FOX FOX ISLANDS. 



245 



,rf the Acts and Monuments of the Church, commonly 

 culled Fox's Book of Martyrs, first printed in 1553, 

 in one vol., folio; reprinted in 1632 and 1641, in 

 three vols. folio. In 1684, it had reached the ninth 

 edition. 



FOX, CHARLES JAMES. This eminent statesman 

 vas the second son of Henry, first lord Holland, so 

 long the rival and opponent of the earl of Chatham. 

 Charles James, was born, January 13, 1748, and early 

 became a favourite with his father, who, perceiving 

 indications of great capacity, mingled exceeding h> 

 dulgence with the most careful attention to his edu- 

 cation. He was sent to Eton, whence he removed 

 to Hertford college, Oxford, and his classical acquire- 

 ments were very considerable. His father procured 

 him a seat for the borough of Midhurst, in 1768, be- 

 fore lie was of legal age, and, in 1770, the same in- 

 terest procured him the office of one of the lords of 

 the admiralty, which situation he resigned the next 

 year, and was appointed a commissioner of the trea- 

 sury. Acting at this period under the influence of 

 his father, his parliamentary conduct led to little an- 

 ticipation of his future career. He spoke and voted 

 against Wilkes, but warmly supported Sir William 

 Meredith's bill to give relief from subscription to 

 the thirty-nine articles, and, in several other respects, 

 asserted his independence. 



After being a supporter of administration for six 

 years, Mr Fox was ejected, and was thrown into the 

 ranks of opposition. The adoption of the disastrous 

 measures which terminated in the independence of 

 the American colonies, enabled him to take this part 

 without opposing any of the policy which he had 

 previously supported. During the whole of this 

 eventful contest, he spoke and voted in direct oppo- 

 sition to the ministerial system, and, in conjunction 

 with Burke, Barre, Dunning, and other eminent 

 leaders, displayed the highest talents both as a 

 statesman and orator. In 1780, he became a candi- 

 date for the representation of the city of Westmin- 

 ster, and succeeded, although opposed by the whole 

 influence of the crown. On the final defeat of the 

 weak and calamitous administration of lord North, 

 and the accession of that of the marquis of Rocking- 

 1mm, Mr Fox obtained the office of secretary of state 

 for foreign affairs. But the death of the marquis of 

 Rockingnam suddenly divided the party; and, on 

 the earfof Shelburne becoming first lord of the trea- 

 sury, in preference to the duke of Portland, Mr Fox 

 retired in disgust; and, soon after, a union took 

 place between his friends and those of lord North, 

 which, under the name of the coalition, was odious 

 to the great mass of the people. The temporary 

 success of this party movement served only to render 

 popular disgust the more general ; and when, on 

 occasion of the famous India bill, the dissatisfaction 

 of the sovereign became apparent, the dismissal of 

 the coalition excited general satisfaction. At the 

 ensuing election, nearly seventy of his friends lost 

 their seats, and he had himself to enter into a strong 

 and expensive contest for the representation of West- 

 minster. Still, although in the new parliament Mr 

 Pitt had a decided majority, Mr Fox headed a very 

 strong opposition, and political questions were for 

 some years contested with a display of talent on 

 both sides, which the house of commons had seldom 

 previously exhibited. 



In 1788, Mr Fox repaired to the continent, and 

 was proceeding to Italy, when he was recalled by the 

 king's illness, and the necessity of constituting a re- 

 gency. The contest for the unrestricted right of the 

 heir apparent, which he warmly espoused, was 

 marked by a great display of oratorical and logical 

 talent on the part of the opposition ; but, both in 

 and out of parliament the majority on this occasion 



was with Mr Pitt. In 1790 and 1791, Mr Fox 

 regained a share of popularity by his op]iosition to 

 war with Spain and Russia, and also by his libel bilJ, 

 regulating the rights of juries in criminal cases, and 

 rendering them judges both of the law and the fact. 

 On the breaking out of the French revolution, he was 

 disposed to regard it as likely to prove extremely 

 beneficial. The contrary views of Mr Burke, and the 

 extraordinary manner in which that warm politician 

 on that account publicly renounced his friendship, is 

 one of the most striking incidents in parliamentary 

 history. The policy of the war that followed belongs 

 to history. Mr Fox firmly opposed the principle on 

 which it commenced, and strenuously argued for 

 peace on every occasion ; and, at the treaty of 

 Amiens, in 1801, gave Mr Addington, who con- 

 cluded it, his support. When hostilities were re- 

 newed, he also doubted of their necessity ; but, on 

 becoming secretary of state for foreign affairs, in 

 conjunction with the Grenville party, he acquiesced 

 in its propriety. His political career was now, how- 

 ever, drawing towards the close ; his health began 

 rapidly to decline ; symptoms of dropsy appeared ; 

 and, in a few months after the death of Mr Pitt, his 

 great rival, was laid in an almost contiguous grave. 

 Mr Fox died, September 15, 1806, without pain, and 

 almost without a struggle, in the fifty-eighth year of 

 his age. 



The opinions formed of this eminent leader as a 

 practical and theoretical statesman, it is unnecessary 

 to say, have been as various as the shades of party 

 difference. That he was a sincere friend to all the 

 broad and generous principles, on the due develop- 

 ment of which rest the freedom and best interests of 

 mankind, is not to be doubted, and that they were al- 

 loyed by great latitude on the subject of party and po- 

 litical expediency, is equally clear. As a powerful and 

 purely argumentative orator he was of the very first 

 class ; although, as to eloquence and brilliancy, he, 

 perhaps, yielded to Pitt, Burke, and Sheridan ; nor 

 was his voice and manner prepossessing, although 

 highly forcible. Of his amiability hi private life, 

 allowing for a dissipated youth, all accounts agree. 

 Friends and foes equally testify to his ingenuous and 

 benign character. The result of this happy tempera- 

 ment was, that no man was ever more idolized by a 

 wide and extensive connexion. As an author, be- 

 sides some Latin poetry, and a Greek dialogue, by 

 which he highly distinguished himself at Eton, and a 

 few numbers of a paper entitled The Englishman, he 

 published nothing during his lifetime but A Letter to 

 the Electors of Westminster, 1793, which was read 

 with great avidity. To his nephew, lord Holland, 

 the world is indebted for his posthumous publication, 

 entitled The History of the early Part of the Reign 

 of James II., with an introductory chapter, which 

 was intended to form a commencement of the his- 

 tory of the revolution of 1688. It is written with 

 unpretending simplicity, and shows that, had he ear- 

 lier applied his talents in this direction, he would 

 have proved a sound and philosophical historian. 



FOXlGLOVE. See Digitalis. 



FOX INDIANS; in North America, on the 

 Mississippi and Ouisconsin; number, about 1750. 

 These Indians possess very rich lead mines on the 

 west bank of the Mississippi. The principal mines are 

 situated in a tract one league square. The ore 

 yields the same per cent, of metal as that of 

 Missouri. 



FOX ISLANDS, the name given to two of theAleu- 

 tian islands, which form a long and numerous group 

 extending westward to Kamstchatka. They are the 

 most important and populous of the group, and, with 

 the rest, are claimed by Russia. The followirg re- 

 presents the dress of a native : 



