Let modest Foster, if he will, excel
Ten metropolitans in preaching well.
Pope.

Foster (Silas), the bucolic master of the house that shelters the reformers of The Blithedale Romance. He gulps his tea, helps himself to dip-toast with the flat of his own knife, and perpetrates terrible enormities with the butter-plate, “behaving less like a sensible Christian than the worst kind of an ogre.”—Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Blithedale Romance (1852).

Foul-weather Jack, Commodore Byron (1723-1786.)

Foundling (The), Harriet, Harriet Raymond, whose mother died in childbirth, was committed to the charge of a gouvernante, who announced to her father (Sir Charles Raymond) that the child was dead. This, however, was not true, for the gouvernante changed the child’s name to Fidelia, and sold her at the age of 12 to one Villiard. One night, Charles Belmont, passing Villiard’s house, heard the cries of a girl for help; he rescued her and took her to his own home, where he gave her in charge to his sister Rosetta. The two girls became companions and friends, and Charles fell in love with the “foundling.” The gouvernante, on her death-bed, revealed the secret to Sir Charles Raymond, the mystery was cleared up, and Fidelia became the wife of Charles Belmont. Rosetta gave her hand to Fidelia’s brother, Colonel Raymond.—Edward Moore, The Foundling (1748).

Fountain, Bellamore, and Hare´brain, suitors to Lady Hartwell, a widow. They are the chums of Valentine the gallant, who would not be persuaded to keep his estate.—Beaumont and Fletcher, Wit without Money (1639).

Fountain of Life, Alexander Hales, “the Irrefragible Doctor” (*-1245).

Fountain of Oblivion. The student, Hieronymous, is told to seek out a certain fountain and cast a scroll into it, “and he shall find peace.” He obeys, and sees mirrored there his own life, and himself as boy and man, and beside him a maiden whose face is like that of the woman he loves.

“And the name was no longer Hermione, but was changed to Mary; and the student, Hieronymous, is lying at your feet!”—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Hyperion (1839).

Fountain of Youth, a marvellous fountain in the island of Bim´ini (one of the Baha´ma group). It had the virtue of restoring the aged to youth again. In the middle ages it was really believed to exist, and Juan Ponce de Leon, among other Spanish navigators, went in serious quest of this fountain.

Four Kings (The) of a pack of cards are Charlemagne (the Franco-German king), David (the Jewish king), Alexander (the Macedonian king), and Cæsar (the Roman king). These four kings are representatives of the four great monarchies.

Four Masters (The). (1) Michael O’Clerighe, (2) Cucoirighe O’Clerighe; (3) Maurice Conry; (4) Fearfeafa Conry. These four masters were the authors of the Annals of Donegal.

⁂ O’Clerighe is sometimes Anglicized into Clerkson, and Cucoirighe into Peregrine.

Fourberies de Scapin (Les), by Molière (1671). Scapin is the valet of Lèandre, son of seignior Gèronte (2 syl.), who falls in love with Zerbinette, supposed to be a gypsy, but in reality the daughter of seignior Argante (2 syl.), stolen by the gypsies in early childhood. Her brother Octave (2 syl.) falls in love with Hyacinthe, whom he supposes to be Hyacinthe Pandolphe of Tarentum, but who turns out to be Hyacinthe Gèronte, the sister of Lèandre. Now, the gypsies demand £1500 as the ransom of Zerbinette, and Octave requires £80 for his marriage with Hyacinthe. Scapin obtains both these sums from the fathers under false pretences, and at the end of the comedy is brought in on a litter, with his head bound as if on the point of death. He begs forgiveness, which he readily obtains; whereupon the “sick man” jumps from the litter to join the banqueters. (See Scapin.)

Fourde´lis, personification of France, called the true love of Burbon (Henri IV.), but enticed away from him by Grantorto (rebellion). Talus (power or might) rescues her, but when Burbon catches her by her “ragged weeds,” she starts back in disdain. However, the knight lifts her on his steed, and rides off with her,—Spenser, Faëry Queen, v. 2 (1596).

Fou´rierism, a communistic system; so called from François Charles Fourier of Besançon (1772-1837).

Fourolle (2 syl.), a Will-o’-the-wisp, supposed to have the power of charming sinful human beings into the same form. The charm lasted for a term of years only, unless it chanced that some good Catholic, wishing to extinguish the wandering flame, made to it the sign of the cross, in which case the sinful creature became a fourolle every night, by way of penance.

