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# Title: An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding (shelfmarks Leibn. Marg. 38; ZEN Leibn. Marg. 38)
# Folio 193, page id 778263916:0209
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Generat T.
ArC(eE UB, dS EHIC RCPTCICHEAEIVeS OF many particular Fhings: bue niverla
lier belonos not to Thinos chemselves, irtich are all osehem particular ir
their Fxistence, even those WVords, and Ideas, Wrhich in cheir signification.
are general. When theretore e quit Parriculars, the Generals thatrest,
are onlr Creatures oFour omnmatins, their general Nature being nothino
but thecapacity ther are put into by che Onderstandins, ol signitying or
reprelentins mans parriculars. Forthe signification thez have, is nothins
but a relation, that by the Mlind ot Blan is added tothem.
5. F2. The next ching cheresore to be considered is, What teind of seni-
fication it is, that general Words have. For as ie is evidene, that they do
not lignitie Darelz one particular thins; For theri they vould nOt Be DC
neral Terms, but proper Names: So on the octier side, tis as evident,
they do noc signitie a pluralitr; For Nan and Men vould chen signitie
the same; and the distinetion oF numberS (aS CTrAIIarianS CaII FheM)
rouldbe superduous and ulelels. Fhat then which general Nords signi-
AC, is a FOrF OF Things; and thar cach of them does, by being a sign OF
an abstract Idea inthe Mind, to which Idea, as Phines existing are tound
to aereo, sother come to be ranked under that name; or, Wtich is aII
one, be OF ThaL LONE. Whereby it is evident, that the Fsences of the soris
or (ilthe Larin rord pleales Better) Species oF Thinss, are nochins else
but these abstract Edeas. For the having the Fssence of any species, BC-
ing that which makces ariy Fhing tobe ot that species, and the con-
formity to the idea, to Which the name is annexed, being that
ertrichi gives a righe to that name, ehe havins the Fsence, and the ha-
vinsthac Contormier, must necds be the lame chins: Since to be ol any
Species, and to have a righero the name of chat Species, is all one.
AS For examplO, to bC a MVan, Or OF the Species Man, and to have a rixhe
to the name Man, is the lame thing. Again, tobe a Man, Or ol the
Species Man, and have che Fsence ol a Man, is the same thing. NOW
since nothins can De a Man, Or have a right to the name Man, but What
has a contormitr eo the abstraet Fdea the name Man Aands For; nor ani
thino bea Man- Or have arighe to be of tho Species Man, but What has che
Fsence oF that Species, ic tollors, that the Absract Idea, for Whicli the
name Aands, and the FSence ofthe Species, is one and the larre. Frori
erhence it is calieto observe, chat tho ellences oF the Pores ofthings, and con-
sequenty the Corring oP Things,isthe Wortemanchip of the Understandins.
lince itis theonderstandino chat abstracts and matres thole general Ideas.
6. 13. Twouldnothere De chouxhetotorget, much lels to denr, chat.
Nature, in che production oE Thinrs, malces several of chem alike: there
is nothine more obrious, especially in the Races of Animmals, and aII
Fhines propagated by Sccd. But vet, Pthink, e may lay, the sortine
ofthemunder Names, is the Wortmanstrip of the Onderstandine, takine
occasion from the similitude it oblerres amonost them, tomalse abstract sc-
neral Ideas, and set them ux in the Mind, with Names annexed tothem,
a5 Pacterris, or Formms, (For in that sense the word Form has a very pro-
per signification,) t0 which, as particular Thinss existins, are tound to
aoree: Sothes come to De oFthat Species, have that Denomination, or
are pur intothat classis. For wrhen we (aY, this is a Man, tMat a Torse:
ehis fustice, that Crueltr; this a Warch, thac a Fack; What do we else buF
ranke Things under different spcciticke Names, as aereeine to thiole abstraet
Ideas, Ot hichre have made those Names the signS: And What are thc
Fissences oFthose Species, set out and marted by Names, but these ab
Aract Laleas in. Fhe Mind; Whick aro, a5 it vere, the bonds BetWCen par-
ricular Fhines that exist, and che Names they are to be ranteed under:
ANC