CHAP. VI.

Concerning Attributives.

ATTRIBUTIVES are all those principal Ch. VI. Words, that denote Attributes, considered as Attributes. Such for example are the Words, Black, White, Great, Little, Wise, Eloquent, Writeth, Wrote, Writing, &c. (a).

(a) In the above list of Words are included what Grammarians called Adjectives, Verbs, and Participles, '. in as much as all of them equally denote the Attributes of Substance. Hence it is, that as they are all from their very nature the Predicates in a Proposition (being all predicated of some Subject or Substance. Snow is white, Cicero writeth, &c.) hence I say the Appellation PHMĄ or VERB is employed by Logicians in an extended Sense to denote them all. Thus Ammonius explaining the reason, why Aristotle in his Traet de Interpretatione calls λευκός ο Verb, tells us πᾶσαν φωνὴν, κατηγορύμενον ὅρον ἐν προτασει ποιῆσαν, ΡΗΜΑ καλεῖσθαι, that every Sound ar

ticulate,

Ch. VI.

HOWEVER, previously to these, and to every other possible Attribute, whatever a thing may be, whether black or white, square or round, wise or eloquent, writing or thinking, it must first of necessity EXIST, before it can possibly be any thing else. For EXISTENCE may be considered as an universal Genus, to which all things of all kinds are at all times to be referred. The Verbs therefore, which denote it, claim precedence of all others, as being essential to the very being of every Proposition, in which they may still be found, either exprest, or by implication; exprest, as when we say, The Sun Is bright; by implication, as when we say, The

ticulate, that forms the Predicate in a Proposition, is called a VERB, p. 24. Edit. Ven. Priscian's observation, though made on another occasion, is very pertinent to the present. Non Declinatio, sed proprietas excutienda est significationis. L. II. p. 576. And in another place he says non similitudó, declinationis omnimodo conjungit vel discernit partes orationis inter se, sed vis ipsius significationis. L. XIII. p. 970.

The Sun rises, which means, when re- Ch. VI, solved, The Sun is rising().

THE Verbs, Is, Groweth, Becometh, Est, Fit, ὑπάρχει ἐςὶ, πέλει, γίγνεται, are all of them used to express this general Genus. The Latins have called them Verba Substantiva, Verbs Substantive, but the Greeks Ρήματα Υπαρκτικὰ Verbs of Existence, a Name more apt, as being of greater latitude, and comprehending equally as well Attribute, as Substance. The principal of those Verbs, and which we shall particularly here consider, is the Verb, 'Eçi, Est, Is.

Now all EXISTENCE is either absolute or qualified-absolute, as when we say, B Is; qualified, as when we say, B IS AN ANIMAL; B IS BLACK, IS ROUND, &c.

WITH

(b) See Met hys. Aristot. L. V. c. 7. Edit. Du-Vall,

Ch. VI.

WITH respect to this difference, the Verb (Is) can by itself express absolute Existence, but never the qualified, without subjoining the particular Form, because the Forms of Existence being in number infinite, if the particular Form be not exprest, we cannot know which is intended. And hence it follows, that when (Is) only serves to subjoin some such Form, it has little more force, than that of a mere Assertion. It is under the same character, that it becomes a latent part in every other Verb, by expressing that Assertion, which is one of their Essentials. Thus, as was observed just before, Riseth means, Is rising; Writeth, is writing.

AGAIN-As to EXISTENCE in general it is either mutable, or immutable; mutable, as in the Objects of Sensation ; immutable, as in the Objects of Intellection and Science. Now mutable Objects exist all in Time, and admit the several Distinctions of present, past, and fu

ture,

ture. But immutable Objects know no Ch. VI. such distinctions, but rather stand opposed to all things temporary.

AND hence two different Significations of the substantive Verb (Is) according as it denotes mutable, or immutable Being.

For example, if we say, This Orange is ripe, (1s) meaneth, that it existeth so now at this present, in opposition to past time, when it was green, and to future time, when it will be rotten.

But if we say, The Diameter of the Square is incommensurable with its side, we do not intend by (1s) that it is incommensurable now, having been formerly commensurable, or being to become so hereafter; on the contrary we intend that Perfection of Existence, to which Time and its Distinctions are utterly unknown. It is under the same meaning we employ this Verb, when'