9<S CLASSES OF IDEAS. SECT. XV. r. +. 



called complex ideas, as when you recollect Weftminfter Ab- 

 bey, or the planet Saturn : but it muft be obferved, that thefe 

 complex ideas, thus re-excited by volition, fenfation, or aflbcia- 

 tion, are feldom perfect copies of their correfpondent percep- 

 tions, except in our dreams, where other external objects do not 

 detract our attention. 



4. Thofe ideas, which are more complex than the natural ob- 

 jects that firft excited them, have been called compounded ideas^ 

 as when we think of a fphinx, or griffin. 



5. And thofe that are lefs complex than the correfpondent 

 natural objects, have been termed abftracted ideas : thus fweet- 

 nefs, and whitenefs, and folidity, are received at the fame time 

 from a lump of fugar, yet I can recollect any of thefe qualities 

 without thinking of the others, that were excited along with 

 them. See Sect. XVI. 17. 



When ideas are fo far abftra&ed as in the above example, 

 they have been termed fimple by the writers of metaphyfics, and 

 'feem indeed to be more complete repetitions of the ideas or ien- 

 fual motions, originally excited by external objects. 



Other clafles of thefe ideas, where the abftraction has not been 

 fo great, have been termed, by Mr. Locke, modes, fubftances, 

 and relations, but they feem only to differ in their degree of ab- 

 ftraction from the complex ideas that were at firft excited - 9 for 

 as thefe complex or natural ideas are themfelves imperfect copies 

 of their correfpondent perceptions, fo thefe abftract or general 

 ideas are only (till more imperfect copies of the fame percep- 

 tions. Thus when I have feen an object but once, as a rhinoce- 

 ros, my abftract idea of this animal is the fame as my complex 

 one. I may think more or lefs distinctly of a rhinoceros, but it. 

 is the very rhinoceros that I faw, or fome part or property of 

 him, which recurs to my mind. 



But when any clafs of complex objects becomes the fubject of 

 converfation, of which I have feen many individuals, as a caftle 

 or an army, fome property, or circumftance belonging to it is 

 peculiarly alluded to ; and then I feel in my own mind, that my 

 abftract idea of this complex object is only an idea of that part, 

 property, or attitude of it, that employs the prefent converfation, 

 and varies with every fentence that is fpoken concerning it SQ 

 if any one fhould fay, " one may fir upon a horie fafer than on 

 a camel," rny abftract idea of the two animals includes only an 

 outline of the level back ot the one, and the gibbofity on the 

 back of the other. What noife is that in the itreet ? Some 

 horfes trotting over the pavement. Here my idea of the horfes 

 includes principally the fhape and motion of their legs. So 

 alfo the abftract ideas of goodnefs and courage are {till more im- 

 perfect 



