an ancient, handsome, and considerable town on the confines of France and Italy, and capital of a county of the same name, with a strong citadel, a bishop's see, and a senate, which is a kind of a democracy. It has been several times taken by the French, and lost all in 1744, but restored after the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle. It is very agreeably situated, four miles from the mouth of the river Var. 83 miles S. by W. of Turin, and 83 east of Aix. E. Long. 6° 22'. N. Lat. 43° 42'.
county and province in the dominions of the duke of Savoy. The inhabitants supply Genoa with a great deal of timber for building ships; and carry on a great trade in linen-cloth, paper, oil, wine, and honey.—"Although the county of Nice be on Nice, this side of the mountains, geographers have always considered it as a province of Italy, since they have given to this beautiful part of Italy the river Vard for a western limit, which is also the boundary of the county, and flows into the sea at a league distance from the capital. This province is partly covered by the maritime Alps; and is bordered on the east by Piedmont, and the states of Genoa; on the south by the Mediterranean; on the west by the Vard; and on the north by Dauphiny. Its length is about 20 leagues of the country, which make about 36 English miles; its breadth is 10 leagues; and its population is about 120,000 souls.
"The city of Nice is the capital, and the seat of the senate, the bishopric, and government. It has become, within these few years, a delightful abode, by the number of strangers who 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, where an unceasing verdure presents eternal spring.
"The town is situated on the sea-shore, and is backed by a rock entirely insulated, on which was formerly a castle, much esteemed for its position; but it was destroyed in the year 1756 by Marechal Berwick, the garrison being too thin to defend the extent of the works. There is a distinction between the old and the new town; this last is regular, the houses are well built, and the streets are wide. 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, without fear of being troubled on points of faith, provided he conduct himself with decorum. The town has three suburbs. 1st, That of St John, which conduits to Cimier, about three leagues north from Nice, &c. The promenades this way are very delightful, and may be enjoyed in a carriage. 2d, That of the Poudriere. 3d, That of the Croix de Marbre, or Marble Cross. This suburb is new; and the English almost all lodge in it, being very near the town. The houses are commodious, facing on one side the great road which leads to France, and on the other a fine garden, with a prospect of the sea. All the houses are separate from each other: the company hire them for the season, i.e., from October till May. Apartments may be had from 15 to 250 louis. The proprietors commonly furnish linen, plate, &c. There are also in the town very large and commodious houses; as well as the new road, which is opened from the town to the port, by cutting that part of the rock which inclined toward the sea. The situation is delightful, and warmest in winter, being entirely covered from the north wind, and quite open to the south.
"The company is brilliant at Nice, and the amusements of the carnival are, in proportion to the size of the town, as lively as in any of the great ones in France. There is always an Italian opera, a concert, and masked ball, alternately; and the company play rather high.
"It is impossible to find a happier climate than Nice, both for summer and winter. Reaumur's thermometer, in 1781, never fell more than three degrees below the freezing point, and that only for two days; while at Geneva it fell ten: and in the course of the winter of 1783 it fell only two degrees; while at Geneva it fell 15. The month of May is rarely so fine in France as February at Nice. The summer is not so hot as might be expected. The thermometer never rises more than 24 degrees above temperate in the shade; and there is always an agreeable sea-breeze from ten in the morning till sun-set, when the land-breeze comes on. There are three chains of graduated mountains, the last of which confound their summits with the Alps; and to this triple rampart is owing the mild temperature so sensibly different from the neighbouring parts.
"The cultivation of the ground is as rich as can be desired. There are alternately rows of corn and beans, separated by vines attached to different fruit-trees, the almond and the fig; so that the earth being incessantly cultivated, and covered with trees, olive, orange, cedar, pomegranate, laurel, and myrtle, causes the constant appearance of spring, and forms a fine contrast with the summits of the Alps, in the back-ground, covered with snow."
ancient town of Asia, in Natolia, now called Iznik, with a Greek archbishop's see. It is famous for the general council assembled here in 325, which endeavoured to suppress the doctrines of Arius. It was formerly a large, populous, and well-built place, and even now is not inconsiderable. See ISNICK.
NICEPHORUS Creed, was composed and established, as a proper summary of the Christian faith, by the council at Nice in 325, against the Arians.—It is also called the Constantinopolitan creed, because it was confirmed, with some few alterations, by the council of Constantinople in 381. See CREED.