Page:Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography Volume 1.pdf/1130

CLI attained a European fame. The former, which is now divided into three volumes, contains the civil and literary chronology of Greece from the earliest period down to the death of Augustus, interspersed with dissertations on the early inhabitants of Greece, scripture chronology, the writings of Homer, the population of ancient Greece, &c. The "Fasti Romani" comprises the civil and literary chronology of Rome and Constantinople, from the death of Augustus to the death of Justin II., with an appendix containing the chronology to the death of Heraclius. A useful epitome of both works was published by the author in 1851 and 1853. On the death of Mr. Planta in 1827, Mr. Clinton was an unsuccessful candidate for the office of principal librarian of the British museum. He died in 1852.—J. T.  CLINTON,, an American brigadier-general in the war of the Revolution, born in 1736. In 1777, congress having made him brigadier-general in the continental army, he commanded in the highlands on the Hudson river, where he was surprised by Sir Henry Clinton, who made a dashing expedition up the river in the hope of rescuing Burgoyne. In August, 1779, he commanded a brigade under General Sullivan, in the expedition up the Susquehanna into the country of the Iroquois Indians, which avenged the massacres at Wyoming and Cherry Valley. Clinton afterwards commanded at Albany, and also served at the siege of Yorktown. He died in 1812.—F. B.  CLISSON,, constable of France, born in Brittany about 1332; died at Josselin in 1407. When about the age of twelve, Clisson, having lost his father, who was decapitated by Philip of Valois, was sent to England by his mother, and there he appears to have remained till about 1364. In that year he took part in the battle of Auray, losing an eye in the engagement, and shortly afterwards signalized his prowess by expelling the celebrated Sir John Chandos from the castle of Gavre, which had been given to the Englishman by De Montfort, duke of Brittany. In 1370, after being received with marked favour at the court of Charles V., he became the associate in arms of the famous Duguesclin, whose valour and probity were at that period the chief security of the state against the machinations of the grandes compagnies. On his return to Brittany, Clisson was received at the court of the duke with many marks of favour; but shortly afterwards was consigned to prison, and only recovered his liberty after payment of a considerable ransom. Named constable by Charles V. on his death-bed, Clisson commanded the French army at the battle of Rosebecq, where the Flemings lost 20,000 men. In 1393 he narrowly escaped assassination, a band of brigands having been set upon him in the night by one Pierre de Craon, who had long been the mortal enemy of the constable. He was undoubtedly one of the greatest soldiers, and next to Duguesclin, perhaps one of the noblest characters of his age; but he was not above the weakness of a great desire for wealth, and of that infirmity his enemies made the most. With Charles VI. Clisson was as great a favourite as he had been with Charles V.; but the civil broils consequent upon the insanity of the former afforded the enemies of the constable the opportunity of annoying, and eventually of disgracing him. He was accused of malpractices in his public trusts, discharged from all his offices, and condemned to a fine of 100,000 marks of silver. With the remainder of his fortune, which at his death was found to amount to an enormous sum, he retired to his castle of Josselin.—J. S., G.  CLISTHENES, tyrant of Sicyon, between 600. and 560.—J. T.  CLISTHENES, an eminent citizen of Athens, son of Megacles, and grandson of the preceding, was the head of the Alcmæonid clan on the expulsion of the Pisistratidæ, and author of an important change in the Athenian constitution, by which the four ancient tribes were abolished, and ten new ones established in their stead in 510 .—J. T.  CLITOMACHUS, a Greek philosopher who, 129 ., succeeded Carneades as head of the new academy, and wrote upwards of four hundred books in support of its tenets, was a Carthaginian by birth. He was known among his Carthaginian countrymen by his original name of Hasdrubal.—J. S., G.  CLITUS, a Macedonian general, surnamed, was born about 380 ., and died in 328. His sister Hellenice was the nurse of Alexander the Great. He followed his sovereign throughout his campaigns in Asia, and saved his life at the battle of the Granicus in 334. A quarrel arose between them, at a banquet given on the occasion of Clitus' appointment to the office of satrap of Bactria, when both were heated with wine; and Alexander, provoked at the insolent language employed by Clitus in depreciating his exploits as compared with those of Philip his father, snatched a weapon from one of the guards, and pierced his friend to the heart.