tional grants. The library, since that of Altdorf has been added to it, contains 100,000 volumes.

ERMARK; a Turkish word, signifying river, and contained in many geographical names, as Kizil-Ermark (Red-river); JekilErmark (Green-river).

ERMENONVILLE; a village in the department de l'Oise, about 8 leagues from Paris; the country seat of M. de Girardin, celebrated for its large and handsome park, in which the remains of Rousseau were entombed upon an island of poplars. French and foreigners, particularly the English, frequently go thither from Paris, during the summer, to visit the tomb of Rousseau. In former days, the fair Gabriele d'Estrées resided at Ermenonville, in a hunting castle, of which a tower still standing, bears the name of that favorite of Henry IV. After her death, Ermenonville fell into the hands of that faithful friend of Henry, whom grief for the loss of his master carried off two days after the king's assassination by Ravaillac. Ermenonville has been made still more remarkable in later times. J. J. Rousseau died there, after having lived there only six weeks. His bones were removed from the island of poplars to the Pantheon. The ornaments of art contribute to the embellishment of this beautiful spot, so highly favored by nature. The elder de Girardin, author of a work on horticulture, expended 3,000,000 francs on it in 30 years.

ERMINE (mustela erminea, Lin.). This beautiful little animal belongs to the tribe digitigrada, or quadrupeds characterized by moving on the extremities of their toes, and endowed with a greater degree of agility than that possessed by the plantigrada, or those walking on the whole sole of the foot. The ermine, according to the observations of the prince of Musignano, is the common weasel of the U. States in its winter hair. It is found in the northern parts of this continent, and those of Asia in great abundance; though it is not confined to these regions, since it occurs even in our Middle States, and also in the temperate parts of Europe. In the Middle and Eastern States, it is known as the weasel; further north, and in England, it is called stoat in its summer, and ermine in its winter hair. In France, in summer, it is termed roselet, and in winter hermine: in this state, it is the mus Ponticus of Pliny. The habits of the ermine are very similar to those of the common weasel of Europe, frequenting barns and out-houses, generally making its retreats beneath the

floor and rafters. It feeds on mice and rats, and soon clears its haunts of these pernicious depredators; but it does not always confine itself to this food. It is very destructive to poultry, birds and young rabbits; it is also a great devourer of eggs. In the neighborhood of Hudson's bay, ermine are very abundant, particularly in the barren grounds and open plains. When in pursuit of their prey, they carry their tails horizontally, and display great quickness and agility. During the winter, it is extremely difficult to distinguish them, from their color so closely resembling that of the snow. Like many other species of this genus, the ermine has the faculty of ejecting a fluid of a musky odor. In its summer dress, it is of a light, ferruginous or chestnut-brown color over the head, back, sides and upper half of the tail; the under part is nearly of a pure white; the lower portion of the tail becomes gradually darker, till, at the extremity, it is quite black. Its fur is short, soft and silky. In its winter coat, it is of a pure white over the whole head, body and limbs, the lower half of the tail alone retaining its dark hue. The fur, at this time, is much longer, thicker and finer than in summer. In Norway, it is taken in traps baited with flesh; in Siberia, it is either shot with blunt arrows, or taken in a trap made of two flat stones, propped by a stick, to which is fastened a baited string, which, on the least touch of the animal, releases the stone, which falls and crushes it. The fur of the ermine is in great request, and was formerly one of the insignia of magistrates. When used as linings of cloaks, the black tuft from the tail is sewed to the skin at irregular distances. This animal is not readily tamed: when caught, and kept in a cage, it exhibits every mark of its ferocious and savage character, by killing or injuring every thing within its reach.

ERNESTI, John Augustus, founder of a new theological and philosophical school in Germany, was born at Tennstädt, in Thuringia, 1707. He studied theology at Pforta, Wittenberg and Leipsic. Having been made associate instructer (1731) and rector (1734) of the Thomas-school in Leipsic, he devoted himself principally to ancient literature, and the studies connected with it. In 1742, he was appointed extraordinary professor of ancient literature in the university there, and, in 1756, ordinary professor of eloquence. In 1759, an ordinary professorship of theology was added to his other offices. He performed the duties of both professorships till 1770,

when he resigned the former.

