tains which bound its south coast. The environs produce sugar, cotton, and silk. Shah Abbas often spent the winter in it. It lies 122 miles west of Asterabad; 140 north-east of Gilan, and 270 north of Ispahan. FERABAT, a town of Persia, one mile and a half from Ispahan, extending nearly three miles along the banks of Zenderoad. It was built by Shah Abbas, who brought Armenians to it, from Ferabad, after they had revolted from the Turks. FERE, in zoology, an order of the class mammalia; thus characterised: foreteeth conic, usually six in each jaw; tusks longer than the other teeth; grinders with conic projections; feet with subulate claws; food carcases, and other animals attacked while alive. FE'RAL, adj. Lat. feralis. Funereal; deadly. Headley. FERBER (John James), a Swedish mineralogist and physician, born at Carlscrona in 1743. He was brought up under his father, also a physician, and early became distinguished as a natural philosopher. He set out in 1765, on a mineralogical tour to inspect the mines of Germany, France, Holland, England and Italy; and on his return accepted an invitation to become professor of natural history at Mittau. He removed to St. Petersburgh in 1783, as professor of Natural Science in that capital, whence he removed in 1786 into the service of Prussia. He died in 1790 at Berne in Switzerland. His works are Letters from Italy, respecting the most remarkable Natural Productions in that Country, 1773, 8vo.; Collections towards a History of the Mines of Bohemia, Berlin, 1774, 8vo.; A Description of the Quicksilver Mines at Idria, Berlin, 1774, 8vo.; An Account of Mines in the Cantons of Deux Ponts, the Palatinate, and Nassau, Berlin, 1776, 8vo.; An Attempt towards an Oryctography of Derbyshire, Mittau, 1776, &c., &c.; all of which are written in the German language. FERDINANDV. king of Spain, who married Isabella of Castile, whereby that kingdom was united to the Spanish crown. This illustrious pair laid the foundation of the glory and power of Spain. The conquest of Granada, and the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus, make his reign a celebrated era in history. died in 1516, aged sixty-three. See SPAIN. He FERE, n. s. Sax. Feɲa. A mate or companion. Was linked, and by him had many pledges dear. This king unto him took a pheere, FERETRUM, among the Romans, the bier used in carrying out the bodies of the dead, which duty was performed by the nearest male relations of the deceased: thus, sons carried out their parents, brothers their sisters, &c. FERG, or FERGUE, Francis Paul, an eminent landscape painter, born in 1689, at Vienna, where he learned the first principles of his art. He practised under Hans Graf, Orient, and Thiele. He first went into Saxony, and painted for the duke of Brunswick, and for the gallery of Salzdahl. From Germany he came to London, where he was involved in difficulties. His necessities compelled him to diminish the prices of his paintings, in order to procure immediate support; and by a series of misfortunes he was always overwhelmed with debt. He died suddenly in the street one night in 1738, at the door of his lodgings. He had formed a style of his own from various Flemish painters, though resembling Poelemburgh most in the enamelled softness and mellowness of his coloring; but his figures are greatly superior; every part of them is sufficiently finished, every action expressive. He painted small landscapes, fairs, and rurai meetings; his horses and cattle are not inferior to Wouvermans; and his buildings and distances seem to owe their respective softness to the intervening air not to the pencil. The greatest part of his works are in London and Germany; and they now bear a high price. FERGANA, or FERGANAH, a mountainous province of Samarcand, abounding in mines of gold, silver, copper, iron, and coals. FERGUSON (James), an eminent experimental philosopher and mechanic, born in 1710, at Keith, a village in the shire of Banff in Scotland. At the earliest age his extraordinary genius began to exert itself. He first learned to read, by overhearing his father, who was in low circumstances, teach his elder brother: and his taste for mechanics was first shown by his making a wooden clock after having once only been shown the inside of one. As soon as his age Fould permit, he went to