Chapter Crowe to Cynewulf of C by Biographical Dictionary of English Literature

Crowe to Cynewulf

Crowe, Sir Joseph Archer (1825-1896).—w riter on art, son of the above, was born in London. Most of his childhood was spent in France, and on his return to England in 1843 he became a journalist. He was then for some years engaged in educational work in India, and was afterwards war correspondent for the Times on various occasions, and filled various important consular posts, for which he was in 1890 made K.C.M.G. In collaboration with G. B. Cavalcasselle, an Italian refugee, he was the author of several authoritative works on art, including The Early Flemish Painters (1856), A New History of Painting in Italy (1864-68), A History of Painting in North Italy (1871), Titian, His Life and Times (1877), and Raphael, His Life and Works (1883-85). The actual writing of all these was the work of C.

Crowe, William (1745-1829).—Poet, born at Midgham, Berks, the son of a carpenter, was educated as a foundationer at Winchester, whence he proceeded to Oxford, where he became Public Orator. He wrote a smooth, but somewhat conventional poem, Lewesdon Hill (1789), edited Collins’s Poems (1828), and lectured on poetry at the Royal Institution. His poems were collected in 1827. Crowe was a clergyman and Rector of Alton Barnes, Wilts.

Crowne, John (1640?-1730).—Dramatist, returned from Nova Scotia, to which his father, a Nonconformist minister, had emigrated, and became gentleman usher to a lady of quality. His first play, Juliana, appeared in 1671. He wrote in all about 17 dramatic pieces, of which the best is Sir Courtly Nice (1685), adapted from the Spanish. It is amusing, and enjoyed a long continued vogue. In general, however, Crowne is dull.

Cudworth, Ralph (1617-1688).—Divine and philosopher, born at Aller, Somerset, and educated at Cambridge, where, after being a tutor, he became Master of Clare Hall 1645, Professor of Hebrew (1645-88), and Master of Christ’s Coll., 1654. His great work is The True Intellectual System of the Univèrse (1678). A work of vast learning and acuteness, it is directed against the infidelity of the age. Cudworth’s candour in his statement of the opposing position was so remarkable that Dryden remarked “that he raised such strong objections against the being of a God and Providence that many thought he had not answered them.” He also left in MS. a Treatise concerning Eternal and Immutable Morality, pub. in 1731.

Cumberland, Richard (1732-1811).—Novelist and dramatist, educated at Westminster and Cambridge, entered the diplomatic service, and filled several government appointments. His best play is The West Indian. His novels do not rise much above mediocrity. Along with Sir J. B. Burges he wrote an epic entitled The Exodiad, and he also made some translations from the Greek.

Cummins, Maria Susanna (1827-1866).—Born at Salem, Mass., was well-known as the authoress of The Lamplighter, a somewhat sentimental tale which had very wide popularity. She wrote others, including Mabel Vaughan, none of which had the same success.

Cunningham, Allan (1784-1842).—Poet and miscellaneous writer, born near Dalswinton, Dumfriesshire, in his youth knew Burns, who was a friend of his father’s. He was apprenticed to a stonemason, but gave his leisure to reading and writing imitations of old Scottish ballads, which he contributed to Cromek’s Remains of Nithsdale and Galloway Song, pub. in 1810, and which gained for him the friendship of Scott and Hogg. Thereafter he went to London, and became a parliamentary reporter, and subsequently assistant to Chantrey, the sculptor, but continued his literary labours, writing three novels, a life of Sir D. Wilkie, and Lives of Eminent British Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, besides many songs, of which the best is A wet sheet and a flowing Sea. He also brought out an edition of Burns’s Works. He had four sons, all of whom rose to important positions, and inherited in some degree his literary gifts.

Curtis, George William (1824-1892).—American essayist, editor, and journalist, contributed to New York Tribune, and to Putnam’s and Harper’s monthlies, in which most of his books first appeared. Among these are Trumps, a story of New York life, Prue and I, Lotus-eating, and the Potiphar Papers. Curtis was also one of the finest American orators of his day.

Cynewulf (flourished 750).—Anglo-Saxon poet. He was probably a Northumbrian, though sometimes thought to have been a Mercian. His poems, and some others, more or less doubtfully attributed to