He became, in succession, first professor of the theological faculty, canon at Misnia, assessor of the consistory at Leipsic, and president of the Jablonowski academy of sciences at Leipsic. He died 1781. By a careful study of profane philology, he had fitted himself for a thorough study of theology, and was thus led to a more judicious exegesis of the biblical writers, and, in general, to more liberal theological views. Theological criticism, so far as it is founded on philology and grammatical illustrations, was greatly promoted by him. Of his accuracy as a critic and grammarian, his editions of Xenophon's Memorabilia of Socrates, the Clouds of Aristophanes, Homer's works, Callimachus, Polybius, Suetonius, Tacitus, and, above all, his admirable edition of Cicero's works (first, at Leipsic, 1738), are sufficient proofs. For the elegance of his Latin style, he well deserves to be called the Cicero of Germany. His Opuscula Orat. (Leyden, 1762), Oration. (Leipsic, 1791), Initia Doctrin. Solidioris (Leipsic, 1736), have been often published. His theological writings are no less numerous.-ERNESTI, Augustus William, nephew of the preceding, was born 1733, and died 1801. He was professor of philosophy and eloquence, and a distinguished philologist. We are indebted to him, among other works, for a good edition of Livy and Ammianus Marcellinus. EROS; the Greek name of Cupid and Amor (which see; see also Anteros).

EROSTRATUS. (See Heratostratus.) EROTIC (from the Greek pws, love); relating to love.-Erotic Poetry; amatory poetry. The name of erotic writers has been applied, in Greek literature, particularly to a class of romance writers, and to the writer of the Milesian Tales. These writers belong to the later periods of Greek literature, and abound in sophistical subtilties and ornaments. The best of them are Achilles Tatius, Heliodorus, Longus, Xenophon of Ephesus, and Chariton. There is a collection of them-Scriptores erotici Græci, Cura Mitscherlichii (Bipont. 1792-1793, 3 vols.).

EROTOMANY (from čows, love, and pavía, madness). This term has been employed, by some writers, to denote that modification of insanity, of which the passion of love is the origin, and in which the love of a particular individual constitutes the predominant idea, occupying the whole attention of the patient. Licentious thoughts and physical excitement do not exist in this disease. Those who are afflicted with erotomany fix their affections

on a certain object, often one which they have had but a single opportunity to see; sometimes also one which cannot return their love. The eye is lively and animated; the look, passionate; but the conduct of the subjects always within the limits of propriety. They forget themselves, and yield a pure, often a secret worship to their idol, whose wishes and caprices they implicitly obey. Sometimes erotomany begins under the form of melancholy, instead of raving; the patient is pensive and silent: it then terminates in a sort of nervous fever. The discovery of it is sometimes difficult: the passion betrays itself, however, at the sight, or even the name, of the loved object; the countenance grows animated; the pulse, quick, strong and spasmodic. Hippocrates, by these symptoms, discovered the love of Perdiccas to his father's mistress; and Erasistratus, the affection of Antiochus for his step-mother, Stratonice. Erotomany sometimes passes into perfect delirium, leads to suicide, hysterics, &c. It depends on the same causes as other mental diseases. Young people are peculiarly subject to it, who have an excitable nervous system and a lively imagination, who give themselves up to excess in pleasure, or are spoiled by reading romances, and rendered effeminate by an injudicious education and indolence. Low and light diet has been recommended in this disease, together with active exertion of body and mind.

His

ERPENIUS, Thomas (properly Van Erpen), a learned Orientalist, was born at Gorcum in Holland, in 1584, and studied at Leyden, where he at first despaired of success. His confidence, however, was soon revived, and he returned to his studies with so much zeal, that his progress justly astonished his instructers. fame rests principally on his acquaintance with the Oriental languages, which he began to learn under Joseph Scaliger. To extend his knowledge of them, he visited England, France, Italy and Germany, and became acquainted with the most eminent scholars, who gave him advice and instruction. He was received with particular marks of friendship by the great Casaubon. He learned, at the same time, the Persian, Turkish and Ethiopian languages. After a tour of four years, he returned, in 1612, to Holland, and was appointed professor of Arabic and other Oriental languages, except the Hebrew, the Hebrew professorship being already filled. Erpenius discharged the duties of this office with ability and zeal. He established a press at great expense, for the

