(John de), a writer in the 17th century, born at Antwerp, was director of the West India company. He acquired great skill in the languages, in history, and geography; and had the management of Elzevir's edition of A description of most kingdoms in the world, printed in Latin. He wrote, in French, a Description of the East Indies, and other works; and died in 1649.

LÆVINUS (Torrentinus), commonly called Vander Bekin, or Torrentin, was a native of Ghent, and bred in the university of Louvain. He afterwards made the tour of Italy, where his virtues obtained him the friendship of the most illustrious personages of his time. On his return to the Low Countries, he was made canon of Liege, and vicar-general to Ernest de Baviere, bishop of that see. At length, having executed a successful embassy to Philip II. of Spain, he was rewarded with the bishopric of Antwerp; from whence he was translated to the metropolitan church of Mechlin, and died there in 1595. He founded a college of Jesuits at Louvain, to which he left his library, medals, and curiosities. He wrote several poems that procured him the character of being, after Horace, the prince of the lyric poets.

LÆVIUS, a Latin poet. It is not well known when he lived, but probably he was more ancient than Cicero. He made a poem entitled Erotopagnia, i.e. love-games. Julius Gellius quotes two lines of it. Apuleius also quotes six lines from the same poet, but he does not tell from what work he borrowed them. Lælius had also composed a poem intitled The centaur, which Fettus quotes under the title of Petrarum.