440 GENERATION. Sect. XXXIX. 12. 4, 



tion or theory of language. The names of the things them- 

 felves are termed by grammarians Nouns, and their modes of 

 exigence are termed Verbs. The nouns are divided into fub- 

 ftantives, which denote the principal things fpoken of ; and in- 

 to adjectives, which denote fome circumftances, or lefs kinds 

 of things, belonging to the former. The verbs are divided into 

 three kinds, fuch as denote the exigence of things fimply, as, to 

 be ; or their existence in an active date, as, to eat ; or their ex- 

 igence in a pafLve (late, as, to be eaten. Whence it appears, 

 that all languages confut only of nouns and verbs, with their 

 abbreviations for the greater expedition of communicating our 

 thoughts ; as explained in the ingenious work of Mr. Home 

 Tooke, who has unfolded by a fmgle flaih of light the whole 

 theory of language, which had ib long lain buried beneath the 

 learned lumber of the fchools. Diversions of Purley. Johnfon. 

 London. 



4. A third divifion of caufes has been into proximate and re- 

 mote ; thefe have been much fpoken of by the writers on med- 

 ical fubjecls, but without fulhcient precifion. If to proximate 

 and remote caufes we add proximate and remote effects, we 

 fhall include four links of the perpetual chain of caufation ; 

 which will be more convenient for the difcuffion of many phi- 

 lofophical fubjects. 



Thus if a particle of chyle be applied to the mouth of a Iac- 

 I veflel, it may be termed the remote caufe of the motions of 

 the fibres, which compofe the mouth of that lacteal veffel ; the 

 fenforial power is the proximate caufe ; the contraction of the 

 fibres of the mouth of the veflel is the proximate effecT: ; and 

 their embracing the particle of chyle is the remote effecl; ; and 

 theft four links of cauiation conititute abibrption. 



Thus when we attend to the rifmgfun, firit the yellow rays 

 of light ftimuiate the fenforial power refiding in the extremities 

 of the optic nerve, this is the remote caufe. 2. The fenforial 

 power is excited into a ftate of activity, this is the proximate 

 caufe. 3. The fibrous extremities of the optic nerve are con- 

 tra-; led, this is the proximate effect. 4. A pleafurable or pain- 

 ful fenfation is produced in confequence of the contraction of 

 thefe fibres of the optic nerve, this is the remote effecl ; and 

 thefe four links of the chain of caufation conititute the fenfi- 

 tive idea, or what is commonly termed the fenfation of the ri- 

 fing w.n. 



5. Other caufes have been announced by medical writers un- 

 der the nan t 5 of caufa procatar&ica, and caufa proegumina, 

 and ine qua npn. All which are links more or lefs dif- 



tant • of remote caufes. 



To 



