FARMER (Richard), an English divine and antiquary, born at Leicester in 1735. His father was a hosier in that town, and, after receiving the rudiments of his education there, he became a student at Cambridge, and pensioner of Emanuel College. Here his diligence and success in obtaining a knowledge of books, as well as the quickness of his memory, were early observed; and he was made B. A. in 1757, and M. A. in 1769, in which year also he was appointed classical tutor. After officiating some time as a curate, he, in 1767, took the degree of B. D. and became one of the preachers at Whitehall. While Mr. Farmer paid considerable attention to Grecian and Roman authors, he also applied himself particularly to old English literature; and An Essay on the Learning of Shakspeare, published in 1766, contributed principally to his literary fame. Of this performance, which was much admired for the sprightliness of its composition, three editions were sold in a very short time. Mr. Farmer was now noticed and patronised in his profession: by the influence of bishop Hurd, he was promoted to the chancellorship and a prebend in the cathedral of Litchfield; and in 1775 was chosen master of Emanuel College, and took his degree of D. D. Not long after, he was appointed principal librarian to the university, and served in turn the office of vicechancellor. Lord North, at that time primeminister, made him prebendary of Canterbury, and Mr. Pitt repeatedly offered him a bishopric; but the constraints and solemnity of the episcopal character did not suit his natural disposition, and he not only declined accepting a bishopric, but resigned his office as prebendary for a residentaryship of St. Paul's. By this it was necessary he should reside three months annually in London, and these he spent in the company of literary characters with pleasure and advantage. He was particularly instrumental in amending the police of Cambridge, with regard to the paving and lighting the streets. He had collected ample materials for a history of the town and antiquities of Leicester, which he intended to publish by subscription, but relinquished the design; and Mr. Nichols being engaged in writing a history of that county, the doctor gave what he had collected, with the plates, to him. Dr. Farmer died at Emanuel College, in 1797, in the sixtysecond year of his age. His collection of scarce and curious books, which was very extensive, was disposed of a short time after his death.

FARMINGTON, a large, pleasant, and wealthy town in Hartford county, Connecticut. The river meanders delightfully through charming intervales, which beautify and enrich this town. The houses, in the compact part of the town, stand chiefly on the street that runs north and south along the gentle declivity of a hill which ascends east of the vallies. About the centre of the street there is a large and handsome congregational church. This town was settled as early as 1645, and its boundaries were then very extensive. Several towns have been since taken from it. It lies ten miles south-west of Hartford.

FARN ISLANDS, two groups of little islands and rocks, seventeen in number, opposite to Bam

borough castle in Northumberland At low water the points of several others are visible besides the seventeen just mentioned. The nearest island to the shore is called the House Island, and lies exactly one mile and sixty-eight chains from the coast. The most distant is about seven or eight miles. Their produce is kelp, feathers, and a few seals, which the tenants watch and shoot for the sake of the oil and skins. Some of them yield a little grass that serves to feed a cow or two; which the people transport over in their little boats.

FARNABIE, or FARNABY (Thomas), an eminent grammarian, son of a London carpenter, was born in 1575. While at Oxford, being enticed to abandon his religion, he went to Spain, and was there educated in a college belonging to the Jesuits. Being weary of their severe discipline, he went with Sir John Hawkins and Sir Francis Drake in their last voyage in 1595. He was afterwards a soldier in the Low Countries: but being reduced to great want, returned to England, where after wandering about for some time, under the name of Thomas Bainrafe (the anagram of his name), he settled at Mattock in Somersetshire, and taught grammar with reputation. He removed to London, and opened a school. While here he was made M. A. at Cambridge, and incorporated into the university of Oxford. Thence he removed, in 1636, to SevenOaks in Kent; and raised a respectable school. Upon the breaking out of the civil war, in 1641, he was cast into prison. It was debated, in the house of commons, whether he should be sent to America; but, this motion being rejected, he was removed to Ely-house in Holborn, where he died, June 12th, 1647. Many writers have spoken with great approbation of his labors. M. Bayle says, his notes upon most of the ancient Latin poets have been of very great use to young beginners; being short, learned, and designed chiefly to clear up the text.'

FARNESE, the name of a distinguished family in Italy, of which the most remarkable were, 1. Peter Louis Farnese, the son of Alexander, afterwards pope Paul III. He was created duke of Parma and Placentia in 1545, but, becoming universally hated for his tyranny and debauchery, fell by the hands of an assassin in 1547. 2. His eldest son, Alexander, born 1520, was raised by Clement VII. to the see of Parma, and created a cardinal by his grandfather, Paul III. He was also dean of the Sacred College, and distinguished both by his learning and virtues. He was repeatedly employed as nuncio to the courts of Vienna and Paris, and died at Rome in 1589. 3. Alexander, third duke of Parma, was a nephew of his, and distinguished as a military commander under Philip II. of Spain. He succeeded Don John of Austria in the government of the Low Countries in 1578; and was designed to have commanded the Spanish army which embarked with the Armada for the conquest of England. He died in 1592 at Arras, aged fortysix.

