Fifthly, He
that imagined to himself substances such as never have been, and
filled his head with ideas which have not any correspondence with
the real nature of things, to which yet he gives settled and defined
names, may fill his discourse, and perhaps another man's head with the
fantastical imaginations of his own brain, but will be very far from
advancing thereby one jot in real and true knowledge.
31. Summary. He that hath names without ideas, wants meaning in
his words, and speaks only empty sounds. He that hath complex ideas
without names for them, wants liberty and dispatch in his expressions,
and is necessitated to use periphrases. He that uses his words loosely
and unsteadily will either be not minded or not understood. He that
applies his names to ideas different from their common use, wants
propriety in his language, and speaks gibberish. And he that hath
the ideas of substances disagreeing with the real existence of things,
so far wants the materials of true knowledge in his understanding, and
hath instead thereof chimeras.
32. How men's words fail when they stand for substances. In our
notions concerning Substances, we are liable to all the former
inconveniences: v.g. he that uses the word tarantula, without having
any imagination or idea of what it stands for, pronounces a good word;
but so long means nothing at all by it.
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