an invitation you may believe I accepted with emotion, and enjoyed with pleasure. Above the range of the dormitories there is another little apartment, which my guide allotted to the memory of his great predecessor, and which he has decorated with his portrait in oil colors, well preserved, and perhaps only a copy from some original painting. It was from this place that Copernicus enjoyed a fine scope of the heavens, and a large horizon; here that he made the heavens his study, and rendered himself a luminary of the first magnitude in the constellation of modern astronomers; and, when he found it necessary to make his observations in the open air, there is a little gallery or terrace that communicates with this apartment, and the adjoining steeple or belfry, which served to accommodate the great Copernicus in his researches. You, my lord, are able to conceive the divine satisfaction I enjoyed in this place-classic and sacred -where I inhaled as it were the spirit of departed greatness! and it was the shock of these transcendant emotions that made me to forget the stone I have described in the former part of my letter, my time being elapsed, and my carriage ready to depart. Near the cathedral my canon showed me a large reservoir of water, with a high tower, which contains the remains of a hydraulic machine, said to have been invented by Copernicus, for carrying and distributing the water by pipes to the different apartments of the canons, his brethren: a convenience now lost, and which, from the ruin of the machine, they are obliged to fetch from a fountain in the lower part of Frauenbourg. I have read in an old German journal, that in the ancient town of Konigsberg there are, or were, preserved many of the books belonging to Copernicus at the time of his death, with his portrait in oil colors, which were purchased at Thorn, probably in his house in that town, possessed by the family so late as the year 1720; and in this house Copernicus was born.'-Frauenbourg was built in 1279, and lies thirty-eight miles south-west of Konigsberg. Several monuments of the genius of Copernicus remain here, particularly the hydraulic machine, which supplied Frauenbourg with water, and which is supposed to have served as a model for that of Marli. See our article COPERNICUS. FRAUGHT, part. pass., n. s. & v. a. FRAUGHT AGE, N. S. fraight, now written freight. Laden; charged; filled; stored; thronged: freight; a cargo: to load; to crowd. Part. of FRAUSTADT, a town in the grand duchy of Posen, Poland, in a sandy tract on the borders of Silesia. It is subject to Prussia, and is a place of considerable traffic in Polish wool, woollen and linen cloth, stockings and leather. Here are barracks in an old building, formerly the Jesuits' college. The Swedes obtained a signal victory in this neighbourhood over the Saxons and Russians, in February, 1706, and in 1802 a number of houses were destroyed by fire. It is twenty miles north-east of Glogau, and seventy N. N. W. of Breslau. Population 5600, chiefly Germans, but including about 500 Jews. FRAXINELLA, in botany, see DICTAMNUS. It is remarkable of this odorous plant that, when in full blossom, the air which surrounds it in a still night may be inflamed by the approach of a lighted candle. Dr. Watson doubts whether this inflammability proceeds from an inflammable air exhaled by the plant, or from some of the finer parts of the essential oil of the plant being dissolved in the common atmospherical air. The latter, Cavallo thinks, is most probable, for were it the pure inflammable air, it would, on account of its small specific gravity, leave the plant as soon as it was produced. Common air acquires the property of becoming inflammable, by being transmitted through several essential oils. FRAXINUS, the ash, a genus of the diœcia order, and polygamia class of plants: nira. order forty-fourth, sepiariæ. There is no hermaphrodite calyx, or it is quadripartite; and there is either no corolla, or it is tetrapetalous; there are two stamina; one pistil; one lanceolated seed; and the pistil of the female is lanceolated. There are fifteen species, of which the most useful is the F. excelsior, common ash. If a wood of these trees is rightly managed, it will turn out greatly to the advantage of the owner; for, by the underwood, which will be fit to cut every eight or ten years, there will be a continual income, more than sufficient to pay the rent of the ground, and all other charges; and still there will be a stock preserved for timber, which in a few years will be worth 40s. or 50s. per tree. This tree flourishes best in groves, but grows very well in a rich soil in open fields. It is found in the highest perfection on dry loamy soils. In moist ground it grows fast, but soon sickens. It will in short grow freely on most kinds of soils, if the situation be tolerably good, excepting on retentive clays or tills. In wet soils it quickly shoots up, but soon languishes and dies. In rich lands its wood is short and brittle; in sandy soils it is tough and reedy: qualities which, for several purposes, very much enhance its value. Much has been said against admitting the common ash as an