Nicolettus, Paulus, an Augustinian monk of LTdine in Frauli, also called Venetus from his long resi- dence in Venice, studied at Oxford in 1390, was distin- guished as a philosopher and subtle theologian, became general of his order in 1412, taught in tlie principal uni- versities of France and Italy, an<l theology at Perugia in 1427, and died at Venice or Padua, June 5, 1428. He wrote a immbcr of theological treatises, for which see Jiicher, Gelehrten-Lvxikon, s. v.
Nicoll, Alexander, a noted English prelate, was
NICOLL
V9
NICOLOPOULO
born in 1793. He was canon of Christ Church and re- gius professor of Hebrew in tlie University of Oxford, and was noted for his knowledge of the Oriental tongues. AVhile sub-librarian of the Bodleian Library he drew up a catalogue of the MSS. brought from the East by Dr. E. D. Clarke, which was published, and gained him great reputation. He also undertook and nearly completed the general catalogue of the Eastern MSS. begun about one hundred years before by Uri. After his death a volume of his sermons was published with a memoir (1830, 8vo). NicoU died in 1828. See Chambers, Biog. Did. of Eminent Scotsmen, iv, 92, Al- libone, Diet, of Brit, and Amer. Authors, vol. ii, s. v.
Nicoll, Robert, an English writer of poetry of a religious coloring, was born in Perthshire, Scotland, in 1814. He worked too hard and too fast for his consti- tution, and paid the penalty by an early death, which occurred in 1837. He published a volume of Songs and Lyrics (1835). A second volume of his poems, with nu- merous additions and a memoir of his life, was published by Mrs. Johnstone (1842, 12mo; 3d ed. 1852, 12mo; 4th ed. 1857, 12mo). Among his best pieces are "We are Brethren" and " Thoughts of Heaven." See Tent's Mag- azine, 1842; Westminster Rev. xxxvii, 219 sq. ; Allibone, Diet, of Brit, and Amer. Authors, s. v.
Nicolle, CiiARLES-DoJiiNiQt'E, a French educator of note, was born in Pissy-Poville Aug. 4, 1758. He commenced his studies in the College of Rouen, and came to Paris to finish them in the College of Sainte- Barbe, where he was professor and prefect when the Revolution broke out. Being then charged with the education of the son of M. de Choiseul-Gouffier, in 1790 Nicolle conducted this pupil to his father, ambassador from France to Constantinople. Three years after Ni- colle went to St. Petersburg, and there founded a board- ing-school, which soon attracted the children of the lirst noble families of that capital, and in the direction of which he was aided by other French ecclesiastics, par- ticularly by the abbe Pierre Nicolas Salandre, who died vicar-general of Paris July 18, 1839. The duke de Richelieu, founder and governor of Odessa, called the abbe Nicolle to that city, who was then given by the em- peror Alexander the title of visitor of all the Catholic churches of Southern Russia. Later Nicolle became the director of the Richelieu Lyceum, and he displayed an admirable devotion during a frightful pestilence which desolated Odessa in 1812. Certain business took him again to Paris in 1817, and Louis XVHI appointed him one of his honorary almoners. On his return to Russia, the abbe Nicolle was so much annoyed by the Russian clergy, jealous of his success, that he laid down his com- mission and returned to France, where he received in 1820 the title of member of the Royal Council of Public Instruction. Feb. 27, 1821, he became rector of the Academy of Paris, and co-operated with his brother In restoring a house of education destined to replace the ancient College of Sainte-Barbe, and which has become the College Rollin. The rectorship of abbe Nicolle fur- nishes a curious episode in the history of French public instruction. Nov. 18, 1822, he presided for the first time over the opening session of the medical faculty, v.licro Dcsgcnettes pronounced the funeral eulogy of Dr. Halle, an incumbent, like himself, of the medical chair. The students had never seen abbe Nicolle, whom, however, they knew by reputation as the particular friend of the duke de Richelieu, then very unpopular in his capacity of responsible minister. This agitated fig- ure which they saw in the presidential chair, instead of the manly and fearless form of Cuvier, excited at first whisperings and murmurs. Where it was necessary to impress respect upon a hostile and almost seditious au- dience, the abbe flattered through weakness, promising his good will to this undisciplined crowd, who did not wish it, and who replied by fiu'ious clamors to the obse- quious discourse which the rector timidly delivered. Desgenettes came afterwards, and, far from calming.
only exasperated the malicious passions which animated the assembly. One phrase, in which the orator alluded to the Christian death of Prof. Halle, was awkwardly repeated by him three times, and. exaggerated by gest- ures, increased the exhibition of a scandalous dislike. No poor comedy was ever more hissed. A few daj's after, the School of Medicine was disbauded, and illus- trious professors were forever excluded from it, with the exception of Desgenettes and Antoine Dubois, who en- tered it again after the Revolution of 1830. The office of rector having been suppressed in 1824, abbe Nicolle retained his position in the Royal Council of Public In- struction, and was permitted to retire Aug. 17, 1830. He was an officer of the Legion of Honor after May, 1825, and became in 1827 honorarj^ canon of Paris and vicar- general of that diocese. He died in Soisy-sous-Enghien (Seine-et-Oise) Sept. 2, 1835. After his return to pri- vate life he occupied himself with writing his ideas upon education, and published them under the title of Plan (Vediication, ou j^rojet cVun college noiivecm (Paris, 1833, 8vo). See Frappaz, Vie de I'Ahhe Nicolle (1857, 8vo); De Beaurepaire, Notice sur VAbbe Nicolle (1859, 8vo). — Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Gene?'«fe, xxxviii, 1 sq.