For an essentially normal operator$T$, it is shown that there exists a unilateral shift of multiplicity$m$in$C$^{$*$}$(T)$if and only if γ($T$)≠0 and γ$(T)/m$. As application, we prove that the essential commutant of a unilateral shift and that of a bilateral shift are not isomorphic as$C$^{$*$}-algebras. Finally, we construct a natural$C$^{$*$}-algebra ε + ε_{*}on the Bergman space$L$_{$a$}^{$2$}($B$_{$n$}), and show that its essential commutant is generated by Toeplitz operators with symmetric continuous symbols and all compact operators.