⁂ Several operas have been founded on these two comedies: e.g. Mozart’s Nozze di Figaro (1786); Paisiello’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia (1810); Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia (1816).

Fig´aro, the sweetheart of Susan (favorite waiting-woman of the Countess Almaviva). Figaro is never so happy as when he has two or three plots in hand.—T. Holcroft, The Follies of a Day (1745-1809).

=Fighting Prelate= (The), Henry Spencer, bishop of Norwich. He opposed the rebels under Wat Tyler with the temporal sword, absolved them, and then sent them to the gibbet. In 1383 he went to assist the burghers of Ghent in their contest with the count of Flanders.

The bishop of Norwich, the famous “Fighting Prelate,” had led an army into Flanders.—Lord Campbell.

=Filch=, a lad brought up as a pick-pocket. Mrs. Peachum says, “He hath as fine a hand at picking a pocket as a woman, and is as nimble-fingered as a juggler. If an unlucky session does not cut the rope of thy life, I pronounce, boy, thou wilt be a great man in history” (act i. 1).—Gay, The Beggar’s Opera (1727).

=Fi´ler=, a lean, churlish man, who takes poor Toby Veck’s tripe, and delivers him a homily on the sinfulness of luxury and self-indulgence.—C. Dickens, The Chimes (1844).

=Filia Doloro´sa=, the Duchess d’Angoulême, daughter of Louis XVI. Also called “The Modern Antig´onê” (1778-1851).

=Fillan=, son of Fingal and Clatho, the most highly finished character in the poem of Tem´ora. Fillan was younger than his nephew Oscar, and does not appear on the scene until after Oscar’s death. He is rash and fiery, eager for military glory, and brave as a lion. When Fingal appointed Gaul to command for the day, Fillan had hoped his father’s choice might have fallen to his own lot. “On his spear stood the son of Clatho ... thrice he raised his eyes to Fingal; his voice thrice failed him as he spoke ... He strode away; bent over a distant stream ... the tear hung in his eye. He struck at times the thistle’s head with his inverted spear.” Yet showed he no jealousy, for when Gaul was in danger, he risked his own life to save him. Next day was Fillan’s turn to lead, and his deeds were unrivalled in dash and brilliancy. He slew Foldath, the general of the opposing army, but when Cathmor, “Lord of Atha,” the commander-in-chief, came against him, Fillan fell. His modesty was then as prominent as his bravery. “Lay me,” he said to Ossian, “in that hollow rock. Raise no stone above me ... I am fallen in the first of my fields, fallen without renown.” Every incident of Fillan’s life is beautiful in the extreme.—Ossian, Temora, v.

=Filippo= (Don). In love with Camilla, heroine of Signor Monaldini’s Niece. His wife is insane, and he suffers himself to become enamored of this young girl, who repels him with holy, heroic words. His conscience comes to his aid when she appeals to him. While he hesitates to speak the words of parting, she springs into a pool beside them, and is to all appearance drowned. While she lies unconscious, a telegram is brought, saying that his wife is dead. Camilla revives, after a long period of insensibility, and all is well.—Mary Agnes Tincker, Signor Monaldini’s Niece, (1879).

=Fillpot= (Toby), a thirsty old soul, who “among jolly topers bore off the bell.” It chanced as in dog-days he sat boosing in his arbor, that he died “full as big as a Dorchester butt.” His body turned to clay, and out of the clay a brown jug was made, sacred to friendship, mirth, and mild ale.

His body, when long in the ground it had lain, And time into clay had resolved it again, A potter found out in its covert so snug, And with part of fat Toby he formed this brown jug, Now sacred to friendship, to mirth, and mild ale. So here’s to my lovely sweet Nan of the vale. Rev. Francis Fawkes (1721-1777).

⁂ The two best drinking songs in the language were both by clergymen. The other is, I Cannot Eat but Little Meat, by John Still, bishop of Bath and Wells (1534-1607).

=Filome´na= (Santa). At Pisa the church of San Francisco contains a chapel lately dedicated to Santa Filomena. Over the altar is a picture by Sabatelli, which represents Filomena as a nymph-like figure floating down from heaven, attended by two angels bearing the lily, the palm, and a javelin. In the fore-ground are the sick and maimed, healed by her intercession.

Nor ever shall be wanting here The palm, the lily, and the spear: The symbols that of yore St. Filomena bore Longfellow, St. Filomena.

⁂ Longfellow calls Florence Nightingale “St. Filomena” (born at Florence, 1820).

=Finality John,= Lord John Russell (afterwards “Earl Russell”), who maintained that the Reform Bill of 1832 was a finality (1792-1878).

