SECT. XXXIX 8. GENERATION. 601 



iron ; and the prick of a fpur to ftimulate a horfe 

 inio exertion ; fo that in this view of the works of 

 nature all things may be faid either limply to exift, 

 or to exift as caufes, or to exift as effects ; that is, 

 to exift either in an a&ive or paflive itate. 



Ihis diftribution of objects, and their motions, 

 or changes of pofition, has been found fo conveni- 

 ent for the purpofes of common li:e, that on this 

 foundation refts the whole conftru&ion or theory of 

 language. The names of the things thernfelves are 

 termed by grammarians Nouns, and their modes 

 of exiftence are termed Verhs The nouns are di- 

 vided into fubftantives, which denote the principal 

 things fpoken of; and into adjectives, which denote 

 forae circumftances, or lefs kinds of things, belong- 

 ing to the former. The verbs are divided into three 

 kinds, fuch as denote the exiflence of things fimply, 

 as, to be ; or their exiftence in an a&Ive ftate, as, 

 to eat ; or their exiftence in a paflive ftate, as, to be 

 eaten. Whence it appears, that all languages con- 

 fift only of nouns and verbs, with their abbreviati* 

 ons for the greater expedition of communicating our 

 thoughts ; as explained in the ingenious work of 

 Mr. HorneTooke, who has unfolded by a fingle flafh 

 of light the whole theory oF language, which has 

 fo long lain buried beneath the learned lumber of 

 the fchools. Diverfions of Purley. Johnfon. Lon- 

 don. 



4. A third divifion of caufes has been into proxi- 

 mate and remote ; thefe have been much fpoken of 

 oy the writers on medical fubjecls, but without fuf- 

 ficient precifion. If to proximate and remote caufes 

 \ve add proximate and remote effecls, we fhall in- 

 clude four links of the perpetual chain of caufation ; 

 which will be more convenient for the difculllon of 

 many philofophical fubjecls. 



Thus if a particle of chyle be applied to the mouth 

 of a lafteal veffel>it may be termed the remote caufe 



of 



