on the question, Whether man gives more occasion to woman to sin, or the reverse? It is supposed by some to have suggested portions of the Tempest. It was early translated into French and English.—F. M. W.
FLOREZ, Enrique, a celebrated Spanish archæologist and numismatist, born at Valladolid in 1701; died in 1773. At twelve years old he entered the order of St. Augustine, and devoted himself to a series of works on the civil and ecclesiastical history of Spain. We have from his pen a "Course of Theology," in five volumes; "Historical Key" (a system of chronology); and a work entitled "España Sagrada," a geographical and historical sketch of the church in Spain. He is more generally known by a work on the medals and coins of Spain. He has also written a history of the catholic queens, and a treatise on botany and the natural sciences.—F. M. W.
FLOREZ ESTRADA, Alvaro, a Spanish political economist, born in Asturias in 1769. He studied at the universities of Oviedo and Valladolid. In the year 1808 he was appointed procurador-general—the chief authority of the province—and in that capacity was the first to declare war against Napoleon. He has written an introduction to the History of the War of Independence; an "Examination of the Question between the American Colonies and the Mother Country;" a "Comparison of the Catholic with the Protestant Clergy;" and, more celebrated than these, "Memorials to Ferdinand VII., pointing out all his errors," 1818. His "Course of Political Economy," in four volumes, is an exposition of the principles first laid down by Adam Smith, with special application to the state of affairs brought about in Spain by the neglect of them.—F. M. W.
FLORIAN, Jean Pierre Claris de, born at Florian, Languedoc, in 1755; died in 1794. At an early period of his life he fell in with a French translation of the Iliad, and in a few years after was presented to Voltaire, one of whose nieces was married to an elder brother of his father. This connection led to his being admitted as page into the establishment of the duc de Penthievre. In 1783 he published his "Galatée," and in 1786 his "Numa Pompilius"—a book popular in female schools. In 1788 he published his "Estelle," a pastoral romance, and about the same time his "Mélanges de poesie et de litterature." Among these were his "Fables," which have obtained praise at least equal to their merits. They are written in a style always pleasant, often graceful. In 1791 he published his "Gonsalve de Cordoue ou Grenade reconquise." The plan is well conceived, the interest throughout sustained, and a number of episodes skilfully connected with the main story. It is, however, very unequally written, in parts elaborated to the utmost of the writer's power, while parts seem to have been hastily thrown off and never retouched. A historical account of the Moors in Spain forms an appropriate preface to "Gonsalve." Florian was passionately fond of the theatre, had himself great talents for acting, and was fond of appearing in the character of Harlequin, that is, in the Harlequin of his own comedies, which may be said to be his own creation, as, to the ordinary buffoonery of the character, he added some sentimental traits. Florian was a member of several literary academies of Italy and Spain, and in 1788 became a member of the French Academy. Florian, at the period of the Revolution, unluckily had some acquaintance with a nobleman, which was enough to enable the committee of public safety to charge him with incivism. It was remembered too that he had written a few lines prefixed to his "Numa Pompilius" complimentary to the queen. He was imprisoned. Robespierre's fall released him, but he died in the following year. Some posthumous works of his were published, one a translation of Don Quixote. Florian's mother was a Castilian, and he knew the language well. His Don Quixote, however, can scarcely be called a translation, so much is it abridged. The solemn humour of the original is lost, and the whole is made to accommodate itself to Florian's notion of the taste of the public for whom he was writing. The pieces of poetry scattered through the work are very gracefully imitated. Among the posthumous works is one published in 1807, "La jeunesse de Florian ou memoires d'un jeune Espagnol," a biographical romance, founded on some of the incidents of the author's own life.—J. A., D.
FLORIANUS, M. Annius, a half-brother by the mother's side of the Emperor Tacitus, upon whose death, in 276, he usurped the purple, and obtained from the senate and the armies of the west a recognition of his authority. This was contested by Probus, whom the Syrian legions had elected emperor, and after a short and unsuccessful struggle, Florianus perished at Tarsus, after a reign of about three months.—R. B.
