Volume 1

The universal dictionary of biography and mythology / by J. Thomas.

  • Joseph Thomas
Date:
[1887]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The universal dictionary of biography and mythology / by J. Thomas. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    640/646 page 626
    Clinton, (Henry 1’ei.iiam.) See Newcastle, Duke OF. Clinton, (James,) a distinguished officer in the Ameri- can Revolution, fourth son of Colonel Charles Clinton, and father of De Witt Clinton, was born in Ulster county, New York, in 1736. He greatly distinguished himself in the linglish and French war, was appointed by Con- gress a colonel at the breaking out of the Revolution in 1775, and the same year accompanied Montgomery in his expedition to Canada. In 1777 he commanded, as brigadier-general, under his brother George, noticed above, at the defence of Fort Clinton against Sir Henry Clinton, with a force of 3000. He afterwards rendered valuable service in Sullivan’s expedition against the In- dians, and was for a longtime stationed, in command of the Northern department, at Albany. In 1781 he assisted at the siege of Yorktown. After the war he filled various important civil offices in New York. Died in 1812. See “Encyclopedia Americana.” ClI'o, [Gr. Kteiu,] one of the nine Muses, presided over history, and was represented as holding in one hand a half-opened roll, and in the other a harp, (cithara.) See MuszE. Clisson, de, deh kle'sdiN', (Olivier,) a famous French captain, born in Bretagne about 1335. He became in 1370 a companion-in-arms of Du Guesclin, and in 1380 was made Constable of France. In 1382 he commanded the vanguard at the battle of Rosbecq. He was deprived of the command in 1391, and died in 1407, leaving a repu- tation tarnished by an unscrupulous avidity for money. See La Fontenelle de Yavxooke, “ Histoire d’Olivier de Clis- son,” 1825. Clistliene. See Clisthenes. Clis'the-nes, a tyrant of Sicyon, waged war against Argos, and prohibited his subjects from singing the poetry of Homer. Died about 580 B.C. Clisthenes, Cleis'the-nes, or Kleisthenes, [Gr. Kh:iatin»ic; Fr. CLISTH&NE, klis'tin',] an Athenian states- man, who flourished about 500 B.C., was the grandfather of Pericles, and grandson of the preceding. He made im- portant changes in the constitution, tending to increase the power of the commons, and thus became very popular. He changed the number of tribes of Attica from four to ten. After his rival Isagoras was exiled, Clisthenes was for some time the foremost man in the state. It is said that the mode of banishing by ostracism was instituted by him. See Herodotus, “ History,” books v. and vi.; Grote, “ History of Greece;” Thirlwall, “History of Greece.” Cll-tar'-ehus or Clel-tar'-ehus, [Gr. KAcmzgyof; Fr. Clitarque, kle'tituk',] a son of Dinon the historian, lived about 330 B.c. He followed Alexander the Great in his expedition to Asia, and wrote a history of the same, which has not come down to us. The veracity of this work is discredited by Quintilian and Cicero. See Vossius, “De Historicis Graecis.” Clitarque. See Clitarchus. Cll-tom'a-elius, [Gr. K/tEn-quaqo?,] a Carthaginian philosopher, who about 150 B.c. became a resident of Athens and a disciple of Carneades. At the death of the latter, in 130 b.c., he succeeded him as the head of the Academy. He wrote numerous works, which are not extant Cicero often quotes him with respect. See Brucker, “History of Philosophy.” Clit'o-phon, [KfaiToipuv,] a Greek historian of an uncertain epoch, was born at Rhodes. Plutarch quotes or borrows from several of his works. Cll'tus or Clei'tus, [Gr. KAet-rof,j a Macedonian offi- cer, who accompanied Alexander in the invasion of Persia. He saved the life of that prince at the battle of the Grani'cus, (334 b.c.,) and afterwards obtained com- mand of a division of the royal guards. In the year 328 he was appointed Satrap of Bactria. At a feast given in honour of the Dioscuri in that year, an angry dispute arose between Clitus and Alexander, who, being excited with wine, killed the former with a spear. See Plutarch, “Alexander.” Clive, (Catherine,) an eminent English actress, born in 1711, made her dlbut at Drury Lane about 1730. She performed in comedy for about thirty years, with distin- guished success. She was married early u» a Mr. Clive, from whom she soon separated. Died