Length and Space. 67 



coinniutiicate to him our impression, or, in other words, 

 maiie him understand wliat we mean by the terms thus 

 employed. The word kqlal is explained in the same 

 manner. 



4. — As a long substance exceeds a short in some respects, 

 or is greater than it, the frequent application of these 

 terms, would at least require the use of another. It would 

 be natural to ask, in what way does it exceed ? — and ia 

 what respect is it greater ? To answer this question, 

 as well as to suit other purj)oses in discourse, the invention 

 of the abs^tract term length would be found couvenietJt — 

 In what does your rod exceed mine ? li\ length. 



The introduction of this general and abstract term, must 

 have been long posterior to the use of the words long and 

 short : A further refinement in language required the use 

 • Ithe corresponding abstract term — shortness. But this 

 being resorted to on much fewer occasions, and for much 

 less important purposes, would be introduced much later in 

 the progress of language. For the word length is api)licd to 

 all objects whether com|)aratively long or short : but 

 "•hortness is only ap[)lic'(l when deficiency in length is 

 jutended. The further wants of society, introduced into 

 their discourse, the verbs — to lkngtjien and jo shortk.n. 



.'>. — To ascertain whether one object was longer or sliorter 

 than another, the method that would most obviously present 

 itself to those who had distinct ideas of length, or of long 

 and short, would be to apply the one object to the other. 

 It would then be preceived either by touching them or 

 lo<iking at them, whether tliey were c(pial, and if n(»t, 

 whicli was longer, and how much it was longer. It tho 

 idea of the number two hud been |)reviou>ly fumiliuriscd 

 tu tlu: uiindj then by applying the bliurt uuu twice to the 



