CHAPTER 11. 317 That notion of hunger, cold, sound, colour, thought, to wish, or fear, which is in the mind, is called the idea of hanger, cold, sound, wish, &c. It is not the outward object, or thing which is perceived, namely, the horse, the man, &c. nor is it the very perception or sense and feeling, namely, of hunger, or cold, 8pc. which is called the idea; but it is the thing as it exists in the mind by way of conception, or representation that is properly called the idea, whether the object be present or absent. As a horse, a man, a tree, are the outward objects of our perception, and the outward archetypes or patterns of our ideas; so our sensations of hunger, cold, &c. are also inward arche- types, or patterns of our ideas: but the notions or pictures of those things, as they are considered, or conceived in the mind, are precisely the ideas that we have to do with in Logic. To see a horse, or to feel cold, is one thing ; to think of, and con- verse about a man, a horse, hunger, or cold, is another. Among all these ideas, such as represent bodies, are gene- rally called images, especially if the idea of shape be included. Those inward representations which we have of spirit, thought, love, hatred, cause, effect, &c. are more pure and mental ideas, belonging more especially to the mind, and carry nothing of shape or sense in them.- -But I shall have occasion to speak more particularly of the origin and distinction of ideas in the third chapter. I proceed therefore now to consider the objects of our ideas. CHAP. IL Of the Objects of Perception. SECT. I. -Of being in general. THE object of perception is that which is represented in the idea, that which is the archetype or pattern, according to which the idea is formed : and thusjudgments, propositions, rea- sons, and long discourses, may all become the objects of percep- tion ; but in this place we speak chiefly of the first and more simple objects of it, before they are joined and formed into pro- positions or discourses. Every object of our idea is called a theme, whether it be a being or not- being, for not-being may be proposed to our thoughts, as well as that which has a real being. But let us first treat of beings, and that in the largest extent of the word. A being is considered as possible, or as actual. When it is considered as possible, it is said to have an essence or nature ; such were all things before their creation : when it is considered as actual, then it is said to have existence also ; such are all things which are created, and God himself the Creatòr.
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