themselves in literature, and died young. The death of his second brother affected Antoine deeply. He became a professor in the college of Beauvais shortly afterwards, but he resigned in 1761, when he was appointed private secretary to the Duc de Praslin. Thomas began his literary career by attacking the school of Voltaire. His first work was entitled "Reflexions Philosophiques et Littéraires sur le Poème de la Religion Naturelle." He also wrote a poem in four cantos, called "Jumarville," on the death of a French officer, killed in the war between the English and French in America. His later works are much superior to those early ones which brought him into notice. His éloges were crowned on several occasions by the Academy; and, in the competition for the prize of poetry, his poem, entitled "Epître au Peuple," was declared next in merit to that of Marmontel, who gained the medal. Thomas died on the 17th of September, 1785.—W. J. P.
THOMAS AQUINAS. See Aquinas.
THOMAS, Christian. See Thomasius.
THOMAS, Elizabeth, better known by the poetical pseudonym of Corinna bestowed on her by Dryden, was born in 1675, and wrote several poems of which Dryden spoke favourably. She incurred the displeasure of Pope by handing over to Curll, who published them, some correspondence which had passed between him and a friend of his in early life, and which had accidentally fallen into her hands. For her share in the publication she suffered in the Dunciad. The relation in which Corinna stood to Dryden has been much disputed, and the difficulty of deciding the question is considerably increased by the now-admitted fictions which the lady inserted in a series of letters, published after her death, under the title of "Pylades and Corinna." She died in February, 1730.—F.
THOMAS, John, a celebrated sculptor, was born at Chalford, Gloucestershire, in 1813. Whilst apprenticed to a stone-cutter in a neighbouring village, he taught himself to paint and engrave, and earned a few extra shillings by engraving door-plates and painting signboards in his over hours. When out of his time he was for a while with a brother, an architect in Birmingham, and later in Leamington. Under his direction Mr. Thomas carved and erected an elaborate Gothic monument at Huntingdon, and some other works of a like kind. These procured for him the commission to execute the stone carvings of Mr. (afterwards Sir Charles) Barry's grammar-school, Birmingham, and this laid the foundation of his future prosperity; for so well satisfied was Barry with these that when he had to erect the new houses of parliament he gave Mr. Thomas the commission to superintend the whole of the stone carvings of that vast edifice. On this immense work the best years of his life were spent. All the statues as well as carvings of the exterior, the decorative stone carvings of the interior, and some of the bronze statues of the barons were designed by him, and executed under his superintendence. His labours on the houses of parliament brought him into general notice, and he received commissions for architectural and decorative sculpture far beyond any other sculptor of his day, and which it required a large establishment to supply. Among other works he executed some on an important scale at Buckingham palace and Windsor castle; at the Euston station of the North Western railway; the terminus hotel of the Great Western railway; the colossal lions for the Britannia tubular bridge; the National bank, Glasgow; and for a large number of other companies and commercial establishments. He also executed the interior as well as external carvings of many private mansions, among them being the costly internal decorations for the late Mr. Holdsworth of Glasgow. But whilst thus extensively occupied on decorative sculpture, Mr. Thomas devoted a good deal of time to works of a more ambitious order. Of this class he exhibited at the Royal Academy statues or groups in marble of "Musidora," a Nymph (for her majesty), "Boadicea addressing the Britons," "Lady Godiva on Horseback," and "Una and the Lion." He also executed many portrait-statues, and busts of the prince-consort, Maclise, Frith, &c. To these must be added several monumental statues, including those of Mr. Sturge at Birmingham, and Sir Hugh Middleton, erected at Islington shortly after the sculptor's death. His most pretentious effort in this line, however, was the colossal memorial of Shakspeare, of which the model was so conspicuous an object in the International Exhibition of 1862. The same building also contained his principal work in ornamental art, the well-known majolica fountain under the eastern dome, constructed by Messrs. Minton from Mr. Thomas' designs. Mr. Thomas was an architect as well as a sculptor. He designed Somerleyton hall and village, Norfolk, for Sir Morton Peto; Preston hall, Maidstone, Kent, for Mr. Betts; the earl of Harrington's town house at Kensington, and some others. Mr. Thomas was the most distinguished architectural sculptor of his day; a man of various accomplishments, of considerable inventive and executive skill, and of indefatigable industry. He died April 9, 1862.—J. T—e.
