sons of Constantine, his two brothers being Aurelius Ambrosius and
Uther Pendragon. Constans was a monk, but at the death of his father
he laid aside the cowl for the crown. Vortigern caused him to be
assassinated, and usurped the crown. Aurelius Ambrosius succeeded
Vortigern, and was himself succeeded by his younger brother, Uther
Pendragon, father of King Arthur. Hence it will appear that Constans
was Arthur's uncle.
CONSTANT (_Ned_), the former lover of Lady Brute, with whom she
intrigued after her marriage with the surly knight.--Vanbrugh, _The
Provoked Wife_ (1697).
_Constant_ (_Sir Bashful_), a younger brother of middle life, who
tumbles into an estate and title by the death of his elder brother. He
marries a woman of quality, but finding; it _comme il faut_ not to let
his love be known, treats her with indifference and politeness, and
though he dotes on her, tries to make her believe he loves her not.
He is very soft, carried away by the opinions of others, and is an
example of the truth of what Dr. Young has said, "What is mere good
nature but a fool?"
_Lady Constant_, wife of Sir Bashful, a woman of spirit, taste, sense,
wit, and beauty. She loves her husband, and repels with scorn an
attempt to shake her fidelity because he treats her with cold
indifference.--A. Murphy, _The Way to Keep Him_ (1760).
CONSTAN'TIA, sister of Petruccio, governor of Bologna, and mistress of
the duke of Ferrara.--Beaumont and Fletcher, _The Chances_ (1620).
_Constantia_, a _protégée_ of Lady McSycophant. An amiable girl, in
love with Egerton McSycophant, by whom her love is amply returned.--C.
Macklin, _The Man of the World_ (1764).
CON'STANTINE (_3 syl._), a king of Scotland, who (in 937) joined Anlaf
(a Danish king) against Athelstan. The allied kings were defeated at
Brunanburh, in Northumberland, and Constantine was made prisoner.
Our English Athelstan ...
Made all the Isle his own,
And Constantine, the king a prisoner hither brought.
Drayton, _Polyolbion_, xii. 3 (1613).
CONSTANTINOPLE (_Little_), Kertch was so called by the Genoese from
its extent and its prosperity. Demosthenês calls it "the granary of
Athens."
CONSUELO (_4 syl._), the impersonation of moral purity in the midst of
temptations. Consuelo is the heroine of a novel so called by George
Sand (i.e. Mde. Dudevant).
CONTEMPORANEOUS DISCOVERIES. Goethe and Vicq d'Azyrs discovered at the
same time the intermaxillary bone. Goethe and Von Baer discovered at
the same time Morphology. Goethe and Oken discovered at the same time
the vertebral system. _The Penny Cyclopaedia_ and _Chambers's Journal_
were started nearly at the same time. The invention of printing is
claimed by several contemporaries. The processes called Talbotype and
Daguerreotype were nearly simultaneous discoveries. Leverrier and
Adams discovered at the same time the planet Neptune.
[Illustration] This list may be extended to a very great length.
CONTENTED MAN (_The_). Subject of a poem by Rev. John Adams in 1745
No want contracts the largeness of his thoughts,
And nothing grieves him but his conscious faults,
He makes his GOD his everlasting tower
And in His firm munition stands secure.
CONTEST _(Sir Adam_). Having lost his first wife by shipwreck, he
married again after the lapse of some twelve or fourteen years. His
second wife was a girl of 18, to whom he held up his first wife as a
pattern and the very paragon of women. On the wedding day this first
wife made her appearance. She had been saved from the wreck; but Sir
Adam wished her in heaven most sincerely.
_Lady Contest_, the bride of Sir Adam, "young, extremely lively, and
prodigiously beautiful." She had been brought up in the country, and
treated as a child, so her _naïveté_ was quite captivating. When
she quitted the bride-groom's house, she said, "Good-by, Sir Adam,
good-by. I did love you a little, upon my word, and should be really
unhappy if I did not know that your happiness will be infinitely
greater with your first wife."
_Mr. Contest_, the grown-up son of Sir Adam, by his first wife.--Mrs.
Inchbald, _The Wedding Day_ (1790).
CONTINENCE.
