It 



FISCHER, KABL VON. 



FITZHERBERT, MARIA. 



and UM Lucius of the original work becomes Agnolo in the version. 

 The leading circumstances are retained, bat altered at f*r as is neces- 

 sary to suit the change of time and country ; the alteration however ii 

 by DO means an improvement of the original narrative, though the 

 competition, ai a specimen of Italian prose, U admirable. 



Firenxuola's other prose work*, which are mostly in the form of 

 dialogue, are delightfully written; his 'Dialogo delle Bellezze delle 

 Donne ' especially, abounds in descriptions of exceeding delicacy, con- 

 veyed in a style so graceful and flowing as to give to a series of 

 remarks all the attraction of an interesting narrative. The ' Dis- 

 cacciamento ' was written in opposition to the party who were then 

 attempting to introduce certain letters not previously in use into the 

 Florentine alphabet, such as the letter K. Firenzuola, in a sonnet, 

 addresses the literary reformers as " kandidi ingegni." 



As a writer of verse Firenzuola has considerable merit; his son- 

 nets indeed are less delicate in thought and expression than those of 

 Petrarch, but his satirical verses are of a high class, very effective, and 

 in elegance and facility hardly inferior to those of Berni. 



( Vita di Agnolo FiretmoUi, prefixed to his Opere, Pisa, vols. 18mo, 

 1816 ; Gingut no, in Bioyraj>ki Univericilc ; Tirabojchi, k'toria delta 

 Lateral ura Jtalima.) 



FISCHER, KARL VON, founder of the Munich school of archi- 

 tecture, was born at Mannheim, September 19, 17S2; and at the age 

 of fourteen was placed by his father, Hofrath von Fischer, who had 

 observed in him an unusual inclination for drawing buildings, with 

 Ober-baudirector Venobaffelt, a man of great ability in his profession. 

 On Verschaffclt's removing to Vienna in consequence of being 

 employed by Prince Esterbazy, Fischer accompanied him thither, and 

 remained in that capital from 1S01 to 1806 ; and besides the advan- 

 tage he derived from studying there at the Academy of Fine Ark, 

 acquired much practical experience, being intrusted by Verschaffolt 

 with the superintendence of some of the buildings ho was engaged 

 upon. It was while he wag at Vienna that ho first projected what 

 afterwards became his greatest work, for, having made designs for an 

 opera-house, and also for another theatre, which excited much admi- 

 ration, be was commissioned to modify the plan of tho latter so as to 

 adapt it for the new ' Hof Theatre ' which it was intended to erect at 

 Munich. The scheme however was dropped for a time; and ou 

 quitting Vienna, Fischer visited France first, afterwards Italy, where 

 he spent about two years, diligently studying all the most remarkable 

 examples of architecture. Ou his return to Germany in 1809, he 

 went to Munich, where he was made Professor of Architecture at the 

 Academy, of which office he continued up to the time of his death, 

 to discharge the duties with equal zeal and ability : it was in conse- 

 quence of his strongly urging it, that the academy began to form a 

 collection of architectural casts and models. 



One of the first buildings erected by him at Munich was the mansion 

 for the minister SaUbert, at the entrance to the ' English Garden,' 

 which was afterwards occupied by Prince Karl, and then called the 

 ' Pavilion Royal.' When the Karoline-Platz and Maximilian Vorstadt 

 were first hud out in 1810, ho built fourteen of the principal mansions 

 and houses in that quarter, introducing a nobler style of architecture 

 than had hitherto been employed in constructions of that class. Among 

 other private residences and hotels by him, the most remarkable ore 

 those for the then Crown-Prince of Bavaria, Baron von Asbeck, Count 

 Psppenheim, and Baron von Zentner. The facade of the ' Ministerial- 

 gebaude des Inneni,' or Home-office ; the Auger-kirche and General 

 Hospital were also by him. All these however were but minor works 

 in comparison with the Hof Theatre, which is still one of the prin- 

 cipal ornaments of Munich, though no longer made use of as the 

 court theatre, a larger building adjoining it being now the principal 

 theatre of Munich. The Hof Theatre was begun in 1811, ami lint 

 opened October 12th, 1818, but it was nearly consumed by firo in 

 1823 ; it was however rebuilt the following year, according to the 

 original designs. Placs, sections, and other drawings, fully illustra- 

 ting this edifice, may be found in Forster'a ' Bauzeitung ' for 1841. 

 Fischer did not live to learn the fate of his great structure, as he died, 

 after several months' severe suffering from a pulmonary disorder, 

 February llth, 1820. 



FISCHER VON KRLACH, JOHANN BERNHARD, and his 

 son Joseph Emmanuel, both distinguished architects, designed or 

 superintended the building of all the principal public or privato 

 edifices which were erected at Vienna in their time. Johanu the 

 father was born either at Prague or Vienna in 1650, and studied under 

 Bernini at Rome, and all his works are in the style of that architect. 

 His first work was the palace of Sohonbruun, commenced in 169t! for 

 Joseph I_ to whom, and Charles VI., he was court architect; he died 

 in 1724. 



Joer.ru EMIIAXCZX, T'AROK vox KKLACII, was born in 1680. He 

 finished the works which his father left incomplete, the principal of 

 which is the magnificent church of St. Karl Borromaous, fini-hcd in 

 1737. He was created iiiron von Erlach by Charles VI. The year 

 of his death is not known, though it was after 1740. He was the first 

 to introduce the steam-engine into Germany. 



(A**na* ffaliimai Eneydopadie, 1835, il 147.) 



FISHER, JOHN, Bishop of Rochester, was born at Beverlcy in 1456. 

