ancient regents. He had taken one of them into favor, though he had, on a former occasion, disgraced him. He now sent him in the quality of ambassador to Stralsund, but he became once more the object of his changeable master's abhorrence, who conceived that he was conspiring against his life, and he suborned witnesses to accuse him of treason before the states. An infamous favorite, named Peerson, persuaded Eric to extirpate the family: sentence of death was accordingly pronounced against the whole of its members, together with twenty-six other nobles, who were the alleged accomplices of a conspiracy. But in a public trial, which was afterwards allowed them, the Stures were able to vindicate their cause so completely, that the king himself apologised to them for their detention and long imprisonment: be nevertheless, in a very short time, stabbed Nils Sture with his own hand. When this unfortunate nobleman drew the dagger from his breast, and presented it to the monarch, Eric, with the most savage barbarity, ordered his guards to accomplish that which he had failed to perform. The rest of the prisoners were cruelly murdered at the same time. But no sooner was the bloody scene over than Eric felt intolerable pangs of remorse. He was perfectly frantic, we are told; and, as if pursued by the avenging furies, fled into the woods, where he wandered for many days like a wild beast. On his return he endeavoured to compensate for his cruelty, by bestowing large sums upon the friends and relations of the victims; and by giving up Peerson, who was condemned but not executed. Being now threatened by the king of Denmark, Eric set at liberty prince John, to whom and to his other brother he proposed assigning lands in Livonia, in lieu of those left them by Gustavus. But he shortly after formed a design of putting them to death, and of conciliating the friendship of the czar of Muscovy, by delivering him the wife of John, to whom that prince had once paid his addresses. On his intentions being discovered, the brothers raised forces in their own defenee, when an accommodation was effected; but on Peerson's being given up and put to the torture, he confessed a plot contrived by himself and the king, of pillaging Stockholm, burning part of the ships in the harbour, and proceeding with the rest to Narva. The dukes now felt themselves justified in breaking the treaty, and they finally obliged Eric to capitulate, when he was solemnly deposed by the states, and John elected king in his stead. His children were also declared incapable of succession, and he was condemned to perpetual imprisonment. His keepers were appointed, it is said, from among the relations of those whom he had so cruelly massacred; and they did not fail to subject him to various insults and indignities. After nine years imprisonment, he finished a wretched life in 1578, in consequence, it was supposed, of poison being administered to him by order of his brother.

ERICA, heath, in botany, a genus of the monogynia order, and octandria class of plants; natural order eighteenth, bicornes. The CAL. tetraphyllous: COR. quadrifid: the filaments inserted into the receptacle: antheræ bifid: CAP.

quadrilocular. Of this there are 137 species, four of which are natives of Britain. In the Highlands of Scotland this plant is made subservient to a great variety of purposes. The poorer inhabitants make walls for their cottages with alternate layers of heath, and a kind of mortar made of black earth and straw. The woody roots of the heath are placed in the centre; the tops externally and internally. They make their beds of it, by placing the roots downwards; and, the tops only being uppermost, they are sufficiently soft to sleep upon. Cabins are also thatched with it. In the island of Ilay, ale is frequently made by brewing one part of malt and two of the tops of young heath; sometimes adding hops. Boethius relates, that this liquor was much used by the Picts. Woollen cloth boiled in alumwater, and afterwards in a strong decoction of heath tops, comes out of a fine orange color. The stalks and tops will tan leather. Sheep and goats will sometimes eat the tender shoots, but they are not fond of them. Cattle not accustomed to feed on heath, give bloody milk; but they are soon relieved by drinking plentifully of water. Horses will eat the tops. Bees extract a great deal of honey of a reddish hue from the flowers.

One of the most beautiful species of this tribe is E. elegans, elegant erica, a low shrub with short branches growing in every direction. Leaves ternate, but, by those of one whorl being placed directly between those of the next, the whole is neatly arranged in six distinct rows, glaucous, fleshy, acerose, channelled underneath. Flowers terminal, in a compact umbel.