in.1785. Clive, (Robert,) Lord, the founder of the British empire in India, an able and successful general and statesman, was born, of rather poor parents, near Market Drayton, Shropshire, in 1725. At school he made little progress in study, and was noted for his fiery passions and propensity to mischief. In his eighteenth year he went to Madras, as a writer in the service of the East India Company, then merely a trading corporation own- ing but a few acres of Indian ground. As his pay was small and his health was impaired by the climate, he became so weary of life that he attempted to kill himself; but his pistol twice missed fire. About that time war began between the English and French in India; and Clive entered the service of the Company as ensign in 1747. By his courage and sagacity he rose rapidly to distinction. The brilliant successes of the French gov- ernor Dupleix alarmed the English, and produced a crisis in the politics of India. Captain Clive, having obtained command of a few hundred men in 1750, turned the tide of fortune at Arcot, and gained several victories over the French and native armies combined. Having married Miss Maskelyne, a sister of the astronomer-royal, he returned to England for his health in 1753, and found himself an object of general favour and applause. In 1755 the directors sent him back as governor of Fort Saint David. The next year Surajah Dowlah, Na- bob of Bengal, captured the British garrison of Fort William, and smothered them in the “Black Hole” of Calcutta. Clive was sent to avenge this outrage. He recovered Calcutta, and compelled the nabob to sue for peace in 1757. But the war was quickly renewed, and in June, 1757, the fate of India was decided at the battle of Plassey, where Clive with 3000 men defeated about 60,000 of the enemy. Surajah was deposed, and was put to death by order of Meer Jaffier, who had been raised to the throne of Bengal in place of Surajah Dow- lah. In the negotiations which preceded the battle of Plassey, Clive is censured for a breach of faith, which is not denied by his friends. The directors, on receiving news of his victory, appointed Clive Governor of Bengal. In 1759 he defeated a Dutch armament which had en- tered the Hoogly. In the next year he returned to Eng- land, immensely rich, and was raised to the Irish peerage as Lord Clive, Baron of Plassey. He was elected to Parliament, where he acquired great influence. In 1764 he was again sent to India, until supreme command, ami remained about a year and a half. He returned home in ill health in 1767. His enemies arraigned his official conduct, and Burgoyne in 1773 accused him in the House of abusing his power in the acquisition of riches. The result of the inquest was that they “tempered a gentle censure with a liberal eulogy.” From his youth he had been subject to fits of constitutional gloom, which were now aggravated by physical maladies. He resorted to the use of opium for relief, and gradually became enslaved by its insidious power. In November, 1774, he died by suicide. “ His name,” says Macaulay, in a strain of some- what exaggerated eulogy, “stands high on the roll of conquerors. But it is found in a better list,—in the list of those who have done and suffered much for the hap- piness of mankind.” See Macaulay, “Essays;” Sir John Malcolm, “Life of Lord Clive,” 3 vols., 1836; G. R. Gleig, “ Life of Lord Clive,” 1S4S: “Biographia Britannica;” C. Caraccioli, “Life of Lord Clive,” 4 vols., 1776. Clodion, klo'deViN', (Claude Michel,) a French sculptor, born at Nancy about 1745 ; died in 1S14. Clodius, klo'dc-fis, (Christian August,) a German poet and professor, born at Annaberg, in Saxony, in 173S, was a son of Christian Clodius, who published several works in prose and verse. He obtained the chair of philosophy at Lcipsic in 1764, and that of lojjic in 177S. lie became professor of poetry in the same city in 1782. His writings display a brilliant imagination, good taste, and extensive knowledge of the ancients. Among his chief works are “ Essays on Literature and Morality,” (1769,) “Latin Poems,” (1787,) and “ New Miscellanies,” (“ Neue vcrmischte Schriftcn.”) Died at Lcipsic in 1784. Sec Krnksti, “ Elogium C. A. ClodiusMeusel, Lexikon der vom f. 1 hr 1750 bis 1800 verstorbenen Deutschen Schriftsteller.”
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