ESSAY, in literature, an attempt ; species of composition. In general, this title is given to short disquisitions on subjects of taste, philosophy, or common life, In this sense it has been applied to periodical papers, published at regular intervals under a collective name. by one or more writers, containing remarks on topics of the duty. or on more serious sub jects. From the appearance of the Tal ler, in the beginning or the last century, which was chiefly written by Sir Richard Steele, this species of literat lire continued to be a favorite in England for seventy years, and many similar series of essays were produced; the best of which are united in one collection under the name of The E»glish Essayists. The most celebrated of these works was the Spec tator, to which Addison was the best con tributor; and next to it the Humbler, published and almost wholly written by Samuel Johnson. The title of essay has been also adopted, by way of indicating diffidence in the completeness of their work, by various authors of more ex tended performances; as, by Locke (Es say on the Human (Ind erstanding.) ES'SENCE, in philosophy, a scholastic term. denoting what the Platonists called
the idea of a species. The school phi losophers give two signifieations of the word essence ; the first denoting the whole essential perfection of a being, and consequently its entity, with all its in trinsic and necessary attributes taken to gether; the second denoting the principal or most important attributes of anything. The essences of things were hell by many to lie uncreated, eternal, and immutable. ESSENES', a sect among the Jews in the time of our Saviour, of whom an ac count is preserved to ns by Josephus and Philo, though they are not mentioned in Scripture. They were few in number, mid lived chiefly in solitude, taking no part in public affairs, but devoting their lives to contemplation. There were in deed two classes of them, distinguished as the practical and contemplative, who differed in the degree of strictness and austerity which they observed. They believed in the immortality of the soul, and held the Scripture in the highest reverence ; interpreting it, however, after an allegorical system of their own.