44 BEING AND FACULTIES OF MAN. 



increased under such circumstances by our being deprived 

 of the immediate power of comparison, for comparison is 

 one of the most important and indispensable means of 

 accuracy our nature is possessed of. Indeed, so important 

 is it that we can hardly be said to know anything positively, 

 but only comparatively ; and that even what things we do 

 know positively have all their most important attributes 

 and qualities so dependent on our power to compare and 

 distinguish by difference that these qualities can only be 

 accurately ascertained by us through the medium of 

 comparison. Thus hardness, size, colour, weight, distance, 

 sweetness, acidity, acridity, flavour, temperature, tough- 

 ness, pitch of sound, elasticity, are all comparative 

 qualities of matter only, and not positive qualities ; so that 

 without means of comparison at command we can never 

 ascertain to what degree or extent these qualities are 

 present in matter. Mathematical forms, however, are 

 positive and absolute. Circular, square, triangular, or 

 other forms of surface are not relative to other forms or 

 bodies, or liable to be affected by comparison ; but beyond 

 knowing that an object is, and that it has a particular 

 form, we cannot be said, without calling in the aid of 

 comparison, and the means by which comparison is 

 achieved, to know anything about it. 



Our most common standard of comparison is generally 

 some quality or sense which we carry about with our- 

 selves, unless where men are engaged in some occupation 

 which requires the habitual use of a fixed measure, weight, 

 or other standard on which they acquire the custom of 

 conventionally relying. For example, hardness is 

 ascribed usually to anything not impressible by our sense 

 of touch, and in such a case the strength of our touch is 

 made the standard of hardness ; but were we to go to 

 the Mint and see a sheet of gold rolled out and then 

 punched into sovereigns, or rhodium our hardest, or iridium 



