WORDS, 
i-ects, and mucli more so than when upon 
any particular one. The word mamma is 
also sounded in an emphatical manner, 
when the child’s eye is directed to Ins mo- 
Iher with earnestness and desire. The as- 
sociation, therefore, of the sound, mamma, 
with the visible impression of the mother 
<m the retina, will be far stronger than that 
with any other visible impression, and thus 
oveipower all the other accidental associa- 
tions ; arid these will also themselves con- 
tribute to the same end, by opposing one 
another. And when the child has acquired 
so much voluntary power over his motions, 
as to direct his head and eyes towards the 
nurse, upon hearing her name, this process 
will go on with accelerated velocity : and 
thus, at last, the word will excite the visi- 
ble idea readily and certainly. The same 
association of the visible impression of the 
mother with the sound, mamma, will, by 
degrees, overpower all the accidental asso- 
ciations of this visible impression with other 
words ; and, at last, be so closely confirm- 
ed, that the visible impression will excite 
the audible idea of the word. This, how- 
ever, is not to our present purpose, but it 
is a process which takes place at the same 
time with the other, and contributes to il- 
lustrate and confirm it. Both together fur- 
nish a complete instance of one of tire 
classes of counections. (§21). 
Secondly, this association of words with 
visible appearances, being made under 
many particular circumstances, must affect 
the visible ideas with a like partictilarity. 
Thus the mother’s dress, and the situation 
of the fire in the child’s nursery, make part 
of the child’s ideas of his motlicr and fire. 
But then, as his mother often changes her 
dress, and the child often sees a fire in a 
different place, and surrounded by differ- 
ent visible objects, these opposite associa- 
tions must be less strong than the part 
which is common to them all ; and conse- 
quently we may suppose, that while his idea 
of tliat part which is common, and which 
we may call essential, continues the same, 
that of the particularities, circumstances, 
and adjuncts, varies. 
Thirdly, when the visible objects impress 
other vivid sensations besides those of sight, 
such as pleasant or unpleasant tastes, smells, 
warmth, or coldness, &c. with sufficient 
frequency, these must have relicts or ideas, 
(§ 7), which will be associated with the vi- 
sible ideas of the objects, and with the 
names of the objects, so as to depend upon 
them. Thus, an idea of the taste of the 
mother’s milk will rise up in the mind of the 
child, on his hearing her name ; and hence 
the whole idea belonging to the word mam- 
ma now begins to be complex, consisting 
of two sets of ideas derived from different 
senses ; and tliese ideas wijl be associated 
together, not only because the same word 
raises both, but also because the original 
sensations, were often received together. 
Tlie stronger idea will therefore assist the 
weaker. Now, in common cases, visible 
ideas are the strongest ; or, at least, occim 
the most readily ; but in this case it ap- 
pears to be otherwise. It would be easy 
to proceed to various other and more com- 
plex cases, in which the component ideas 
are united, and all made to depend on the 
respective names of visible objects ; but 
what has been said is sufficient to show 
what ideas the names of visible objects, 
proper and appellative, raise in us. 
Fourthly, we must, however, observe, re- 
specting appellatives, that sometimes the 
idea is the common compound result of all 
the sensible impressions received from se- 
veral of the objects comprised under the 
general appellation ; sometimes, in a great 
measure at least, the particular idea of some 
one of these, namely, when the impres- 
sions arising from some one of the class are 
more frequent and vivid than those of the 
rest. 
Fifthly, the names denoting sensible qua- 
lities, whether substantive or adjective, such 
as whiteness, white, &c. get their ideas in a 
manner which will be easily understood 
from what has been already stated. That 
visible impression which is common to all 
objects which have been frequently seen 
having the name, white, applied to them, 
becomes the leading feature of the ideas 
belonging to them ; and the word excites 
that most vividly and universally, while it 
excites only faintly, or at least with great 
variation, the ideas’ of the peculiarities, cir- 
cumstances, and adjuncts: and so of the 
other sensible qualities. 
Sixthly, the names of visible actions, as 
walking, &c. raise the proper visible ideas 
by a like process. Other ideas may like- 
wise adhere in certain cases, as in those of 
tasting, feeling, speaking, &c. Sensible 
impressions, in wbich no visible action is 
concerned, may also have ideas dependant 
upon words. However some visible ideas 
generally intermix themselves here. These 
actions and perceptions are generally de- 
noted by verbs, though sometimes by sub- 
stantives. 
