Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 12.djvu/222

  of episcopalians worshipping at St. Paul's Chapel was at that time, as it continued down to 1870 or later, not part of the Scottish episcopalian church, but one of those episcopalian communities claiming connection with the church of England as distinct from the native nonjuring episcopalian body. After faithfully discharging the duties of the ministry for many years, Cordiner resigned, on account of ill-health, on 13 Nov. 1834, and was granted a retiring annuity of 100l., with the chapel-house as a residence. He died of congestion of the lungs on 13 Jan. 1836, in the sixty-first year of his age and the thirty-seventh of his ministry, and was buried in the churchyard of St. Nicholas, Aberdeen, where is a tombstone to his memory. He left a widow, who for many years received a small annuity (twelve guineas) from the chapel funds, and a son Charles, a clergyman of the church of Scotland, who down to 1864 or later was presbyterian minister of Kinnenmouth, a chapel-of-ease in Lonmay parish, Aberdeenshire.

After his return from Ceylon Cordiner published ‘A Description of Ceylon, with narratives of a Tour round the Island in 1800, the Expedition to Candy in 1803, and a Visit to Ramasseram in 1804’ (London, 1807). From the preface it appears that the author did not accompany the expedition to Kandy, but was furnished with the particulars from official sources. He is therefore not responsible for statements which, as Sir Emerson Tennent has pointed out (, Ceylon, ii. 77), when read by the light of Governor North's confidential correspondence, place the authorities in a very regrettable light. The work, which is in two quarto volumes, contains fine plates from original drawings by the author of objects of interest in the island. Cordiner also wrote ‘A Voyage to India,’ which was published in 1820.

 COREY, JOHN (fl. 1700–1731), actor and dramatist, came of an ancient family in Cornwall, and was born in Barnstaple. He was entered at New Inn for the study of the law, but abandoned that profession for the stage. In 1701 he produced at Lincoln's Inn Fields ‘A Cure for Jealousy,’ 4to, 1701, a poor comedy which met with no success. It was followed at the same house, 2 Oct. 1704, by ‘Metamorphosis, or the Old Lover outwitted,’ 4to, 1704, a farce said by the author to be taken from Molière, but in fact extracted from ‘Albumazar’ by Tomkis. These were his only dramatic essays, though ‘The Generous Enemies,’ 4to, 1672, by another John Corey, licensed 30 Aug. 1671, has been erroneously ascribed to him. His first recorded appearance as an actor took place on 21 Oct. 1702, when at Lincoln's Inn Fields he played Manly in ‘The Beau's Duel, or a Soldier for the Ladies,’ by Mrs. Carroll, afterwards Mrs. Centlivre. For twenty-nine years he played at this house, the Haymarket, or Drury Lane, acting at first young lovers in comedy, and afterwards characters in dramas, but seldom apparently in his long career being troubled with a part of primary importance. Dorante in the ‘Gamester,’ an adaptation of ‘Le Joueur’ of Regnard, 22 Feb. 1705; Seyton in ‘Macbeth,’ 1708; Numitorius in Dennis's ‘Appius and Virginia,’ 5 Feb. 1709; Egbert in Aaron Hill's ‘Elfrid, or the Fair Inconstant,’ 3 Jan. 1710; Gonsalvo in the ‘Perfidious Brother,’ claimed by Theobald and by Mestayer, 21 Feb. 1716, and Amiens in ‘Love in the Forest,’ an adaptation of ‘As you like it,’ 9 Jan. 1723, indicate fairly his range. According to Isaac Reed's unpublished ‘Notitia Dramatica’ he played 26 April 1725 Macbeth for his benefit. He is unmentioned in the ‘Apology’ of Cibber, with whom he constantly acted. He was short in stature and his voice was poor, but he was otherwise a fair actor. The ‘Biographia Dramatica’ says he died ‘about 1721.’ He was on the stage, however, ten years later, since on 31 May 1731 his name appears as filling the part of Sir William Worthy in ‘Patie and Peggy,’ an alteration by Theophilus Cibber of Allan Ramsay's ‘Gentle Shepherd,’ and it is to be found in the playbills of intervening years.

 CORFE, ARTHUR THOMAS (1773–1863), organist and composer, third son of Dr. Joseph Corfe [q. v.], was born 9 April 1773, at Salisbury, where his father was organist. In early life he was a pupil of a Mr. Antram of Salisbury, and in 1783 he became a chorister of Westminster Abbey under Dr. Cooke. He was for some time a pupil of 