30 On Definitions. 



all other common objects, would be settled by convention in such a 

 manner, as to leave no room for doubt. There is every reason to 

 believe also, that the names first employed, even for these objects, 

 would be the names of individuals ; they would be what we now 

 call proper names, and they would only cease to be used as proper 

 names when other objects of the same kind came to be observed, 

 and received, as they would do, the same denominations. 



The next class of names which would probably be introduced and 

 agreed upon, would be those which we now call the names of quali- 

 ties. A very short experience in attempts at conversation, would 

 render it manifest that there must be words to denote the proper- 

 ties of objects ; for example, to describe the colors of bodies, their 

 size, their form, their position, and innumerable other qualities, of 

 which we might find it desirable to speak to our friend. Hence are 

 invented, or introduced in some way, such words as green, blue, 

 sweet, sour, small, large, high, low, long, short, and innumerable 

 others. These, at their introduction, are all adjectives. The fur- 

 ther progress of speech forms substantives from all of them, and 

 verbs from many. The agreement as to the meaning of these terms, 

 between the two persons whom we have supposed, must be obtained 

 by a comparison of two or more objects possessing the same quali- 

 ties with others possessing different ones. When two persons thus 

 situated, had a green and a red leaf before them, or both tasted of a 

 sweet and a sour fruit, or both handled a smooth and a jagged stone, 

 there could remain no doubt, as long as their memory was correct, 

 of the application of these epithets. The definition of the terms 

 was obtained by comparing, in actual perception or use of the senses, 

 the qualities which they were intended to denote. We shall find, 

 as we advance, that the highest degree of art and improvement does 

 not furnish us with any better means of explaining these terms, or 

 others of the same description. We can never distinguish white 

 from yellow by any other means than actual inspection ; nor salt 

 taste from bitter, by any other means than making the experiment. 

 But, in the progress of society there come into use other epithets of 

 a more complicated signification, that may be explained by other 

 phrases of a simpler nature. 



The next class of words, that, in all probability, w T ere found in- 

 dispensable for the purpose of social intercourse, were those that de- 

 note actions and events. These are verbs, words that express 



change, that is, either some action or some event, or some change 