ALEXANDER THE GREAT having gained the battle of Issus (B.C. 333), the
family of King Darius fell into his hands; but he treated the ladies
as queens, and observed the greatest decorum towards them. A eunuch,
having escaped, told Darius that his wife remained unspotted, for
Alexander had shown himself the most continent and generous of
men.--Arrian, _Anabasis of Alexander_, iv. 20.
SCIPIO AFRICANUS, after the conquest of Spain, refused to touch a
beautiful princess who had fallen into his hands, "lest he should be
tempted to forget his principles." It is, moreover, said that he sent
her back to her parents with presents, that she might marry the man to
whom she was betrothed. A silver shield, on which this incident was
depicted, was found in the river Rhone by some fishermen in the
seventeenth century.
E'en Scipio, or a victor yet more cold,
Might have forgot his virtue at her sight.
N. Rowe, _Tamerlane_, iii. 3 (1702.)
ANSON, when he took the _Senhora Theresa de Jesus_, refused even to
see the three Spanish ladies who formed part of the prize, because he
was resolved to prevent private scandal. The three ladies consisted of
a mother and her two daughters, the younger of whom was "of surpassing
beauty."
CONVEN'TUAL FRIARS are those who live in _convents_, contrary to the
rule of St. Francis, who enjoined absolute poverty, without land,
books, chapel, or house. Those who conform to the rule of the founder
are called "Observant Friars."
CONVERSATION SHARP, Richard Sharp, the critic (1759-1835.)
COOK WHO KILLED HIMSELF (_The_). Vatel killed himself in 1671, because
the lobster for his turbot sauce did not arrive in time to be served
up at the banquet at Chantilly, given by the Prince de Condé to the
king.
COOKS OF MODERN TIMES. Carême, called "The Regenerator of Cookery"
(1784-1833). Charles Elmé Francatelli, cook at Crockford's, then in
the Royal Household, and lastly at the Reform Club (1805-1876). Ude,
Gouffé, and Alexis Soyer, the last of whom died in 1858.
COOKERY (_Regenerator of_), Carême (1784-1833.)
(Ude, Gouffé, and Soyer were also regenerators of this art).
COOPER (_Anthony Ashly_,) earl of Shaftesbury, introduced by Sir W.
Scott in _Peveril of the Peak_ (time, Charles II.)
COPHET'UA or COPET'HUA, a mythical king of Africa, of great wealth,
who fell in love with a beggar-girl, and married her. Her name was
Penel'ophon, but Shakespeare writes it Zenel'ophon in _Love's Labour's
Lost_, act iv. sc. 1. Tennyson has versified the tale in _The
Beggar-Maid._--Percy, _Reliques_, I. ii. 6.
COPLEY (_Sir Thomas_), in attendance on the earl of Leicester at
Woodstock.--Sir W. Scott, _Kenilworth_ (time, Elizabeth).
COPPER CAPTAIN (_A_), Michael Perez, a captain without money, but
with a plentiful stock of pretence, who seeks to make a market of his
person and commission by marrying an heiress. He is caught in his own
trap, for he marries Estifania, a woman of intrigue, fancying her to
be the heiress Margaritta. The captain gives the lady "pearls," but
they are only whitings' eyes. His wife says to him:
Here's a goodly jewel..
Did you not win this at Goletta, captain?..
See how it sparkles, like an old lady's eyes..
And here's a chain of whitings' eyes for pearls..
Your clothes are parallels to these, all counterfeits.
Put these and them on you're a man of copper,
A copper,... copper captain.
Beaumont and Fletcher, _Rule a Wife and
Have a Wife_ (1640).
COPPERFLELD (_David_), the hero of a novel by Charles Dickens. David
is Dickens himself, and Micawber is Dickens's father. According to
the tale, David's mother was nursery governess in a family where
Mr. Copperfield visited. At the death of Mr. Copperfield, the widow
married Edward Murdstone, a hard, tyrannical man, who made the home of
David a dread and terror to the boy. When his mother died, Murdstone
sent David to lodge with the Micawbers, and bound him apprentice to
Messrs. Murdstone and Grinby, by whom he was put into the warehouse,
and set to paste labels upon wine and spirit bottles. David soon
became tired of this dreary work, and ran away to Dover, where he was
kindly received by his [great]-aunt Betsey Trotwood, who clothed him,
and sent him as day-boy to Dr. Strong, but placed him to board with
Mr. Wickfield, a lawyer, father of Agnes, between whom and David a
mutual attachment sprang up. David's first wife was Dora Spenlow, but
at the death of this pretty little "child-wife," he married Agnes
Wickfield.--C. Dickens, _David Copperfield_ (1849).