Fourteen, the name of a young man who could do the work of fourteen men, but had also the appetite of fourteen men. Like Christoph´erus, he carried our Lord across a stream, for which service the Saviour gave him a sack, saying, “Whatever you wish for will come into this sack, if you only say ‘Artchila murtchila!’” (i.e. “come (or go) into my sack”). Fourteen’s last achievement was this: He went to paradise, and being refused admission, poked his sack through the keyhole of the door; then crying out “Artchila murtchila!” (“get into the sack”), he found himself on the other side of the door, and, of course, in paradise.—Rev. W. Webster, Basque Legends, 195 (1877).

Fourteen. This number plays a very conspicuous part in French history, especially in the reigns of Henri IV. and Louis XIV. For example:

14th May, 1029, the first Henri was consecrated, and 14th May, 1610, the last Henri was assassinated.

14 letters compose the name of Henri de Bourbon, the 14th king of France and Navarre.

14th December, 1553 (14 centuries, 14 decades, and 14 years from the birth of Christ), Henri IV. was born, and 1553 added together = 14.

14th May, 1554, Henri II. ordered the enlargement of the Rue de la Ferronnerie. This order was carried out, and 4 times 14 years later Henri IV. was assassinated there.

14th May, 1552, was the birth of Margaret de Valois, first wife of Henri IV.

14th May, 1588, the Parisians revolted against Henri III., under the leadership of Henri de Guise.

14th March, 1590, Henri IV. gained the battle of Ivry.

14th May, 1590, Henri IV. was repulsed from the faubourgs of Paris.

14th November, 1590, “The Sixteen” took oath to die rather than serve the Huguenot king Henri IV.

14th November, 1592, the Paris parlement registered the papal bull which excluded Henry IV. from reigning.

14th December, 1599, the Duke of Savoy was reconciled to Henri IV.

14th September, 1606, the dauphin (Louis XIII.), son of Henri IV., was baptized.

14th May, 1610, Ravaillac murdered Henri IV. in the Rue de la Ferronnerie. Henri IV. lived 4 times 14 years, 14 weeks, and 4 times 14 days, i.e. 56 years and 5 months.

14 May, 1643, died Louis XIII., son of Henri IV. (the same day and month as his father). And 1643 added together=14; just as 1553 (the birth of Henri IV.)=14.

Louis XIV. mounted the throne 1643, which added together=14.

Louis XIV. died 1715, which added together=14.

Louis XIV. lived 77 years, which added together=14.

Louis XV. mounted the throne 1715, which added together=14.

Louis XV. died 1774 (the two extremes are 14, and the two means 77=14.)77=14.)

Louis XVI. published the edict for the convocation of the states-general in the 14th year of his reign (September 27, 1788).

Louis XVIII. was restored to the throne, Napoleon abdicated, the “Peace of Paris” was signed, and the “Congress of Vienna” met in 1814; and these figures added together=14.

In 1832=14, was the death of the Duc de Reichstadt (only son of Napoleon I.).

In 1841=14, the law was passed for the fortification of Paris.

In 1850=14, Louis Phillippe died.

Fox (That), Herod Antipas (B.C. 4 to A.D. 39).

Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils.—Luke xiii. 32.

Fox (The Old), Marshal Soult (1769-1851).

Foxley (Squire Matthew), a magistrate who examines Darsie Latimer [i.e. Sir Arthur Darsie Redgauntlet], after he had been attacked by the rioters.—Sir W. Scott, Redgauntlet (time, George III.).

Fracasse (Capitaine), the French Bombastes Furioso.—Theophile Gautier.

Fra Diavolo, the sobriquet of Michel Pozza, a Calabrian insurgent and brigand chief. In 1799 Cardinal Ruffo made him a colonel in the Neapolitan army, but in 1806 he was captured by the French, and hanged at Naples. Auber has a comic opera so entitled, the libretto of which was written by Scribe, but nothing of the true character of the brigand chief appears in the opera.

Fradu´bio [i.e. Brother Doubt]. In his youth he loved Frælissa, but riding with her one day they encountered a knight accompanied by Duessa (false faith), and fought to decide which lady was the fairer. The stranger knight fell, and both ladies being saddled on the victor, Duessa changed her rival into a tree. One day Fradubio saw Duessa bathing, and was so shocked at her deformity that he determined to abandon her, but the witch anointed him during sleep with herbs to produce insensibility, and then planted him as a tree beside Frælissa. The Red Cross Knight plucked a bough from this tree, and seeing with horror that blood dripped from the rift, was told this tale of the metamorphosis.—Spenser, Faëry Queen, i. 2 (1590).

