a county of England, bounded on the north by the Stour, which separates it from Suffolk; and Cambridgeshire; on the east, by the German sea; on the west, by Hertfordshire and Middlesex; and on the south by the river Thames. It extends 46 miles in length from east to west and about 42 in breadth from north to south, and 200 in circuit. This county is in the diocese of London, and gives the title of earl to the family of Capel. The county of Essex is divided into nineteen hundreds, and contains twenty-seven market-towns, 415 parishes, 125 vicarages, and 1100 villages. It sends eight members to parliament; namely, two for the county, and two for Colchester, Harwich, and Malden. The air in the inland parts is healthy; but in the marshes near the sea it produces agues, particularly in the part called the Hundreds. However, the fertility of the unwholesome part is very great, and even the higher grounds of this county are very fruitful. About Saffron Walden, the earth, after bearing saffron three years, it is said, will produce good barley for 18 years successively without any manure. Its produce, which is very plentiful, consists of corn, most excellent saffron, cattle, fowl, fish, and particularly oysters. The chief manufactures of this county are cloth, stuffs, and particularly baize. The principal rivers, besides the Thames, are the Stour, which falls into the German sea at Harwich; the Lea, its western boundary, falls into the Thames below Stratford; the Blackwater runs through the heart of the county, and passing by Chelmsford is joined by the Chelmer, and from thence runs into the German sea; the Coln runs by Halsted to Colchester, and so into the sea. The Roding which rises northwards, near Dunmow, runs into the Thames near Barking. All these rivers abound in most sorts of fish.

In the year 1801, the total number of inhabitants in the county of Essex amounted to 226,437 persons. Of these 111,356 are males, and 115,081 are females. They are divided into 46,784 families, occupying 38,371 houses. The number employed in agriculture is 65,174; and in trade manufactures, &c., 25,283.