Common Pleas. During the 18th c., it was the scene of every kind of atrocity and brutality, from the extortion of the keepers and the custom of the warden underletting it. The Fleet was several times rebuilt; the last building was erected after the burning of the older one in the Gordon riots 1780, the predecessor of which had been destroyed in the great fire of London 1666. Latterly, it usually contained 250 prisoners, and kept ward of about 60 outdoor detenus for debt, privileged to live within the rules.

FLEET WOOD, or FLEETWOOD-ON-WYRE, flet wûd-onwir: small but thriving town, seaport, and military station of England, county of Lancashire, on a promontory at the mouth of the estuary of the Wyre, about 20 m. s.w. from Lancaster. It is a modern town, and owes its origin and importance to its facilities for railway and steam-vessel communication. It is handsomely laid out, has an excellent harbor, and is a favorite resort for sea-bathing. There was formerly a govt. school of musketry, which promised to be for the north of England what Hythe and Aldershott are for the south, but it is now discontinued. In 1880, vessels entered 1,138, of 388,019 tons; cleared 1,120, of 376,733 tons. Pop. (1871) 4,428; (1881) 6,313.

FLEG, n. fleg [Gael. flaiche, a sudden squall or gust]: in Scot., a sudden blow; a box on the ears; a kick; a fright;

a scare.

FLEMING, n. flem-ing [Ger. Flamander-from F. Flamand, nickname given to the Flandrians on account of their tallness]: in chh. hist., the same as Flandrians (q.v.).

FLEMING, n. flém'ing: a native of Flanders, in Belgium. FLEMISH. a. flemish, of or from Flanders. FLEMISHBOND, particular mode of brick-laying in a wall so as to tie and break joint. FLEMISH-BRICK, kind of brick used for paving; 72 will pave a square yard. They are of yellowish color and harder than the ordinary brick. FLEMISH-EYE, in naut., an eye made at the end of a rope without splicing. FLEMISH-HORSE, in naut., a foot-rope for the man at the earing in reefing.

FLEMISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE: dialect and literature of Flanders. The Vlaemisch or Flemish is a form of Low German still spoken in the Belgian provinces of E. and W. Flanders, Limburg, Antwerp, N. Brabant, and in parts of Holland and the Walloon provinces of Belgium. So little change has taken place in this dialect, that the form of speech in which the Council of Liptines drew up (in 742) the creed, in which pagans were made to express their renunciation of idolatry on being converted to Christianity, requires only the alteration of a few letters to make it intelligible to a modern Fleming. Flemish has much affinity with the Frisian, and constitutes, together with modern Dutch (originally identical with it, and now differing from it in only a few orthographical and otherwise unessential particulars), the national tongue of the whole of the Low Countries. The most ancient record of Flemish, is a fragment of a translation in prose of the

Psalms a thousand years old In the 13th c., public deeds began to be drawn up in the vernacular, which are perfectly intelligible in the present day (as the Ordinance of Henry 1. of Brabant, 1229, in the Brussels Book of Privileges). In the same century, J. van Maerlant, father of Flemish poets,' author of The Historical Mirror, Wapen Martin, Rymbibel, etc., and W. van Utenhove composed numerous poems, and translated from the French and German, and very probably from the Latin. Willems and other critics believe that to the Flemish must be ascribed the honor of the original and entire poem of Reinert Vos, the first part of which they refer to the middle of the 12th c., while the second part is attributed to W. van Utenhove, and supposed to have been written about 1250. The 14th c. was remarkable for the numbers and excellence of the Flemish Sprekkers, Zeggers, and Vinders, or wandering poets, some of whose works have been published by Blommaert; and for the origin of the Chambers of Rhetoric; which exerted a marked influence on the progress of literature during succeeding ages, and became the arbiters of literary and dramatic fame through the Netherlands generally. In the 16th c., the French element gained ascendency, and the old Flemish lost much of its original terseness and purity. Numerous translations of the Scriptures appeared; among the most remarkable of which are the Psalms by Dathenus (1556), and by Marnix (1580), author of the Roomsch Biekorf (1569). The translation of the entire Bible was not effected till 1618, when the General Synod of Dort decided to employ learned men capable of giving a correct versic from the Hebrew and Greek texts; and this great work was completed by two Flemings, Baudaert and Walons, and two Dutchmen, Bogermann and Hommius. Strenuous efforts were made at this period to give greater freedom to the Flemish language, hence this original Flemish version of the Bible has become a standard in regard to the construction and orthography of the language. Hooft, Vondel, aud Cats are the three men whose names stand foremost among Flemish writers of the 17th c. Hooft was a poet, but is known best by his History of the Netherlands, which is held in high esteem by his countrymen. Vondel, one of the leading men of his day, made his tragedies the vehicles of hurling most cutting satire on every obnoxious measure of the government; and his works still maintain their ground. He had great versatility of powers; and in his latter years, his talents were directed to the exaltation of Rom. Catholicism, to which he had been converted. Cats was essentially the poet of the people; and for 200 years, his works, popularly known as the Household Bible, have been cherished alike among the poor and the wealthy. Although Cats was a skilful lawyer, an active statesman, and a profound scholar, he found time to compose a great number of works, as the Zorgvliet, Trouwring (the Wedding Ring): Houwelyck (Marriage); which show intimate acquaintance with the every-day life of his countrymen. His writings are solid and informing, but dull and prosaic, and seldom reach

