neille now wished to abandon dramatic writing, and applied himself, for six years, to the translation of the De Imitatione Jesu Christi, the first book of which he had previously finished in verse. At length, Fouquet entreated him to devote his talents again to the stage. Edipe, in 1659, and Sertorius, in 1662, were received with the applause which had been given him in his best days, and he endeavored to secure the public favor by accompanying the exhibition of the piece with splendid scenery. But his subsequent pieces-Otho, Agesilas, Attila, and many others-proved the failing power of a poet who had formerly shown himself without a rival. Of 33 pieces which Corneille left, only 8 still retain their places on the stage. Time has established his fame, and the French, long ago, surnamed him the Great, though Voltaire, the editor of his works, and La Harpe, who followed in the steps of his great predecessor, do not pronounce an entirely favorable sentence upon his merits. A. W. Schlegel has criticised him in a masterly mode, and Lessing has pointed out, in a striking manner, the defects in the plots of many of his pieces. It is, indeed, sincerely to be regretted, that his great talents, which were displayed so brilliantly in the Cid, should have been so much checked in their developement by his inclination to the classic, or, rather, Roman forms. It was owing to the circumstances of the times, that he was induced to take political subjects as materials for tragedy. Voltaire remarked their influence upon the tragedy of Cinna, and did not fail to see that the interest, in many parts of Polyeucte, must have been increased by the Jansenist controversies, which may, in fact, have given occasion to the passages. Corneille had nothing captivating in his manners. His conversation was tedious, and by no means well chosen. Like Turenne, he was, in early years, considered as deficient in talent. In his external appearance, he resembled an inferior tradesman of Rouen, and it is very easy, then, to conceive that, with rather rude manners, and a high sense of his merits, he could not feel himself in his proper sphere at court. His profession and talents did not make him rich, and he lived with great frugality. During the year 1647, he was received into the French academy in the place of Maynard, and died Oct. 1, 1684, being the oldest member. A descendant of the eldest of his two sons lived till the year 1813, and was as little favored by fortune as the grandniece of Corneille, to whom Voltaire, by

the edition of the works of her great-uncle, discharged the debt of his country. The latest views of the French concerning this great man, who did so much for the establishment of their theatre, are found in an Éloge de Corneille, par M. Victorin Fabre, which received the prize of the French academy in 1807, and which has since been republished. The most complete and correct edition of his works, enriched by the principal productions of his brother, by Voltaire's commentaries, and by a selection of Palissot's notes, was published by Renouard, Paris, 1817, in 12 volumes. Napoleon is described, in the memoirs of Las Cases, as having said, that, had Corneille lived in his time, he would have made him a prince. The emperor was fond of reading the works of this poet during his abode on St. Helena, whilst he treated with comparative neglect several other poets adored by the French nation.

CORNEILLE, Thomas, brother of the preceding, was born at Rouen, Aug 20, 1625, and lived in the most friendly union with his brother Peter till the death of the latter. A comedy, which he wrote in Latin verse, while he was a scholar at the Jesuits' college, and which obtained the honor of a representation, as well as the success which attended the works of his brother, determined him to turn his attention to the drama. His first comedy, called Les Engagements du Hasard, which appeared in 1647, and was an imitation of Calderon, was successful. Many similar ones soon followed, also borrowed from the Spaniards. The number of his dramatic works is 42; yet most of them are now so little known, that even the catalogue of them in the records of the French academy will be found erroneous and incomplete. His comedies, however, at the time of their appearance, were received with greater interest, if possible, than those of the great Corneille, in imitation of whom Thomas applied himself to tragedy, and his Timocrate, which appeared in 1656, was received with such continual applause, that the actors, weary of repeating it, entreated the audience, from the stage, to permit the representation of something else, otherwise they should forget all their other pieces. Since that time, it has not been brought upon the boards at all. Camma, in 1661, produced an equal sensation. The spectators thronged in such numbers to witness the representation, that scarcely room enough was left for the performers. Of his dramatic works which now merit attention, are Ariane, which maintained a competition with Ra

