an ancient, rich, and very considerable town of France, in Bretagne, with a bishop's see, an university, and a mint. It is one of the most considerable places in the kingdom; contains the richest merchants; and was formerly the residence of the dukes of Bretagne, where they built a very strong castle on the side of the river, and which is strongly fortified. There are several parishes, and a great many religious houses, and the cathedral contains the tombs of the ancient dukes. There are several fine bridges over the river Loire, which is navigable. The suburbs are so large, on account of the number of people that come from all parts to settle here, that they exceed the city. The Spaniards trade here with wine, fine wool, iron, silk, oil, oranges, and lemons; and they carry back cloth, stuffs, corn, and hardware. The Dutch send salt fish, and all sorts of spices; and in return have wine and brandy. The Swedes bring copper; and the English, lead, tin, and pit-coal. It was in this place that Henry IV. promulgated the famous edict in 1598, called the Edict of Nantes, and which was revoked in 1685. Nantes was anciently, like almost every considerable city in Europe, very strongly fortified. Peter de Dreux, one of the dukes of Bretagne, surrounded it with walls, which have only been demolished within these few years. The bridge is an object of curiosity. It is near a mile and a half in length, being continued across all the little islands in the Loire, from north to south. The territory of Nantes lies on both sides the Loire, and feeds a great number of cattle. Large vessels can come no higher than Port Launai, which is 12 miles from Nantes. W. Long. 1. 31. N. Lat. 47. 13.