farming service; and, whilst in this humble situation, he begau the tudy of astronomy, by laying down from his wn observations only, a celestial globe. His naster, observing these marks of his ingenuity, rocured him the countenance and assistance of is superiors; and, by their help, he was sent to Edinburgh. Here he began to take portraits; an mployment by which he supported himself and amily for several years, both in Scotland and England, whilst he was pursuing more serious tudies. In London he first published some urious astronomical tables and calculations; and afterwards gave public lectures in experimental hilosophy, which he repeated (by subscription) n most of the principal towns in England, with he highest marks of general approbation. He vas elected F. R. S. without paying for admision; and had a pension of £50 a year given im, unsolicited, by the late king, who had atended his lectures, and frequently sent for him. His death took place in 1776, and he left behind him nearly £6000. His principal works are Astronomical Tables and Precepts, 8vo.; Astronomy Explained; Introduction to Astronomy; Tables and Tracts; Lectures in Mechanics, HyTrostatics, Pneumatics, and Optics; Select Mechanical Exercises; The Art of Drawing in Perspective; An Introduction to Electricity; and everal papers in the Philosophical Transacions. FERGUSSON (Adams), a celebrated writer on history and moral science, was born in 1724, at Logierait, in Scotland, of which parish his father was minister. Educated at Perth and St. Andrews, he removed to Edinburgh, after graduating M.A. to study for the ministry. He served in the first instance as chaplain in the forty-second regiment of foot, but on the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle returned to Edinburgh, where, in 1759, he was made professor of natural philosophy, which chair he afterwards resigned for that of moral philosophy. His Essay on Civil Society appeared in 1767, and was very favorably received. He shortly after received the degree of LL.D., and accompanied the earl of Chesterfield on his travels. In 1776 he replied to Dr. Price on Civil Liberty, and was rewarded by the appointment of secretary to the mission sent to America in 1778, to effect a reconciliation between the two countries. On his return he resumed the duties of his professorship, and composed his History of the Roman Republic, which was published in 1783, in three volumes, 4to. In 1793 he published his lectures as a Treatise on Moral and Political Science, two volumes, 4to. He subsequently went abroad, and returning, settled at St. Andrews, where he died, February 16th, 1816. FERGUSSON (Robert), an eminent Scottish poet, born in Edinburgh, in 1750. Though early laboring under the disadvantages of a delicate constitution, which often interrupted his studies and attendance, yet he excelled most of his companions at the high school of Edinburgh. After four years spent at this seminary, he studied two years at the grammar-school of Dundee; after which, having obtained a bursary in the college of St. Andrews, he entered as a student there in his thirteenth year, and soon No sculptured marble here, nor pompous lay! By special grant of the Managers ROBERT FERGUSSON. But FERLE, in Roman antiquity, holidays, or days upon which they abstained from work. Proclamation was generally nade by the herald, by command of the rex sacrorum, or flamines, that all should abstain from business; and whoever transgressed the order was severely fined. The feria were of two kinds, public and private. FERIE PRIVATE, the private feriæ, were holidays observed by particular persons or families on account of birth-days, funerals, &c. These belonged to, and were one division of, the dies festi. FERIE PUBLICE, the public feriæ, were of four kinds, viz. feriæ conceptivæ, moveable feasts, the days for the celebration of which were fixed by the magistrates or priests; of this sort were the feriæ, Latinæ, paganalia, &c., which happened every year, but the days for keeping them were left to the discretion of the magistrates or priests. Of these the feria Latina were feasts at which a white bull was sacrificed, and the Latin and Roman towns provided each a set quantity of meat, wine, and fruits; and, during the celebration, the Romans and Latins swore eternal friendship