40. This power of abftraction is of great utility. A carpenter confiders a log of wood with regard to hardness, firmnefs, colour, and texture: a philofo pher, neglecting thefe properties, makes the log undergo a chemical analyfis; and examines its tafte, its fmell, and its component principles: the geometrician comines his reafoning to the figure, the length, breadth, and thickness. In general, every artist, ab ftracting from all other properties, confines his obfer vations to thofe which have a more immediate connection with his profeffion. 41. It is obferved above, p. 401. that there can be no fuch thing as a general idea; that all our perceptions are of particular objects, and that our fecondary perceptions or ideas must be equally fo. Precifely, for the fame reafon, there can be no fuch thing as an abstract idea. We cannot form an idea of a part without taking in the whole; nor of motion, colour, figure, independent of a body. No man will fay that he can form any idea of beauty, till he think of a perfon endued with that quality; nor that he can form an idea of weight, till he takes under confideration a body that is weighty. And when he takes under confideration a body endued with one or other of the properties mentioned, the idea he forms is not an abftract or general idea, but the idea of a particular body with its properties. But though a part and the whole, a fubje&t and its attributes, an effect and its caufe, are fo intimately connected, as that an idea cannot be formed of the one independent of the other; yet we can reafon upon the one abftracting from the other. This is done by words fignifying the thing to which the reafoning is confined; and fuch words are denominated abflract terms. The meaning and ufe of an abstract term is well underflood, though of itself, unless other particulars be taken in, it raises no image nor idea in the mind. In language it ferves excellent excellent purposes; by it different figures, different colours, can be compared, without the trouble of conceiving them as belonging to any particular fubject; and they contribute with words fignificant to raife images or ideas in the mind. 42. The power of abftraction is beftowed on man, for the purpose folely of reafoning. It tends greatly to the facility as well as clearnefs of any procefs of reafoning, that, laying afide every other circumftance, we can confine our attention to the fingle property we defire to investigate. 43. Abstract terms may be feparated into three different kinds, all equally fubfervient to the reafoning faculty. Individuals appear to have no end; and did we not poffefs the faculty of diftributing them into claffes, the mind would be loft in an endless maze, and no progrefs be made in knowledge. It is by the faculty of abstraction that we diftribute beings into genera and fpecies: finding a number of individuals connected by certain qualities common to all, we give a name to thefe individuals confidered as thus connected, which name, by gathering them together into one clafs, ferves to exprefs the whole of thefe individuals as diftin&t from others. Thus the word animal ferves to denote every being that can move voluntarily; and the words man, horfe, lion, &c. answer Amilar purposes. This is the first and most common fort of abstraction; and it is of the most extenfive ufe, by enabling us to comprehend in our reafoning whole kinds and forts, inftead of individuals without end. The next fort of abftract terms comprehends a number of individual objects, confidered as connected by fome occafional relation. A great number of perfons collected in one place, without any other relation but merely that of contiguity, are denominated a crowd in forming this term, we abftract from fex, from age, from condition, from drefs, &c. A num ber ber of perfons connected by the fame laws and by the fame government, are termed a nation: and a num+ ber of men under the fame military command, are termed an army. A third fort of abstraction is, where a fingle property or part, which may be common to many individuals, is felected to be the fubject of our contemplation; for example, whitenefs, heat, beauty, length, roundness, head, arm. 44. Abstract terms are a happy invention: it is by their means chiefly, that the particulars which make the fubject of our reafoning, are brought into close union, and feparated from all others however naturally connected. Without the aid of fuch terms, the