient cathedrals behind the fkreen of 
the high altar. It is lb denominated from its being ge¬ 
nerally dedicated to the Virgin Mary, called Our Lady. 
LADY’s CO'MB. See Scandix. 
LA'DY COURT, f. The court of the lady of a manor, 
LADY’s CUSH'ION. See Saxifraga. 
LADY-DAY', in law, the 25th of March, being the 
annunciatioa 