to each other, taking home a piece of the victim to every town. The festival was instituted by Tarquinius II., when he overcame the Tuscans and made a league with the Latins, proposing to build a common temple to Jupiter Latialis, at which both nations might meet and offer sacrifices for their common safety. At first the solemnity lasted but one day, but it was at different times extended to ten. It was held on the Alban Mount, and celebrated with chariot races at the capitol, where the victor was treated with a large draught of wormwood. Feriæ imperativæ were fixed and instituted by the mere command of consuls, prætors, or dictators, upon the gaining of some victory or other fortunate event. Feriæ nundinales were regular market days, one of which fell every ninth day. The country people, after working eight days successively, came to town the ninth to sell their commodities, and to inform themselves of what related to religion and government. Feriæ stativa were kept as public feasts by the whole city upon certain immoveable days appointed in their calendar; such were the compitalia, carmentalia, lupercalia, &c. FERIE, in the Romish breviary, is applied to the days of the week; thus Monday is the feria secunda, Tuesday the feria tertia. The occasion of this was, that the first Christians used to keep the Easter week holy, calling Sunday prima feria, &c., whence the term feria was given to the days of every week. They have also extraordinary feriæ, viz. the last three days of passion week, the two following Easter day, and the second feria of rogation. FE'RIAL, adj. Lat. ferialis. RespectFERIATION, n. s. ing the ordinary days of the week; sometimes respecting holidays: feriation is the act of keeping holiday. As though there were any feriation in nature, this season is commonly termed the physician's vacation. Browne. Concerning the ferial character. The ecclesiastical year of old began at Easter, the first week whereof was all holiday, the days being distinguished by prima, secunda, tertia, &c., added unto feria. Gregory. In the statute 27 Hen. VI. c. 5. ferial days are taken for working days; all the days of the week except Sunday. Tomlins. FERIANA, the ancient city of Thala, in Africa, taken and destroyed by Metellus in the war with Jugurtha. It was visited by Mr. Bruce in his late travels through Africa, who expected to have found many magnificent ruins in the place, but was disappointed. The only remarkable objects he met with were the baths, which are excessively warm: these are without the town, and flow from a mountain named El Tarmid. Notwithstanding the excessive heat of its water the fountain is not destitute of fish: they are of the shape of a gudgeon, above four inches long; and he supposed that there might have been about five or six dozen of them in the pool. On trying the water with a thermometer, he found the heat so great that he was surprised the fish were not boiled in it. He reduced him from the most abject and stupid ferity to his senses, and to sober reason. Woodward's Natural History. FERMANAGH, a county in the province of Ulster, Ireland, is bounded on the west by Leitrim, on the north by Tyrone and Donegal, on the east by Tyrone and Monaghan, and on the south by Cavan and Leitrim. It abounds in hills, many of them of great height, and boggy; but these high grounds afford good coarse pasture for young cattle. Agriculture is not here in a flourishing condition; and the fact is said to be well authenticated that, so late as the year 1808, it was the practice in some places to plough by the tail! The farms in the northern part are of a large size, and tolerably productive. Oats are the most common grain, and next to these barley. In some quarters, when calculating a profitable crop, they estimate four stone of barley, and six of oats, to a gallon of whisky. Potatoes are common. In 1809 about 5000 Irish acres were supposed to be sown with flax. The grazing tenures are from 100 to 300 acres. Mr. Wakefield says, that Enniskillen market is attended weekly by about thirty or forty farmers from the vicinity, whose circumstances enable them to eat meat daily, and to drink port wine'! This is the principal or rather the only town of note in the county. See ENNISKILLEN. A considerable part of the county is occupied with dairies. There