CSS - a:active

My html file has two frames;
The left one holds a list of links to open pages in the right one.

Que. 1)
My CSS specs for the left page for a:active
( color: aqua; background-color: navy; )
do not work when the html file first opens.
Subsequent clicks do change the anchor's appearance.
How do I get the anchor that's first active by default (it happens to be the 1st link)
to assume the correct appearance when the html file displays for the first time?

Que. 2)
My a:active works only in Explorer, but not in Firefox. Would appreciate your help to resolve this problem as well.

I'll answer your questions in reverse order.

a:focus is the Firefox and some other browsers equivalent of a:active in IE so you need to use both to cover your bases.

I sounds that you are under the impression that this css style is applied automatically to the link for the page you are on. This is not the case.

They come into their own when users use the keyboard to navigate rather than the mouse. As you tab onto or cursor onto a link, these style are applied as that link is now active or has focus.

Thank you ukgeoff.
Can a Javascript maneuver get the first link "clicked" upon page entry?

Yes, JavaScript will handle this one better than CSS. Look into the function onMouseDown.