Fenelon \fan-'lo n \, Francois de Salignac de La Mothe- (b. Aug. 6, 1651, Chateau de Fenelon, Perigord, France—d. Jan. 7, 1715, Camb- rai) French archbishop, theologian, and man of letters. Though generally conservative, his The Education of Young Gentlewomen (1687), based on his experience directing a women’s college, supported liberal education and argued against coercing Protestants to convert. As tutor to a grand¬ son of Louis XIV, he composed his best-known work, the novel Les Aven- tures de Telemaque (1699), but the political ideas it seemed to express offended Louis, who banished him from the court. He was similarly con¬ demned by the church for his leanings toward Quietism, which empha¬ sized spiritual passivity. His liberal views on politics and education exerted a lasting influence on French culture.
Feng shui Vfoq-'shwaV Traditional Chinese method of arranging the human and social world in auspicious alignment with the forces of the cosmos, including qi and yin-yang. It was devised during the Han dynasty (206 bc-ad 220). Specialists, called diviners, use compasslike instruments to determine the exact cosmic forces affecting a site, appropriate sites being chosen particularly in relation to bodies of water and mountains. Feng shui, especially as it affects interior design, has recently become popular in Britain and the U.S.
Federico Fellini/ 1965.
PARIS M4TCH/PICTORIAL PARADE
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fenghuang ► Ferdinand I I 665
fenghuang or feng-huang Vfoq-'hwaqX In Chinese mythology, an immortal bird whose auspicious rare appearances portend world harmony, particularly upon the ascent to the throne of a new ruler. Considered to embody both male and female elements, the fenghuang in later descrip¬ tions is often considered the female counterpart of the male dragon and, as such, symbolizes the female portion of the yin-yang principle, notably with respect to marital harmony. Legend tells of its appearance before the death of the Yellow Emperor (Huangdi) in the 3rd millennium bc.
Fenian \'fe-ne-on\ cycle or Fionn \'fin\ cycle or Ossianic cycle
Irish tales and ballads centring on the deeds of the legendary Finn Mac- Cumhaill (MacCool) and his war band, the Fianna Eireann. An elite vol¬ unteer corps of warriors and huntsmen skilled in poetry, the Fianna flourished in the 3rd century. Fenian lore attained its greatest popularity c. 1200, when its outstanding story, “The Colloquy of the Old Men”, was written down. The cycle remains a vital part of Irish folklore and contains many of the country’s best-loved folktales.
Fenian movement Irish nationalist society active chiefly in Ireland, the U.S., and Britain, especially in the 1860s. The name derived from the Fianna Eireann, a legendary band of Irish warriors led by Finn MacCum- haill. Plans for a rising against British rule in Ireland miscarried, but in the U.S., Fenians staged abortive raids into British Canada and caused friction between the U.S. and British governments. The Irish wing was sometimes called the Irish Republican Brotherhood, and as such contin¬ ued after Fenianism died out in the early 1870s. See also Sinn Fein.
fennec \'fe-nik\ Desert-dwelling fox ( Fennecus zerda) found in northern Africa and the Sinai and Arabian pen¬ insulas. It is small (head-and-body length 14-16 in. [36-41 cm]), weighs about 3.5 lb (1.5 kg), and has large ears (6 in. [15 cm] or more in length).
It has long, thick, whitish to sand- coloured fur and a black-tipped tail 7-12 in. (18-31 cm) long. Mainly nocturnal, it spends most of the day underground in its burrow. It feeds on insects, small animals, and fruit.
fennel Perennial or biennial aro¬ matic herb ( Foeniculum vulgare ) of the parsley family, native to southern Europe and Asia Minor and widely cultivated. The greenish brown to yel¬ lowish brown oblong oval seeds smell and taste similar to anise. The seeds and extracted oil are used for scenting soaps and perfumes and for fla¬ vouring candies, liqueurs, medicines, and foods, particularly pastries, sweet pickles, and fish. The thickened base of Florence fennel ( F. vulgare dulce) is eaten as a vegetable.