FLORIDA BLANCA, Jose Monino, Count of, prime minister of Charles III. of Spain, was born at Hellin in Murcia in 1728 or 1730, his father being a respectable notary. Through the protection of the powerful family of Osuna, young Moñino attracted the notice of the minister Esquilache, and he further distinguished himself by his vigorous writings against the jesuits. In 1772 he was appointed ambassador at Rome, and was successful in extorting from Clement XIV. the bull which destroyed the power of the jesuits (21st July, 1773). In 1775 he took part in the election of Pius VI. to the papacy. Shortly afterwards he was recalled, with the title of Count of Florida Blanca, to succeed Grimaldo in the onerous post of minister of state (Foreign affairs), with which was combined the portfolio of grace and justice, and the oversight of many matters of domestic policy which stood in great need of reform. His administration was vigorous and directed towards the enlightenment of the people. Many of the existing schools of art, and the free public schools in various parts of Spain owe their origin to him. He devoted also great attention to adorning and extending the city of Madrid, and the improvement of the post roads throughout the kingdom. At first he met with a rancorous opposition from the nobility, whose arrogance he was continually compelled to repress; but in the general conduct of affairs he was modest and affable. The first important act of his administration was the conclusion of peace with Portugal, and a favourite object of his policy was to unite the two kingdoms by a double marriage, which might result in placing a Spanish prince on the throne of Portugal, an object which was not attained. The fatal policy, however, which he embraced, or at least could not avert, was the cause of countless disasters to Spain. He was not the man to comprehend the French revolution, and, when the insurgent colonies of Great Britain in North America sought the alliance of France, Spain also was involved in the league. It is computed that the siege of Algiers in 1777, and that of Gibraltar in 1782, cost Spain not less than eighty thousand lives. A five years' war was at length concluded on terms not dishonourable to Spain, without, however, the darling object of his ambition, the acquisition of Gibraltar, being realized. Shortly before the death of Charles III. the minister presented a memorial setting forth the principles of his administration, and the success which had attended it. This document may be found in Coxe's Memoirs of the Kings of Spain under the House of Bourbon. The king before his death bestowed on Florida Blanca the cross instituted by himself, and refused to allow him to resign his offices. Under Charles IV. his career was more difficult. His life was several times attempted, although it has been asserted that many of these occurrences were in fact devised by himself, to regain his popularity. Certain it is that, in the latter part of his administration, he increased his efforts for the promotion of commerce. In 1792 he was forced to yield to a coalition against him, and retired into Murcia, and for a short time was confined in the citadel of Pamplona. In 1808 he again took part in public affairs, and was nominated on the 25th September president of the supreme junta at Aranjuez. But he did not live to discharge this function, which probably would have afforded him little satisfaction. He died at Seville on the 20th December in the same year. He was never married.—F. M. W.
FLORIO, John, an Anglo-Italian lexicographer and translator, was born in London about 1545, of Italian parents, who, being Waldensians, had taken refuge in England. It may be noted that we have record of a Michelangelo Florio who was preacher to the congregation of Italian protestants in London in 1550 or 1551, and he possibly may have been the father of the lexicographer. On the death of Edward VI., and accession of Queen Mary, Florio's parents left England and, says Anthony Wood vaguely, "went to another country," probably France, "where Florio received his puerile literature." At the accession of Queen Elizabeth the Florios returned to England, and John became resident at Oxford, presumably as a language-master. It is certain that about 1576, Barnes, bishop of Durham, a prelate of puritan tendencies, appointed Florio to be Italian and French tutor to his son, a student of Magdalene college. Eventually, in 1581, Florio having matriculated became a member of Magdalene college, and taught French and Italian to "certain scholars in the university," doubtless of the higher
