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LAC 71
ill the Greek alphabet. These words are used in a
figurative sense to designate the least quantity possible
of any thing.
'
Irony, s. from ErpCAJVEta., eiro~eia, a mode of speech in
which the meaning is quite contrary to the words.
Iso-ehronous, adj. See CIIIIONOS, p. 7.
K.
KAL-EIDO-SCOPE, s. (Sec SKOPEO" p', 27.) "Musical
Kaleidoscope. A very curious invcntion has becn
made in the art of musical composition. Cards are
prepared, on each of which a bar of an air is arrange!1
according to a certain rhythm and key; Four packs
of these cards marked A, B, C, D, are mingled
together; and as the cards are drawn and arrangel!
before a performer in the order of that series, it ,,,ill
be found an original air is obtained. The invention
may be called Musical Permutation. 'It has received,
however, improperly, that of Musical Kaleidoscope."
[Permutation is formed from the Latin word permltlo,
I change frequently.]
Kalo-gynomia, s. from ICa7l.os, !caWs, beautiful, and 'YUV'fI,
gUM, 'woman; ,the title of n book relative to Female
Beauty.
Kemmo-graphic, adj. Sec GIlArHE, p. 10.
L.
LACONIC, adj. from AaIC",vla, Lakon;a, the nameofa country
in ancient Greece, ofwhich Sparta was the capital.
The Spartans being taught to think profonndly and
to express themselves concisely, obtained such a habit
ofanswering sharply, and were so remarkable forthe
sharpness of their repartees, that" laconic brevity"
became a by-word; and the epithet laconic is still
npplied to a sentence that conveys much in a few
words; such, for example, is that answer returned by
Il,e Spart.~ns to a long epistle of an enemy, threaten-