Frail (Mrs.), a demirep. Scandal says she is a mixture of “pride, folly, affectation, wantonness, inconstancy, covetousness, dissimulation, malice and ignorance, but a celebrated beauty” (act i.). She is entrapped into marriage with Tattle.—W. Congreve, Love for Love (1695).

Frampton (Major), the great man of the little village of Hillsborough, and a connoisseur in peach-brandy. Losing money, horses, wagons, and all his negroes except his body-servant, at cards, he blows out his brains in a convenient pine thicket.—Joel Chandler Harris, Georgian Sketches (1888).

Francatelli, a chef de cuisine at Windsor Castle, Crockford’s, and at the Freemasons’ Tavern. He succeeded Ude at Crockford’s.

Frances, daughter of Vandunke (2 syl.), burgomaster of Bruges.—Beaumont and Fletcher, The Beggars’ Bush (1622).

France (Everidge), the unworldly daughter of a worldly mother.—A. D. T. Whitney’s story, Odd or Even? (1880).

Francesea, daughter of Guido da Polenta (lord of Ravenna). She was given by her father in marriage to Lanciotto, son of Malatesta, lord of Rimini, who was deformed. His brother Paolo, who was a handsome man, won the affections of Francesca; but being caught in adultery, both of them were put to death by Lanciotto. Francesca told Dantê that the tale of Lancelot and Guinever caused her fall. The tale forms the close of Dantê’s Hell, v., and is alluded to by Petrarch in his Triumph of Love, iii.

⁂ Leigh Hunt has a poem on the subject, and Silvio Pellico has made it the subject of a tragedy.

George H. Boker’s play under the same title is also founded upon Dante’s story. Lawrence Barrett as Lanciotto, Louis James as Pepe and Marie Wainwright as Francesca will long be recollected by American theatre-goers.

Francesca, a Venetian maiden, daughter of old Minotti, governor of Corinth. Alp, the Venetian commander of the Turkish army in the siegesiege of Corinth, loved her; but she refused to marry a renegade. Alp was shot in the siege, and Francesca died of a broken heart.—Byron, Siege of Corinth (1816).

Medora, Neuha, Leila, Francesca, and Theresa, it has been alleged, are but children of one family, with differences resulting from climate and circumstances.—Finden, Byron Beauties.

⁂ “Medora” in The Corsair; “Neuha” in The Island; “Leila” in The Giaour; and “Theresa,” in Mazeppa.

Francesco, the “Iago” of Massinger’s Duke of Milan; the Duke Sforza “the More” being Othello; and the cause of hatred being that Sforza had seduced “Eugenia” Francesco’s sister. As Iago was Othello’s favorite and ancient, so Francesco was Sforza’s favorite and chief minister. During Sforza’s absence with the camp, Francesco tried to corrupt the duke’s beautiful young bride Marcelia, and being repulsed, accused her to the duke of wishing to play the wanton with him. The duke believed his favorite minister, and in his mad jealously ran upon Marcelia and slew her. He was then poisoned by Eugenia, whom he had seduced.—Massinger, The Duke of Milan (1622). (See Francisco.)

Francis, the faithful, devoted servant of “the stranger.” Quite impenetrable to all idle curiosity.—Benj. Thompson, The Stranger (1797).

Francis (Ayrault), a visionary who living in the dream-world he has evoked, neglects his nearest of kin, and lets opportunities of happiness, usefulness and patriotic service go by unimproved.—Thomas Wentworth Higginson, The Monarch of Dreams (1887).

Francis (Father), a Dominican monk, the confessor of Simon Glover.—Sir W. Scott, Fair Maid of Perth (time, Henry IV.).

Francis (Le Baron). Young French nobleman who renounces king and country. Is shipwrecked in New England, marries Molly Wilder and settles in Plymouth as a physician. He is the father of Lazarus le Baron.—“Round Robin Series,” A Nameless Nobleman.

Francis (Father), a monk of the convent at Namur.—Sir W. Scott, Quentin Durward (time, Edward IV.).

Franciscans. So called from St. Francis, of Assisi, their founder, in 1208. Called “Min´orites” (or Inferiors), from their professed humility; “Gray Friars,” from the color of their coarse clothing; “Mendicants,” because they obtained their daily food by begging; “Observants,” because they observed the rule of poverty. Those who lived in convents were called “Conventual Friars.”

Franciscan Sisters were called “Clares,” “Poor Clares,” “Minoresses,” “Mendicants,” and “Urbanites” (3 syl.)

