a large village in Holland, seated between the Hague and Delft, where the prince of Orange has a palace; and is remarkable for a treaty concluded here in 1697, between England, Germany, Holland, France, and Spain. E. Long. 4. 20. N. Lat. 52. 8.

S.

S, f, or s, the 18th letter and 14th consonant of our alphabet; the sound of which is formed by driving the breath through a narrow passage between the palate and the tongue elevated near it, together with a motion of the lower jaw and teeth towards the upper, the lips being a little way open; with such a configuration of every part of the mouth and larynx, as renders the voice somewhat abulous and hissing. Its sound however varies; being strong in some words, as this, that, &c. and soft in words which have a final e, as myse, noife, &c. It is generally doubled at the end of words, whereby they become hard and harsh, as in kifs, lofs, &c. In some words it is silent, as ifle, ifland, viscount, &c. In writing or printing, the long character f, is used at the beginning and middle of words, but the short s, at the end.

In abbreviations, S stands for societas or socia; as, R. S. S. for regiae societatis socia, i.e. fellow of the royal society. In medicinal prescriptions, S.A. signifies secundum artem, i.e. according to the rules of art: And in the notes of the ancients, S stands for Sextus; S.P. for Spurius; S.C. for senatus consultum; S. P. Q. R. for senatus populique Romanus; S. S. S. for stratum super stratum, i.e. one layer above another alternately; S. V. B. E. E. Q. V. for si valeas bene et, ego quoque valeo, a form used in Cicero's time, in the beginning of letters. Used as a numeral, S anciently denoted seven; in the Italian music, S signifies solo: And in books of navigation, S stands for south; S.E. for south-east; S.W. for south-west; S.S.E. for south south-east; S.S.W. for south south-west, &c.