FARNHAM, or FERNHAM, a market town of Surry, thirty-eight miles from London, and twelve west from Guildford. It is a populous place, situated on the Wey, and supposed to

have its name from the fern which abounded here. It was given by Ethelbald, king of the West Saxons, to the see of Winchester; the bishops of which have generally resided in the castle here, in summer, since the reign of king Stephen, whose brother, the then bishop, first built it. It was a magnificent structure, with deep moats, strong walls, towers, and a fine park; but it is much decayed. Adjoining the park is Jay's tower, the ascent to which is by sixty-three stone steps. This was partly beaten down by Cromwell's cannon. It now contains about forty-eight rods of land on its top, which is converted into a kitchen garden. This spot was annually visited by their late majesties durin the life of the late bishop Thomas. The town, which has many handsome houses, and well paved streets, is governed by twelve masters, of whom two are bailiffs, chosen annually. They have the profits of the fairs and markets, and the assize of bread and beer; and hold a court every three weeks, which has power of trying and determining all actions under 40s. From Michaelmas to Christmas there is a good market for oats; and a considerable wheat market between All Saint's day and Midsummer; but it is diminished since the people about Chichester and Southampton have so fargely communicated with London by sea. This loss, however, is amply made up by the vast growth of hops, of which there are 700 or 800 acres of plantations about this town, said to excel the Kentish grounds both in quantity and quality. This town sent members to parliament in the reign of Edward II. but never since. The market is on Thursday; fairs on Holy Thursday, June 24th, and Nov. 2nd. There is also a market for Welsh hose.

FARNOVIUS (Stanislaus), a dissenter from the other Unitarians in 1568, who was followed by several persons eminent for their learning. He was induced by Gonesius to prefer the Arian system to that of the Socinians, and consequently asserted, that Christ had been produced out of nothing by the Supreme Being before the creation. He warned his disciples against paying religious worship to the Divine Spirit. He died

in 1615.

FARO, an island of Sweden, to the north-east of Gothland, in the Baltic. It is about thirty miles in circumference; and has a chief town of the same name on the east coast. Long. 19° 32′ 55′′ E., lat. 57° 56′ N.

FARO, a sea-port and bishop's see of Portugal, in Algarve, near Cape Santa Maria. It stands in a fertile plain; is fortified, and tolerably well built. Population 7000. The harbour is almost blocked up, but the roadstead has good anchorage; and a considerable export trade is carried on with England and other countries in sumach, wine, and cork. There are packet boats between this place and Gibraltar. It suffered severely from the earthquake of 1755; and is eighteen miles south-west of Tavira, and 130 south-east

of Lisbon.

FARO OF MESSINA, a strait of the Mediterranean, between Sicily and Calabria, about seven miles across; so named from Cape Faro; remarkable for its tide ebbing and flowing with great rapidity every six hours. In this strait

the French obtained a naval victory over the Spaniards in 1675.

FAROE ISLANDS. See FERROE ISLES.

FARON, a mountain of France, in the department of Var, near Toulon, with a fort and redoubt on its top, which is 1718 feet above the sea level, and almost inaccessible, being nearly perpendicular. The British troops, under lord Mulgrave, were in possession of the fort, on the 30th September, 1793, when the French, by a very daring manoeuvre, seized the redoubt, but were driven from it on the 1st October, by the combined forces, with the loss of 2000 men.

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FARQUHAR (George), an ingenious poet and dramatic writer, the son of an Irish clergyman, was born at Londonderry in 1678. He was sent to Trinity College, Dublin; but his volatile disposition soon led him to the stage; where, having dangerously wounded a brother actor in a tragic scene, by forgetting to change his sword for a foil, it affected him so much that he left the Dublin theatre and went to London. Here, by the interest of the earl of Orrery, he procured. a lieutenant's commission; which he held several years, and gave many proofs both of courage and conduct. In 1698 he wrote his first comedy, called Love and a Bottle; which, for its sprightly dialogue and busy scenes, was well received. In 1700, the jubilee year at Rome, he brought out his Constant Couple, or a Trip to the Jubilee and suited Mr. Wilkes's talents so well, in the character of Sir Henry Wildair, that the player gained almost as much reputation as the poet. This induced him to continue it in another comedy called Sir Harry Wildair, or The Sequel of the Trip to the Jubilee; in which Mrs. Oldfield acquired great applause. In 1703 appeared The Inconstant, or The Way to Win him; in 1704 a farce called The Stage-coach; in 1705 The Twin Rivals; and in 1706 The Recruiting Officer, founded on his own observations while on a recruiting party at Shrewsbury. His last comedy was The Beaux Stratagem, of which he did not live to enjoy the full success. Mr. Farquhar married in 1703. Before this time his manner of life had been dissipated; and the lady, who became his wife, having fallen violently in love with him, contrived to circulate a report that she was possessed of a large fortune. Interest and vanity, therefore, got the better of Farquhar's passion for liberty, and the lady and he were united in the hymeneal band. To his honor, however, it is recorded, that though he soon found himself deceived, he was not known to upbraid his wife with it; but became a most indulgent husband. Mrs. Farquhar, however, did not long enjoy the happiness she had thus purchased by this stratagem. The involvement of her husband, and the treachery of a court patron who persuaded him to sell his commission, brought on a decline, which at length carried him off in 1707, in the twenty-ninth year of his age. His plays still continue to be represented to full houses.

FARR (Samuel), M. D., was a native of Taunton, Somersetshire, and born in 1741. He was educated at Warrington grammar-school, and the universities of Edinburgh and Leyden. He afterwards established himself in his native