are many other churches, as well as convents.
It is seated on the Rhone, 30 m. N. by E. of Si-
viers and 335 S. by E. of Paris. Long. 4. 52. E.,
lat. 44. 55. N.

Valence, a town of France, department of Lot-
et-Garonne, on the river Garonne, 12 m. S. E.
of Agen.

Valencia, a province of Spain, formerly a king-
dom; bounded on the N. by Arragon,N. E. by
Catalonia, E. by the Mediterranean, S. and S.
W. by Marcia, and AV. by New Castile. It is
220 m. long, and from 20 to 60 broad, and the
most pleasant and populous country in Spain;
for here they enjoy a perpetual spring. It is
watered by a great number of streams, and fertile
in all the necessaries of life, especially fruits, oil,
and wine. In the mountains are mines of iron
and alum, and quarries of marble, jasper, and
lapis calaminaris. Here is also much silk, cot-
ton, and hemp; the manufactures of which are
the cause of a considerable population.

Valencia, a city of Spain, capital of the above
province, and an archbishop’s see, with a univer-
sity. The Moors were expelled from it in the
12th century. It was taken by the earl of Peter-
borough in 1705, and lost again in two years
after. In 1811 it was taken hy the French, under
Suchet, with a garrison of 16,000 men, and im-
mense stores. It contains 12,000 houses within
the walls, besides those in the suburbs and plea-
sure gardens around it, which amount to the same
number. The cathedral has a steeple 130 feet
high; and one side of the choir is incrusted with
alabaster, and adorned with fine paintings of
Scripture history. The palace of the viceroy,
that of Ciuta, the monastery of St. Jerome, the
exchange, and the arsenal, are all worthy of no-
tice. Here are manufactures of cloth and silk;
and several remains of antiquity. It is seated on
the Guadalaviar, near the Mediterranean, 130 m.
E. S. E. of Madrid. Pop. 80,000.

Valencia, a town of S. America, in Venezuela,
seated on the lake Tocarigua, 57 m. S. W. of
Porto Cavallo. Long. 65. 30. W., lat. 9. 50. N.

Valencia A Alcantara, a town of Spain, in Es-
tremadura, with an old castle. It is surrounded
by walls, and stands on a rock, near the frontiers
of Portugal, 28 m. S. W. of Alcantara ancf 45 N.
N. W. of Badajos.

Valenciennes, a city of France, in the depart-
ment of Nord, seated on the Scheldt, which flows
through it in several branches, and here begins
to be navigable. It is large and populous; but
the streets are narrow and crooked and many of
the houses are of wood. The citadel and forti-
fications were constructed hy order of Louis
XIV. who took this town from the Spaniards,
and it was confirmed to him by the treaty of Nim-
guen, in 1673. In 1793 it was taken by the allies,
under the duke of York, after a severe siege. But
in 1794 it again surrended to the French by ca-
pitulation, and was confirmed to them by the trea-
ties of 1814,1815. Besides lace, this city is noted
for manufactures of woolen stuffs and cambric.
It is 28 m. S- E. of Lisle and 120 N. N. E. of Pa-
ris. Long. 3. 32. E., lat. 50.21. N.

Valentia, an island and harbour on the coast of
Ireland in the country of Kerry, S. of Dingle Bay.

Valentine, a town of France, department of Up-
per Garonne, 9 m. N. E. of St. Bertrand.

Valenza, a town of Austrian Italy, in the gov-
ernment of Milan, seated on a mountain near the
river ro, 12 m. E. S. E. of Cassal, and 35 S. S.
W. of Milan

Valenza, a fortified town of Portugal in Entre
Douero e Minho, seated on an eminence, near
the river Minho, opposite Tuy, in Spain, and 30
m. N. N. W. of Braga.

Valette, a city of Malta, the capital of that is-
land, and wonderfully strong both by nature and
art. It is seated on a peninsula, between two of
the finest ports in the world, which are defended
by almost impregnable fortifications. Valette has
three gates, and the streets are all paved with flat
square stones. The houses are neat, and built of
stone ; the rooms forming a flat terrace plastered
with pozzolana ; and most of them have a balco-
ny to the street, where the inhabitants pass a great
part of their time. The principal buildings are
the palace of the grand master, the infirmary, the
conservatory, and the magnificent church of St.
John. The pavement of this church is composed
entirely of sepulchral monuments of the finest
marbles, porphyry, lapis lazuli, and a variety of
other valuable stones, admirably joined together,
representing the arms, insignia, &c., of the per-
sons whose names they commemorate. The great
source of water that supplies Valette rises near
Citta Veechia, and is thence conveyed by an aque-
duct, erected at the expense of one of the grand
masters. Valette is situate opposite Cade Passe-
ro in Sicily. Long. 15. 34. E., lat. 35.54. N.

Valette, a town of France, department of Char-
ente, 12 m. S.byE. of Angouleme.

Valkenburg, or Fauquemont, a town of the Neth-
erlands, in Limburg. In 1672 it was taken hy
the French, who demolished the fortifications. It
is seated on the Geule, 8 m. E. by N. of Maas-
tricht. Long. 5. 58. E., lat. 51. 0. N.

Valladolid, a city of Spain, in Leon, capital of a
province of the same name, and a bishops’s see
with a university. It has long and broad streets,
and is adorned with handsome buildings, squares,
and fountains. The market place, called El Cam-
po, is 700 paces in circumference, surrounded by
a great number of convents. There are nume-
rous monasteries and nunneries, the finest of
which is that of the Domnicans, remarkable for
its church, which is one of the most magnificent
in the city. The kings formerly resided at this
place; and the royal palace, which still remains,
is of very large extent, though but two stories
high. The town-house takes up the entire side of
a square. Here are some woolen manufactures,
and many goldsmiths and jewelers. The envi-
rons of the city are covered with gardens, orch-
ards, vineyards, meadows and fields. Valladolid
was taken and retaken several times, by the
French and Spaniards, during the late peninsular
war. It is seated on the Escurva, near the Pis-
nerga, 74 in. S. S. W. of Leon and 100 N. N. W.
ofMadrid. Long. 4. 47. W., lat. 41. 42. N.

Valladolid, a province of the republic of Mexi-
co, bounded N. by the Rio de Lerma, S. by the
Pacific, W. by New Galicia, and E. by Mexico
Proper. It is 200 miles in circumference, and is
very rich, abounding in all the necesssaries of
life ; and the climate in general, is mild and sa-
lubrious. At the period of the Spanish-conquest
this province formed part of the kingdom of Me-
choacan, which was independant of the ancient
Mexican empire.

Valladolid, or Mechoacan, a city of Mexico, cap-
ital ofthe foregoing province, with a fine cathe-
dral,and some handsome houses : situate on a river
near its source, 120 m. W. of Mexico.

Valladolid, or Comayagua, a city of S. America
capital of Honduras; seated in a plain, 230 m.
3 r 2