2. They show the difference of our ideas.
This distinction of
names shows us also the difference of our ideas: for if we observe
them, we shall find that our simple ideas have all abstract as well as
concrete names: the one whereof is (to speak the language of
grammarians) a substantive, the other an adjective; as whiteness,
white; sweetness, sweet. The like also holds in our ideas of modes and
relations; as justice, just; equality, equal: only with this
difference, that some of the concrete names of relations amongst men
chiefly are substantives; as, paternitas, pater; whereof it were
easy to render a reason. But as to our ideas of substances, we have
very few or no abstract names at all. For though the Schools have
introduced animalitas, humanitas, corporietas, and some others; yet
they hold no proportion with that infinite number of names of
substances, to which they never were ridiculous enough to attempt
the coining of abstract ones: and those few that the schools forged,
and put into the mouths of their scholars, could never yet get
admittance into common use, or obtain the license of public
approbation. Which seems to me at least to intimate the confession
of all mankind, that they have no ideas of the real essences of
substances, since they have not names for such ideas: which no doubt
they would have had, had not their consciousness to themselves of
their ignorance of them kept them from so idle an attempt. And
therefore, though they had ideas enough to distinguish gold from a
stone, and metal from wood; yet they but timorously ventured on such
terms, as aurietas and saxietas, metallietas and lignietas, or the
like names, which should pretend to signify the real essences of those
substances whereof they knew they had no ideas. And indeed it was only
the doctrine of substantial forms, and the confidence of mistaken
pretenders to a knowledge that they had not, which first coined and
then introduced animalitas and humanitas, and the like; which yet went
very little further than their own Schools, and could never get to
be current amongst understanding men. Indeed, humanitas was a word
in familiar use amongst the Romans; but in a far different sense,
and stood not for the abstract essence of any substance; but was the
abstracted name of a mode, and its concrete humanus, not homo.