ERICHT, LOCH, a large lake of Scotland, in Perthshire. It is the largest in the county, except Loch Tay, being twenty-four miles in length, though scarcely a mile in breadth. It lies at the head of the district of Rannoch, and extends some miles into the county of Inverness; situated in the midst of the Grampians, and encompassed on all sides by lofty mountains and rugged cliffs of the most tremendous aspect. Near this lake the unfortunate prince Charles Stuart, the chevalier, after his defeat at Culloden, in 1746, was obliged to lurk and wander among the caves and rocks, subjected to want, and exposed to the rigors of an inhospitable climate.

ERICHT, OF EROCHT, a river of Perthshire, in the district of Stormont; formed by the union of the Ardle and Black-water or Shee. After a south-east course of thirteen or fourteen miles, it falls into the Isla; but from the rapidity of its course through the valley of Strathmore, in which it frequently overflows its banks, destroying the labor and hope of the farmer, it has been named the Ireful Ericht. Though its banks are in some places low, they are in general steep and rugged; about two miles north from the village of Blairgowrie, they rise at least 200 feet from the bed of the river, and on the west side are formed, for about 700 feet in length, and 220 in height, of perpendicular rock, as smooth as if the tool of the work man had been employed. The botanist and naturalist may here find much gratification. There is a fine natural cascade about a mile below Blairgowrie, called the Keith; and the scenery in general is beautiful and picturesque.

The river abounds with salmon and trout; and is said to afford, for two miles below the Keith, better encouragement for the rod than any other river in the kingdom.

ERIDANUS, the ancient name of the Padus or Po, an appellation ascribed by Pliny to the Greeks; followed in this by Virgil. It rises in mount Vesulus, in the Alpes Cottiæ, and dividing the Cisalpine Gaul into the Cispadana and Transpadana, and swelled on each hand with no inconsiderable rivers from the other Alps and Appenines, falls by seven mouths into the Adriatic.

ERIE, an extensive lake of North America, of an elliptical form, extending south-west and north-east 231 miles; its greatest breadth is sixty-three and a half miles, and in circumference it is 658 miles. Though liable, like the other great lakes of Canada, to severe storms, it has many good harbours, particularly on its northern side. Its greatest depth is between forty and forty-five fathoms, and its bottom generally rocky. It abounds with great variety of fish. Lake Erie receives its waters on the west by the Detroit from Lakes Superior, Michigan, and Huron; and on the north-east communicates with Lake Ontario by the Niagara. The line of division between the United States and Upper Canada, runs through it. In some places its navigation is rendered dangerous by numerous projections of perpendicular craggy rocks into the water from its north shore for many miles; and its banks and islands on the west are infested with the rattle-snake and other venomous reptiles. Lake Erie is situated between 78° and 84° long. W., and between 41° and 43° lat. N.

ERIE, a town of the United States, in Pennsylvania, situated on the south shore of the lake of this name. It contains about 1000 inhabitants, with a church, court-house, and public prison. The streets are regularly laid out, and eastward of the town is a strong battery, and on the point of the peninsula a large blockhouse, which together defend the harbour. Here is also a dock-yard, with store-houses, wharfs, &c., forming the American naval depot on the lake.

ERIE, FORT, a fort of Upper Canada, on the north coast of Lake Erie, and west bank of the Niagara, twenty-seven miles south by east of Fort Niagara.

ERIGERON, flea-bane, in botany, a genus of the polygamia superflua order, and syngenesia class of plants; natural order forty-ninth, composita. The receptacle is naked; the pappus hairy; the florets of the radius are linear, and very narrow. There are five species; of which the most remarkable is,

E viscosum, the male flea-bane of Theophrastus, and greater flea-bane of Dioscorides. It is a native of the south of France and Italy; and has a perennial root, from which arise many upright stalks near three feet high. The leaves in warm weather sweat out a clammy juice; the flowers are produced single upon pretty long foot-stalks, are of a yellow color, and have an agreeable odor. The plants are easily propagated by seeds; and thrive best in a dry soil and sunny exposure.

ERIGONE, in fabulous history, the daughter

of Icarus, died of grief for her father's death, was translated into heaven, and made the sign Virgo.

