LANGLAND. See Longland.
LANGLÈS, Louis Matthieu, a modern French Oriental scholar of deserved reputation, was born, August 23, 1763; but there are some discrepancies as to the place of his nativity. He pursued his studies with the view of adopting the military profession; but having conceived the idea of going to India, he betook himself to the investigation of subjects connected with the East. Although disappointed in his hope of going out with the army as he expected, he became ardently attached to his new studies, and attended the Arabic and Persian classes at the college de France, where he had the advantage of an introduction to the celebrated Silvester de Sacy, from whom he derived valuable assistance. In 1787 he published, in French, an edition of the "Political and Military Institutes of Tamerlane," written by himself in Mogul. This work was not, however, translated from the original, but from a Persian version, to which he added a life of Tamerlane gathered from oriental sources, with notes, historical tables, &c. This work attracted public attention, procured him the favour of marshal de Richelieu, and through him a pension as the reward of merit. About the same time he published his "Alphabet Tartare-Mandchou," in which he analyzed the characters, and showed how they could be printed with movable types. He was appointed to publish a Mandchou-French Dictionary, which Father Amiot had compiled in China. This work appeared in 1789-90 in three quarto volumes, with some additions to the original. It is reputed to be a very accurate production, although it is said by Abel de Remusat, that Langlès was not well versed in the original language. At his instance the republican government founded a school at Paris in 1795, for the study of languages spoken in the East, which school still exists. Langlès was appointed professor of Persian; and should have taught Mandchou and Malay, but does not appear to have done so. Prior to this, in 1792, he was keeper of Oriental MSS. in the royal library, and in 1794 keeper of the literary depot in the old convent of the capuchins, Rue St. Honoré. In 1788 he published "Tales, Fables, and Sentences from the Arabic and Persian;" in 1790, "Fables and Indian Tales, with preliminary discourse and notes;" in the same year, "Words of a Sage;" in 1797 a notice of three MSS. brought from Egypt by Bonaparte; in 1799 "A Pictorial Journey in Syria, Phœnicia, and Lower Egypt;" and in 1800, a notice of elementary MS. works on Chinese in the national library. From this time till his death in 1824, he was incessantly occupied in the composition and editing of works relating to the East. Yet he appears to have been an industrious, rather than a profound or gifted scholar. He was earnest in promoting his favourite studies, and did his utmost to make them useful and popular. His most important undertaking, which he left incomplete in two folio volumes, is his "Monuments anciens et modernes de l'Indoustan," 1812-21.—B. H. C.
LANGLEY, Batty, architect and surveyor, from whose "improved Gothic" designs the common phrase of "Batty Langley Gothic" was derived, was born at Twickenham in September, 1696. He appears to have at first practised as a land surveyor, and probably in connection therewith as a landscape gardener; at least his earlier publications would lead to such a conclusion. Among them were—"New Principles of Gardening," 4to, 1728; "A Sure Method of improving Estates by Plantations of Wood," 8vo, 1728, of which a revised edition appeared in 1741, under the title of the "Landed Gentleman's Useful Companion, or a sure and easy method," &c.; and "Pomona, or the Fruit Garden Illustrated," folio, 1729. The work which has conferred on his name its lasting and unenviable notoriety is "Gothick Architecture Improved by Rules and Proportions," 4to, 1747, in which he undertakes to "exhibit and explain, on geometrical principles, five new orders of columns, plain and enriched, and then show their use in the forming of designs for frontispieces to doors, windows, chimney-pieces, insides of rooms, &c., in the Gothic manner." Walpole says that "he never copied Gothic." But he certainly copied some Gothic features, as the first plates in his book give plans, elevations, and profiles of shafts and capitals from Westminster abbey. He had, however, as little of the Gothic spirit as man well could have. His five orders are sheer absurdities; scarcely any of his windows have cusps or tracery; mouldings he altogether disregards; and his crockets and finials are utterly puerile. But then no one else designed Gothic better at that time; and it is plain from his engravings that he never thought of applying it to any