THOMAS, William, a learned writer of the sixteenth century, was born in Wales, and educated at Oxford. In 1544 he visited Italy, and was subsequently chosen, on account of his knowledge of modern languages, clerk to the council of Edward VI., who gave him preferment in the church. He lost his appointment at court on the accession of Queen Mary, whose death he is said to have meditated, and was committed to the Tower in 1553 along with Winter and Throgmorton, either upon this charge, or that of being concerned in Wyatt's rebellion. He attempted to destroy himself in prison, and was hanged at Tyburn, May 18, 1553. He was author of a "History of Italy;" "The Principal Rules of Italian Grammar," and a Dictionary, &c.; "Le Peregrynne, or a Defence of King Henry VIII. to Aretine, the Italian poet;" and a translation of Cato's speech and Valerius' answer from the fourth Decade of Livy.—F.
THOMAS, William, a learned prelate, son of a linen-draper at Bristol, was born there in 1613, and was educated at a public school in Caermarthen and at Oxford, where he became fellow of Jesus college. He was subsequently appointed to the vicarage of Penbryn, Cardiganshire, and chaplain to the earl of Northumberland, who presented him with the vicarage of Laugharne and Llansedurwen; but he was deprived of his benefices by the parliamentary committee, and suffered great hardships until the Restoration. He was then appointed chanter of St. David's cathedral, took the degree of D.D., became rector of Llanbeder, Pembrokeshire, was chaplain to the duke of York, whom he attended in one of his sea-engagements against the Dutch, and was afterwards elevated successively to the deanery of Worcester, the rectory of Hampton Lovett, the see of St. David's (where he promoted the translation of the Bible into Welsh), and the see of Worcester. He fulfilled his episcopal duties with great benignity, yet with decided independence, and incurred a reprimand from James II. for not publishing his declaration of the liberty of conscience. He objected to take the oaths of allegiance to William and Mary, and was about to vacate his bishopric rather than do so, when he died, June, 1689.—F.
THOMAS, William, a learned divine and antiquary, grandson of the preceding, was born in 1670. He published "Antiquitates Prioratus majoris Malverne;" an enlarged edition of Dugdale's Warwickshire;. a "Survey of Worcester Cathedral;" and collected materials for a history of Worcestershire, which were very serviceable to Dr. Nash, who subsequently produced a similar work. Thomas died in July, 1738.—F.
THOMASIUS, Christian, a celebrated German jurist, was born at Leipsic, 1st January, 1655. He studied at Frankfort-on-the-Oder, and shortly afterwards obtained a chair at Leipsic. The study of H. Grotius and Puffendorf had produced in him a great contempt of scholastic philosophy, and led him to the development of natural law as a separate doctrine. By his innovations, such as the introduction of the German language in his lectures and dissertations, by his opposition to the use of the torture and the prosecution of witches, and his vehement attacks on the hyperorthodox clergy, he gave so great offence to the latter, that his enemies at last procured an order to arrest him. He fled to Halle, where his lectures soon attracted such a number of hearers that the Prussian government was induced there to establish a university, in which he occupied a prominent position till his death, on the 23rd September, 1728. The following of his numerous writings may be noticed—"Fundamenta Juris Naturæ et Gentium," 1718; "Vernünftige und christliche, aber nicht scheinheilige Gedanken," 3 vols.; "Geschichte der Weisheit und Thorheit;" and "Kurze Lehrsätze von dem Laster der Zauberei."—(See Life, by Luden, Berlin, 1805.)—K. E.
THOMASSIN, Philippe, an eminent early French engraver, was born at Troyes in Champagne about 1550. He went to Rome in 1578, and there spent the rest of his life. He was a scholar or imitator of Cornelius Cort, and with Agostino Caracei did much to extend the bolder and more vigorous manner introduced by that master. Thomassin engraved about two hundred plates, of which fifty are from the ancient statues in
