CUDWORTH, RALPH (1617-1688).—­Divine and philosopher, b. at Aller, Somerset, and ed. at Camb., where, after being a tutor, he became Master of Clare Hall 1645, Prof. of Hebrew (1645-88), and Master of Christ’s Coll., 1654.  His great work is The True Intellectual System of the Universe (1678).  A work of vast learning and acuteness, it is directed against the infidelity of the age.  C.’s candour in his statement of the opposing position was so remarkable that Dryden remarked “that he raised such strong objections against the being of a God and Providence that many thought he had not answered them.”  He also left in MS. a Treatise concerning Eternal and Immutable Morality, pub. in 1731.

CUMBERLAND, RICHARD (1732-1811).—­Novelist and dramatist, ed. at Westminster and Camb., entered the diplomatic service, and filled several government appointments.  His best play is The West Indian.  His novels do not rise much above mediocrity.  Along with Sir J.B.  Burges he wrote an epic entitled The Exodiad, and he also made some translations from the Greek.

CUMMINS, MARIA SUSANNA (1827-1866).—­B. at Salem, Mass., was well-known as the authoress of The Lamplighter, a somewhat sentimental tale which had very wide popularity.  She wrote others, including Mabel Vaughan, none of which had the same success.

CUNNINGHAM, ALLAN (1784-1842).—­Poet and miscellaneous writer, b. near Dalswinton, Dumfriesshire, in his youth knew Burns, who was a friend of his father’s.  He was apprenticed to a stonemason, but gave his leisure to reading and writing imitations of old Scottish ballads, which he contributed to Cromek’s Remains of Nithsdale and Galloway Song, pub. in 1810, and which gained for him the friendship of Scott and Hogg.  Thereafter he went to London, and became a parliamentary reporter, and subsequently assistant to Chantrey, the sculptor, but continued his literary labours, writing three novels, a life of Sir D. Wilkie, and Lives of Eminent British Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, besides many songs, of which the best is A wet sheet and a flowing Sea.  He also brought out an ed. of Burns’s Works.  He had four sons, all of whom rose to important positions, and inherited in some degree his literary gifts.

CURTIS, GEORGE WILLIAM (1824-1892).—­American essayist, editor, and journalist, contributed to New York Tribune, and to Putnam’s and Harper’s monthlies, in which most of his books first appeared.  Among these are Trumps, a story of New York life, Prue and I, Lotus-eating, and the Potiphar Papers.  C. was also one of the finest American orators of his day.