streets, and displays in its bazaar not only the native woollen stuffs, pottery, and silver work, but also a consider able variety of European goods. In the principal square there is a large mosque dedicated to Abraham, who, accord ing to Mahometan legend, was slain in the city ; and in its immediate vicinity is a pond shaded by fine pomegranate, plain, and cypress trees, and tenanted from time immemorial by sacred fish. The only ancient remains are those of a tower ascribed by tradition to Nimrod ; but in the neigh bourhood there exist extensive catacombs with numerous inscriptions of an early date. The prevailing language is Turkish, though more than three-fourths of the inhabitants are Christian. The population was estimated about 1796 by Olivier as from 20,000 to 24,000 ; by Bucking ham at 50,000 ; and, in 1873, by Chernik at 40,000. There are two mission establishments, an American and a French, and in connection with the former a school with about 250 pupils. The outskirts are occupied by melon- gardens, vineyards, and mulberry plantations. Nothing is known of the origin of Edessa. It has been suggested that probably the early inhabitants were Sabaeans, and that the sacred fish originally belonged to the worship of Atergatis. Accord ing to the Targum of the pseudo-Jonathan, Jerome, and Ephraem Syrus, the city is to be identified with the Erech of Genesis x. 10, and the local tradition of the Arabs and Jews makes it the same as Ur of the Chaldees ; but there is no historical basis for either identification, though the former has received the support of Michaelis, Buttmann, and Von Bohlen. The first authentic mention of the city connects it with Seleucus, who appears to have greatly increased its prosperity, and was probably the bestower of the name by which it is best known in history. This, according to Stephanus, was taken from the Macedonian Edessa, from the abundance of the water in both cities, but a modern etymologist recognizes the Syrian Haditha or New Town. Another designation, Callirhoe, found in the ancient writers, undoubtedly alludes to its fountain ; and it is at least possible that this may be the derivation of its modern name Urhoi among the Syrians, Er Roha among the Arabs, and Orfa among the Turks and Christians. In the time of Antiochus VII., about 135 B.C., the city became the seat or centre of the Osrhoenic kingdom, founded by Orhoi-Bar-Khevyo, and governed for centuries by a series of elective monarchs. Of these the eighth in succession, Abgar Bar-Abgar, fought against Lucullus, but afterwards sided with the Romans ; the fifteenth Abgar Uchomo is famous for the legendary correspondence with Christ reported by Eusebius. The city was plundered by Trajan s general Lusius Quietus, and the kingdom became tributary in 116. Restored by Hadrian it was finally abolished by Caracalla in 217, and a Roman military colony was established with the title of Colonia Marcia Edessorum. Meanwhile Christianity had been taking fast root in the city, the first church having been built as early at least as 202. By the time of Julian, the wealth of the Christians was sufficient to attract his revengeful cupidity ; and in the course of the following century, the number of monasteries alone, is said to have exceeded 300. Great theological schools were established, and the city, in fact, became one of the chief seats of Oriental learning. Most famous of all was the Schola Persica or Persian School ; but its professors having adopted the Nestorian heresy were expelled by Martyrus the bishop, and the building was destroyed in 489, and replaced by St Mary s Church. The pros perity of the city gradually disappeared during the next five centuries, as it passed successively into the hands of the Arabs and the Seljuks. From the latter it was captured in 1097 by Baldwin do Bouillon, and for the next fifty years it continued an independent Christian countship. Baldwin s successors were his cousin Baldwin II. (1100–1118), Jocelin do Courtenay, surnamed the Great (1118–1131), and Jocelin II. (1131–1144). The negligence of this last count permitted the city to fall into the hands of Zengi of Mosul, and in 1466, the attempt of the inhabitants to recover their independence brought down the vengeance of Zengi s successor Nur-ed- din. The sultans of Egypt and Syria obtained possession in 1181, the Byzantines in 1234, the Mongolians under Tamurlane about 1393, the Turkomans and the Persians at a later date, and finally the Turks in 1637. See Assemani Biblioth. Orient., vol. i., where the "Chron. Edessennm" is re printed ; Th. L. Bayer, Jlistoria Osrheena et EJessena ex nummis illustrata, St Petersburg, 1734.