Fenrir Yfen-rar\ In Norse mythology, a monstrous wolf. He was the son of the god Loki and a giantess. The gods bound Fenrir to a rock with a magical chain, where he is destined to remain until doomsday, or Ragn- arok, when he will break his chains and fall upon the gods. In one ver¬ sion of the myth, he will devour the sun and swallow the chief god, Odin, only to be slain by Vidar, Odin’s son. Fenrir figures prominently in Nor¬ wegian and Icelandic poetry of the 10th-11th century.
Fenton, Roger (b. 1819, Hey wood, Eng.—d. Aug. 8, 1869, London) British photographer. In 1853 he helped found the Royal Photographic Society of London. In 1854 he was appointed the government’s official photographer and sent to document the Crimean War. He shot some 360 photographs of the war; although they largely represent a glorified over¬ view, showing very little of the real action or agony of war, they repre¬ sent the first extensive photographic documentation of a war. On his return he exhibited successfully in London and Paris.
fenugreek Vfen-y9-,grek\ Slender, annual, herbaceous legume ( Trigo- nella foenum-graecum) or its dried seeds, used as a food, a flavoring, and a medicine. Native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean, the plant is cultivated in central and southeastern Europe, western Asia, India, and northern Africa. The seeds smell and taste strong, sweetish, and somewhat bitter, like burnt sugar. Mealy in texture, they may be mixed with flour for bread or eaten raw or cooked. The herb is a characteristic ingredient in some curries and chutneys and is used to make imitation maple syrup.
fer-de-lance \'fer-d 3 l-'ants\ French "spearhead" Extremely ven¬ omous pit viper (genus Bothrops), found in diverse tropical American habi¬
tats, from cultivated lands to forests. It has a broad, triangular head and is gray or brown, marked by a series of black-edged diamonds often bor¬ dered in a lighter colour. It is usually about 4-7 ft (1.2-2 m) long. Its bite can be fatal to humans. The name is sometimes applied to all members of the Central and South American genus Bothrops and to an Asian genus, Trimeresurus.
Fer Diad \'far-,de-3d\ Foster brother of the legendary Irish hero Cu Chu- lainn. Tain Bo Cuailgne the longest tale in the Ulster cycle, deals with a conflict between Ulster and Connaught over the famous brown bull of Cooley. Joining the forces of Connaught in an expedition to seize the bull, Fer Dfad engages in a three-day battle with Cu Chulainn and is defeated.
Ferber, Edna (b. Aug. 15, 1887, Kalamazoo, Mich., U.S.—d. April 16, 1968, New York, N.Y.) U.S. novelist and short-story writer. Ferber began her career at age 17 as a reporter in Wisconsin. Her early stories were collected in Emma McChesney & Co. (1915) and other volumes. She won critical acclaim for such novels as So Big (1924, Pulitzer Prize) and Show Boat (1926), which, with music by Jerome Kern, became a seminal work of the American musical theatre. Among her later works is the novel Giant (1952; film, 1956). Her works offer a compassionate, lively portrait of middle-class Midwestern America.
Ferdinand (b. April 19, 1793, Vienna, Austria—d. June 29, 1875, Pra¬ gue, Bohemia) Emperor of Austria (1835—48). He was the eldest son of Emperor Francis II, who sought to protect the principle of succession and insisted that Ferdinand be the heir, despite Ferdinand’s feeblemindedness and epilepsy. Ferdinand was crowned king of Hungary in 1830 and became emperor of Austria in 1835. Government affairs were controlled by a body of counselors, led by the chancellor, Klemens, prince von Met- ternich. He was the last Habsburg king of Bohemia (1836), and in 1838 he was crowned king of Lombardy and Venetia. In the revolution of 1848 hostility was directed against his counselors, and Ferdinand abdicated in favor of his nephew, Francis Joseph.