Encyclopaedia Britannica > Volume 15, NIC-PAR

Encyclopaedia Britannica.
N I C
Nicaader ’T^T’ICANDEIt of Colophon, a celebrated gramma-
t11 X rian, poet, and physician, who lived about the
, ^lce‘ , 160th Olympiad, 140 years before Christ, in the reign
of Attains king of Pergamus, who overcame the Gallo-
Greeks. He lived many years in Etolia, of which
country he wrote a history. He wrote also many other
works, of which only two are now remaining. The
one is entitled Theriaca, describing in verse the acci¬
dents attending wounds made by venomous beasts, with
the proper remedies •, the other bearing the title of
Alexipharmaca, wherein he treats poetically of poisons
and their antidotes. This Nicander is not to be con¬
founded with Nicander of Tbyatira.
NICANDRA, a genus of plants belonging to the
decandria class 5 and in the natural method ranking un¬
der the 30th order, Contortce. See Botany index.
NICARAGUA, a large river of South America,
in a province of the same name, whose western extremi¬
ty lies within five miles of the South sea. It is full of
dreadful cataracts, and falls at length into the North
sea.
Nicaragua, a maritime province of South Ameri¬
ca, in Mexico, bounded on the north by Honduras, on
the east by the North sea, on the south-east by Costa
Rica, and on the south-west by the South sea j being
400 miles in length from east to tvest, and 120 in
breadth from north to south. It is one of the most fruit¬
ful and agreeable provinces in Mexico, and is wrell wa¬
tered with lakes and rivers. The air is Avholesome and
temperate 5 and the country produces plenty of sugar,
cochineal, and fine chocolate. One of the lakes is 200
miles in circumference, has an island in the middle, and,
as some say, has a tide. Leon de Nicaragua is the ca¬
pital town.
NICARIA, an island of the Archipelago, between
Samos and Tine, about 50 miles in circumference. A
chain of high mountains runs through the middle, co¬
vered Avith Avood, and supplies the country with springs.
The inhabitants are very poor, and of the Greek com¬
munion. The productions of the island are Avheat, a
good deal of barley, tigs, honey, and Avax.
NICASTRO, an episcopal toivn of Italy, in the
kingdom of Naples, and in the Farther Calabria ; 16
miles south of Cosenza. E. Long. 16. 21. N. Lat.
39- 15-
NIC i'j, an ancient, handsome, and considerable town
on the confines of France and Italy, and capital of a
county of the same name, Avith a strong citadel, a bi-
Vol. XV. Part I. 4
N I C
shop’s see. It had formerly a senate, and Avas a kind Nice,
of a democracy. It was united to France during the —y—^
late rev'olution, but was disjoined from it in 1814, and
is now included in the dominions of Sardinia. It is
very agreeably situated, four miles from the mouth of
the river Var, 83 miles S. by W. of Turin. E. Long.
6. 22. N. Lat. 43. 42.
Nice, a province formerly belonging to the duke of
Savoy, but now annexed to France. The inhabitants
supply Genoa Avith timber for building ships) and car¬
ry on a trade in linen cloth, paper, oil, wine, and honey.
—“ Although the county of Nice be on this side of the it,- . •
mountains, geographers have always considered it as -a and Pietu-
province of Italy, since they have given to this beautiful resque De¬
part of Italy the river Var for a western limit, which is scriptwn of
also the boundary of the county, and Aoavs into the seat,ljS?unt^
at a league distance from the capital. This province is °T lCC‘
partly covered by the maritime Alps ; and is bordered
on the east by Piedmont, and the states of Genoa j on
the south by the Mediterranean ; on the Avest by the
Var and on the north by Dauphiny. Its length is
about 20 leagues of the country, Avhich make about 36
English miles; its breadth is 10 leagues; and its popu¬
lation is about 120,000 souls.
“ The city of Nice is the capital, and the seat of
the bishopric, and government. It has become, Avith-
in these few years, a delightful abode, by the number
of strangers Avho assemble there in the winter, either
to re-establish their health, or to enjoy the mildness of
the climate, and the beauty of the country, Avhere an
unceasing verdure presents eternal spring.
“ The toAvn is situated on the sea shore, and is back¬
ed by a rock entirely insulated, on which was formerly
a castle, much esteemed for its position ; but it tvas de¬
stroyed in the year 1706 by Marechal Berwick, the
garrison being too thin to defend the extent of the
Avorks. There is a distinction between the old and the
neAV toAvn ; this last is regular, the houses are well built,
and the streets are Avide. Its position is by the side of
the sea, and it is terminated, on one side, by a charming
terrace, which serves for a promenade.
“ Any person may live peaceably in this province,
Avithout fear of being troubled on points of faith, pro¬
vided he conducts himself Avith decorum. The town has
three suburbs. 1st, That of St John, which conducts
to Cimier, about tlwee leagues north from Nice, &c.
The promenades this AAay are very delightful, and may
be enjoyed in a carriage. 2d, That of the Poudriere.
A 3d,