Page:Cyclopaedia, Chambers - Volume 1.djvu/37

 xxiv The 9 & E F A C R

LESS might have fufficed, to fhew why in the Courfe of this Work we have ufually omitted the Appa- ratus of Demonftrations, and Experiments ; and given the Doctrines pure and uncumbred by any thing not ef- fential to 'em. The Experiments, for inftance, which led to the Theory of Light, and Colours, what would they be, but like the Scaffolding before a fine Building, which break and interrupt the Si°-ht, and hide moft of the Beauties of the Work? Such Scaffolding, 'tis true, would be of ufe to the Connoiffeurs ; who might have a mind to examine the Work, to meafure the Proportions of the feveral Parts, and inquire whether every Stone were juftly

laid. But to the generality it would rather be an Incumbrance, much to the difadvanta<*e of the Work. .

Yet, in the Cafe of Experiments, as of Demonftrations, we have receded a little from ftrict Method, in favour of fuch as have any thing very remarkable or beautiful in 'em. For the reft, the Reader, if his Curiofity ferve him, is told where to have 'em at firft hand.

I N the Cafe of Definitions, too, we do not keep inviolably to what has been above laid down ; but referve to

our felves the difcretionary Right above fpecified. We make ufe occasionally of all forts of Definitions, as

they beft fuit our Defign, the conveying of Knowledge. _ In effect, we have ufually a Regard to the decree of notoriety, importance, Wc. of the Term, tho a Point arbitrary, and indefinite enough ; and endeavour^to ac- commodate the Explication thereto. 'Tis a Rule with us, to fay, Communia proprie, propria communiter ; to exprefs common Things fo as that even the Learned may be the better for 'em ; and the more abftract and diffi- cult, fo as even the Ignorant may enter into 'em. Accordingly, in popular Terms we endeavour to o-ive a technical Definition, i. e. to wave the general and obvious Meaning, which is fuppofed to be known ; and enter farther into the nature of the Thing, not known : As in defining of Milk, &c. But in the more remote Terms, the popular and nominal Definition is alfo given, as being fuppofed to be here wanted.

THE literal and technical Definitions of a Term, are lame and imperfect without each other; the firft o-ives its Ufe and Effect, as part of general or abftracted Science ; the fecond, as applied to fome particular Subject.

■J The literal Notion, e.g. of Relation, is that of " conformity, dependence, or comparifon of one thing to

" another :" Thus much is common to Relation, both in Grammar, Logick, Geometry, &c. i. e. it expreffes

this, both when applied to (fords, to Propfitions, to Quantities, &c. The technical Notion of Relation in

Grammar, is " the dependence of Words in Conftruction :" This makes the grammatical Notion of Relation, i. e. it limits or ties down the general abftract Idea of Relation, to the particular Subjed of Grammar, Words'. Again, the technical Notion of Relation, with regard to Arithmetick, Geometry, &c. is " the conformity, or " dependence between^ two or more Lines or Numbers ;" i. e. the Mathematicians adopting the Word into their Art, reftrain its literal or general Meaning, to fome particular Purpofes of their own, ;'. e. to Quantities.

FROM the whole, it follows, that the two Kinds of Definitions differ as an Art and a Science ; as general and particular Reafon ; and again, as abftract, and concrete. And hence, from the feveral technical or particular Meanings, one might of themfelves run back to the general, or literal Meaning, by abftracting ; but not con- trariwife, from the general or abftraft to the particular ones ; in regard thofe other are arbitrary, and depend on the good pleafure of the Artift who firft introduc'd them.