ornamental tree. Some discard it, because it has no leaf till late in the spring; for the same reason, the oak and the platanus might also be rejected. Others deny it admission, because it sheds its leaves early in autumn; the same objection would apply to the beech, the cherry, and the sycamore. Others again denounce it, because its foliage is thin, and its branches bare and ugly. It forms however an agreeable variety, when judiciously intermingled with other trees; and, as it will bear almost any topping or cutting, it is easily accommodated to its position. Cattle in general are fond of its leaves, and in Lancashire they lop the tops of, these trees to feed them in autumn, when the' grass is on the decline; the cattle peeling off the bark as food. The wood has the singular property of being nearly as good when young as when old. It is hard and tough, and is much used to make the tools employed in husbandry. The ashes of the wood afford very good potash. The bark is used in tanning calf-skin. A slight infusion of it appears of a pale yellowish color when viewed between the eye and the light; but when placed betwixt the eye and an opaque object, it appears blue. This blueness is destroyed by the addition of an acid, but recovered by alkalies. The seeds are acrid and bitter. Horses, cows, sheep, and goats, eat it: but it spoils the milk of cows. FRAY, n. s. & v. a. Fr. fracas, effrayer, to fright. A battle; a fight; a duel; a combat; a broil; a quarrel; a riot. To fright; to terrify. Fr. frayer, to rub. The panther, knowing that his spotted hide Doth please all beasts, but that his looks them fray, Within a bush his dreadful head doth hide, To let them gaze, while he on them may prey. Spenser. So diversely themselves in vain they fray, Whilst some more bold to measures him stand nigh. Id. Byron. den, was, next to him, the most revered divinity FREA, or FRIGGA, the wife of Odin, or Wonorthern nations. As Odin was believed to be among the Heathen Saxons, Danes, and other father, Frea was esteemed the mother of all the other gods. In the earliest times Frea was the same with the goddess Herthus, or Earth, who other German nations. But when Odin, the was so devoutly worshipped by the Angli, and conqueror of the north, usurped the honors due those which had been formerly paid to mother only to the true Odin, his wife Frea usurped Earth. She was worshipped as the goddess of love and pleasure, who bestowed on her votaries riages, and easy births. To Frea the sixth day of a variety of delights, particularly happy mar the week was consecrated, which still bears her name, Friday, or Frea's day. FREAK, n. s. & v. a.` FREAK'ISH, adj. FREAK'ISHLY, adv. FREAK'ISHNESS, n. s. Sulant. Sax. Fræc, fugitive; Ger. frech, saucy; petA sudden and place. A sudden fancy; a humor; a whim; a causeless change of capricious prank. Of the verb Dr. Johnson says, I suppose Scotch, brought into England by Thomson;' but Milton uses it to variegate; to chequer. Capricious; humorsome. O! but I fear the fickle freaks, quoth she, Of fortune, and the odds of arms in field. Faerie Queene. To vex me more, he took a freak Sables of glossy black, and dark embrowned, coloration. Goth. fræk; Ger. flecn, a spot, whence fleckle, freckle. A spot raised in Any small spot or dis Dryden. Swift. Now thy face charms every shepherd, Spotted over like a leopard; And, thy freckled neck displayed, Envy breeds in every maid. FRECKLES, lentigines, are spots of a yellowish color, of the bigness of a lentile seed, scattered over the face, neck, and hands. Freckles are either natural, or proceed from the jaundice, or the action of the sun upon the part. Heat, or a sudden change of weather, will often make the skin appear of a darker color than is natural, and thereby produce what is called tan, sunburn, and morphew; which seem to differ only in degree, and usually disappear in winter. Persons of a fine complexion, and those whose hair is red, are most subject to freckles, especially in parts exposed to the sun and air. To remove freckles put juice of lemons in a glass phial, and, mixing it with sugar and borax finely powdered, let it digest eight days, and then use it. Homberg proposes bullock's gall mixed with alum, and, after the alum has precipitated, exposed three or four months to the sun in a close phial, as one of the best menstrua for removing freckles. FRED. The same with peace; upon which our forefathers called their sanctuaries fredstole, i. c. the seats of peace. So Frederick is powerful or wealthy in peace; Winfred, victorious peace; Reinfred, sincere peace. FREDBERG, or FREDEBERG, a rich and strong town of Germany, in Misnia, remarkable for its mines, and for being the burying-place of the princes and of the house of Saxony. It is a delightful place, seated on the river Multa. Long. 13° 40′ E., lat. 51° 2' N. FREDERICIA, a town of Jutland, on the Little Belt, with a custom-house, where all vessels pay a toll on passing the Belt. The walls enclose a large extent of ground, but the population is only 3500. It was founded in 1651, but the fortifications were not completed when it was taken by storm and burnt by the Swedes. After this the town