* LOOMIS, Elias, an eminent American man of science, was born in Connecticut on the 7th of August, 1811, and is at present professor of mathematics and physics in the City university of New York. He is the author of various treatises on arithmetic, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and astronomy; and of a series of papers which have appeared chiefly in Silliman's Journal, on various subjects of physical science—chiefly connected with meteorology, atmospheric electricity, terrestrial magnetism, and astronomy; and comprising, amongst other matters, the results of a most valuable series of researches on the magnetism of the United States.—R.
LOOS, Cornelius, sometimes called Cornelius Callidius Chrysopolitanus, a Dutch theological writer, who died in 1595, at the age of about fifty years. He studied at Louvain and Mentz, where he published his first work in 1579. For some time he resided at Treves; but his disbelief of magic brought him some annoyance, and he removed to Brussels, where he returned to his old opinions respecting magic and sorcery, which he had been compelled to renounce. He was learned, but eccentric; and although by no means partial to protestantism, which he wrote against, was no favourite with his own party.—B. H. C.
LOOS, Daniel Friedrich, German medallist, was born at Altenburg in Saxony, January 15, 1735. He was a pupil of Stieler, and served an apprenticeship of seven years in the die department of the mint at Leipsic. In 1756 he was appointed engraver to the mint at Magdeburg, but on the suppression of that establishment was attached to the mint at Berlin, of which he became principal medallist. Loos improved the machinery, and greatly elevated the style of art of the Berlin mint. He executed numerous medals commemorative of passing events, and in honour of distinguished personages. Several of them have been engraved in Medailles de la Revolution, Tresor de Numismatique, &c. Loos was a member of the Berlin Academy. He died, October 1, 1819.—J. T—e.
LOOS, Gottfried Bernhard, son of D. F. Loos, born at Berlin, August 6, 1774, inherited a large share of his father's talent, which he improved by diligent culture. Gottfried Loos was appointed master of the Berlin mint in 1806, and later general warden. He executed numerous very excellent medals, and fully sustained the high character of the Berlin mint. He wrote several useful essays on general numismatics, which were published in a collected form in three parts, Berlin, 1822; a treatise on gold and silver coins for commercial men, 1821; and a guide to the detection of base coin, 1828. Gottfried Loos died at Berlin, July 29, 1843.—J. T—e.
LOPE de Vega. See Vega.
LOPES, Fernao, a Portuguese historian, born in 1380, and died in 1449. He was appointed keeper of the national archives in 1418, and undertook the task of writing the chronicles of the kings; but we have only two reigns written by him—those of Pedro I. and Fernando I.—which are in the collection of Correa de Serra, vol. iv.—F. M. W.
LOPEZ, Joachim Maria, a Spanish statesman, born 1802. He embraced the constitutional cause when a young advocate so warmly, that he was compelled to leave Spain in 1823. After the death of Ferdinand VII. in 1835, he was deputy for Alicante, and after the insurrection of La Granga, September, 1836, he became minister of the interior in the Calatrava ministry, but resigned in March, 1837. He was deputy for Madrid in 1836 and 1842. Having taken a leading part in the overthrow of Espartero, he became prime minister in July, 1843, but was speedily obliged to give way to Ologaza, and shortly afterwards retired to private life.—F. M. W.
LORCH, Melchior, German engraver, was born at Flensburg in the duchy of Schleswig about 1527. He engraved both on copper and on wood, and is one of the best of the many excellent engravers who at that time flourished in Germany. On copper, he engraved portraits (among others of Martin Luther and Albert Dürer) and various minor pieces; on wood, a large cut of the deluge, printed on two sheets, a sybil, and a variety of other subjects, the most interesting being a series of prints illustrative of manners, costumes, &c., from sketches made by him during his long journeys in northern Germany, Denmark, Austria, &c. He also engraved a set of prints of the habits of the Turks, and a portrait of the sultan. The date of Lorch's death is sometimes stated to be 1586, but he appears to have been alive in 1590.—J. T—e.