COPPERHEADS, members of a faction in the North, during the civil war
in the United States. The copperhead is a poisonous serpent, that
gives no warning of its approach, and hence is a type of a concealed
or secret foe. (_The Trigonecephalus contortrix_.)
COPPERNOSE (_3 syl_.). Henry VIII. was so called, because he mixed so
much copper with the silver coin that it showed after a little wear
in the parts most pronounced, as the nose. Hence the sobriquets
"Coppernosed Harry," "Old Copper-nose," etc.
COPPLE, the hen killed by Reynard, in the beast-epic called _Reynard
the Fox_ (1498).
CORA, the gentle, loving wife of Alonzo, and the kind friend of Rolla,
general of the Peruvian army.--Sheridan, _Pizarro_ (altered from
Kotzebue, 1799).
CORA MUNRO, the daughter of an English officer and the elder of the
sisters whose adventures fill Cooper's _Last of the Mohicans._ Cora
loves Heyward the as yet undeclared lover of Alice, and has, herself,
attracted the covetous eye of Magua, an Indian warrior. He contrives
to gain possession of her, and drawing his knife, gives her the choice
between death and his wigwam.
Cora neither heard nor heeded his demand ... Once
more he struggled with himself and lifted
the keen weapon again--but just then a piercing
cry was heard above them, and Uncas
appeared, leaping frantically from a fearful
height upon the ledge. Magua recoiled a step,
and one of his assistants, profiting by the chance,
sheathed his own knife in the bosom of Cora.
(1826).
CO'RAH, in Dryden's satire of _Absalom and Architophel_, is meant for
Dr. Titus Oates. As Corah was the political calumniator of Moses and
Aaron, so Titus Oates was the political calumniator of the pope and
English papists. As Corah was punished by "going down alive into the
pit," so Oates was "condemned to imprisonment for life," after being
publicly whipped and exposed in the pillory. North describes Titus
Oates as a very short man, and says, if his mouth were taken for the
centre of a circle, his chin, forehead, and cheekbones would fall in
the circumference.
Sunk were his eyes, his voice was harsh and loud,
Sure signs he neither choleric was, nor proud;
His long chin proved his wit; his saint-like grace,
A Church vermilion, and a Moses' face;
His memory miraculously great
Could plots, exceeding man's belief, repeat.
Dryden, _Absalom and Achitophel_, i. (1631).
CORBAC'CIO _(Signior)_, the dupe of Mosca the knavish confederate of
Vol'pone (_2 syl_.). He is an old man, with seeing and hearing faint,
and understanding dulled to childishness, yet he wishes to live on,
and
Feels not his gout nor palsy; feigns himself
Younger by scores of years; flatters his age
With confident belying it; hopes he may
With charms, like Aeson, have his youth restored.
Ben Jonson, _Volpone or the Fox_ (1605).
Benjamin Johnson [1665-1742] ... seemed to be proud to wear the poet's
double name, and was particularly great in all that author's plays
that were usually performed, viz "Wasp," in _Bartholomew Fair_;
"Corbaccio;" "Morose," in _The Silent Woman_; and "Ananias," in _The
Alchemist_.--Chetwood.
C. Dibdin says none who ever saw W. Parsons (1736-1795) in "Corbaccio"
could forget his effective mode of exclaiming "Has he made his
will? What has he given me!" but Parsons himself says: "Ah! to see
'Corbaccio' acted to perfection, you should have seen Shuter. The
public are pleased to think that I act that part well, but his acting
was as far superior to mine as Mount Vesuvius is to a rushlight."
COR'BANT, the rook, in the beast-epic of _Reynard the Fox_ (1498).
(French, _corbeau_, "a rook.")
