ESS 



EST 



ESSAY, in metallurgy. See ASSAIT- 



ING. 



ESSENCE, in chemistry, denotes the 

 purest, most subtile, and balsamic part 

 of a body ; extracted either by simple 

 expression, or by means of fire, from 

 fruits, flowers, and the like. Of these 

 there are a great variety used, on ac- 

 count of their agreeable smell and >aste, 

 by apothecaries, perfumers, and others. 

 Those extracted by means of fire, with 

 more propriety, are to be counted among 

 the essential oils. 



ESSENCE of bergamot, is a fragrant es- 

 sence, extrac ed from a fruit which is 

 produced by ingrafting abranch of lemon 

 tree upon the stock of a bergamot pear. 

 It is imported from Italy and Sicily, par- 

 ticularly from Reggia and Messina. This 

 spirit is extracted by paring oft' ihe rind 

 of the fruit with a broad knife, pressing 

 the peel between wooden pincers against 

 a sponge, and as soon as the sponge is 

 saturated, the volatile liquor is squeezed 

 into a phial. 



ESSENCE of orange, and ESSENCE of le- 

 mon, are prepared in a similar manner, 

 and come from the same countries. 



The essences of lavender, of thyme, 

 of rosemary, of anise, of cloves, of cin- 

 namon, &c. are obtained by means of 

 fire. 



ESSENCE, in philosophy, that which con- 

 stitutes the particular nature of each ge- 

 nus or kind, and distinguishes it from all 

 others ; being nothing but that abstract 

 idea to which this name is affixed ; so that 

 every thing contained in it is essential to 

 that particular kind. 



ESSENDI, quietum de theolonio, a writ 

 that lies for citizens and burgesses of any 

 city or town, that have a charter on pre- 

 scription to exempt them from toll 

 through the whole realm, if it happened 

 to be any where exacted of them. 



ESSENES, or ESSENIANS, in Jewish 

 antiquity, one of the three ancient sects 

 among that people, who outdid the Pha- 

 risees in their most rigorous observan- 

 ces. They allowed a future state, but 

 denied a resurrection from the dead. 

 Their way of life was very singular; they 

 did not marry, but adopted the children 

 of others, whom they bred up in the in- 

 stitutions of their sect ; they despised 

 riches, and had all things in common ; 

 and never changed their clothes till they 

 were entirely worn out. When initiated, 

 they were strictly bound not to commu- 

 nicate the mysteries of their sect to others; 

 and if any of their members were found 



guilty of enormous crimes, they were ex- 

 pelled. 



ESSENTIAL, something necessarily 

 belonging to the essence or nature of a 

 thing, from which it cannot be conceiv- 

 ed distinct; thus the primary qualities 

 of bodies, as extension, figure, number, 

 &c. are essential, or inseparable from 

 them, in all their changes and altera- 

 tions. 



ESSENTIAL character. See CHARAC- 



TKRS. 



ESSENTIAL oil, thatprocuredfrom plants 

 by distillation. See OIL. 



ESSENTIAL salts, those obtained from 

 vegetable juices by crystallization. See 

 SALT. 



ESSOIN, signifies the allegation of an 

 excuse for him that is summoned, or 

 sought for, to appear and answer to an 

 action real, or to perform suit to a court 

 baron, upon just cause of absence. There 

 are various kinds of excuses which were 

 formerly allowed, but the practice of es- 

 soins is obsolete. 



ESTABLISHMENT of doiver, in law, 

 the assurance of dower made to the 

 wife by the husband, or his friends, be- 

 fore or at marriage. Assignment of 

 dower is the setting it out by the heir 

 afterwards, according to the establish- 

 ment. 



ESTATE, in law, that title or interest 

 which a man hath in lands or tenements, 

 &c. This may be considered in a three- 

 fold manner : 1. as to the quantity of in- 

 terest which. the party has; 2. the time 

 when that interest is to be enjoyed; 3. the 

 number and connections of the parties 

 who are to enjoy it. 



1. The first is measured by its duration 

 or extent, which may be for an uncertain 

 period, during his own life, or the life of 

 another man; to determine at his own de- 

 cease, or to remain to his descendants 

 after him ; or it is for years, months, or 

 days ; or infinite and unlimited, being to 

 a man and his heirs for ever. This occa- 

 sions the division into estates of freehold, 

 and less than freehold. The former is 

 any estate of inheritance or for life,eirher 

 in a corporeal or incorporeal heredita- 

 ment, existing in or arising from real 

 property of free tenure; that is now of all 

 which is not copyhold ; but tithes and 

 spiritual dues may be freehold, though 

 they issue out of lands not freehold. Free- 

 holds may be considered either as estates 

 of inheritance or not of inheritance. The 

 former are of inheritance absolute,, call- 

 ed fee-simple: or inheritance limited, one 

 species of which is called fee-tail. Limit- 



