4(56 L E L 
which were publifhed feparately; in which he reprefents, 
with great perfpicuity and concifenefs, the abfurdity and 
ill-tendency, as well as the manifold inconfiftencies, of 
this author’s fcheme ; and, at the fame time, gives a plain 
confutation of the principal arguments from Scripture and 
reafon by which he pretended to fupport it. In the year 
1753, Dr. Leland diftinguiffied himfelf ftill farther as the 
advocate of Chriftianity againft its moft infidious oppo¬ 
nents, by publiihing, “ Reflections on the late Lord Bo- 
lingbroke’s Letters on the Study and Ufe of Hiftory; ef- 
pecially fo far as they relate to Chriftianity and the Holy 
Scriptures,” 8vo. 
Dr. Leland was now juftly conlidered to be a mafter in 
this branch of controverfy, the courfe of his ftudies hav¬ 
ing made him particularly conyerfant with thofe writings 
which about this period were fo frequently publifhed for 
the purpofe of fetting afuie all revelation. And he had 
ably fucceeded, in conjunction with other valuable wri¬ 
ters, in detecting their fophiftry and mifreprefentations, 
in refuting their fallacious reafonings, and in ftiowing 
that they were far from being fuch formidable champions 
for the deiftical caufe as many had been apt to fuppofe. 
Since, however, there are few who have leifure or patience 
for a particular inquiry into a voluminous controverfy, 
fome judicious vvell-wiftiers to the interefts of Chriftianity 
were of opinion, that it might be of eflential fervice to 
give a fummary view of the moft noted hooks which had 
been publifhed againft revealed religion, for above a cen¬ 
tury, with proper obfervations upon them. This tafk 
our author was engaged to undertake, by fome perfons 
for whom he had a particular regard ; and, in 174.5, l ie 
committed to the prefs “ A View of the principal Deifti¬ 
cal Writers that have appeared in England, in the laft and- 
prefent Century ; with Obfervations upon them, and fome 
Account of the Anfwers that have been publifhed againft 
them ; in feveral Letters to a Friend,” 8vo. In this work 
the author ably maintained the reputation which he had 
acquired by his former productions, and it defervedly met 
with a very favourable reception from the public. 
When Dr. Leland publifhed this View of the Deiftical 
Writers, he had no intention of engaging any farther in 
a work of that nature ; but, foon after its appearance, 
Lome judicious perfons expreffed the^r furprife that no no¬ 
tice was taken of Mr. Hume, who was looked upon to 
be one of the moft fubtle writers who had of late ap¬ 
peared againft Chriftianity. About the fame time, like- 
wife, the works of lord Bolingbroke were publifhed, in 
5 vols. 4to. of which the laft three feemed to be princi¬ 
pally intended againft revealed, and even againft fome 
important principles of natural, religion. It was there¬ 
fore thought proper that Dr. Leland, in order to complete 
the defign which he had propofed in publifliing his View', 
fhould add a fupplement, relating to the productions of 
thefetwo celebrated authors. Accordingly, after a care¬ 
ful perufal of them, in 1756, he publifhed his obferva¬ 
tions upon them in a fecond volume, conducted, like the 
former, in the epiftolary form. Soon after the appearance 
of this volume, the author received fome letters relating 
to his work, which induced him to reconfider fome parts of 
it, and to give fuch farther additions and illuftrations as 
he thought might be of advantage to the main defign. 
