Encyclopaedia Britannica, or, a Dictionary of arts, sciences, and miscellaneous literature : enlarged and improved. Illustrated with nearly six hundred engravings > Volume 8, ELE-FOR

Elk
Efne.
'Trav.'
M.
ESN
petted after the deaths of the authors,
he wrote the Chronicles, befides thofe books which
bear his name, the two laft of which are exploded even
by the church of Rome.
ESK, the natne of feveral rivers both in England
and Scotland, particularly of one which forms part of
the boundary between the two kingdoms. It runs from
north eaft to fouth-weft, and gives name to the diftrifl
of Elkdale.
ESKI-HISSAR. See Stratonicea.
ESKIMAUX. See Esquimaux.
ESNE, or EsNeh, a coniiderable fea-port town of
Upper Egypt. It is governed by an Arabian prince,
and by a cachef, dependant on the bey of Girze. The
Mahometans have feveral mofques here, and thb Coptis
a church ferved by two priefts. “ Efne (fays Abul-
feda), remarkable for its public baths and its com-
rrierce, is built on the weftward of the Nile, between
Affouan and Cous, but nearer to this latter. It ac¬
knowledges, adds the geographer of Nubia, the Coptis
for founders. Its well cultivated territory abounds in
grain and palm-trees. It is furrounded by gardens
filled with fruit-trees. One admires here feveral an¬
cient monuments conftrufted by the Coptis, and fu-
perb ruins.” This defcription arifwers to Efne in our
time, which is fituated on the edge of a rich country,
and ihaded by groves of orange trees loaded with fruits
and flowers. This town, formerly called Latopolis, re¬
vered Minerva and the filh Lotus (Strabo). It con¬
tains within its boundary an antique temple ; thick
walls inclofe it on three fides. Six large fluted columns,
clowned by a capital ornamented with the palm leaf,
form the facade of it", 18 others fupport the roof, which
is compofed of large fquares of marble *, the building is
furrounded by a frieze, and innumerable hieroglyphics
cover its exterior afpedts.
A little to the fouth of the town are feen the ruitis
of a monaftery founded by St Helena, and near it the
burying-place of the martyrs, adorned with tombs
crowned by cupolas, fupported by arcades. The inha¬
bitants of Efne having revolted againft the perfecutioii
of Dioclefian, that emperor defiroyed this town and
put them to the fword. This place, confecrated by re¬
ligion, is become a celebrated pilgrimage among the
Coptis. They repair thither from the moft diflant pro¬
vinces of the kingdom. In the chain of mountains which
ftretches to the eaftward of the Nile, and nearly oppo-
fite Efne, are quarries of a foft (tone, called Earam. It
is made ufe of for kitchen utenfils. It hardens in the
fire, and forms excellent kettles and pans, which give
no bad tafte to the vifruals. This ftone is probably the
lapis cl/aris) or poi-Jlone.
“ Efne (fays Denon*) is the ancient Latopolis. Some
remains are ftill vifible of its port or quay on the bank
of the Nile, which has been often repaired ; but, not-
withftanding all that has been done for it, ft ill remains
in a very miferable condition. This town alfo contains
the portico of a temple, which appears to me to be the
molt perfe£l monument of ancient architeflure* It is
fituated near the bazar in the great fquare, and would
make an incomparable ornament to this fpot, if the in¬
habitants had any idea of its merit; but inftead of this
they have deformed it by the moft miferable ruined ho¬
vels, and have devoted it to the vileft purpofes. The
portico is very well preserved, and poffelles a great
You VIII. Part I.
[ 329 1 ESP
It is guefled richnefs of fculpture : it is compofed of eighteen co* Eftic
lumns with broad capitals; thefe columns are noble and £f
elegant, though they now appear in the moft difadvan-
tageous light: the rubbilh fliould be cleared to find if
any part of the cello remains.
“ The hieroglyphics in relief) with which it is cOi
vered within and without, are executed with great care;
they contain-) among other fubje&s, a zodiac, and large
figures of men with crocodiles heads: the capitals^
though all different, have a very fine eftefl ; and as art
additional proof that the Egyptians borrowed nothing
froitl other people, we may remark, that they have ta¬
ken all the ornaments, of which thefe capitals are com¬
pofed, from the produftions of their own country, fuch
as the lotus, the palm-tree, the vine, the rufti, &c.
&c ”
ESOX, a genus of fifties belonging to the order of
abdominales. See ICHTHYOLOGY Index.
ESPALIERS, in Gardening, are rows of trees
planted about a whole garden or plantation, or in
hedges, in fuch a manner as to enclofe quarters or fe-
parate parts of a garden ; and are trained up regularly
to a lattice of wood-work in a clofe hedge, for the de-
fence of tender plants againft the injuries of wind and
weather. They are of admirable ufe and beauty in a
kitchen-garden, ferving not only to fhelter the tender
plants, but fcreen them from the fight of perfons in
the walks.
The trees chiefly planted for efpaliers, are apples,
pears) and fome plums : fome plant apples grafted up¬
on paradife flocks ; but as thefe are of ftiort duration,
it is better to plant thofe grafted upon crabftock, or
upon what the gardeners call Dutch Jlochs ; which will
both caufe them to bear fooner, and prevent their grow¬
ing too luxuriant. The belt kinds of apple for this pur-
pofe, are the golden pippen, nonpareil, renette, &c.
and the belt forts of pear, are the jargonelle, blanquett,
&c. Thefe laft, if deftgned for a ftrong moift foil,
fliould be grafted upon quince flocks; but if for a dry
foil, upon free flocks.
While the trees are young, it will be fufficient to
drive a few flakes into the ground on each fide of them;
faftening the branches to thefe in a horizontal pofi-
tion, as they are produced. This method will do for
the three firft years ; after which an efpalier ftiould be
made of afti-poles, whereof there muft be two forts,
larger and fmaller; the former to be driven upright
into the ground a foot afunder, and the latter, or {len¬
der poles, to be nailed acrofs thefe, at about nine
inches. Some prefer to this another fort of efpalier,
made of fquare timber cut to any fize ; thefe are, in¬
deed, more lightly, but withal vaftly more expenfive.
When the efpalier is thus framed, the branches are
to be faftened to it with ofier-twigs ; obferving to train
them in a horizontal pofition, and at equal diftances.
Fruit trees thus managed are preferable to any others;
not only as bearing bettCr-tafted fruit, but as taking up
very little room in a garden, fo as to be lefs hurtful to
plants uhich grow in the quarters
ESPLANADE, in Fortification, the floping of the
parapet of the covered-way towards the champaign.
ESPLEES, in Law, the general produces which,
lands yield, or the profit or commodity that is to be
taken or made of a thing.
ESPOUSALS, in Law, fignify a Contract or pro-
T t ini&