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however, lie knew how to vindicate the refpefl: that was 
due to his perfonal worth, and to repel with becoming 
dignity the affronts which were offered him by perfons 
who had no other merit to boaft of but their anceflry. 
Some time before his death he had a dream, which lie 
confidered to be a prefage of his approaching end. He 
therefore ordered a fculptor to make a fimple and modeft 
defign for his tomb, not willing that after his death any 
oftentatious monument fliould be eredted to his memory. 
When two deligns were fhewn to him, he choi'e the fim- 
plefl, and then faid to the artifl, “ Begin tlie work, for 
there is no time to lofe.” He died fhortly afterwards, in 
1710, “wept (fays d’Alembert) by the catholics, re¬ 
gretted by the proteflants, and leaving to bis brethren a 
worthy model of zeal and charity, fimplicity and elo¬ 
quence.” Befides the pieces already noticed, lie was the 
author of, 1. Miscellaneous Works, in verfe and profe, 
both French and Latin. 2. The Life of Cardinal Com- 
mendon, 4to. tranflated from the Latin of Gratiani. 3. 
Panegyrics of the Saints, 4to. 4. Sermons, in 3 vols. 
121110. 5. A Collection of Letters, 2 vols. 121x10. 6. An 
edition of Gratiani’s curious work De Caflbus illuflrium Vi- 
rorum , -with a Latin preface, 4to. 7. Two volumes of 
Pofthumous Works, 121110. confiding of paBoral letters, 
aifcourfes delivered on feveral occafions, compliments, 
harangues, &c. A complete edition of the whole was 
publifhed at Nifmes, in 1782, in 10 vols. 8vo. 
To FLECK, v. a. [fleck, Ger. a fpot.] To Spot; to 
Break; to Bripe; to dapple ; to variegate : 
Let it not fee the dawning/cx /4 the (kies, 
Nor the grey morning from the ocean rife. Sandys. 
Flak'd in her face, and with diforder’d hair. 
Her garments ruffled, and/er bofom bare. Dryden. 
To FLECK'ER, v. a. To fpot; to mark with Brakes or 
/ touches of different colours ; to mark with red whelkes: 
The crcy-ey’d morn fmiles on the frowning night, 
Checkering the eaftern clouds with Breaks of light; 
And dark ne Is flecker'd, like a drunkard, reels 
From forth day's path, and Titan’s burning wheels. 
Shakefpeare. 
Mafon,- in his Supplement, fays, “ The exiBence of this 
word reBs folely on a mif-quotation of Johnfon’s from 
Romeo and Juliet; where the editions which bear his 
own name jointly with that of Steevens have flecked and 
not flecker'd." Yet it may be obferved, that from to fleck 
is naturally formed the frequentative to flecker ; by the 
fame rule of analogy as from to chat, chatter ; beat, batter ; 
fpit,flputtcr ; flit, flutter/, fly, flicker ; mould, moulder-, gleam, 
glimmer ; wave, waver. To flecker therefore means to Jpot 
frequently ; and fleckered is fynonymous with manyflpotted. 
Fleckered deferibes larger fpots than fpeckled, and Jpcckled 
larger fpots than freckled-, but pied, or pie-bald, deferibes 
larger fpots than fleckered. Monthly Magazine .* 
FLECK'EREN, an ifland in the North Sea, near the 
fouth coaB of Norway, with two ports. It is defended 
by a fortrefs. Laf. 5S.4. N. Ion. 8. 18. E. Greenwich- 
FLED, the preterite and participle ; not properly of 
fly, to life the wings, but of flee, to run away.—Truth is 
fled far away, and leafing is hard at hand. Efdras. 
In vain for life he to the altar fled-, 
Ambition and revenge have certain fpeed. Prior. 
FI.EDGE, adj. [ flederen, Dot. to fly.] Full-feathered; 
able to fly ; qualified to leave the nefi : 
His locks behind, 
IlluBrious on his Bioulders, fledge with wings, 
Lay waving round. Milton. 
To FLEDGE, v. a. To furnifh with wings ; to fupply 
with feathers.—The birds were not as yet fledged enough 
to fhift for themfelves. L' EJlrange. 