—J. T.  CLIVE,, an Irish actress, born in 1721; died in 1785. Her maiden name was Raftor. In 1732 she married a lawyer named George Clive, but the marriage proved unhappy, and she was obliged to separate from him. She excelled in comedy, and was unequalled in the sprightliness of her humour. She was also a good musician, and had an excellent voice. Dr. Johnson had a very high opinion of Mrs. Clive's comic powers, and delighted to converse with her. He thought her the best actress he ever saw. "What Clive did best," he said, "she did better than Garrick, but could not do half so many things well; she was a better romp than any I ever saw in nature." Mrs. Clive retired from the stage in 1768, and died in 1785. Her private character was most exemplary.—J. T. <section end="1130H" /> <section begin="1130Zcontin" />CLIVE,, Lord, the founder of the British empire in India, was born 29th September, 1725, at Styche, in the parish of Moreton-Say, near Market Drayton, Shropshire. Before the age of three years, he was sent to an uncle, Mr. Bayley, in whose family he resided for some time, and proved himself the very king of mischievous boys. Combative, courageous, daring to the last degree, he was impatient of control, and a terror to all quiet-minded people. "I am satisfied," writes his uncle, "that his fighting, to which he is out of measure addicted, gives his temper a fierceness and imperiousness, that he flies out upon every trifling occasion; for this reason I do what I can to suppress the hero, that I may help forward the more valuable qualities of meekness, benevolence, and patience." In young Clive, however, it proved impossible to suppress the hero. He was seen seated on a stone spout near the top of the lofty steeple of Market Drayton church, careless of the danger; and once when a little dam broke, which his companions had made across some water, for the mischievous purpose of making it overflow an obnoxious shop, Clive threw his body into the breach and remained there until it was repaired. It is said also that he used to levy black mail upon tradespeople in return for not leading against their windows and their comfort his little band of mischievous comrades. After spending a few years at the Merchant Taylor's school, London, and at a private school in Hertfordshire, Clive was appointed a writer in the East India Company's service, and left England in 1743, reaching Madras in 1744, with the reputation of a lad by no means addicted to learning, and likely to break his neck in attempting the first hazardous feat that struck his fancy. An unusually lengthened voyage caused Clive to miss the gentleman to whom he had been recommended at Madras, and threw him into debt at his first landing, while a certain proud shyness prevented him from forming many acquaintances. His wild and wayward disposition, intensified by the melancholy fostered in isolation, from time to time broke out so strongly as to endanger his connection with the company's service. In a fit of despondency, indeed, he made an attempt upon his own life. A comrade coming into his room was requested to take up a pistol and fire it out of the window, which he did. "Well," exclaimed Clive, "I am reserved for something! that pistol I have twice snapped at my own head." Fortunately the governor of Madras gave him admission to his library, and Clive's energies spent themselves in repairing the random carelessness of his schoolboy days. At this time the rulers of the French presidencies in India leagued themselves with native powers, and organized a general policy, for the purpose of effecting the ruin of English influence; and it appeared far more probable that an Eastern empire would be achieved by France rather than by Britain. Madras was taken by La Bourdonnais in 1746, and Clive became a prisoner of war under parole. The conditions of parole having been broken through the influence of Dupleix, who aimed at the absolute humiliation of the company, Clive effected his escape to Fort St. David. A remarkable illustration of his spirit of dauntless daring now occurred. He was challenged by an officer to whom he had refused to pay a gambling debt, on the ground that there had been unfair play. Clive fired and missed his antagonist, who came up close to him and desired him to ask his life. Clive complied. The officer then threatened to shoot him unless he retracted his assertions concerning unfair play. "Fire," cried Clive with an oath; "I said you cheated; I say so still; and I <section end="1130Zcontin" />