39. Hence clearly appears the meaning of an abftra&t term, and abstract idea. If in viewing an object we can abstract from fome of its parts or properties and attach ourselves to others, there must be the fame facility when we recall this object to the mind in idea. This leads directly to the definition of an abftract idea, viz. "A partial idea of a complex object, limited to "one or more of the component parts or properties, laying afide or abftracting from the reft." A word that denotes an abstract idea, is called an abstract term:
40. The power of abftraction is bestowed upon man, for the purpose folely of reasoning. It tends greatly to the facility as well as clearness of any procefs of reafoning, that, withdrawing from every other circumftance, we can confine our attention to the fingle property we defire to investigate.
41. Abtract ideas, may, I think, be diftinguished 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 variety, and no progrefs be made in knowledge. It is by the faculty of abftraction that we diftribute beings into genera and Species: 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 in a curt manner to exprefs the whole of thefe individuals as diftinct from others. Thus the word animal ferves to denote every being which hath felf-motion; and the words man, horse, lion, &c. answer fimilar purposes. This is the firft and most common fort of abstraction; and it is of the most extenfive use, by enabling us to comprehend in our reafoning whole kinds and forts, inftead of individuals without end. The next fort of abstract ideas and terms comprehends a number of individual objects confidered as connected by some occafional relation. A great number of perfons collected together 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 dress, &c. A number of perfons connected..
connected by being fubjected to the fame laws and te the fame government, are termed a nation: and a number of men fubjected to the fame military command, are termed an army. A third fort of abftraction 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, roundnefs, head, arm.
42. Abftract terms are a happy invention: it is by their means chiefly, that the particulars which we make the fubject of our reafoning are brought into close union, and separated 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 abftract 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 abstraction, and we cannot abitract to purpose without making ufe of abstract terms. Hence it follows, that without language man would scarce be a rational being.
43. 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 fubjed. It is termed a paffive fubject with respect 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 cause.
[The volumes are denoted by numeral letters, the pages
ABtract idea) defined ii. 340. Abstract ideas of different kinds ii. 340. Abstraction) power of ii. 339. Its ufe ii. 339.340. Abstract terms) ought to be avoided in poetry i. 146. ii. 223. Cannot be coin- pared but by being per- fonified ii. 118. Perfo- nified ii. 151. Defined ii. 340. The use of abstract terms ii. 341. Accent) defined ii. 64. The mufical accents that are neceffary in an hexameter line ii. 75: A low word must not be accented ii. 94. Rules for accenting English heroic verfe ii. 93. 94. How far affected by the pause ii. 96. 97. Ac- cent and paufe have a mutual influence ii. 98. Action) what feelings are raised by human actions i. 15. 16. 136. 219. We are impelled to action by defire i. 19. Some acti- ons are inftinctive, fome intended as means to a certain end i. 20. 21. Ac- tions great and elevated, low and groveling i. 137. Slownefs and quickness
in acting, to what caufes owing i. 189. 190. 197. Emotions occafioned by propriety of action i. 212. Occafioned by impropri- ety of action i. 213. Hu- man actions confidered with respect to dignity and meanness i. 223. Ac- tions the interpreters of the heart i. 272. Action is the fundamental part of epic and dramatic com- pofitions ii. 245. Unity of action ii. 259. We are confcious of internal action as in the head ii. 324. Internal action may proceed without our be ing confcious of it ii. 324. Action and reaction betwixt. a paflion and its object i. 69. Actor) bombaft actor i. 152. The chief talents of an actor i. 269. An actor fhould feel the paffion he reprefents i.. 284. Dif- ference as to pronuncia- tion betwixt the French and English actors i, 288. Note. Admiration i. 69. 159. Æneid. See Virgil. Affectation i. 211, 212.
Affection) to children ac- counted for i. 37. To blood-relations i. 38. Af- fection for what belongs
Amor patriæ) accounted for i. 40.
