CORSSEN. 448 COKTES. cially to the ancient Italic languages and dia- lects. He was bom in Bremen, January 20, 1820, studied philolog;*' in Berlin 1840-44, and became professor of classical philology at Schulpforta in 1841). He letired in 1866 and dedicated the remaining years of his life to research. He died at Lichterfelde, near Berlin, .Tune 18, 1875. His most important work. Urber Aussprache, Vokalis- niiis uiid Betonunii tier lateinischcn Sprache, was published in two volumes in Leipzig, 1858-59. receiving the prize of scholarship. A second edition appeared in 1868-70. and remains a work of authority on the subject. It was followed and completed by Kritiscke Beitrape xur latein- ische Formenlehre (1863) and Kritiscke S'ac/i- i7-iige (1866). Corssen afterwards set. himself to prove that the Etruscans were an Italic peo- ple, allied closeh' to the Latins, in support of which theory he published a monumental work. Uebcr die Spraclie der Etntsler (2 vols., Leip- zig, 1874-75), on which he lavished all the force of "his genius and erudition; but his arguments met at once violent and universal opposition (see especially Wilhelra Deecke, Corssen vnd die ^irracke der Etrvsker, eine Kritik (Stuttgart. 1875), and have never found support. This fail- ure of his cherished hope doubtless hastened his death. COBT, kort, Cornells (c.1536-78). An emi- nent Dutch engraver, liorn in Hoorn, Holland. He was first insti'ucted by Hieronymus Cock, for whoTU he executed several plates which were pub- lished with the signature of his master. In 1566 he visited Venice, where he was entertained by Titian, whose best works he reproduced. In 1571 he went to Rome and established an influential school there. The art of engraving had pre- viously been confined to small plates, and Cort was the first to use a larger size. He reproduced the chief works of Raphael, Correggio. Jlichel- angelo, and others, besides designs of his own, the best of which are perhaps the "Birth of the Virgin" and the Holy Family with a Pear." He died in Rome in 1578. CORT, Frans de (1834-78). A Flemish lyrical poet, born in Antwerp. After being asso- ciated with the publication Groiidtcet, he was appointed editor of the Sclielde (1858). He was secretary to the genei'al auditor of the military court at Brussels from 1861 until his death. He was one of the most distinguished lyrical poets of Belgium, and his songs, although not conspic- uous for fancy or imagination, are full of deep and genuine sentiment. His works comprise: Liederen (1857-59); Zing-Zang (1866); and Liederen (1868). He also translated De sclwonste liederev ran Robert Burns (1862), and after 1861 conducted the periodical De Toekomst, tijdsclirift voor opvoeding en onderwijs, taal- en letterkunde. CORTE, kort. The capital of an arrondisse- ment in the De]iartment of Corse (Corsica, q.v. ) at the confluence of the TavignanoandRestonicca, 521/i miles northeast of Ajaccio by rail. It is picturesquely situated amid mountain and valley scenery, and is protected by a commanding cita- del which has sustained "many notable sieges. Corte was the seat of Paoli's refoi-m Govern- ment. It has a university founded by that patriot, a communal college, an ancient palace, and an old Franciscan monastery which served as the Parliament house in 1765. There are monuments to Pasquale Paoli, Joseph Bonaparte, and General Casanova, Duke of Padua. Marble is quarried extensively in the neighborhood. Population, in 1901, 5425. CORTEGIANO, kor'ta-ja'no, II. (The Cour- tier). A famous work on manners and etiquette by Baldassare Castiglione, published in 1528. It depicts in elegant language the polished Italian gentleman of the time of the Renaissance. There is an English translation by Thomas Hoby (1561). COBTEREAL, kor'ta-ra'iil', Gaspar (c. 1450- 1501). A Portuguese navigator. In the course of two or three voyages in 1500 and 1501, he seems to have visited the Xorth American coast at various points between Labrador and the Bay of Fundy. From his last voyage he did not re- turn. In 1502 his brother JIicrEL, also a well- known navigator, sailed in search of him, but likewise was lost, probably on the northern coast of North America or in the Arctic Ocean. Consult Harrisse, Les Corte-Real et leurs voyages au notireau monde (Paris, 1883). CORTES, kor'tiis (Sp., Port. pi. of eorte, court ) . The name given in Spain and Portugal to the assembly of representatives of the nation. As one district of Spain after another was recov- ered by the Cliristian princes from the ISIoors, there arose in each a corporation composed of the different 'estates' or orders of the population, limiting the power of the jirinces. From the union of several of these territories -were formed the two leading kingdoms of Castile and Aragon, each having its Cortes, representing the clergy, the nobility, and the cities. In Aragon the Cortes appointed a judge, known as the Jus- ticiar, who decided disputes between the King and his subjects, and confined the royal power within constitutional limits. In Castile the rights of the burghers were less extensive than in Aragon, but in both States the King was de- ])endent on me Cortes. After the union of Cas- tile and Aragon the Crown succeeded in greatly lessening the powers of the Cortes, and it was seldom assembled except to do homage or to sanction an arrangement as to the succession to the throne. After 1713 it did not meet till 1789, on the accession of Charles IV. In 1S09 the Cortes, as composed in 1780, was assembled by the Junta, and framed a new constitution, called the Constitution of 1812. which, however, was set aside at the Restoration. For the present Constitution of the Cortes, see Spain, para- graph on Government. The history of the Portuguese Cortes is very similar to that of the Spanish. In 1826 Dom Pedro promulgated a new constitution after the model of the French, calling the Cortes again into life, and abdicating at the same time in fiivor of his daughter, JIaria da Gloria. This Constitution was set aside during the usurpa- tion of Dom Migiiel, but was restored in 1842. Consult: Muro y ilartinez, Constitueiones de Espana (Madrid, 1881); Desdevisu du Degert, L'Espagne de I'ancien regime (Paris, 1897-99), which contains a bibliography; Colmeiro, Cortes de los (intigiins reinns de Leon u de Casfilia (2 pts., Madrid, 1883-84) ; Stephens. Portugal, in the "Stories of the Nations" Series ; Prescott, Ferdinand and Isabella fin numerous editions). CORTES, kor-tfis', HernAn or Hernando (1485-1547). Conqueror of Mexico. He was
