COR 
COR 
which, in the infancy of tafte and learning, becomes a 
conftderation of fome importance: to this w,e may add, 
that Corneille polfelfed the advantage of a more liberal 
education, and a more intimate acquaintance with the 
ancient dramatic poets and critics, than, it is probable, 
Shakefpeare ever enjoyed. Tliefe circumftances ought 
to be weighed in eftimating tl e magnitude of genius ; 
for that mu ft be allowed the highell praife, which, with 
the lead abidance, forces^ its way through the greateft 
difficulties: but where fliall we find a tribunal compe¬ 
tent to determine concerning the merit of their refpec- 
tive works, which fliall not be charged with partiality ? 
If the number of fuftrages were to decide the matter, 
the majority would doubtlefs be in favour of Corneille. 
From the univerfality of the French language, and the 
general diffufion of French manners and tafte, the beau¬ 
ties of Corneille’s mufe are Felt and admired by numbers 
in every country of Europe; but, in order to compare 
the two poets, the critic mull be equally verfed in the 
language of each; and, if we make this the principle of 
our fcrutiny, how many are the voters who muft be re¬ 
jected as unqualified ! The Englilh language is now per¬ 
haps more cultivated by foreigners than in former times, 
and our authors become more generally known ; but, 
though a man may be able to read Englifh profe with 
tolerable facility, to pick out the meaning of a modern 
didabtic poem, or even to reliih fome of its beauties, he 
is not therefore qualified to lit in judgment on a poet fo 
original as Shakefpeare; whole excellencies are peculiar 
to liimfelf, and will not make that forcible imprellion on 
a foreigner, who muft, in fome meafure, conftrue as he 
reads, and which will atone for.the bold violation of thofe 
unities, that he has been accuflomed to conlider aseffen- 
tial to dramatic poetry. There have been feveral En'g- 
li111 critics as well verfed in the writings of Corneille, as 
mod of his own countrymen; but that very few foreign¬ 
ers are.competent judges of Shakefpeare, is evident from 
the manner in which fome of his plays have been tranfia- 
ted and aided on their theatres. 
In contemplating Corneille as the model of fucceeding 
writers, M. Bailly conliders his works as the fburce of 
that eloquence which was generally cultivated in the 
reign of Louis XIV. and for which even the clergy be¬ 
came 1b eminently diftinguifhed. He does not indeed 
fuppofe that thefe holy men condefcended to ftudy the 
tragedies of the poet -; though, by the way, fome of them 
employed their time much worfc, in fomenting a fpirit 
of bigotry and perfecutton : but heobferves that, though 
they might never have read his works, they were com¬ 
pelled to yield to the impulfe which he had given to tiie 
natural tafte. “ The light of genius, (he adds,) though 
lefs rapid, is not lei's penetrating, than that of heaven. 
A great man comprehends every thing within the fphere 
of his influence. Corneille acquired his reputation by 
forming the dramatic tafte of his countrymen ; but his 
influence w r as not confined to the theatre : he improved 
not only the people who applauded, but alio the divines 
who condemned, his pieces ; and infpired even Bour- 
daloue, when he mounted the pulpit to anathematize 
them.” The pureft edition of Corneille’s works is that 
of Paris, 1682. 
CORNEIL'LE (Thomas), brother of the former, and 
a member of the French academy, and of that of inferip- 
tions. He difeovered in his youth a ftrong inclination to 
poetry; and at length publiihed feveral dramatic pieces 
in 5 vols. i2ino, fome of which were applauded, and 
acted with fuccefs. He alfo wrote, 1. A tranllation of 
Ovid’s Metamorphofes, and fome of Ovid’s Epiftles. 
2. Remarks on Vauglas. 3. A Dictionary ofArts, 1 vols. 
folio. 4. An univerfal, geographical, and hiitofical, 
Dictionary, 3 vols. folio. 
CORNEIL'LE (Michael), born at Paris in 1642, was 
one of thofe eminent painters who adorned the age of 
Louis XIV. His father was himfelf a painter of merit, and 
inftructed Iris fon with indefatigable attention. Having 
Vol. V. No. 266, 
209 
gained a prize at the academy, young Corneille was ho¬ 
noured with the king’s penfion, and fent to Rome, where 
the princely generolity of Louis had founded a fchool 
for the accommodation of young artifis of genius. Here 
he ihidied for fome time ; but thinking his genius con¬ 
fined by the modes of ftudy there eftabliflied, he gave up 
his penfion, and followed the bent of his own inclination. 