=Finch= (Margaret), queen of the gypsies, who died aged 109, a.d. 1740. She was born at Sutton, in Kent, and was buried at Beckenham, in the same county.

Finch (Lucilla). Blind girl whose sight is restored for a little while. The man she has loved while blind has received injuries that make him repulsive to the eye. His crafty brother contrives that the girl shall mistake him for her betrothed. A series of complications has a climax in the return of Miss Finch’s blindness, after which matters resume the former course and she marries the right man.—Wilkie Collins, Poor Miss Finch.

=Fine-ear,= one of the seven attendants of Fortunio. He could hear the grass grow, and even the wool on the sheep’s back.—Comtesse D’Aunoy, Fairy Tales (“Fortunio,” 1682).

⁂ In Grimm’s Goblin’s is the same fairy tale (“Fortunio”).

=Fin´etor,= a necromancer, father of the Enchantress Damsel.—Vasco de Lobeira, Amadis de Gaul (thirteenth century).

=Finetta,= “the cinder girl,” a fairy tale by the Comtesse D’Aunoy (1682). This is merely the old tale of Cinderella slightly altered. Finetta was the youngest of three princesses, despised by them, and put to all sorts of menial work. The two sisters went to balls, and left Finetta at home in charge of the house. One day she found a gold key, which opened a wardrobe full of most excellent dresses; so arraying herself in one, she followed her sisters to the ball, but she was so fine that they knew her not, and she ran home before them. This occurred two or three times, but at last, in running home, she lost one of her slippers. The young prince resolved to marry her whose foot fitted the slipper, and Finetta became his wife. Finetta was also called Auricula or “Fine-ear.”

=Fingal= (or Fion na Gael).

His father was Comhal or Combal, and his mother Morna.

(Comhal was the son of Trathal, king of Morven, and Morna was the daughter of Thaddu.)

His first wife was Roscrana, mother of Ossian. His second was Clatho, mother of Fillan, etc.

(Roscrana was the daughter of Cormac I. third king of Ireland).

His daughter was Bosmi´na, and his sons Ossian, Fillan, Ryno, and Fergus. (The son of Ossian was Oscar.)

(Fillan was younger than his nephew Oscar, and both, together with Ryno, were slain in battle before Fingal died.)

His bard and herald was Ullin. His sword Luno, so called from its maker, Luno of Locklin (Denmark).

His kingdom was Morven (The northwest coast of Scotland); his capital Semo; his subjects were Caledonians or Gaels.

After the restoration of Ferad-Artho to the throne of Ireland, Fingal “resigned his spear to Ossian,” and died A.D. 283.

Fingal, an epic in six books, by Ossian. The subject is the invasion of Ireland by Swaran, king of Lochlin (Denmark) during the reign of Cormac II. (a minor), and its deliverance by the aid of Fingal, king of Morven (northwest coast of Scotland). The poem opens with the overthrow of Cuthullin, general of the Irish forces, and concludes with the return of Swaran to his own land.

=Finger.= “Little finger tell me true.” When M. Argan wishes to pump his little daughter Louison, respecting a young gentleman who pays attentions to her elder sister, he says to the child, “Prenez-y bien garde au moins; car voilà un petit doigt, qui sait tout, qui me dira si vous mentez.” When the child has told him all she knows, he puts his little finger to his ear and says, “Voilà mon petit doigt pourtant qui gronde quelque chose. Attendez! Hé! Ah, ah! Oui? Oh, oh! voila mon petit doigt, qui me dit quelque chose que vous avez vu et que vous ne m’avez pas dit.” To which the child replies, “Ah! mon papa, votre petit doigt est un menteur.”—Molière, Le Malade Imaginaire, ii. 11 (1673).

=Finis Poloniæ.= These words are attributed (but without sufficient authority) to Koscziusko the Pole, when he lay wounded by the balls of Suwaroff’s troops on the field of Maciejowieze (October 10, 1794).

Percé de coups, Koscziusko s’écria en tombant “Finis Poloniæ.”—Michaud, Biographie Universelle.

=Finlayson= (Luckie), landlady of the lodgings in the Canongate of Edinburgh.—Sir W. Scott, Guy Mannering (time, George II.).

=Fin´niston= (Duncan), a tenant of the laird of Gudgeonford.

Luckie Finniston, wife of Duncan.—Sir W. Scott, Guy Mannering (time, George II.).

=Fion= (son of Comnal), an enormous giant, who could place one foot on Mount Cromleach, in Ulster, and the other on Mount Crommal, close by, and then dip his hand in the river Lubar, which ran between.