COR 



257 



COS 



Cortes mind, more patience and perseverance, than in any 



II other period or scene of his life, 

 orunoa. Finding himself exceedingly uncomfortable in Mexi- 

 """^ co, he returned to Spain to seek the redress of his grie- 



vances. The fame of new adventurers had now enga- 

 . ged the public attention, and Cortes died neglected, in 

 the year 1547, in the sixty-second year of his age. 



His character is thus drawn by Dr Robertson : " The 

 turbulence of youth, as soon as he found objects and 

 occupations suited to his mind, gradually subsided and 

 settled in a habit of regular, indefatigable activity. The 

 impetuosity of his temper, when he came to act with 

 his equals, insensibly abated, by being kept under re- 

 straint, and mellowed into a cordial, soldierly frankness. 

 These qualities were accompanied with calm prudence 

 in concerting his schemes, with persevering vigour in 

 executing them, and with what is peculiar to superior 

 genius, the art of gaining the confidence and governing 

 the minds of men. To all which were added, the infe- 

 rior accomplishments that strike the vulgar, ami com- 

 mand their respect ; a graceful person, a winning as- 

 pect, extraordinary address in martial exercises, and a 

 constitution of such vigour as to be capable of enduring 

 any fatigue." («) 



COR'FESIA, a genus of plants of the class Pentan- 

 dria, and order Monogynia. See Botany, p. 177. 



CORTONA, a town of Italy, is finely situated on 

 the side of a mountain, about 30 miles south-east of Si- 

 enna, It is supposed to be the most ancient town in 

 the eountry,and still retains its original name. Theprin- 

 eipal public buildings are seven churches, a museum, a 

 public library, an academy ,-and twelve convents for both 

 sexes. Some of the churches are handsome, and con- 

 tain many valuable paintings. The object of the aca- 

 demy, which has obtained great reputation, is to disco- 

 ver and elucidate Etrurian antiquities. The ancient 

 walls of Cortona were built of large blocks of stone 

 without cement, and several remnants of them are still 

 in great preservation. See Eustace's Classical Tour 

 through Italy, vol. ii. p. 190. (tt) 



CORTUSA, a genus of plants of the class Pentan- 

 dria, and order Monogynia. See Botany, p. 136. 



CORUNNA, a sea-port town of Spain, in the province 

 of Galicia. It is situated on a peninsula at the en- 

 trance of the bay, which stretches into the land as far as 

 Betanzos. Corunna is divided into the upper and lower, 

 or the new and old town. The old town, which is cal- 

 led Pecaria and Pescaria, is situated upon a tongue of 

 land, which is surrounded by the sea almost up to the 

 high town. The new town, which is situated on the 

 declivity of a mountain, is inclosed by walls, and de- 

 fended by a citadel. Its streets are narrower and worse 

 paved than those of the old town. 



The principal public buildings are St James's and St 

 Mary's churches in the old town, and St Nicholas's and St 

 George's in the new town ; four convents, six chapels, one 

 hospital for sailors, and another for the town's people. 

 Besides these, there are artillery and naval schools, an 

 arsenal, a storehouse for ammunition, an armoury, a pow- 

 der magazine, and an aqueduct There are also three 

 squares in Corunna. The ancient tower is particularly 

 deserving of notice, both from its height, and from the 

 strength and solidity of its walls. 



The harbour of Corunna, which is excellent, is in the 

 form of a crescent, and has a handsome and convenient 

 quay, which extends the length of the anchorage. It is 

 sheltered from the north wind by a small island, and is 

 defended by the forts St Claire and St Martins The 

 lorts St Amaro and St Antonio defend the entrance to 



VOL. TH. PART I. 



the harbour'. The latter of these, which serves for a 

 state prison, is placed upon a steep rock, and com- 

 mands the harbour and the bay The principal manu- 

 factories in Corunna, are of calicoes, table linen, hats, 

 lace, combs, and ropes. The hat manufactory employ- 

 ed 150 people, who made about 20,000 hats annually 

 for the interior of Spain. The rope walk employs 70 

 workmen, and cables are made from 120 to 160 fa- 

 thoms. The commerce of Corunna is considerable. A 

 light-house is erected on a lofty mountain about a league 

 from the harbour. Population 4<000. West Long. 

 8°, North Lat. 43° 23'. (%■) 



CORVUS. See Ornithology. 



CORYCIUM, a genus of plants of the class Gynau- 

 dria, and order Monandria. See Botany, p. .313. 



CORYDALIS, a genus of plants of the class Dia- 

 delphia, and order Hexandria. See Botany, p. 285. 



CORYLUS, a genus of plants of the class Monceciay 

 and order Polyandria. See Botany, p. 327- 



CORYMBlUM, a genus of plants of the class Pen- 

 tandria, and order Monogynia. See Botany, p. 133. 



CORYNOCARPUS, a genus of plants of the class 

 Pentandria, and order Monogynia. See Botany, page 

 153. 



CORYPHA, a genus of plants of the class Hexart* 

 dria, and order Monogynia. See Botany, p. 1 84. 



CORYSANTHES, a genus of plants of the class Gy- 

 nandria, and order Monogynia. See Botany, p. 318, 

 and Brown's Prodromus Plant. Nov. Holl. et Ins. Van 

 Diemen, p. 378. 



COS. See Stanchio. 



COSENZA, a city of Italy, in the kingdom of Naples, 

 and the principal town of Calabria Citra. It is situated 

 near the southern extremity of a spacious plain, upon 

 seven hills, at the distance of about twelve miles from 

 the Tuscan Sea ; and is surrounded by several villages 

 called Casalis. The extent of the town is nearly three 

 miles : the streets are in general straight, and the houses* 

 ill built, and there is only one of the streets that is dis- 

 tinguished by handsome edifices. The castle is finely 

 situated on an eminence above the confluence of the 

 rivers Busiento and Crathis, over which there are 

 bridges. The cathedral, or metropolitan church, is a 

 large massy and venerable edifice, and is the only 

 church within the walls. In a church at the side of the 

 castle there are two or three paintings, which appear to 

 be of the school of Raphael. The three hundred and 

 thirty-six casalis which encircle Cosenza contribute 

 greatly to embellish the town, particularly on the south. 

 They originated in the tenth century, about the year 

 975, when the Saracens took and destroyed Cosenza. 

 The inhabitants who remained sought for refuge among 

 the mountains, and the casalis gradually increased to 

 their present size. Cosenza is also embellished by the 

 junction of the Crathis and the Busiento, which is un- 

 fortunately the cause of the bad air that is often so in- 

 jurious to the inhabitants, from the marshes left by the 

 inundation of the adjacent grounds. There are almost 

 no objects of antiquity at Cosenza. M. Bartels sought 

 in vain for the place where Alaric, the chief of the Vi- 

 sigoths, was buried in 4'22. It is said that the Goths, 

 by means of their prisoners, turned the course of the 

 Busiento at its junction with the Crathis, and that they 

 interred their king, with all his treasures, in the bed of 

 the river ; and in order that the place might never be 

 discovered, they slew all the prisoners who were em- 

 ployed, • and conducted the river into its former bed. 

 M. Bartels found some columns which appeared to be 

 the remains of an ancient temple. A small Hercules in 

 2k 



Corunna 



Cosenza. 



