enotes either the volatile effluvia from any body affecting the organ of smell, or the substance emitting those effluvia; in which last sense the word is most commonly used. The use of perfumes was frequent amongst the Hebrews, and the orientals in general, before it was known to the Greeks and the Romans. In the time of Moses perfumes must have been known in Egypt, since he speaks of the art of the perfumer, and gives the composition of two kinds of perfumes, one of which was to be offered to the Lord upon the golden altar in the holy place, and the other was appointed for the anointing of the high priest and his sons, as also of the tabernacle, and all the vessels that were used in divine service. The Hebrews had likewise perfumes which they employed in the process of embalming their dead. The composition is not known, but it is certain that they generally made use of myrrh, aloes, and other strong astringent drugs, that served to prevent putrefaction (John, xix. 49). Besides the perfumes for these purposes, the Scripture mentions others which the Hebrews used on various occasions. The spouse in the Canticles commends the scent of the perfumes of Pergamos her lover; and her lover in return says, that the scent of the perfumes of his spouse surpasses the most excellent odours. He names particularly the spikenard, the calamus, the cinnamon, the myrrh, and the aloes, as forming part of those perfumes. The voluptuous woman described by Solomon says that she had perfumed her bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. The epicures mentioned in the book of Wisdom encourage one another to the luxuriant use of odours and costly perfumes. Isaiah reproaches Judaea, which he describes as a spouse faithless to God, with being painted and perfumed to please strangers: "Thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes." Ezekiel seems to accuse the Jews of having profaned the odours and perfumes, the use of which was reserved to sacred things, by applying them to their own use. Perfumes came afterwards to be very common amongst the Greeks and the Romans, especially those composed of musk, ambergris, and civet. The nardus and malabathrum, which were held in much estimation, were imported from Syria. The unguentum nardinum was variously prepared, and contained many ingredients. Malabathrum was an Indian plant. Perfumes were also used at sacrifices to regale the gods, at feasts to increase the pleasures of sensation, at funerals to overpower cadaverous smells and please the manes of the dead, and in the theatres to prevent the offensive effluvia or odour of a crowd from being perceived.