LAURENTIAN SYSTEM. 14 rises also the Hu- LATJRIER. Archtpan group which comp roiiian system. See I'BE-C'AiiBRlAN Foematio.vs ; GtOI.Ol.Y. IlATTRENTIDES, Ifl'ren-tidz. A plateau in Canatla. Sii- l.Ai kk.ntia.n Heights. LAT7RENTIE, WriiN't^', Pierre SfiBASTiEX (1793-1870). A French historian and journalist, born at llouga (Gers). He devoted liis atten- tion early in life to history, and in Paris was appointed professor of rhetoric at the College Stanislas in 1817, and assistant professor of literature at the Ecole Polytechnique in 1818. In 1822 he was appointed inspeelor-gencral of public education. In addition to articles for ' the journal La Quoiidiennc, of which the most famous is his essay "Sur la libertee fondfe sur le droit divin." he published many works on his- tory. The best known is his Uistoire de France (1841-43). LATJRENTIUS, la-r6n'shi-us. Antipope. 408. He was rival to Symmachus. elected on the same day in Rome. He' represented the party desirous of "kee])iii!,' on friendly terms with Constantinople, and accepting the Henotieon of Zeno; while Sym- machus represented the party opposed to such a course. Both sides had excellent leaders; the clergy apparently more generally favored Sym- machus. Both appealed to the Arian King of Italy, the Ostrogoth Theodrie at Ravenna, and he decided in favor of Symmaclius. The follow- ers of Laurent ins kept up a hopeless and bloody struggle, but are not heard of after 501. LAITRENTIUS VAI/LA. See Valla. LATJREN'TTJM. A very ancient town of La- tium, about sixteen miles southeast of Ostia, and near the modern Tor Paterno. In Roman legend it was the capital of King Latinus, .F.ncas's host, on his arriving in Italy, and was of some com- mercial importance during the traditional kingly period, but was later abandoned and left in ruins. With the growth of Rome, however, it was after- wards resettled, and became a fashionable resort of the wealthy Romans, owing largely to its ex- tensive laurel groves. Pliny the Younger de- scribes with minuteness his iH'autiful villa at Laurentum. and the Emperor Commodus (a.d. 180-102) passed much time there. Under Trajan (a.d. 08-117) the neighboring towns of Lauren- tum and Lavinium were recolonized and united under the name Lauro-Lavinium. See Lavixilm. LATJRIA, lou-re'a. A city in the Province of Potenza. Italy, six miles south of the nearest railway station at Lagonegro. which is 114 miles by rail southeast of Naples (Jlap: Italy. K 7). It manufactures leather and woolen cloth, and fhe country produces grain, wine, fruit, and po- tatoes. Population (commune), in 1901, 10.099. liAURIAN, lO're-ax', ArcusTD Trebo:^ (1810-80). A Rumanian philologian and author. He was bom near Hermannstadt. Transylvania, was educated at Klausenburg and Vienna, in 1844 was appointed a professor of philosophy in the College of Saint Sava at Bucharest, and in 1847 a councilor of education. In 1S4S he took active part in the political disturbances in Tran- svlvania. presented the Rumanian memorial to the Emperor Ferdinand, and was imprisoned by the Hungarians at Hermannstadt. but was soon liberated by the populace. He was appointed superior councilor of education in Jloldayia in IS5I, and general inspector of education and university professor at Bucharest in 18.39. In 1867 he was elected to the Rumanian Academy, lie founded and with Balcescu edited the Magasin Islorir al Daciei ("The Pacian Historical Maga- zine," 5 vols.. 1845-48), in which appeared much of his best work. HU Istoria liomuiiHoru (1853) and other volumes, on either Ronuin or Rumanian history, which he regarded as identical and con- tinuous, are often defective through lack of spe- cial knowledge. Ilis Tentamcn Vritirum in Ori- qincm Linqmv Romuna: (1840) was strongly op- posed as 'written in a language not properly Rumanian. Like his Dictiomirul limbci romine (3 vols,, 1S71-7G), an academic publication, and the Oloxar de i-orbe straine (1871), it extends the Latin historical method of Cipariu (em- phasized by its adherents as the 'scientific' in contradistinction to the 'anarchistic,' or new, school), and on that basis introduces etymologi- cal spellings and large numbers of Latin words. LATJ'RIC ACID (from Lat. hiurus, bay-tree, laurel), also called Laurostearic or Picnu- Ric Acid, C,,H,.02. A fatty acid first described by Marsson in 1842. It occurs as a glyceride, laurostearin. in the fat of the bay-tree, and in the solid fat and volatile oil of pichurim-beans. It occurs in connection with myristic acid in the berries of Myrica gale, and in other plants. It also exists in connection with other fatty acids or their glycerides in spermaceti, and in eocoanut oil. It may be prepared from oil of bay by sa- ponifying the oil with strong caustic potash, de- composing the soap with hydrochloric acid, and distilling the fatty acids thus set free in vacuo; the first portion ' passing over is almost pure lauric acid. Laurie acid is insoluble in water, but is readily soluble in alcohol and ether, .-ind crystallizes from the alcoholic solution in white, sil'ky needles or translucent scales, which melt at about 43.5° C. (110.3° F.). The laurates of the alkali metals and of barium are soluble in water. The other salts are insoluble, or slightly soluble. LAURIE, 16'r*', AxDRt:. The pseudonym of the French writer Paschal Grousset (q.v.). LAURIE, lou're, Simon Somerville (1829 — ). A Scotch educator and philosopher. He was born in Edinburgh, and was educated at the high school and university of that city. He taught in Europe for five years, and on his return to Scotland held many educational posts. In 1855 he was secretary and visitor of schools on the educational comm'ittee of the Scotch Church ; and in 1872, when the authority of this com- mittee was abrogated by the Education Act, he became secretary to the Endowed Schools Com- mission. He was a member of the Edinburgh Vniversitv Court, and president of the Teachers' Guild of England, and in 1870 became professor of the institutes and history of education in Edin- burgh University. He wrote: Philosophy of Ethics (1860) : Primary Instruction in Relation to Edueation (0th ed. 1898); John Amos Co- menius (6th ed. 1808) ; Ethica by ficotus Xovan- ticiis (2d ed. 1885) ; Mediirral Education and Rise and Constitution of Universities (1880); and IJistorieal f^urrey of Pre-Christian Educa- tion (2d vol. 1001). LAURIER, ir/ri-a. Sir Wilfrid (1841 — 1. A Canadian statesman. He was born at Saint Lin, Quebec, and was educated at L'Assomption Col- lege and McGill University. Admitted to the
