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NIC five exist; whence we learn that the history was continued to the death of Leo Philosophus, 911. The work is a compilation; but the style, which has always been admired, shows a power and mastery over the materials seldom equalled. The author's judgment, however, was weak, and his credulity excessive. The best edition is that of Fronto Ducæus, 1630, two vols., fol., Paris, in Greek and Latin.—S. D.  NICEPHORUS GREGORAS. See.  NIGERATUS, a Greek medical writer, one of the followers of Asclepiades of Bithynia, is supposed to have lived in the latter half of the first century. He wrote on materia medica, and is quoted by Asclepiades Pharmacion, Galen, and Pliny. He is also mentioned by Dioscorides. According to Cælius Aurelianus he wrote a work on catalepsy.—F. C. W.  NICERON,, an industrious and useful French compiler, was born at Paris in 1685. At nineteen he took the vows and entered the society of the Barnabites. After teaching successfully in several provincial colleges, as professor of rhetoric, philosophy, the classics, &c., acquiring the while a knowledge of the languages of modern Europe, he was recalled by his superiors to Paris as the place where he could best prosecute his studies. After having spent more than eighteen years on the biographical compilation by which alone he is remembered, he died at Paris in July, 1738. Niceron was a good English scholar, then a rare accomplishment in France, and published several translations from the English. His chief work, however, already referred to, is his series of literary biographies—"Mémoires pour servir à l'histoire des hommes illustres de la république des lettres, avec un catalogue raisonné de leurs ouvrages," published between 1727 and 1745 at Paris, in 43 vols., of which thirty-nine had appeared at Niceron's death. There is no arrangement in the work, either chronological or alphabetical, and the merit of the sketches is very unequal. But for the lives of the older French authors, Niceron is indispensable, and subsequent efforts have added little to his work. There is a biographical notice of himself in vol. xl. of the Memoires.—F. E.  NICETAS, a physician of Constantinople, is only known by a collection of surgical works, of which three MS. copies are in existence, one at Florence and two at Paris. He is believed to have lived in the reign of Isaac Comnenus, about the middle of the eleventh century. Part of his writings was published at Florence in 1754, under the title "Græcorum Chirurgici Libri."—G.  NICETAS ACOMINATUS, surnamed, a Byzantine historian, was born about 1150, and filled some important offices of state under the emperor Isaac II. He was present at the capture of Constantinople by the Latins in 1204, after which he escaped to Nicæa, where he wrote his history, and where he died about 1216. The Byzantine history of Nicetas extends from 1118-1206, and is considered a valuable source of information for the period to which it relates.—G.  NICHOL,, a distinguished British astronomer, philosopher, and man of letters, was born at Brechin in Scotland, in 1804, and died at Rothesay in 1859. He was the eldest of a numerous family, and was educated at the grammar-school of Brechin, and at the university of King's college, Aberdeen, at both of which places he distinguished himself highly, and gave promise of his future eminence, especially in mathematical and physical science. His studies at the university were interrupted for a short time while he held, at the early age of seventeen, the office of teacher of the parish school of Dun; but he soon returned, completed his course of theology, became a licentiate of the Church of Scotland, and preached several sermons. After having been successively head master of the grammar-school of Hawick, and editor of a liberal newspaper in Cupar-Fife, he received, about 1824, the appointment of rector of the Montrose academy, which he resigned, owing to ill health, about 1833, and occupied himself for a time in literary pursuits, and in the delivery of lectures on astronomy. In the art of delivering lectures on science to a mixed audience, he possessed a skill that has seldom been equalled, owing to a rare combination of qualities; for to an extraordinary command of language, and power of eloquent description and clear explanation, he joined profound and accurate knowledge; so that his lectures were instructive without being pedantic, and popular without being superficial; while, at the same time, they were pervaded by a poetic enthusiasm which rendered them irresistibly attractive. About 1835 he was appointed professor of astronomy in the university of Glasgow, which appointment he held until his death. His first separate work was a book which has since become celebrated—the "Architecture of the Heavens:" it is distinguished by the qualities which have already been described as characterizing his lectures. It was first published in 1836, and ran through seven editions, the latest of which appeared in 1845. It was followed by a series of astronomical works of the same kind—the "Solar System" (afterwards enlarged and altered under the name of the "Planetary System"); and the "Stellar Heavens." He was the author also of an important introductory essay prefixed to a translation of Willm's Education of the People, in 1847; and of a long series of miscellaneous writings on scientific, literary, philosophical, and political subjects, which, if collected, would fill several volumes. His latest work was the "Dictionary of the Physical Sciences," a book which is almost unparalleled for the extent and accuracy of the information that it contains in a small bulk, but which has hitherto failed to meet with the success that it deserves; the second edition was not completed until after the death of the author. Although he had been led by circumstances to devote himself to the diffusion of knowledge rather than to original research, his mind wanted no qualifications for the latter pursuit. Those who knew him best were most disposed to wonder at the variety of his mental activity. He was, as a metaphysician and politician, both speculative and eminently practical; and if he seemed to be less original than he was, it was because he knew so much, and did not care to do again what had been done before. His personal character was frank, genial, and generous, and secured him the warm regard of all who knew him. He was twice married, in 1831 and in 1853; and by his first marriage he left a son and a daughter. The former, already a distinguished scholar and man of letters, is John Nichol, Esq., professor of English literature in the university of Glasgow.—W. J. M. R.  NICHOLAS, Emperor of Russia, was born at St. Petersburg on the 7th of July, 1796, and was the third son of the Emperor Paul by his second wife, Mary of Wirtemberg. His mother superintended his education, which was conducted by General De Lamsdorf with the assistance of the Countess de Lieven, the philologist Adelung, and the councillor Stork. His favourite studies were music, mathematics, and military architecture. He even paid some attention to theology and political economy, and became as familiar with the French and German languages as with his own native tongue. His instructors, however, formed no high estimate of his abilities at this period. He was taciturn, melancholy, and often absorbed in trifles. He was only five years of age when the murder of his father made him an orphan, and conferred a crown on his brother Alexander. He was too young to assist in the defence of Russia when the French invasion took place, though he was old enough to be an observant spectator of the enthusiastic devotion exhibited by the people in the cause of their country. On the restoration of peace in 1814 the young prince left Russia to travel, and visited the principal battle-fields of Europe. In the year 1816 he arrived in England, where he received a cordial welcome. In the year 1825 his eldest brother Alexander died at Taganrog in the Crimea, and it seemed to be taken for granted that the Grand-duke Constantine, the next heir, who was then at Warsaw, would ascend the throne. Nicholas himself hastened to take the oath of fidelity to his brother. But the danger which would have arisen to the welfare of the country and the peace of Europe from the accession of this brutal barbarian, had been foreseen and averted by Alexander, and the rest of the imperial family. Constantine had been induced to resign his claims to the crown by a formal deed executed in 1822, and the senate on opening the will of the deceased monarch found that it nominated the Grand-duke Nicholas as his successor in the empire. This event was announced by a proclamation issued on the 23d of December. But the republicans and the old Russian party seized this departure from the regular order of succession as a pretext for insurrection, and a considerable body of the troops combined with the populace of the capital, and took up arms against the new emperor. The moment was one of imminent peril, but Nicholas was equal to the emergency. He first repaired with his wife to the chapel of the palace, and joined in prayer with her for their safety and success. Then placing himself at the head of the guards who still remained loyal, he rode out and confronted the insurgents. Standing before them with haughty bearing, he cried in a firm voice—"Return to your ranks—obey—down upon your knees!" The energy of his voice, his calm and intrepid countenance, and <section end="576Zcontin" />