CORCE'CA _(3 syl_.), mother of Abessa. The word means "blindness of
heart," or Romanism. Una sought shelter under her hut, but Corceca
shut the door against her; whereupon the lion which accompanied Una
broke down the door. The "lion" means _England_, "Corceca"
_popery_, "Una" _protestantism_, and "breaking down the door" _the
Reformation_.--Spenser, _Faëry Queen_, i. 3 (1590).
CORDAY (_Marie Anne Charlotte_), descendant of the poet Corneille.
Born in Normandy 1768. She killed the bloody Marat in the bath and was
guillotined for the deed, July, 1793.
CORDE'LIA, youngest daughter of King Lear. She was disinherited by her
royal father, because her protestations of love were less violent than
those of her sisters. Cordelia married the king of France, and when
her two elder sisters refused to entertain the old king with his
suite, she brought an army over to dethrone them. She was, however,
taken captive, thrown into prison, and died there.
Her voice was ever soft,
Gentle, and low; an excellent thing in woman.
Shakespeare, _King Lear_, act v. sc. 3 (1605).
CORFLAM'BO, the personification of sensuality, a giant killed by
Arthur. Corflambo had a daughter named Paea'na, who married Placidas,
and proved a good wife to him.--Spenser, _Faëry Queen_, iv. 8 (1596).
CORIAT (_Thomas_) died 1617, author of a book called _Crudities_.
Besides, 'tis known he could speak Greek,
As naturally as pigs do squeak.
Lionel Cranfield, _Panegyric Verses on T. Coriat_
But if the meaning was as far to seek
As Coriat's horse was of his master's Greek,
When in that tongue he made a speech at length,
To show the beast the greatness of his strength.
G. Wither, _Abuses Stript and Whipt_ (1613).
COREY (_Bromfield_). An amiable Boston aristocrat in W. D. Howells's
story, _The Rise of Silas Lapham_. His father complains of his want of
energy and artistic tastes, but allows him "to travel indefinitely."
He remains abroad ten years studying art, comes home and paints an
amateurish portrait of his father, marries and has a family, but
continues a dilettante, never quite abandoning his art, but working
at it fitfully. He does nothing especially clever, but never says
anything that is not clever, and is as much admired as he is beloved.
At heart he is true, however cynical may be his words, and throughout
he is the _gentleman_ in grain, and incorruptible (1885).
CORIN, "the faithful shepherdess," who, having lost her true love by
death, retired from the busy world, remained a virgin for the rest
of her life, and was called "The Virgin of the Grove." The shepherd
Thenot (final _t_ pronounced) fell in love with her for her
"fidelity," and to cure him of his attachment she pretended to love
him in return. This broke the charm, and Thenot no longer felt that
reverence of love he before entertained. Corin was skilled "in the
dark, hidden virtuous use of herbs," and says:
Of all green wounds I know the remedies
In men and cattle, be they stung by snakes,
Or charmed with powerful words of wicked art,
Or be they love-sick.
--John Fletcher, _The Faithful Shepherdess_, i. 1, (1610).
_Cor'in, Corin'eus_ (3 _syl_.), or _Corine'us_ (4 _syl_.) "strongest
of mortal men," and one of the suite of Brute (the first mythical king
of Britain.) (See CORINEUS.)
From Corin came it first? [_i.e., the Cornish hug in wrestling_].
M. Drayton, _Polyolbion_, i. (1612).
CORINEUS (3 _syl_). Southey throws the accent on the _first_ syllable,
and Spenser on the _second_. One of the suite of Brute. He overthrew
the giant Goëm'agot, for which achievement he was rewarded with
the whole western horn of England, hence called Corin'ea, and the
inhabitants Corin'eans. (See CORIN).
Corineus challenged the giant to wrestle with him. At the beginning
of the encounter, Corineus and the giant standing front to front held
each other strongly in their arms, and panted aloud for breath; but
Goëmagot presently grasped Corineus with all his might, broke three
of his ribs, two on his right side and one on his left. At which
Corineus, highly enraged, roused up his whole strength, and snatching
up the giant, ran with him on his shoulders to the neighboring shore,
and getting on to the top of a high rock, hurled the monster into the
sea ... The place where he fell is called Lam Goëmagot or Goëmagot's
Leap, to this day.--Geoffrey, _British History_, i. 16 (1142).
