LEVI, LEON, commercial economist, born at Ancona; settled in England and was naturalised; drew attention to the want of commercial organisation, and to whose pleading the first chamber of commerce, that of Liverpool, owes its existence; became professor of Commercial Law in King’s College, London (1821-1888).

LEVIRITE LAW, a law among the Jews which ordained if a husband died without issue that his brother should take his widow to wife and raise up seed to him (Deut. xxv. 5-10).

LEVITES, a body of men divided into courses, the servants of the priests in the worship of the Temple of Jerusalem; they were not permitted to enter the sanctuary or serve at the altar, their duties being limited to keeping watch over the Temple, slaying the victims, and making other preparations for the sacred services.

LEVITICAL DEGREES, relationships that preclude marriage, so called as presumably fixed by the Levitical priesthood of the Jews.

LEVITICUS, the third book of the Pentateuch, so called as containing the laws and ordinances appointed to regulate the services of the sanctuary as conducted by a priesthood of the tribe of Levi, the narrative portion of it recording the consecration of Aaron and his sons, the death of Nadab and Abihu, and the stoning of the blasphemer, embracing a period of only one year, and the legislation of it no longer issuing from Mount Sinai, but from the door of the Tabernacle.

LEWALD, FANNY, an eminent German novelist, born at Koenigsberg, of Jewish parents; professed Christianity and was married to Adolf Stahr; was a realist in art and a zealous woman’s rights advocate (1811-1889).

LEWES (11), the county town of Sussex, finely situated on a slope of the South Downs, 10 m.  NE. of Brighton; was the scene of a victory of Simon de Montfort in 1264 over the forces of Henry III.; has a trade in corn and malt, and tanneries.

LEWES, GEORGE HENRY, a versatile man of letters, born in London, the son of an actor; wrote a “Biographical History of Philosophy” from the Positivist standpoint, published originally in 1845, and a “Life of Goethe” in 1855, “Seaside Studies,” “Problems of Life and Mind,” &c., and edited the Fortnightly Review; he did much to popularise both science and philosophy; though a married man with children, formed a connection with George Eliot, and died in her house (1817-1878).

LEWIS, SIR GEORGE CORNWALL, English statesman and political philosopher, born in London; held several important posts under and in the governments of the day; wrote on “Early Roman History,” “The Influence of Authority on Matters of Opinion,” “The Best Form of Government,” “Ancient Astronomy,” &c. (1806-1863).

LEWIS, MATTHEW GREGORY, romancer, familiarly known as Monk Lewis from the name of his principal novel, the “Monk,” which was written, along with others, in Mrs. Radcliffe’s vein and immensely popular, and literally swarmed with ghosts and demons (1773-1818).