CORNEILLE, PIERRE, a distinguished French dramatist, born at Rouen, June 6, 1606; died at Paris, October 1, 1684. His father was royal advocate of the marble table of Normandy, and Master of waters and forests in the viscounty of Rouen. He was educated at the Jesuits' College, studied law, and in 1624 took the oaths. It is said that his first play, Mélite, produced in 1629, was founded on personal experience. Though popular, this play was not prophetic of its author's greatness. It was followed by Clitandre, La Veuve, La Galerie du Palais, La Suivante, and La Place Royale. In 1635 appeared Medea, which, says Guizot, "inaugurated tragedy in France." In the previous year Corneille had been enrolled among the five poets employed by Richelieu to construct plays on his plots, and under his direction. He did not prove sufficiently docile to retain the Cardinal's favor. By altering the third act of the Thuileries, a play arranged by Richelieu, he gave great offence. When, in 1636, he produced his tragedy, The Cid, he was attacked on all sides by envious contemporaries, who asserted that everything in the play that was not stolen was altogether bad. Corneille defended himself proudly; and notwithstanding the adverse criticism of his enemies, saw his play a triumphant success. He withdrew to Rouen, where he spent the next three years in quiet. In 1639 he published Horace, with a dedication to Richelieu, who, his jealousy appeased, bestowed 500 crowns a year upon the poet, and forwarded his marriage with Marie de Lampérière. Cinna also appeared in 1639, and Polyeucte in 1640. These plays are regarded as Corneille's masterpieces. La Mort de Pompée, and the comedy Le Menteur, followed in 1642, and Rodogune in 1644. Theodore, the poet's next play, was a failure. His remaining plays are: Heraclius (1647); Andromède, and Don Sancho d'Aragon (1650); Nicomède (1651); Pertharite (1653); Edipe (1659); La Toison d Or (1660); Sertorius (1662); Sophonisbe (1663); Othon (1664); Agésilas (1666); Attila (1667); Tite et Bérénice (1670); Pulchérie (1672), and Suréna (1674). Between 1653 and 1659 he wrote three Discourses on Dramatic Poetry, the Examens printed at the end of his plays, and made a metrical translation of the Imitation of Christ. The tide of Corneille's genius had ebbed since the appearance of Rodogune. Even by his greatest admirers his last two plays were acknowledged to be failures. In 1647 Corneille was made a member of the Academy, and in 1663 he was allowed a pension of 2,000 livres. The pension was suspended from 1674 to 1681, and again in 1683, and the poet suffered all the pangs of poverty. "I am satiated with glory and starving for money," said he to an admirer. It is said that owing to the interposition of Boileau, who offered to resign his own pension in favor of Corneille, the King sent the poet 200 pistoles, which reached him two days before his death. VOL. VI.-29 FROM THE CID. Now probe his hollow Sanchez.-Alvarez comes! heart, Now while your thoughts are warm with his deceit, Gormas. I am thy friend forever. [Alvarez enters.] [Exit.] Alvarez.-My Lord, the king is walking forth to see Gorm. Since duty calls me not, I've no delight Alv. Contrived, my Lord? I'm sorry such a thought Can reach the man whom I so late embraced. Gorm.-Men are not always what they seem. This honor, Which, in another's wrong you've bartered for, Alv.-Ha! bought? For shame! suppress this poor suspicion ! For, if you think, you can't but be convinced Such base disguise. Yet pause a moment :-- Gorm.-Kings are, alas! but men, and formed like us, Subject alike to be by men deceived: The blushing court from this rash choice will see How blindly he o'erlooks superior merit. Could no man fill the place but worn Alvarez? Alv.-Worn more with wounds and victories than age. Who stands before him in great actions past?— Which will but shock what reasoning may convince. |