Jacobi, Friedrich Heinrich (1743-1819) A German philosopher who opposed idealism, Jacobi believed in the reality provided by the senses, but he also acknowledged truths present in the heart and in the human spirit, including the knowledge of God.
Jamblichus (fourth century B.C.) Syrian philosopher.
James I (1566-1625) King of England.
Jeremiah Hebrew prophet during the period 626 B.C. to the fall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C.; his texts are compiled in the Book of Jeremiah, also called Lamentations.
Johnson, Samuel (1709-84) The English writer and critic who wrote Lives of the Poets, a study of English poetry.
Joseph and the harlot A reference to the biblical Joseph, who refused the advances of an Egyptian officer's wife (the "harlot"); the woman then falsely accused him of rape, and Joseph was thrown in jail, where he received his gift of dream interpretation.
Judas Iscariot (d. 33) Judas Iscariot was one of the Twelve Apostles and the betrayer of Christ.
Kant, Immanuel (1724-1804) The German philosopher who greatly influenced Emerson.
Kepler, Johann (1571-1630) The German astronomer who clarified the theory that the planets revolve around the sun.
Las Casas, Emmanuel (1766-1842) French historian; best known for recording Napoleon's last conversations on the island of St. Helena.
Lavoisier, Antoine Laurent (1743-94) French chemist; regarded as the founder of modern chemistry
Leibnitz, Gottfried Wilhelm von (1646-1716) A German philosopher and mathematician, he is noted for his theory that we live in the best of all possible worlds.
Leonidas, King of Sparta Leonidas succeeded his half-brother, Cleomenes I, as one of the two kings of Sparta, a city-state of ancient Greece. In 480 B.C., during the Persian Wars, he led a Greek army of about one thousand men to hold the pass of Thermopylae against the Persian army of Xerxes 1; all of the troops, including Leonidas, were killed.
Lethe In Greek mythology, the river of forgetfulness that flows between the world of the living and the underworld of the dead.
Linnaeus, Carolus (1707-78) The Swedish botanist who founded the modern classification system for plants and animals known as binomial nomenclature.
lintel The horizontal door post of a house.
Locke, John (1632-1704) An English philosopher, Locke developed a theory of cognition that denied the existence of innate ideas and asserted that all thought is based on knowledge received from our senses. His works influenced American Puritan preacher Jonathan Edwards, who modified Puritan doctrine to allow for more play of reason and intellect, building a foundation for Unitarianism and, eventually, transcendentalism.
logrolling Exchanging political favors.
Lowell goes in a loom, and Lynn in a shoe, and Salem in a ship Three cities in Massachusetts known for their individual industries: textile manufacturing, shoe making, and shipping, respectively.
lpiunell'uno Italian, meaning "The many in one."
lumber room A room cluttered with discarded household articles and furniture.
Luther, Martin (1483-1546) A German theologian, Luther is credited with initiating the Protestant Reformation; he believed in the ability of educated lay people to form ethical and religious judgments based on their own interpretations of scripture.
Lyncaeus In Greek mythology, Lyncaeus was the keenest-sighted crewman on the ship Argo, which Jason and his fellow Argonauts sailed in search of the Golden Fleece.
