Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 9.djvu/375

F O N F N 3G1 Although these volumes contain only articles reprinted from the Examiner, they give a vivid and spirited history of one of the most important and stormy phases of Parlia mentary Reform. Fonblanque, although an ardent up holder of popular rights and an uncompromising opponent of bigotry and oppression, will never be found upon the side of violence or licence. Tho Chartists received from no source more complete condemnation thau from the Examiner, which consistently advocated the principle that moral force was in every case to be relied upon, and that the liberties of the constitution were to be enlarged by means which were also constitutional. " In describing Lord Durham s politics," says Mr Edward Fonblanque, " he unconsciously depicted himself, He was not a reformer of the republican class, but he occupied as it were the frontier line of constitutional reform." In a word, Fon blanque was an honourable example of the constitutional Radical who follows after liberty, but uses the pathway of the law. As a journalist, he must also be regarded in the light of a reformer. Journalism before his day was regarded as a somewhat discreditable profession : men of true culture were shy of entering the hot and dusty arena lest they should be confounded with the ruder combatants who fought there before the public for hire. But the fact that Fonblanque, a man not only of strong and earnest political convictions but also of exceptional literary ability, did not hesitate to choose this field as a worthy one in which both a politician and a man of letters might usefully as well as honourably put forth his best gifts, must have helped, in no small degree, to correct the old prejudice. Life and Labours of Albany Fonblanque, edited by his nephew, Edward Harrington de Fonblunque, 1874 ; England under Seven Administrations, by Albany Fonblanque, 1837. (J. MA.) FOND DU LAC, a city of the United States, capital of Fond du Lac county, Wisconsin, is beautifully situated on a rising ground at the southern end of Lake Winnebago, 63 miles N. W. of Milwaukee. Railways radiate from it in various directions, and its situation on Winnebago lake gives it access to a wide district of inland navigation. It has a considerable shipping trade in wood, hay, and cattle, and possesses a large tannery, foundries, sawmills, cigar factories, carriage and waggon factories, and a railway- car factory. The water supply is obtained chiefly from Artesian wells, which vary in depth from 90 to 130 feet. Tho population in 1860 was 5400, and in 1870, 12,764. FONDI, the ancient Fundi, a town of Italy in the province of Caserta, about 11 miles N.W. of Gaeta. Its principal street lies along the Appian way, and portions of its old polygonal or Cyclopean walls are still in good pre servation. The castle, now in a sadly dilapidated condi tion, is of interest for its connexion with the Colonna family, and the Dominican convent contains a chapel which was occupied as a cell by Thomas Aquinas, and an orange-tree said to have been planted by the saint. The church of Santa Maria is a building in the Italian Gothic style, much disfigured in the interior. Between the town and the sea lies the Lago de Fondi or Lacus Amyclanus, in the midst of a marshy tract which has recently been greatly diminished by draining ; and near this is a cave, where, according to Tacitus, Sejanus saved the life of Tiberius. The district was in ancient times famous for its wine, in cluding the Ager Cascubus, which gave its name to the Caacuban of the Latin poets. Population in 1871, 6632. Fundi was probably at first a Volscian town. Its citizens were rewarded in 190 B.C. with full Roman citizenship, and enrolled in the ^Einilian tribe. Under Augustus it received a colony of veter ans. In the time of the barbarian invasions it suffered severely, more especially from the Saracens- in 845. The election of the anti-pope Clement VII. took place in the town in 1378, and in 1534 it was attacked and plundered by the Turkish corsair Barba- rossa, who was anxious to capture the beautiful countess Ginlia Gonzaga as a present for the sultan. FONT (Lat. fons, It. fuiiie, Fr. fonts}, the vessel used in churches to hold the water for Christian baptism. The modes of administering baptism have varied at different periods of the existence of the Christian churches, causing corresponding changes in the forms and auxiliaries of the receptacle of the consecrated water. There is reason to believe that in the times of the apostles and early mission aries the rite was administered by sprinkling, as whole multitudes of people, and even whole kingdoms were baptized in one day. But a very general method in early times was no doubt that of total immersion, the catechumens being received by the priest in the water. As Christianity became more general of course fewer adults would present themselves for baptism, and consequently the size of the vessel would not need to be beyond what would allow of the total immersion of an infant. In fact down to the time of the Reformation fonts continued to be made quite large enough to allow of the total immersion of infants, and there is little doubt that down to that date the method was occasionally employed. Baptism by infusion and by aspersion followed this method, though they were no doubt used concurrently, and in a sense combined, for in certain representations of the rite in illuminations and stained glass the infant is represented as seated naked in the font, while from a vessel the priest pours the water upon the head. Originally used only for sick or infirm persons, the method of baptism by infusion became gradually the established practice, and all doubts as to its validity were removed by appeal to papal and other high authority. In early times the font was placed in the baptistery, a structure often entirely separate from the body of the church, of which the celebrated Baptistery at Florence is the finest example. In these the well or basin for con taining the water was usually reached by descending steps. The baptisteries were round, square, octagonal, or cross- like in form, and in design bear the impress of the period to which they belong. Few are found of late date, and the only existing structure at all recalling them in English churches is found at Luton in Bedfordshire. The font at Luton belongs to the Decorated style of English art, and is inclosed in an octagonal structure of freestone, consisting of eight pillars about 25 feet in height, supporting a canopy. The space around the font is large enough to hold comfort ably half a dozen people. At the top of the canopy is a vessel for containing the consecrated water, which when required was let down into the font by means of a pipe. The space around the font in the ancient baptisteries was of size to admit several catechumens at the same time; and not only was the whole rite of baptism performed within them, but that of the holy eucharist likewise, and even the baptism of infants. As baptism was administered in early times by bishops only, baptisteries were rare except at the principal church of the diocese. Easter, Whitsuntide, and Epiphany were the principal seasons of its administration. In the 9th century fonts became general in all churches, and baptism was performed at all times by priests of all ranks. Of fonts still in existence few are older than the llth century. The material in the Western Church was generally stone, and the outsides and accessories are frequently orna mented with some of the loveliest and most characteristic of the national arts of the Middle Ages. In the Eastern Church it was different. " The font, KoXvfifirjBpa," says Neale (Eastern Church, i. 214), "in the Eastern Church is a far less conspicuous object than it is in the west. Baptism by immersion has been retained; but the font seldom or never possessed any beauty. The material is usually either metal or wood. In Russia the columbethra is movable, and only brought out when wanted." The IX 46