Francis´co, the son of Valentine. Both father and son are in love with Cellide (2 syl.), but the lady naturally prefers the son.—Beaumont and Fletcher, Mons. Thomas (1619).

Francis´co, a musician, Antonio’s boy in The Chances, a comedy by Beaumont and Fletcher (1620).

Francisco, younger brother of Valentine (the gentleman who will not be persuaded to keep his estate). (See Francesco.)—Beaumont and Fletcher, Wit Without Money (1639).

Frank, sister to Frederick; passionately in love with Captain Jac´omo the woman-hater.—Beaumont and Fletcher, The Captain (1613).

Frankenstein (3 syl.), a student, who constructed, out of the fragments of bodies picked from churchyards and dissecting-rooms, a human form without a soul. The monster had muscular strength, animal passions, and active life, but “no breath of divinity.” It longed for animal love and animal sympathy, but was shunned by all. It was most powerful for evil, and being fully conscious of its own defects and deformities, sought with persistency to inflict retribution on the young student who had called it into being,—Mrs. Shelley, Frankenstein (1817).

In the summer of 1816, Lord Byron and Mr. and Mrs. Shelley resided on the banks of the lake of Geneva ... and the Shelleys often passed their evenings with Byron, at his house at Diodati. During a week of rain, having amused themselves with reading German ghost stories, they agreed to write something in imitation of them. “You and I,” said Lord Byron to Mrs. Shelley. “will publish ours together.” He then began his tale of the Vampire ... but the most memorable part of this story-telling compact was Mrs. Shelley’s wild and powerful romance of Frankenstein.—T. Moore, Life of Byron.

Frankford (Mr. and Mrs.). Mrs. Frankford proved unfaithful to her marriage vow, and Mr. Frankford sent her to reside on one of his estates. She died of grief; but on her death-bed her husband went to see her, and forgave her.—John Heywood, A Woman Killed by Kindness (1576-1645).

Frankland (Harry), Englishman saved from death, when buried in the ruins of Lisbon, by the exertions of the woman he has wronged and deserted.—Edwin Lasseter Bynner, Agnes Surriage (1886).

Franklin (Lady), the half-sister of Sir John Vesey, and a young widow. Lady Franklin had an angelic temper, which nothing disturbed, and she really believed that “whatever is is best.” She could bear with unruffled feathers even the failure of a new cap or the disappointment of a new gown. This paragon of women loved and married Mr. Graves, a dolorous widower, for ever sighing over the superlative excellences of his “sainted Maria,” his first wife.—Lord E. Bulwer Lytton, Money (1840).

Frank´lin (The Polish), Thaddeus Czacki (1765-1813).

Franklin’s Tale (The), in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, is that of “Dorigen and Arvir´agus.” Dorigen, a lady of rank, married Arviragus, out of pity for his love and meekness. One Aurelius tried to corrupt her, but she said she would never listen to his suit till “on these coasts there n’is no stone y-seen.” Aurelius contrived by magic to clear the coast of stones, and Arviragus insisted that Dorigen should keep troth with him. When Aurelius heard thereof, and saw the deep grief of the lady, he said he would rather die than injure so true a wife and so noble a gentleman.

⁂ This tale is taken from The Decameron, x. 5. (See Dianora.) There is also a similar one in Boccaccio’s Filocopo.

Frankly (Charles), a lighted-hearted, joyous, enthusiastic young man, in love with Clarinda, whom he marries.—Dr. Hoadley, The Suspicious Husband (1747).

Frank (Warrington), a young teacher who goes out into the world to seek her fortune as a governess. She wins the affections of the eldest son of her employers, and, although preferring at heart an earlier lover, marries the gay handsome heir secretly. When the truth is revealed, the bridegroom is killed in a duel by the brother of a woman to whom he had been betrothed. Frank Warrington, humbler and wiser, returns to her country home, and eventually marries her first love.—Mirian Coles Harris, Frank Warrington (1863).

Franval (Madame), born of a noble family, is proud as the proudest of the old French noblesse. Captain St. Alme, the son of a merchant, loves her daughter; but the haughty aristocrat looks with disdain on such an alliance. However, her daughter Marianne is of another way of thinking, and loves the merchant’s son. Her brother intercedes in her behalf, and madame makes a virtue of necessity, with as much grace as possible.—Th. Holcroft, The Deaf and Dumb (1785).

Fra´teret´to, a fiend, who told Edgar that Nero was an angler in the Lake of Darkness.—Shakespeare, King Lear (1605).

Fraud, seen by Dantê between the sixth and seventh circles of the Inferno.

