Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 9.djvu/251

 F I It F I R 241 became the associate of the notorious Fietro Aretino, whose foul life he was not ashamed to make the model of his own. They met again at Home, where Firenznola practised for a time the, profession of an advocate, but with little success. It is asserted by all his biographers that while still a young man lie assumed the monastic dress at Vallambrosa, and that he afterwards held successively two abbacies. Tira- boschi alone ventures to doubt this account, partly on the ground of Firenzuola s licentiousness, and partly on the ground of absence of evidence; but his arguments are not held to bo conclusive. Fireuzuola left Rome after the death of Pope Clement VII., and after spending some time at Florence, settled at Prato as abbot of Sau Salvatore. His writings, of which a collected edition was published in 1548, are partly in prose and partly in verse, and belong to the lighter classes of literature. Among the prose works are JJiscorsi deyll Animali, imitations of Oriental and yEsopian fables, of which there are two French transla tions ; Dialoyo delle Bellezze delle Donne, also translated into French ; Rayionamenti Amorosi, a series of short tales in the manner of Boccaccio, rivalling him in elegance and in licentiousness ; Discacdamento delle Xuove Lettere, a controversial piece against Trissino s proposal to introduce new letters into the Italian alphabet ; a free version or adaptation of The Golden Ass of Apuleius, which became a favourite book and passed through many editions ; and two comedies, I Lucidi, an imitation of the Mencechmi of Plautus, and La Trinuzia, which in some points resembles the Calandria of Cardinal Bibbiena. His poems are chiefly satirical and burlesque. All his works are esteemed as models of literary excellence, and are cited as authorities in the vocabulary of the Accademia della Crusca. The date of Firenzuola s death is only approximately ascertained. He had been dead several years when the first edition of his writings appeared (1548). His works have been very frequently republished, separately and in collected editions. ,. convenient reprint of the whole was issued at Florence ni 2 vols. in 1848. FIREWORKS. See PYROTECIINY. FIRMICUS, MATERNUS Junus, the name of a Latin writer, and most probably of two, who lived in the reign of Constantino and his successors. About the year 347 one of them composed a work entitled De Erroribus Profanarum Reliyionum, which he inscribed to Constantius and Constans, the sons of Constantino, and which is still extant, During the life of Constantiue a person of the same name as the author of the work on Christianity commenced his eight books on astronomy, which were not completed however till 354 B.C. They were first printed by Aldus Manutiua in 1501, and have been reprinted several times since. The work is interfused with Neo- Platonic philosophy, and its spirit is hostile to Christianity. Its diction in some cases resembles that of the Christian work, but it is impossible that two works so contradictory in tone and spirit could have been written by the same person at the same period ; and even if it be supposed, contrary to the evidence, that the Christian work was written subsequent to the heathen one, all the contradic tions between them would not be accounted for. The Christian work is preserved in a Palatine MS. in the Vatican library. It was first printed at Strasburg in 15(52, and has been reprinted several times, both separately and along with the writ ings of Minucius Felix, Cyprian, or Arnobius. The most correct editions are those by Conr. 1 ursian, Leipsic, 1856, and by C. Halm, in his Minucius Felix, Vienna, 1867. FIROZPUR, or FEROZEFORE, a district of British India in the Lahore division or commissionership under the jurisdiction of the lieutenant-governor of the Punjab, lies between 30 18 12&quot; and 31 10 36&quot; N. lat, and 74 5 and 75 29 E. long. It is bounded on the N. by Lahore, Amritsar, and Kapurthala state, E. by Juhndhar and Ludhidna, S. by Patiala, Nabha, and Faridkofc states, and W. by Sirsd. The surface of the district is level, with the exception of a few sand-hills in the south and south-east. The country consists of two distinct tracts, that liable to annual fertilizing inundations from the Sutlej, known as the bhet, and the rohi or upland tract The only river is the Sutlej, which runs along the north-western boundary. The census of 1868 returned the population at 303,489 males and 245,764 females total 549,253, of whom 68,406 were Hindus, 245,659 Mahometans, 160,487 Hindus, and 74,701 &quot;others.&quot; The area of the district is 2740 square miles, or 1,753,250 acres, of which 1,243,508 are cultivated, 377,722 cultivable, and 132,020 uncultivable and waste. The principal crops are wheat, barley, millet, gram, pulses, oilseeds, cotton, tobacco, &c. The manufactures are of the humblest kind, consisting chiefly of cotton and wool-weaving, and are confined entirely to the supply of local wants. The Lahore and Ludhidna road runs for 5 1 miles through the district, and forms the chief trade route. The chief town and administrative headquarters of the district is Firozpur. The other important towns and seats of com merce are Mahrag, population 5681 ; Dharmkot, 5379 ; Moga, 4844; Muktsar, 4694; and Zira, 3010. The district revenue in 1872-73 amounted to 61,141, of which 49,713 was derived directly from the land. For the pro tection of person and property there are 12 revenue and civil and 13 magisterial courts, a regular police force of 388 officers and men, a municipal police of 75 men, and a rural constabulary of 542 men. For educational purposes 121 schools, attended by 3487 pupils, are maintained or subsidized by the state, at a cost of 1299. Owing prin cipally to the dryness of its climate, Firozpur has the reputation of being an exceptionally healthy district. In September and October, however, after the annual rains, the people suffer a good deal from remittent fever. The average annual rainfall is 20 9 inches. British rule was first established at Firozpur in 1835, when on the failure of heirs to the Sikh family who possessed it, a small territory 86 miles in extent became an escheat to the British Government, and the present district has been gradually formed around this nucleus. Firozpur was the scene of operations during the first Sikh war. The Sikhs crossed the Sutlej in December 1845, were defeated successively at Mudki, Firozshah, Aliwdl, and Sobrdon; after which they withdrew into their own territory, and peace was concluded at Lahore. At the time of the mutiny, Firozpur cantonments contained two regiments of native infantry and a regiment of native cavalry, together with the 61st Foot, and two companies of European artillery. One of the native regiments, the 57th, was disarmed; but the other, the 45th, broke into mutiny, and, after an unsuccessful attempt to seize the magazine, which was held by the Europeans, proceeded to join the rebel forces in Delhi. Throughout the mutiny Firozpur remained in the hands of the English. FIROZPUR, the civil headquarters of the district of the same name, also a military cantonment, is situated on the old bank of the Sutlej, in 30 57 N. lat, and 74 10 E. long. The city contains a population of 20,592, according to the census of 1868, of whom 7181 are Hindus, 11,171 Mahometans, 1347 Sikhs, and 893 &quot;others.&quot; It has been constituted a municipality of the second class ; municipal income in 1872-73, 4033 ; expenditure, 3962 ; rate of taxation per head, 3s. I0d. Firozpur has rapidy advanced in material prosperity of late years, and is now a very important seat of commerce. The main streets of the city are wide and well paved, and the whole is inclosed by a low brick wall. Great improvements have been made in the surroundings of the city. The cantonment lies two miles to the south of the city, and is connected with it by IX. 31