66 Length and Space, 



subject is, that long and short objects make different 

 impressions upon the senses both of touch and sight. We 

 feel that difference, but know nothing of the cause of it, 

 nor is it at all necessary that Ave should. We invent the 

 terms long and short, to make known to others the differ- 

 ence that we feel. We agree with them respecting the 

 words thus proper to be employed for our mutual advantage. 



2. — It does not appear that the senses of tasting and 

 smelling, furnish us with any ideas of length; that is to 

 say, they do not distinguish between long bodies from short 

 ones. For, though a difference may be perceived between 

 a long and a short substance, when placed within the 

 mouth or within the nose, this difference is discovered 

 solely by the sense of touch diffused over these parts, as 

 over the rest of the body, and not in the least by the 

 different tastes or smells afforded by these substances. — 

 Nor does our perception of the presence of electric sub- 

 stances give us any information on this subject. 



Thus, it appears that our knowledge of the properties of 

 long and short objects, is first received, and principally 

 acquired by touch, greatly promoted by the eye, and in 

 some cases, slightly assisted by the ear ; and that by no 

 other senses whatever, is any information received on this 

 subject. 



3. — From comparing together more than two objects, 

 ■we acquire the ideas of long, longer, longest, and short, 

 shorter, shortest; and the purpose of social converse 

 requires, in all languages, the invention of terms corres- 

 ponding to those ideas. The meaning of these terms, is 

 settled by convention, and cannot be conveyed by logical 

 definition. On meeting a stranger to these words, we 

 must show him examples of the objects, before we can 