His face the semblance of a just man’s wore
(So kind and gracious was its outward cheer).
The rest was serpent all.
Dantê, Hell, xvii. (1300).

Fred or Frederick Lewis, prince of Wales, father of George III. It was of this prince that the following epitaph was written:

Here lies Fred,
Who was alive, and is dead.
Had it been his father,
I had much rather;
Had it been his brother,
Still better than another;
Had it been his sister,
No one would have missed her;
Had it been the whole generation,
Still better for the nation;
But, since ’tis only Fred
Who was alive, and is dead,
There’s no more to be said!

Frederick, the usurping duke, father of Celia and uncle of Rosalind. He was about to make war upon his banished brother, when a hermit encountered him, and so completely changed him that he not only restored his brother to his dukedom, but retired to a religious house, and passed the rest of his life in penitence and acts of devotion.—Shakespeare, As You Like It (1598).

Frederick, the unnatural and licentious brother of Alphonso, king of Naples, whose kingdom he usurped. He tried to seduce Evanthé (3 syl.), the chaste wife of Valerio, but not succeeding in his infamous design, he offered her as a concubine for one month to any one who, at the end of that period, would yield his head to the block. As no one would accept the terms, Evanthê was restored to her husband.—Beaumont and Fletcher, A Wife for a Month (1624).

Frederick (Don), a Portuguese merchant, the friend of Don Felix.—Mrs. Centlivre, The Wonder (1714).

Frederick the Great in Flight. In 1741 was the battle of Molwitz, in which the Prussians carried the day, and the Austrians fled; but Frederick, who commanded the cavalry, was put to flight early in the action, and thinking that all was lost, fled with his staff many miles from the scene of action.

Frederick the Great from Molwitz deigned to run.
Byron, Don Juan, viii. 22 (1824.)

Frederick (Olyphant). Young man who has incurred the enmity of one of the Brotherhood of the Sea. In consequence, he is abducted upon the threshold of a friend’s house, and put on board a vessel with directions to the Brotherhood never to allow him to land. He gains his liberty through the accidental drowning of his jailor, and returns to New York, where his absence had excited the wildest alarm among his friends and the most fanciful speculations among acquaintances.—Brander Matthews, The Last Meeting.

Frederick (Owen). Rector and friend of the Major’s family, in Constance Fenimore Woolson’s novel, For the Major.

Freeborn John, John Lilburne, the republican (1613-1657).

Freedom (Wheeler). Hard-headed Yankee whose determination that one of his children shall bear his name is thwarted by circumstances until he gives up and “lets the Lord have His way.”—Rose Terry Cooke, Freedom Wheeler’s Controversy (1881).

Freehold, a grumpy, rusty, but soft-hearted old gentleman farmer, who hates all new-fangled notions, and detests “men of fashion.” He lives in his farm-house with his niece and daughter.

Aura Freehold, daughter of Freehold. A pretty, courageous, high-spirited lass, who wins the heart of Modely, a man of the world and a libertine.—John Philip Kemble, The Farm-house.

Freelove (Lady), aunt to Harriot [Russet]. A woman of the world, “as mischievous as a monkey, and as cunning too” (act i. 1).—George Colman, The Jealous Wife (1761).

Freeman (Charles), the friend of Lovel, whom he assists in exposing the extravagance of his servants.—Rev. J. Townley, High Life Below Stairs (1763).

Freeman (Sir Charles), brother of Mrs. Sullen and friend of Aimwell.—George Farquhar, The Beaux’ Stratagem (1705).

Freeman (Mrs.), a name assumed by the duchess of Marlborough in her correspondence with Queen Anne, who called herself “Mrs. Morley.”

Freemason (The lady), the Hon. Miss Elizabeth St. Leger (afterwards Mrs. Aldworth), daughter of Arthur, lord of Doneraile. In order to witness the proceedings of a lodge held in her father’s house, she hid herself in an empty clock-case; but, on being discovered, she was compelled to become a member of the craft.

Free Joe, negro manumitted by his master, the latter committing suicide immediately afterward. Joe has an easy time until his wife’s master refuses to let a “free nigger” hang about his place. He consorts with “poor white folks” in order to see “Lucinda,” meeting her secretly. At length she does not come for a month to the trysting-place, and he consults a fortune-teller who shows him that her master has taken her out of the county. Still he awaits her at the appointed rendezvous many days and nights, always sure that she will come, and laughing when others doubt it. One morning his friends, the poor whites, find him there dead.—Joel Chandler Harris, Free Joe (1888).