cine's Bajazet; L'Inconnu, a heroic comedy, in 1675, which, in 1724, was represented at a festival at the Tuileries, with a ballet, in which Louis XV and the young lords of his court danced; and, especially, Le Comte d'Essex, which he produced in 1678. This last piece, as well as Stilicon and Ariane, is sometimes represented at the present day. Thomas, according to the judgment of Voltaire, although inferior to his brother, stood second to none but him, and his style is more pure. In 1685, he succeeded his brother in the French academy, by a unanimous vote, and, after his election, immediately undertook the publication of the French Dictionary, which appeared in 1694. He then prefixed notes to Vaugelas's Remarks, and finally added a supplement to the Dictionnaire de l'Académie, in which he explained the terms of art and science. This may be regarded as the basis of the subsequent Encyclopédie. Thomas Corneille was also admitted into the academy of inscriptions, and was a diligent contributor to the Mercure galant, with his friend De Visé. In old age, he lost his sight, and died, highly honored by his contemporaries, and beloved for his social virtues, at Andelys, Dec. 8, 1709. In his conversation, he was lively and natural. He left two children; and Voltaire united the daughter of his son Francis in marriage with the count de la Tour du Pin. A selection of his dramas is commonly found annexed to the editions of his brother's works, and his remaining productions, for the most part superseded by better, are not collected.

CORNELIA, the mother of the Gracchi, daughter of Scipio Africanus the elder, and wife of the consul Gracchus, was a noble-minded Roman matron, who lived about 130 years B. C. To her sons (see Gracchus) she gave an excellent education, and, being in company with a Roman lady who was displaying her jewels, and desired to see the jewels of Cornelia, presented her sons as her most precious jewels. At her death, the Romans erected a monument to her memory. Cornelia is one of those women for whom the history of Rome is distinguished before all others. In the history of no nation do we find so many examples of mothers and wives remarkable for nobleness of spirit.

CORNELIAN, or CARNELIAN (cornaline, Fr.; corniola, Ital.; from carneus, or corneus, Lat.); a precious stone, of a light-red or flesh-color, whence its name carnaline. It is much used for seals, bracelets, necklaces, and other articles of minute gem sculpture. Its name, cornelian, is derived

from corneus, or horny, it being reckoned by mineralogists among the hornstones. It was known to the Romans, as we learn from Pliny, by the name of sarda, from being found originally in Sardinia. Cornelians are of various colors, from a light and fleshy red, opaque, and semi-transparent, with and without veins, to a brilliant transparency and color approaching the ruby, from which they are, however, known by sure distinctive marks. Winckelmann describes a cornelian of this latter sort, on which was engraved a portrait of Pompey. The cornelian is a stone well fitted for engraving in intaglio, or sinking as for seals, being of sufficient hardness to receive a fine polish, and wax does not adhere to it, as it does to some other sorts of stones which are used for seals, and the impression comes off clear and perfect. The number of the cornelians that were engraved by the ancients, and have reached our times, is very considerable, and nearly equal to that of all the other kinds of gems with which we are acquainted. From an ancient epithet-" cornelian of the old rock"-Pliny conceives that they were taken from a rock of that material near Babylon. He thinks they were clarified by being steeped in the honey of Corsica. The royal collection at Paris, and the British museum of London, have numerous ancient and beautiful engraved cornelians. Many of the latter were found in the field of Cannæ in Apulia, where Hannibal defeated the Romans.

CORNELIS, Cornelius, a painter, born at Haerlem, in 1562, studied the rudiments of his art with Peter Artsens the younger, and afterwards worked at Antwerp, under Peter Porbus and Giles Coignet. In 1583, he returned to Haerlem, where his great painting-the company of arquebusiersestablished his reputation. Descamps called it a collection of figures, sketched by the Genius of History. In 1595, with Charles van Mander, he instituted an academy for painting at Haerlem. His numerous pictures are rarely to be bought, on account of the great value which the Flemings set upon them. Cornelis painted great and small pieces, historical subjects, portraits, flowers, and especially subjects from ancient mythology. His drawing is admirable. He is a true imitator of nature, and his coloring is always lively and agreeable. The galleries at Vienna and Dresden contain some of his pieces. J. Müller, H. Golzius, Saenredam, L. Killian, Matham, Van Geyn, and many others, have imitated his manner. He died in 1638.

