Chapter Fortunate Islands to Fourierism of F by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Fortunate Islands to Fourierism

Fortunate Islands Now called the Canaries.

Fortunatus You have found Fortunatus's purse. Are in luck's way. The nursery tale of Fortunatus records that he had an inexhaustible purse. It is from the Italian fairy tales of Straparola, called Nights. Translated into French in 1585. (See Wishing-Cap.)

Fortune Fortune favours the brave. ("Fortes fortuna adjuvat.") (Terence: Phormio, i. 4.)

Fortunio The assumed name of a damsel, youngest of three sisters, who dressed herself as a cavalier to save her aged father, who was summoned to the army. Fortunio on the way engaged seven servants: Strong- back, who could carry on his back enough liquor to fill a river; Lightfoot, who could traverse any distance in no time; Marksman, who could hit an object at any distance; Fine-ear, who could hear anything, no matter where uttered; Boisterer, who could do any amount of cudgelling; Gourmand, who could eat any amount of food; and Tippler, who could drink a river dry and thirst again. Fortunio, having rendered invaluable services to King Alfourite, by the aid of her seven servants, at last married him. (Grimm's Goblins: Fortunio. Countess D'Aulnoy: Fairy Tales.)

Forty A superstitious number, arising from the Scripture use. Thus Moses was forty days in the mount; Elijah was forty days fed by ravens; the rain of the flood fell forty days, and another forty days expired before Noah opened the window of the ark; forty days was the period of embalming; Nineveh had forty days to repent; our Lord fasted forty days; He was seen forty days after His resurrection; etc.
   St. Swithin betokens forty days' rain or dry weather; a quarantine extends to forty days; forty days, in the Old English law, was the limit for the payment of the fine for manslaughter; the privilege of sanctuary was for forty days; the widow was allowed to remain in her husband's house for forty days after his decease; a knight enjoined forty days' service of his tenant; a stranger, at the expiration of forty days was compelled to be enrolled in some tithing; members of Parliament were protected from arrest forty days after the prorogation of the House, and forty days before the House was convened; a new-made burgess had to forfeit forty pence unless he built a house within forty days; etc., etc.
   The ancient physicians ascribe many strange changes to the period of forty; the alchemists looked on forty days as the charmed period when the philosopher's stone and elixir of life were to appear.
   Fool or physician at forty. (See under Fool.)

Forty Stripes save One The Jews were forbidden by the Mosaic law to inflict more than forty stripes on an offender, and for fear of breaking the law they stopped short of the number. If the scourge contained three lashes, thirteen strokes would equal "forty save one."
   Forty stripes save one. The thirty-nine articles of the Anglican Church.

Forty Thieves In the tale of Ali Baba'. (Arabian Nights' Entertainments.)

Forty Winks A short nap. Forty is an indefinite number, meaning a few. Thus, we say, "A, B, C, and forty more." Coriolanus says, "I could beat forty of them" (iii. 1). (See Forty.)

"The slave had forty thousand lives."
Shakespeare: Othello, iii. I.

"I loved Ophelia; forty thousand brothers
Could not, with all their quantity of love,
Make up my sum."
Shakespears: Hamlet, v. 1.

Forty-five No. 45. The celebrated number of Wilkes's North Britain, in which the Cabinet Ministers are accused of putting a lie into the king's mouth.

Forwards (Marshal). G.L. von Blücher was called Marschall Vorwarts, from his constant exhortation to his hussars in the campaigns preceding the great battle of Waterloo, Vorwärts! always Vorwärts! (1742- 1819.)

Foscari (Francis). Doge of Venice. He occupied the office for thirty-five years, added Brescia, Bergamo, Crema, and Ravenna to the Republic, greatly improved the city, and raised Venice to the pinnacle of its glory. Of his four sons only one, named Jacopo, survived: he was thrice tortured. Before his final banishment, the old doge, then eighty-four years of age, hobbled on crutches to the gaol where his son