Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 11.djvu/806

LANCE. 730 LANCEB. unfitted for a business career, he went to London and became a pupil of Haydon and a student at tlie Royal Academy. By a mere cliance lie was directed to the painting of still life, for which he was pariicularly gifted. He was espe- cially skillful in depicting fruit, flowers, and dead game, in which his pictures display richness of color and truth to nature. There are good ex- amples of his worUs in the Xational Gallery, South Kensington Jluseum,and Blenheim Palace. For the Duke of Bedford he painted an arrange- ment of fruit to adorn a summer-house at 'o- burn. in honor of a visit from William IV. His death occurred near Birkenhead, .June 18, 18G4. LANCELET (so called from its .shape). One of the primitive vertebrates, found on sandy beaches, classified as of the class Leptocardii (q.v. ). Sec A.MI'UIOXUS. LANCELOT (hin'sc-lot) OF THE LAKE. A character in the Artliurian romances. The oldest extant form of the Lancelot stor}' is con- tained in the German poem Lanzcht (before 1200), by I'lrich von Zatzikhoven. According to this account, a fairy called the Lady of the Lake carries him away when only a year old to her castle on an island in the sea. At the age of fifteen he sets out on his knightly exploits, in the course of which he is victorious in a tour- nament held by Arthur, enters the ca>tle of the dead, where he is enchanted, kills a giant, wins the domain of Iwcret and marries his chaste daughter Iblis. The best criticism holds the tale, as thus related, to be Celtic in the main essentials. It had probably been the subject of some Anglo-Xorman poem that found its way into fiennany. It may have been brought by Hugh Morville. King Richard's hostage in Ger- many (1194). Somewhat earlier than the German poem, the French trouv&re C'hrestien de Troves (q.v.) made use of the Lancelot story for a love romance. In his Conte de la charrette (or litor/i of the Corf) (about 1170). Lancelot appeans as the lover of Guenevere. The Queen is carried away by Meliagraunce to his castle, W'hence no one ever returns. Lancelot hastens in pursuit ; but. losing his horse, he is fain to ride in a cart driven by a dwarf. He defeats the ravisher in single combat, and brings back the Queen. Throughout this adventure, the passion of Lancelot and Guenevere is kejit prominent as the ruling moiivp. ]"or following in further detail the development of the Lancelot story, there is not suflicient material. Xo doubt it continued to be the theme of many Anglo-X'orman poets. Ear- ly in the thirteenth century it was expanded and thoroughly woven into Arthurian legend, in the French prose romances Lancelot, consisting of four parts: the Lancelot proper, the Qiiefste del Saint flraal, the Grand Saint Clranl. and La mort du roi Artti.i. The manuscripts of this immense prose romance commonly ascribe the atithorship to Walter Map (q.v.); but this is probably a fiction. Hap may. indeed, have written of Lancelot in Xormnn-French verse, from which the later prose writers drew. If so. his work is merged beyond recognition in that of several other hands. The aiithorship of the prose Lancelot, as it now stands, is unknown. From the French the story passed into the Morte d'Arthur of Sir Thomas Malory, printed by Cax- ton in HS.n. Of the romance thus fully developed, the situa- tion and the main incidents are well known. Lancelot, of royal lineage, is brought to Arthur's court by the Lady of the Lake to be dubbed a knight. He proves his valor in the King's wars and tournaments. The most beautiful and gen- erous, as well as the bravest knight in all the world, he is beloved by the Queen, with whom he carries on an intrigue. In cour.se of time, Elaine, or the fair maid of Astolat, becomes enamored of him and dies for her love. With Galahad, I'erceval, and other knights, he seeks the adven- ture of the Holy Grail (q.v.), but fails in the quest because of his sin. He is discovered in the chamber of the Queen, with whom he flees to .Joyous Gard. On the intervention of the Pope, Lancelot surrenders Guenevere to the King and departs over the sea. Arthur, leaving his nephew ilodred in charge of his realm, pursues Lancelot. In his absence ilodred is crowned King at Canterbury. Arthur returns, slays him in a great battle, but is himself mortally wound- ed. In a magic barge he is borne by fairies to Avallon, the land of immortality, to be healed of his grievous wound. Lancelot, hearing of Ar- thur's death, comes to England to seek the Queen, who has retired to the nunnery at Alincs- bury. Dismissed by her, he also retires to a hermitage, where he passes the rest of his life in penance and prayer. After the death of the Queen he sickens and dies. His body is laid in the chapel at .Joyous Gard, but his soul is borne to the gates of heaven by hosts of angels. The story of Lancelot and Guenevere has been treated by poets of the first order. .According to the romance of the thirteenth century, the passion of these lovers was awakened by a fatal kiss. That incident Dante inuuortalized in the sinfill love of Francesca and Paolo (Inferno, v.). The love of Lancelot and Guenevere is the centre of interest in Tennyson's Idi/lh of the Kinfj. And two motives from it were impressively liandled by Willinm Jlorris in "The Defence of Guenevere" and "King Arthur's Tomb." Con- sult especially Rhys. Stiidiea in the Arthurian Lef/end (Oxford. 1801); and Sommer, on the sources of Malory's Morte d'Arthur, in his edi- tion of that work (Lon<lon. 1801) ; for abstracts of the early romance. Newell, h'infi Arthur and the Table Round (Boston, 1807) : Weston. The Lenend of Sir Launcelot du Lac (T>ondon. 1001) ; and for the "Lanzelet" of Ulrich von Zatzik- hoven. Rotnania, vol. x. (Paris, 1881). LANCER. A cavalry soldier armed with the lance. Lancer regiments were first brought into the regular army service by Xapoleon. They had previously been confined exclusively to the Cossack arm of the Russian service. "Tlie lance is from eight to eleven feet long, with a sharp, spenr-like point made of steel, and a metal-en- cased heel. A little distance below the point of the lance is placed a small pennon. T^ancer regi- ments have proved particularly effective when used against defeated or demoralized infantrv, and have been increasinirlv employed in both the German and British establishments. The prob- lem of their future, in view of recent develop- ments in rapid and effective rifle fire, is the problem of cavalry in general. As an accompani- ment to expert horsemanship, the dexterous use of the lance is of the greatest vahie. and the cav- alry of all armies using it prnctice at various feats of skill. In single combat with a swords- man (see Fencixo). the lancer strives to keep his opponent on his left flank, thus securing the