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# Title: An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding (shelfmarks Leibn. Marg. 38; ZEN Leibn. Marg. 38)
# Folio 186, page id 778263916:0202
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Nords or Languare in general.
Book fiI.
to have had cheir Arst rise froin serisible Ideas. By trhich we may sive
Iome kind oF guels, What kind of Notions they ere, and whence deri-
ved, irtrich filled their Minds, irho trere the Art Beginriers ot Lanoua-
ses; and ho Nacure, even in the namins of Thinss, unavares suogested
eomen cheOriginals and Principles ol all their Rnomledse: Whilst, 1o
sive Names, that mistu mate lnomn to others ary Operations ther fele
in themselres, or any other Ideas, that came nor under their senles,
elier vere tain eo borroir Words trom ordinars hnoon Ideas ol senlation,
DY that means to matre ottiers the more casilr to conceive thole Operari
onsther experimented in chemselres, irhich made no outrard sensible
appearances; and then when they had sot kirorn and aorced Names, to
Cignitie thole internal Operations of their omn Minds, they ere suffi-
ciently furnisted tomake Lnown Dy Words, ail their ottier Ideas; since
they could consist ot nothing. bur cicher ol outard sensible Perceptions,
Or oFthe invard Operations ot their Minds about them; We taving, as
has been proved, no Ideas at all, but ihat orisinaily come cither trom
sensible Objects Withour, or irhat escel within our selves, trom the in-
ard Wortinss os our omn Spirits, Which we are conscious io our selves ot
Wvichin.
5. 6. Bur to understand betrer the ule and Force of Language, as suB-
serrient eo Instruction and Hnomledse, ic rill be convenient to con-
lider,
First, L0 what it is that Names, in the use of Languace, are immediate
ly applied.
Seconaly, Since aII (CXCEPE PFOPer) Names are general, and (0 ctand
noc particularly For chis or that sinsle Thins; but for Porrs and rantes of
Thines,it rill be necessari to consider inthonext place, whiat tho Sorrs and
Rinds, Or, if vou rather likre the Latin Names, what the species and Ge-
nera of Thines are, Wherein thes consist, and hor ther come tobe made.
Thesebeing (asther oughe) roil looked into, we Mail the better come to
ind the risht ule oF Nords; the natural Adrantages and Defects ot l’an-
gitage; and the remedies that oughe to be uled, to aroid the inconveni
encies os obseurity or uncertaint in the signification of Words: without
Wtrich, it is impossible to discourse ith any clearness, or order, Concer-
nins Knomledee: Which beins conversant about Propolitions; and thole
molt commonty univerlal ones, has grearer connexion with Words, than
pertraps is suspected.
These Considerarions cheretore, Mall he che marter ot che sollorine
ChaPTEKS.
AAF