In
substances, as has been already noticed, this is occasioned by the
imperfections of our ideas: we making the name stand for the real
essence, of which we have no idea at all. In modes, it is occasioned
by the great number of simple ideas that go to the making them up. For
many of them being compounded, the name occurs much easier than the
complex idea itself, which requires time and attention to be
recollected, and exactly represented to the mind, even in those men
who have formerly been at the pains to do it; and is utterly
impossible to be done by those who, though they have ready in their
memory the greatest part of the common words of that language, yet
perhaps never troubled themselves in all their lives to consider
what precise ideas the most of them stood for. Some confused or
obscure notions have served their turns; and many who talk very much
of religion and conscience, of church and faith, of power and right,
of obstructions and humours, melancholy and choler, would perhaps have
little left in their thoughts and meditations if one should desire
them to think only of the things themselves and lay by those words
with which they so often confound others, and not seldom themselves
also.
5. Mental and verbal propositions contrasted. But to return to the
consideration of truth: we must, I say, observe two sorts of
propositions that we are capable of making:-
First, mental, wherein the ideas in our understandings are without
the use of words put together, or separated, by the mind perceiving or
judging of their agreement or disagreement.
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