CORNELIUS NEPOS, a Roman historian,

born in Cisalpine Gaul, lived in the golden age of the Roman language, in friendship with Catullus, Cicero and Pomponius Atticus, and died 30 years B. C. Of his numerous writings, only his Lives of distinguished Generals have come down to us. In this work, he gives, in a classical style, with great brevity and distinctness, 24 biographies of the most remarkable Grecian heroes of antiquity, together with the lives of some barbarian generals, and also that of Cato the elder, finishing his work with the life of Atticus. His characters are, in general, strikingly illustrated, though he does not always observe a just proportion in his relations, sometimes treating important subjects in too concise, and trifling ones in too prolix a manner; and, indeed, he does not always draw from the most trustworthy sources. On account of his brevity, he throws little new light on history; and it is generally believed that the book which has reached us is an extract from the works of Nepos, made by Emilius Probus, in the time of Theodosius. The edition of this author by Van Staveren (Leyden, 1773) is the most valuable. Other good editions, of a later date, are those of Fischer, Harles, Tzschucke and Bremi.

CORNELIUS, Peter, a native of Düsseldorf, was director of the academy of arts there, and, since 1824, has been director of the academy of arts at Múnich. He formed himself at Rome, by the study of the masters of the old Italian and German schools, and is to be considered as the first living German painter. He has a true poetical spirit, and is, among painters, nearly what Thorwaldsen is among sculptors. The power and originality of his conceptions are recognised, even by those who find him deficient in strict accuracy of drawing, and sometimes in coloring in his fresco pictures. His spirited and carefully-finished drawings in ink are in much request among connoisseurs. His scenes from Göthe's Faust, engraved by Ruscheweih, as well as his plates to the Nibelungenlied (q. v.), show his spirited conception of poetic thoughts, in which respect, few living artists equal him. He was engaged in preparing his designs from Dante, to be executed in fresco, in the Villa Massimi, at Rome, when Louis, the crownprince, now king, of Bavaria, employed him to paint the saloons of his Glyptothe ca (q. v.), or museum of sculpture at Műnich. For this purpose, Cornelius left Rome in 1819, and lived alternately at Düsseldorf and Munich, where he finished the cartoons which he had already in part sketched at Rome. The subjects of

these frescoes are taken from the mythology of Homer, Hesiod, and the old heroic world. He is now settled at Munich. The paintings of Cornelius, in the Glyp totheca above-mentioned, form some of the grandest monuments of the fine art of the present age.

CORNET; a wind instrument, now but little known, having, more than a century since, given place to the hautboy. There were three kinds of cornets-the treble, the tenor and the bass. The treble and tenor cornets were simple curvilineal tubes, about three feet in length, gradually increasing in diameter from the mouthpiece towards the lower end. The bass cornet was a serpentine tube, four or five feet long, and increasing in diameter in the same manner.

CORNET, in military language, is the third officer in a company, in England and the U. States. He bears the colors of the troop. In the Prussian army, the name cornet is abolished.

CORNU COPIE; horn of plenty. (See Acheloüs and Amalthea.)

CORNWALL; a post-town in Litchfield county, Connecticut, on the east side of the Housatonic; 10 miles N. W. Litchfield, 38 W. Hartford, 48 N. W. New Haven. A foreign mission school was established here in 1817, under the direction of the board of commissioners for foreign missions. The object of it is to educate heathen children, so that they may be qualified to instruct their countrymen in Christianity and the arts of civilized life. The number of pupils, in 1822, was 34; of whom 19 were American Indians, and 9 from the islands of the Pacific ocean.

CORNWALL, a maritime county of England, forming the south-western extremity of Great Britain, is surrounded by the sea, except on the eastern side. Its superficial area has been found, by actual survey, to contain 758,484 statute acres, or 1407 square miles. It is divided into 9 hundreds, and 206 parishes. The general aspect of Cornwall is very dreary, a ridge of bleak and rugged hills stretching through its whole length. Comparatively little attention is paid to agriculture in Cornwall, and most of its operations are still conducted in a very rude manner. Its principal wealth is derived from its mines, of which, according to an accurate map made in 1800, it appears that there were then 45 of copper, 28 of tin, 18 of copper and tin, 2 of lead, 1 of lead and silver, 1 of copper and silver, 1 of silver, 1 of copper and cobalt, 1 of tin and cobalt, and 1 of antimony. Some mines of manganese have been opened since that time.

