Frederick the Great (King of Prussia), b. 24 Jan. 1712, was educated in a very rigid fashion by his father, Frederick William I. He ascended the throne and soon displayed his political and military ability. By a war with Austria he acquired Silesia. He wrote several deistical pieces, and tolerated all religions and no religion saying “every man must get to heaven his own way.” He attracted to his court men like Lamettrie, D’Argens, Maupertuis, and Voltaire, who, says Carlyle, continued all his days Friedrich’s chief thinker. In 1756 France, Austria, Sweden, and Russia united against him, but he held his own against “a world in arms.” After a most active life Frederick died at Potsdam, 17 Aug. 1786. The Philosophical Breviary attributed to him was really written by Cérutti.
Fredin (Nils Edvard), Swedish writer, b. 1857. Has published translation of modern poets, and also of Col. Ingersoll’s writings. In ’80 he was awarded first prize by the Swedish Academy for an original poem.
Freeke (William), b. about 1663, wrote A Brief but Clear Confutation of the Trinity, which being brought before the notice of the House of Lords it was on 3 Jan. 1693 ordered to be burnt by the common hangman, and the author being prosecuted by the Attorney General was fined £500.
Freiligrath (Ferdinand) German poet, b. Detmold 17 June, 1810. In ’35 he acquired notice by some poems. In ’44 he published his profession of faith Mein Glaubensbekenntniss, and was forced to fly the country. In ’48 he returned and joined Karl Marx on the Neue Rheinische Zeitung. Again prosecuted he took refuge in London, devoting his leisure to poetry and translation. Freiligrath holds a high place among the poets of his time. Died Kannstadt, near Stuttgart, 18 March 1876.
Fréret (Nicolas), French historical critic, b. 15 Feb. 1688. He was a pupil of Rollin, and was patronised by Boulainvilliers. Distinguished by his attainments in ancient history, philosophy and chronology, he became member of the Academy of Inscriptions 1714. For a Discourse on the “Origin of the Franks,” he was incarcerated for four months in the Bastille. While here he read Bayle so often that he could repeat much from memory. He was an unbeliever, and the author of the atheistic Letters from Thrasybulus to Leucippe on Natural and Revealed Religion, and perhaps of La Moisade, a criticism of the Pentateuch, translated by D. I. Eaton, as A Preservative against Religious Prejudices. The Letters to Eugenie, attributed to Fréret, were written by D’Holbach, and the Critical Examination of the Apologists of the Christian Religion by J. Levesque de Burigny. A Critical Examination of the New Testament, 1777 which long circulated in MS. has also been wrongly attributed to Fréret. Died at Paris, 8 March, 1749.
Frey (William), the adopted name of a Russian Positivist and philanthropist, b. of noble family, the son of a general, 1839. Educated at the higher military school, St. Petersburg, he became teacher in a Government High School, and disgusted with the oppression and degradation of his country he went to New York in 1866 where he established co-operative communities and also Russian colonies in Kansas and Oregon. In 1884 he came to London in order to influence his countrymen. In ’87 he revisited Russia. Died 6 Nov. 1888.
Fries (Jacob Friedrich), German philosopher, b. Barby, 23 Aug. 1773. Brought up as a Moravian, he became a Deist. Fries is of the Neo-Kantian rationalistic school. Among his writings are a System of Metaphysics, 1824; a Manual of the Philosophy of Religion and Philosophical Æsthetics, Heidelberg ’32; in which he resolves religion into poetry. He criticised Kant’s proofs of God and immortality, and wrote a History of Philosophy. Died Jena, 10 Aug. 1843.
Frothingham (Octavius Brooks), American author, b. Boston, 26 Nov. 1822. Graduated at Harvard, ’43, and became Unitarian minister. In ’60 he became pastor of the most radical Unitarian congregation in New York. In ’67 he became first president of the Free Religious Association, but, becoming too advanced, resigned in ’79 and came to Europe. Since his return to Boston, ’81, he has devoted himself to literature. He has published The Religion of Humanity, N.Y., ’73; Life of Theodore Parker, ’74; The Cradle of the Christ, ’77; Life of Gerrit Smith, 78; and numerous sermons.
Froude (James Anthony), man of letters and historian, the son of an Archdeacon of Totnes, was b. Dartington, Devon, 23 April, 1818, and educated at Westminster and Oxford, where he took his degree in ’40, was elected fellow of Exeter College and received deacon’s orders. At first, under the influence of the Romanising movement, he became a rationalist and abandoned his fellowship and clerical life. His Nemesis of Faith, ’48, showed the nature of his objections. Mr. Froude devoted his abilities to a literary career, and fell under the influence of Carlyle. For many years he edited Fraser’s Magazine, in which he wrote largely. His essays are collected under the title of Short Studies on Great Subjects, ’71–83. His largest work is the History of England, from the Fall of Wolsey to the Defeat of the Spanish Armada, ’56–76. His Life of Carlyle, ’82, and publication of Carlyle’s Reminiscenses provoked much controversy. His magical translation of Lucian’s most characteristic Dialogue of the Gods is done with too much verve to allow of the supposition that the translator is not in sympathy with his author.
Fry (John), a colonel in the Parliamentary army. In 1640 he was elected one of the burgesses of Shaftesbury, but his return was declared void. After serving with distinction in the army, he was called to the House of Commons by the Independents in 1648. He voted for Charles I. being put on trial; and sat in judgment when sentence was passed on him. He was charged with blasphemy and wrote The Accuser Shamed, 1649, which was ordered to be burnt for speaking against “that chaffie and absurd opinion of three persons in the Godhead.” He also wrote The Clergy in their Colors, 1650.