Chapter Fitzborn to Flecknoe of F by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Fitzborn to Flecknoe

Fitzborn, in Vivian Grey, by Disraeli (lord Beaconsfield), is said to be meant for sir Robert Peel (1826–27).

Fitz-Fulke (Hebe duchess of), a “gracious, graceful, graceless grace” (canto xvi. 49), staying with lord a nd lady Amundeville , while don Juan “the Russian envoy” was their guest. Don Juan fancied he saw in the night the apparition of a monk, which produced such an effect on his looks and behaviour as to excite attention. When the cause of his perturbation was known, lady Adeline sang to him a tale purporting to explain the apparition; but “her frolic grace” at night personated the ghost to carry on the joke. She was, however, discovered by don Juan, who was resolved to penetrate the mystery, but what followed his discovery is not recorded; and thus the sixteenth and last book of Don Juan ends.—Byron: Don Juan (1824).

Fitzurse (Lord Waldemar) a baron in the suite of prince John of Anjou (brother of Richard Cœur de Lion).—Sir W. Scott: Ivanhoe (time, Richard I.).

Five, says Pythagoras, “has peculiar force in expiations. It is everything. It stops the power of poisons, and is redoubted by evil spirits. Unity or the monad is deity, or the first cause of all things—the good principle. Two or the dyad is the symbol of diversity—the evil principle. Three or the triad contains the mystery of mysteries, for everything is composed of three substances. It represents God, the soul of the world, and the spirit of man. Five is 2 + 3, or the combination of the first of the equals and the first of the unequals, hence also the combination of the good and evil powers of nature.”—Pythagoras: On the Pentad.

Five Kings of France, the five directors (1795).

The five kings of France sit in their curule chairs with their flesh-coloured breeches and regal mantles.—Atelier du Lys, ii.

Five Points of Doctrine (The): (1) Predestination or particular election; (2) Irresistible grace; (3) Original sin or the total depravity of the natural man; (4) Particular redemption; and (5) The final perseverance of the saints. The Calvinists believe the affirmative of all these five points.

Five-pound Note. De Quincy tried in vain to raise the loan of half a crown on the security of a five- pound note. I myself had a similar difficulty in a restaurant in London.

Five Wits (The): common wit, imagination, fantasy, estimation, and memory.

1. Common wit is that inward sense which judges what the five senses simply discern: thus the eye sees, the nose smells, the ear hears, and so on, but it is “common wit” that informs the brain and passes judgment on the goodness or badness of these external matters.

2. Imagination works on the mind, causing it to realize what has been presented to it.

3. Fantasy energizes the mind to act in accordance with the judgment thus pronounced.

4. Estimation decides on all matters pertaining to time, space, locality, relation, and so on.

5. Memory enables the mind to retain the recollection of what has been imparted.

These are the five witts removying inwardly—
First “Common Witte,” and then “Ymagination,”
“Fantasy” and “Estimation” truely,
And “Memory.”
   —Hawes: The Passe-tyme of Plesure, xxiv. (1515).

Flaccus. Horace the Roman poet, whose full name was Quintus Horatius Flaccus (B.C. 65–8).

Fladdock (General), a friend of the Norris family in America, and, like them, devoted to titles and aristocracy.—Dickens: Martin Chuzzlewit (1844).