or **LANTHORN**, a device to carry a candle in; being a kind of cover usually made of white iron, with shades of some transparent matter, as glass, horn, &c., to transmit the light.

Sir George Staunton informs us that some of the Chinese lanterns were entirely made of horn, so very thin and transparent that they were at first taken for glass, to which they prefer it as being cheaper, less liable to accident, and more easily repaired. Those which Sir George had the opportunity of examining, consisted of one uniform piece of horn, the seams being made invisible by an art found out by the Chinese. The horns commonly used are those of sheep or goats, which being bent by immersing them in boiling water, are cut open and flattened, after which they are easily separated into two or three thin plates. To make these laminae or plates join readily, they are exposed to the penetrating heat of steam till they are perfectly soft, and the edges that are to lap over each other are scraped and flatted off, so that the joinings may be no thicker than any other part of the plate.

Such lanterns would be extremely proper for military store-houses; and Rochou of the National Institute was desired to attempt to make them for the marine store-houses of France. While he was thus engaged, it occurred to him that he might supply the urgent necessities of the navy without horn, by filling up the interstices of wire cloth with fine transparent glue. He first tinned the iron wires of the sieve-cloth he made use of; but afterwards found it more convenient to give it a coating of oil paint to preserve it from rust. The glue he made use of was procured by boiling the clippings of parchment with the air-bladders and membranes of sea-fish, not from any conviction of their superiority to other articles, but as being the cheapest he could procure. To this he added the juice of garlic and cider, in such proportions as he found to communicate great tenacity. Into this transparent pure glue he plunged his wire-cloth, which came out with its interstices filled with the compound. The ease with which lanterns made of this substance are repaired in case of accident, by a flight coating of glue, is given by the inventor as a great advantage; and, according to him, they were employed as signal lanterns in the expedition to Ireland.

**Dark Lantern**, one with only one opening, which may also be closed up when the light is to be entirely hid, or opened when there is occasion for the assistance of the light to discover some object.

**Magic Lantern**, an optical machine, whereby little painted images are represented so much magnified, as to be accounted the effect of magic by the ignorant. See Dioptrics, Art. X. p. 37.

**Lantern**, in Architecture, a little dome raised over the roof of a building to give light, and serve as a crowning to the fabric.

The term lantern is also used for a square cage of carpentry, placed over the ridge of a corridor or gallery, between two rows of shops, to illuminate them, like that of the Royal Exchange, London.

**Lantern**, on ship board, a well known machine, of which there are many in a ship, particularly for the purpose of directing the course of other ships in a fleet or convoy; such as the poop and top lanterns, &c.

**Feast of Lanterns**, in China, is a celebrated feast held on the 15th day of the first month; so called from the infinite number of lanterns hung out of the houses and streets; which, it is said, is no less than two hundred millions. On this day are exposed lanterns of all prices, whereof some are said to cost 2000 crowns. Some of their grandees retrench somewhat every day out of their table, out of their dress, equipage, &c. to appear the more magnificent in lanterns. They are adorned with gilding, sculpture, painting, japanning, &c. And as to their size, it is extravagant; some being from 25 to 30 feet diameter: they represent halls and chambers, and two or three such machines together would make handsome houses; so that in China they are able to eat, lodge, receive visits, have balls, and act plays in a lantern. To illumine them, they should have bonfires; but as that would be inconvenient, they content themselves with lighting up in them an infinite number of torches or lamps, which at a distance have a beautiful effect. In these they exhibit various kinds of shows, to divert the people. Besides these enormous lanterns, there is a multitude of others smaller, which usually consist of six faces or lights, each about four feet high, and one and a half broad, framed in wood finely gilt and adorned; over these they stretch a fine transparent silk, curiously painted with flowers, trees, and sometimes human figures: the painting is very extraordinary, and the colours extremely bright; and when the torches are lighted, they appear highly beautiful and surprising.

**Lantern Fly**. See Fulgora, Entomology Index.

**Lanugo**, the soft down of plants, like that growing on the fruit of the peach tree. See Hair.

**Laocoön**, in fabulous history, a son of Priam and Hecuba, or according to others of Antenor or of Capys. As being priest of Apollo, he was commissioned by the Trojans to offer a bullock to Neptune to render him propitious. During the sacrifice two enormous serpents issued from the sea, and attacked Laocoön's two sons who stood next to the altar. The father immediately attempted to defend his sons; but the serpents falling upon him squeezed him in their complicated wreathes, and he died in the greatest agonies. This punishment punishment was said to have been inflicted upon him for dissuading the Trojans to bring into the city the fatal wooden horse which the Greeks had consecrated to Minerva, as also for his impiety in hurling a javelin against the sides of the horse as it entered within the walls. According to Hyginus, he suffered the above punishment for his marriage against the consent of Apollo, or, according to others, for his polluting the temple, by his commerce with his wife Antiope, before the statue of the god.