printing of works of Oriental literature. În 1619, a second Hebrew professorship was founded at Leyden, and committed to Erpenius. Soon after, he received the office of Oriental interpreter to the states-general. The most learned Arabs admired the elegance with which he expressed himself in their language, so rich in delicate peculiarities. His reputation, as a perfect master of the Arabic, became universal, and he was repeatedly invited by the king of Spain to explain inscriptions on the Moorish buildings and monuments. The works of Erpenius (some of which were published after his death) are held in the highest estimation. It was his intention to publish an edition of the Koran, with a Latin translation and a commentary, a Thesaurus Grammaticus of the Arabic, and an Arabic dictionary; but he was carried off by a contagious disease, in 1624, at the age of 40. Beside his Grammatica Arabica, his Grammatica Hebraica, and other grammatical works, his most valuable and celebrated publication is his Elmacini Historia Saracenica (1625, folio).

ERROR, in astronomy, is the difference between the places of any of the heavenly bodies, as determined by calculation and observation. Thus the error in the lunar tables is the difference between the place of the moon, as given in the tables, and as determined by observation; and this error is marked with the sign+or-, according as it is to be added to or subtracted from the tabular result.

ERSCH, John Samuel; the father of modern German bibliography. He was born at Grossglogau, in Lower Silesia, June 23, 1766, and, while a mere tyro, showed uncommon love for bibliography. Being encouraged in this pursuit by Tabri and other learned men, he published the Repertory of the German Journals, and other Periodical Collections of Information on the Subjects of Geography, History, and Sciences connected with them, 1790 1792, 3 vols. Becoming known to Schütz and Hufeland, they engaged him in the editing of their Universal Repertory of Literature, 1785-1790. This work was published in 1793, and was followed in 1799 by the Quinquennium, extending from 1791 to 1795; and, in 1806, by another, extending from 1796 to 1800. These works contain notices of all the separate publications which appeared during that period, and even all the essays printed in the journals and other periodicals. They are executed with accuracy, on a good plan, and with a general account of reviews, whose character for partiality or

impartiality is illustrated by examples. At the same time, Ersch began to prepare a Universal Dictionary of Modern Authors, which he afterwards limited to European writers. This was the origin of his Gelehrtes Frankreich (Literary France,) Hamburg, 1797-1806, 3 vols., with two supplements. In the year 1803, he was made professor of geography and statistics in the university of Halle, where he published his Manual of German Literature, from the Middle of the 18th Century till the latest Times (Amsterdam and Leipsic, 1812, 2 vols. 8vo., 2d edition, Leipsic, 1822), and the Universal Encyclopædia of Arts and Sciences (Leipsic, 1818, 4to): 16 parts had appeared in 1827. By the former work, he first gave a systematic character to modern German bibliography; and its completeness, accuracy and arrangement make it a model for such a work. What knowledge, what attention and industry, are requisite to conduct a work like the Encyclopædia, as he has done it, needs no explanation. He died in January, 1828.

ERSKINE, Thomas, lord Erskine, an eminent lawyer, was the third and youngest son of David Henry Erskine, tenth earl of Buchan, in Scotland. He was born in the year 1750, and was educated partly at the high school of Edinburgh, and partly at the university of St. Andrews. The contracted means of his family rendering a profession necessary, he was embarked at Leith as a midshipman, and, from this time, did not revisit Scotland until a few years before his death. He never obtained a commission in the navy, which he quitted after a service of four years, and entered into the royals, or first regiment of foot, in 1768. In 1770, he married, and went, with his regiment, to Minorca, where he spent three years. He served in the army six years, and, during that time, acquired considerable reputation for the acuteness and versatility of his talents in conversation; and it is supposed that this circumstance, and the earnest persuasion of his mother, a lady of uncommon acquirements and penetration,-induced him, at the age of 26, to embrace the legal profession. He entered as a fellow-commoner at Trinity college, Cambridge, in 1777, merely to obtain a degree, to which he was entitled as the son of a nobleman, and thereby to shorten his passage to the bar; and he, at the same time, entered himself a student of Lincoln's Inn. He also became a pupil in the office of Mr., afterwards judge Buller, then an eminent special pleader, and subsequently in that of Mr., afterwards baron

