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# Title: An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding (shelfmarks Leibn. Marg. 38; ZEN Leibn. Marg. 38)
# Folio 305, page id 778263916:0321
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Mlaxims.
From others; about wtrich, e cannot be mistakren erhilst thei arc in ou
Minds, thoush e mar, and otten are miltalcen, wrhen ve recain the
Namestrithout the Ideas; or ule them contusecly, Cometimes For one, and
fometimes for another Edea. In Wrhich cales, the torce oP these Axioms
reachins only eo the Soune, and not the sionfication of tlic WN ords, serves
onty tolead usinto Contusion, Mistalce, and Prrour.
S FF Bur let thembe oFehatuse thez will in verbal Propositions, ttiey
cannot discover or prove tous the least Hnomledse of the Nature oF sub:
stances, is eher are tound and exist without us, any larther than grounded
on Experience. And chough che consequence of these imo Propositions,
called Principles, be veri clear, and their ule nor very dangerous, or
hurctul, inthe probation oF such Things, irherein chere is tio need at aII
OF Cheri FOr prooF, but such as are clear by themselves ithiour item, viz.
where oux Ideas are clear and distinct, and lenomn by the Names FaE
Aand For them; Vet when these Principles, viz. What i5, is; and, It is im-
possible for the same thine zo be, and not to be, are made use of in the pro-
bation of Proposicions; Wvherein are Words standine for complex Ideas; V. 
Blan, HTorse, Gold, Vertue; there they are of insinite dancer, and molt
commonly make Nen receive and retain Falshood for manilest Pruth, and
Incertainer for Demonstration; upon which follors Frrour, Obltinaey
and all etie mischriets that ean happen trom vrone realonino. The reg:
Con Whereof is net, that thele Principles are lels erue in such Propositions,
consistino oF Words Candine for complex ideas, than in thole ot simple
deas. But Becaule Men mistatre generally, thinkins such Propositions
tobe abourthe realier ol Things, and not the bare signitication of Words
Wtien indecdthties are, For che mole part, nochins elle, as is clear in the
demonstration ot Vacuum, ivhere tho word Body, Pometimes Rands FOr
One Idea, and Cometimes For another: Bur thall be vet madle more inz.
nifest.
6. 16. As Forinstance: Let Man bethat, concernihe irtrich vou vould
by chese trst Principles demonstrare any chins, and we Mail sec, chac (0
Tar as demonstration is by these Principles, it is onty verbal, and sires us
nocertain universal true Propolition, or lnomledsc of any Beins exiltinio;
Writhout us. First, a Child havins tramed the Idea ot a Man, it is pro-
bable; thet his ldea is just litre that picture, Which the Painter matres oE
the vilible appearances joined together; and luch a coriplerion ot Ideas
torottier in liis Onderstandins, matces ux the sinele complex Idea Whieh
he calls Man, Whereof Whire or Flestr. colour in fincland beinq one, the
Child can demonstrare to rou, thac a Negro is noc a Mar, Because White-
colour vas oneof the constant simple Ideas et the complex Idea he calls
Mani and theretore he can demonstrate by the Principle, ie is impossible for
the same Thingto be, and not to besthat a Neoro is not a Mans ehie Foundation
oFhis Certainty beins not that universal Proposition, Whieh, perhaps, he
never heard nor thoughe ot, but the clear distinet perception he hath ot
his onn simple Ldeas ot Black arid White; Wrtricli he carinot be persuaded
totalie, nor cariever mistatre, one for another, Whether he bnows that
Maxim, or no: And tochis Child, or ans ore wrho hath sueh an Idea
Wtich he calls Man, Cari s’ou never demonstrate that a Man hath a Soul,
because his Idea oF Nan includes no such Notion or Idea in it: And
therelore ro him, the Principle of What is, is, proves not thismattor; but
it depends uxon Collection and Obserration, by Whieh he is to mate his
complex Ldea called Man.