ERINACEUS, the hedge-hog, in zoology, a genus of quadrupeds belonging to the order of feræ, the characters of which are these:-They have two fore teeth in the upper jaw, at a considerable distance from one another, and two in the under jaw, close together; on each side there are five tusks in the upper jaw, and three on each side in the lower; on each side of both jaws are four grinders. The back and sides are covered with strong sharp spines; and all the feet have five toes. The hedge-hog, being possessed of little strength or agility, does not attempt to fly from or assail his enemies; but erects his bristles, and rolls himself up like a ball, exposing no part of his body that is not furnished with sharp weapons of defence; and in this state may be thrown about without any injury. He will not unfold himself, unless thrown into water: the more he is frightened or harassed, the closer he shuts himself up, and frequently discharges his urine, which has a very fetid and loathsome smell. While in this state, most dogs instead of biting him, stand off and bark, not daring to seize him; or, if they attempt it once, their mouths are so hurt by his bristles, that they will not attempt it a second time. Both the male and female are covered with bristles from the head to the tail. The females are in season in spring, and bring forth their young in the beginning of summer. They commonly bring three or four, and sometimes five at a time. The young ones are of a whitish color, and only the points of the bristles appear above the skin. Some zoologists say, it is impossible to tame them; and that the mother and her young have been confined together, and furnished with plenty of provisions; but, instead of nourishing them, she devoured them one after another. Males and females have likewise been kept in one apartment, where they lived but never copulated. Mr. Kerr, however, says, that 'by the Calmucks, this animal is domesticated, and kept in their huts instead of cats.' Hedge-hogs feed upon fallen fruits, some roots, and insects; they are very fond of flesh either raw or roasted. They frequent woods, and live under the trunks of trees, in the chinks of rocks, or under large stones. Some naturalists allege, that they go into gardens, mount the trees, and come down with pears, apples, or plums, stuck upon their bristles. But this is a mistake; although kept in a garden, they never attempt to climb trees, or stick even fallen fruit upon their bristles, but lay hold of their food with their mouth. They never come out of their holes in the day, but go in quest of food during the night. They eat little, and can live very long without nourishment. They do not lay up any store of provisions in harvest, as they sleep all the winter. They lie under the unmerited reproach of sucking cattle and hurting their udders; but the smallness of their mouth renders that impossible. There are six species, viz. 1. E. auritus, the loug-eared urchin of Pallas and Gmelin, or Si berian hedge-hog of Pennant, has long oval ears nostrils crested at the edges, and all the manners

of the European. It inhabits Asiatic Russia, near the Volga and Ural, where it is smaller than the European, and beyond lake Baikal, where it is larger. 2. E. ecaudatus, the tanrec of Buffon, and Asiatic hedge-hog of Pennant, is nearly as large as a rabbit, and has a very long slender muzzle, but no tail. It inhabits In dia and Madagascar, 3. E. Europæus, the European, or common hedge-hog, with broad, short, round ears, and crested nostrils. It is about ten inches long; the upper part of the body is totally covered with sharp spines, and the under part with hair. The hedge-hog, even when standing on his legs, has a very ugly aspect. His body is an oblong mass, convex above, terminated on the fore part by a very sharp muzzle, and mounted on four short legs, of which nothing appears but the feet, and the tail is not discernible. His eyes are small and protuberant. 4. E. inauris, the white American urchin of Seba, or Guiana hedge-hog of Pennant, is eight inches long, and has no external ears. It is a native of South America. 5. E. Malaccensis, the Malacca urchin of Brisson, or short-tailed porcupine of Linnæus, has pendulous ears, and inhabits Asia. From this species is procured the piedra del porco, formerly much esteemed, supposed by Mr. Kerr, to be a kind of bezoar. 6. E. setosus, the tendrac, has spines only on the head, neck, tail, and withers; is scarcely six inches long, and inhabits India and Madagascar.

ERI'NGO, n. s. Sea-holly. A plant. ERINNYS, Gr. ɛpuvvuç, i. e. an avenger of crimes, in mythology, a name common to the three Furies. See FURIES.

ERINUS, in botany, a genus of the angiospermia order, and didynamia class of plants; natural order fortieth, personatæ. CAL. pentaphyllous; COR. limb quinquefid and equal, with its lobes emarginated, and the upper lip very short and reflexed; CAP. bilocular. There are seven species, none of them natives of Britain. They grow mostly at the Cape, and are from two inches to four feet in height, and are adorned with flowers of a white or purple color. They are propagated by seeds, but, in this country, require to be kept in a stove.