Amphibrachys ii. 114. Amphimacer ii. 114.
to us i. 38. Social affec-Analytic) and synthetic me-
thods of reafoning com-
felfish i. 64. Affection in pared i. 6. what manner inflamed in-Anapeftus ii. 114.
to a paffion i. 68. Op-Anger) explained i. 44, &c.
pofed to propensity i. 71. Affection to children en- dures longer than any o- ther affection i. 71. O- pinion and belief influen- ced by affection i. 99. Affection defined i. 252. ii. 336. Agamemnon) of Seneca.cen- fured i. 307. Agreeable emotions and paffions i. 59, &c. Things neither agreeable nor dil- agreeable. See Object. Alceftes) of Euripides cen fured i. 322. ii. 271. 272. Alexandre) of Racine, cen- fured i. 298: Alexandrine line ii. 78. Allegory) defined ii. 177. More difficult in painting than in poetry ii. 187. In an historical poem, ii. 251. All for love) of Dryden
cenfured i. 312. Alto relievo ii. 303. Ambiguity) occafioned by a wrong choice of words ii. 14. occafioned by a wrong arrangement ii, 36. Amynta) of Taffo cenfured
Frequently comes to its height inftantaneously i. 68. Decays fuddenly i. 70. Sometimes exerted against the innocent i.
95. and even against things inanimate i. 95. Not infectious i. 110. Has no dignity in iti 221. Angle) largest and smallest angle of vifion i. 105. Animals) diftributed by na-- ture into claffes ii. 314, Antibacchius ii. 1.14. Anticlimax ii. 60. Antifpaftus ii. 115. Antithefis ii. 19. Verbal antithefis i. 245. ii. 19. Apoftrophe ii. 163, &c. Appearance) things ought to be defcribed in poetry, as they appear, not as they are in reality ii. 207. Appetite) defined i. 19. Ap-- petites of hunger, thirst, animal love, arife with- out an object i. 32. Ap- petite for fame or esteem, i. 117. Apprehenfion) dullnefs and quickness of apprehenfi- on, to what causes owing i. 189. 190.
Architecture ch. 24. Gran- | Ariofto) cenfured i. 201.
deur of manner in archi- tecture i. 142. The fi tuation of a great houfe ought to be lofty i. 209. A playhoufe or a mufic room fufceptible of much ornament 1. 210. What emotions can be raised by architecture ii. 277. Its emotions compared with those of gardening ii 277. Every building ought to have an expreffion fuited to its deftination ii. 277. 299. Simplicity ought to be the governing taste ii. 277. Regularity to be Atudied ii. 280. 294. Ex- ternal form of dwelling houfes ii. 292. 293. Di- vitions within ii. 293 301. A palace ought to be re- gular, but in a finall houfe convenience ought to be preferred ii. 291. 293. A dwelling houfe ought to be fuited to the climate ii. 294. Congruity ought to be ftudied ii. 299. Architecture governed by principles that produce oppofite effects ii. 301. 302. Different ornaments employ'd in it ii. 302. Witticifms in architec ture ii. 309. Allegorical or emblematic ornaments ii. 309. 310. Architec- ture infpires a taste for neatnefs and regularity ik 31.
202. ii. 260. Ariftæus) the epifode of A- riftæus in the Georgics. cenfured ii. 113. Ariftotle) cenfured ii. 327.
Note. Army) defined ii 341. Arrangement) the best ar-
rangement of words is to place them if poffible in an increasing series ii. 11. Arrangement of members in a period ii. 12. Of periods in a difcourse ii. Ambiguity from
wrong arrangement i.. 36. Arrangement natu- ral and inverted ii. 54. Articulate founds) how far agreeable ii. 5. 6. 7. 8. Artificial nount ii. 285. Arts) See Fine arts. Afcent) pleafant, but def- cent not painful i. 135. Athalie) of Racine cenfured i. 307.
Attention) defined ii. 337. Impreffion made by ob- jects depends on the de- gree of attention ii. 337. Attention not always vo- luntary ii. 338. 339. Attractive passions i. 275. Attractive object i. 11. Attractive figns of paffion i. 275. Attributes) transferred by a figure of speech from one fubject to another ii. 172. &c. Avarice) defined i. 17.
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