At the fame time he had been defired to prepare a new 
edition of the Reflections upon Lord Bolingbroke’s Let¬ 
ters, &c. and, as the fubjeft has a near affinity to thofe 
which are treated of in the View, and would confequently 
help to complete that part of the work which relates to 
his lordfliip, it was judged advifeahle to publiffi a diftinCf 
volume, comprehending the author’s additions and illuf¬ 
trations, together with thefe RefleClions. The whole of 
this ufefui work was thus extended to three volumes j and 
fecured to the author not only very general public appro¬ 
bation, but the particular notice of fome perfons of great 
merit and diftinCfion, whofe concern for religion, and 
steal for our common Chriftianity, inclined them candidly 
to overlook fmaller differences and diftinCtions. Dr. Le> 
L E L 
land was thus encouraged to continue his a&ive exertion's 
in this good caufe to a very advanced age. When lie was 
more than feventy years old, he was attacked with fo vio¬ 
lent a fever, that his recovery was doubtful ; and, though 
he was entirely refigned to the will of God, it gave him 
no fmall pleafure to have his days a little prolonged, that 
he might put the finifhing hand to another work which 
had colt him more application than any of his former 
writings, and with which he intended to clofe his learned 
labours : accordingly, foon after the reftoration of his 
health, this work made its appearance, in two volumes, 
4to. under the title of “ The Advantage and Neceffity of 
the Chriftian Revelation, fliown from the State of Reli¬ 
gion in the ancient heathen World, efpecially with ref- 
peCt to the Knowledge and Worthip of the one true 
God; a Rule of moral Duty; and a State of future Re¬ 
wards and Puniffiments,” &c. This valuable perform¬ 
ance, alfo, met with the reception from the public of 
which it was deferving; and it was afterwards reprinted, 
in 8vo. From this time our author enjoyed a greater 
ihare of health and fpirits than he had known for many 
years before, until a few months before his death, occa- 
floned by an inflammation of his lungs, which proved fa¬ 
tal to him on the 16th of January, 1766, when he was in 
the feventy-fifth year of his age. 
Dr. Leland was diftinguiflied by confiderable abilities, 
and very extenfive learning. He had a quick apprehen- 
fion, a folid judgment, and a memory fo remarkably te¬ 
nacious, that he was often called a walking library. His 
moral character was equally amiable and excellent. As 
lie entertained the nobleft fentiments of the Deity, his 
perfections and providence, fo his piety was liberal, ra¬ 
tional, and manly ; and, indeed, the whole of his con¬ 
duct was regulated by the principles Of that religion 
which he knew fo well how to defend. His temper was 
naturally warm ; hut, by maintaining a firirt difcipline 
over his paffions, he never fuffered it to betray him into 
improper behaviour; and, in his difcharge of every rela¬ 
tive and focial duty, he was truly exemplary. Soon after 
his death, a collection of his Sermons was publilhed, in 
4 vols. 8vo. with a preface, giving fome account of the 
life, character, and writings, of the author. 
LE'LAND (Dr. Thomas), a divine of the church of 
England, was born at Dublin about the year 1702. Hav¬ 
ing received the elements of a good education, he was 
admitted a ftudent, and afterwards became fellow, of Tri¬ 
nity College, Dublin. He was author of 1. A Hiftory of 
Ireland, 4to. 2. The Life of Philip of Macedon. The 
Principles of Human Eloquence. He alfo tranflated the 
Orations of Demofthenes, in 2 vols. 8vo. which came out 
feparately, and were well received by the public. Dr. 
Leland died in 1785, at the age of eighty-three. 
LE'LAPS, in fabulous hiftory, the name of a dog that 
never failed to feize and conquer whatever animal he was 
ordered to purfue. It was given to Procris by Diana, and 
Procris reconciled herfelf to her hufband by prefenting 
him with that valuable prefent. According to fome, Pro¬ 
cris had received it from Minos, as a reward for the dan¬ 
gerous wounds of which (lie had cured him. Hygin. fab. 
128. Ovid. Met. 7. 
LELC'ZA, a town of Ruffian Poland, in the palati¬ 
nate of Volhynia: fixty miles north of Zytomiers. 
LELEGEHS, the ancient name of Miletus, from the 
Leleges, the firft inhabitants of it. 
LEL'EGES, anciently a people of Alia, of Greek ori¬ 
ginal ; the name denoting “ a collection of people.” They 
firft occupied the iflands ; then, paffing over to the conti¬ 
nent, they fettled partly in Myfia on the Sinus Adramyt- 
tenus, and partly in that part of Ionia next Caria.—There 
were Leleges alfo of Laconia. Thefe went to the Trojan 
war with Altes their king. Achilles plundered their 
country, and obliged them to retire to the neighbourhood 
of Halicarnaffus, where they fixed their habitation.—The 
inhabitants of Laconia and of Megara alfo bore this name 
for fome time, from Lelex, one of their kings. 
3 
LE'LEX, 
