58 NAMES AND PROPOSITIONS. 



The word is not applied in the same sense to the light 

 and to the achievement ; but having been applied to 

 the light in its original sense, that of brightness to the 

 eye, it is transferred to the achievement in a deriva- 

 tive signification, supposed to be somewhat like the 

 primitive one. The word, however, is just as pro- 

 perly two names instead of one, in this case, as in 

 that of the most perfect ambiguity. And one of the 

 commonest forms of fallacious reasoning arising from 

 ambiguity, is that of arguing from a metaphorical 

 expression as if it were literal ; that is, as if a word, 

 when applied metaphorically, were the same name 

 as when taken in its original sense : which will be 

 seen more particularly in its place. 