Wood. He was called to the bar in 1778, and his success was immediate. Accidentally introduced to captain Baillie, who had been removed, by the earl of Sandwich, from the superintendence of Greenwich hospital, he was employed by that gentleman to oppose a motion of the attorney-general, for leave to file an indictment against him for a libel on the earl. He showed so much eloquence and spirit on this occasion, that, on leaving the court, he received 30 retainers from attorneys who happened to be present. This occurrence took place in the Michaelmas following the Trinity term in which he had been admitted; and, in a few months afterwards, he was equally favored by being chosen to appear at the bar of the house of commons, as counsel for Mr. Carnan, the bookseller, against a bill introduced by lord North, then prime minister, to restore to the universities the monopoly in almanacs, which Mr. Carnan had succeeded in abolishing by legal judgment. His speech in opposition to this impolitic proposal was much admired, and, the bill being lost by a considerable majority, his reputation became so established, that he was henceforward engaged either for plaintiff or defendant in the most important causes during a practice of 25 years. In May, 1783, he received a silk gown, and, the same year, was elected member of parliament for Portsmouth. The latter honor he acquired from the reputation he obtained there when acting as counsel on the celebrated trial of admiral Keppel; and he was unanimously rechosen for the same borough on every succeeding election, until raised to the peerage. The rights of juries he firmly maintained on all occasions, but particularly in the celebrated trial of the dean of St. Asaph for libel, when justice Buller refused to receive the verdict of "guilty of publishing only," as returned by the jury. In 1789, he found another fortunate opportunity for the display of his peculiar eloquence, in a defence of Mr. Stockdale, the bookseller, for publishing what was charged as a libellous pamphlet in favor of Mr. Hastings, whose situation at the time (being then about to take his trial) gave him admirable scope for the animated appeal to feeling, by which his oratory was so felicitously distinguished. In 1792, being employed to defend Thomas Paine, when prosecuted for the second part of his Rights of Man, he declared that, waiving all personal convictions, he deemed it right, as an English advocate, to obey the call: by the maintenance of which principle, he

lost his office of attorney-general to the prince of Wales. The most arduous effort, however, in his professional life, arose out of the part cast upon him, in conjunction with Mr., afterwards sir Vicary Gibbs, in the trials of Hardy, Tooke, and others, for high treason, in 1794. These trials lasted for several weeks; and the ability displayed by Mr. Erskine on this eventful occasion was admired and acknowledged by all parties. He was a warm partisan of Mr. Fox, and a strenuous opposer of the war with France; on which subject he imbodied his sentiments in a pamphlet, entitled A View of the Causes and Consequences of the War with France; when such was the attraction of his name, that it ran through the unprecedented number of 48 editions. In 1802, the prince of Wales not only restored him to his office of attorney-general, but made him keeper of his seals for the duchy of Cornwall. On the death of Mr. Pitt, in 1806, when lord Grenville received the commands of George III to form a new administration, Mr. Erskine was created a peer by the title of lord Erskine, of Restormel castle, in Cornwall, and raised to the dignity of lord high chancellor of Great Britain; but was soon removed by the dissolution of the brief administration of which he formed a part. Owing to a decay in fortune, originating in an unfortunate landed purchase, and a great fall of income from the loss of professional emoluments, the latter years of his life were, notwithstanding the extreme buoyancy of his spirits, exceedingly imbittered. Nor were these difficulties abated by the circumstance of an unhappy second marriage, and some eccentricity of conduct, exceedingly incompatible with his age and station. In his leisure, he amused himself by editing several of the state trials. The preface to Mr. Fox's Speeches was also written by him, as well as a political romance, in two volumes, entitled Armata, and some pamphlets in support of the Greek cause. He died in 1823, of an inflammation of the chest. The talents of lord Erskine were peculiarly those of the accomplished advocate, in which character he exhibited a power of commanding, at the instant, all the resources of his mind, and a dexterity of applying them, which no one at the English bar ever exceeded. This faculty, united with great spirit and courage, rendered him peculiarly able on the defensive side of political persecution; and some leading, but disputed constitutional doctrines have been firmly established by his exertions. As a senato

rial orator, his claims were but secondary; nor as a political writer is he entitled to much distinction. Many of Erskine's speeches at the bar have been published under the following titles: Speeches of the Hon. Thomas Erskine, now Lord Erskine, when at the Bar, on Subjects connected with the Liberty of the Press and against Constructive Treasons, in 4 vols. 2d edition, London, 1813; and Speeches of Lord Erskine, when at the Bar, on Miscellaneous Subjects, 1810, by Ridgway.David Montague, the eldest of his sons, now lord Erskine, was for some time minister plenipotentiary to the U. States, and afterwards resident at the court of Würtemberg.

