A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature Part 17

FARADAY, MICHAEL (1791-1867).--Natural philosopher, _s._ of a blacksmith, was _b._ in London, and apprenticed to a book-binder. He early showed a taste for chemistry, and attended the lectures of Sir H. Davy (_q.v._), by whom he was, in 1813, appointed his chemical a.s.sistant in the Royal Inst.i.tution. He became one of the greatest of British discoverers and popularisers of science, his discoveries being chiefly in the department of electro-magnetism. He had an unusual power of making difficult subjects clearly understood. Among his writings are _History of the Progress of Electro-Magnetism_ (1821), _The Non-metallic Elements_, _The Chemical History of a Candle_, and _The Various Forces in Nature_. F. was a man of remarkable simplicity and benevolence of character, and deeply religious.

FARMER, RICHARD (1735-1797).--Shakespearian scholar, _b._ at Leicester, and _ed._ at Camb., where he ultimately became Master of Emanuel Coll. He wrote an _Essay on the Learning of Shakespeare_ (1767), in which he maintained that Shakespeare's knowledge of the cla.s.sics was through translations, the errors of which he reproduced. It is a production of great ability. F. was a clergyman, and held a prebend in St. Paul's.

FARQUHAR, GEORGE (1678-1707).--Dramatist, _b._ at Londonderry, _s._ of a clergyman, and _ed._ at Trinity Coll., Dublin, on leaving which he took to the stage, but had no great success as an actor. This, together with an accident in which he wounded a fellow-actor with a sword, led to his relinquishing it, and giving himself to writing plays instead of acting them. Thereafter he joined the army. _Love and a Bottle_ (1698) was his first venture, and others were _The Constant Couple_ (1700), _Sir Harry Wildair_ (1701), _The Inconstant_ (1703), _The Recruiting Officer_ (1706), and _The Beau's Stratagem_ (1707). F.'s plays are full of wit and sparkle and, though often coa.r.s.e, have not the malignant pruriency of some of his predecessors. He made an unfortunate marriage, and _d._ in poverty.

FARRAR, FREDERIC WILLIAM (1831-1903).--Theological writer, _b._ in Bombay, and _ed._ at London Univ. and Camb., was for some years a master at Harrow, and from 1871-76 Head Master of Marlborough School. He became successively Canon of Westminster and Rector of St. Margaret's, Archdeacon of Westminster and Dean of Canterbury. He was an eloquent preacher and a voluminous author, his writings including stories of school life, such as _Eric_ and _St. Winifred's_, a _Life of Christ_, which had great popularity, a _Life of St. Paul_, and two historical romances.

FAWCETT, HENRY (1833-1884).--Statesman and economist, _b._ at Salisbury, and _ed._ at Camb., where he became Fellow of Trinity Hall. In 1858 he was blinded by a shooting accident, in spite of which he continued to prosecute his studies, especially in economics, and in 1863 _pub._ his _Manual of Political Economy_, becoming in the same year Prof. of Political Economy in Camb. Having strong political views he desired to enter upon a political career, and after repeated defeats was elected M.P. for Brighton. He soon attained a recognised position, devoting himself specially to parliamentary reform and Indian questions, and was in 1880 appointed Postmaster-General, in which office he approved himself a capable administrator. His career was, however, cut short by his premature death, but not before he had made himself a recognised authority on economics, his works on which include _The Economic Position of the British Labourer_ (1871), _Labour and Wages_, etc. In 1867 he _m._ Miss Millicent Garrett, a lady highly qualified to share in all his intellectual interests, and who collaborated with him in some of his publications. There is a life of him by Sir L. Stephen.

FAWKES, FRANCIS (1721-1777).--Poet and translator, _b._ near Doncaster, and _ed._ at Camb., after which he took orders. He translated Anacreon, Sappho, and other cla.s.sics, modernised parts of the poems of Gavin Douglas, and was the author of the well-known song, _The Brown Jug_, and of two poems, _Bramham Park_ and _Partridge Shooting_.

FELTHAM, OWEN (1602?-1668).--Religious writer, author of a book ent.i.tled _Resolves, Divine, Moral, and Political_ (_c._ 1620), containing 146 short essays. It had great popularity in its day. Though sometimes stiff and affected in style, it contains many sound, if not original or brilliant, reflections, and occasional felicities of expression. F. was for a time in the household of the Earl of Th.o.m.ond as chaplain or sec., and _pub._ (1652), _Brief Character of the Low Countries_.