When father Brute and Cor'ineus set foot On the white island first.
Southey, _Madoc_, vi. (1805).
Cori'neus had that province utmost west. To him assigned.
Spenser, _Faëry Queen_, ii. 10 (1500).
Drayton makes the name a word of four syllables, and throws the accent
on the last but one.
Which to their general then great Corine'us had.
Drayton, _Polyolbion_, i. (1612).
CORINNA, a Greek poetess of Boeotia, who gained a victory over Pindar
at the public games (fl. B.C. 490).
... they raised
A tent of satin, elaborately wrought
With fair Corinna's triumph.
Tennyson, _The Princess_, iii.
_Corinna_, daughter of Gripe, the scrivener. She marries Dick Amlet.
Sir John Vanbrugh, _The Confederacy_ (1695).
See lively Pope advance in jig and trip
"Corinna," "Cherry," "Honeycomb," and "Snip;"
Not without art, but yet to nature true,
She charms the town with humor just yet new.
Churchill, _Roseiad_ (1761).
Corinne' (2 _syl_.) the heroine and title of a novel by Mde. de Staël.
Her lover proved false, and the maiden gradually pined away.
_A Corinthian_, a rake, a "fast man." Prince Henry says (1 _Henry IV_.
act ii. sc. 4.) "[_They_] tell me I am no proud Jack, like Falstaff,
but a Corinthian, a lad of mettle."
CORINTHIAN TOM, "a fast man," the sporting rake in Pierce Egan's _Life
in London_.
CORIOLA'NUS _(Caius Marcius_), called Coriolanus from his victory
at Cori'oli. His mother was Vetu'ria (_not Volumnia_), and his wife
Volumnia (not _Virgilia_). Shakespeare has a drama so called. La
Harpe has also a drama entitled _Coriolan_, produced in 1781.--Livy,
_Annals_, ii. 40.
I remember her [_Mrs. Siddons_] coming down the stage in the triumphal
entry of her son Coriolanus, when her dumb-show drew plaudits that
shook the house. She came alone, marching and beating time to the
music, rolling ... from side to side, swelling with the triumph of her
son. Such was the intoxication of joy which flashed from her eye and
lit up her whole face, that the effect was irresistible.--C.M. Young.
CORITA'NI, the people of Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire,
Leicestershire, Rutlandshire, and Northamptonshire. Drayton refers to
them in his _Polyolbion_, xvi. (1613).
CORMAC I., son of Conar, a Cael, who succeeded his father as "king of
Ireland," and reigned many years. In the latter part of his reign the
Fir-bolg (or Belgae settled in the south of Ireland), who had been
subjugated by Conar, rebelled, and Cormac was reduced to such
extremities that he sent to Fingal for aid. Fingal went with a large
army, utterly defeated Colculla "lord of Atha," and re-established
Cormac in the sole possession of Ireland. For this service Cormac gave
Fingal his daughter Roscra'na for wife, and Ossian was their first
son. Cormac I. was succeeded by his son Cairbre; Cairbre by his son
Artho; Artho by his son Cormac II. (a minor); and Cormac II., (after a
short interregnum) by Ferad-Artho.--Ossian.
CORMAC II. (a minor), king of Ireland. On his succeeding his father
Artho on the throne, Swaran, king of Lochlin [_Scandinavia_] invaded
Ireland, and defeated the army under the command of Cuthullin.
Fingal's arrival turned the tide of events, for the next day Swaran
was routed and returned to Lochlin. In the third year of his reign
Torlath rebelled, but was utterly discomfited at lake Lago by
Cuthullin, who, however, was himself mortally wounded by a random
arrow during the persuit. Not long after this Cairbre rose in
insurrection, murdered the young king, and usurped the government. His
success, however, was only of short duration, for having invited Oscar
to a feast, he treacherously slew him, and was himself slain at the
same time. His brother Cathmor succeeded for a few days, when he also
was slain in battle by Fingal, and the Conar dynasty restored. Conar
(first king of Ireland, a Caledonian) was succeeded by his son Cormac
I; Cormac I. was succeeded by his son Cairbre; Cairbre by his son
Artho; Artho by his son Cormac II.; and Cormac II (after a short
interregnum) by his cousin Ferad-Artho.--Ossian, _Fingal, Dar-Thula
and Temora_.
