352. LOGIC: OR, THE RIGHT USE OP EEASOH. ter with a short account of the various ways or means whereby a word changes its signification, or acquires any new sense, and thus becomes equivocal, especially if it keeps its old sense also. 1. Mere chance sometimes gives the same word different senses ; as the word light signifies a body that is not heavy ; and it also signifies the effect of sun - beams, or the medium whereby we see objects : this is merely accidental, for there seems to be no connection between these two senses, nor any reason for them. 2. Error and mistake is another occasion of giving various senses to the same word ; as when different persons read the names of priest, bishop, church, Easter, &c. in the New Tes- tament, they affix different ideas to them, for want of acquaint- ance with the true meaning of the sacred writer ; though it must be confessed, these various senses, which might arise at first from honest mistake, may be culpably supported and propagated by interest, ambition, prejudice, and a party - spirit on any side. 3. Time and custom alters the meaning of words. Knave heretofore signified a diligent servant (Gnavus ;) and a villain was an under tenant to the Lord of the manor (Villicus ;) but now both these words carry an idea of wickedness and reproach to them. A ballad once signified a solemn and sacred song, as well as one that is trivial, when Solomon's song was called the ballad of ballads : but now it is applied to nothing but trifling verse, or comical subjects. 4. Words change their sense by figures and metaphors, which are derived from some real analogy or resemblance be- tween several things, as when wing and flight are applied to riches, it signifies only, that the owner may as easily lose them, as he would lose a bird who flew away with wings. And I think, under this head we may rank those words which signify different ideas, by a sort of an unaccountable far - fetcht analogy, or distant resemblance that fancy has introduced between one thing and another; as when we say, the meat is green, when it is half - roasted ; we speak of airing linen by the fire, when we mean drying or warming it : We call for round coals for the chimney, when we mean large square ones ; and we talk of the wing of a rabbit, when we mean the fore -leg : The true reason of these appellations we leave to the critics. 5. Words also change their sense by the special occasion of using them, the peculiar manner of pronunciation, the sound of the voice, the motions of the face, or gestures of the body ; so when an angry master says to his servant, it is bravely done ! or you are a fine gentleman ! he means just the contrary ; namely, it is very ill done ; you are a sorry fellow ; it is one way of giv- ing a severe reproach, for the words are spoken by way of sar- casm or irony.
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