3. Communication bywords, civil or philosophical. 4. Theimperfection of words is the doubtfulness of their signification.

5. Causes of their imperfec

tion.

6. The names of mixed modes
doubtful: first, because
the ideas, they stand for,
are so complex.
7. Secondly, because they
have no standards.
8. Propriety not a sufficient
remedy.

9. The way of learning these names contributes also to their doubtfulness. 10. Hence unavoidable obscu rity in ancient authors. 11. Names of substances, of doubtful signification. 12. Names of substances referred, first, to real essences, that cannot be known. 13, 14. Secondly, to co-existing qualities,

which are

known but imperfectly. 15. With this imperfection they may serve for civil, but not well for philoso phical use.

16. Instance, liquor of the

19. And next to them, simple

modes.

20. The most doubtful, are

the names of very com-

pounded mixed modes

and substances.

21. Why this imperfection

charged upon words.

22, 23. This should teach us mo-

deration in imposing our

own sense of old authors.

СНАР. X.

Of the abuse of words.

SECT.

1. Abuse of words.

2, 3. First, words without any,

or without clear ideas.

4. Occasioned by learning

names, before the ideas

they belong to.

5. Secondly, a fteady appli-

cation of them.

6. Thirdly, affected obscu-
rity, by wrong applica
tion.

7. Logic and dispute have

much contributed to this.

8. Calling it subtilty.

9. This learning very little

benefits society.

10. But destroys the instru

ments of knowledge and

communication.

11. As useful as to confound

the sound of the letters.

12. This art has perplexed re-

ligion and justice.

13. And ought not to pass

for learning.

14. Fourthly, taking them for

things.

15. Instance in matter.

16. Thismakeserroursfasting.

17. Fifthly, setting them for

what they cannot signify.

18. V.g. putting them for the

real essences of substances.

19. Hence we think every

change of our idea in sub

1. They are worth seeking.

2. Are not easy.

3. But yet necessary to phi-
losophy.

4. Misuse of words, the cause

of great errours.

5. Obftinacy.

6. And wrangling.

4. Instance, bat and bird.

8. First remedy, to use no

word without an idea.

9. Secondly, to have distinct

ideas annexed to them in

modes.

10. And distinct and con-

formable in substances.

11. Thirdly, propriety.

12. Fourthly, to make known

their meaning.

13. And that three ways.

14. First,

Of knowledge in general. SECT.

1. Our knowledge conver

sant about our ideas. 2. Knowledge is the percep tion of the agreement, or disagreement, of two ideas.

3. This agreement fourfold.
4. First, of identity, or di-
verfity.

5. Secondly, relation.
6. Thirdly, of co-existence.
7. Fourthly, of realexistence.
S. Knowledge actual or ha-
bitual.

9. Habitualknowledge, two-
fold.

5. Not without precedent doubt.

6. Not so clear.