FINLAY, GEORGE (1799-1875).—­Historian, of Scottish descent, was b. at Faversham, Kent, where his f., an officer in the army, was inspector of government powder mills.  Intended for the law, he was ed. at Glasgow, Goettingen, and Edin., but becoming an enthusiast in the cause of Greece, he joined Byron in the war of independence, and thereafter bought a property near Athens, where he settled and busied himself with schemes for the improvement of the country, which had little success.  His History of Greece, produced in sections between 1843 and 1861, did not at first receive the recognition which its merits deserved, but it has since been given by students in all countries, and specially in Germany, a place among works of permanent value, alike for its literary style and the depth and insight of its historical views.  It was re-issued in 1877 as A History of Greece from the Roman Conquest to the Present Time (146 B.C. to 1864).

FISHER, JOHN (c. 1469-1535).—­Controversialist and scholar, b. at Beverley, and ed. at Camb., entered the Church, and became in 1504 Bishop of Rochester.  He wrote in Latin against the doctrines of the Reformation, but was a supporter of the New Learning, and endeavoured to get Erasmus to teach Greek at Camb.  Through his influence the Lady Margaret Professorship of Divinity were founded at both the Univ. by Margaret Countess of Richmond, and in 1502 he became first prof. at Camb., where he was also (1505-8) Head of Queen’s Coll.  He was also instrumental in founding Christ’s and St. John’s Coll.  For opposing the divorce proceedings of Henry VIII. he was burned.  Made a cardinal in 1535, he was beatified in 1886.

FISKE, JOHN (1842-1901).—­Miscellaneous writer, was b. at Hartford, Connecticut.  The family name was Green; but this he dropped, and adopted that of his mother’s family.  After being at Harvard he studied for, and was admitted to, the Bar, but did not practise.  He wrote on a variety of subjects, including mythology, history, and evolution.  Among his books on these subjects are, Myths and Mythmakers (1872), Cosmic Philosophy, Darwinism, The Idea of God, Origin of Evil.  He was also the author of many works on America.  These include Old Virginia, New France and New England, The American Revolution, and Discovery of America (1892).

FITZGERALD, EDWARD (1809-1883).—­Translator and letter-writer, was b. near Woodbridge, Suffolk, s. of John Purcell, who took his wife’s surname on the death of her f.. in 1818.  He was ed. at Bury St. Edmunds and Camb.  Thereafter he lived in retirement and study with his parents until 1838, when he took a neighbouring cottage.  In 1856 he m. a dau. of Bernard Barton, the poet, from whom, however, he soon separated.  Afterwards he lived at various places in the East of England, continuing his studies, with yachting for