_ ACCORDING to ftrictnefs, every Term fliould be firft given in its literal, or grammatical Meaning ; efpe- cially when the fame is a Term in feveral Arts ; as this helps to fill up the Series, and fhew the orderly Deriva- tion of the Word, a prhnis naturalibus, from the firft fimple Ideas that gave rife to it, to its laft, and utmoft Compofition. This is like giving the Root of the Family ; which is certainly necefiary to its Genealogy — Yec we have not always kept to this Method. In fome Words, there is a deal of the literal import of the Word preferv'd in the Term or the technical one ; as in the word Free, or Freedom : A Man who has a Notion of Freedom in its common or literal Senfe, will eafily pafs on to all the particular ones, as Free City, Free Port Freedom of Speech, of Behaviour, &c. So that in this Cafe, a literal Definition might almoft alone fuffice ■ the

Word having fuffer'd very little at the hands of Artifts. In other Words, the literal or primary import of the

Word, is almoft loft in the Term : for inftance, in the Term Power,. in Arithmetick ; which will fcarce bear any tolerable Definition at all. Literally, the Word implies a Relation of Superiority or Afcendency over fome- thing, which in refpect hereof is conceiv'd as weak, tsV. According to the analogy of Language therefore the Arithmetical Power fhonld have fomewhat of this relation of fuperiority over the Root : ^But the Root it felf is alfo a Power: So that the Definition of Power muft take in two oppofite Relations, viz Power and Subjection.

PERHAPS, to go in the moft regular manner, and take up things from their Source •, one mould becrin with fettling their Etymologies : but the great alterations Words undergo, and the great length they are run from their original Meanings, in being borrowed from one Language or Age to another, would frequently make this not only a tedious, but an ufelefs Labour : fo that here, too, we have ufed a difcretionary Power, and only meddled with Etymologies where they appear'd of any fignificance.

TO explain a Term as a Term, we ufually exprefs the Circumftances wherewith it is attended in the Art to which it belongs, in their artful Names. This is agreeable to the manner of Artifts, who writing of their refpeaive Arts, ufe Terms as common Words, and fuppofe 'em to be known : and 'tis this that conftitutes a technical Explanation ; not the giving the general Effect or Force, in fuch Words as may equally agree to all

other Arts. And yet in fome Cafes we recede from this Rule, particularly in divers of the lower Clafs of

Manual Arts, and the Structure of fome Machines : Thus, e. g. in Turnery, we make no difficulty for inftance mftead of Chuck, to fay a round piece of Wood, &V. The reafon is, that where the feveral fubordinate Terms or a Definition are themfelves explain'd in their places, we may fuppofe 'em underftood ; but where the Term defined is it felf fo low, that we do not go lower to define the Parts couched under it ; there we chufe as more fcientifical, to fubftitute fome more obvious Name, or the general Meaning of the Word for the Term it felf • and thus prefer the general or popular, to the technical Definition.

• F L°?c- t V? be obferved > that the Dictionary has its Limits ; it only carries Matters fo low; to a certain pitch or Simplicity where we fuppofe People may take 'em up, and carry 'em farther as they pleafe We brina em into their Sphere and fo leave 'em. So much Knowledge, i. e. fuch a number of complex Ideas as we may prefume em ufually to have got m the common Occurrences of Life, we are willing to fuppofe, as a Foot- ing : where thefe end, our Diftionary is to begin, which is to take in the reft

II? at any time we explain a complex Idea, which it may be fuppofed moft People have form'd ; 'tis becaufe we think they don t take in all the fimple Ideas that go to conftitute it: as in the Cafe of Milk, Blood or the like; where People are contented with two or three of the more obvious Properties and Phenome- na, and fiur over the reft.— -Thus in M.Ik Whitenefs and Fluidity are almoft alone confidered; and thdT in the common Opinion, conftitute Milk ; fo that whatever has thefe two Attributes, comes in for th* de- nomination Mdky The Texture and component Parts of this Milk, the manner of that Fluid's bein* fecreted collected, He, with the peculiar Properties, and Virtues refulting from all thefe are left behind" So m Blood, 'tis enough it be -a redd.fi, pretty compacl, animal Juice, when warm fluid and homogeneous &c This is going a great way, and even the Di&onaries feldom go farther: But, for the component" Parts' t£ CrW-and Serum; with the component Principles of thefe, viz. the CHI, Phlegm, &cc their Form Properties' £rV