Laocoön, in the history of the arts, is a celebrated monument of Greek sculpture executed in marble by Agefander, Polydorus, and Athenodorus, the three famous artists of Rhodes. Agefander is supposed to have been the father of the two latter. This remain of antiquity was found at Rome in the ruins of the palace of Titus, in the beginning of the sixteenth century, under the pontificate of Julius II. and afterwards deposited in the Farnese palace. Laocoön, the priest of Apollo and Neptune, is here represented with his two sons, with two hideous serpents clinging round his body, gnawing it, and injecting their poison: Virgil has given us the following description of the fact:

*Serpens amplexus uterque Implicat, et miseros morfu depositur artus: Corripiant, spirifque ligant ingentibus, et jam Bis medium amplexi, bis collo squamea circum Terga dati, superant capite et cervicibus altis.*

This statue exhibits the most astonishing dignity and tranquillity of mind in the midst of the most excruciating torments: Pliny says of it, that it is, opus omnibus pictore et statuarie artist, preferendum.

When Italy was overrun by the French during the late revolution, this wonderful monument of ancient art was removed along with the celebrated Apollo Belvedere, &c., from the Vatican, where they had been seen and admired for 300 years, and placed in the Museum of Arts at Paris. "A hero (says the French account of the latter), guided by victory, drew it from the Vatican, and transporting it to the banks of the Seine, has fixed it there for ever."

The Laocoön, Dr Gillies observes, may be regarded as the triumph of Grecian sculpture; since bodily pain, the grossest and most ungovernable of all our passions, and that pain united with anguish and torture of mind, are yet expressed with such propriety and dignity, as afford lessons of fortitude superior to any taught in the schools of philosophy. The horrible shriek which Virgil's Laocoön emits is a proper circumstance for poetry, which speaks to the fancy by images and ideas borrowed from all the senses, and has a thousand ways of ennobling its object: but the expression of this shriek would have totally degraded the statue. It is softened, therefore, into a patient sigh, with the eyes turned to heaven in search of relief. The intolerable agony of suffering nature is represented in the lower part, and particularly in the extremities of the body; but the manly breast struggles against calamity. The contention is still more plainly perceived in his furrowed forehead; and his languishing paternal eye demands affiance, lest for himself than for his miserable children, who look up to him for help.

The group of the Laocoön is composed of five pieces of marble, joined together with so much art and neatness, that Pliny thought the whole was of one. The right arm of the father, and two of the arms of the children are wanting. The deficiency is supplied by arms moulded on the groups in plaster of Paris.

Laodicæa on the Lycus, in Ancient Geography, a town of Phrygia, at first called Diopolis, then Rhoas. It was built by Antiochus son of Stratonice, and called after his consort Laodice. It was long an inconsiderable place; but increased toward the age of Augustus Caesar, after having suffered in a siege from Mithridates. The fertility of the soil, and the good fortune of some of its citizens, raised it to greatness. Hiero who adorned it with many offerings, left the people his heir to more than 2000 talents. After that benefactor followed Zeno the rhetorician; and his son Polemo, as renowned a sophist as ever lived. This person flourished at Smyrna; but was buried here by the Syrian gate, near which were the sepulchres or coffins of his ancestors. Laodicea, though inland, grew more potent than the cities on the coast, and became one of the largest towns in Phrygia. It was often damaged by earthquakes, and restored by its own opulence or by the munificence of the Roman emperors. These resources failed, and the city, it is probable, became early a scene of ruin. About the year 1097 it was possessed by the Turks, and submitted to Ducas general of the emperor Alexis. In 1120 the Turks sacked some of the cities of Phrygia by the Maeander, but were defeated by the emperor John Comnenus, who took Laodicea, and built anew or repaired the walls. About 1161 it was again unfortified. Many of the inhabitants were then killed with their bishop, or carried with their cattle into captivity by the Turks. In 1190 the German emperor, Frederick Barbarossa, going by Laodicea, with his army toward Syria on a croisade, was received so kindly, that he prayed on his knees for the prosperity of the people. About 1195 this region with Caria was dreadfully ravaged by the Turks. The sultan, on the invasion of the Tartars in 1255, gave Laodicea to the Romans; but they were unable to defend it, and it soon returned to the Turks. It is now totally ruined and deserted. Several remains of its ancient grandeur are, however, still to be seen; particularly the ruins of two theatres and an amphitheatre.—The memory of this place is consecrated in Scripture, being one of the seven churches to which St John in the Apocalypse addresses himself, commended by St Paul.

Laodicæa on the sea, in Ancient Geography, according to Strabo, was a town of Seleucus in Syria, extremely well built, with a commodious harbour. The country about it yielded great quantities of wine. The city took its name from Laodice, mother of Seleucus the founder of it.