about seventy-five years. His works were principally essays on different points of theory and practice. 1. "De Hominis Liene sano," Montpellier, 1716; 2. "De naturali Secretione Bilis in Jecore," ibid. 1719; 3. "Specimen de Suppuratione in Partibus mollibus," ibid. 1722; 4. "Partium Corporis humani Solidarum Conspectus Anatomico-Mechanicus," ibid. 1729; 5. "De Cataracta;" 6. "Universe Physiologia Conspectus," ibid. 1737; 7. "De Tumoribus in Genere," ibid. 1738; 8. "Tractatus de Febribus," ibid. 1749. The greater part of the writings of Fizes were collected in one 4to volume, and were published at Montpellier in 1742.'

FLACCUS (CAIUS VALERIUS), was an ancient Latin poet, of whom our accounts are very imperfect. There are many places that claim him, but Setia, now Sezzo, a town of Campania, seems to have the best title; and it is from thence that he bears the surname Setinus. Martial, who was his contemporary and friend, intimates that he lived at Padua, or at least was born there, as may be collected from an epigram in which he advises him to quit the beggarly study of poetry, and to apply himself to the bar, as the more profitable profession of the two. He died when he was about thirty years of age, in the year 93 or 94, and before he had put the finishing hand to the poem which he left.

Flaccus chose the history of the Argonautic expedition for the subject of his poem; of which he lived to compose no more than seven books, and part of an eighth. It is addressed to the emperor Vespasian; and Flaccus takes occasion at the same time to compliment Domitian on his poetry, and Titus on his conquest of Judæa. The learned world have been divided in their opinion of this author; some not having scrupled to exalt him above all the Latin poets, Virgil only excepted; while others have set him as much below them. This poem of the Argonautic expedition is an imitation, rather than a translation, of the Greek poet Apollonius, four books of whose poem upon the same subject are yet remaining; and it has generally been agreed that the Latin poet has succeeded best in those parts where he had not the Greek in view. Apollonius has by no means suffered where Flaccus has seemed to translate him, none of his spirit having been lost in the transfusion; and

1 Dict. Hist.-Haller Bibl. Med. Pract-Bees' Cyclopædia, from Eloy.

some have ranked him among the few whose copies have rivalled their originals. He professedly imitated Virgil, and is often successful. Upon the whole, he does not deserve to be so neglected as he has been; especially while other poets of antiquity have been thought worthy of notice, who are not superior to him either for matter, style, or versification. Quintilian seems to have entertained the highest opinion of his merit, by the short eulogium he has left of him: "multum in Valerio Flacco nuper amisimus." After several editions of this poet, with notes of the learned, Nic. Heinsius published him at Amsterdam, in 1680, 12mo; which edition was republished in the same size, in 1702. But the best edition is that, "cum notis integris variorum & Petri Burmanni," printed at Leyden, in 1724, 4to.

It may be proper to mention, that John Baptista Pius, an Italian poet, completed the eighth book of the Argonautics, and added two more, by way of supplement, partly from Apollonius; which supplement was also printed at the end of Flaccus, in Aldus's edition of 1523, and has been subjoined to all, or at least most of the subsequent editions.'

FLACIUS. See FRANCOWITZ.

FLAHERTY or O-FLAHERTY (RODERIC), an Irish gentleman of learning, who had a considerable knowledge in the history and antiquities of his country, was born in 1630, at Moycullin, co. Galway, the ancient estate of his family, which became forfeited by the rebellion in 1641, when he was only eleven years old. He published at London, 1685, a book under the singular and mystic title of "Ogygia, or Rerum Hibernicarum Chronologia," containing chronological memoirs upon the antiquities of the kingdom of Ireland; compiled, as he observes," ex pervetustis monumentis fideliter inter se collatis eruta, atque e sacris et profanis litteris primarum orbis gentium, tam genealogicis, quam chronologicis suffulta præsidiis." This work, a 4to volume, containing about 600 pages, he dedicated to the then duke of York, afterwards king James II. of England. The author commences his history from the deluge, continues it to the year of Christ 428, and has divided it into three parts. The first describes the island, its various names, inhabitants, extent, kings, the manner of their annual

Vossius de Post. Lat.-Fabric. Bibl, Lat,-Moreri,

election, &c. The second is a kind of chronological parallel of the Irish affairs, with the events that happened during the same period in other countries. The third is a more ample detail of particular transactions in the same kingdom. To this is added a professedly exact chronological table of all the Christian kings who have ruled over Ireland, from A. D. 482 till A. D. 1022; and a brief relation of the most prominent historic features of the island till the time of Charles II. in 1685. To this succeeds a chronological poem, which forms a summary of Irish history to the same period. At the end is a very curious catalogue of the Scottish kings, Irish, who have reigned in the British isles. In his genealogical remarks on the regal house of the Stewarts, the author attempts to prove they were originally an Irish family. It is surprising that neither the author nor his work has been noticed by Macpherson or Whitaker in their controversy respecting the peopling of Hibernia, and the origin of the Caledonians; although he is particularly noticed by O'Hallaran in his History of Ireland.