EDFU, in Coptish Atbo, from the old Egyptian Tebu, a village of Upper Egypt, in the province of Said, situated about a third of a mile from the left bank of the Nile, 55 miles below the cataracts of Syene, in 24 58 43" N. lat. It is inhabited by about 2000 Arabs and Copts, engaged for the most part in the manufacture of earthenware, which finds ready sale all through Egypt, and is remarkable for the similarity it retains to the ancient pottery represented on the monuments. To the Egyptologist the spot is of extreme interest, as furnishing the most perfect specimen of an ancient Egyptian temple, full details iu regard to which may be found in the article Architecture, vol. ii. p. 389. By the Greeks and Romans the city to which this splendid building belonged was known as Apollinopolis Magna, the god to whom the temple was dedicated being identified with, the Greek Apollo. Under the later empire it was the see of a bishop and the head-quarters of the Legio II. Trajana. See Belzoni, Narrative, 3d ed., 1822 ; Wilkinson, Egypt and Thebes, 1843; Lepsius, Ueber eine hieroglyphische Inschrift am Temptl von Edfu, Berlin, 1855 ; Mariette, Fouilles executes en fiyypte, dec., cCapres les ordrcs du viceroi, 1867.
EDGEWORTH, Maria (1767-1849), the creator of the novel of national manners and moral purpose, was the daughter, by his first wife, of Richard Lovell Edgeworth noticed below. She was born at Hare Hatch, Berkshire, in 1767, and did not see Ireland till she was twelve years old. She was educated by her father, who devoted himself with great enthusiasm to the intellectual ad vancement of his children. In most of her literary undertakings Miss Edgeworth had the advantage of her father s criticism, who also wrote introductions to her novels. " It is my business," he used to say, " to cut and correct : yours to write on." Many tales and essays were written by Maria for private pleasure before publication was thought of. Practical Education (1798) was a joint work by father and daughter. In 1800 appeared Castle Rackrent, which at once made for her a reputation as a national novelist. This was followed soon after by Belinda, and by the Essay on Irish Bulls, published in partnership with her father, and intended to familiarize the English, public with Irish humour and pathos. The work is so thoroughly the joint-product of two minds, that Miss Edge- worth, in writing her father s life, cannot tell distinctly which parts are his, but says that passages in which classical allusions and quotations occur must be her father s, as she was " entirely ignorant of the learned languages " (Memoirs, second edition, ii. 315). In 1804 appeared Popular Tales; in 1806 Leonora; in 1809 the first instal ment of Fashionable Tales, which were finished in 1812; in 1814 Patronage; and in 1817 Harrington, Ormond, and Comic Dramas, which failed on the stage. The death of her father, in that year, recalled her from novel writing to fulfil the sacred duty of completing his Memoirs, which were given to the world in 1820, and of which a second edition was called for in 1821. In 1822 appeared Rosa mond, a Sequel to Early Lessons, a work published earlier with contributions from Mr Edgeworth s pen. In August 1823 Miss Edgeworth visited Sir Walter Scott at Abbots- ford, where ehe remained a fortnight; and Scott repaid this visit at Edgeworthtown exactly two years afterwards. In 1825 Miss Edgeworth further continued her tales for the young by the publication of Harry and Lucy. In 1834 appeared Helen, a Tale, her last and one of her best novels;; and she afterwards wrote Orlandino, a book for children. Her Letters for Literary Ladies were suggested by a correspondence between Thomas Day and her father as to the propriety of " female authorship," in which the former stoutly maintained the negative.
having lived to see her works take rank as English classics. Her influence was deep and lasting. Sir Walter Scott confesses that he was anxious to do for Scotland what Miss Edgeworth had done for Ireland ; and it is said that O Connell regretted deeply that one so powerful did not
servo Ireland as an agitator. Her society was courted by