FENTON, ELIJAH (1683-1730).--Poet and translator, _ed._ at Camb., for a time acted as sec. to the Earl of Orrery in Flanders, and was then Master of Sevenoaks Grammar School. In 1707 he _pub._ a book of poems. He is best known, however, as the a.s.sistant of Pope in his translation of the _Odyssey_, of which he Englished the first, fourth, nineteenth, and twentieth books, catching the manner of his master so completely that it is hardly possible to distinguish between their work; while thus engaged he _pub._ (1723) a successful tragedy, _Marianne_. His latest contributions to literature were a _Life of Milton_, and an ed. of _Waller's Poems_ (1729).

FERGUSON, ADAM (1723-1816).--Philosopher and historian, _s._ of the parish minister of Logierait, Perthshire, studied at St. Andrews and Edin. Univ., in the latter of which he was successively Professor of Mathematics, and Moral Philosophy (1764-1785). As a young man he was chaplain to the 42nd Regiment, and was present at the Battle of Fontenoy.

In 1757 he was made Keeper of the Advocates' Library. As a Prof. of Philosophy he was highly successful, his cla.s.s being attended by many distinguished men no longer students at the Univ. In 1778-9 he acted as sec. to a commission sent out by Lord North to endeavour to reach an accommodation with the American colonists. F.'s princ.i.p.al works are _Essay on the History of Civil Society_ (1765), _Inst.i.tutes of Moral Philosophy_ (1769), _History of the Progress and Termination of the Roman Republic_ (1782), and _Principles of Moral and Political Science_ (1792), all of which have been translated into French and German. F. spent his later years at St. Andrews, where he _d._ in 1816 at the age of 92. He was an intimate friend of Sir Walter Scott. The French philosopher Cousin gave F. a place above all his predecessors in the Scottish school of philosophy.

FERGUSON, SIR SAMUEL (1810-1886).--Poet and antiquary, _b._ at Belfast, the _s._ of parents of Scottish extraction, he was _ed._ at Trinity Coll., Dublin, from which he received in 1865 the honorary degree of LL.D. He practised with success as a barrister, became Q.C. in 1859, and Deputy Keeper of the Irish Records 1867, an appointment in which he rendered valuable service, and was knighted in 1878. He was a contributor to _Blackwood's Magazine_, in which appeared his best known poem, _The Forging of the Anchor_, and was one of the chief promoters of the Gaelic revival in Irish literature. His _coll._ poems appeared under the t.i.tle of _Lays of the Western Gael_ (1865), _Congal, an epic poem_ (1872), and his prose tales posthumously (1887), as _Hibernian Nights'

Entertainments_. His princ.i.p.al antiquarian work was _Ogham Inscriptions in Ireland, Wales, and Scotland_.

FERGUSSON, JAMES (1808-1886).--Writer on architecture, _b._ at Ayr, was engaged in commercial pursuits in India, where he became interested in the architecture of the country, and _pub._ his first work, _Picturesque Ill.u.s.trations of Ancient Architecture in Hindustan_ (1840), which was followed by _An Historical Inquiry into the True Principles of Beauty in Art_ (1849), and _A History of Architecture in all Countries from the Earliest Times to the Present Day_ (1865-67). He also wrote _Fire and Serpent Worship_, etc., and a book on the use of earthworks in fortification.

FERGUSSON, ROBERT (1750-1774).--Scottish poet, _s._ of a bank clerk, was _ed._ at the Univ. of St. Andrews. His _f._ dying, he became a copying clerk in an Edin. lawyer's office. Early displaying a talent for humorous descriptive verse, he contributed to _Ruddiman's Weekly Magazine_, then the princ.i.p.al Scottish receptacle for fugitive poetry. His verses, however, attracted attention by their merit, and he _pub._ some of them in a _coll._ form. Unfortunately he fell into dissipated habits, under which his delicate const.i.tution gave way, and he _d._ insane in his 24th year. His poems influenced Burns, who greatly admired them.

FERRIER, JAMES FREDERICK (1808-1864).--Metaphysician, _b._ in Edin., and _ed._ there and at Oxf., he was called to the Scottish Bar in 1832, but devoted himself to literature and philosophy. In 1842 he was appointed Prof. of History in Edin., and in 1845 translated to the Chair of Moral Philosophy and Political Economy at St. Andrews. He _pub._ in 1854 _Inst.i.tutes of Metaphysics_, and ed. the _coll._ works of his father-in-law, Prof. Wilson ("Christopher North.")