Mr. O-Flaherty promised a second part, in which he intended to give an account at large of the Christian kings of Ireland, but never accomplished it; although Harris mentions a report that it existed in manuscript, in the hands of his relations, which probably was only a short abstract of annals from 1187 to 1327, which Nicolson says was extant in his time. He wrote also a treatise in vindication of his "Ogygia" against the objections of sir George Mackenzie and others, which was intended for the press, but we know not that it ever appeared. Sir Richard Cox only seems to speak slightingly of the "Ogygia," which is highly praised by Dr. Dudley Loftus, Belling, and Stillingfleet.'

FLAMEEL, or FLAMAEL (BERTHOLET), a painter of historical subjects, was born at Liege in 1614, and began his studies in Flanders, but at the age of twenty-four he went into Italy to cultivate his talents by a view of the works of the renowned painters of that country. At Rome, he copied the best works of the great masters, and soon acquired a reputation which recommended him to the court of Florence, to which the grand duke invited him, and there employed him in several works, the execution of

1 Ware's Ireland, by Harris.-Nicolson's Hist. Libr.—Rees's Cyclopædia.

which acquired for him the esteem of that prince, and the applause of the public. In returning from hence homewards, after an absence of nine years, he went to Paris, where some of his best works were executed. In 1647 he returned to Liege, where he was received with great warmth, and by his subsequent works confirmed the high opinion which his countrymen had conceived of his merit. He then visited Paris again, was admitted a member of the academy of painting, and appointed professor. Returning home, he became rich enough to build a house at St. Remi, which cost 50,000 florins. He also embraced the clerical profession, and although he knew nothing of Latin, was made a canon of St. Paul, by a dispensation from the pope. But in the midst of wealth, possessed of public and private esteem, and of every other circumstance that could render life comfortable, he was seized with an unaccountable melancholy and dejection of spirits, which incessantly oppressed him, till it occasioned his death in 1675; and many persons believed his disorder to have been occasioned by poison administered to him by the celebrated marchioness de Brinvilliers, with whom he had formed an unfortunate connexion, but for this there appears no proof, and his death seems more reasonably attributed to his disordered mind. He appears indeed to have given way to that selfish jealousy which some have reckoned a system of approaching derangement. When one of his scholars, Carlier, had begun to give extraordinary proofs of excellence in his art, Flameel did every thing he could to discourage him, and actually transferred him to a grinder of colours. Carlier, however, conscious of his abilities, secretly painted "the Martyrdom of St. Denis," which was placed in the church dedicated to that saint; and Flameel had no sooner seen it, than he threw his pencil into the fire, and never painted more.

This master had a lively imagination, and a noble taste for historical compositions. He was singularly skilled in antiquities, and in all his designs strictly observant of the costume. His pictures usually are enriched with porticos and colonnades, as he was an accomplished architect; his choice of nature was elegant, his expression animated," and his pencil delicate. His colouring was exceedingly good; and his taste of design was entirely of the Roman school, as well in regard to correctness, as to the objects which he chose to represent. In the cupola of the bareVOL. XIV. A A

footed Carmelites at Paris, he painted, in fresco, Elijah ascending to Heaven in a Chariot of Fire, and Elisha below, with his arms extended, to catch the mantle of the Prophet. At Liege are several grand altar-pieces, among which one in St. Paul's church describes the Conversion of that saint; and in the cathedral there is another by this master, representing the Resurrection of Lazarus.'

FLAMEL (NICHOLAS), falsely celebrated as an alchymist, under which supposition some forged works have been attributed to him (as, "A Philosophical Summary," in verse, 1561, and a treatise "On the Transformation of Metals," in 1621), was a native of Pontoise, towards the close of the fourteenth century, and exercised the profession of a notary at Paris. He began life without any fortune, but suddenly became rich, which occasioned the supposition that he had found the grand secret. He made,

however, no other use of his riches than in relieving the distressed, founding hospitals, and repairing places of divine worship. To account for this sudden wealth in a more probable way, it has been said, that he bought up the debts owing to the Jews when they were expelled in 1394, and made great profits by the contracts. This, however, has been refuted, and the truth perhaps is, that he made his money by a profound knowledge of commerce, at a time when men in general were ignorant of its principles. He died at Paris, March 22, 1418. He and his wife Pernelle have been the subject of some curious inquiries at Paris, where they pretended to have found his alchemical apparatus. Paul Lucas, a thorough traveller, asserted that he had heard of him alive in India, long after his real decease. In the "Essais sur Paris," by M. St. Foix, there are many particulars of Flamel, also in the "Hermippus Redivivus," London, 1749, second edit. and in the "Varieties of Literature," 1795, 8vo."

FLAMINIO, or FLAMINIUS (MARK ANTHONY), an eminent Latin poet, whose family name was Zarrabini, was born at Serevalle in 1498. His father, John Anthony, who first changed the family name to Flaminio on entering a literary society at Venice, was himself a man of learning, and professor of belles-lettres in different academies in Italy, and has left some works both in prose and verse, par

1 Pilkington.-Argenville, vol. III.-Biog. Universelle in Bertholet. Moreri.-Dict. Hist.-" Hist. Crit. de Nic. Flamel," Paris, 1761, 12m0,Another Life was published at Paris in 1782,