SECT. CHAP. X. Of the Abufe of Words. 1. Abuse of Words. 2, 3. First, Words without any, or without clear Ideas. 5. Secondly, Unfteady Application of them. 6. Thirdly, Affected Obfcurity by wrong Application. 9. This Learning very little benefits Society. 10. But deftroys the Inftruments of Knowledge and Com- 11. As ufeful as to confound the Sound of the Letters. 13. And ought not to pafs for Learning. 14. Fourthly, Taking them for things. 15. Inftance in Matter. 16. This makes Errors lafting. 17. Fifthly, Setting them for what they cannot fignify. 20. The Cause of this Abuse, a Suppofition of Nature's 21. This Abufe cocains two falfe Suppofitions. 22. Sixthly, A Suppofition, that Words have a certain and 23. The Ends of Language. Firft, To convey our Ideas. 25. Thirdly, Therewith to convey the Knowledge of 26.31. How Mens words fail in all these. 32. How in Substances. 33. How in Modes and Relations. 34. Seventhly, Figurative Speech alfo an Abufe of Lan. guage. CHAP. XI. Of the Remedies of the foregoing Imperfections and Abuses. SECT. 1. They are worth feeking. 2. Are not easy. 3. But yet neceffary to Philofophy. 4. Mifufe of Words, the Cause of great Errors. 6. And wrangling. 7. Inftance-Bat and Bird. 8. Firft Remedy, To ufe no Word without an Idea. 9. Secondly, To have diftinct Ideas annexed to them in Modes. 10. And diftinct and conformable in Subftances. 11. Thirdly, Propriety. 12. Fourthly, To make known their Meaning. 13. And that three ways. 14. First, In fimple Ideas by fynonymous Terms or show- 15. Secondly, In mixed Modes by Definition. 16. Morality capable of Demonftration. 17. Definitions can make moral Difcourfes clear. 18. And is the only way. 19. Thirdly, In Subftances, by fhowing and defining. 20, 21. Ideas of the leading Qualities of Subftances are 22. The Ideas of their Powers beft by Definition. 24. Ideas alfo of Substances must be conformable to things. 26. Fifthly, By Conftancy in their Signification. OF HUMAN UNDERSTANDING. BOOK II.-CHAP. XXII. H OF MIXED MODES. 1. Mixed Modes, what. AVING treated of fimple modes in the foregoing §2. Made by the Mind. THAT the mind, in refpect of its fimple ideas, is A combinations; for, it being once furnished with fimple §3. Sometimes got by the Explication of their Names. 4. The Name ties the parts of mixed Modes into one Idea. EVERY mixed mode confifting of many diftinct fimple ideas, it seems reasonable to inquire whence it has its unity, and how fuch a precife multitude comes to make but one idea, fince that combination does not always exist together in nature Tohich I anfwer, It is plain it has its unity from an act of the mind combining those several fimple ideas together, and confidering them as one complex one, confifting of those parts; and the mark of this union, or that which is looked on generally to complete it, is one name given to that combination. For it is by their names that men commonly regulate their account of their diftinct fpecies of mixed modes, feldom allowing or confidering any number of fimple ideas to make one complex one, but fuch collections as there be names for. Thus, though the killing of an old man be as fit in nature to be united into one complex idea as the killing a man's father, yet, there being no name standing precifely for the one, as there is the name of parricide to mark the other, it is not taken for a particular complex idea, nor a distinct fpecies of actions, from that of killing a young man, or any other man. § 5. The Caufe of making mixed Modes. IF we should inquire a little farther, to see what it is that occafions men to make feveral combinations of fimple ideas into diftinct, and, as it were, fettled modes, and neglect others, which, in the nature of things themfelves, have as much an aptnefs to be combined, and make diftinct ideas, we fhall find the reason of it to be the end of language, which being to mark or communicate mens thoughts to one another with all the difpatch that may be, they ufually make fuch collections of ideas into complex modes, and affix names to them, as they have frequent ufe of in their way of living and converfation, leaving others, which they have but feldom an occafion to mention, loofe, and Without names that tie them together; they rather choofing to enumcrate (when they have need) fuch ideas |