COR'MACK _(Donald)_, a Highland robber-chief.--Sir W. Scott, _Fair
Maid of Perth_ (time, Henry IV).
COR'MALO, a "chief of ten thousand spears," who lived near the waters
of Lano (a Scandinavian lake). He went to Inis-Thona (an island of
Scandinavia), to the court of King Annir, and "sought the honor of the
spear" (i.e. a tournament). Argon, the eldest son of Annir, tilted
with him and overthrew him. This vexed Cormalo greatly, and during a
hunting expedition he drew his bow in secret and shot both Argon and
his brother Ruro. Their father wondered they did not return, when
their dog Runa came bounding into the hall, howling so as to attract
attention. Annir followed the hound, and found his sons both dead. In
the mean time his daughter was carried off by Cormalo. When Oscar, son
of Ossian, heard thereof, he vowed vengeance, went with an army to
Lano, encountered Cormalo, and slew him. Then rescuing the
daughter, he took her back to Inis-Thona, and delivered her to her
father.--Ossian, _The War of Inis-Thona._
COR'MORAN' _(The Giant_), a Cornish giant slain by Jack the
Giant-killer. This was his first exploit, accomplished when he was a
mere boy. Jack dug a deep pit, and so artfully filmed it over atop,
that the giant fell into it, whereupon Jack knocked him on the head
and killed him.
CORNAVII, the inhabitants of Cheshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire,
Warwickshire, and Worcestershire. Drayton refers to them in his
_Polyolbion_, xvi. (1613).
CORNE'LIA, wife of Titus Sempronius Gracchus, and mother of the two
tribunes Tiberius and Caius. She was almost idolized by the Romans,
who erected a statue in her honor, with this inscription: CORNELIA,
MOTHER OF THE GRACCHI.
Clelia, Cornelia,... and the Roman brows
Of Agrippina
Tennyson, _The Princess_, ii.
CORNET, a waiting-woman on Lady Fanciful. She caused great offence
because she did not flatter her ladyship. She actually said to
her, "Your ladyship looks very ill this morning," which the French
waiting-woman contradicted by saying, "My opinion be, matam, dat your
latyship never look so well in all your life." Lady Fanciful said to
Cornet, "Get out of the room, I can't endure you;" and then turning to
Mdlle, she added, "This wench is insufferably ugly.... Oh, by-the-by,
Mdlle., you can take these two pair of gloves. The French are
certainly well-mannered, and never flatter."--Vanbrugh, _The Provoked
Wife_ (1697).
[Illustration] This is of a piece with the archbishop of Granada and
his secretary Gil Blas.
CORNEY (_Mrs_.), matron of the workhouse where Oliver Twist was born.
She is a well-to-do widow, who marries Bumble, and reduces the pompous
beadle to a hen-pecked husband.--C. Dickens, _Oliver Twist_, xxxvii.
(1837).
CORNFLOWER (_Henry_), a farmer, who "beneath a rough outside,
possessed a heart which would have done honor to a prince."
_Mrs. Cornflower_, (by birth Emma Belton), the farmer's wife abducted
by Sir Charles Courtly.--Dibdin, _The Farmer's Wife_ (1789).
CORNIOLE GIOVANNI DELLE, i.e. Giovanni of the Cornelians, the cognomen
given to an engraver of these stones in the time of Lorenzo di Medici.
His most famous work, the Savonarola in the Uffoziel gallery.
CORN-LAW RHYMER (_The_), Ebenezer Elliot (1781-1849).
CORNWALL (_Barry_), an imperfect anagram of Bryan Waller Proctor,
author of _English Songs_ (1788-1874).
COROMBONA (_Vittoria_), the White Devil, the chief character in
a drama by John Webster, entitled _The White Devil, or Vittoria
Corombona_ (1612).
CORO'NIS, daughter of Phorôneus (3 _syl_.) king of Pho'cis,
metamorphosed by Minerva into a crow. CORPORAL (_The Little_). General
Bonaparte was so called after the battle of Lodi(1796).