the point of being interesting. The 18th c. was barren of poetic genius in the Low Countries, but it produced several good philologists, as Stevens, Huydecoper, and Ten Kate, the latter of whom is the author of a work on the Flemish language, which has served as a fundamental authority for modern writers. The arbitrary measures of the French govt. under Napoleon against the official use of Flemish, had the effect of crushing for a time the spirit of nationalism, while it completely annihilated native literature; and it was not till after the revolution of 1830, that the Flemish language regained its footing in the Belgian provinces. This revival of the national form of speech is due mainly to the unremitting efforts of such writers as Willems, Bilderdijk, Cornelissen, Blommaert, Conscience, Delecourt, Ledeganck, etc., whose works have imparted fresh vigor, and greater grammatical precision to the Flemish. In 1841, on the occasion of a linguistic congress at Ghent, the members of the govt. for the first time publicly recognized the existence of the Flemish element in the people, and addressed the meeting in the national dialect. The last 30 years have confirmed this movement; and while the best foreign works have been rendered into Flemish, the writings of Blommaert, Conscience (q.v.), and other native authors have been translated into many European tongues. Vandenhoven (i.e., Delecourt), La Langue Flamande (1844); Lebrocquy, Analogies Linguistiques (1845); Höfken, Vlämisch Belgien Bremen 1847); the bibliographical works of Snellaert (1867) and De Poller (1867); also Düringsfeld's Von der Schelde bis zur Maas (Leipzig 1861).

FLEMISH SCHOOL IN PAINTING. See PAINTING.

FLEMMING, fleming, PAUL: 1609, Oct. 5—1640, Apr. 2; b. Hartenstein, in the Erzgebirge: German poet. He studied medicine at Leipsic, but retired to Holstein_1633. In 1635, he was attached to the splendid embassy to Persia. He returned 1639, married, and resolved to settle as a physician in Hamburg, but died there the next year. F. stands at the head of the German lyric poets of the 17th c. His Geistliche und weltliche Poematu (Jena 1642) contain many exquisite love songs, which, for more than a century, remained unequalled in finish and sweetness. Other poems are distinguished for enthusiasm of feeling, ardent patriotism, and manly vigor, while his sonnets are marked by strength and originality. F.'s longer poems describe the adventures of his journey; occasionally with great spirit, though they are not free from the weaknesses of his time. His beautiful hymn, In allen meinen Thaten, composed before his journey to Persia, proves his genius as a writer of sacred songs. His life, with his select poems, was published by Schwab (Stuttgard 1820). Compare Knapp, Evangelischer Liederschatz (Stuttg. 1837), and Müller in the Bibliothek Deutscher Dichter des 17 Jahrhundert (3 vols. Leipsic 1822); and Varnhagen von Ense, vol. IV. of the Biographische Denkmale.