Free´port (Sir Andrew), a London merchant, industrious, generous, and of sound good sense. He was one of the members of the hypothetical club under whose auspices the Spectator was enterprised.

Freiherr von Guttingen, having collected the poor of his neighborhood in a great barn, burnt them to death, and mocked their cries of agony. Being invaded by a swarm of mice, he shut himself up in his castle of Güttingen, in the lake of Constance; but the vermin pursued him, and devoured him alive. The castle then sank in the lake, and may still be seen there. (See Hatto.)

Freischütz (Der), a legendary German archer, in league with the devil. The devil gave him seven balls, six of which were to hit with certainty any mark he aimed at; but the seventh was to be directed according to the will of the giver.—Weber, Der Freischütz (an opera, 1822).

⁂ The libretto is by F. Kind, taken from Apel’s Gespensterbuch (or ghost book). A translation of Apel’s story may be found in De Quincey’s works.

Freron (Jean), the person bitten by a mad dog, referred to by Goldsmith in the lines:

The man recovered of the bite
The dog it was that died.
Elegy on a Mad Dog.
Un serpent mordit Jean Freron, eh bien?
Le serpent en mourut.
Gibbon, Decline and Fall, etc., vii. 4 (Milman’s
notes).

Freston, an enchanter, introduced in the romance of Don Belia´nis of Greece.

Freston, the enchanter, who bore Don Quixote especial ill-will. When the knight’s library was destroyed, he was told that some enchanter had carried off the books and the cupboard which contained them. The niece thought the enchanter’s name was Munaton; but the don corrected her, and said, “You mean Freston.” “Yes, yes,” said the niece, “I know the name ended in ton.”

“That Freston,” said the knight, “is doing me all the mischief his malevolence can invent; but I regard him not.”—Ch. 7.

“That cursed Freston,” said the knight, “who stole my closet and books, has transformed the giants into windmills” (ch. 8).—Cervantes, Don Quixote. I. i. (1605).

Friars. The four great religious orders were Dominicans, Franciscans, Augustines, and Car´melites (3 syl.). Dominicans are called black friars, Franciscans grey friars, and the other two white friars. A fifth order was the Trinitarians or Crutched friars, a later foundation. The Dominicans were furthermore called Frates Majores, and the Franciscans Frates Minores.

(For friars famed in fable or story, see under each respective name or pseudonym.)

Friar (Lawrence). Ecclesiastic, who performs the marriage ceremony between Romeo and Juliet in Shakespeare’s play of that name.

Friar’s Tale (The), by Chaucer, in The Canterbury Tales (1388). An archdeacon employed a sumpnor as his secret spy to find out offenders, with the view of exacting fines from them. In order to accomplish this more effectually, the sumpnor entered into a compact with the devil, disguised as a yeoman. Those who imprecated the devil were to be dealt with by the yeoman-devil, and those who imprecated God were to be the sumpnor’s share. They came in time to an old woman “of whom they knew no wrong,” and demanded twelve pence “for cursing.” She pleaded poverty, when the sumpnor exclaimed, “The foul fiend fetch me if I excuse thee!” and immediately the foul fiend at his side did seize him, and made off with him, too.

Fribble, a contemptible molly-coddle, troubled with weak nerves. He “speaks like a lady for all the world, and never swears.... He wears nice white gloves, and tells his lady-love what ribbons become her complexion, where to stick her patches, who is the best milliner, where they sell the best tea, what is the best wash for the face, and the best paste for the hands. He is always playing with his lady’s fan, and showing his teeth.” He says when he is married:

“All the domestic business will be taken from my wife’s hands. I shall make the tea, comb the dogs, and dress the children myself.”—D. Garrick, Miss in Her Teens, ii. (1753).

Friday (My man), a young Indian, whom Robinson Crusoe saved from death on a Friday, and kept as his servant and companion on the desert island.—Defoe, Robinson Crusoe (1709).

Friend (The Poor Man’s), Nell Gwynne (1642-1691).

Friend of Man (The), the Marquis de ÈMirabeau; so called from one of his books, entitled L’Ami des Hommes (1715-1789).

Friends.

Frenchmen: Montaigne and Etienne de la Boëtie.

Germans: Goethe and Schiller.

Greeks: Achillês and Patroc´les; Diomēdês and Sthen´alos; Epaminondas and Pelop´idas; Harmo´dius and Aristogi´ton; Herculês and Iola´os; Idomeneus (4 syl.) and Merĭon; Pyl´adês and Ores´tês; Septim´ios and Alcander; Theseus (2 syl.) and Pirith´oös.

