in zoology. See FELIS.

in astronomy. See there, n° 206.

Leo X., whose proper name was John de Medicis, is a pope ever to be remembered by Protestants, as having proved the cause of the reformation begun by Martin Luther. He had been honoured with a cardinal's hat at 14 years of age, and some years after with the dignity of legate by Julius II. He was in that quality in the army which was defeated by the French near Ravenna in 1512, where he was taken prisoner. The soldiers, who had overcome him, showed him such great veneration, that they humbly asked his pardon for gaining the victory; besought him to give them absolution for it, and promised never to bear arms against the pope. When pope Julius died, Leo was very ill of the venereal disease at Florence, and was carried to Rome in a litter. His hurrying about every night to the cardinals of his faction, occasioned the breaking of his ulcer; and the matter which ran from it exhaled such a stench, that all the cells in the conclave, which were separated only by thin partitions, were poisoned by it. Upon this the cardinals consulted the physicians of the conclave, to know what the matter was. They, being bribed, said the cardinal de Medicis could not live a month; which sentence occasioned his being chosen pope. Thus cardinal de Medicis, then not 30 years of age, was elected pope. upon a false information; and as joy is the most sovereign of all remedies, he soon after recovered his health, so that the old cardinals had reason to repent their credulity.—He was better calculated for a temporal prince, being ambitious, politic, luxurious, a connoisseur in the fine arts, and an accomplished fine gentleman; thus qualified, it is no wonder that so young a pontiff, neglecting the true interest of his church, should avail himself of the folly of religious dupes, and publicly sell indulgences to support his prodigality, especially as he was known to disbelieve Christianity itself, which he called A very profitable fable for him and his predecessors. In 1517, he published general indulgences throughout Europe (and ordered the priests to recommend them) in favour of those who would contribute any sum towards completing the church of St Peter; and this was the basis of the reformation. (See Luther and Indulgence.) Leo died in 1521.

It is but justice to add, that to this pope was principally owing the revival of polite literature in Italy. He spared neither pains nor expense in recovering ancient manuscripts, and procuring good editions of them; he favoured the arts and sciences; and gloried in being the patron of learned and ingenious men, who in return have been very lavish in his praise. Mr Pope, in his essay on Criticism, bestows on him these harmonious lines:

But feel each Muse, in Leo's golden days, Starts from her trance, and turns thee wither'd bays: Rome's ancient Genius, o'er its ruins spread, Shakes off the dust, and raiseth his rev'rend head. Then Sculpture and her sister Arts revive; Stones leap to arm, and rocks begin to live; With sweeter notes each rising temple rung; A Raphael painted, and a Vida sung.

Leo (St.), a small but strong town of Italy, in the territory of the church, and duchy of Urbino, with a bishop's see. It is seated on a mountain, near the river Marrechia, in E. Long. 12. 25. N. Lat. 43. 57.