a large handsome city of France, the capital of Picardy. It is agreeably situated on the river Somme, and said to have received its Latin name Ambianum from being everywhere encompassed with water. It is a place of great antiquity; being mentioned by Caesar as a town that had made a vigorous resistance against the Romans, and where he convened a general assembly of the Gauls after having made himself master of it. The emperors Antoninus and Marcus Aurelius enlarged it; and Constantine, Constanus, Julian, and several others, resided here a considerable time. The town is encompassed with a wall and other fortifications; and the ramparts are planted with trees, which form a delightful walk. The river Somme enters Amiens by three different channels, under as many bridges; and these channels, after washing the town in several places, where they are of use in its different manufactures, unite at the other end by the bridge of St. Michael. Here is a quay for the boats that come from Abbeville with goods brought by sea. At the gate of Noyon there is a suburb remarkable for the abbey of S. Achen. Next to this gate you come to that of Paris, where they have a long mall between two rows of trees. The houses are well built; the streets spacious, embellished with handsome squares and good buildings; and the number of inhabitants between 40 and 50 thousand. The cathedral, dedicated to our Lady, is one of the largest and most magnificent churches in France; adorned with handsome paintings, fine pillars, chapels, and tombs; particularly the nave is greatly admired. The other places worth seeing are the palace of the bailiwick, the town-house, the square des Fleurs, and the great marketplace.

Amiens was taken by the Spaniards, in 1597, by the following stratagem: Soldiers, disguised like peasants, conducted a cart laden with nuts, and let a bag of them fall just as the gate was opened. While the guard was busy in gathering up the nuts, the Spaniards entered and became masters of the town. It was retaken by Henry IV. who built a citadel here.

This town is the seat of a bishop, suffragan of Rheims, as also of a prelatical, bailiwick, vidam, a chamber of accounts, and a generality. The bishop's revenue is 30,000 livres. They have some linen and woollen manufactures, and they also make a great quantity of black and green soap. It lies in E. Long. 2° 30'. N. Lat. 49° 50'.