SECT. CHA P. IX. 1. Words are used for recording and communicating our 2. Any words will ferve for recording. 3. Communication by Words, Civil or Philofophical. 4. The Imperfection of Words, is the Doubtfulness of their 5. Caufes of their Imperfection. 6. The Names of mixed Modes doubtful: First, Because the Ideas they ftand for are fo complex. 7. Secondly, Because they have no Standards. 8. Propriety not a fufficient Remedy. 9. The way of learning these Names contributes alfo to 10. Hence unavoidable Obfcurity in ancient Authors. 12. Names of Subftances referred; First, to real Effences 13, 14. Secondly, To co-exifting Qualities, which are 15. With this Imperfection they may ferve for Civil, but not well for Philofophical Ufe. 2, 3. First, Words without any, or without clear Ideas. 4. Occafioned by learning Names, before the Ideas they 5. Secondly, Unfteady Application of them. 6. Thirdly, Affected Obfcurity by wrong Application. 7. Logic and Dispute has much contributed to this. 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. 12. This Art has perplexed Religion and Juftice. 13. And ought not to pafs for Learning. 14. Fourthly, Taking them for things. 16. This makes Errors lafting. 17. Fifthly, Setting them for what they cannot fignify. 18. v. g. Putting them for the real Effences of Substances. 19. Hence we think every Change of our Idea in Sub- ftances, not to change the Species. 20. The Cause of this Abufe, a Suppofition of Nature's 21. This Abuse contains two falfe Suppofitions. 22. Sixthly, A Suppofition, that Words have a certain and 23. The Ends of Language. First, To convey our Ideas. 24. Secondly, To do it with Quicknefs. 25. Thirdly, Therewith to convey the Knowledge of 26-31. How Mens words fail in all thefe. 15. Secondly, In mixed Modes by Definition. 16. Morality capable of Demonstration. 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. 23. A Reflection on the Knowledge of Spirits. 24. Ideas alfo of Subftances must be conformable to things. OF HUMAN UNDERSTANDING. BOOK II.-CHAP. XXII. OF MIXED MODES. § 1. Mixed Modes, what. AVING treated of fimple modes in the foregoing H chapters, and given feveral inftances of fome of the moft confiderable of them, to fhow what they are, and how we come by them, we are now, in the next place, to confider those we call mixed modes; fuch are the complex ideas we mark by the names obligation, drunkenness, a lie, &c., which confifting of feveral combinations of fimple ideas of different kinds, I have called mixed modes, to distinguish them from the more fimple modes, which confift only of fimple ideas of the fame kind. These mixed modes, being also fuch combinations of fimple ideas, as are not looked upon to be characteristical marks of any real beings that have a fteady existence, but fcattered and independent ideas put together by the mind, are thereby distinguished from the complex ideas of fubftances. § 2. Made by the Mind. THAT the mind, in refpect of its fimple ideas, is wholly paffive, and receives them all from the existence and operations of things, fuch as fenfation or reflection offers them, without being able to make any one idea, experience fhows us; but, if we attentively confider thefe ideas I call mixed modes, we are now fpeaking of, we fhall find their original quite different. The mind often exercises an active power in making these several VOL. II. A combinations; for, it being once furnished with fimple ideas, it can put them together in feveral compofitions, and fo make variety of complex ideas, without examining whether they exist fo together in nature. And hence I think it is that these ideas are called notions, as if they had their original and constant existence more in the thoughts of men than in the reality of things; and, to fuch ideas, it fufficed that the mind puts the parts of them together, and that they were confiftent in the understanding, without confidering whether they had any real being; though I do not deny but feveral of them might be taken from obfervation, and the existence of feveral fimple ideas fo combined, as they are put together in the understanding. For the man who firft framed the idea of hypocrify might have either taken it at first from the observation of one who made fhow of good qualities which he had not, or else have framed that idea in his mind, without having any fuch pattern to fashion it by; for it is evident, that in the beginning of languages and focieties of men, feveral of those complex ideas, which were confequent to the conftitutions established amongst them, muft needs have been in the minds of men before they existed any where else; and that many names that stood for fuch complex ideas were in ufe, and fo thofe ideas framed, before the combination they stood for ever existed. 3. Sometimes got by the Explication of their Names. INDEED, now that languages are made, and abound. with words ftanding for fuch combinations, an ufual way of getting thofe complex ideas, is by the explication of thofe terms that fiand for them. For, confifting of a company of fimple ideas combined, they may, by words ftanding for thofe fimple ideas, be represented to the mind of one who understands thofe words, though that complex combination of fimple ideas were never offered to his mind by the real exiftence of things. Thus a man may come to have the idea of facrilege or murder, by enumerating to him the fimple ideas which thefe words ftand for, without ever feeing either of them committed. |