ERUPTION, in medicine; a sudden and copious excretion of humors, and the same with exanthema, or breaking out; as the pustules of the plague, small-pox, measles, &c. ERWIN OF STEINBACH; a celebrated architect in the 13th century. (See Strasburg, Minster of.)

ERYNGO (eryngium); a genus of plants, belonging to the natural order umbelliferæ. The species are herbaceous, and have something of the aspect of the thistle; the leaves are alternate, simple or divided, and are furnished with spines on their margins; the flowers are sessile, often of a bluish color, capitate, and surrounded by a common receptacle. The E. campestre was formerly much employed in Europe as a tonic, and as proper to excite appetite; but its virtues are feeble, and it has now gone out of use, except as a sweetmeat. Several species of eryngium inhabit the southern and south-western parts of the U. States, and one is found as far north as Philadelphia.

ERYSIPELAS (from puw, I draw, and ɛλas, adjoining; named from the neighboring parts being affected by the eruption); the rose, or St. Anthony's fire. This disease is an inflammatory affection, principally of the skin, when it makes its appearance externally, and of the mucous membrane, when it is seated internally; and is more liable to attack women and children, and those of an irritable habit, than those of a plethoric and robust constitution. Erysipelas sometimes returns periodically, attacking the patient once or twice a year, or even once every month; and then, by its repeated attacks, it often gradually exhausts the strength, especially if the patient be old and of a bad habit. Every part of the body is equally liable to it; but it more frequently appears on the face, legs and feet, than any where else, when seated externally. It is brought on

by all the causes that are apt to excite inflammation, such as injuries of all kinds, the external application of stimulants, exposure to cold, and obstructed perspiration; and it may likewise be occasioned by a certain matter generated within the body, and thrown out on its surface. A particular state of the atmosphere seems sometimes to render it epidemical. A species of erysipelatous inflammation, which most usually attacks the trunk of the body, is that vulgarly known by the name of shingles, being a corruption of the French word ceingle, which implies a belt. Instead of appearing a uniform inflamed surface, it consists of a number of little pimples extending round the body a little above the umbilicus, which have vesicles formed on them in a short time. Little or no danger ever attends this species of erysipelas.

ERZERUM, OF ARZERUM, or ARZ-ROUM (anciently Arze); a city and the capital of Turkish Armenia, or Turcomania, and also of a pachalic to which it gives name; 250 miles N. N. E. of Aleppo, 510 E. by S. of Constantinople; lon. 40° 57′ E.; lat. 39° 58′ N.; population, according to Hassel, Cannabich, Malte-Brun, &c., only 25,000. According to the Edinburgh Gazetteer, 100,000, or 130,000. Mr. Morier,who visited this city in 1808, gives the following estimate: Turkish families, 50,000; Armenian, 4 or 5000; Greek, 100; Persians living in a caravansary, about 1000. Mr. Morier mentions, that from the original estimate he deducted more than one third of the number of Turkish families; but the reduced statement, at the rate of five persons to a family, makes the Turkish population amount to 250,000. It is an Armenian archbishop's and Greek bishop's see. Erzerum is situated near the head of the Euphrates, on a rising ground, at the base of a chain of mountains, which are usually covered with snow. The climate is healthy, but the cold in winter intense. It is surrounded by a double stone wall, with four gates. It is well built; the houses generally of stone, with rafters of wood, and terraced, having grass growing on the tops, and sheep and calves feeding there; so that, when seen from a distance, the roofs of the houses can hardly be distinguished from the plain at their foundation. The streets are mostly paved, the bazars are spacious and well stocked, and the place exhibits an appearance of much industry. It contains about 100 mosques, 1 Greek and 2 Armenian churches, and 16 baths. It has considerable manufactures, and an extensive trade in copper, and articles from