FERRIER, SUSAN EDMONSTOUNE (1782-1854).--Novelist, _dau._ of James F., one of the princ.i.p.al clerks of the Court of Session, in which office he was the colleague of Sir Walter Scott. Miss F. wrote three excellent novels, _Marriage_ (1818), _The Inheritance_ (1824), and _Destiny_ (1831), all characterised by racy humour and acute character-painting.

Her cheerful and tactful friendship helped to soothe the last days of Sir W. Scott.

FIELD, NATHANIEL (1587-1633).--Dramatist and actor, was one of "the children of the Queen's Revels," who performed in Ben Jonson's _Cynthia's Revels_ in 1600. He wrote _A Woman's a Weatherc.o.c.k_ (1612), _Amends for Ladies_ (1618), and (with Ma.s.singer) _The Fatal Dowry_ (1632).

FIELDING, HENRY (1707-1754).--Novelist, was _b._ at Sharpham Park, near Glas...o...b..ry. His father was General Edmund F., descended from the Earls of Denbigh and Desmond, and his mother was the _dau._ of Sir Henry Gould of Sharpham Park. His childhood was spent at East Stour, Dorset, and his education was received at first from a tutor, after which he was sent to Eton. Following a love affair with a young heiress at Lyme Regis he was sent to Leyden to study law, where he remained until his _f._, who had entered into a second marriage, and who was an extravagant man, ceased to send his allowance. Thrown upon his own resources, he came to London and began to write light comedies and farces, of which during the next few years he threw off nearly a score. The drama, however, was not his true vein, and none of his pieces in this kind have survived, unless _Tom Thumb_, a burlesque upon his contemporary playwrights, be excepted. About 1735 he _m._ Miss Charlotte Cradock, a beautiful and amiable girl to whom, though he gave her sufficient cause for forbearance, he was devotedly attached. She is the prototype of his "Amelia" and "Sophia."

She brought him 1500, and the young couple retired to East Stour, where he had a small house inherited from his mother. The little fortune was, however, soon dissipated; and in a year he was back in London, where he formed a company of comedians, and managed a small theatre in the Haymarket. Here he produced successfully _Pasquin, a Dramatic Satire on the Times_, and _The Historical Register for 1736_, in which Walpole was satirised. This enterprise was brought to an end by the pa.s.sing of the Licensing Act, 1737, making the _imprimatur_ of the Lord Chamberlain necessary to the production of any play. F. thereupon read law at the Middle Temple, was called to the Bar in 1740, and went the Western Circuit. The same year saw the publication of Richardson's _Pamela_, which inspired F. with the idea of a parody, thus giving rise to his first novel, _Joseph Andrews_. As, however, the characters, especially Parson Adams, developed in his hands, the original idea was laid aside, and the work a.s.sumed the form of a regular novel. It was _pub._ in 1742, and though sharing largely in the same qualities as its great successor, _Tom Jones_, its reception, though encouraging, was not phenomenally cordial. Immediately after this a heavy blow fell on F. in the death of his wife. The next few years were occupied with writing his _Miscellanies_, which contained, along with some essays and poems, two important works, _A Journey from this World to the Next_, and _The History of Jonathan Wild the Great_, a grave satire; and he also conducted two papers in support of the Government, _The True Patriot_ and _The Jacobite Journal_, in consideration of which he was appointed Justice of the Peace for Middles.e.x and Westminster, and had a pension conferred upon him. In 1746 he set convention at defiance by marrying Mary MacDaniel, who had been his first wife's maid, and the nurse of his children, and who proved a faithful and affectionate companion. F. showed himself an upright, diligent, and efficient magistrate, and his _Inquiry into the Increase of Robbers_ (1751), with suggested remedies, led to beneficial results. By this time, however, the publication of his great masterpiece, _The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling_ (1749), had given him a place among the immortals. All critics are agreed that this book contains pa.s.sages offensive to delicacy, and some say to morality. This is often excused on the plea of the coa.r.s.er manners of the age; but a much stronger defence is advanced on the ground that, while other novelists of the time made immorality an incentive to merriment, F.'s treatment of such subjects, as Lowell has said, "shocks rather than corrupts," and that in his pages evil is evil. On the other hand, there is universal agreement as to the permanent interest of the types of character presented, the profound knowledge of life and insight into human nature, the genial humour, the wide humanity, the wisdom, and the n.o.ble and masculine English of the book. His only other novel, _Amelia_, which some, but these a small minority, have regarded as his best, was _pub._ in 1751. His health was now thoroughly broken, and in 1753, as a forlorn hope, he went in search of restoration to Lisbon, where he _d._ on October 8, and was buried in the English cemetery. His last work was a _Journal_ of his voyage. Though with many weaknesses and serious faults, F. was fundamentally a man of honest and masculine character, and though improvident and reckless in his habits, especially in earlier life, he was affectionate in his domestic relations, and faithful and efficient in the performance of such public duties as he was called to discharge.

