FAWKES, Guy (properly GUIDO), the head of the conspiracy known by the name of the gunpowder plot, was born of a Protestant family in Yorkshire, in the year 1570. Ile became a Roman Catholic at an early age, and served in the Spanish army in the Netherlands. Inspired with fanatiCal zeal for his new return to Eng land, he entered into a plot with several Catholic gentlemen tor blowing up the king, his ministers, and the members of both houses at the opening of parliament, 5th Nov., 1605. Guy F. was taken with the burning match in his hand, tried, and after having been put to the torture, was publicly executed Jan. 31, 1606. In remembrance of this event, in most English towns, but particularly in London, a grotesque figure, stuffed with straw, is carried about the streets on the 5th of Nov., and finally committed to the flames. A political and religious signification was again imparted to this custom by what was called •' the papal aggression" in the year 1850, when the figure of cardinal Wiseman was substituted for that of Guy Fawkes.
FAY, Atsunis, a Hungarian author, was b. in 1786, at Kohany, in the county of Zemplen. After having studied philosophy and law at the Protestant college of Saros patak, F. was called to the bar. He held a situation for some time in the county of Pesth, which, however, he afterwards relinquished, in order to be able to devote him self altogether to literary pursuits. After two volumes of poetry, appeared the collec tion of fables (_Vesek,Vien. 1820), and with the issue of that work F. obtained a decided reputation. The fables are like those of Phiedrus and La Fontaine, but in prose. Rich
ness of invention, simplicity of design, and truth of character, arc the chief qualities for which the Mesa have become a household word among Hungarians. Among F.'s dramatic works may be mentioned the tragedy, The Two Batliorys (A Kit Bcithary, Pesth, 1827); the comedies, Ancient Coins (1?egi Penzelc), and Hunters in the Matra (Matrai Vaddszok). The novel, The House of the Beltekys (A' Belteky-haz, Pesth, 1832), is rather of a didactic kind, but exhibits many features of Hungarian domestic life. Besides these, F. was a constant contributor to literary and scientific periodicals, and had also his share in some of those pamphlets by which great social questions, as, for instance, female education, savings banks, etc., were brought to a successful issue in Hungary. In reading F.'s works, we are frequently reminded of dean Swift. From 1825, which year may be said to have been the beginning of a new political life for Hungary, up to the year 1840, F. was foremost among the leaders of the liberal oppo sition in the county sittings of Pesth; but on the appearance of Kossuth, the strides of public life growing more and more rapid, F. gradually retired from the region of polit ical controversy, turning his inventive mind to social improvements. The first savings bank of Hungary (at Pesth) was entirely F.'s work. His literary works were published in eight volumes at Pesth, in 1843-44. He was a directing member of the Hungarian academy of sciences. He died in 1864.