IDEAS, 



29 



its ideas, is composition ; whereby it puts together several of 

 those simple ones it has received from sensation and reflection, 

 and combines them into complex ones. Under this head of 

 composition maybe reckoned also that of enlarging ; wherein, 

 though the composition does not so much appear as in more 

 complex ones, yet it is nevertheless a putting several ideas 

 together, though of the same kind. Thus, by adding several 

 units together, we make the idea of a dozen ; and by putting 

 together the repeated ideas of several perches, we frame that 

 of a furlong. 



" In this, also, I suppose, brutes come far short of men ; for 

 though they take in, and retain together several combinations 

 of simple ideas, as possibly the shape, smell, and voice of his 

 master make up the complex idea a dog has of him, or rather 

 are so many distinct marks whereby he knows him ; yet I do 

 not think they do of themselves ever compound them, and 

 make complex ideas. And perhaps even where we think they 

 have complex ideas, it is only one simple one that directs 

 them in the knowledge of several things, which possibly they 

 distinguish less by sight than we imagine ; for I have been 

 credibly informed that a bitch will nurse, play with, and be 

 fond of young foxes, as much as, and in place of, her puppies ; 

 if you can but get them once to suck her so long, that her 

 milk may go through them. And those animals, which have 

 a numerous brood of young ones at once, appear not to have 

 any knowledge of their number : for though they are mightily 

 concerned for any of their young that are taken from them 

 whilst they are in sight or hearing ; yet if one or two be stolen 

 from them in their absence, or without noise, they appear 

 not to miss them, or have any sense that their number is 

 lessened." * 



Now, from the whole of this passage, it is apparent that 

 the "comparing," "compounding," and " enlarging" of ideas 

 which Locke has in view, is the conscious or intentional com- 

 paring, compounding, and enlarging that belongs only to the 

 province of reflection, or thought. He in no way concerns 



* Human Understandings bk. ii., ch. ii., §§ 5-7. 



