Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 14.djvu/633

* NICETAS CHONIATES. 539 NICHOLAS. hi-itorian. born at Clioiia!, the ancient ColossiE. He liild liigli otiice under the Byzantine eniperora during the last years of tlie twelfth century. Xicetas was in Constantinople when the city was captured by the Latins (1204) and escaped to Nica'a. His history of the Greek emperors from 1118 to 1201) completes Zonaras. and is an excel- lent authority. It is best edited by Bekker ( Bonn, is;i.5). A valuable description of the statues in Constantinople destroyed by the Latins may have been originally composed by Nieetas; in its pres- ent state it seems to have sufTered additions by a Inter author. It was edited bv Wilken (Leipzig, is.'sn). NICHE, nich (Fr. niche, from It. nicchia, nidie in a wall like the hollow of a shell, from ■iiicchio. shell, niche, from Lat. mitiilus, 7)n)tiliis, vujiulus, mussel, from Gk.^yriXos, inytilos, /nfruXos, mitylos, mussel, from iivt, nii/s. mouse). A recess formed in a wall, comuionly for the purpose of containing a statue or some ornamental figure or piece of furniture. In classical archi- tecture, the niches are generally square re- cesses with canopies formed by small pedi- ments. In Gothic architecture, the niche is one of the most frequent and characteristic fea- tures, the doorways, buttresses, and every part of the buildings being in many instances orna- mented with niches and statues in endless va- riety, the openings being arched and decorated with colonnettes, gables, pinnacles, and intri- cated detailed ornament. In the Mohammedan mosque the direction of Mecca (called Kiblah), the sacred city, is marked by a niche called Mihrab. In early and mediitval churches niches were frequently built to receive pieces of ecclesi- astical furniture. NICHIREN, nich'iren (1222-82). A Japan- ese religious teacher, and the founder of an in- fluential sect of Buddhists, the Hokkes. He was born in Kominato, the Province of Awa. Ho was devoted to the priesthood from his birth, for his mothef had dreamed that the sun had entered her body. He completed the prescribed studies at an early age. was admitted to tlie priesthood and became a violent and bitter sectarian. So severe were liis attacks upon all other forms of Bud- dhism that he was banished for a time, and later was condemned to death on the charge of teach- ing doctrines subversive of the Government. His life was saved by a miracle, but he was again banished. Possessed, as it is said, of miraculous powers, he gained large numbers of followers, and founded the sect which is popularly known by his name. He added nothing to the doctrinal develop- ment of Buddhism, being dependent upon Chinese sources for his ideas. But he brought to Bud- dhism a spirit of intolerance and bitter persecu- tion far other than the spirit of its founder. The sacred book of the sect is the Sanskrit Saddhar- ma Pundarika, which has been translated into English by Kern in Jtiiller, fiacrcd Bootes of the East, vo. xxi. (Oxford, 1884). NICHOL, nik'ol, .Tonx (18.33-94). An Eng- lish scholar, son of .John Pringle Nichol. the as- tronomer. He was born in Montrose. Scotland, and educated at the Universitv of Glasgow (1848-5.5), and at Balliol College, Oxford ( 18.5.'')-.';0) . In 18G.5 he visited the United States, where hf became ac- quainted personally with Emerson andXongfellow. He was made LL.D. by Saint Andrews (ISV.*!) ; professor of English literature at Glasgow VuL. XtV.— :15. ( 1801-89) ; he lectured in Scotland and England; advocated broad Church doctrines, and look the side of the Xortli in the American ('ivil War. He died October 11, 1804. Nichol contributed to the Westminster, Xurth Britistt, and other reviews; was one of the writers on the Encyctopivdia liri- tannica ; and published Frar/iiirnts of Criticism, a volume of essays (1800): Ilrntiiilial. a classical drama (1872): Byron, in the "English Men of Letters Scries" (1880) : American Literature : An Historical Kevieic (1882) : Landmarks of English Literature ( 1882) ; Lord Bacon's Life and I'hilos- ophy (1887-89) ; and several educational treaties. Consult the Memoir by Knight (tJhisgow, 1890). NICHOL, .John Pringle (1804-59). A Soot- ish astronomer, born at Huntly Hill, near Brechin, in Forfarshire. He received his educa- tion at King's College, Aberdeen, where he highly distinguished himself in mathematics and phys- ics. He engaged in preaching before he was of age, but his fondness for scientific studies led him to give up the ministry. He was for some time editor of the Fife Herald, and later head- master of Cupar Academy, which position he re- signed to become rector of Jlontrose Academy (1827). Having declined the chair of political economy in the Coll&ge de France. Paris, he was appointed, in 1830, regius professor of astronomy in the University of Glasgow. In this capacity he effected the equipment and transference of the Glasgow Observatory to its ])resent site on Dowan- hill. His astronomical work was directed chiefly to the physical features of the moon, and to the nebular theory. In one of his w^orks he made the earliest suggestions for the study of sun-spots by photography. He visited the United States in 1848 and lectured publicly on scientific subjects. He was a fellow of the Royal Astronomical So- ciety and a member of the Royal Society. Among his works may be mentioned: Views of the Ai'chi- tecture of the Hearens (1838 and nine sub- sequent editions) ; Contemplations on the >S'o- lar System (1844) ; Exposition and History of the Planet yeptune (1848); The Stel- lar Universe (1848) ; The Planetary System, Its Order and Physical Structure (1851) : .4 Cyclo- pccdia of the Physical Sciences (1857). Consult Maclehose's Hundred Glasgow Men, and Stew- art's Vniversity of Glasgow; Old and New. NICHOLAS, nlk'6-las. The name of five popes. Nicholas I., Saint, Pope 858-07. He was of a noble Roman family, and was employed in important affairs by Benedict III., whom he succeeded, being crowned — the first recorded in- stance of the coronation of a pope — in the pres- ence of the Emperor Louis IT. The most im- portant events of his pontificate are those connected with his conflict with Photius, who had been illegally intruded into the See of Con- stantinople. (See Photius; Greek Church.) Throughout his reign he was one of the most uncompromising upholders of the claims of the Roman See to universal jurisdiction. A pro- longed contest in practical matters with a West- ern prelate of great power and individuality, Hincmar. Archbishop of Rheims, was terminated by Hincmar's submission. The matrimonial af- fairs of the German princes also gave him much trouble: and his firmness in upholding the sanctity of the marriage tie brought him' into conflict with the Emperor, who nuirdied upon Rome and held the Pope a prisoner witliout food