120 NAMES AND PEOPOSITIONS. 



stead of a vague connotation ; and by possessing this distinct connotation,' 

 becomes susceptible of definition. 



In giving a distinct connotation to the general name, the philosopher will 

 endeavor to fix upon such attributes as, while they are common to all the 

 things usually denoted by the name, are also of greatest importance in them- 

 selves ; either directly, or from the number, the conspicuousness, or the in- 

 teresting character, of the consequences to which they lead. He will select, 

 as far as possible, such clifferentioe as lead to the greatest number of inter- 

 esting propria. For these, rather than the more obscure and recondite 

 qualities on which they often depend, give that general character and as- 

 pect to a set of objects, which determine the groups into which they natu- 

 rally fall. But to penetrate to the more hidden agreement on which these 

 obvious and superficial agreements depend, is often one of the most diffi- 

 cult of scientific problems. As it is among the most difficult, so it seldom 

 fails to be among the most important. And since upon the result of this 

 inquiry respecting the causes of the properties of a class of things, there in- 

 cidentally depends the question what shall be the meaning of a w^ord ; some 

 of the most profound and most valuable investigations which philosophy 

 presents to us, have been introduced by, and have offered themselves under 

 the guise of, inquiries into the definition of a name. 



