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# Title: An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding (shelfmarks Leibn. Marg. 38; ZEN Leibn. Marg. 38)
# Folio 243, page id 778263916:0259
# Original at the GWLB: https://digitale-sammlungen.gwlb.de/resolve?id=778263916&page=259
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# Lines: 56 recognised, mean confidence 0.91
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# After the first blank line: the recognised lines in reading order, one per line.

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rate and contemned Mechanick, (a Name OF DisoraCC,) ThaE LhCY reCCL
ved the improvemnes of ulesul ArtS. Neverthelels, chis artiticial Igno
rance, and learned Gibberis, prevailed misltilr in chese last AGCS, bY
eie Interest and Artitice oF thole, Who Found no casier ay to thar piteh
ol Authorier and Dominion they nave actaincd, than by amusines ehe
Nen oE BuSireIS, and TENOTaNE, With hard WVords, or emploxinq elic In-
genious and Tdle in intricate Disputes, about unintellisible Terms, and Hol-
dins them perpetuals entangled in chat endlels LabyrintH. Besides,
there is no such way to gain admirtance, or gire delence to srange and
absurd Doctrines, asto guard them round about rith Legions ol obscure,
doubrtul, and undelined Words. Which set makre these Retreats, more
liho the Dens OF ROBberS, Or FTOleS OF FOXCS, Than thC Fortreses oF fair
Warriours: Wtrich il it be hard 1o set them our oF, it is not Por the
Srenoth thac is in them, Dur the Briars and Thorns, and the Obseurity
ofthe Thickersther aro belet ith. For Ontruch beine unacceptable 10
thenind ot Man, there is no other defence lete for Ablurdier, but Ob.
scuriey.
5. 20. Thus learned Tgnorance, and this ANE oF leepine, even inquisi-
tive Men, Trom true Rnomledge, hath been propagated in the Worid,
and hath much perplexed, whilst it precended eo intorm the Onderstan-
ding. For we sec, that other well meanine and wise Men, Wrhose Edu
cation and Parrs had not axtained that accutenels, could incellixibly exprese
chemselres to one another; and in its plain ule, malse a BCnCHE OF L an-
guage. But though unlcarned Men ell enoush understood the Worcs
White and Black, (Sc. and had constant Norions oF the Ideas Gonihed by
chose Nords; ver there vere Philosophers Found, who had learnino and
Subeiler enough to prove, that Snou Was black; (1. e. to prove, that White
Was BlacH;) Wrhereby cher had the advantase to destror the Instruments
and Means oF Discourse, Conversation, Instruction, and socierr; Wrhils
rith oreat Art and Subtilier, ther did no more but perplex and contound
che Sienitication oF Words, and therebr render Lariguage lels usetul,
than thereal Defects of it had made it, a Gift, Which the illiterate had
nOF actained tO.
8. FF. These learned Nen did equally instrust Mens Onderstandinss
and proht their Lives, as he Who Mould alter the signification oF benovn
Characters, and, by a fabeile Device oF Tearnino, tar Turpastino che Ca-
paciey oE theilliterare, Dull, aud Vulgar, Mould, in his Wriring, Merr,
Ehat he could pat A. FOr B. and D. tor R. Csc. Tocheno smalladmiration
and benehe othris Reader; it Deins as lensess to put Black, Wtieh i5 2
Word agrecd on to sand For onc sen sible Ldea, to put ic, Play, For anorher,
Or thC COntrarY Idea, 1. C. 10 Call SnoW Blacte, 25 t0 put ehis marle A.
ertrich is a Character asrecd on to lland for one modification ot, Sound
made by a certain motion of the Organs of Specch, For. B. Which is aorecd
on to stand For anocher moditication ot. Sound, made by another certain
motion oF the Organs oF SpeccM.
5. 2. Nor hath this mischiet Aopped in logical Niceties, or curious
emper Speculations; ir hath invaded the freat Concernmenrs of FTumane
Fise and Socieer; obscured and perplexed the material TrVEHS OF L aW
and Dirinier; broushe Consusion, Disorder, and Incertainey into the
Atairs ot Nanlrind; and if noc destrored, vet in oreat meature rep
dred useless FhOSC EWO great Rules, Relision and Juctice. What Bave the
oreatest pare OF the Comments and Dispures, uxon tho LaWS OF GOD
and Tan Terved for, but eo malce the meanine more doubetul, ane per-
plexthe sen (e. What have been che effect of those multiplied curious
Ddictinetions,