is also a small breed of cows here similar to those of Down: but no flocks of sheep. The linen manufacture and the rearing of black cattle are the great sources of wealth here. The linen produced is what is called seven-eighths. Illegal distillation is carried on to a considerable extent. There are mills for grinding oats, but none for grinding wheat. This county also contains rich iron ore and coal. On lord Enniskillen's estate, west of Lough Erne, there are quarries of marble. It is brown and white, beautifully veined, and of a fine grain. The laborer is generally paid in money. In 1811 the prices of labor, provisions, &c., were: for a man, the year round, 1s. and a woman 6d. per day; a carpenter, per day, 3s. 6d. and if constantly employed, 2s. 6d.; a mason, per day, 2s. 6d.; a thrasher, per day, 1s. 1d., or, by piecework, from 6d. to 8d. per barrel of oats, 8d. to 10d. per ditto of barley, and 1s. 1d. to 1s. 8d. per ditto of wheat; a car and horse, per day, 2s. 2d.; a saddle-horse per ditto 5s. 5d.; a plough per ditto 11s. 44d., and, for ploughing and sowing an acre, from 26s. to 36s. ; a blacksmith, per stone of work, 1s. 6d., or per day 2s. 6d.; turf, per kish, 2s.; sea coal, per barrel, 4s. to 5s.; culm, per ditto, 3s.; lime, per ditto, 1s. 8d. to 2s.; a car, mounted, £4 10s.; potatoes, per stone, 2d. to 4d.; salt butter, per cwt. £4 13s. 4d.; fresh ditto, per lb. 1s. ; hay, per ton, £3 to £4; whisky, per gallon, 7s. 9d. to 10s; strong ale, per quart, 4d.; porter, per gallon, 1s. 3d.; beef, per lb., 6d.; mutton 7d.; pork 3d.; lambs, per score, £18 to £22, eggs, per score, 6d. ; cheese, per lb., 1s. 6d.; bacon, per ditto, 6d.; shoeing a horse, 4s.; shoes, per pair, 11s. 44d.; salt, per stone, 1s. 5d.; undressed flax, per cwt. £4 10s. to £5; wool, per stone, 22s. to 20s.; fowls, per couple, 1s. to is. 6d.; wheat, per barrel, £2 3s.; barley, ditto, 19s.; oats, ditto, 13s. 6d. ; quartern loaf of wheaten bread, 1s.; flower, firsts, per cwt., £1 9s.; seconds, ditto, £1 8s.; thirds, ditto, £1 4s.; oatmeal, per cwt. 16s.; labor in harvest of hay and corn, per day, 2s. to 3s.; mowing grass, per acre, 5s.; rabbits, per couple, 1s. 8d.; milk, per quart, 2d.; corn acre of oats (tithe free to the tenant), per acre, £6 to £8; ditto, meadows (according to weight,of grass, ditto), £6 to £9; ditto potatoe land, ditto, £6 16s. 6d. to £8 8s.; ditto, flax, per rood (tithe free), ditto £2 5s., to £2 10s. The wood of this county is an important product. Ash-trees are common, running along the edgerows; they are, however, of modern introduction. At Lough Erne, the yew grows to a large size : beech, grows in this county to a good height and bulk: here are also oaks, firs, sallows, and hazels. Mr. Wakefield reckons the average rental of At Flothis county at £1 5s. per green acre. rence-court, land lets at £1 10s. per acre: near Enniskillen, at £8 8s. per corn acre. In general the leases run for three lives, or thirty-one years: of late the period adopted is twenty-one years and one life. There are here a few estates whose rental is from £1500 to £2000; but by far the greatest number of the estates are large, and there is no intermediate step between the proprietors and the leaseholders. Lord Enniskillen has an estate of £13,000 per annum. The mar quis of Ely, lord Belmour, and Sir James Caldwell, have property of from £6000 to £7000 per annum each. There is also a large church property here, belonging to the see of Clogher. The most remarkable geographical feature of this county is Lough Erne; consisting of two lakes, the upper being nine miles long, and from one and a hait to five wide, and the lower one about ten miles in length, and from two to eight in breadth. They are connected by a broad The entire winding channel of about six miles Of the eighteen parishes of the county, fifteen FERMAT (Peter), a French mathematician, was born at Toulouse in 1590. He was bred to the law, and became counsellor to the parliament of Toulouse, where he died in 1664. His mathematical works were printed in 2 vols., folio, 1679, under the title of Opera Varia Mathematica. He was the intimate acquaintance of Descartes, Torricelli, Pascal, Huygens, &c. son, Samuel Fermat, was the author of several works. FERMENT, v. a., v. n. & n. s." FERMENTAL, His Fr. fermenter'; Lat. fermento. To