170 



CH AUSSEE- -CHELTENHAM. 



of an txl.-n-.ivc' collection of sermons, a work entitled 

 A Complete I 'lew of Episcopacy, of which he was a 

 decided enemy, and several polemical publications. 



CHAUSSEE, PIKRRE CLAUDE NIVKLLE DE LA ; a 

 dramatic writer, born at Paris in 1692. His first work 

 was a critique on the fables of La Mottc. When I -a 

 Motte advanced the paradox that verse is useless in 

 the tragedy and ode, lie was answered by Chaussee, in 

 his Epitre d Clio, which is still esteemed. His first 

 dramatical work, La Fausse Antipathic, written; at'ier 

 he had passed the age of forty, was received with ap- 

 probation. The following circumstance gave rise to 

 the new species of drama which lie introduced. The 

 actress Quinault, perceiving a good subject for an af- 

 fecting drama in a farce, proposed it to Voltaire, who 

 declined the attempt. She then applied to Chaussee, 

 who, at her suggestion, wrote Le Prejugea la Mode. 

 Thus the sentimental comedy (comeilie larmoyante) 

 originated from the farce. Cliaussee then attempted 

 tragedy, and wrote the unsuccessful piece Maximien, 

 a Mibject which liad already been treated of by 'I'll. 

 Corneille. His Ecole des Meres, and his Gouvernante, 

 which followed, are still acted. He died in 1754. 

 Voltaire says he is one of the first writers, after those 

 of genius. 



CHAUX DE FONDS, LA; the name of a vil- 

 lage in the district of Vallengen, in the Swiss canton 

 of Neufchatel. The valley that bears this name is 

 unfit for agriculture, but rich in cattle, and carries on 

 much trade in cheese. It is remarkable, as is also 

 the neighbouring village of Locle, for its manufac- 

 tures of watches and lace. La Chaux de Fonds has 

 about 5800 inhabitants, among whom are upwards of 

 400 watch-makers, and 600 females that gain their 

 living by making lace. About 40,000 gold and sil- 

 ver watches are annually made here, beside clocks. 

 The village of Locle has about 5000 inhabitants. The 

 village ot Fleurier is the chief place for the trade in 

 lace. 



CHECK ; a draft or bill on a banking house, to be 

 paid, at sight, to the bearer. See Bill of Exchange. 



CHEKE, SIR JOHN ; an eminent English statesman 

 and cultivator of classical literature in the 16th cen- 

 tury. He was born at Cambridge in 1514, and re- 

 ceived his education at St John's college, in the uni- 

 versity of that place. After having travelled on the 

 continent, he returned to Cambridge, and was made 

 regius professor of Greek, in which office he distin- 

 guished himself by introducing improvements in the 

 pronunciation of that language. Bishop Gardiner, 

 chancellor of the university, opposed these innova- 

 tions, and a literary correspondence took place be- 

 tween the professor and the chancellor, which was, 

 some tune after, published at Basil, 8vo. In 1544, 

 Cheke was appointed tutor to the prince of Wales, 

 afterwards Edward VI., and he appears, likewise, to 

 have assisted in the education of the princess Eliza- 

 beth. On the accession of Edward, he received a 

 pension of 100 marks, was made provost of King's 

 college, Cambridge, and obtained grants of consider- 

 able landed property. He soon after married, and, 

 in 1547, retired from court to the university, in con- 

 sequence of some disappointment, but was soon re- 

 called, and remained a great favourite with the king 

 to the end of his reign. In 1550, he was made gen- 

 tleman of the king's bedchamber, the next year he 

 was knighted, and, in 1553, he obtained the post of 

 secretary of state. He was also a privy councillor. 

 The death of Ids royal patron occasioned a revolu- 

 tion in his fortunes. Cheke was a sincere Protestant, 

 and was deeply involved in the measures adopted for 

 the reformation of the church of England ; and, hav- 

 ing had the imprudence to engage in the scheme for 

 raising lady Jane Grey to the crown, he was, on its 

 ilure. committed to the Tower. After a few months, 



however, he was set at liberty, and, having obtained 

 from queen Mary permission lo travel, lie went into 

 Italy, and thence to Strasbur-;-, in Germany. His 

 conduct while abroad gave offence to the Catholic 

 zealots in England, who procured the confiscation of 

 his estates, on the pretext of his having exceeded 

 the leave of absence which had been grained him. 

 lie was then obliged to support himself by giving 

 lectures on the Greek language. In 155U, bavin'-; 

 been induced to visit Brussels (probably through the 

 contrivance of his enemies), he was there arrested, by 

 order of Philip II., then sovereign of the Net.her- 

 lands, and sent prisoner to England. Powerful means 

 were adopted to convert him to popery. The. fear <>t 

 death prevailed over his constancy, and he was in- 

 duced to make a public abjuration of his former faith. 

 Mis estates were not restored, but lie received an 

 equivalent for them from the queen, and he. was much 

 caressed by the heads of the Catholic party, who, 

 however, with cruel policy, obliged him to sit on the 

 bench at the trials of the unfortunate Protestants. 

 It is a circumstance honourable to his character, tliat 

 he appears to have keenly felt his degraded situation. 

 He died of grief not long after, in September, 1557. 

 Sir John Cheke published several small treatises, ori- 

 ginal and translated, chiefly relating to theology. 

 He was also the author of many works preserved in 

 manuscript. Among these is an English translation 

 of the gospel of St Matthew, intended to exemplify 

 his plan for the reformation of the English language, 

 by banishing from it all words but such as are of 

 Saxon origin. 



CHELSEA, a parish in Middlesex, chiefly distin- 

 guished for containing a royal military hospital. The 

 building was originally commenced by James I . as a 

 theological college, but was left unfinished. On the 

 restoration of Charles II., that king, wishing to erect 

 a convenient hospital for the reception of sick, 

 maimed, and superannuated soldiers, converted the 

 unfinished buildings of the college to that use, and 

 the hospital has retained the name of college ever 

 since. It was founded by king Charles II., carried 

 on by king James II., and finished in the reign of 

 king William and queen Mary, by Sir Christopher 

 Wren, in 1692. The whole expense of this structure 

 amounted to 150,000, and the extent of the grounds 

 is above forty acres. The number of in-door pen- 

 sioners is 336, consisting of soldiers maimed or dis- 

 abled in his majesty's service, or who have served for 

 twenty years. They are provided with clothes, lodg- 

 ing, and diet, and have an allowance of eightpence a- 

 week. The annual expense of the London establish- 

 ment (including salaries, &c.) varies from 27,000 to 

 30,000 per aimum. The allowance to the out-pen- 

 sioners is five-pence a-day, and they always have a 

 half-year's pension in advance. Their number is not 

 limited by law, and at present amounts to 22,000. ' 

 There are 400 sergeants, who have a shilling a-day 

 allowed them. Connected with the hospital is a royal 

 military asylum founded in 1801, under the auspices 

 of the late duke of York, by parliamentary grant, for 

 the education and maintenance of soldiers' children ; 

 towards the support of which institution the whole 

 army contribute one day's pay per annum. Popula- 

 tion of the parish in 1831, 32,371. 



CHELTENHAM ; a town of England, in Glou- 

 cester, on the Chelt; 94 miles N.W. London. It is 

 celebrated for its medicinal waters, and, within a few- 

 years, has become a place of public resort, and was 

 honoured with the residence of the royal family in 

 the year 1788. About 4000 persons, during the 

 summer, visit the waters, which are used as a laxa- 

 tive and restorative to invalids. It has a weekly 

 market on Thursday. The water of these springs 

 has no briskness or pungency, but is brackish, ralhtr 



