LANDON, LETITIA ELIZABETH (1802-1838).--Poetess, _dau._ of an army agent, was _b._ in London. She was a prolific and, in her day, remarkably popular writer, but she wrote far too easily and far too much for permanent fame. Many of her poems appeared in the _Literary Gazette_, and similar publications, but she _pub._ separately _The Fate of Adelaide_ (1821), _The Improvisatrice_ (1824), _The Troubadour_ (1825), _The Venetian Bracelet_ (1829), etc. She also wrote a few novels, of which _Ethel Churchill_ was the best, and a tragedy _Castruccio Castracani_ (1837). She _m._ a Mr. Maclean, Governor of one of the West African Colonies, where, shortly after her arrival, she was found dead from the effects of an overdose of poison, which it was supposed she had taken as a relief from spasms to which she was subject. She was best known by her initials, L.E.L., under which she was accustomed to write. LANDOR, WALTER SAVAGE (1775-1864).--Poet and miscellaneous author, _s._ of a physician, was _b._ at Ipsley Court, Warwick, the property of his mother, and _ed._ at Rugby and Oxf., where he earned the nickname of "the mad Jacobin," and whence he was rusticated. His whole long life thereafter was a series of quarrels, extravagances, and escapades of various kinds, the result of his violent prejudices, love of paradox, and ungovernable temper. He quarrelled with his _f._, his wife, most of his relations, and nearly all his friends, ran through a large fortune, and ended his days in Italy supported by a pension granted by his brothers. Yet he was not devoid of strong affections and generosity. His earliest publication was _Poems_ (1795); _Gebir_ (1798), an epic, had little success, but won for him the friendship of Southey. In 1808 he went to Spain to take part in the war against Napoleon, and saw some service. His first work to attract attention was his powerful tragedy of _Don Julian_ (1811). About the same time he _m._ Miss Julia Thuillier--mainly, as would appear, on account of her "wonderful golden hair"--and purchased the estate of Llantony Abbey, Monmouthshire, whence, after various quarrels with the local authorities, he went to France. After a residence of a year there, he went in 1815 to Italy, where he lived until 1818 at Como, which, having insulted the authorities in a Latin poem, he had to leave. At Florence, which was his residence for some years, he commenced his famous _Imaginary Conversations_, of which the first two vols. appeared 1824, the third 1828, fourth and fifth 1829. Other works were _The Examination of W. Shakespeare touching Deer-stealing_ (1834), _Pericles and Aspasia_ (1836), _Pentameron_ (1837), _Hellenics_ (1847), and _Poemata et Inscriptiones_ (1847). He quarrelled finally with his wife in 1835, and returned to England, which, however, he had to leave in 1858 on account of an action for libel arising out of a book, _Dry Sticks Fagoted_. He went to Italy, where he remained, chiefly at Florence, until his death. L.