Of the minerals of this county, which are numerous, one of the most interesting is the soap-rock, particularly used in the manufacture of porcelain. The chinastone, which is raised in great quantities near St. Austell, forms a principal ingredient in the Staffordshire potteries. A great variety of fish frequent the coasts of this county: by far the most important of these are the pilchards, in the fishery of which a great capital is employed. Cornwall can boast of but few manufactures, except the preparation of its metals. Antiquities, generally supposed to be Druidical, abound. This county sends 42 members to parliament. Population, 262,600. The Scilly islands lie about 9 leagues W. by S. of the Land's End, and are supposed to have been formerly connected with Cornwall. The intermediate and surrounding rocks are innumerable.

CORNWALLIS, Charles, marquis of, was born in 1738, and received his education at Eton, and at St. John's college, Cambridge. Devoting himself to the profession of arms, he was appointed aide-de-camp to the king in 1765, and colonel of foot in 1766, and, after passing through all the various promotions, he obtained the rank of general. He represented the borough of Eye in parliament until the death of his father, in 1762, when he succeeded to the peerage. He did not distinguish himself in parliament, either by the frequency or the eloquence of his speeches; and, in the house of peers, he appears to have been favorable to the claims of the American colonies; notwithstanding which, he accepted a command in America, and distinguished himself at the battle of Brandywine, in 1777, and at the siege of Charleston, and was intrusted with the government of South Carolina. After obtaining the victories of Camden and Guilford, he formed the plan of invading Virginia, which failed; and he was made prisoner with his whole army. He laid the blame of this defeat on sir Henry Clinton, who had not given him the succor he expected; and several pamphlets were published between them, in which sir Henry blamed both the scheme and its conduct. Soon after his return to England, he was removed from his place of governor of the Tower of London, but was reäppointed in 1784, and retained it until his death. In 1786, lord Cornwallis was sent out to India, with the double appointment of commander-in-chief and governor-general; and not long after, the government of Beng 1 declared war against the sultan of the Mysore, for an attack upon the rajah

of Travancore, the ally of the English. The first campaign was indecisive; but in March, 1791, ford Cornwallis invaded the Mysore, and, in the year after, besieged the city of Seringapatam, and obliged the sultan, Tippoo Saib, to sue for peace, and to submit to such terms as he dictated. These were, to give up a part of his dominions, to pay a large sum of money, with a promise of a more considerable portion of treasure; and, as hostages for the performance of this treaty, Tippoo intrusted two of his sons to the care of lord Cornwallis. On the conclusion of this important war, lord Cornwallis returned to England, and, in 1792, was created marquis, appointed master-general of the ordnance, and admitted a member of the privy council. In 1798, at the time of the rebellion, he was appointed lord-lieutenant of Ireland, which office he filled until 1801, conducting himself with great firmness and judgment, united with a conciliatory disposition. In the same year, he was sent to France, where he signed the peace of Amiens. In 1804, on the recall of the marquis of Wellesley, he was again appointed governor-general of India, and, the following year, died at Ghazepore, in the province of Benares. His personal character was amiable and unassuming, and, if his talents were not brilliant, his sound sense, aided by his laudable ambition and perseverance, effected much. As a military man, he was active and vigilant, always giving his instructions in person, and attending to the performance of them.

CORO, OF VENEZUELA, a town in Venezuela, the capital of the province or district of Coro; 80 leagues W. of Caracas; lon. 69° 40′ W.; lat. 11° 24′ N.; population, 10,000. It is situated on a dry, sandy plain, on an isthmus which separates the lake of Maracaybo from the Caribbean sea. The streets are regular, but the houses are mean. The port is indifferent, and the commerce of the town is inconsiderable.

COROLLARY (in Latin, corollarium); a conclusion from premises, or from a proposition demonstrated. Formerly, it was used to signify a surplus.