The fandals of celefiial mould, 
Fledg'd with ambrofial plumes, and rich with gold, 
Surrqlmd her feet. Pope. 
FLE'DIRBORN, a town of Germany, in the circle 
of Upper Saxony, and duchy of Pomerania : fixteen miles 
from New Stettin. 
FLED'WITE, or Fughtwitf,/. [from plyth, Sax. 
fluga, et wite, muldla.~\ In our ancient law fignifies a dif- 
charge from amerciaments, where a perfon having been 
a fugitive came to the peace of our lord the king of his 
own accord, or with licence. 
To FLEE, v. n. pret. fled. [This word is now alinoB 
universally written fly, although properly to fly, pleogan, 
flew, is to move with wings, and flee, plean, to run away. 
They are now very much -confounded.] To run from 
danger; to have recourfe to fhelter.—Behold, this city is 
near to flee unto. Gen. xix. 20.—None of us fall into thofe 
circumBances of danger, want, or pain, that can have 
hopes of relief but from God alone ; none in all the world 
to flee to, but him. Tillotfon. 
FLEECE, f. [plyp, plep, Sax. vleefe, Dut.] As much 
wool as is fhorn from one fheep.—The Bleep will prove 
much to the advantage of the woollen manufacture, by 
the finenefs of the fleeces. Swift. 
So many days my ewes have been with young. 
So many months ere I fiiall Bieer the fleece. Shakefpeare. 
To FLEECE, v. a. To clip the fleece off a Bleep. To 
Brip; to pull; to plunder, as a Bleep is robbed of his 
wool.—Courts of juBice have a fmall penfion, fo that 
they are tempted to take bribes, and to fleece the people. 
Addifon. 
FLEE'CED, adj. Having fleeces of wool : 
As when two rams, Birr’d with ambitious pride. 
Fight for the rule of the rich fleeced flock, 
Their horned fronts fo fierce on either tide 
Do meet, that with the terror of the Block 
Aftonied botli Band fenfelefs as a block. Sfenfer . 
FLEE'CY, adj. Woolly ; covered with wool : 
Let her glad valleys fmile with wavy corn ; 
Let fleecy flocks her rifing hills adorn. Prior . 
The good fliepherd tends W\sflegey care, 
Seeks frefheB paBure, and the pureB air; 
Explores the loft, the wand’ring flieep direCts. Pope. 
To FLEER, v. n. [pleapbian, to trifle, Sax. fleardan , 
Scot. Skinner thinks it formed from leer, Dan. to laugh.] 
To mock ; to gibe ; to jeft with infolence and contempt: 
Dares the Have 
Come hither, cover’d with an antic face, 
To fleer and Icorn at our folemnity ! Shakefpeare. 
To leer; to grin with an air of civility.—How popular 
and courteous; how they grin and fleer upon every man 
they meet ? Burton. 
FLEER, f. Mockery exprefled either in words or looks: 
EncaVe yourfelf, 
And mark the fleers, the gibes, and notable fcorns. 
That dwell in every region of his face. Shakejpeare. 
A deceitful grin of civility.—He (hall generally fpy fuch 
falfe lines, and fuch.a By treacherous fleer upon the face 
of deceivers, that he fhall be fure to have a caB of their 
eye to warn him, before they give him a caB of their na¬ 
ture to betray him. South. 
FLEE'RER, f. A mocker; a fawner. 
FLEET, FLEOT, F.LOT, are all derived from the 
Saxon pleot, which fignifies a bay or gulf. Gihflon. 
FLEET,/, [plota, Sax.] A company of Blips; a 
navy : 
Our pray’rs are heard ; our maBer’s fleet fhall go 
As far as winds can bear, or waters flow. Prior. 
FLEET,/, [pleot:, Sax. an eftuary, or arm of the fea.] 
l creek ; an inlet of water. A provincial word, from 
hich the Fleet-prifon, and Fleet-Breet, in London, are 
amed.—They have a very good way in Eflex of chaining 
:nds that have land-floods or fleets running through them, 
hich make a kind of a fmall creek. Mortimer . 
FLEET. 
