FAT
( n )
FAT
The Greeks call it, el.uap, ay-mAm, quafi (2?t*°?> Catena, a Chain, or ncceffary Series of Things, indiffolubly lmk'd together ; and the Moderns, 'Providence* See Provi- dence.
But befide this Seiife of the Word, wherein it is us'd, fometimes to denote the Connexion of Caufes in Nature, and fometimes in the Divine Appointment ; the Word Fate has a further Intention; being us'd to exprefs, I know not what Necejfity, or eternal Designation of Things, whereby all Agents, both neceffary, and voluntary, are fway'd, and directed to their Ends. See NecessitV.
In this Acceptation, fome Authors divide Fate into Aflro- logical, and Stoical.
The firft, is a NeceJJzty of Things and Events, ariiing from the Influence, and Portions of the heavenly Bodies, which give Law, both to the Elements, and mix'd Bodies, and to the Wills of Men.
In this Senfe is the Word often ufed by Manillas : Cer- ium eji & inevitabile fatum : matericeque datum eft cogi, fed cogere jlellis. See Astrology.
The Stoical Fate, or Fatality, is defin'd by Cicero, an Order, or Series of Caufes, wherein Caufe being Hnk'd to Caufe, each produces other ; And thus, all Things flow from the one prime Caufe.
Chryfippzis defines it a natural invariable Succeflion of all Things ab memo, each involving other. To this Fate they fubjecl the very Gods.
Thus the Poet: The Parent of all Things made Laws at the Beginning, by which he not only binds other Things, but himfelf. So Seneca : Eadem neceffitas £5? 2)eos alligat. Jrrevocabilis Minna pariter £5? humana curfus whit. — Xpfe Hie omnium ConAitor & ReBor fcripjlt quidem Fata, fed feqwrur? femel fcripjlt, femper paret.
This eternal Series of Caufes, the Poets call y.ot$uv, and fParcd?, or 2)ejlinies. See Stoicism.
Fate, is divided by fome later Authors, into Phyftcal, and ^Divine.
The firft, is an Order, and Series of natural Caufes, ap- propriated to their Effects.
This Series is neceffary; and the Neceflity is natural. The Principle, or Foundation of this Fate, is Nature, or the Power and Manner of acting which God, originally gave the feveral Bodies, Elements, Mixts, &c. By this Fate it is, that Fire warms ; Bodies communicate Motion to each other; the Sun and Moon occafion the Tides, $0c. And the Effects of this Fate, are all the Events, and Phenomena 5n the Univerfe; except fuch, as arife from the human Will. See Nature.
^Divine Fate, is what we more ufually call Providence. See Providence.
Plato, in his Phtfdo, includes both thefe in one Defini- tion, as intimating, that they were one and the fame thing actively and paflivcly confider'd : Thus, Fatum eft ratio qutfdam divina, lexqzte nature comes, qu<e tranfiri ncqueat, quippe a caufa pendens, qua Juperior Jit quibtijvis impe- diracntis* Tho' that of Boetws feems the clearer, and more juft : Fatum, fays he, eft inh&rens rebus mobilibus difpofitio, per quam '•'Procidentia fuis qttceque neUit ordi-
nibus.
FATHER, Pater, a Term of Relation, denoting a Perfon who begot a Child, either Male or Female. See Son, and Daughter.
Among the antient Romans, the Fathers of three Chil- dren had very confiderable Privileges allow'd them. By the Laws of Romulus, a Father had an ablblute unlimited Power over his Children.
Adoptive Father, is he who takes the Children of fome other; and owns them as his own. Sec Adoption.
Putative Father, is he who is only the reputed, or fup- pofed Father -j as jfofepb was putative Father of our Sa- viour. See Putative.
Natural Father, is he who has illegitimate Children. Sec Bastard.
A Father -in- Laiv, is a Perfon married to a Woman, who has Children by a former Husband, &c.
Father, is alfo ufed in Theology, for the firft Perfon in the Trinity. See Person, and Trinity.
God the Father, is the proper Father of Jefus Chrift ; with regard to Men, he is call'd heavenly Father. See God, and Son.
Father, is alfo us'd in a figurative Senfe, on divers Mo- ral, and Spiritual Occafions Thus, it is applied to the Patriarchs; as we fay, Adam was the Father of all Man- kind ; Abraham, the Father of the Faithful, gfc Sec Pa-
TRIARCII.
In an Ecclefiaftical Senfe, Fathers is ufed for the antient Prelates, and Doctors of the Church. The Fathers af- fcmbled at the Council of Nice : Chryfofiom, St. Sajil&c. were Greek Fathers: St. Auguflin, St. Ambrcfc, &c. Latin Fathers.
The Fathers, fay the Mejjieurs de Ton Royal, are the proper Interpreters of theGolpelj and are only honour'dwith
that facred Appellation, as their Works are, in fome rneaf- fure, a Patrimony, or Inheritance, left the Faithful, as their proper Children.
