Character Sketches of Romance, Fiction and the Drama, Vol. 1 · Chapter 28Copyright, 1892, by SELMAR HESS (28)
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Concord Hymn, by Ralph Waldo Emerson, and beginning:
"By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April's breeze unfurled,
Here once the embattled farmers stood
And fired the shot heard round the world."
was sung on the Anniversary of the Battle of Concord, April 19, 1836.
Conkey Chickweed, the man who robbed himself of 327 guineas, in order to make his fortune by exciting the sympathy of his neighbors and others. The tale is told by detective Blathers.—C. Dickens, Oliver Twist (1837).
Con'lath, youngest son of Morni, and brother of the famous Gaul (a man's name). Coiilath was betrothed to Cutho'na, daughter of Ruma, but before the espousals Toscar came from Ireland to Mora, and was hospitably received by Morni. Seeing Cuthona out hunting, Toscar carried her off in his skiff by force, and being overtaken by Conlath they both fell in fight. Three days afterwards Cuthona died of grief.—Ossian, Conlath and Cuthona.
Connal, son of Colgar, petty king of Togorma, and intimate friend of Cuthullin, general of the Irish tribes. He is a kind of Ulysses, who counsels and comforts Cuthullin in his distress, and is the very opposite of the rash, presumptuous, though generous Calmar.—Ossian, Fingal.
Con'nel (Father), an aged Catholic priest full of gentle affectionate feelings. He is the patron of a poor vagrant boy called Neddy Fennel, whose adventures furnished the incidents of Banim's novel called Father Connell (1842).
Father Connell
is not unworthy of association
with the Protestant
Vicar of Wakefield
.—R.
Chambers,
English Literature
, ii. 612.
Coningsby, a novel by B. Disraeli. The characters are meant for portraits; thus: "Croker" represents Rigby; "Menmouth," Lord Hertford; "Eskdale," Lowther; "Ormsby," Irving; "Lucretia," Mde. Zichy; "Countess Colonna," Lady Strachan; "Sidonia," Baron A. de Rothschild; "Henry Sidney," Lord John Manners; "Belvoir," Duke of Rutland, second son of Beaumanoir. The hero is of noble birth, he loves Edith Millbank, the daughter of a wealthy manufacturer, is returned for Parliament and marries Edith.
Conqueror (The). Alexander the Great, The Conqueror of the World (B.C. 356, 336-323), Alfonso of Portugal (1094, 1137-1185). Aurungzebe the Great, called Alemgir (1618, 1659-4707), James of Aragon (1206, 1213-1276). Othman or Osman I., founder of the Turkish Empire (1259, 1299-1326). Francisco Pizarro, called Conquistador, because he conquered Peru (1475-1541). William, duke of Normandy, who obtained England by conquest (1027,1066-1137).
Con'rad (Lord), the corsair, afterwards called Lara. A proud, ascetic but successful pirate. Hearing that the Sultan, Seyd [Seed], was about to attack the pirates, he entered the palace in the disguise of a dervise, but being found out was seized and imprisoned. He was released by Gulnare (2 syl.), the sultan's favorite concubine, and fled with her to the Pirates' Isle, but finding Medo'ra dead, he left the island with Gulnare, returned to his native land, headed a rebellion, and was shot.—Lord Byron, The Corsair, continued in Lara (1814). Conrad Dryfoos, the son of a rich man, the backer and virtual proprietor of Every Other Week, in W. D. Howells's novel, A Hazard of New Fortunes.
"He's got a good head and he wanted to study
for the ministry when they were all living together
out on the farm ... You know they used
to think that any sort of stuff was good enough
to make a preacher out of; but they wanted the
good timber for business, and so the old man
wouldn't let him."
Foiled in this purpose, Conrad becomes a reformer and receives a mortal wound in the attempt to protect an old Socialist against the police, who are trying to quell a mob of strikers (1890).
Con'rade (2 syl.), a follower of Don John (bastard brother of Don Pedro, Prince of Aragon).—Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing (1600).
Conrade (2 syl.), Marquis of Montserrat, who, with the grand-master of the Templars, conspired against Richard Coeur de Lion. He was unhorsed in combat, and murdered in his tent by the Templar.—Sir W. Scott, The Talisman (time, Richard I.).
Constance, mother of Prince Arthur, and widow of Geoffrey Plantagenet.—Shakespeare, King John (1598).
Mrs. Bartley's "Lady Macbeth," "Constance,"
and "Queen Katherine" [
Henry VIII.
], were
powerful embodiments, and I question if they
have ever since been so finely portrayed (1785-1850).—J.
Adolphus,
Recollections
.
Constance, daughter of Sir William Fondlove, and courted by Wildrake, a country squire, fond of field sports. "Her beauty rich, richer her grace, her mind yet richer still, though richest all." She was "the mould express of woman, stature, feature, body, limb;" she danced well, sang well, harped well. Wildrake was her childhood's playmate, and became her husband.—S. Knowles, The Love Chase (1837).
Constance, daughter of Bertulphe, provost of Bruges, and bride of Bouchard, a knight of Flanders. She had "beauty to shame young love's most fervent dream, virtue to form a saint, with just enough of earth to keep her woman." By an absurd law of Charles "the Good," earl of Flanders, made in 1127, this young lady, brought up in the lap of luxury, was reduced to serfdom, because her grandfather was a serf; her aristocratic husband was also a serf because he married her (a serf). She went mad at the reverse of fortune, and died.—S. Knowles, The Provost of Bruges (1836).
Constance Varley. American girl traveling in the East with friends, and bearing with her everywhere the memory of a man she has loved for years in secret. She meets him at Damascus and after some days of pleasant companionship, he resolves to offer his hand to her. The words are upon his tongue, when an unfortunate misunderstanding divides them forever. A year later she marries another man who loves her sincerely without appreciating the finest part of her nature.
A woman quotes at sight of Constance's portrait:
"I discern
Infinite passion and the pain
Of finite hearts that yearn."
"There was a singular suggestion of sadness
about the grave sweet eyes, and on the small
close mouth."—Julia C. Fletcher,
Mirage
(1882).
Constans, a mythical king of Britain. He was the eldest of the three 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.
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).
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.