Dictionary of Phrase and Fable—F

Folly

Father of Folly (Abu Jahl), an aged chief, who led a hundred horse and seven hundred camels against Mahomet and fell at the battle of Bedr. His own people called him Father of Wisdom (Abu' Lhoem ).

Folly.
A fantastic or foolishly extravagant country seat, built for amusement or vainglory. (French, folie.

“We have in this country a word (namely, Folly) which has a technical appropriation to the case of fantastic buildings.” mdash;De Quincey: Essays on the Poets (Keats, p. 90).

Fisher's Folly.
A large and beautiful house in Bishopsgate, with pleasure-gardens, bowling-green, and hot-houses, built by Jasper Fisher, one of the six clerks of Chancery and a Justice of the Peace. Queen Elizabeth lodged there.

Kirby's castle, and Fisher's folly,
Spinola's pleasure, and Megse's glory.

Stowe: Surrey.

Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894
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