(Peter), a celebrated French poet, was born at Rouen, in the year 1606. He was brought up to the bar, which he attended for some little time; but, formed with a genius too elevated for such a profession, and having no turn for business, he soon deserted it. An affair of gallantry occasioned his writing his first piece, intitled, Melite; which had prodigious success. Encouraged by the applause of the public, he wrote the Cid, and the other tragedies that have immortalized his name. In his dramatic works he discovers a majesty, a strength and elevation of genius, scarce to be found in any other of the French poets; and, like our immortal Shakespeare, seems better acquainted with nature, than with the rules of critics. Corneille was received into the French academy in 1647, and died dean of that academy in 1784, aged 78. Besides his dramatic pieces, he wrote a translation, in French verse, of the "Imitation of Jesus Christ," &c. The best edition of his works is that of 1682, in 4 vols 12mo.

(Thomas), brother of the former, was a member of the French academy, and of that of inscriptions. He discovered in his youth a great inclination to poetry; and at length published several dramatic pieces, in five volumes duodecimo, some of which were applauded by the public, and acted with success. He also wrote, 1. A translation of Ovid's Metamorphoses, and of some of Ovid's Epistles. 2. Remarks on Vaugelas. 3. A Dictionary of Arts, two volumes folio; and, 4. An universal, geographical, and historical Dictionary, in three volumes folio.

(Michael), a celebrated painter, was born at Paris, in the year 1642; and was instructed by his father, who was himself a painter of great merit. Having gained a prize at the academy, young Corneille obtained a pension from Lewis XIV.; and was sent to Rome, where that prince had founded a school for young artists of genius. Having studied there some time, he gave up his pension, and applied to the antique with great care. He is said to have equalled Carache in drawing; but in colouring he was deficient. Upon his return from Rome, he was chosen professor in the academy of Paris; and was employed by the above prince in all the great works he was carrying on at Versailles and Trianon, where are still to be seen some noble efforts of his genius.