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# Title: An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding (shelfmarks Leibn. Marg. 38; ZEN Leibn. Marg. 38)
# Folio 235, page id 778263916:0251
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Imperfection of I
nos betenoin  all or ean be tnoon bat imperfectly and uncertainty
6. T2. The Names of Substances have, as lias been Mevec, a double re-
ference in eheir ordinary ule.
First, Sometimes ther are made to stand Por, and (o their significarion
is suppoled to acree to, the real consticution of Thines, trom Wtrich alI
their Properries Ro, and in Which thes alt centre. But this real Con-
Hiturion, Or (as it is apt to be called) Essence, beins ueteris untenomn to
US, any Sound chat is pur to Ctand for it, mult be very uncertain in its
application; and it will be impossible to lnow whar Things are, or oughe
to be called an FTorse, or Antimony, Wrhien those Words are put For real
Esences, tltat e have no Idea oFat all. And cheretore in this suppos.
tion, theNames oF Substances Beins, reterred in Srandards chat cannor
betnoun, cheir significations can never be adjulted and eltablittied by
chose Standards.
8. 22. Secondly. The simple Ideas that are Found to co exist in Substances,
being thar which their Names immediarels signitse, thele, as uniced inthe
several Sorrs oF Things, are the proper Siandards to which cheir Names
are reterred, and by Wrhich cheir Signitications may best be rectitied. But
neither will chele Archetyres (0 Well serve ro this purvole, 45 to leave
these Names Without very various and uncertain signitications; hecause
these simple Pdeas thac co exist, and are united in the lame Subjeet, beins
very numerous, and havins all an equal ristit ro 80 into the complex
Specitick Ldea, Which the specifick Name is toctand for, Men, thoust
ther purpole co themselres the very same subject io contider, y et trae
very disterent sdeas aboutit; and (0 the Name ther use Por it, unavoi-
dably comes to have, in several Men, very different significarions. The
Simple Dualities, Wrhich malce up the complex Ideas, beins most ol them
Porvers, in relation to Changes thes are apt ro male in, or receive trom
Other Bodies, are almost intinite. FIc that Mall but observe, ni hat a great
variety ot alterations any one ot the baser Metals is apt to receive, from
ehe different epplication only ofFire; and ho mucli a GrCater nUIMBEF
oF Changes any of ehem ill receire in the hands or a Chynict, by che
application ol other Bodies, will nor thins it Aranse, that lcount the
Proverties ot any sore ot Bodies noc calie 10 be collected, and Com.
plecely lnoun by chc nazs ol enquiry, tucta our Faculties are ca
pable oE. They beins cheresore ac least so mans, chac no Man can
lnom ehe precise and detinite number, chey dre ditterenes discove
red by ditterent Men, accordins io cheir various still; accention, and
wars ot hancline; Wrhio cheretore cannor chule bue have diferent Y.
deas oF the lame Substance, and theretore male rhe Cignitieation of
is common Name very various and uncertain. For the complex Ideas
et Subllances, being made up of such simple ones as are suppoled eo
co exict in Nature, every onc has a risht 1o put into his complex ldea,
chose Oualiries he has Found to be united. together. For thoush in che
Substance Gold, one latisties himself rith Colour and WeighE, Vet aBO-
ther thinks Solubilier in 49. Recia, as neceltary to be join d With Fhat CO.
lour inhis deaot Cold, asany one does its Fusibiliez; Solubilier in ag. regia,
Deins a Oualier as constantly join d rith its Colour and Weiohe, aS FusI-
bility, or any ocher; others put in its Dustility or Fixedness, oc. as cher have
been taughr by Tradition, or Experience. Who ol allthele, has establi-
Med the riohr signification ot the word Cold: Or Wrho hall De the sudee
eo derermine: Fach has his Srandard in Nature, Which he appealsto, and
rich Reason thinles he has che lame righe to pur into his complex idea-
sienitied by chie nord ciold, chole ualicies, etrich upon crial hetrae
toune