[ire 
By an indefinite tenfe he means a non-extended time; by a 
definite, an extended time. Now the verb, exprefling the action, 
when ufed in its extended time or tenfe, expreffles the perfection 
or imperfection of that a@iion. When ufed in a non-extended 
time or tenfe, it expreffes neither. I diftinguifh the tenfes by this 
attribute or confequence: He by their intrinfic nature: It comes 
to the fame thing. But we both differ from Dr. Beattie, who means 
by zudefinites, tenfes which do not refer to any particular time; by 
definites thofe which do. Confequently he calls, Z write, a definite, 
whereas Mr. Harris calls it, with me, an indefinite. For the fame 
reafon, according to his fyftem, I think he ought to have called 
Iwrote, a definite, at leaft in many inftances; becaufe very often, to 
be intelligible, it muft refer to a particular time, as appears from 
the preceding note. J have written to him, is intelligible, without 
referring to any precife paft time, becaufe all it means to exprefs, 
is before the prefent time, but J wrofe is not intelligible unlefs fo 
referred: And therefore I cannot agree to his application of the 
word, which refers it to a particular part of time, becaufe, as it 
appears to me, it would fometimes make the tenfes ufually called 
aorifts, to be called definites. For example, in the Greek language, 
the fecond aorift generally refers to a particular time, and there- 
fore, in propriety of {fpeech, fhould change its name, and be called 
a definite: And befides, the fame tenfes might be definite or 
indefinite according to the words or fentences that followed them ; 
all which, though it would make no material difference in mental ° 
reafoning, would occafion confufion, by deviating from the com-- 
mon ufe of words. 
9. From 
