ccolo (1630-1631), who built the church of the
Salute, Carlo (1655-1656), during whose reign the Venetians gained the
naval victory of the Dardanelles, Domenico (1659-1675) and Alvise
(1676-1684). There were at one time no less than eighteen branches of
the family; one of the most important was that of Contarini dallo Zaffo
or di Giaffa, who had been invested with the countship of Jaffa in Syria
for their services to Caterina Cornaro, queen of Cyprus; another was
that of Contarini degli Scrigni (of the coffers), so called on account
of their great wealth. Many members of the family distinguished
themselves in the service of the republic, in the wars against the
Turks, and no less than seven Contarini fought at Lepanto. One Andrea
Contarini was beheaded in 1430 for having wounded the doge Francesco
Foscari (q.v.) on the nose. Other members of the house were famous as
merchants, prelates and men of letters; among these we may mention
Cardinal Gasparo Contarini (1483-1542), and Marco Contarini (1631-1689),
who was celebrated as a patron of music and collected at his villa of
Piazzola a large number of valuable musical MSS., now in the Marciana
library at Venice. The family owned many palaces in various parts of
Venice, and several streets still bear its name.

See J. Fontana, "Sulla patrizia famiglia Contarini," in _Il
Gondoliere_ (1843). (L. V.*)

CONTAT, LOUISE FRANCOISE (1760-1813), French actress, made her _debut_
at the Comedie Francaise in 1766 as Atalide in _Bajazet_. It was in
comedy, however, that she made her first success, as Suzanne in
Beaumarchais's _Mariage de Figaro_; and in several minor character
parts, which she raised to the first importance, and as the soubrette in
the plays of Moliere and Marivaux, she found opportunities exactly
fitted to her talents. She retired in 1809 and married de Parny, nephew
of the poet. Her sister Marie Emilie Contat (1769-1846), an admirable
soubrette, especially as the pert servant drawn by Moliere and de
Regnard, made her _debut_ in 1784, and retired in 1815.

CONTE, literally a "story," derived from the Fr. _conter_, to narrate,
through low Lat. and Provencal forms _contare_ and _comtar_. This word,
although not recognized by the _New English Dictionary_ as an English
term, is yet so frequently used in English literary criticisms that some
definition of it seems to be demanded. A _conte_, in French, differs
from a _recit_ or a _rapport_ in the elem