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# Title: An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding (shelfmarks Leibn. Marg. 38; ZEN Leibn. Marg. 38)
# Folio 242, page id 778263916:0258
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Abus noras
5. 6. Fhiraly, Another abule oF Languase is, an affected Obscurity, Vy
cither applyins old Words, to ne and unusual significations; Or intro-
ducins nem and ambisuous Terms, rrithout detinins cither; or else Dut-
cins ehem (o rogecher, as may contound cheir ordinary meanins. Phous
the Peripatetick Philosophy has been molceminent inthis ar, vet o
cher Seets have not been Wrholly clear oFit. There is scarce any ofthem,
chat are noc cumbred rich lome Difficulties, (Tuch is the imperfection ot
IJurane Rnomledse,) Which cher hare been tain to cover with Obleu
rier ol Terms, and tocontoundthe signification of Words, Wrhich, lilie
a mist belore Peoples Eyes, inishe hinder their wealc parrs trom beine
discovered. That Body and Extension, in common ule, stand For tivo
distinct Ideas, is plain co any one that ilt but reflect a little: POr vere
cheir Sisnisieation precisets che same, ic would be as proper, and as inrelli-
sible to sar, the Body. oF an Fxtension, as the Extention ol a BodY; and
vet there are tliole who Cind it neceslars io contound cheir Signilication.
Tortis abuse, and the mischiess of consounding the signitication ot
Words, Losicle, and the liberal Sciences, as ther have been handled in
the SchoolS, have siven Reputation; and the admired Art os Disputing,
hath added much to the nacural imperfection ot Languages, Whilit it has
been madte use ot, and srted to perplex the signification oF Nords, more
than to discover che Knomledse and Pruth of Things: And he chat rilI
look into that Cort of learned Writinss, Wrill End the Words there much
more obseure, uncertain, and undetermined in cheir Meanins, chan they
are in ordinaes Convertation.
5. 7. ThIS. is unavoidably to be (0, Where Mens Parrs and Lcarnins, arc
estimated by cheir Still in Dispuring. And iE Reputarion and ReVacd
Mall atrend chese Conquests, Which devend mostly on the Airenels and
niecties oF. Words, tis nomonder if the Wit oF Man (0 employ d, Mould
perplex, involre, aud subtilize che lisnification oE Sounds, lo aS Reverto
irant Lomethins to Pay, in oppolins or desendins any Ouection; the Vi-
ctory beins adjusted noc to him who had Truth on his lide, but chelalt
Wrord in cheDispute.
5. 8. This, though a verr useless SKilI, and that ehich Pthinte the di-
rect oppolite to the mays ot Rnorledse, hath vec passed hicherto under
the laudable and esteemed Names of Subtility and Acuteness, and hashac
the applause ol the Schools, and encourasement ot onc part ot the lear-
ned Men ot the World; and no monder, since the Philolophers oE old,
(the disputinss and vranslins Philosopters I mean, such as Lucian Witti
lr, and wich Reason tazes,) and the Schoolmen lince, aimins at Clory
and isteem, For their sreat and universal Rnoledse, calier a great deal
to be pretended to, than reallr acquired, found this a good Fxpedient to
cover their Ignorance, rith a curious and unexplicable Web oF perplexed
Words, and procure ro themselres the admiration ol otters, by unintel.
lixible terms, the apter to produce onder, becaule ther could not De
understood: Whilst ic appears in all Flistory, that these profound DoctOrs,
vere no riser, nor more usetul than their Neishbours; and broughe but
Imall adrantasse ro humane Lile, or the Socieries, Wherein they lived:
Enlels the coinins ofne Words, Where thes produced noner Thinss
to apply eliem co, or the perplexins or oblcurins ihe signilication ol old
Ores, and fo bringins all Fhinos intoquestion and dispute, ere a LMIn
proticable to Fhe Lile os Ntan, or Worths Commendation and Rerard.
G. 9. For, nocichstandins these learned Disputants, these alI lnowins
Doctors, ic as to the unscholasticke Statelman, that the Crovernments ot
the World owed their Peace, Detence, and Liberries; and trom the illite.
raTE