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and the Connexion of them.
Names Proper & Common
Universall
Of Names, some are Proper, and singular to one onely thing; as Peter,
John, This Man, This Tree: and some are Common to many things;
as Man, Horse, Tree; every of which though but one Name,
is nevertheless the name of divers particular things; in respect of
all which together, it is called an Universall; there being nothing
in the world Universall but Names; for the things named, are every one
of them Individual and Singular.
One Universall name is imposed on many things, for their similitude
in some quality, or other accident: And whereas a Proper Name
bringeth to mind one thing onely; Universals recall any one of those many.
And of Names Universall, some are of more, and some of lesse extent;
the larger comprehending the lesse large: and some again of equall extent,
comprehending each other reciprocally. As for example, the Name Body
is of larger signification than the word Man, and conprehendeth it;
and the names Man and Rationall, are of equall extent, comprehending
mutually one another. But here wee must take notice, that by a Name
is not alwayes understood, as in Grammar, one onely word; but sometimes
by circumlocution many words together. For all these words,
Hee That In His Actions Observeth The Lawes Of His Country,
make but one Name, equivalent to this one word, Just.
By this imposition of Names, some of larger, some of stricter
signification, we turn the reckoning of the consequences of
things imagined in the mind, into a reckoning of the consequences
of Appellations. For example, a man that hath no use of Speech
at all, (such, as is born and remains perfectly deafe and dumb,)
if he set before his eyes a triangle, and by it two right angles,
(such as are the corners of a square figure,) he may by meditation
compare and find, that the three angles of that triangle, are equall
to those two right angles that stand by it. But if another triangle
be shewn him different in shape from the former, he cannot know
without a new labour, whether the three angles of that also be
equall to the same. But he that hath the use of words, when he observes,
that such equality was consequent, not to the length of the sides,
nor to any other particular thing in his triangle; but onely to this,
that the sides were straight, and the angles three; and that that was all,
for which he named it a Triangle; will boldly conclude Universally,
that such equality of angles is in all triangles whatsoever;
and register his invention in these generall termes, Every Triangle Hath
Its Three Angles Equall To Two Right Angles. And thus the consequence
found in one particular, comes to be registred and remembred,
as a Universall rule; and discharges our mentall reckoning,
of time and place; and delivers us from all labour of the mind,
saving the first; and makes that which was found true Here, and Now,
to be true in All Times and Places.
But the use of words in registring our thoughts, is in nothing
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