rarify; change chemically, by internal commotion. See the more scientific explanation of this word in our article: fermentable, is capable of fermentative: fermental, having the power to cause it: fermentative, actually causing fermentation. Cucumbers, being waterish, fill the veins with crude and windy serosities, that contain little salt or spirit, and debilitate the vital acidity and fermental faculty of the stomach. Browne. The juice of grapes, after fermentation, will yield a Boyle. spiritus ardens. As these politicians of both sides have already worked the nation into a most unnatural ferment, I shall be so far from endeavouring to raise it to a greater height, that, on the contrary, it shall be the chief tendency of my papers to inspire my countrymen with a mutual good-will and benevolence. Spectator. A man, by tumbling his thoughts, and forming them into expressions, gives them a new kind of fermentation; which works them into a finer body, and makes them much clearer than they were before. Collier on Friendship. Subdue and cool the ferment of desire. Rogers. The dewlapt bull now chafes along the plain, While burning love ferments in every vein; His well-armed front against his rival aims, And by the dint of war his mistress claims. Gay. The semen puts females into a fever upon impregnation; and all animal humours which poison, are putrefying ferments. Floyer. Digestion is a fermentation begun, because there are all the requisites of such a fermentation; heat, air, and motion: but it is not a complete fermentation, because that requires a greater time than the continuance of the aliment in the stomach: vegetable putrefaction resembles very much animal digestion. The sap, in fluent dance, And lively fermentation, mounting, spreads Secrets are so seldom kept, that it may be with some reason doubted, whether the quality of retention be so generally bestowed, and whether a secret has not some subtile volatility by which it escapes, imperceptibly, at the smallest vent, or some power of fermentation, by which it expands itself, so as to burst the heart that will not give it way. Johnson. The same yields a stercoraceous heap, mpregnated with quick fermenting salts, And potent to resist the freezing blast. Cowper. It is remarkable, that all the diseases from drinking spirituous or fermented liquors are liable to become hereditary, even to the third generation, gradually increasing, if the cause be continued, till the family becomes extinct. Darwin. Thus heat evolved from some fermenting mass Id. FERMENTATION. The phenomena and products attendant on this process are of considerable importance. Its general application to the manufacture of malt liquors, will be found under ALE and BEER brewing. The term fermentation is employed to signify the spontaneous changes which certain vegetable solutions undergo, placed under certain circumstances, and which terminate either in the production of an intoxicating liquor, or of vinegar; the former termination constituting vinous, and the latter the acetous fermentation. In The principal substance concerned in vinous fermentation is sugar; and no vegetable juice can be made to undergo the process, which does not contain it in a very sensible quantity. the production of beer, the sugar is derived from the malt; in that of wine, from the juice of the grape. When sugar is dissolved in four times its weight of water, and mixed with yeast, it speedily fer'ments, and yields peculiar products. It has been employed, therefore, by chemists as a less complicated means of ascertaining the phenomena of fermentation, than grain which is usually employed. Thenard mixed sixty parts of yeast with 300 of sugar, and fermented them at a temperature of 59°. In four or five days, he informs us, that all the saccharine matter had disappeared. The quantity of carbonic acid evolved amounted, by weight, to 94-6 parts. It was perfectly pure, being completely absorbed by water. The fermented liquid, being distilled yielded 171.5 parts of alcohol, of the specific gravity 822. When the residue of the distillation was evaporated, twelve parts of a nauseous acid substance were obtained; and forty parts of the yeast still remained; but, upon examination, it had lost the whole of its azote. This experiment gives us the following quantities: |