Hannah F. Gould.
Froth (Master), a foolish gentleman. Too shallow for great crime and too light for virtue.—Shakespeare, Measure for Measure (1603).
Froth (Lord), a good boon companion; but he vows that “he laughs at nobody’s jests but his own or a lady’s.” He says, “Nothing is more unbecoming a man of quality than a laugh; ’tis such a vulgar expression of the passion; every one can laugh.” To Lady Froth he is most gallant and obsequious, though her fidelity to her liege lord is by no means immaculate.
Lady Froth, a lady of letters, who writes songs, elegies, satires, lampoons, plays, and so on. She thinks her lord the most polished of all men, and his bow the pattern of grace and elegance. She writes an heroic poem called The Syllabub, the subject of which is Lord Froth’s love for herself. In this poem she calls her lord “Spumoso” (Froth), and herself “Biddy” (her own name). Her conduct with Mr. Brisk is most blamable.—W. Congreve, The Double Dealer (1700).
Frothal, king of Sora, and son of Annir. Being driven by tempest to Sarno, one of the Orkney Islands, he was hospitably entertained by the king, and fell in love with Coma´la, daughter of Starno, king of Inistore or the Orkneys. He would have carried her off by violence, but her brother Cathulla interfered, bound Frothal, and, after keeping him in bonds for three days, sent him out of the island. When Starno was gathered to his fathers, Frothal returned and laid siege to the palace of Cathulla; but Fingal, happening to arrive at the island, met Frothal in single combat, overthrew him, and would have slain him, if Utha, his betrothed (disguised in armor), had not interposed. When Fingal knew that Utha was Frothal’s sweetheart, he not only spared the foe, but invited both to the palace, where they passed the night in banquet and song.—Ossian, Carric-Thura.
Fudge Family (The), a family supposed by T. Moore to be visiting Paris after the peace. It consists of Phil Fudge, Esq., his son Robert, his daughter Biddy, and a poor relation named Phelim Connor (an ardent Bonapartist and Irish patriot), acting as bear-leader to Bob. These four write letters to their friends in England. The skit is meant to satirize the parvenu English abroad.
Phil Fudge, Esq., father of Bob and Biddy Fudge; a hack writer devoted to legitimacy and the Bourbons. He is a secret agent of Lord Castlereagh [Kar.´sl.ray], to whom he addresses letters ii. and ix. and points out to his lordship that Robert Fudge will be very glad to receive a snug Government appointment, and hopes that his lordship will not fail to bear him in mind. Letter vi. he addresses to his brother, showing how the Fudge family is prospering, and ending thus:
Should we but still enjoy the sway
Of Sidmouth and of Castlereagh,
I hope ere long to see the day