A

СНАР. VI.

Concerning Attributives.

TTRIBUTIVES are all thofe princi- Ch.VI. pal Words, that denote Attributes, confidered as Attributes. Such for example are the Words, Black, White, Great, Little, Wife, Eloquent, Writeth, Wrote, Writing, &c (a).

How

(a) In the above lift of Words are included what Grammarians called Adjectives, Verbs, and Participles, in as much as all of them equally denote the Attributes of Subftance. Hence 'tis, that as they are all from their very nature the Predicates in a Propofition (being all predicated of fome Subject or Subftance, Snow is white, Cicero writeth, &c.) hence I fay the Appellation PHMA or VERB is employed by Logicians in an extended Senfe to denote them all. Thus Ammonius explaining the reafon, why Ariftotle in his Tract de Interpretatione calls λευκός a Verb, tells us πᾶσαν φωνὴν, κατηγορέμενου ὅρου ἐν προτάσει ποιῆσαν, ῬΗΜΑ nahodai, that every Sound articulate, that forms the G 4

Ch.VI.

HOWEVER, previously to these, and to every other poffible Attribute, whatever a thing may be, whether black or white, fquare or round, wife or eloquent, writing or thinking, it must first of neceffity EXIST, before it can poffibly be any thing elfe. For EXISTENCE may be confidered as an univerfal Genus, to which all things of all kinds are at all times to be referr'd. The Verbs therefore, which denote it, claim precedence of all others, as being effential to the very being of every Propofition, in which they may ftill be found, either expreft, or by implication; exprest, as when we fay, The Sun is bright; by

im

Predicate in a Propofition, is called a VERB. p. 24Edit. Ven. Prifcian's obfervation, though made on another occafion, is very pertinent to the present. Nan Declinatio, fed proprietas excutienda eft fignificationis. L. II. p. 576. And in another place he fays-non fimilitudo declinationis omnimodo conjungit vel difcernit partes orationis inter fe, fed vis ipfius fignificationis. L. XIII. p. 970.

implication, as when we fay, The Sun Ch.VI. rifes, which means, when refolved, The Sun is rifing (b).

THE Verbs, Is, Groweth, Becometh, Εβ, Fit, ὑπάρχει, ἐςὶ, πέλει, γίγνεται, are all of them used to exprefs this general Genus. The Latins have called them Verba fubftantiva, Verbs substantive, but the Greeks Ῥήματα ὑπαρκ]ικά, 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 here particularly confider, is the Verb, 'Esi, Eft, Is.

Now all EXISTENCE is either abfolute or qualified-abfolute, as when we fay, B is; qualified, as when we fay, B IS AN ANIMAL; BIS BLACK, IS ROUND, &c.

WITH

(b) See Metaphyf. Ariftot. L.V. c. 7. Edit. Du-Vall.

Ch.VI.

WITH refpect to this difference, the Verb (IS) can by itself express abfolute Existence, but never the qualified, without fubjoining the particular Form, because the Forms of Existence being in number infinite, if the particular Form be not expreft, we cannot know which is intended. And hence it follows, that when (Is) only ferves to fubjoin fome fuch Form, it has little more force, than that of a mere Affertion. 'Tis under the fame character, that it becomes a latent part in every other Verb, by expreffing that Affertion, which is one of their Ef fentials. Thus, as was obferved just before, Rifeth means, is rifing; Writeth, Is writing.

AGAIN-As to EXISTENCE in general, it is either mutable, or immutable; mutable, as in the Objects of Senjation; immutable, as in the Objects of Intellection and Science. Now mutable Objects exist all in Time, and admit the feveral Diftinctions

stinctions of present, past, and future. Ch.VI. But immutable Objects know no fuch Diftinctions, but rather stand opposed to all things temporary.

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

For example, if we fay, This Orange is ripe, (Is) meaneth, that it exifteth fo now at this present, in oppofition to past time, when it was green, and to future time, when it will be rotten.

BUT if we fay, The Diameter of the Square is incommenfurable with its fide, we do not intend by (Is) that it is incommenfurable now, having been formerly commenfurable, or being to become fo hereafter; on the contrary we intend that Perfection of Existence, to which Time and its Diftinctions are utterly unknown. "Tis under the fame meaning we employ