individuals--CLOTHO, LACHESIS, and
ATROPOS (Q. V.). See PARCAE.

FATHER OF COMEDY, ARISTOPHANES (q. v.).

FATHER OF ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY, EUSEBIUS (q. v.).

FATHER OF FRENCH HISTORY, DUCHESNE (q. v.).

FATHER OF GERMAN LITERATURE, LESSING (q. v.).

FATHER OF HISTORY, HERODOTUS (q. v.).

FATHER OF TRAGEDY, ESCHYLUS (q. v.).

FATHER PAUL, PAUL SARPI (q. v.).

FATHERS OF THE CHURCH, the early teachers of Christianity and
founders of the Christian Church, consisting of live _Apostolic
Fathers_--Clement of Home, Barnabas, Hermes, Ignatius, and Polycarp, and
of nine in addition called _Primitive Fathers_--Justin, Theophilus of
Antioch, Irenaeus, Clemens of Alexandria, Cyprian of Carthage, Origen,
Gregory Thaumaturgus, Dionysius of Alexandria, and Tertullian. The
distinctive title of _Apostolic Fathers_ was bestowed upon the immediate
friends and disciples of the Apostles, while the _patristic_ period
proper may be said to commence with the 2nd century, but no definite date
can be assigned as marking its termination, some closing it with the
deaths of Gregory the Great (601) and John of Damascus (756), while
Catholic writers bring it down as far as the Council of Trent (1542);
discarded among Protestants, the Fathers are regarded by Catholics as
decisive in authority on points of faith, but only when they exhibit a
unanimity of opinion.

FATHOM, a measure of 6 ft. used in taking marine soundings,
originally an Anglo-Saxon term for the distance stretched by a man's
extended arms; is sometimes used in mining operations.

FATHOM, COUNT FERDINAND, a villain in the novel of Smollett so
named.

FATIMA, the last of Bluebeard's wives, and the only one who escaped
being murdered by him; also Mahomet's favourite daughter.

FATIMIDES, a Mohammedan dynasty which assumed the title of caliphs
and ruled N. Africa and Egypt, and later Syria and Palestine, between the
10th and 12th centuries inclusive; they derived their name from the claim
(now discredited) of their founder, Obeidallah Almahdi, to be descended
from Fatima, daughter of Mahomet and wife of Ali; they were finally
expelled by Saladin in 1169.

FAUCHER, LEON, a political economist, brought into notice by the
Revolution of 1830; edited _Le Temps_; opposed Louis Philippe's minister,
M. Guizot; held office under the Presidency of Louis Napoleon, but threw
up office on the _coup d'etat_ of 1851 (1803-1854).

FAUCHET, ABBE, a French Revol