ERIOCAULON, in botany, a genus of the trigynia order, and triandria class of plants; natural order sixth, ensatæ. CAL. an imbricated capitulum or knob ; there are three equal petals, and the stamina are on the germen. There are nine species, natives of India and South America.

ERIOCEPHALUS, in botany, a genus of the polygamia necessaria order, and syngenesia class of plants; natural order forty-ninth, composite. Receptacle somewhat villous; no pappus: CAL. decaphyllous and equal; the radius has five florets. Three species, all Cape plants, of an herbaceous kind.

ERIOPHORUM, in botany, a genus of the monogynia order, triandria class of plants. The glumes are paleaceous and imbricated all round: COR. none: SEED one only, furnished with a very long down. Species six, four of which may be found in English bogs.

ERIOSPERMUM, from eptov, wool, and orεpua, seed, a Cape plant, so called from the long woolly hairs which cover its seed. It belongs

to the class and order of hexandria inonogynia; COR. bell-shaped, permanent, of six ovate, equal, keeled petals, three of which are exterior and most expanded. Filaments six, shorter than the corolla, awl-shaped, and dilated at the base, smooth; antheræ incumbent, oval, two-lobed. Germen superior, ovate, with six ribs; style erect, angular, as long as the stamens; stigma simple, obtuse; CAPS. of three cells and three valves; partitions from the centre of each valve: SEEDS several, affixed to the lower part of each partition, roundish, invested with long prominent woolly hairs. Three species, all Cape plants.

ERIOSTEMUM, in botany, a genus of the decandria class, and monogynia order: CAL five-parted; petals five, sessile; stamens flat, ciliate; anthers pedicelled, terminal; style from the base of the germ: CAPS. five in number, and united, seated on a nectary covered with protuberances; SEEDS coated. Species one, an Australasian shrub with alternate leaves and solitary flowers.

ERIPHYLE, in fabulous history, the sister of Adrastus, king of Argos, wife of Amphiaraus, and daughter of Talaus and Lysimache. When her husband concealed himself that he might not accompany the Argives in their expedition against Thebes, where he knew he was to perish, Eriphyle suffered herself to be bribed by Polynices with a golden necklace which had been formerly given to Hermione by the goddess Venus, and she discovered where Amphiaraus was. This treachery of Eriphyle compelled him to go to the war, but, before he departed, he charged his son Alcmæon, to murder his mother as soon as he was informed of his death. Amphiaraus perished in the expedition; and his death was no sooner known than his last injunctions were obeyed, and Eriphyle was murdered by the hands of her son.

ERIS, or ATE, the goddess of discord among the Greeks, the Discordia of the Latins. She was represented, by Aristides, with fiery eyes, a pale countenance, livid lips, and wearing a dagger in her bosom. At the marriage of Peleus and Thetis she threw in the golden apple, whereon was written, To the fairest;' which occasioned a contention between the goddesses Juno, Minerva, and Venus, each claiming right to the apple. See PARIS.

ERISICHTHON, in fabulous history, a Thessalian, son of Triops, who derided Ceres and cut down her groves. This impiety irritated the goddess, who afflicted him with continual hunger. He squandered all his possessions to gratify the cravings of his appetite, and at last he devoured his own limbs for want of food. His daughter had the power of transforming herself into whatever animal she pleased, and made use of that artifice to maintain her father, who sold her in the form of one animal, after which she assumed that of another, and returned to him.

ERISTICAL, adj. Gr. Epis. Controversial; relating to dispute; containing controversies.

ERITHALIS, in botany, a genus of the monogynia order, belonging to the pentandria class of plants; and in the natural method ranking with those of which the order was doubtful. The corolla is quinquepartite; the calyx urceolated or bladder-like; the berry decemlocular inferior.

ERMINE'E, or a cross ermine, is a cross composed of four ermine, spots placed crosswise, as in the annexed figure.

ERMINES are white spots on a black field. ERMINITES is the field white, and the spots black, with one red hair on each side. ERMINOIS is the field or, and the spots

black.

ERNE, or EARN, a river of Perthshire, which issues from the lake, about four miles west of Comrie; runs in beautiful meanders for above twenty miles through Stratherne, and falls into the Tay about five miles south-east of Perth. It has a bridge of great antiquity, three miles above its junction with the Tay. The tide flows two miles above this bridge, and sloops of fifty tons come up to it with lime and coals. The bridge is kept in repair by the town of Perth. Salmon, perches, trouts, &c., are found in the Erne.