Scaliger obferves, that the Fathers were good People", but not learned ones. To which St.- Evremond fubjoins, that when a Man comes to look near the Fathers, he Jofes a great Part of the Veneration, which Time and Opinion has proeur'd them : The great Diftance between them and us, makes them appear much greater, than they are.
The Fathers, fays the fame Author, had more Imagina- tion and Vivacity of Mind, than Judgment, and good Senfe. They gave altogether into Allegories, and affected theEril- lant to an Excels. Juftnefs of Mind was a thing they va- lued themfelves of the leaft.
Father, is alfo a Title of Honour, given to Prelates, and Dignitaries of the Church. The Right Reverend Fa- ther in God, "Tho, Lord BHhop of, $§c. See Title. Se&: alfo Reverence.
Fathep., is alfo applied to the Superiors of Convents 5 the Father General 5 Father Provincial; Exprovincial: Father Prior, Sub-Prior: Father Definitor, in the Order of Benedictines : Father Guardian, in that of the Fran- cifcans : Father Corrector, among the Minimi, &c.
Fathers, is alfo us'd plurally for all Congregations of Ecclefiafticks, whether Regular, or Secular; as, the Fa- thers Cordeliers, Capuchins, Auguflins> Jacobins, &c. The Fathers Jefuites, Fathers of the Oratory, Barnabites, T'hca- tins, of the Minion, £j?c. See each under the proper Arti- cle. See alfo Brother.
Fathers, is alfo us'd forPerfons venerable for their Age, Quality, or the Services they have done the Publick, Thus, at Rome, the Senators were call'd, Confcript Fathers, Pa- ires Confer ipti, &c. See Patres Confcript i. See alfo Se- nators.
FATHIMITES, or Fathemites, the Defendants of Mahomet, by Fathima, or Fathemah.
The Dynafty of Fathimites, that is, of Princes defcend- ing in a direct Line from AH, and Fat hi 'ma his Wife, jfefa- bomet's Daughter, commene'd in Africa, in the Year of the Hegira, 296; of Jefus Chrift, 908.
The Fathimites afterwards conquer'd Egypt, and eftab- lifh'd themfelves therein, in Quality of Kaliphs. See Ka- tini.
The Fathimites of Egypt, ended in Abed, in the Tear of the Hegira, 567 ; a68 Years after their firft Eftablifh- ment in Africa; and 208, after the Conqueft of Egypt.
FATHOM, a long Meafure, containing fix Feet ; taken from the utmoft Extent of both Arms, when ftretch'd in- to a right Line. See Measure.
The Fathom is chiefly us'd at Sea, in eftimating the Lengths of Cables, and other Ship-ropes, with the Depths and Soundings of the Sea: Alfo in Mines, Quarries, Wells, and all Works of Fortification.
There are three kinds of Fathoms, accommodated to the different Ranks of Veffels. The firft, which is that of Men of War, contains fix Feet : The middling, or that cf Merchant Ships, five Feet, and a half; and the fmali one, ufed in Fluyts, Flyboats, and other Fifhing-veffels, only five Feet.
Fathom is alfo us'd in feveral Countries, particularly Ita- ly, for the common Yard, or Ell, whereby Things are ordi- narily meafur'd, in Commerce: In which Senfe it is com- monly call'd Brace, or Sraccio, q. d. Arm. See Brace- FATNESS, Obefity, or Corpulency, in Medicine, the State of a Perfon too much loaded with Flefh, and Fat. See Flesh, and Fat.
Fatnefs arifes from a laudable, copious, oily, fort Blood containing lefs than its Share of Salt,
Such a Conftitution of Blood, occasioning but a feeble Fermentation, there is lefs confumed, than is made ; the Lym ph, which feems to be the Matter of Nutrition, preferves its vifcid Confiftence longer ; and by that means adheres the more plentifully to the divers Parts of the Body. Add, that there is more a Fat feparatcd from the Blood, than can well be depofited in the adipefe Cells. Hence the Bo- dy grows very confiderably, and the Parts fometimes dif- tend to a monftrous Bulk. '
Fatnefs is promoted by any thing that tempers and fof- tens the Blood, and renders it lefs iliarp, and faline : Such is want ofExercife, and Motion ; an indolent Life; too 1 much Sleep ; nouriftiing Foods, &c. It is prevented, or re- moved, by the contrary Caufes ; and particularly by the Ufe of faline and acid Meats, and Drinks.
Fatnefs is the Occafion of divers Difeafes, and particu- larly the Apoplexy.
Sennertns mentions a Man, that weigh'd fix-hundred Pound ; and a Maid, 3<T Years of Age, who weighd 450* Chiapin Vitelli, Marquefs of Cerona, a noted General in his Time, from an exceflive Fatnefs, reduced himfelf, by drinking of Vinegar, to fuch a Degree ofLeannefs, that he could fold his Skin feveral times round him. Fatnefs was infamous among the Lacedemonians.
FATUA-