Thackeray thus describes his appearance, "His figure was tall and stalwart, his face handsome, manly, and n.o.ble-looking; to the last days of his life he retained a grandeur of air and, though worn down by disease, his aspect and presence imposed respect upon people round about him."

SUMMARY.--_B._ 1707, _ed._ Eton, studied law at Leyden, came to London and wrote dramas, called to Bar 1740, _pub._ _Joseph Andrews_ 1742, became journalist, appointed a magistrate for Middles.e.x, etc., and _pub._ _Inquiry into Increase of Robbers_ 1751, _pub._ _Tom Jones_ 1749, _Amelia_ 1751, _d._ at Lisbon 1754.

His works are included in Ballantyne's Novelists' Library with a biography by Scott (1821). An ed. in 10 vols. with a study by L. Stephen was _pub._ by Smith, Elder and Co. (1882); another in 12 vols. by Prof.

Saintsbury, Dent and Co. (1893), and various others. There are various Lives by Watson (1807). Lawrence (1855), and A. Dobson (Men of Letters, 1883).

FIELDING, SARAH (1710-1768).--Novelist, was the sister of the above, who had a high opinion of her talents. She wrote several novels, including _David Simple_ (1744), _The Governess_, and _The Countess_ of _Dellwyn_.

She also translated Xenophon's _Memorabilia_ and _Apologia_ (1762).

FILMER, SIR ROBERT (_d._ 1653?).--Political writer, _s._ of Sir Edward F., of East Sutton, Kent, was _ed._ at Camb. He was an enthusiastic Royalist, was knighted by Charles I. and, in 1671, was imprisoned in Leeds Castle, Kent. He is notable as the defender, in its most extreme form, of the doctrine of the divine right of kings, which he expounded in a succession of works, of which the latest and best known, _Patriarcha_, appeared in 1679. His theory is founded on the idea that the government of a family by the father is the original and method of all government.

His doctrines were afterwards attacked by Locke in his _Treatise on Government_. He was opposed to the persecution of old women for supposed witchcraft.

FINLAY, GEORGE (1799-1875).--Historian, of Scottish descent, was _b._ at Faversham, Kent, where his _f._, an officer in the army, was inspector of government powder mills. Intended for the law, he was _ed._ at Glasgow, Gottingen, and Edin., but becoming an enthusiast in the cause of Greece, he joined Byron in the war of independence, and thereafter bought a property near Athens, where he settled and busied himself with schemes for the improvement of the country, which had little success. His _History of Greece_, produced in sections between 1843 and 1861, did not at first receive the recognition which its merits deserved, but it has since been given by students in all countries, and specially in Germany, a place among works of permanent value, alike for its literary style and the depth and insight of its historical views. It was re-issued in 1877 as _A History of Greece from the Roman Conquest to the Present Time_ (146 B.C. _to_ 1864).

FISHER, JOHN (_c._ 1469-1535).--Controversialist and scholar, _b._ at Beverley, and _ed._ at Camb., entered the Church, and became in 1504 Bishop of Rochester. He wrote in Latin against the doctrines of the Reformation, but was a supporter of the New Learning, and endeavoured to get Erasmus to teach Greek at Camb. Through his influence the Lady Margaret Professorship of Divinity were founded at both the Univ. by Margaret Countess of Richmond, and in 1502 he became first prof. at Camb., where he was also (1505-8) Head of Queen's Coll. He was also instrumental in founding Christ's and St. John's Coll. For opposing the divorce proceedings of Henry VIII. he was burned. Made a cardinal in 1535, he was beatified in 1886.

FISKE, JOHN (1842-1901).--Miscellaneous writer, was _b._ at Hartford, Connecticut. The family name was Green; but this he dropped, and adopted that of his mother's family. After being at Harvard he studied for, and was admitted to, the Bar, but did not practise. He wrote on a variety of subjects, including mythology, history, and evolution. Among his books on these subjects are, _Myths and Mythmakers_ (1872), _Cosmic Philosophy_, _Darwinism_, _The Idea of G.o.d_, _Origin of Evil_. He was also the author of many works on America. These include _Old Virginia_, _New France and New England_, _The American Revolution_, and _Discovery of America_ (1892).

