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

was confined, but would not mitigate the sentence of "The Ten." His son, being banished to Candia, died, and Francis was deposed. As he descended the Giant Staircase he heard the bell toll for the election of his successor, and dropped down dead. (Byron; The Two Foscari.)
   Jacopo Foscari. Denounced by the Council of Ten for taking bribes of foreign powers. He was tried before his own father, confessed his guilt, and was banished. During his banishment a Venetian senator was murdered, and Jacopo, being suspected of complicity in the crime, was again tortured and banished. He returned to Venice, was once more brought before the council, subjected to torture, and banished to Candia, where in a few days he died.

"Nothing can sympathise with Foscari -
Not e'en a Foscari."
Byron: The Two Foscari.

Foss (Corporal). An attendant on Lieutenant Worthington. A similar character to Trim in Sterne's Tristram Shandy. (G. Colman: The Poor Gentleman.)

Foss-way One of the four principal highways made by the Romans in England, leading from Cornwall to Lincoln. It had a foss or ditch on each side of it. (See Ermine Street.)

Fossa et Furca [pit and gallows ]. An ancient privilege granted by the Crown to its vassals, to cast female felons into a ditch, and hang male ones on a gallows.
   According to Wharton (Law Dictionary), this furca is not the Latin word, but the Hebrew farkah, to divide. Hence also the servile tenure called Furcam et Flagellum.

Fossils Things dug up, animal and vegetable remains dug out of the earth. (Latin, fodio, to dig up.)

"Many other bodies, which, because we discover them by digging into the bowels of the earth, are called by one common name - fossils, under which are comprehended metals and minerals." [Not now.] - Locke.

Foster Brother or Sister. One brought up by the same nurse.
   A foster-child is one brought up by those who are not its real parents. (Saxon, fostrian, Danish fostrer, to nurse.)

Fou Drunk "Wilbraham has fou-drunk" - i.e. is despicably drunk, dead drunk. French, fou, "mad," as fou-enragé; or simply fu', i.e. "full," "intensive," as in full-oft, "full-well ye reject the commandment of God" (Mark vii. 9).

Foul Proof A proof is a rough impression of a manuscript set up in type, or of a drawing engraved, for the author's correction. The proof with many faults is a foul proof, but the "pull," after the errors are corrected, is termed a clean proof. These impressions are called proofs because they must be approved of by author and reader before they are finally printed.

Foul-weather Jack Commodore Byron, said to be as notorious for foul weather as Queen Victoria is for fine, (1723-1786.)
   Admiral Sir John Norris, who died 1746.

Fountain of Death In Jerusalem Delivered, the hermit tells Charles and Ubald of a fountain, the sight of which excites thirst, but those who taste its water die with laughter.
   Pomponius Mela speaks of a fountain in the Fortunate Islands, "Qui potavere risu solvuntur in mortem." Petrarch alludes to the same.
   These fountains symbolise the pleasures of sin.

Fountain of Youth A fountain supposed to possess the power of restoring youth. It was thought to be in one of the Bahama Islands.

Four Kings The History of the Four Kings (Livre des Quatre Rois). A pack of cards. In a French pack the four kings are Charlemagne, David, Alexander, and Caesar, representatives of the Franco-German, Jewish or Christian, Macedonian, and Roman monarchies.

Four Letters containing the name of God, and called by Rabbins "tetragrammaton." Thus, in Hebrew, JHVH (JeHoVaH); in Greek, Qeoz; in Latin, Deus; in French, Dieu; in Assyrian, Adat; Dutch, Godt; German, Gott; Danish, Godh; Swedish, Goth; Persian, Soru; Arabic, Alla; Cabalistic, Agla; Egyptian,