EMB 
emargingted ; whereas when these points 
are acute, they are called acutely etnargi- 
nated. 
EMBALMING, is the opening a dead 
body, taking out the intestines, and filling 
the place with odoriferous and desiccative 
drugs and spices, to prevent its putrefying. 
The Egyptians excelled all other nations in 
the art of preserving bodies from corrup- 
tion, for some that they have embalmed 
upwards of 2000 years ago, remain whole 
to this day, and are often brought into other 
countries as great curiosities. Their man- 
ner of embalming was thus : they scooped 
the brains with an iron scoop out at the 
nostrils, and threw in medicaments to fill 
up the vacuum : they also took out the en- 
trails, and having filled the body with myrrh, 
cassia, and other spices, except frankin- 
cense, proper to dry up the humours, they 
pickled it in nitre, where it lay soaking for 
seventy days. The body was then wrapped 
up in bandages of fine linen and gums, to 
make it stick like glue ; and so was deli- 
vered to the kindred of the deceased, entire 
in all its features, the very hairs of the eye- 
lids being preserved. They used to keep 
the bodies of their ancestors, thus em- 
balmed, in little houses magnificently adorn- 
ed, and took great pleasure in beholding 
them alive, as it were, without any change 
in their size, features, or complexion. The 
Egyptians also embalmed birds, &c. The 
prices for embalming were different ; the 
highest was a talent, the next 20 minae, and 
so decreasing to a very small matter ; but 
those who had not wherewithal to answer 
this expence, contented themselves with 
infusing, by means of a syringe, through the 
fundament, a certain liquor extracted from 
the cedar; and leaving it there, wrapped 
up the body ip salt of nitre : the oil thus 
preyed upon the intestines, so that when 
they took it out, the intestines came away 
with it, dried, and not in the least putrified : 
the body being inclosed in nitre, grew dry, 
and nothing remained besides the skin 
glued upon the bones. 
The method of embalming used by the 
modern Egyptians, according to Maillet, is 
to wash the body several times with rose- 
water, which he elsewhere observes, s 
more fragrant in that country than with us. 
They afterwards perfume it with incense, 
aloes, and a quantity of other odours, of 
which they are by no means sparing ; and 
then they bury the body in a winding- 
sheet, made partly of silk and partly of cot- 
ton, and moistened, as is supposed, with 
EMB 
some sweet-scented water or liquid per- 
fume, though Maillet uses only the term 
moistened; this they cover with another 
cloth of unmixed cotton, to which they add 
one of the richest suits of clothes of the de- 
ceased. The expence, he says, on these oc- 
casions, is very great, though nothing like 
what the genuine embalming cost in former 
times. 
EMBARGO, in commerce, an arrest on 
ships, or merchandize, by public authority ; 
or a prohibition of state, commonly on 
foreign ships, in time of war, to prevent 
their going out of port ; sometimes to. pre- 
vent their coining in ; and sometimes' botli 
for a limited time. The King may lay em- 
bargoes on ships, or employ those of his 
subjects, in time of danger, for service and 
defence of the nation; but they must not 
be for the private advantage of a particular 
trader, or company; and therefore a war- 
rant to stay a single ship is no legal em- 
bargo. No inference can be made from 
embargoes which are only in war time ; and 
are a prohibition by advice of council, and 
not at prosecution of parties. If goods be 
laden on board, and after an embargo, or 
restraint from the prince or state comes 
forth, and then the master of the ship 
breaks ground, or endeavours to sail, if any 
damage accrues, he must be responsible 
for the same : the reason is, because his 
freight is due, and must be paid, nay though 
the goods be seized as contraband. Em- 
bargo differs from quarantine, insomuch as 
this last is always for the term of forty 
days, in which persons from foreign parts 
infected with the plague are not permitted 
to come on shore. See Quarantine. 
EMBASSADOR, or Ambassador, a 
public minister sent from one sovereign 
prince, as a representative. of his person, to 
another. 
Embassadors are either ordinary or ex- 
traordinary. Embassador in ordinary is he 
who constantly resides in the court of an- 
other prince, to maintain a good under- 
standing, and look to the interest of his 
master. Till about two hundred years ago, 
embassadors in ordinary were not heard of; 
all, till then, were embassadors extraordi- 
nary', that is, such as are sent on some par- 
ticular occasion, and who retire as soon as 
the affair is dispatched. 
By the law of nations, none under the 
quality of a sovereign prince can send or 
receive an embassador. At Athens, em- 
bassadors mounted the pulpit to the public 
orators, and there opened their commission. 
