FOR 
to a circle, whose diameter is d and ab- 
sciss x. 
FORMULARY, a writing containing the 
form of an oath, declaration, attestation, 
abjuration, &c. to be made on certain oc- 
casions. 
FORNICATION, the act of inconti- 
ltenCy in single persons ; for if either party 
be married, it is adultery ; the spiritual 
court hath the proper cognizance of this of- 
fence ; but formerly the courts’-leet had 
power to inquire of and punish fornica- 
tion and adultery ; in which courts tile 
King had a fine assessed on the offenders, 
as appears by the book of domesday. 
FORSKOHLEA, in botany, so named 
in honour of Peter Forskabl, a Swede, a 
genus of the Octandria Tetragynia class 
and order. Natural order of Urticas, Jus- 
sieu. Essential character : calyx four or 
five leaved, longer than the corolla ; petals 
eight or ten, spatulate ; pericarpium none ; 
seeds five, connected by wool. There are 
three species. 
FORSTER (John Reinhoi.d), in bio- 
graphy, an eminent naturalist and philolo- 
gist, was bom on the 2 2d of October 1729, 
at Derschaw, in Polish Prussia, where bis 
father was a burgomaster. He received 
very little education, except what he ac- 
quired himself by the natural strength of 
his own genius, till the year 1743, at which 
period he was placed for a year at the 
public school of Marienwerder ; and 
when about fifteen, he was sent to Ber- 
lin, where he was admitted into the gym- 
nasium of Joachimsthal. Having a de- 
cided attachment to the learned languages, 
he made great progress under Mezelius and 
Heinsius ; and even while at school, applied 
to the study of the Coptic. He applied 
also to several of the modern languages, 
and particularly the Polish, which he had 
an opportunity of speaking with his school- 
fellows, many of whom were Poles, and 
among whom, at that time, was a very ex- 
traordinary genius, Stanislaus von Sies- 
trzencewitz, who, through ambitions views, 
afterwards embraced the Catholic religion, 
and, on account of his eloquence, was raised 
to the dignity of a bishop. Among his 
school-fellows also at this time, were Co- 
chins, Resewitz, Irving, and the celebrated 
Pallas, now professor at Petersburg. 
In the year 1748, he was entered at the 
University of Halle ; his inclination led him 
to the study of medicine ; but his father was 
desirous that he should apply to jurispru- 
dence : he however studied theology, and 
FOR 
indulged his taste for the learned languages, 
among which he included the Oriental. 
In the year 1751, he left the University, 
and repaired to Dantzic, where he soon dis- 
tinguished himself by his sermons, in which 
he imitated the French rather than the 
Hutch manner, at that time the most pre- 
valent. After being two years a candidate, 
he obtained a settlement, in 1753, at Nas- 
senhuben, and in the month of February 
next year, married his own cousin, Eliza- 
beth Nikolai. While in this situation, he 
devoted great part of his leisure hours to 
philosophy, geography, and the mathema- 
tics, which were now his favourite pursuits ; 
and he improved himself still farther in the 
knowledge of ancient and modern lan- 
guages ; but his income being small, and 
bis family increasing, he had to struggle 
with difficulties, which induced him to ac- 
cept an offer made to him by the Russian 
resident at Dantzic, of going to Russia to 
superintend the new colonies at Saratow. 
At Petersburgh he gave so much satisfac- 
tion to the members of government, that 
Count Orlof, who at that time enjoyed unli- 
mited power, wrote to the resident at Dant- 
zic, to thank him for having engaged a man 
of such great talents, and so agreeable to 
his wishes. But, whether Forster had shewn 
himself too warm a friend of the colonists, 
had expressed his sentiments with too much 
freedom, or given offence to Orlof in some 
other manner, lie soon returned to Peters- 
burgh without completing his engagement. 
On his return to the capital, he had advan- 
tageous offers made to him by the Academy 
of Sciences, and by that of Moscow, bnt 
he declined both. In the mean time the 
congregation at Nassenhuben, whom he had 
left, insisted either on his returning or giv- 
ing up the place. As he had still hopes 
that the Russian government would fulfil 
its promise, and make some provision for 
him, he preferred the latter; but his pa- 
tience having been exhausted, his friends at 
Berlin, who had reason to expect hearing 
of his being on the Banks of the Wolga, re- 
ceived letters from London, in the month of 
July 1766, in which he stated that he had 
left Russia in disgust, and had proceeded 
to England, with very little money, but 
with strong recommendations. After his 
arrival in London, he received from the 
Russian government a present of a hundred* 
guineas; and by translating Kalm’s Travels, 
and Osbeck’s Voyage, he procured some 
additional funds towards the support of his 
family. He had an offer from Lord Balti- 
