164 Philosoph} of the Human Mind, [Chap. XII. 



under consideration. Even some of those who 

 taught doctrines in general delusive, yet have 

 shed new light, and contributed to clear the way 

 for those who should come after them. By many 

 rimning to and fro, though they frequently devi- 

 ated into the paths of errour, knowledge has been, 

 on the M'hole, increased. 



It has been peculiarly happy for this branch 

 of philosophy, that, in modern times, the prin- 

 ciples and power of language have been more 

 studied, and better understood, than m any pre- 

 ceding century. One great cause of the darkness^ 

 and perplexity which so long hung over many 

 of the doctrines of mind, was the loose and inac- 

 curate manner in which the terms employed to ex- 

 plain the plienomena were used. This evil, though 

 not entirely, has been in some measure corrected. 

 The use and abuse of terms liave received a more 

 enlightened attention than in former times. The 

 art of definition has become more precise, intelli- 

 gible, and popular. The senseless prating about 

 occuh qualities, and the perpetual use of unmean- 

 ing words, have gradually become less fashionable. 

 A habit of more precisely distinguishing between 

 cause and effect, between those things which may 

 be investigated, and those M'hich are beyond the 

 reach of the human mind ; and between those 

 truths which are self-evident, and such as require 

 demonstration ; has been introduced, and is still 

 gaining ground. And although this sceptical ten- 

 dency of the age lias retarded the progress of this 

 department of philosophy in these various respects, 

 yet we have reason to rejoice that so much pro- 



