FERME, CHARLES, or FAIRHOLME. Born at Edinburgh, and educated at its university, he rose to the position of principal of the College of Fraser burgh. For his share in the proceedings of the assembly at Aberdeen in 1605, he was imprisoned in the Castle of Doune for some years. He was ultimately restored to Fraserburgh, where he died in 1617 ; 'a Tydeus,' according to Adamson in body, a Hercules in spirit.' Among other works, which appear to have perished, he left behind him A Logical Analysis of Me Epistle of Paul to the Romans, published by Principal Adamson in 1651. Discovered by Dr. Lindsay Alexander on an old bookstall at Newcastle, it was brought under the notice of the Council of the Wodrow Society, and given to the world as one of their publications. It is characterised by the editor as a sagacious, ex act, and perspicuous commentary on the epistle.'
It fully justifies its title as a logical analysis.' By the clear method in which he puts the steps of the argument he sometimes sheds more light on a pas sage than a diffuse commentary would supply.— W. H. G.
FESTIVALS.—As each festival is described in its proper place, we confine ourselves here to some general remarks upon the development of the fes tivals, the relationship which they sustain to each other, as well as to the whole cycle, the rites and ceremonies which are common to all, and the changes which they suffered in the course of time.
The fact that all the festivrtls celebrated from the Exodus to the Babylonish captivity belong to the Mosaic institutions, and that the additional ones originated after the captivity naturally divides them into pre-exile and post-exile festivals.