observance of which he had many friends, and not a single enemy, might rather show a disposition to tolerance than an epicurean indifference. These two axioms are—that everything is possible, and that everybody is right. He also said that if he had his hand full of truths, he should not open it. But this saying may be interpreted in a manner most honourable to him; for, if truth is salutary to men, surely men require to be prepared for truth. If madame de Tencin, pointing to his breast, told him that it was not heart which he had there, but brain, as in his head, this might be nothing more than a pleasant jest. Besides, a man who lived a hundred years, who had seen the culmination and then the overthrow of Louis XIV.'s power, who had seen France polluted by the regency, and brought into still deeper pollution by Louis XV., who had seen all faiths dying, and infidelity triumphant, could not, in his latter days, be expected to be very susceptible of emotion. Fontanelle's numerous works, destitute as they are of living substance and rich spontaneousness, cannot be snatched from the oblivion into which they are falling. Three merits have been claimed for Fontenelle—That he was the first to popularize science, the first to teach and to illustrate the encyclopædic treatment of science, and that by propounding eclecticism he dulled the edge of persecution. Let not, then, mankind be ungrateful to him, or unkind in judgments of him. Every man must be estimated by the light of his individuality, and the light of his time. Fontenelle was not naturally earnest, and the first part of his life had been spent in an age of hypocrisy, the second in an age of frivolity.—W. M—l.
FONTETTE. See Fevret.
FONTEYRAUD, Alcide, a French writer on political economy, was born in the Mauritius in 1822, and died of cholera at Paris in 1849. He was educated in France, and subsequently lectured on history, literature, and political economy, in the école du commerce. Fonteyraud, who was a zealous advocate of free-trade principles, came over to England in 1845, for the purpose of lending his aid to the efforts of the free-traders. His premature death was regarded as a loss to the science he had so ably advocated. He contributed to several of the economist journals of his day, and translated part of the writings of Ricardo and Malthus—R. M., A.
FONTRAILLES, Louis d'Astarac, Marquis de Marestang, Vicomte de, a Gascon gentleman of brilliant parts and of some political note in the time of Richelieu. He was implicated in the conspiracy in which Cinq Mavs and the son of the historian De Thou played so prominent a part, but saved his neck by a timely flight into England, where he remained till after the death of the cardinal. After his return he was again at his old game of intrigue and faction. He died in 1677. He has left a most curious "Relation des choses particulières de la cour arrivées pendant la faveur de M. de Cinq Mars, grand-ecuyer, avec sa mort et celle de M. de Thou."—R. M., A.
FONVIELLE, Bernard-François Anne, born at Toulouse in 1759; died in 1837. He was first known as a violent republican, but soon changed his language, and in the early days of the Revolution preached royalism, not without some effect, in the south of France. In 1794 he became one of the secret agents of Louis XVIII. In 1798 he wrote some pamphlets in support of the consular government, and obtained from Bonaparte a place in the war office, and afterwards in the bank of France. On the return of the Bourbons he was displaced, and left to neglect and distress. Besides political essays, Fonvielle published many poetical and dramatic pieces.—J. A., D.
FOOT, Jesse, an eminent English surgeon, born at Charlton in Wiltshire in 1744; died at Ilfracombe in Devonshire in 1827. On his return from St. Petersburg, where he practised for a long period with great success, he became surgeon to the Middlesex hospital. Besides some professional treatises, he published a "Life of John Hunter;" "Life of A. R. Bowes and the Countess of Strathmore;" and a "Life of Arthur Murphy."—J. S., G.
FOOTE, Samuel, was born at Truro in Cornwall in the year 1720. His father, John, was a man of some station and good birth, was a justice of the peace, and member for the borough of Tiverton in Devonshire. Samuel's mother was sister of Sir John and Samuel Goodere, upon whose deaths (the latter having been hanged for the murder of the former) she inherited the family estates. From childhood Samuel exhibited great quickness of apprehension, and a keen sense of humour; and even when at Worcester school he displayed that surprising talent for mimicry which through life was his most distinguishing characteristic. Galt gives at length a very amusing story of his mimicking, when only twelve years old, his father and two other justices at sessions so inimitably as to delight his worthy parent. From school he was sent to Worcester college, Oxford, and placed under Dr. Gower the provost, upon whom he was incessantly exercising his wit in the way of practical jokes, many of which are still remembered. Foote's proficiency in college was not very distinguished, and he left it to study for the law, entering his name in the Temple. The law was little to the taste of so mercurial a genius, and he spent more time at the gambling table than in the library. The result was that he soon abandoned a profession so unsuitable to him, after having wasted his time and impaired his fortune. He was now just of age, and took it into his head to marry. His selection was not a happy one. The lady does not seem to have been in fault; she was gentle, forbearing, and amiable, and she adhered to him through all his vicissitudes; but her tastes were wholly uncongenial with his, and, as they had no family, the bonds of affection were all the weaker, and they did not live very harmoniously together. Foote now gave himself up to a gay life, and between improvident expenditure and his old vice of gaming soon spent the fortune his wife brought him. He was almost destitute, and so determined to turn his histrionic talents to account. Accordingly he went on the stage, making his début at the Haymarket in the character of Othello on the 6th February, 1744. From his antecedents it might be predicted safely that he would not shine in tragedy. He was advised to abandon that walk and try comedy. His Lord Foppington was not more successful. In the same year he went to Dublin, and the following he got an engagement at Drury Lane. Finding, however, that he was not happy in the characters of other playwrights, he conceived the notion of writing entertainments himself, which would give free scope to the exhibition of his peculiar talents. With this view he opened a small theatre in the Haymarket in 1747, where he came out in a piece which he called "The Diversions of the Morning," which gave him the opportunity of hitting off with great felicity the peculiarities of several well-known characters of the day. This performance, though not unopposed, was so well patronized that it held its ground. Foote conceived the idea of inviting the public "to tea," and the novelty was entirely successful. The mode of introducing his imitations was happy enough. He informed his guests that "he was training some young performers for the stage; he would, with their permission, whilst tea was preparing, proceed with his instructions before them." Thereupon Foote gave representations of all the principal actors of the day, hitting off the peculiarities of each both in speech and action with such satirical drollery, that his audience were as delighted as the actors were enraged. Foote had now found his true vocation, and he did not neglect it. "The Auction of Pictures" next year amused the public after the same fashion as much as the preceding entertainment. He attempted after this a piece called "The Knight," which approximated in construction to a regular drama, still, however, giving scope for personal imitations. Several other of those little pieces followed, and amongst them that of "The Englishman returned from Paris," the circumstances connected with the production of which are not very creditable to him. Murphy, who was intimate with Foote, returned from a visit to Paris in 1755, and confidentially communicated to Foote a play which he was preparing under that title. Foote at once seized the idea, availed himself of the suggestions of Murphy, and actually anticipated him in the production of his piece. Murphy was naturally indignant at this shameful conduct, but Foote only laughed while he could not justify his act. Foote again visited Dublin in 1758, in company with Tato Wilkinson, a man who was at least the equal, and in Garrick's estimation the superior of Foote as a mimic, and to the delight of the audience, though not at all of Foote, imitated him on the stage to perfection. In 1762 Foote conceived the idea of imitating the great giant of literature. Dr. Johnson, and for that purpose composed "The Orators." The doctor having got intelligence beforehand, had it intimated to Foote that he would seat himself in front of the stage with a stout oaken cudgel and administer public punishment upon him. Foote wisely determined not to provoke the wrath of Johnson; he therefore substituted for him one whose peculiarities afforded ample room for his satirical powers. This was no other than George Faulkner, the celebrated Dublin printer, who had been over in London.
