a province of the Russian empire, in Europe. It takes its name from the capital city, and extends in north latitude from 54° 31' to 56° 4', and in east longitude from 41° 37' to 46° 27', containing 21,142 square miles. It is divided into eleven circles, which comprehend thirteen cities and 5380 villages, which latter are formed into 762 parishes, each having a Greek church. The inhabitants are estimated at 1,500,000, the great mass of whom adhere to the religion of the Greek church; but there are many tribes of Tartars scattered throughout the province, who, like their ancestors, remain heathens. The whole province is undulating, with no elevations that are more than 400 feet above the level of the sea. The soil is generally sandy, but much of it is compounded of portions of clay and marl, and other earths, so that where cultivation is conducted with any degree of skill and attention, the produce is considerable. In corn the crops commonly yield one fourth more than the consumption requires. The chief grains are rye and buck-wheat; but there is much wheat grown, and the increase on appropriate soils is said to be tenfold the seed. A great quantity both of hemp and flax is raised, and all the common garden vegetables and fruits. The woods extend along the banks of the great rivers, and afford abundance of fuel, and of timber for the construction of houses and ships. The province is admirably watered, the chief river being the Wolga, which receives the waters of the Oka, the Kutma, the Kirsentz, the Sura, the Wetloga, and the Alayr, all of which are navigable to the main stream. It is a manufacturing district, producing abundance of matting, hempen and flaxen cloths, soap and candles, iron in bars and in common implements, leather, corn, spirits, and some glass. These, with live cattle, raw hides, and wood, form the principal articles of the export trade, which is chiefly carried on by the Wolga and its tributary streams. The city of Nishegorod, the capital, is 830 miles from St Petersburg, being in latitude 55° 19' 43" north, and in longitude 46° 23' 5" east. It stands at the junction of the Oka with the Wolga, in a picturesque situation, between hills; and it is the centre of the trade, as well as of the government of its province, and the seat of a Greek bishop. It contains 1826 houses, mostly of wood, and 12,300 inhabitants, who chiefly subsist by manufactures and trade, which connect them with the Persians, Siberians, Turks, and Tartars, who resort in great crowds, especially to a fair which lasts from the 29th of June to the end of July annually.

NISIBIN, a village of Persia, in the pachalik of Bagdad, which was in ancient times the celebrated fortress of Nisibis, and, from the time of Lucullus until the decline of the empire, was regarded by the Romans as the firmest bulwark of the East. This city was taken by Lucullus, from Tigranes, king of Armenia. It was three times besieged by the king of Persia, who, by the treaty of Dura, at last obtained quiet possession of the fortress, which had successfully resisted the utmost efforts of his arms. Nisibis, in the hands of the Persians, braved the attacks of successive emperors, and baffled the military talents of Belisarius; until at last, after the final overthrow of the house of Artaxerxes, it was reduced, along with the other cities of Mesopotamia, under the power of the Saracens. The foundations of the walls, and several detached towers, as well as part of the church built in honour of St James, who was formerly bishop of Nisibis, are still standing. They overlook the little but rapid river Mygdonius, and are approached by a small Roman bridge of twelve arches. To the west there is a view of the lofty mountains of Sinjar, covered with verdure; and the prospect to the north and east is bounded by the ridge of Mount Masius, forming a vast amphitheatre, at the extremity of which, in a clear day, may be descried the distant turrets of Merdin. The adjacent country has a pleasing appearance, the numberless villages which overspread the plains being built wholly on conical hills, bearing a striking resemblance to our feudal castles. Grecian and Roman coins, with other antiquities, are frequently dug out of the ruins. The black tents of the Kurds now cover the greater part of the city. Nisibin is seventy-eight miles south-east of Diarbekir, and seventy north-west of Mosul.