LOREDANO, Leonardo, Doge of Venice from 3rd October, 1501, to 22nd June, 1521, on which day he died at the age of ninety. He put an end, on terms of mutual concession, to the hostilities existing at the period of his election between Venice and Turkey; yet seems to have been no paramount lover of peace, as in two successive leagues he beheld unappalled the main strength of Europe arrayed against him. In his person much of the power of the doges expired, being transferred to the state inquisitors and the Council of Ten.—C. G. R.
LORENZETTI, Pietro and Ambrogio, two celebrated old Sienese painters, brothers, who were born in the latter half of the thirteenth century. They are also sometimes called Di Lorenzo. Pietro's name occurs in Sienese records as early as 1305, Ambrogio's not before 1323. They were the scholars and imitators of Duccio di Buoninsegna, but necessarily somewhat improved upon the hard Byzantine manner of that painter. Pietro's figures are greatly praised by Vasari, as grand and expressive, and rich and graceful in costume and ornament; but Vasari refers more particularly to his later works executed in the cathedral of Arezzo, now destroyed, which are said to have been the best frescoes, up to their time, painted in Italy. The wall-painting of the "Fathers in the Desert," in the Campo Santo at Pisa, is utterly without taste as a composition, and the groups, though very varied in their details, are as far from being graceful as they well can be; yet, compared with the other works of their age, they must be admitted to display great ability. In the Uffizi gallery at Florence is a picture of the Madonna and Child with Angels, by Pietro, signed "Petrus Laurentii de Senis me pinxit, Anno Domini mcccxl." He is supposed to have died about 1350.—Ambrogio is highly praised by Lorenzo Ghiberti; he executed some remarkable allegorical works, in the taste of that day, of Justice, Concord, and Peace, in the Sala de' Nove, in the public palace of Siena. They are moral, civil, and political, embodying the philosophy of Aristotle; the whole to inculcate good government, showing the consequences of good and of bad government. They were executed in 1337-40, and are inscribed "Ambrosius Laurentii, hic pinxit utrinque." In the academy at Florence is a "Presentation in the Temple," by Ambrogio, dated 1342. The date of his death is unknown.—(Rumohr, Italienische Forschungen.)—R. N. W.
LORENZINI (called also Laurentini), Francesco Maria—amongst the Arcadi, Filacide Eliaco—poet and second custodian of the Accademia degli Arcadi, born in Rome, 12th October, 1680; died in the same city, 14th June, 1743. In opposition to the founders of the Arcadi, who proposed Petrarch as their model, he upheld for emulation the unapproached majesty of Dante; and earned for himself the title of Michelangelo of Italian poets. He was an assiduous and admiring reader of the Hebrew prophets, and an observant student of anatomy. Besides original poems, he has left works of various kinds, both Latin and Italian. Amongst the Latin are some sacred dramas, published at Rome; and he has enriched biblical literature by paraphrases in Italian verse of the Book of Job and the Songs of the Prophets—C. G. R.
LORENZINI, Giovanni Antonio, Italian engraver, was born in Bologna in 1665. He studied painting under L. Pasinelli, but turned his attention to engraving, in which he shortly acquired distinction. With a painter's feeling for general effect, rather than elegance of line, Lorenzini trusted largely to etching and the dry point. Among his early prints were a "St. Anthony" and a "Martyrdom of St. Ursula," after his master Pasinelli; but his later prints are chiefly after Paul Veronese, Tintoretto, Guercino, and Guido. He engraved several of the plates in the Gallery of the grand duke of Tuscany. Bartsch and Nagler give full lists of his prints. He died in 1740.—J. T—e.
LORENZO de Medici. See Medici.
LORET, Jean, an early French journalist, born at Carentan; died at Paris in 1665. In youth he left Normandy to seek his fortune, and at Paris obtained the patronage of Cardinal Mazarin. He there became one of the founders of the periodical press. Renaudot had originated the Gazette de France, April, 1631; but Loret thought that something more than dry facts and legal proclamations would interest his vivacious compatriots. He therefore originated a weekly journal in verse, and for fifteen years (1650-65) kept it up by his own unaided pen. For the first two years the numbers were read in MS. at the duchess de Longueville's assemblies; but the transcriber falling ill the sheet was printed—only twelve copies, however, as publicity was not the object. Printing was found to offer advan-
