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FLETCHER FORBES. 



wisdom is displayed in every thing, even in what. 

 to ordinary comprehension, is most disagreeable 

 or disgusting. If the fly's eggs did not hatch 

 in a very short time, and the larva soon attain 

 its full growth, the object in view would not 

 be gained. In some other species of flies whose 

 larvte feed on flesh, not a single moment is lost ; 

 for, instead of an egg being laid, the larva is depo- 

 sited in the living state, the egg having been pre- 

 viously hatched within the body of the parent ; 

 this, indeed, is stated to occur very often with the 

 common flesh, or blow-fly. 



FLETCHER, MRS, formerly Miss Jewsbury, a 

 very agreeable writer, was a native of Warwick- 

 shire. Early in life she was deprived of her mother, 

 and thenceforth called upon to take her place at 

 the head of a large family (then removed to Man- 

 chester), with the further trial of most precarious 

 health. At an early period of her life she ventured 

 to address a letter to Wordsworth, which led to a 

 correspondence, and thence to a permanent friend- 

 ship. She was also materially assisted in the de- 

 velopement of her talents, and bringing their fruits 

 before the public, by the advice and active kind- 

 ness of Mr Alaric Watts, at that time resident in 

 Manchester ; an obligation which she was always 

 ready gratefully to acknowledge. Her first work 

 was entitled " Phantasmagoria ; or, Essays on Life 

 and Literature," which was well received by the 

 public. This was followed by her " Letters to the 

 Young," written soon after a severe illness ; her 

 " Lays for Leisure Hours," and lastly, her " Three 

 Histories," all of which were deservedly popular. 

 But many of her best writings are scattered among 

 the annuals and other periodicals. Mrs Fletcher died 

 in India, on her way from Sholapore to Bombay, 

 3d October, 1833. 



FOLK.STONE; a seaport town of England, in 

 Kentshire, situated on the shore of the English 

 channel, opposite to Boulogne, seventy miles E.S.E. 

 of London. The harbour here is extensive and 

 convenient, capable of receiving vessels of 300 tons 

 burden. The fish brought in here are regarded as 

 a superior kind, and the boats employed are nume- 

 rous; they are engaged during the season in catch- 

 ing mackerel for the London markets ; and at Mi- 

 chaelmas, turn their attention to the herring-fishery 

 on the Norfolk and Suffolk coasts : soles, whiting, 

 conger-eels, and other fish, are obtained here in 

 the highest perfection. From the salubrity of the 

 air, and its delightful scenery, Folkstone is much 

 frequented by company, for the pleasure of sea- 

 bathing. Harvey, the discoverer of the circulation 

 of the blood, was a native of Folkstone. Popula- 

 tion of town and parish in 1841, 4413. 



FORBES, SIB WILLIAM, an eminent Scottish 

 banker, was born at Edinburgh, in 1739. His fa- 

 ther, who was bred to the Scottish bar, died when 

 Sir William was a child, and he was removed with 

 his mother to Aberdeen, where he received the 

 early part of his education. In 1753, he returned 

 to Edinburgh, and was received as an appren- 

 tice into the banking establishment of Messrs 

 Coutts. His apprenticeship lasted seven years, dur- 

 ing which he continued to live with his mother in a 

 frugal manner, but in the enjoyment of the best 

 society of Edinburgh. After its expiry, he acted 

 for two years as clerk in the establishment, during 

 which time his increasing emoluments enabled him 

 to make a considerable addition to the comforts of 

 his mother, whose happiness was ever the chief 

 object of his care. In 1761, his excellent abilities 



and application to business induced the Messrs 

 Coutts to admit him as a partner, with a small 

 share in the banking-house, and he ever after as- 

 cribed his good fortune in life to the fortunate 

 connection thus formed with that great mercantile 

 family. But without being insensible to the bene- 

 fits arising from such a connection, it is perhaps 

 more just to ascribe it to his own undeviating 

 purity and integrity of character, which enabled him 

 to turn to the best advantage those fortunate inci- 

 dents which at one time or other occur to all in. 

 life, but which so many suffer to escape from negli- 

 gence, instability, or a mistaken exercise of their 

 talents. 



In 1763, one of the Messrs Coutts died, another 

 retired from business through ill health, and the 

 two others were settled in London. A new com- 

 pany was therefore formed, consisting of Sir 

 William Forbes, Sir James Hunter Blair, and Sir 

 Robert Herries ; and although none of the Messrs 

 Coutts retained any connection with the firm, their 

 name was retained out of respect to the eminent 

 gentlemen of that name who had preceded them. 

 The business was carried on on this footing till 

 1773, when the name of the firm was changed to 

 that of Forbes, Hunter, and Co., which it has ever 

 since been ; Sir Robert Herries having formed a 

 separate establishment in St James Street, London. 

 Of the new firm, Sir William Forbes continued to be 

 the head from that time till the period of his death ; 

 and to his sound judgment and practical sagacity 

 in business, much of its subsequent prosperity was 

 owing. 



In 1770, he married Miss Elizabeth Hay, eldest 

 daughter of Dr (afterwards Sir James) Hay ; a 

 union productive of unbroken happiness to his 

 future life. 



The benevolence of Sir William Forbes's char- 

 acter, his unwearied charity and activity of dispo- 

 sition, naturally led to his taking a very prominent 

 share in the numerous public charities of Edin- 

 burgh. In plans for the better management of the 

 charity Work-House, the Orphan Hospital, and the 

 erection of the High School, he was actively en- 

 gaged. He was also an active promoter of the society 

 of Scottish Antiquaries, the institution of trustees 

 for the encouragement of manufactures and Fish- 

 eries, and the establishment of the present Lunatic 

 Asylum. He was also one of the most zealous of 

 those who promoted and carried to a happy conclu- 

 sion the erection of the South Bridge ; one of the 

 most useful and successful of the improvements of 

 Edinburgh. Sir William was a warm adherent of 

 the Scottish Episcopal church, to promote the 

 benefit of which he was unwearied in his exertions. 

 Chiefly by his own efforts, and those of his son, 

 the late Sir William, the Episcopal communion of 

 Edinburgh was raised from the most obscure situ- 

 ations in the old town, and placed in two beautiful 

 edifices, raised at an expense of above 30,000. 

 Taking the principal lead in connection with this 

 communion, he was mainly instrumental in bring, 

 ing to Edinburgh the late Rev. Mr Allison, the well, 

 known author of the Essay on Taste, from a remote 

 rectory in Shropshire. 



Sir William's success in trade enabled him, about 

 the year 1781, to acquire the estate of Pitsligo, in 

 Aberdeenshire, by purchase, and thus he realized 

 an early and favourite wish of restoring to his an- 

 cient family their paternal inheritance. A new 

 field was now opened for his active benevolence of 

 disposition. He commenced improvements on 



