Chapter Leontes to Levites of L by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Leslie (General), a parliamentary leader.—Sir W. Scott: Legend of Montrose (time, Charles I.).

Lesly (Ludovic), surnamed Le Balafré, an old archer in the Scotch guard of Louis XI. of France. Uncle of Quentin Durward.—Sir W. Scott: Quentin Durward (time, Edward IV.).

Lesurques (Jerome), a solicitor, who, being in greatly reduced circumstances, holds the White Lion inn, unknown to his son (act i. 2).

Joseph Lesurqnes, son of the solicitor, and father of Julie. He is so like Dubosc the highwayman, that he is accused of robbing the night-mail from Lyons, and murdering the courier.

Julie Lesurques, daughter of Joseph Lesurques, in love with Didier. When her father is imprisoned, she offers to release Didier from his engagement; but he remains loyal throughout.—Stirling: The Courier of Lyons (1852).

Lethe, one of the five rivers of hell. The word means “forgetfulness.” The other rivers are Styx, Acheron, Cocytus, and Phlegethon. Dantê makes Lêthê the boundary between purgatory and paradise.

Far off from these [four] a slow and silent stream
Lethê, the river of oblivion, rolls
Her watery labyrinth, whereof who drinks
Forth with his former state and being forgets—
Forgets both joy and grief, pleasure and pain.
   —Milton: Paradise Lost, ii. 583, etc. (1665).

Lethean Dews, that which produces a dreamy languor and obliviousness of the troubles of life. Lêthê personified oblivion in Grecian mythology, and the soul, at the death of the body, drank of the river Lêthê that it might carry into the world of shadows no remembrance of earth and its concerns.

The soul with tender luxury you [the Muses] fill,
And o’er the sense Lethean dews distill.
   —Falconer: The Shipwreck, iii. 4 (1756).

Letters (Greek). Cadmus, the Phœnician, introduced sixteen; Simonidês and Epicharmos (the poets) introduced six or eight others; but there is the greatest diversity upon what letters, or how many, are to be attributed to them. Aristotle, says Epicharmos introduced q, c; others ascribe to him x, h, Y, w. Dr. Smith, in his Classical Dictionary, tells us Simonidês introduced “the long vowels and doubleletters” (h, w, q, c, f, Y). Lemprière, under “Cadmus,” ascribes to him q, V, f, c; and under “Simonides,” h, w, x, Y. Others maintain that the Simonidês’ letters are h, w, V, Y.

Letters (Father of), François I. of France, Père des Lettres (1494, 1515–1547). Lorenzo de’ Medici, “the Magnificent” (1448–1492).

Letters of the Sepulchre, the laws made by Godfrey and the patriarchs of the court of Jerusalem. There were two codes, one respecting the privileges of the nobles, and the other respecting the rights and duties of burghers. These codes were laid up in a coffer with the treasure of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Letters to his Son, by lord Chesterfield (1771).

Leucadia’s Rock, a promontory, the south extremity of th e island Leuças or Leucadia, in the Ionian Sea. Sappho leapt from this rock when she found her love for Ph aon unrequited. At the annual festival of Apollo, a criminal was hurled from Leucadia’s Rock into the sea; but birds of various sorts were attached to him, in order to break his fall, and if he was not killed he was set free. The leap from this rock is called “The Lovers’ Leap.”

All those may leap who rather would be neuter
(Leucadia’s Rock still overlooks the wave).
   —Byron: Don Juan, iii. 205 (1819).