Jews: David and Jonathan.

Syracusans: Damon and Pythias; Sacharissa and Amŏret.

Trojans: Nisus and Euryalus.

Of Feudal History: Amys and Amylion.

Friendly (Sir Thomas), a gouty baronet living at Friendly Hall.

Lady Friendly, wife of Sir Thomas.

Frank Friendly, son of Sir Thomas and fellow-collegian with Ned Blushington.

Dinah Friendly, daughter of Sir Thomas. She marries Edward Blushington, “the bashful man.”—W. T. Moncrieff, The Bashful Man.

Frithiof [Frit.yof], a hero of Icelandic story. He married Ingëborg [In.ge.boy´e] daughter of a petty Norwegian king, and the widow of Hring. His adventures are recorded in an ancient Icelandic saga of the thirteenth century.

⁂ Bishop Tegnor has made this story the groundwork for his poem entitled Frithiof’s Saga.

Frithiof’s Sword, Angurva´del.

Frithiof means “peace-maker,” and Angurvadel means “stream of anguish.”

Fritz (Old), Frederick II. “the Great,” king of Prussia (1712, 1740-1786).

Fritz, a gardener, passionately fond of flowers, the only subject he can talk about.—E. Stirling, The Prisoner of State (1847).

Frog (Nic.), the linen-draper. The Dutch are so called in Arbuthnot’s History of John Bull.

Nic. Frog was a cunning, sly rogue, quite reverse of John [Bull] in many particulars; covetous, frugal; minded domestic affairs; would pinch his belly to save his pocket; never lost a farthing by careless servants or bad debts. He did not care much for any sort of diversions, except tricks of high German artists and legerdemain; no man exceeded Nic. in these. Yet it must be owned that Nic. was a fair dealer, and in that way acquired immense riches.—Dr. Arbuthnot, History of John Bull, v. (1712).

Frollo (Claude), an archdeacon, absorbed in a search after the philosopher’s stone. He has a great reputation for sanctity, but entertains a base passion for Esmeralda, the beautiful gypsy girl. Quasimodo flings him into the air from the top of Notre Dame, and dashes him to death.—Victor Hugo, Notre Dame de Paris (1831).

Fronde War (The), a political squabble during the ministry of Maz´arin in the minority of Louis XIV. (1648-1653).

Frondeur, a “Mrs. Candor,” a backbiter, a railer, a scandal-monger; any one who flings stones at another. (French, frondeur, “a slinger,” fronde, “a sling.”)

“And what about Diebitsch?” began another frondeur.—Véra, 200.

Frondeurs, the malcontents in the Fronde war.

Front de Bœuf (Sir Reginald), a follower of Prince John of Anjou, and one of the knight’s challengers.—Sir W. Scott, Ivanhoe (time, Richard I.).

Frontaletto, the name of Sa´cripant’s horse. The word means “Little head.”—Ariosto, Orlando Furioso (1516).

Fronti´no, the horse of Bradaman´tê (4 syl.). Roge´ro’s horse bore the same name. The word means “Little head.”—Ariosto, Orlando Furioso (1516).

The renowned Frontino, which Bradamantê purchased at so high a price, could never be thought thy equal [i.e. Rosinantês equal].—Cervantes, Don Quixote (1605).

Frost (Jack), Frost personified.

Jack Frost looked forth one still, clear night,
And he said, “Now I shall be out of sight,
So over the valley and over the height
In silence I’ll take my way.”
Hannah F. Gould.

Froth (Master), a foolish gentleman. Too shallow for great crime and too light for virtue.—Shakespeare, Measure for Measure (1603).

Froth (Lord), a good boon companion; but he vows that “he laughs at nobody’s jests but his own or a lady’s.” He says, “Nothing is more unbecoming a man of quality than a laugh; ’tis such a vulgar expression of the passion; every one can laugh.” To Lady Froth he is most gallant and obsequious, though her fidelity to her liege lord is by no means immaculate.

Lady Froth, a lady of letters, who writes songs, elegies, satires, lampoons, plays, and so on. She thinks her lord the most polished of all men, and his bow the pattern of grace and elegance. She writes an heroic poem called The Syllabub, the subject of which is Lord Froth’s love for herself. In this poem she calls her lord “Spumoso” (Froth), and herself “Biddy” (her own name). Her conduct with Mr. Brisk is most blamable.—W. Congreve, The Double Dealer (1700).

