Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume X.djvu/149

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LANFREY LANGDON 143 of his master by some designs executed upon a wall with charcoal. He was placed under Agostino Carracci, and subsequently studied at Rome with Annibale Carracci, whom he assist- ed in decorating the Farnese palace. His chief work is the cupola of S. Andrea della Valle in Rome, which is one of the most beautiful in the city, and was the result of four years 1 study and labor. The paintings at the angles are by Domenichino in his best style. Lanf ranco also painted the beautiful cupola of the church of Gesti Nuovo in Naples, which was destroyed by an earthquake in 1688. He executed many minor works, but his cupolas were most fa- mous. He adppted in them a bold, coarse style (even using a sponge, it was said, instead of a brush), which was well adapted to great heights, and made his figures stand out in fine relief. LANFREY, Pierre, a French historian, born in Chambe'ry in 1828. He completed his studies in Paris, and became known in 1857 by his fSJfiglise et les philosophies du 18 m< siecle, and in 1858 published Essai stir la revolution fran- faise. In 1860 appeared his Histoire politique des papes, and in 1863 Le retablissement de la Pologne. His principal work is the Histoire de Napoleon l er (6 vols., Paris, 1867-'74 ; Eng- lish translation, London, 1867 et seq.}, which, like all his writings, is distinguished by a scrupulous statement of facts. It severely arraigns the moral and political character of the emperor. During the Franco-German war Lanfrey served with the mobiles 'of Savoy* In February, 1871, he was elected to the na- tional assembly, and in October was appoint- ed by Thiers minister at Bern, a position which he still holds (1874). LANG, Heinrieh, a German theologian, born at Frommern, Wiirtemberg, Nov. 14, 1826. He studied under Baur and Zeller in Tubingen, and in 1863 became pastor at Meilen, near Zu- rich, and in 1871 of St. Peter's church in that city. He established a periodical in the in- terest of liberal Christianity, and has published many works, the principal of which are : Ver- sucJi einer christlichen DogmatiJc (1857; 2d re- vised ed., 1868) ; Eingang durch die christliche Welt (1859;. 2d ed., 1870); Stunden der An- dacht (2 vols., 1862-'5) ; Religiose CMraUere (1862); Martin Luther (1870) ; xu&DasLeben Jesu und die Kirche der Zukunft (1872). LANG, Louis, an American artist, born at Waldsee, Wtirtemberg, March 29, 1814. At 16 years of age he executed likenesses in pastel, and during a residence of four years on the lake of Constance he painted nearly 1,000 por- traits in pastel and oil. He went in 1834 to Paris, and about 1838 came to America. In 1841 he went to Italy, and studied in Venice, Bologna, Florence, and Rome. In 1845 he re- turned to America, taking up his residence in New York, and for two years employed himself in the decoration of interiors and in modelling plaster figures for ornamental purposes. In 1847 he again visited Rome, and remained there two years, returning to New York in 1849. 477 VOL. 5. 10 LANGBAINE. I. Gerard, an English scholar, born in Westmoreland about 1608, died in 1658. The greater part of his life was passed at Ox- ford, where he was provost of Queen's college, and keeper of the university archives. He was an industrious writer, and succeeded in avoiding the political troubles of the time. His chief work was an edition of Longinus, in addi- tion to which he published a number of minor treatises on church questions and miscellaneous topics. II. Gerard, son of the preceding, born in Oxford in 1656, died in 1692. He was edu- cated at University college, Oxford, and after a career of idleness and extravagance devoted himself to literary pursuits. He gave particu- lar attention to the history of dramatic litera- ture, and collected, it is said, about 1,000 old plays. He republished a catalogue of plays made by Kirkman, a bookseller, under the title of " Momus Triumphans " (1687). This work was speedily sold off, and was improved into " A New Catalogue of English Plays " (1688). Still further amendments and additions pro- duced his " Account of the English Dramatic Poets" (1691, 1699, and 1719). These cata- logues manifest little taste or judgment, but are valuable to the student of dramatic history from the accuracy with which facts are related and editions described. Commentators and others have borrowed copiously from Lang- baine, many of them without acknowledgment. LANGBEIN, August Friedrich Ernst, a German author, born near Dresden, Sept. 6, 1757, died in Berlin, Jan. 2, 1835. He studied law, filled various public offices, and from 1820 till his death was censor of belles-lettres publications for the Prussian government. His complete works were published in 31 vols. (Stuttgart, 1835-'7), and comprise humorous poems, tales, and novels, some of which have been very popular. An edition in 8 vols. was published with a memoir by Gcdicke in 1839, and a new edition appeared in 1854. LANGDON, John, an American statesman, born in Portsmouth, N. H., in 1739, died there, Sept. 18, 1819. He received a com- mon school education, and entered a counting house. In 1774 he participated in the removal of the armament and military stores from Fort William and Mary in Portsmouth harbor. In 1775 he was a delegate to the continental congress, but resigned in June, 1776, on be- coming navy agent. In 1777, while speaker of the New Hampshire assembly, he pledged a large portion of his property for the purpose of equipping the brigade with which Stark de- feated the Hessians at Bennington. He served in command of a volunteer company at Ben- nington and Saratoga, and in Rhode Island. Subsequently he was a member and speaker of the state legislature, a member of the conti- nental congress, a delegate to the convention which framed the constitution of the United States, and president of New Hampshire. In 1788 he was chosen governor of New Hamp- shire, and in 1789 was elected United States