and walls were repaired; but, though the Danish government has made various efforts to induce a resort of population, the want of a good harbour has much counteracted them. Tobacco is cultivated here; but the chief manufactures are silk and woollen. Five miles north of Middlefarth. FREDERICK, the name of eleven European monarchs, viz. four emperors of Germany, five kings of Denmark, and two kings of Prussia; and part of the names of two other kings of Prussia, and two of Poland. See DENMARK, GERMANY, POLAND, and PRUSSIA. Amongst these we shall here only take notice of the two following: FREDERICK I., king of Prussia, the son of Frederick-William the Great, elector of Brandenburg, was born in 1657; and succeeded his father in the electorate, A. D. 1688. In 1700 he entered into a negociation with the emperor, Leopold 1., to get Prussia erected into a kingdom; which he at last obtained by a singular accident. While appearances were rather unpromising he received a letter from his minister, written in cyphers, advising him to use the interest of a certain prince; but he, mistaking the cyphers, applied to the emperor's confessor; who, being a Jesuit, was so much struck with the honor done him by a Protestant elector, that he exerted his whole interest, and that of his order, to procure him the desired object. Frederick was accordingly crowned king of Prussia January 18th, 1701. He was endued with many virtues. He was magnificent, generous, constant to his marriage vows, and studied the true interest of his subjects, by preserving his dominions in peace. He was three times married: his second queen was sister to king George I. He founded the university of Halle, and the royal academy at Berlin. He died in 1713. FREDERICK II., surnamed the Great, king of Prussia, one of the greatest warriors the present age has produced, was the son of FrederickWilliam, then hereditary prince of Brandenburg, and princess Sophia Dorothea, daughter of king George I. He was born in 1712, the year before his father mounted the throne, who was so far from being a patron of literature, that he regarded nothing but what related to the military art; and most of his generals scarcely knew how to sign their names. His son was of a disposition the very reverse. Being put from his birth under the care of Val de Recoule, a French lady of great merit and understanding, he early acquired a taste for literature, and a predilection for the French language, which were never obliterated. At seven years of age young Frederick was put under the military tuition of general count de Finkestein, and colonel de Kalkstein, and finances, was ordered to make him assist at officers renowned for courage and experience. He was taught mathematics and fortification by major Senning; Han de Jendun, a Frenchman, instructed him in other branches of knowledge; and a cadet, of the name of Kenzel, taught him his exercise. At eight he was furnished with a small arsenal, stored with all sorts of arms proportioned to his age and strength, of which his father left him absolute master. Soon after he was named captain and chief of the corps of cadets; and he performed every day, in miniature, with his little soldiers, all the evolutions with which his father exercised his giants. At last he received the command of a company in his father's famous gigantic regiment, composed of men of whom scarcely one was short of seven French feet. Endued, however, with a taste for the arts, he devoted to their cultivation every moment he could escape the vigilance of his guardians. He was particularly fond of poetry and music, and, when he could find a moment's leisure, read French authors or played on the flute; but his father, as often as he surprised him playing or reading, broke his flute and threw his books into the fire. The prince, chagrined at this treatment, and having a great desire to visit Germany, England, France, and Italy, desired permission to travel. This, however, his father refused, but permitted him to accompany himself occasionally into Germany; and, in 1728, took him to Dresden to see the king of Poland. By these little expeditions the prince's desire to travel was only the more inflamed; so that at last he resolved to set out without his father's knowledge. The design was entrusted to two of his young friends, named Kat and Keit; money was borrowed, and the day of departure fixed, when unluckily the whole project was discovered. The old king, implacable in his resentment, and considering his son as a deserter, determined to put him to death. He was shut up in the fortress of Custrin; and it was with difficulty that the count de Seckendorf, sent purposely by the emperor Charles VI., was able to alter the king's resolution. Certain vengeance, however, was determined on both his intended associates. Keit escaped the danger by flying into Holland; but Kat had not that good fortune. The king first directed that he should be tried by a courtmartial; but, as they only sentenced Kat to perpetual imprisonment, the revengeful monarch, by an unheard of exercise of his prerogative, caused him to be beheaded. The execution was performed under the windows of the