Rome he painted the exploits of Alexander the Great, and he also embellished Prince Torlonia's villa at Castel-Gandolfo and his palace at Rome. In his frescoes in the basilica of Savona and many of his oil paintings, including the "Condemnation of St. Stephen," which procured for him an order of knighthood, he has closely imitated the old masters; and he stands at the head of a new school, which strives to revive the classical style of painting.
COGNAC, a town of France, in the department of Charente, 22 m. W. of Angoulême; pop. in 1866, 9,412. It is situated upon an eminence on the left bank of the Charente, and is well built. It enjoys a great celebrity on account of the brandy to which it has given its name. All the brandy of Charente and Charente-Inférieure is sold as Cognac, but the genuine article is made in the immediate vicinity of the town; the best second qualities are produced at Blanzac, Jarnac, Rouillac, Aigre, and Ruffec. The whole trade in brandy amounts to about 80,000,000 francs annually. The town also has a trade in cattle, sheep, grain, spirits, and truffles. An ancient castle, in which Francis I. was born, is now used for a brandy warehouse.
COGNATES, in Scotch law, collateral kindred on the mother's side, as agnates are collateral kindred on the father's side. The terms were employed in the Roman civil law somewhat differently, agnates being persons related through males only, while cognates might trace relationship through one or more female links. Thus, a brother's son was the uncle's agnate, but a sister's son was his cognate. Generally speaking, however, cognates were all who were descended from a common ancestor through a legal marriage, and the term included agnates also.
COGNIARD, Théodore, a French playwright, born April 30, 1806, died in Paris, May 25, 18.72. With his surviving brother, Hippolyte (born Nov. 20, 1807), he wrote hundreds of vaudevilles and fairy plays, many of which had a great run, especially La biche aux bois. He brought into vogue the opera bouffe. Offenbach's Belle-Hélène, Barbe-bleue, Grande Duchesse, and Périchole were first performed under his sole direction at the Variétés theatre, his brother Hippolyte having retired in 1869.
COGNOVIT, a plea in an action at law which admits the cause of action, and expresses or by implication consents that judgment may be entered up for the plaintiff. In a suit to recover damages, the plea may or may not admit the amount due. If it does, and the plaintiff accepts the admission, he may enter up judgment therefor. If it does not, there must be an assessment of damages by court or jury. A warrant of attorney for the execution of a cognovit is sometimes demanded and taken when a debt is created; and by means of it, if payment is not made, judgment may be entered up without delay.
COGSWELL, Joseph Green, LL. D., an American scholar, born at Ipswich, Mass., Sept. 27, 1786, died in Cambridge, Mass., Nov. 26, 1871. After graduating at Harvard college in 1806, he made a voyage to India as supercargo of a vessel, and on his return studied law with Fisher Ames in Dedham. He commenced the practice of law at Belfast, Maine, where he married a daughter of Gov. Gilman of New Hampshire. Her death, and a distaste for the profession, led him to abandon it, and to accept in 1814 a position as tutor at Cambridge. In 1816 he visited Europe, and joined his friends Edward Everett and George Ticknor in studies at Göttingen and other German universities, and in travelling on the continent. He remained abroad about four years, giving special attention to the principles of instruction and education, and already entertained the idea of forming a great public library in the United States. Returning home in 1820, he was appointed professor of mineralogy and geology and librarian in Harvard college. In 1823 he united with George Bancroft in founding the Round Hill school at Northampton, Mass. The plan of this institution had been suggested by observation of the best English and German preparatory schools, and during the five years that Dr. Cogswell was associate head of it, and for about the same period during which he conducted it alone, it attracted students from every part of the country, and exerted an important influence in advancing the standard of American education. After leaving Northampton he had charge of a similar institution in Raleigh, N. C.; but prior to 1839 he settled in New York city, where he became editor of the "New York Review." Being introduced by Fitz-Greene Halleck to John Jacob Astor, he soon became interested and engaged in the great work of his later years. During the closing years of Mr. Astor's life Dr. Cogswell was in daily intercourse with him, living, at his request, in his house as his friend and companion, and arranging the plans and selecting the titles of the books for the great library which it was Mr. Astor's purpose to endow. It was the unnoticed preparatory labors of many years which gave to the Astor library, so soon after the realization of its endowment, its complete and orderly development. Dr. Cogswell was appointed by Mr. Astor one of the trustees of the fund, and designated by the trustees as superintendent of the library before its opening. He made three visits to Europe, examining the principal libraries and book marts of the old world, and collecting the books for the Astor library. The character of the collection demonstrates his appreciation of the value of all branches of knowledge, and his liberal sympathy with every intellectual pursuit. He presented to the Astor library his own bibliographical collection, which was one of the largest and most valuable in this country. He had previously united with Mr. Andrew Ritchie in purchasing in Germany, and presenting to Harvard college, a cabinet of about 5,000 minerals; and