He applied himfelf to the antique with great care, and 
in drawing is faid to have equalled Carache. In colour¬ 
ing h§ was deficient; but his advocates fay, his deficiency 
in that refpeCt was owing to his having been unacquainted 
with the nature of colours; for he ufed many of a change¬ 
able nature, which in time loft the effect he had origi- 
nally given them. Upon his return from Rome, he was 
chofen a profeffor in the academy of Paris ; and was em¬ 
ployed by the king in all the great works he was carrying 
on at Verfailles and Trianon, where fome noble efforts of 
his genius are yet to Ije feen. He died at Paris in 1708. 
COR'NEL, or Cornelian-tree,/! [ cornus , Lat.j The 
cornel-tree beareth the fruit commonly called the.com/, or 
cornelian-cherry, as well from the name of the tree, as 
the cornelian-ftone, the colour whereof it fomewhat re¬ 
presents. The wood is very durable, and ufeful for 
wheel-work. Mortimer. 
A huntrefs iffuing from the wood. 
Reclining on her cornel fpear fhe flood. Dryden. 
CORNE'LIA, a daughter of Cinna, who was the firfl 
wife of Julius Caefar- She became mother of Julia, 
Pompey’s wife, and was fo affectionately loved by her 
hufband, that, at her death, he pronounced a funeral ora¬ 
tion over her body. Plat, in Ccef. —A daughter of Metel- 
lus Scipio, who married Pompey, after the death of her 
hufband P. Craffus. She has been praifed for her great 
virtues. When her hufband left her in the bay of Alex¬ 
andria, to go to fhore in a fmall boat, fhe faw hi in flabbed 
by Achillas, and heard his dying groans'without the pof- 
fibility of aiding him. She attributed all his misfortunes 
to his connedtion with her. Pint, in Pomp.— A daughter 
of Scipio Africanus, who was the mother of Tiberius 
and Cains Gracchus. She was courted by a king; but 
fhe preferred being tire wife of a Roman citizen, to that 
ot a monarch. Her virtues have been defervedly com¬ 
mended, as well as the wholefome principles Hie incul¬ 
cated in her two fons. When a Campanian lady made 
once a fhow of her jewels at Cornelia’s houfe, and en¬ 
treated her to favour her with a fight of her own, Cor¬ 
nelia produced her two fons, faying, “ Thefe are the 
only jewels of which I can boaft.” In her life-time a 
ftatue was raifed to her, with this infeription, Cornelia 
mater Gracckorum. Some of her epiftles are preferved. 
Cicero. —A veftai virgin, buried alive in Domitian’s age,, 
as guilty of incontinence. Suetonius. 
CORNE'LIA, J . in botany. See Ammannia. 
CORNE'LTA LEX, de civitate, was enadted in the 
year of Rome 670, by L. Corn. Sylla. It confirmed the 
Sulpician law, and required that the citizens of the eight 
newly-eledied tribes, fliould be divided among the thirty- 
five ancient tribes.—Another, de judiciis, in 673, by the 
fame. It ordained that the praetor (hould always obferve 
the fame invariable method in judicial proceedings, and 
that the procefs fliould not depend upon his will.—Ano¬ 
ther, dejumptibus, by the fame. It limited the expences 
which generally attended funerals.—Another, de religione, 
by the fame, in 677. It reftored to the college of priefts 
the privilege of chooling the priefts, which, by the Do- 
niitian law, had been lodged in the hands of the people. 
-—-Another, de municipiis, by the fame ; which revoked 
all the privileges which had been fome time before 
granted to the feveral towns that liad alllfted Marius and 
Cinna in the civil wars.—Another, de magijlratibus, by 
the fame ; which gave the power of bearing honours, 
and being promoted before the legal age, to thofe who 
had followed the intereft of Sylla ; while the Ions and 
partifans of his enemies, who had been proferibed, were 
3 ii deprived 
