242 THEORY cf the 



of an-angement. This is fcarce required for mere realbiiing, 

 but is of great value in poetry and eloquence, not only in point 

 of found, but fenfe, both with refpetft to the force of it, and 

 the juftnefs of the expreflion of the various complicated and fi- 

 multaneous relations of the things conceived. 



Now, to infledion the moods of verbs plainly belong ; and 

 by them we exprefs the fimultaneous combinations of the 

 thoughts or energies of affirmation, interrogation, wifli, com- 

 mand, and many others, with the thought or accident exprefTed 

 by any verb ; and when we exprefs thefe combinations by refo- 

 lution or circumlocution, by means of two or more verbs, we, 

 in fome meafure, feparate in words what was mod intimately 

 blended in thought, and reprefent as fucceflive what we con- 

 ceived, and wiflied to impart, as fimultaneous. 



This dodlrine will not be admitted by thofe philofophers 

 who have afTumed or admitted as a principle, that a perfon can 

 have but one thought (or idea) at once. But this principle I 

 difregard, as I know of no proof of it, and as it feems to me 

 inconfiflent with many obvious phenomena, and even repug- 

 nant to dire(ft confcioufnefs. 1 fufpe<fl that it has been adopted 

 in confequence of very carelefs obfervation, both of thought 

 and of language ; and I think it of fome confequence to be aware 

 of the error of fuch an opinion ; for though it may appear, 

 at firft view, of little Importance, whether we admit tlie fimul- 

 taneous prefence, or only the immeafurably quick fucceffion of 

 different thoughts, yet the difference of thele two principles 

 may be found very great, on tracing their feveral confequences. 

 >Vlth refpeft to the moods and other inflexions of verbs, I 

 cannot think it fhould admit of doubt, that they aa-e employed 

 and underftood to denote combinations of fimultaneous thoughts, 

 no one of which can reafonably be faid to occur to the perfon 

 fpeaking, or to be apprehended by the perfon hearing, before 

 the reft. SpeBo, JpeBemiLSy fp^^t^-, fpe£lavermit, fpeBavitne ? 

 All nouns, even proper names, denote a congeries of circum- 



ftances. 



