Courland
or KURLAND, a former Russian government, and one of what, under the Empire, were called the Baltic provinces. It was formerly an independent duchy-properly, indeed, consisting of two duchies, Courland and Semgallen-and belonged, along with Livonia, to the Teutonic Knights. The difficulty of resisting the Russians led to the acknowledgment in 1561 of the feudal sovereignty of Poland. The country was long distracted by the contentions of two parties, one Russian and the other Polish; and was finally united to Russia in 1795. Biron was made Duke of Courland in 1737. It contains about 10,480 square miles; population about 812,000, mostly Protestants. It is generally a level country, with ranges of low hills, and contains many lakes, bogs, forests, and sanddunes, but some parts have a very fertile soil. Cattle-breeding is on the increase; game abounds; and bears, boars, elks, and wolves are met with occasionally. The proprietors of land are mostly German; the peasantry, of Lettish extraction, are chiefly engaged in husbandry. There is little manufacturing industry. The capital is Mitau (pop. 47,000), the most flourising town is Libau (pop. about 90,000). In the World War (1914-1918) the Germans occupied it as a base for their attacks on Riga. In November, 1918, Courland, together with certain parts of the former Russian provinces of Livonia and Vitebsk, was formed into an independent state under the name of LATVIA (q. v.).
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Course
A row or layer of bricks in a loam-mould is termed a course of brick. A binding-course is one row of bricks set end in, to rest on the inner and outer course. Crossing the course means to break the joints by setting the succeeding courses so that each brick shall be equally divided upon the two bricks upon which it is laid. Very strong moulds may be built by a strict observance of this rule, often rendering it unnecessary to make binding-plates. See BINDING-PLATES; LOAM-MOULDING.
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Court Fool
a person maintained by a monarch at court to pass away the time with jests and sharp sayings. Alexander the Great and others of the ancients are said to have maintained jesters. During the Middle Ages the fool was a regular attendant of monarchs and the nobility. His traditional dress was distinguished by mock emblems of royalty. He carried a fool's scepter in his hand, and, in place of a crown, wore a fool's cap of gay colors, ornamented frequently with jingling bells and a pair of ass's ears. He also wore a broad collar, not infrequently wide enough to serve as a cape. His lower person was clad in hose, with long, upturned toes. The fool was often a person of unusual shrewdness, who, by standing at his master's elbow, was able to help him out of many a hard scrape. If he thought his master about to part with money too readily, he would be able to suggest that a fool and his money were soon parted. Not infrequently the fool was really a controlling mind in matters of great importance. He was supposed to have very little mind, but to speak it freely on all occasions without danger of reprimand or punishment. Wamba of Scott's Ivanhoe is an interesting character of this sort.
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Courtrai
a fortified town of Belgium, province of West Flanders, 26 miles S. of Bruges, on the Lys. Before the World War it was well built, having handsome and spacious streets, and a fine Grande Place, with several other squares. Its manufactures are table-linens, lace (which is celebrated), cambrics, cotton goods, etc., and it has extensive bleaching and dyeing works. Here, in 1302, took place the "battle of spurs" between the French and F Flemings. During During the WORLD WAR (q. v.) it was at various times the scene of important military operations. Pop. about 36,000.
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Cousin
VICTOR, a French philosopher; born in Paris, Nov. 28, 1792. He founded a school of eclectic philosophy; combining the doctrines of the Scotch school of Reid and Stewart, based on sensation, with those of Schelling and Hegel, which rest on the opposite principle of idealism or intuition. He possessed in a high degree the faculty of clear exposition, and for that reason his lectures and his writings enjoyed a great popularity. He rendered a memorable service both to philosophy and literature by his translation of "Plato," praised by Jowett. Besides his "History of Philosophy" and other works on that theme, he was author of a few biographical sketches. He died in Cannes, Jan. 2, 1867.
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Coutts
THOMAS, a Scotch banker; born in E Edinburgh, Sept. 7, 1753; the son of a merchant and banker. his brother James he founded the banking house of Coutts and Co. in London, and on the latter's death in 1778 became sole manager. Keen and exact in matters of business, although charitable and hospital in private, he left a fortune of some $4,500,000 at his death in London, Feb. 24, 1822. By his first wife, who had been a servant of his brother, he had three daughters, who married respectively the Earl of Guilford, the Marquis of Bute, and Sir Francis Burdett, Bart.; in 1815 he married Miss Mellon, the actress.
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Covenant (Law an agreement between two)
in law, an agreement between two or more parties in writing, signed, sealed, and delivered, whereby they agree to do, or not to do, some specified act. In theology, the promises of God as revealed in the Scriptures, conditional on certain terms on the part of man, as obedience, repentance, faith, etc. In international politics an expression used to designate the terms on which agreements between nations are based. See LEAGUE OF NATIONS.
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Covent Garden
a garden once belonging to the abbot of Westminster. The original spelling was Convent. The old garden was cultivated by monks. It was surrounded by a wall, and extended from the Strand to the open country. In 1552 the land, some seven acres, passed into the hands of the Bedford family as a gift from the king. This gift was accompanied by a permit to maintain a market, with which none should be allowed to compete. Market gardeners sold their vegetables here. In 1831 the Duke of Bedford erected vast market buildings, in which the housewife may do her shopping. He derives a revenue of $75,000,000 a year from rentals. London citizens complain of this monopoly and point to the fact that the city of Manchester derives a revenue of $70,000,000 from a similar market owned by the public. The Covent Garden Market is now one of the sights of London. It is the greatest fruit, flower, and vegetable market in the world. The utmost neatness is required. From eight to ten in the morning the show of fruit and the fragrance and brilliancy of the flowers convert the market into a paradise. The Garden gives its name to the locality, and to a number of buildings in the vicinity, including Covent Garden Theater, open only to money and full dress.
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