JOHN NICOLAS, a celebrated architect, was born at Florence in 1695. He rendered himself famous by his exquisite taste in architecture, and by his genius for decorations, fetes, and building. He was employed and rewarded by most of the princes in Europe. He was honoured in Portugal with the order of Christ: In France he was architect and painter to the king, and member of the different academies established for the advancement of these arts. He received the fame titles from the kings of Britain, Spain, Poland, and from the duke of Wirtemberg. Notwithstanding these advantages, his want of economy was so great, that he left nothing behind him. He died at Paris in 1766. Paris is indebted to him for many of its ornaments. He made decorations for the theatres of London and Dresden. The French king's theatre, called la salle des Machines, was under his management for some time. He was permitted to exhibit some shows consisting of simple decorations: Some of these were astonishingly sublime; his "Descent of Æneas into Hell" in particular, and his "Enchanted Forest," are well known. He built and embellished a theatre at Chambor for Marechal Saxe; and furnished the plan and the model of the theatre royal at Dresden. His genius for fetes was remarkable; he had the management of a great number in Paris, and even in London. He conducted Selvandont, one at Lisbon given on account of a victory gained by the duke of Cumberland. He was employed frequently by the king of Portugal, to whom he presented several elegant plans and models. The prince of Wales, too, father to the present king, engaged him in his service; but the death of that prince prevented the execution of the designs which had been projected. He presided at the magnificent fête given at Vienna on account of the marriage of the archduke Joseph and the Infanta of Parma. But it would be endless to attempt an enumeration of all his performances and exhibitions.