ESTHER

BOOK OF. E., a of Susa, becomes wife of King Ahasuerus bray; aided by her cousin Mordecai, elivers the Jews from a ordered by the king; in celebration their deliverance the feast of the is founded; the aim of the book doubtedly to explain the feast; hist. nucleus, but the story has been freely treated; its tone is far religious than Old Testament as a date, IV. or III. cent. B. C. pendent state, Baltic Provinces (59° N., 25° 30’ E.); surface flat; chief rye, oats, barley, flax; forests; found near Reval; industries spirits, cotton, machinery. Inhabitants mainly of Finnish race and Protestant. Became Ru ian 1721 by Treaty Nystadt; provisional independence ognized by Great Britain, France, Italy, May 3, 1918. Area about sq. m.; pop. 1,750,000. See SratzEs