426 Simple Ideas, [Book X. 



in common with a book, but that of external colour, 

 as blacknefs, yet that quality will be recollected to be 

 the fame in both ; and thus we learn that colour is 

 not the neceffary concomitant of figure, by finding the 

 fame colour united with different figures ; and in the 

 fame manner, probably, we karn to disjoin all thofe 

 firnple ideas that enter by the fame fenie, as folidky 

 and warmth, &c. &c *. 



All pur ideas of fubftances are complex, and are 

 compounded of the various fimple ideas jointly im- 

 prcffed, when they prefented themfelves to our fenfes. 

 We define fubftances only by enumerating thofe 

 fimple ideas ; and fbch definitions may fometimes 

 produce an idea tolerably clear of the fubftance, in the 

 mind of one who never immediately perceived the 

 fubftance itfelf j provided .he has feparately received 

 by his fenfes all the Jtatfle ideas, which are in the 

 compofition of the complex one of the fubftance 

 defined f. 



Words reprefeming complex ideas do not always 

 precifely excite the fame idea in different perfons. 

 Some of the fimple ideas may have made a ftronger 

 impreffion on one man than another, and fome may 

 have totally efcaped him. The word man will, with 

 a painter, call to mind feveral minute circumftances 

 in the external appearance ; with an anatomift the fke- 

 leton, nerves, &c. will hardly efcape animadverfion $ 



* The moft enlarged underltanding cannot frame one new 

 fimple idea; nor by any force deftroy thofe that are there." 



Locke. 



-f- The word fubftance generally applied, means no more than 

 the fuppofed, but unknown fupport of thofe qualities, which are 

 capable of jroducing iimple.ideas in us. The ideas of particular 

 fubllances, are compofed from fuch combinations of fimple ideas 

 as are obfcrved to exift together, and fuppofed to flow from its par- 

 ticular internal conftitution, Locke, B. z. c. 28. 



