On Nomenclature. 421 



occasionally beating against these cliffs, that, in September, 

 1832, I found limpets and pebbles on the top of the cliff at 

 a, 'w\ Jig. 40., which had been thrown up in the spray of the 

 sea from the bottom ! 



(To be continued.) 



Art. IV. On Nomenclature. By Zetetes. 



If we could find a reason for every name, that reason 

 would involve an explanation of every thing named ; at least, 

 as far as the knowledge of the thing existed in the mind of 

 the user of the name. 



Very few names of things apply to any single thing, or 

 single object of thought : sky, air, water, land, sea, space, 

 fire, life, death, — each of these names stands for an object 

 contemplated, by millions of animated beings, under very 

 different relations.* A definition of each name ought to 

 describe the prominent characters of the thing named, and 

 especially that by which the thing may be distinguished from 

 every other. 



Let us try the name " sky." It is defined by Dr. Johnson, 

 ** The region which surrounds the earth, above the atmo- 

 sphere." What do we know of this region ? Are we ac- 

 quainted with it by any of our senses ? Could the blind 

 know anything of it, or could they conceive it ? Does it 

 present to our sight any objects whatsoever? When the sun, 

 or moon, or stars, shine clear, and there are no clouds, we 

 say we behold the sky, and the sun, moon, and stars appear, 

 at successive portions of time, to be in it. What do we 

 behold ? Wide expanded blueness or blackness every where, 

 in all parts of the earth and sea, above us, immeasurably 

 distant, the apparent place of sun, and moon, and stars. If 

 all nations were possessed only of one language, what common 

 idea or notion would all attach to the word sky, — that portion 

 of the aggregate of the objects of sense which is always and 

 every where above us ; above all, to which we can ascend ? 



* These words are used by poets in the plural, as well as in the singular, 

 number, according to their convenience. 



" To him whose temple is all space ; 



Whose altar earth, sea, skies." Pope. 



" Cceli convexa." — Virg. JEneid, iv. 451. 



" Secat aethera." — Georg. i. 406. 



" Maria omnia." — JEneid. i. 36. 



Heavens, for heaven, occurs often in the Psalms. " The earth shook, 

 and the heavens dropped." — Ps. Ixviii. v. 5. " The Heavens declare." — 

 Ps. xix., &c. 