buildings more important than garden summer-houses (or, as he calls them, "umbrellas for seats, pavilions, and temples"), a class of gardening ornamentation then much in vogue. The real mischief was, that he succeeded so thoroughly in what he evidently aimed at—making Gothic designs, or what passed for Gothic, easy to the meanest capacity; and consequently "carpenters' Gothic" and "churchwardens' Gothic" came rapidly into use, every remove from the original tending in such hands to debase what was in itself so essentially bad a thing as "Batty Langley Gothic." Batty Langley's great forte seems to have consisted in his power of mechanical simplification. Of his "Sure Guide to Builders, or the Principles and Practice of Architecture geometrically demonstrated and made easy," 4to, 1729, an eleventh edition was issued in 1768 under the title of "The Builder's Jewel," and it continued to be reprinted as late as 1808—a plain proof of its practical value. He also sought, in his "Workman's Golden Rule for Drawing the Five Orders," to do for the classical orders what he fancied he had accomplished for the Gothic. Another work of the same species was "The Builder's Complete Assistant, or a Library of the Arts and Sciences necessary to be understood by Builders." He had published a work in folio on "Practical Geometry" as early as 1724. Other publications were—"A True Description of Newgate," with a view to its improvement, 1724, and "Designs for a New Bridge at Westminster," 1736. His latest production (1750) was a pamphlet directed against Labelye, the architect employed to construct Westminster bridge, whom he charged with having pirated his designs. He is said to have had much practice as an architect and surveyor; and he was the inventor of an artificial stone. He died March 3, 1751. In the later editions of his works the name of Thomas Langley is associated with that of Batty Langley.—J. T—e.
LANGRISH, Browne, an English physician, distinguished as a learned advocate of the mechanical theories of physiology and medicine, died in 1759.—W. B—d.
LANGRISHE, Sir Hercules, Bart., an Irishman remarkable for his accomplishments, wit, and genius, was one of the brilliant circle of which Bushe, Grattan, and Flood were the brightest ornaments. He represented the borough of Knocktopher in the Irish parliament for forty years. His oratorical powers were of a high order, and he took a conspicuous part in most of the important questions of the day, and was the first who endeavoured to obtain the relaxation of the penal statutes against the Irish Roman catholics. He was created a baronet in 1777. Some specimens of his poetry are given in Grattan's Life by his son, and display ability. He died in 1812.—J. F. W.
LANGTOFT, Peter, one of our early chroniclers, was a canon-regular of the order of St. Augustine at Bridlington in Yorkshire; from Langtoft in which county he derived his name. Little or nothing is known of his biography. He was probably an Englishman, who composed in French, or romanced rather, in English. He translated into French verse Herbert of Bosham's Latin life of Thomas à Becket, and composed in French verse a "Chronicle of England," which still remains in MS. The "Chronicle" begins with the fabulous arrival of the Trojans in Britain, and ends with the close of the reign of Edward I. From this latter circumstance, and from the fulness with which Edward I.'s reign is narrated, Langtoft is supposed to have been a contemporary of that monarch, and to have died soon after the accession of Edward II. Robert de Brunne translated, with occasional additions, Langtoft's "Chronicle" into English rhyme, and this version was published by Hearne in 1725. A new edition of it appeared in 1810.—F. E.
LANGTON, Stephen, an English archbishop and cardinal, was born some time after the middle of the twelfth century, but the actual place and year of his birth are not known. He studied at Paris, where he was for some time professor in the university, and chancellor. He was also canon of Nôtre Dame, and dean of Rheims. In the Aristotelian philosophy he was considered the chief man of his time, and he introduced a new method of teaching scholastic and exegetical theology. Owing to his great reputation he was invited to Rome and made a cardinal by Innocent III., who had been his fellow-student at Paris. About the same time the see of Canterbury became vacant. The election of archbishops had for some time been the subject of disputes between the monks of St. Augustine and the suffragan bishops. Both parties claimed the right of appointment. Some of the monks nominated a candidate, and sent him on his way to Rome. This election was opposed by the king, and
