Page:Dictionary of National Biography, Second Supplement, volume 1.djvu/441

 father became vicar in 1859. In 1872 he entered Charterhouse as a gownboy, and left in 1876. After engaging in private tuition, he entered Hertford College, Oxford, as a commoner in 1881, was elected Brunsell exhibitioner in 1882 and Lusby scholar in 1883. In the same year he obtained his ‘blue’ in association football, a second class in classical moderations in 1883, and a second class in literæ humaniores in 1885. He was then appointed assistant classical master at St. Paul's School, and held the post until his death. He was the founder in 1896 of the school field club. Soon after coming to London he wrote occasional articles on natural history and country life, and in 1890 became a regular contributor to the ‘Spectator,’ and, later, to ‘Country Life.’ Many of his articles re-appeared in book form. Cornish's country tastes and love of shooting and fishing were fostered by his father, in whose family they were traditional. His artistic and literary gifts he inherited from his mother. His powers of observation were unusually keen and rapid, his memory remarkably good, and he had powers of vivid expression. His literary energy, which continued through twenty years, stimulated public interest in natural history and country life, and helped to give these subjects an assured place in English journalism. He died at Worthing on 30 Jan. 1906, from an illness originating in an accident incurred many years before when shooting. After cremation his ashes were interred at Salcombe Regis, near Sidmouth, and a mural tablet to his memory was placed in the parish church. He married in 1893 Edith, eldest daughter of Sir John I. Thornycroft, C.E., F.R.S., by whom he had one daughter.

Cornish was author of the following books: 1. ‘The New Forest,’ 1894. 2. ‘The Isle of Wight,’ 1895. 3. ‘Life at the Zoo,’ 1895 (the work which made him generally known). 4. ‘Wild England of To-day, and the Wild Life in it,’ 1895. 5. ‘Animals at Work and Play,’ 1896. 6. ‘Nights with an Old Gunner,’ 1897. 7. ‘Animals of To-day,’ 1898. 8. ‘The Naturalist on the Thames,’ 1902. 9. ‘Sir William Henry Flower, a Personal Memoir,’ 1904. He co-operated with others in ‘Living Animals of the World’ (2 vols. 1901–2). ‘Animal Artisans and other Studies of Birds and Beasts,’ with a prefatory memoir by his widow, was published in 1907.

 CORNWELL, JAMES (1812–1902), writer of school books, born in East London on 4 August 1812, was one of nine children of James Cornwell, silk manufacturer, and his wife Mary Blake. Up to the age of fifteen he was mainly self-taught. He then studied at the model school of the Borough Road Training College of the British and Foreign School Society, and by August 1829 was a full-fledged student. In the early part of 1830 he was sent as a teacher on supply to the society's schools at Brighton and Chelmsford, and in October to Lindfield in Sussex. He returned to the college in January 1833 for a short period of training.

In April 1835 the society appointed him organiser of country schools, his duty being to 'organise new schools' and assist newly appointed masters in obtaining 'good discipline by moral means.' In October 1839 he was appointed normal school teacher and inspector, and from 1835 worked both in the training college and as an inspector outside. In 1846, when the training department of the institution in the Borough Road became recognised by the privy council as a grant-earning normal college, Cornwell was appointed by the British and Foreign School Society its head teacher or principal. Under his care the institution greatly developed and took a high position among the normal colleges of the country. His lectures were clear, pertinent, and accurate, and he showed much ability in practical teaching. In principles and methods of school management he anticipated many later results of educational science and experience.

In 1841 Cornwell began to publish school-books which in simplicity of style and practical usefulness were far in advance of the text-books of their day and deservedly enjoyed a universal vogue. He shares with J. T. Crossley, (Sir) Joshua Girling Fitch [q. v. Suppl. II), and Henry Dunn the merit of having devised the modern school-book. In collaboration with Dr. Allen he issued 'A New English Grammar' (1841, 12mo), 'An English School Grammar' (18mo), and 'Grammar for Beginners' (1855, 12mo; 90th edit. 1904). His popular 'School Geography,' first published in 1847, passed through ninety editions. Memorial editions of the 'Grammar for Beginners' and of the 'Geography' were published in 1904.

After his resignation of the principalship at Borough Road in 1885, Cornwell devoted his leisure to writing new educational works 