prince, whose face being held towards the scaffold, by four grenadiers, he fainted away at the shocking sight: and, during the remainder of his life, he considered capital punishments with so great a degree of horror that they were rare throughout his dominions while he reigned. When the emperor had succeeded in preventing the execution of Frederick, the old king remarked, that 'Austria would one day see what a serpent she had nourished.' The prince remained prisoner a year at Custrin; during which time his father wished that he should learn the maxims of government and finance. For this purpose M. de Munchow, president of the chamber of domains all their assemblies, to consider him as a simple counsellor and to treat him as such. But, though Frederick assisted at their meetings, he did not trouble himself with reading acts or copying decrees. Instead of this he amused himself sometimes with reading French pamphlets, and at others with drawing caricatures of the president or members of the assembly. Munchow was also very favorable to the prince at this time, by furnishing him with books and other articles of amusement, notwithstanding the express prohibition of his father: though in this he certainly ran a great risk of his life. Frederick, after this, was recalled to Berlin, on pretence of being present at the celebration of his eldest sister's marriage with the hereditary prince of Bareith; but the true reason was, that the king had now prepared a match for the prince himself. This was the princess Elizabeth Christina of Brunswick, niece to the empress. Frederick, who was not only totally indifferent to the fair sex in general, but particularly prejudiced against this princess, made some objections; his father, however, overcame all obstacles with his usual arguments (says the author of the Life of Frederick), viz. his cane and a few kicks.' But the coldness which Frederick at this time showed for the fair sex was not natural; for as early as 1723, though then only in his eleventh year, he became enamoured of the princess Anne, daughter of king George II. Even at this early period he vowed to refuse every other but her for his consort, nor was his vow ever broken, as far as depended on himself. This marriage might have taken place had it not been for some differences which arose, between the courts of Prussia and Hanover, about a few acres of meadow land, and two or three Hanoverians enlisted by the Prussian recruiters. The princess whom he espoused had a large share of beauty, and, what was still better, an excellent heart; but Frederick is said to have suffered so much in his former amours, that certain insurmountable impediments remained to the completing of his marriage with any woman. On this occasion Frederick received from his father the county of Rupin. He resided in Rupin, the capital, for some time; but afterwards preferred Rheinsberg, which then contained only 1000 inhabitants. Having inscribed over the great gate of the castle FREDIRICO TRANQUILLITATEM COLENTI, his father was displeased with it, and therefore hurried him into the noise and tumult of war. The succession to the crown of Poland had kindled a general war throughout Europe, and the king of Prussia was to send 10,000 auxiliaries to the imperial army, then commanded by prince Eugene. The king conducted his troops in person, and took this opportunity of giving his son an idea of war. At this time, however he learnt but little, and only saw, as he expressed it, the shadow of the great Eugene. That consummate general, however, predicted that he would one day be a great captain. Frederick having gone to reconnoitre the lines at Philips burg, in his return through a very open wood, was exposed to the cannon of the lines, which thundered incessantly. The balls broke a number of branches on every side of him; notwith standing which he never caused his horse to move quicker, nor altered the motion of his hand which held the bridle; but continued to converse calmly with the generals who attended him. During this campaign, the health of the old king was so much impaired, that Frederick was for some time intrusted with signing all the orders in his name. On his recovery the prince was sent to Stetten, under the prince of Dessau, to see the fortifications. He was afterwards sent to Konigsberg to see king Stanislaus, who was no less remarkable for his philosophy and constancy than for his misfortunes. With him Frederick remained for some weeks, and contracted a friendship which was not dissolved but by death. At last he was allowed to return to his peaceful mansion at Rheinsberg, where he remained till the death of his father. In this place his time was occupied alternately by the study of the arts and sciences, and the pleasures of friendship. Philosophy, history, politics, the military art, poetry, and music, agreeably succeeded each other, and had each its stated period. The prince passed the greatest part of the day in his library; and the remainder in the society of a select company of learned men. In these meetinas, gaiety generally presided; there were generals to speak of war, musicians to charm the ear, and excellent