 He was educated at the oollcgiate school of his native place, and after 

 some residence there removed to Michael House College, Cambridge, 



of which he became master in 1495. The respect in which Margaret 

 countess of Richmond, Henry VII.'s mother, held his character, and 

 her high opinion of his learning, induced her to appoint him her 

 chaplain and confenor. He was named the first ' Lady Margaret's 

 Professor of Divinity ' in the University of Cambridge, and became 

 Bishop of Rochester in 1504. It was some years after this tinie that 

 the actions of Bishop Fisher gaiutd him an historical notoriety. 

 \Vhen Henry VIII. (1527) was anxious to prove both to himself and 

 to others the illegality of his marriage with Catherine of Arragon, he 

 applied to the bishops for their opinions in the matter. Of all the? 

 bishops Fisher alono refused to sign a declaration that the marriage 

 was unlawful. Other persons indeed affixed his signature to the 

 paper, affirming that they had his permission to do so; but the 

 bishop resolutely denied that ho had given them his consent ; for in 

 his conscience he believed the marriage to bj valid. This refusal, 

 and his continued advocacy of Queen Catherine's cause, made him 

 many powerful and lasting enemies. Not only did he become hateful 

 to the king, who was desirous for the divorce, but the whole parlia- 

 ment took umbrage at hU conduct. Sir Thomas Audley, then 

 speaker, and thirty members of the House of Commons, were sent 

 to complain to the king of certain derogatory words which Fisher was 

 declared to have used respecting the assembled representatives ; and 

 it was with difficulty that ho could persuade them to receive his 

 explanation. Four years after, when both the parliament and the 

 convocation were in debate upon the expediency of denying the pope's 

 supremacy (1584), Fisher again stood alone. He dissented from all 

 the other bishops, and could not, either by persuasion or argument, 

 be induced to concur with their opinion. An event was now at band 

 which laid the foundation of his ruin. The imj>osturo of Elizabeth 

 Barton, the nun of Kent, was exposed by the diligence of Cranuier 

 and others; and while the principal agents were condemned to death, 

 it was very properly deemed lit that those who had been privy 

 to the deception should not escape unpunished. Among these was 

 Fisher, who, knowing this woman and her associates to be impostors, 

 disgraced himself by not exposing the imposition, lid mode many 

 vain excuses, but was found guilty of misprisiou of treason. 1 

 not appear that the king proceeded against him upon this charge till 

 he was moved by new provocations. When tho oath touching the 

 succession and the king's supremacy was offered to him, the Bishop 

 of Rochester, as Sir Thomas More hod done, refused to swear it. Tho 

 king, now more than ever irritated against him, caused him to bo 

 indicted upon tho statute and committed to tho Tower: "hi.s 

 bishoprick was seized," says Buruet (' Hist lit formation,' vol. i.), 

 all big goods taken from him ; only some old rags were left to cover 

 him ; and he was neither supplied well in diet nor other necessaries, 

 of which he made sad complaints." Books were also denied him lest 

 he should write against the king's marriage or supremacy. These 

 inexcusable severities met with the most bitter censure of the liouiau 

 Catholic party ; while many of the Reformers, especially the Lu 

 preachers who had frequently been persecuted by Fisher, oro taid to 

 have privately rejoiced in his misfortunes. During his imprisontneilt 

 Pope Clement, in spite to the king, and in kindness to Fisher, tout 

 him a cardinal's hat. When the king heard of this, he desired that 

 the bishop might be examined about it; but Fisher protested that he 

 had used no endeavours to procure it : nevertheless his new dignity 

 precipitated his ruin. His continued denial of the king's supremacy 

 was no longer passed over : on the 17th of Juue 1535, he was called 

 to account for this offence. The Lord Chancellor, the Duke of 

 Suffolk, and some other lords, together with the judges, were appointed 

 commissioners for his trial ; he was found guilty, and condemned to 

 die as a traitor. Ou the 'J2ud of June he was beheaded. 



The character of Fisher is remarkable for firmness. In his steady 

 maintenance of the fallen cause of Queen Catherine, undaunted by the 

 anger of the vindictive king, this quality peculiarly shone forth : and 

 still more with regard to the o.ith of supremacy, refusal to take which 

 was certain to call forth severe punishment, and in all probability death. 

 Fisher was immovable, not being convinced that he was in the wrong ; 

 his fearless firmness allowed him to maintain an open profession that 

 he was in the right. Ho was a learned and devout mat), and hu 

 conduct fully proved his sincerity. 



FITZHEKUERT, MARIA, wag tho youngest daughter of Waller 

 Si:, y the, Esq., of Brambridge, Hants, second son of Sir John 

 Sinytho, third baronet, of Eshe, Durham, and Acton Burnel, Salop. 

 Sho was born in July 1756, and in 1775 became the wife of Edward 

 Weld, Ksq., of Lulworth Castle, Dorset, who died the some year. In 

 1778 she remarried Thomas Fitzherbcrt, Esq., of Swinncrton, county 

 of Stafford, but was again loft a widow in 1781, when she was scarcely 

 twenty-five years of age. In 1785 she first became acquainted wiiL 

 King George IV., then Prince of Wales, to whom she was privately 

 married on December 21st of tho same year, the ceremony being 

 pcrforim d at Carl ton House by a Protestant clergyman, in the presence 

 of her undo and brother. This union w;m invalid as to its civil 

 effects, in being contrary to the act which forbade, and still forbids a 

 union between the subject and a prince of tho blood royal : while 

 further, tho marriage of a royal prince with a Roman Catholic is 

 sufficient in point of law to exclude him from succession to the throne. 

 Subsequently however the prince contracted a marriage according to 

 the laws of England with tho Princess Caroline of Brunswick ; but 



