Lavoisier, Antoine Laurent (17421794)

Lavoisier, Antoine Laurent, one of the founders of modern chemistry, born in Paris; to prosecute his researches accepted the post of farmer-general in 1769, introduced in 1776 improvements in manufacturing gunpowder, discovered the composition of the air and the nature of oxygen, applied the principles of chemistry to agriculture, and indicated the presence and action of these principles in various other domains of scientific inquiry; called to account for his actions as farmer-general, one in particular “putting water in the tobacco,” and condemned to the guillotine; he in vain begged for a fortnight's respite to finish some experiments, “the axe must do its work” (17421794).

Definition taken from The Nuttall Encyclopædia, edited by the Reverend James Wood (1907)

Lavater, Johann Kaspar * Law, John
[wait for the fun]
Laughing Philosopher
Launceston
Laura
Laureate, Poet
Laurier, Sir Wilfred
Lausanne
Lava
Lavalette, Count de
La Vallière, Duchesse de
Lavater, Johann Kaspar
Lavoisier, Antoine Laurent
Law, John
Law, William
Lawrence, John, Lord
Lawrence, St.
Lay Brother
Layamon
Layard, Sir Austen Henry
Lazzaroni
League and Covenant, Solemn
League, The