SPA

PA, a town of the Netherlands, in the terSP ritory of Liege, famous for its mineral waters. Tha tcalled the Old Spa consists of miserable cottages, and is properly nothing but the suburb to the other. The houses of the New Spa are mostly wood and plaster; but the more modern ones are of brick and stone. The church of the capuchins, and the parishchurch, are both seated upon eminences. The names of the five principal wells are Pouhon, Geronflerd, Saviniere, Watpotz, and Tunnelet. The inhabitants are employed in making toys for strangers. Spa is seated in a valley, surrounded by mountains, 17 miles S.E. of Liege. SPA WATER. This mineral water appears to be a very strongly acidulous chalybeate, containing more iron, and carbonic acid, than any other mineral spring. What applies to the use of chalybeates will apply to this water.

SPACE. s. (spatium, Lat.) 1. Room; local extension (Locke). 2. Any quantity of place (Burnet). 3. Quantity of time (Wilkins). 4. A small time; a while (Spenser).

SPACE, (spatium), a simple idea, the modes whereof are distance, capacity, extension, duration, &c.

Space, considered barely in length between any two bodies, is the same idea which we have of distance.

If it be considered in length, breadth, and thickness, it is properly called capacity.

When considered between the extremities of matter, which fills the capacity of space with something solid, tangible, and moveable, it is then called extension.

So that extension is an idea belonging to body only; but space, it is plain, may be considered without it.

VOL. XI.

SPA

Space therefore, in the general signification, is the same thing with distance considered every way, whether there be any solid matter in it or not.

Each different distance is a different modification of space; and each idea of any different space is a simple mode of this idea. Such are an inch, foot, yard, &c. which are the ideas of certain stated lengths, which men settle in their minds for the use, and by the custom of measuring. When these ideas are made familiar to men's thoughts, they can in their minds repeat them as often as they will, without joining to them the idea of body, and frame to themselves the ideas of feet, yards, and fathoms, beyond the utmost bounds of all bodies; and by adding these still to one another, they can enlarge their idea of space, as much as they please.

From this power of repeating any idea of distance, without being ever able to come to an end, we acquire the idea of immensity.

Another mode, or modification, of space, is taken from the relation of the parts of the termination of extension, or circumscribed space amongst themselves; and this is what we call figure. This the touch discovers in sensible bodies, whose extremities come within our reach; and the eye takes, both from bodies and colours whose boundaries are within its view; where, observing how the extremities terminate, either in straight lines, which meet at discernible angles, or in crooked lines, wherein no angles can be perceived; by con sidering these as they relate to one another in all parts of the extremities of any body or space, it acquires the idea we call figure; which affords to the mind infinite variety. B