a large village in Holland, seated between the Hague and Delft, where the prince of Orange has a palace, which stands about a quarter of a mile farther. It is a very noble structure, all of hewn stone, of great extent in front, but perhaps not proportionally high. It is adorned with a marble stair-case, marble floors, and a magnificent terrace. There is a good prospect of it from the canal between Delft and the Hague. This place 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, 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 sibilant and hissing. Its sound, however, varies; being strong in some words, as this, thus, &c. and soft in words which have a final e, as muse, wise, &c. It is generally doubled at the end of words, whereby they become hard and harsh, as kifs, lofs, &c. In some words it is silent, as ifle, ifland, wifcount, &c. In writing or printing, the long character s is generally used at the beginning and middle of words, but the short s at the end.

In abbreviations, S stands for societas or socius; as, R. S. S. for regiae societatis socius, 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 fa vales bene est, 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.