FITZGERALD, EDWARD (1809-1883).--Translator and letter-writer, was _b._ near Woodbridge, Suffolk, _s._ of John Purcell, who took his wife's surname on the death of her _f._. in 1818. He was _ed._ at Bury St.

Edmunds and Camb. Thereafter he lived in retirement and study with his parents until 1838, when he took a neighbouring cottage. In 1856 he _m._ a _dau._ of Bernard Barton, the poet, from whom, however, he soon separated. Afterwards he lived at various places in the East of England, continuing his studies, with yachting for his chief recreation. By this time, however, he had become an author, having written a life of his father-in-law prefixed to his _coll._ poems (1849), _Euphranor_, a dialogue on youth (1851), and _Polonius, a Collection of Wise Saws and Modern Instances_ (1852). Becoming interested in Spanish literature, he _pub._ translations of _Six Dramas of Calderon_. Thereafter turning his attention to Persian, he produced (1859), anonymously, his famous translation of the _Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam_. He also _pub._ translations of the _Agamemnon_ of aeschylus, and the _Oedipus Tyrannus_ and _Oedipus Coloneus_ of Sophocles. In his translations F. aimed not so much at a mere literal reproduction of the sense of the original, as at reproducing its effect on the reader, and in this he was extraordinarily successful. In the department of letter-writing also he attained an excellence perhaps unequalled in his day.

FITZSTEPHEN, WILLIAM (_d._ 1190).--Was a servant of Thomas a Becket, witnessed his murder, and wrote his biography, which contains an interesting account of London in the 12th century.

FLAVEL, JOHN (1627-1691).--Divine, _b._ at Bromsgrove, studied at Oxf., was a Presbyterian, and was settled at Dartmouth, but ejected from his living in 1662, continuing, however, to preach there secretly. He was a voluminous and popular author. Among his works are _Husbandry Spiritualised_ and _Navigation Spiritualised_, t.i.tles which suggest some of his characteristics as an expositor.

FLECKNOE, RICHARD (_d._ 1678).--Poet, said to have been an Irish priest.

He wrote several plays, now forgotten, also miscellaneous poems, some of them sacred, and a book of travels. His name has been preserved in Dryden's satire, _MacFlecknoe_, as "throughout the realms of nonsense absolute;" but according to some authorities his slighter pieces were not wanting in grace and fancy.

FLETCHER, ANDREW (1655-1716).--Scottish statesman and political writer, _s._ of Sir Robert F. of Saltoun, East Lothian, to which estate he succeeded at an early age. He was _ed._ under the care of Bishop Burnet, who was then minister of Saltoun. Being firmly opposed to the arbitrary measures of the Duke of York, afterwards James II., he went to Holland, where he joined Monmouth, whom he accompanied on his ill-starred expedition. Happening to kill, in a quarrel, one Dare, another of the Duke's followers, he fled to the Continent, travelled in Spain and Hungary, and fought against the Turks. After the Revolution he returned to Scotland, and took an active part in political affairs. He opposed the Union, fearing the loss of Scottish independence, and advocated federation rather than incorporation. He introduced various improvements in agriculture. His princ.i.p.al writings are _Discourse of Government_ (1698), _Two Discourses concerning the Affairs of Scotland_ (1698), _Conversation concerning a right Regulation of Government for the Common Good of Mankind_ (1703), in which occurs his well-known saying, "Give me the making of the songs of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws."

FLETCHER, GILES, AND PHINEAS (1588?-1623) (1582-1650).--Poets, were the sons of Giles F., himself a minor poet, and Envoy to Russia. Phineas, the elder, was _ed._ at Eton and Camb., and entered the Church, becoming Rector of Hilgay, Norfolk. He wrote _The Purple Island_ (1633), a poem in 10 books, giving an elaborate allegorical description of the body and mind of man, which, though tedious and fanciful, contains some fine pa.s.sages, recalling the harmonious sweetness of Spenser, whose disciple the poet was. He was also the author of _Piscatory Dialogues_. GILES, the younger, was also _ed._ at Camb., and, like his brother, became a country parson, being Rector of Alderton. His poem, _Christ's Victory and Triumph_ (1610), which, though it contains pa.s.sages rising to sublimity, is now almost unknown except to students of English literature, is said to have influenced Milton.

Both brothers, but especially Giles, had a genuine poetic gift, but alike in the allegorical treatment of their subjects and the metre they adopted, they followed a style which was pa.s.sing away, and thus missed popularity. They were cousins of John F., the dramatist.

FLORENCE of WORCESTER (_d._ 1118).--Chronicler, was a monk of Worcester.