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 Revolutionary, a Girondin; blessed the National tricolor flag; “a man of Te Deums and public consecrations”; was a member of the first parliament; stripped of his insignia, lamented the death of the king, perished on the scaffold (1744-1793).

FAUCIT, HELEN, a famous English actress; made her debut in London (1836), and soon won a foremost place amongst English actresses by her powerful and refined representations of Shakespeare’s heroines under the management of Macready; she retired from the stage in 1851 after her marriage with THEODORE MARTIN (q. v.); in 1885 she published a volume of studies “On Some of Shakespeare’s Female Characters” (1820-1899).

FAUNS, divinities of the woods and fields among the Romans, and guardians of flocks against the wolf.

FAUNTLEROY, HENRY, banker and forger; in his twenty-third year became a partner in the bank of Marsh, Sibbald, & Co., London; was put on trial for a series of elaborate forgeries, found guilty, and hanged; the trial created a great sensation at the time, and efforts were made to obtain a commutation of the sentence (1785-1824).