Frothal, king of Sora, and son of Annir. Being driven by tempest to Sarno, one of the Orkney Islands, he was hospitably entertained by the king, and fell in love with Coma´la, daughter of Starno, king of Inistore or the Orkneys. He would have carried her off by violence, but her brother Cathulla interfered, bound Frothal, and, after keeping him in bonds for three days, sent him out of the island. When Starno was gathered to his fathers, Frothal returned and laid siege to the palace of Cathulla; but Fingal, happening to arrive at the island, met Frothal in single combat, overthrew him, and would have slain him, if Utha, his betrothed (disguised in armor), had not interposed. When Fingal knew that Utha was Frothal’s sweetheart, he not only spared the foe, but invited both to the palace, where they passed the night in banquet and song.—Ossian, Carric-Thura.

Fudge Family (The), a family supposed by T. Moore to be visiting Paris after the peace. It consists of Phil Fudge, Esq., his son Robert, his daughter Biddy, and a poor relation named Phelim Connor (an ardent Bonapartist and Irish patriot), acting as bear-leader to Bob. These four write letters to their friends in England. The skit is meant to satirize the parvenu English abroad.

Phil Fudge, Esq., father of Bob and Biddy Fudge; a hack writer devoted to legitimacy and the Bourbons. He is a secret agent of Lord Castlereagh [Kar.´sl.ray], to whom he addresses letters ii. and ix. and points out to his lordship that Robert Fudge will be very glad to receive a snug Government appointment, and hopes that his lordship will not fail to bear him in mind. Letter vi. he addresses to his brother, showing how the Fudge family is prospering, and ending thus:

Should we but still enjoy the sway
Of Sidmouth and of Castlereagh,
I hope ere long to see the day
When England’s wisest statesmen, judges,
Lawyers, peers, will all be—Fudges.

Miss Biddy Fudge, a sentimental girl of 18, in love with “romances, high bonnets, and Mde. le Roy.” She writes letters i., v., x., and xi., describing to her friend Dolly or Dorothy the sights of Paris, and especially how she becomes acquainted with a gentleman whom she believes to be the king of Prussia in disguise, but afterwards she discovers that her disguised king calls himself “Colonel Calicot.” Going with her brother to buy some handkerchiefs, her visions of glory are sadly dashed when “the hero she fondly had fancied a king” turns out to be a common linen-draper. “There stood the vile treacherous thing, with the yard-measure in his hand.” “One tear of compassion for your poor heart-broken friend. P.S.—You will be delighted to know we are going to hear Brunel to-night, and have obtained the governor’s box; we shall all enjoy a hearty good laugh, I am sure.”

Bob or Robert Fudge, son of Phil Fudge, Esq., a young exquisite of the first water, writes letters iii. and viii. to his friend Richard. These letters describe how French dandies dress, eat, and kill time.—T. Moore (1818).

⁂ A sequel, called The Fudge Family in England, was published.

Fulgentio, a kinsman of Roberto (king of the two Sicilies). He was the most rising and most insolent man in the court. Cami´ola calls him “a suit-broker,” and says he had the worse report among all good men for bribery and extortion. This canker obtained the king’s leave for his marriage with Camiŏla, and he pleaded his suit as a right, not a favor; but the lady rejected him with scorn, and Adoni killed the arrogant “sprig of nobility” in a duel.—Massinger, The Maid of Honor (1637).

Fulkerson, Western man who removes to New York, and sets up a magazine founded upon “the greatest idea that has been struck since—the creation of man. I don’t want to claim too much, and I draw the line at the creation of man. But if you want to ring the morning stars into the prospectus, all right!”

He makes a success of it, as he has a habit of making of everything; marries a Southern girl, and goes to live over “the office.” “In New York you may do anything.” He violates all sorts of conventionalities, talks slang and loudly, yet is everybody’s friend and most people’s favorite.—W.D. Howells, A Hazard of New Fortunes (1889).

Fulmer, a man with many shifts, none of which succeed. He says:

“I have beat through every quarter of the compass ... I have blustered for prerogative; I have bellowed for freedom; I have offered to serve my country; I have engaged to betray it ... I have talked treason, writ treason ... And here I set up as a bookseller, but men leave off reading; and if I were to turn butcher, I believe ... they’d leave off eating.”

Patty Fulmer, an unprincipled, flashy woman, living with Fulmer, with the brevet rank of wife. She is a swindler, a scandal-monger, anything, in short, to turn a penny by; but her villainy brings her to grief.—Cumberland, The West Indian (1771).

Fum, George IV. The Chinese fum is a mixture of goose, stag, and snake, with the beak of a cock; a combination of folly, cowardice, malice, and conceit.