FLENSBORG, flens búrch: important town in the prov

ince of Schleswig-Holstein (now Prussian; see SLESVIG), at the extremity of the Flensborg Föhrde, an inlet of the Baltic, and 19 m. n. of the town of Slesvig. It is cap. of a bailiwick of the same name, which includes the n. part of the district supposed to have been the country of the Angels, or Angli. F. is said to have been founded in the 12th c., and named from its founder the Knight Flenes. In 1284, it received municipal rights from King Valdemar, F. is pleasantly situated, and has a good harbor, breweries and distilleries, iron and brass foundries, oil mills and brickworks, manufactures paper and glass, and has a great yard for building iron ships. The fisheries are productive, and the trade in grain and timber, etc. is brisk. Pop. (1880) 30,956.

FLERS, fir: town of France, dept. of Orne, in the n. of France, 35 m. w.n.w. of Alençon. It has an old castle, burned down in the Chouan war, but since restored. F. has considerable manufactures of linen, fustian, and especially of ticking. Pop. (1886) 11,257

FLESH, n. fish [Dut. vleesch; Ger. fleisch; AS. flæse, flesh: Icel. flicki, a large piece of meat]: that part of an animal underlying the skin or covering, as distinguished from the bones and fluids; muscle and fat; animal food; the body, as distinguished from the soul; human nature; carnal state; present life; the pulpy part of food; sensual appetite; kindred: family: ADJ. of or like flesh, as flesh-colored, etc.: V. in OE, to put to use for the first time by cutting flesh, as a sword; to initiate dogs or hawks into hunting by giving them flesh; to harden. FLESH ING, imp. FLESHED, pp.: ADJ. fsht, fat; having abundance of flesh; in OE., initiated. FLESHER, n. flesh'er, in Scot., one who kills and dresses meat for the market; a butcher. FLESH INGS, n. plu. coverings resembling the natural skin, worn by actors. FLESHBRUSH, a soft brush to be used on the skin to promote circulation and excite the surface secretions. FLESH-WOUND, a wound affecting the flesh only. FLESH-TINTS, colors used in representing the naked body. FLESH LESS, a. without flesh. FLESH LY, ad. -li, animal; not vegetable; carnal; not spiritual. FLESH LINESS, n. FLESH Y, a. -, full of flesh; plump. FLESH INESS, n. corpulence; grossness. FLESH-POTS, vessels in which to cook flesh; good or high living. ARM OF FLESH, mere human strength.

FLESH: ordinary term for muscular tissue. After the removal of the blood-vessels, nerves, connective (or cellular) tissue, etc., the F. is found to consist of various textural elements (see MUSCLE). Numerous analyses have been made of the muscular substance of various animals. In Dr. Day's translation of Simon's Animal Chemistry, published by the Sydenham Soc., are analyses of the F. of man, the ox, calf, pig, roe, pigeon, fowl, carp, and trout. The following table gives the determinations of the individual constituents of the flesh of oxen, or, in ordinary language, of beef freed, as far as possible, from blood-vessels, etc., and may be regarded as fairly representing the com position of F. generally.

Long as the above list of subtances is, it does not include all the ingredients of F. In the freshly expressed muscular juice, which exhibits a strong acid reaction (from free lactic acid, and from acid phosphates of the alkalies), we find also small quantities of Sarcine or Hypoxanthine (q.v.), and of formic, butyric, and acetic acids-which may, however, be mere products of decomposition; very minute quantities of uric acid, and sometimes a trace of urea, which however, occurs in very appreciable quantity in the muscles of persons who have died of cholera, and in very considerable quantity in the flesh of the plagiostomous fishes, while in other fishes not a trace of it can be detected-an apparent anomaly to which at present there is no clue; and in the juice of the heart of mammals, and in smaller quantity in their other muscles, a kind of sugar termed Inosite (q.v.). Bernard, has recently discovered Glycogen (q.v.) in the muscles of the embryos

of various animals.

In regard to the inorganic constituents of the juice of flesh, Liebig directs especial attention to the fact, that this fluid in all animals is particularly rich in potash, and that it contains also chloride of potassium, with only traces of chloride of sodium; while in the blood only proportionally small quantities of the salts of potash and preponderating quantities of the salts of soda and of common salt, are present.' He further notices the constant excess of the phosphates over the chlorides, and of the phosphate of lime over that of magnesia in the former fluid, as points of physiological importance. For the value of these investigations, see TISSUES.

It is worthy of notice, in connection both with physiology and dietetics, that the dried flesh of the ox is identical in its ultimate composition with dried blood, as is shown by the following analyses by Prof. Lyon Playfair: