The personal appearance of Cornelius could not but convey to those who were fortunate enough to come into contact with him the impression that he was a man of an energetic, firm, and resolute nature. He was below the middle height and squarely built. There was evidence of power about his broad and overhanging brow, in his eagle eyes and firmly gripped attenuated lips, which no one with the least discernment could misinterpret. Yet there was a sense of humour and a geniality which drew men towards him; and towards those young artists who sought his teaching and his criticism he always exhibited a calm patience.
The reader may consult Mr Beavington Atkinson's excellent papers on German art, contributed to the Art Journal in 1865, and Dr Forster's life of the painter, published at Munich.
CORNETO, a town of Italy with about 4000 inhabitants, in the province of Rome and district of Civita Vecchia, on the River Marta, two miles from the railway between Civita Vecchia and Leghorn. Dating probably from about the 8th century, and fortified in the 14th or 15th, it still presents a distinctly mediæval aspect. Among its more interesting buildings are the now ruinous cathedral of St Maria di Castello, of the 12th century, the mansion of the Cardinal Vitelleschi, now used as a hotel, and the palazzo communale with, its fresco-paintings. During the great Guelf and Ghibelline struggle Corneto adhered enthusiastically to the Papal cause, and it was the first place in Italy that had the honour of welcoming back Gregory XI. from Avignon. Its interest to the archæologist and the traveller depends on its connection with a much earlier age; it occupies the western extremity of Montarozzi, a volcanic spur of the Ciminian Hills, which served as a necropolis for the old Etruscan city of Tarquinii, and the neighbourhood is rich in various kinds of Etruscan remains. The most interesting of these are the painted tombs, which, though referred to in a Latin poem of the 15th century, and the object of a commission by Innocent VIII., were practically lost sight of till the present century. The largest, indeed, known as the Grotta del Cardinale, was discovered in 1669, but the discovery was again forgotten till 1780. General attention was drawn to the district by Mr Byres in 1842, and investigations have since been prosecuted by Prince Lucien Bonaparte, Signor Avvolta, Baron Stackelberg, Kestner, and other archæologists. The subjects represented on the walls are of very miscellaneous character, and, according to the best authorities, the tombs belong to very different epochs. That known as the Grotta Querciola contains a banqueting-scene and a boar-hunt; the Grotta del Morto, a picture of a dead man attended by mourners; the Delle Bighe, a chariot race; and the Del Barone, warlike games, horsemen, and similar subjects. These were all known before 1840, and several of them have become greatly decayed; but the loss has so far been made good by more recent discoveries. Among these may be mentioned the Tomba Baietti, adorned with figures of gymnasts, dancers, and horsemen; the Del Cacciatore, with a variety of well-designed hunting scenes; and the Del Letto Funebre, with charioteers, pugilists, and other figures.
The first extant treatise on the tombs of Corneto is a manuscript of the year 1756, by an Augustinian monk, Padre Jeannicola Forlivesi. See J. Byres, Hypogœi, or The Sepulchral Caverns of Tarquinia, 1842; Dennis, The Cities and Cemeteries of Etruria; and especially the Bollettino and Annali dell' Instituto di Corresp. Arch. di Roma, which, in the earlier volumes, are full of details of the Corneto discoveries and continue to give information as occasion serves.
CORNHERT, Theodore (1522–1590), a Dutch writer on politics and theology, was born at Amsterdam of a good Dutch family. While a child he was for some years in Spain and Portugal. On returning to Holland, having married a wife without fortune in defiance of the provisions of his father's will, he was obliged to accept a situation as major-domo to the father of the Henry Broderode who took so prominent a part in the contest with Spain. Afterwards he settled in Haarlem as an engraver on copper. In 1562 he obtained the post of secretary to the city of Haarlem, and in 1564 that of secretary to the burgomasters of that city. He now threw himself into the struggle of his country against Spanish tyranny; and he was employed to draw up the famous manifesto which the prince of Orange published in 1566. Not long after he was seized and imprisoned by the Government; but he escaped to Cleves, where he maintained himself by his art. When the States, however, obtained their freedom, Cornhert returned home, and became secretary of state; but this position he did not long retain, on account, it is said, of the rigour with which he strove to repress military disorders. Cornhert was also famous as a theologian. At thirty years of age, having become interested in theology, and being desirous of consulting St Augustine, he commenced the study of Latin. He entered into controversy alike with Catholics and Reformers, with both of whom he refused to communicate. Reformers, he said, were sadly wanted, but those who called themselves such were not the kind that the church required; what was needed was apostles directly inspired from heaven. Till such were sent, he advised all churches to join together in an undogmatic communion.
He wrote a treatise against the capital punishment of heretics, a pamphlet defending the rebellion of the United Provinces, a preface to the Dutch grammar published by the Society of Rhetoricians of Amsterdam, and a number of poems, including, according to some, the popular song, Wilhelmus van Nassouwen, which, however, is attributed by others to Philip van Marnix. His collected works appeared in 1630.
great repute, who flourished in the reign of Nero. He was a native of Leptis, a city of Libya, but resided for the most part of his life in Rome. He is best known as the teacher and friend of Persius, who dedicated his fifth satire to him, and in it describes in glowing terms his affection for him. The youthful poet at his death left a large sum of money and all his books to Cornutus. Cornutus took the books, but gave the money to the poet s sisters. He also revised the poems of Persius before their publication, but committed the task of editing them to Csesius Bassus, who requested the privilege of discharging that duty. He was well known to the famous men of the court of Nero and to Nero himself. Indeed, some have inferred from his name Annaeus that he was a freedman of that family, and thus connected with Seneca and Lucan. He was banished by Nero under the following circumstances. Nero intended to write a history of the Romans in heroic verse. Before beginning his work be consulted various persons, and amongst them Cornutus, as to the number of books of which it should consist. Some advised him to make his poem in 400 books, but Cornutus urged that the number was too great, and that nobody would read so long a poem. Whereupon some one said, " Chrysippus, whom you praise and imitate, wrote many more." " Yes," said Cornutus, " but these books are useful for the life of man," Nero was enraged, and thought of putting him to death, but contented himself with banishing him to some island. We hear nothing more of Cornutus. Cornutus seems to have been a voluminous writer, but considerable uncertainty hangs about the subject of his literary activity, owing mainly to the circumstance that we do not know how many
of the writings attributed to authors of the name of
