Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 14.djvu/631

* NICCOLINI. 537 NICE. (1816; published at London 1819) was his first political drama, and it assailed absolute power of all kinds. Another manifesto against absolute power is the Antonio Foscarini {performed in 1827), the most popular of hi? tragedies. The plays of his second period show his tendencies to romanticism. His Beatrice Cviici is based on that of Shelley. The Giovanni da Procida (1817: performed in 1830) was a protest against th<, anti-Italian sentiments of the French dramatist Casimir Delavigne, and, like the Lodovico ^forza (1834), advocated the unity and indejiendence of Italy. There is no political intention discernible in the liosmunda d'lnghiltrrra (performed in 1838), but his masterpiece, the Arnaldo da Brescia (1843), again proclaims the sovereignty of the people over imperial and ecclesiastical power, and attacks especially the temporal power of the Pope. The fundamental ideas of the Arnaldo reappear in Filippo l^tro::zi (1847). His plays, with all their merits, are rather lyric than genu- inely dramatic in spirit. Consult the edition of his Opcre prepared by himself and first published at Florence, 1844; also the Opere edite e inedite, an ed. by Gargiolli (Milan, 10 vols., 1863-1880) ; Vannucci, liicordi delta vita e dclle opere di Gio- vanni Battisda Xiccolini (Florence, 1866). NTCCOLO DE' NICCOLI, nek'ko-lO' da nJk'- ku-le (or. more often. XICCOLI NiccoLd) ( 1363- 1437 ). An Italian scholar, born in Florence. He was a collector of coins, and particularly of Greek and Latin manuscripts. These he procured from evei"v possible source, and often copied them with his own hand. In his fine house in Flor- ence he entertained the #lite of the literary and artistic societ}- of the day, as well as humble students, and was looked upon as the supreme authority in all matters of letters. Even the most famous scholars feared his caustic tongue. After his death, Cosmo de' ^Medici bought his manuscripts, and made them the foundation of the present Laurentian Library of Florence. NICCOLO OF AREZZO, a-ret'so (also called NiccoLo Lambehti, and Xiccolo di Piero) (1350-1417). An Italian sculptor and architect, born at Arezzo. His master was probably 5Ioc- cio of Siena. He was first employed in Florence on minor works in the cathedral. After the plague (1383) he returned to Florence and exe- cuted two statues, believed to be those of Saint Gregory and Saint Augustine, for the Campanile. He also did some decorative carving on the north- ern door of the Duomo. and at Or San Jlichele. These, like his other carvings, show a marked gain in freedom and elegance over the work of former sculptors. He executed a relief of the Virgin on the facade of the Santa !Maria della Misericordia, .Arezzo, and the mausoleum of Pope .Alexander V. in the Certosa. Bologna; and was employed as architect on the Castle of Sant' Angelo. Rome, and to restore the w'alls of Borgo San Sepolcro. NICE, nes. A city in Bithynia. See Nic.ea. NICE. The capital of the Department of Alpes- Maritimes. France, situated on the Mediterranean, at the foot of the .Alps, and at the western ex- tremity of the Riviera, 140 miles by rail ea*t- northeast of JIarseilles. and 640 miles from Paris (Map: France. O 8K Xice is far-famed as a place of sojourn for health-seekers, some 1.5.000 of whom visit it yearly. The city and its bay are protected by the mountains on the north. The climate is dry, mild, and invigorating. It is warm in winter and not hot in summer. Mean annual temperature 58.6° F. — -January 45.4°, July 73.8°. Frost and snow are rare. The rainy period is in the fall. The fashionable season begins soon after January 1st and lasts till .June 1st. The situation of Xice, where the small Paglione empties into the sea, is splendid. There is a circle of forts in the rear, and the city is important strategically to France. On the left bank of the covered-over stream is the little old town, with narrow, crooked streets. In this section a mixture of Provencal and Ital- ian is spoken. .Along the sea front here extends a fine boulevard. At its east end rises Castle Hill, on which runs a promenade, whence an immense and admirable view of the coast may be had. Beyond the hill lies the city's small harbor, called Limpia. On the western bank of the Paglione is the more important foreigners' quarter, where French is the universal language. In this section the avenues are spacious and beautiful, with plane trees and eucalypti, and the city pi-esents the delightful appearance of a southern sea resort. The centre of life in this part is the Square Mas- sena, on which stands the bronze statue to Mas- s^na, who was born in Xice. Adjacent is the Casino, an attractive modern municipal struc- ture, containing gaming rooms, a theatre, and an entertainment garden. From the Casino the Public Garden, exceptionally attractive with its palm, pepper, myrtle, and laurel trees, reaches to the sea, and terminates in the splendid iron and glass pier promenade. From this point west along the bay for a distance of over two miles is the wide, magnificent Promenade des Anglais, flanked by villas and spacious hotels, and having gardens of orange and lemon trees and acies of flowers. Among the objects of interest in the city are a marble cross, commemorating the meet- ing here of Francis I. and Charles V. in 1538; the modern centenary obelisk in honor of the union of Xice with France in 1792; a pyramid to the memory of Garibaldi, a native of Xice; also a statue of him, and a bust of President Carnot. The public library has nearly 100.000 volumes. The iluseum of Xatural Histcyy is noteworthy for its collection of mushrooms. The municipal museum contains mediocre works of modern French artists. Nice has a nunnery, a lyceum, a priests' and a teachers' seminary, a charity hospital, and an important astronomical observa- tory (on IMont Gros). with one of the largest refractors in the world. The municipal theatre has good opera in the season. The carnival — an elaborate fete of flowers, confetti, and ^loccoletti — is an annual occurrence which attracts pleas- ure-seekers from all countries. To the north of Nice lies Cimiez, with its interesting Roman remains. Xice exports oranges, lemons, flowers (for which it is celebrated), perfumes, olives, oils, and liquors. It also manufactures ivory joods. furniture, silk, dyes, etc. Some marble is quarried near. The city shows a marked increase in commercial importance and in population. Its inhabitants numbered 105.109 in 1901. Xice was the Xica>a of the ancients, and dates from the fourth century B.C.. when it was settled by Phocfeans from Marseilles. It suffered in many wars and at the hands of many races. It belonged in the late Middle Ages to Provence, and