LAXENBURG, liix'en-b67re. A village of Lower Austria, nine miles south of Vienna. Pop ulation. in 1890. 1126. It is noted for its hand some Imperial park and gardens. in which are the old castle (founded in 1377). the new castle (begun in 1600). and the Franzenslmrg, in a medieval style of arehitecture,•built on an islet in the lake, between 1799 and 1836, and contain ing fine art eolleetions.
LAY, BEN4AmIN (1677-1759). A British American philanthropist, and one of the earliest opponents of slavery, born of Quaker parentage at Colchester, England. At the age of eighteen he became a sailor, but subsequently, after Iris marriage in 1710, lived for a time at Colchester. A few years later he settled as a merchant in the island of Barbados, where he soon became convinced of the great iniquity of slavery. llis agitation against the system rendered him so unpopular that he left the island and removed to Philadelphia. Ilere lie continued to oppose slavery, and lost no opportunity to give expres sion to his abhorrence of it. lle wrote a number
of tracts against, it, one of which, All Since Keepers, that Keep the Innocent in Bondage, Apostates, was published by Benjamin Franklin. He lived to see a great change in the attitude of the Friends toward the question of slavery, and it was partly owing to his efforts that the society ultimately resolved to disown all members who persisted in holding slaves. Lay was also a reformer along other lines. In 1737 he proposed humane improvements in the cruel criminal code of the time, and he opposed also the use of tobacco, tea, and animal food. His appearance was very extraordinary, for he was, according to Benjamin Rush, not ninch over four feet in height, was hunchbacked, and wore odd clothes. He died at Abington, Pa., and was buried in the Friends' burial-ground. Memoirs of him were published by Vaux and Francis.