commence it at the earliest period of improvement, and practise it in all our efforts to obtain information. The objects, which nature presents to us, consist of assemblages of different qualities, some more and others less easily distinguished. Children early become acquainted with the distinguishing properties of the things daily offered to their senses, and in a few years find out the characteristick marks of numerous classes of things, and learn the use of language.

24. Things, which have no immediate reference to material objects, such as thoughts, affections, and mental operations, are analyzed in the same manner as objects of sense. The words abstract and reason denote processes of thought, each of which may be readily distinguished into separate parts, and these parts into others more remote. The same may be said of moral qualities, as justice, prudence, benevolence, and the like. In these, as in sensible objects, there are certain parts, which are instantly noticed, and others, which are discovered by attentive observation. The analysis begins in both cases with the leading

qualities, and becomes more perfect as new qualities are discovered.

25. We employ analysis in interpreting symbolical language and ambiguous propositions. Analysis enables us to investigate causes by their effects, and to find out the means necessary to attain an end proposed, by having the end first in view. It is by this instrument, that the chymist and botanist retrace the processes of nature, and ascertain the qualities of mineral and vegetable substances.

Analysis will be further considered under the head of Inductive Reasoning.*

* Condillac, Logick, part i. Watts, Logick, part iv. ch. 1 art, Elem. vol. ii. ch. 4.

Stew

PART SECOND.

OF TERMS AND PROPOSITIONS.

CHAPTER FIRST.

LOGICAL DISTINCTIONS OF TERMS.

26. Words possess no natural aptness to denote the particular things, to which they are applied, rather than others, but acquire this aptness wholly by convention. Had the connexion between the name and the thing been established by nature, there would have been but one language in the world. But we find different words employed in different countries, and with equal advantage, to signify the same thing. Thus white, albus, and blanc, denote the same colour. The principal distinctions of terms in logick are the following:

27. First, terms are either simple or complex. A simple term is a single word; as man, horse, tree. A complex term consists of two or more words, representing some object or association, formed to be the subject or predicate of a proposition;* as, human fortitude, a swift

* See ch. 3.

horse, an amiable deportment. A word, which denotes several individuals of the same sort, is called a collective term; as, army, forest, drove.

28. Secondly, terms are distinguished into absolute and relative. An absolute term is one, which represents an object or quality, without intimating its relation to any other thing; as, man, river, mountain, roundness, strength. A relative term denotes an object so far only as it is connected with some other object. Thus, father implies a man primarily, as he is con

sidered the cause of existence to another individual, denominated in reference to him, son. These two terms, intimating each other, by a reciprocal reference, are called correlative. So patron and client, husband and wife, guardian and ward, are correlative terms.

There are other relative terms, as who, which, it, that, and the like, which barely recall certain other words, before mentioned; hence the words they refer to are denominated antecedents.

29. Thirdly, terms are distinguished into univocal, equivocal, and synonymous. Univocal terms are such as have invariably the same signification annexed to them. Thus individual

ity, genus, electricity, are univocal terms; for they always signify the same things. Equivocal words are such as are employed in different senses. Of this sort is the word head, which may signify a part of a nail, of an animal, or of a discourse. So the words post and shore are equivocal; for they are used in various senses.

That some words should be used in different senses is unavoidable, on account of the scantiness of language, which does not afford a distinct name for every idea. Notwithstanding this, we sometimes find two or more words applied to the same thing; as wave and billow, dwelling and habitation. These are called synonymous terms.

30. A fourth distinction of terms is into abstract and concrete. An abstract term is one, which signifies some quality or attribute, without referring to any subject, in which it may be found; as roundness, hardness, equality, firmness. Concrete terms denote both the attributes and the subjects, to which they belong. Sometimes they express the subjects directly, and the attributes indirectly; and sometimes the reverse. Thus philosopher, statesman, me