Human Understanding. 269 



minate signification of their own, are Ab- 

 breviations of Nouns or Verbs, invented 

 for the greater expedition of commuica- 

 ting our thoughts. Thus If signifies 

 give, and signifies add, being impera- 

 tives of corresponding verbs. See this 

 theory of language stated and evinced in 

 Mr.HorneTooke's Diversions of Purley. 



Having thus considered our ideas, 

 which are the materials of our knowledge, 

 and our language, which is the manner 

 of our conveying them to others ; the 

 last thing is to consider how our ideas 

 are put together, and compared one with 

 the other. 



And herein, First, of Knowledge. 



Knowledge, which is the highest de- 

 gree of the speculative faculties, consists 

 in the perception of the connexion and 

 agreement, or disagreement and repug- 

 nancy of our ideas. 



This perception is either immediate or 

 mediate. Immediate perception of the 

 agreement or disagreement of two ideas, 

 is when, by comparing them together in 

 our minds, we see, or, as it were, we 

 behold their agreement or disagreement. 

 This therefore is called Intuitive Know- 