ERNE, LOCH, or LocH EARN, a lake in the south-west of Perthshire, eight miles long and one broad, which never freezes. Its banks for five miles on each side are covered with natural oaks. It has an artificial island, with the ruins of an ancient castle, at each end.

ERODE', v. a. Į Lat. erodo, from e and ERO'SION, n. s. rodo, to gnaw. To eat or corrode away.

It hath been anciently received, that the sea air hath antipathy with the lungs, if it cometh near the body, and erodeth them. Bacon's Natural History. The blood, being too sharp or thin, erodes the vesWiseman.

sel.

As sea-salt is a sharp solid body, in a constant diet of salt meat, it breaks the vessels, produceth erosions of the solid parts, and all the symptoms of the seaArbuthnot.

scurvy. Hannibal was said to erode his way over the Alps by fire and vinegar. The latter is supposed to allude to the vinegar and water which was the beverage of Darwin.

his army.

EROGATION, n. s. Lat. erogatio. The act of giving or bestowing; distribution.

The wealth of England never appeared so much by public erogations and taxes which the Long Parliament nade. Howell.

EROSTRATUS, an Ephesian who burnt the famous temple of Diana the same night that Alexander the Great was born. This burning, as some authors observed, was not seen by the goddess of the place, who was then present at the labor of Olympias, and birth of Alexander. See EPHESUS.

EROTIA, a festival in honor of Eros, celebrated by the Thespians every fifth year with sports and games. If any quarrels or seditions had arisen among the people, it was then usual to offer sacrifices and prayers to Eros, that he would totally remove them.

EROUAD, or ERODU, a town in the province of Coimbetoor, 104 miles south-east from Seringapatam, which has a large mud fort, occupied by a regiment of sepoys. In the time of Hyder Aly, the suburbs contained about 3000 houses, but Tippoo reduced them one-third; and the

whole were destroyed during an invasion of the British. It has been since fast recovering. The canal coming by Erouad from the Bhawani River is an excellent work, fifteen Malabar hours' journey in length. The best land about this place lets for £2 7s. per acre, says Mr. Hamilton, and the worst at 11s. 4d. The dry field is from 5s. 10d. to 1s. 6d. per acre.

ERPE (Thomas of), or ERPENIUS (Thomas), a celebrated writer, born at Gorcum in Holland, in 1584, and educated at Leyden. Having studied the oriental languages, he travelled into England, France, Italy, and Germany, and every where obtained the esteem of the learned. On his return to Holland, he was made professor of Arabic in the university of Leyden, and died there in 1623. He published many excellent works, which spread his reputation through the learned world. It is said that the king of Morocco admired so greatly the letters Erpinus wrote to him in Arabic, in the name of the United Provinces, that he often read them to those who spoke that language naturally. ERR, v. n. ERR'ABLE, adj. ERR'ABLENESS, N. S. ERRATA, ERRA'TUM, ERRONEOUS, adj. ERRONEOUSLY, adv. ERRONEOUSNESS, n. 8. ER'ROR.

Fr. errer; Span. and Port. errar; Ital. and Lat. errare; Gr. ερρείν, to wander; ægrè ire, to go sorrowfully. Minsheu. Ainsworth. To stray; ramble; deviate; miss the right way; mis

take; conclude falsely: errable is liable to mistake. Errata and erratum, somewhat of technical use, have been transferred from the Latin to express the typographical errors of a book; erratum being the singular, errata plural. Franklin, however, makes a more general, and very characteristic use of these terms.

Dr.

The minds of men are erroneously persuaded, that it is the will of God to have those things done which they fancy. Id.

It is a judgment maimed and most imperfect, That will confess perfection so could err, Against all rules of nature. Shakspeare. Othelle. Oh, hateful errour, melancholy's child! Why do'st thou shew to the apt thoughts of men, The things that are not? Shakspeare.

He that cannot refrain from much speaking is like a city without walls, and less pains in the world a man cannot take, than to hold his tongue; therefore, if thou observest this rule in all assemblies, thou shalt seldom err. Raleigh.

It is a strange thing to behold what gross errors and extreme absurdities many (especially of the greater