LEYDEN (Fr. Leyde, the Lugdunum Batatorum of the Romans, originally Luijkdtan, from luijk, an end, and dun, a hill; during the middle ages, Lugduin or Leydi.9, a cele brated seat of learning in Holland, situated on the Old Rhine, 22 m. s.w. of Amsterdam, and 17 n. of Rotterdam. Pop. Jan, 1, '75, 40,249. It is the oldest town in Holland, and has space for three times its present population, In 1640 Leyden contained 100,000 souls; in 1750 the numbers had fallen to 70,000; and at the beginning of the present century to 30,000. Since 1830 trade has again begun to flourish, and the population to increase. The streets are wide, the public beautiful, and the canals broad and numerous. Within the city are the ruins of an old castle, called the "burg," supposed to have been built by the Ifomans before the birth of Christ. The principal manufac tures are linen cloths, calicoes, woolens, but on a very small scale, as compared with former times. There is a considerable weekly market, for the whole of that part of Hol land called Rhineland, held at Leyden, at which much butter and cheese change hands. But the chief ornament and glory of the city is its university—once unsurpassed by any in Europe. The origin of the university is well known. In 1574, when Holland was struggling to throw off the yoke of Spain, Leyden was besieged by the Spaniards, and had to endure all the horrors of famine. For 7 weeks the citizens had no bread to eat, and multitudes perished of hunger. The heroic burgomaster, Pieter Adriaanszoon Van der Werff, even offered his body as food to some who were imploring him to capit ulate. At last the prince of Orange broke down the dikes, flooded the country, drowned
a great number of the Spaniards, and relieved the inhabitants. The prince of Orange now offered, us some compensation for their unparalleled sufferings, either to remit cer tain taxes or to establish a university in the city. The Leydeners nobly chose the latter, which was inaugurated by prince William in 1575. Many eminent men from all coun tries of Europe have been connected with it, both as professors and students. We may mention Scaliger, Gomarus. Arminius, Grotins, Descartes, Boerhaave, Camper, Span helm, Ruhnken. When it recently celebrated, with befitting solemnities, its three hun dredth anniversary, the university had between 20 and 30 professors and upwards of 800 students, of whom about half are law students. It possesses a valuable library, with many rare MSS.; a magnificent collection in medicine; a botanical garden, valuable for its tropical plants; a museum of natural history, one of the richest in Europe; and another equally fine of comparative anatomy. The museum of antiquities is also excel lent. On Jan. 12, 1807, the most beautiful quarter of the city was destroyed, and ninny lives lost, by the explosion of a ship's cargo of gunpowder, and the site of the ruined streats is now a plain on which the troops ars exercised.