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 staircase, 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, 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 sibilous 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 in kiss, loss, &c. In some words it is silent, as idle, island, viscount, &c. In writing or printing, the long character f is generally used at the beginning and middle of words, but the short s at the end.

In abbreviation, 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 populusque Romanus; S. S. S. for stratum superstratum, i.e. one layer above another alternately; S. V. B. E. E. Q. V. for si valete 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.

SAAVEDRA, MICHAEL DE CERVANTES, a celebrated Spanish writer, and the inimitable author of Don Quixote, was born at Madrid in the year 1541. From