mind could never be kept fteady to its proper fubject, but be perpetually in hazard of affuming foreign circumftances, or neglecting what are effential. We can, without the aid of language, compare real objects by intuition, when thefe objects are prefent; and when abfent, we can compare them in idea. But when we advance farther, and attempt to make inferences and draw conclufions, we always employ abilract terms, even in thinking; it would be as difficult to reafon without them, as to perform operations in algebra without figns; for there is fcarce any reafoning without fome degree of abftraction, and we cannot easily abstract without using abstract terms. Hence it follows, that without language man would fcarce be a rational being. 45. The fame thing, in different refpects, has different names. With refpect to certain qualities, it is termed a fubftance; with refpect to other qualities, a body; and with refpect to qualities of all forts, a fubject. It is termed a paffive fubject with refpect to an action exerted upon it; an object with refpect to a percipient; a caufe with refpect to the effect it produces; and an effect with refpect to its caufe. [The volumes are denoted by numeral letters, the pages by figures.] ABSTRACTION) TRACTION) power of ii. 413. Its nfe ii. 414. Abstract terms) ought to be avoided in poetry i. 191. ii. 278. Cannot be compared but by being perfonitied ii. 148. Perfonified ii. 187. Defined ii. 412. The ufe of abitract terms ii. 4 3. Accent) defined ii. 83. The mufical accents that are neceffary in an hexameter line ii. 93. A low word must not be accented ii. 117. Rules for accenting English heroic verfe ii. 116, 117. How far affected by the paufe ii. 120. Accent and paufe have a mutu al influence ii. 122. Action) what feelings are raifed by human actions i. 39. 179. 279, 280. We are impelled to action by defire 1. 43. Some actions are inftinctive, fome intended as means to a certain end i. 45. Actions great and elevated, low and grovelling i. 179. Slowness and quickness in a&ing, to what causes owing i. 244253. Emotions occafioned by propriety of action i. 271. Occafioned by impropriety of action i. 272. Human actions confidered with respect to dignity and meannefs i. 284. Actions the interpreters of the heart i. 343. Action is the fundamental part of epic and drama ie compofitions ii. 303. Unity of action ii. 319. We are confcious of internal action as in the head ii. 395. Internal action may proceed without our being confcious of it ii. 396. Action and reaction betwixt a paffion and its object i. 100. Hneid. See Virgil. Affectation i. 270. Affection to children accounted for i. 63. To blood-relations i. 63. Affection for what belongs to us i. 64. Social affections more refined than selfish i. 93. Affection in what manner inflamed into a paffion i. 99. Oppofed to propenfity i. 102. Affection to children endures longer than any other affection i. 102. Opinion and belief influenced by affection i. 134. Affection defined i. 320. ii. 408. Agamemnon) of Seneca cenfured i. 383. Agreeable emotions and pattions i. 88, &c. Things neither agreeable nor difagreeable. See object. Alceftes) of Euripides cenfured i, 401. ii. 333, 334. Alexandre) of Racine cenfured i. 373. Alexandrine line ii. 96. Allegory) defined ii. 220. More difficult in painting than in poetry ii. 231. In an hiftorical poem ii. 310. All for Love) of Dryden cenfured i. 389. Alto Relievo ii. 370. Ambiguity) occafioned by a wrong choice of words ii. 15. occafion ed by a wrong arrangement ii. 44. Amynta) of Tallo cenfured i. 367. Сс Amphybrachys ii. 142. Amphimacer ii. 142. Analytic) and fynthetic methods of reasoning compared i. 30, Anger) explained i. 70, &c. Frequently comes to its height instan- Anticlimax ii. 74. Antithefis ii. 23. Verbal antithefis i. 308. ii. 23. Appearance) things ought to be described in poetry, as they appear, Appetite) defined i. 43. Appetites of hunger, thirft, animal love, Ariofto) cenfured i. 257. ii. 320. Ariftaus) the epifode of Ariitaus in the Georgics censured ii, 141. Arrangement) the best arrangement of words is to place them if pof- Articulate founds) how far agreeable ii. 5, 6, 7, 8. Artificial mount ii. 359. Arts.) See Fine arts. Afcent) pleafant, but defcent not painful i. 177. Athalie) of Racine cenfured i. 383. Attention) defined ii. 409. Impreflion made by objects depends on the Attractive object i. 148. Attractive signs of pallion i. 382. |