in architecture, a hollow sunk into a wall, for the commodious and agreeable placing of a statue. The word comes from the Italian *nchia*, "sea-shell;" in regard the statue is here inclosed in a shell, or perhaps on account of the shell wherewith the tops of some of them are adorned.

NICHOLS (William), son of John Nichols of Donington, in Bucks, was born in 1664. At what school he was educated we have not been informed; but in 1679 he became a commoner of Magdalene Hall, Oxford, whence he afterwards removed to Wadham College, and took the degree of bachelor of arts Nov. 27, 1683.—In October 1684, he was admitted probationer-fellow of Merton College. At the commencement of 1688 he took his master's degree; and about the same time being admitted into orders, he became chaplain to Ralph earl of Montague, and was in September 1791 preferred to the rectory of Selfley; near Chichester, in Sussex. He was admitted B.D. July 2, 1692; and D.D. Nov. 29, 1695. Though his time was wholly devoted to piety and study, and though he published, in Latin and in English, no Nicholls fewer than 19 works in defence of Christianity, and the doctrines and worship of the church of England, he was so totally overlooked, even by those who professed to be patrons of orthodoxy, that towards the close of his life we find him complaining to Robert earl of Oxford, that he was forced on the drudgery of being editor of Mr Seldon's books for a little money to buy other books, to enable him to carry on his liturgical labours. He died in the beginning of the year 1712. Of his numerous publications, those which are most generally known are, *A Conference with a Thief*, in five parts, and *A Comment on the Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments*, &c. A volume of letters in Latin between him and Jobloniski, Oltervald, and Wettstein, &c. was presented, October 28, 1712, by his widow to the archbishop of Canterbury; and they are now preserved among the valuable MSS. at Lambeth, no 676.