painters to decorate the apartments. The morning was usually dedicated to study; agreeable conversation prevailed at each repast; and every evening there was a concert. In this retreat Frederick conceived that ardent passion for military glory, for which he became at last so remarkable; and here he formed the most sublime and daring projects. He was fired with a desire of imitating the celebrated heroes of antiquity, of whom he read in ancient authors. He never spoke but with enthusiasm of the great warriors of Greece and Rome; and, when seated on the throne, thought he could not distinguish an able soldier in a more honorable manner, than by conferring on him a Roman surname. Hence he distinguished by the name of Quintus Icilius M. Guichard, who had written some treatises on the military art of the ancients; giving him at the same time a free battalion. In his pursuit of glory Frederick cultivated the friendship of the celebrated poets, and philosophers of his day, and commended, complimented, and even flattered, all the most celebrated literati of Europe. The philosopners (says the author of his Life) answered him as a mad lover writes to his mistress. They wrote to him that he was a great poet, a great philosopher, the Solomon of the north. All these hyperboles were printed and Solomon was not sorry for it, though he had too much understanding to believe in them. Wolff, Rollin, Gravesande, Maupertuis, Algarotti, Voltaire, were honored with his correspondence. The last especially, accustomed to offer up incense to the idol of the day, were it transported from the dunghill to the altar, did not fail to exalt as the first man of the universe a prince who was in expectancy of the throne, and who assured him that he was the greatest philosopher of the age, and the first poet in the world.' That Frederick might keep up his character with the literati, or perhaps from a real predilection for his principles, he patronised the Apology of Wolf, (a philosopher whom his father had banished, for writing a work on pre-established harmony), and had his principal treatises translated into French. He even prevailed upon his father to relax a little in favor of that philosopher. In 1736 a letter was sent to Wolf at Marpourg, inviting him to return; but he did not venture to make his appearance till 1740, when his protector was seated on the throne. During his residence at Rheinsberg, Frederick composed his refutation of the principles of Machiavel, under the title of Anti-Machiavel; of which he sent the MS. to Voltaire to correct, and to get printed. The old king, now worn out with infirmity, saw with regret the predilection his son entertained for men of letters; and, in his peevish fits, often threatened the whole society with confinement in the fortress of Spandau. These threats frequently occasioned a violent alarm among the joyous company at Rheinsberg, which it required all the eloquence of Frederick to quiet. Their apprehensions, however, were removed, in 1740, when the old monarch died on 31st May, and left the throne to his son. The possession of a kingdom did not abate Frederick's passion for literature, though to this he was now obliged to superadd the qualities and labors of a great king. His transactions in this character will be found under the article PRUSSIA; and therefore little more remains to be said here, than to relate some anecdotes by which we may be able to trace the character of this great and singular monarch. Having, soon after his accession, gone into Prussia and Westphalia to receive the homage of the inhabitants, he formed a resolution of proceeding incognito as far as Paris. Being discovered at Strasbourg, however, he laid aside his design, and went to see his states in Lower Germany. Here he wrote the celebrated Voltaire, that he should come incognito to visit him at Brussels; but being seized with an indisposition in the little palace of Meuse, two leagues from Cleves, he wrote again to that philosopher, requesting him to make the first advances. The following curious account is given by him of his reception, &c. 'The only guard I found at the gate was one soldier. The privy counsellor, Bambonet, was cooling his heels in the court; he had large ruffles of dirty linen; a hat full of holes; and an old magisterial peruke, one end of which descended as low as his pockets, and the other scarcely reached his shoulder. I was conducted into his majesty's apartment, where there was nothing but bare walls. I perceived in a cabinet, by the glimmering of a taper, a truckle bed, two feet and a half wide, on which lay a little man, muffilled up in a night gown of coarse blue cloth. This was the king, in a strong perspiration, and even trembling under a wretched blanket, in a violent fit of the ague. I bowed to him, and began by feeling his pulse, as if I had been his first physician. The fit over, he dressed himselt and sat down to table. Algarotti, Kayserling, Maupertuis, the king's minister to the states general, and myself were of the party; where we conversed profoundly on the immortality of the soul, on liberty, and the Androgynes of Plato.' This rigid economy, and contempt of every |