COROMANDEL, COAST OF (Dsholamandol, country of millet); the eastern coast of Hindostan, along the Carnatic, so called, extending from cape Calymere, lat. 10°20', to the mouth of the Kistnah, lat. 15° 45′ N.; length about 350 miles. It contains many flourishing cities, but Coringa is the only one which affords a harbor. Madras is the English provincial city. From the beginning of October until

April, north winds blow along the shore, and, during the first three months, with such vehemence, that navigation, during this period, is very dangerous. This is called the north-east monsoon. In the middle of April, the south winds begin, which last until the month of October. During this time, vessels can approach the coast with safety. The wind, during the day, is often glowing hot, but, in the night, becomes cool again. The sandy soil of the whole coast is not favorable for the cultivation of rice; but cotton is produced in great quantity, and, in its raw as well as its manufactured state, is the source of wealth to the industrious inhabitants.

CORON; a fortress in the Morea, 17 leagues S. W. Tripolizza, and 43 E. of Modon, on the eastern shore of the gulf of Modon; situated on a mountain; lat. 36° 47' 26" N.; lon. 21° 58′ 52′′ E.; population, 5000.

CORONATION; a solemn inauguration of a monarch, with religious ceremonies, which, in ancient times, when the right of succession to the throne was more uncertain or disputed than at present, or when the right to govern could not be obtained without undertaking certain formal obligations, was deemed more necessary than in modern times. This act is not considered as necessary for establishing the rights and obligations of rulers and subjects; but it is very proper as a means of reminding both parties, in a solemn way, of the nature of their duties. The essential parts of the coronation are, first, the oath which the monarch takes, that he will govern justly, will always consult the real welfare of his people, and will conscientiously observe the fundamental laws of the state; and, secondly, the placing of the crown upon his head with religious solemnities (prayer and anointing). In England, kings have been anointed and crowned in Westminster abbey, even to the latest times, with great splendor, and the observance of ancient feudal customs, many of which are very singular. So also in France, where the church of the archbishop of Rheims has from ancient times enjoyed the privilege of the celebration of this ceremony. (Histoire du Sacre de Charles X, by F. M. Miel, Paris, 1825.) Splendid engravings of the coronations, both of king George IV of Great Britain, and of king Charles X of France, have made their appearance.* The coro

*The English king at arms, George Naylor, has nublished the history of the coronation of George IV, in a work of 40 pages, with 70 copperplates,

nation oath of Charles X ran thus:-"Ia the presence of God, I promise my people to defend and honor (de maintenir et d'ho norer) our holy religion, as it becomes the most Christian king and the eldest son of the church; to cause justice to be done to all my subjects; finally, to govern in conformity to the laws of the kingdom, and to the charter, which I swear truly to ob serve; so help me God and his holy gospel." The coronation oath of the king of England is prescribed by I William and Mary, c. 6, modified by 5 Anne, c. 8 and 39, 40 George III, c. 67:-"I solemnly promise and swear to govern the people of this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the dominions thereto belonging, according to the statutes in parliament agreed on, and the laws and customs of the same; to the utmost of my power to maintain the laws of God, the true profes sion of the gospel, and the Protestant reformed religion established by the law; to preserve unto the bishops and the clergy of this realm, and the churches committed to their charge, all such rights and privileges as by law do or shall appertain unto them or any of them.' After this, the king or queen, laying his or her hand upon the holy Gospels, shall say, 'The things which I have before promised, I will perform and keep; so help me God; and then shall kiss the book." The coronation of the German emperor, by the pope, in former times, was the source of much disorder, as the emperor was generally obliged to go to Rome with an army. Napoleon crowned himself, and then put the crown on the head of his wife Josephine.

CORONER; an officer in England and some of the U. States, the chief part of whose duty is to inquire into the cause of the death of persons killed, or dying suddenly. In England, he inquires also into the cause of death of persons dying in prison. His examination is made, in all cases, with the aid of a jury, in sight of the body, and at the place where the death happened. In England, the coroner has also to inquire concerning shipwrecks, and certify, in any particular case, whether there be an actual wreck or not, and who is in possession of the goods; also to inquire concerning treasure trove; that is, gold or silver, which appears, when found, to have been purposely hidden, and remains unclaimed. Such treasure, in England, be

price 25 guineas,-the first official description of the ceremony in England, since the account of the coronation of James II, by Sandford, in 1687.