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# Title: An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding (shelfmarks Leibn. Marg. 38; ZEN Leibn. Marg. 38)
# Folio 200, page id 778263916:0216
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Names of simple laea
Mind, Which ere nerer there besore; and somalee their Natmes be un-
derstood. In such Collections ot Ideas, passing under one nare, Defini-
tions, or the teaching the signification oF one word, by several others, has
place, and mar mahe us understand ihe Names ot Thinos, wtrich nevee
carie ithin the reach ot our senses; and frame Ldeas luitable to those
in other Mens Minds, Wrhen they use those Names: provided cMat
none OF thC FerMS OF the Detinition Rarid for any such simple 
deas, erhich he to irhom the Explication is made, HaS Rever VeF
had in his ThoughEs. Thus the ord scarue may be explaincd to
2 blind Nan by ocher rords, wrhen Picture cannot, his senses havine
siven him the dea o Fisure, but not ofColours, Wrhich theretore Words
cannor exeite in him. This sain d the Prize to the Painter, against the
Statuary; cach oF Wrhieh contending for the excellener of his ArE, and
the Scaruars bragsins, thar his ras to be preterred, because it reactied
farther, and even those irtio had lost cheir Fres, could ret perceive che
excellener oPit. The Painter aereed to reter hiimselfto the judoment of
a blindMan; Whobeins broushie irhere ehere was a Scatue made by the
one, and a Picture dravn by the octier; he as first led to the Statue,
in irhich hetraced, rich his FTands, aII The LinCamenES OF thC FaCC and
Body; and with great admiration, applauded the Strill oF the WNork-
man: But being led tothe Picture, and having his Flands laid upon it, was
told, Thac nom he touchedthe Hlead and thenthe Forehead, FisCs, Nole,
(50. 25 his Flond moved over the Parrs oF the Dicture on the CloFh, Wwietis
out findins any the least distinction: Whereupon he cried out, chat cer-
cainly that must necds be a very adrirable and divine picce of Wort-
manstrip, Wtich couldreprelent to them all those Parrs, irhere he could
neither tce nor perceire any thinz.
5. Z3. FTe that Mould ule the ord Rainbon, 10 one Who hnew all thole
Colours, Dut y et had never scen that Phaenomenon, vould, by enumeratins
the Figure, Largenels, Polition, and Order of the Colours, (0 Well define
that mord, chat it mishe be perfectiy understood. But vet that Definition,
now exact and pertect soerer, rould never make a blind Man understand
it; because several oFche simple Ldeas that makre that complex orie, beins
suchas he nerer receired by Senlation and Experience, no Words are able
to excitethem in his etind.
5. 24. Simple Ideas, ashasbeen Bered, can only be got by Fxperience,
From those Objects irhichare proper to produce in us thole Perceptions.
Irhen by this means ve have our Minds Rored ith chem, and hrow the
Names Forthem, then ve are in a condition to define, and bY Dchinitionto
understand theNames of complex ideas that are made up ot them. BuE
ehen anx term stands for a simple Ldea, that a Man Has never vet had in
his Mind, it is impossible, by any Words, to malie knomnits meanins to
him: When ans term stands for an Idea a Man is acquainted with, but
is isnoxane, thatthar term is the sign of ic, there anocher name, ot the
the lame Fdearhich he has been accustomed eo, may malee him under-
stand its meanins. But in no case Wharsoever, is any name, ot ans simple
Idea, Capable oF a Detinition.
Fourthly, But thouchehe Names OF simple Ideas, have not the help oE
Dehinition to determine their signification; zet that hinders nor but that
they are generaur less doubrful and uncertains than those of mixed Modes
and Substances. Because thiey sandins only for one simple Perception,
en, For the most pare, casily and pertectir agree in their signitiearion,
And chere is licele room for miltatre and erranoline abour their meanins.
C Fhas Hnorsonce, chat Whitenessis the name ot that Colour he has ob.
served