Watts - BX5200 .W3 1813 v.7

3 Q LOGIC : OR, THE .RIGHT UNE OP REASON. can be directly and properly affirmed of each part; as a bird is an animal, a fish is an animal, Biteephalus is -a horse, Peter is a -man, then it is a distribution of a genus into its species, or a species into its individuals : but when the. whole cannot be thus directly affirmed concerning every part, then it is a di- vision of an integral into its several parts or members ; as we cannot say the head, the breast, the hand, or the foot is an animal, but we say, the head is a part of the animal, and the foot is another part. This rule may hold true generally in corporeal beings, or perhaps in all substances : but when we say the fear of God is wisdom, and so is human civility; criticism is true learning, and so is philosophy: to execute a murderer is justice, and to save and defend the innocent is justice too. In these cases it is not so, easily determined, whether an integral whole be divided into its parts, or an universal into its species: for the fear of God may he called either one part, or one kind of wisdom ; criticism is one part, or one kind of learning : and the execution of a tnur- derer may be called a species of justice, as well as a part of it Nor indeed is it a matter of great importance to determine this controversy. SECT. XLOf an orderly Conception of Things. THE last rule to.direct our conceptions is, that we should rank and place them in a proper method and just order. This is of necessary use to prevent confusion ; for as a trader who never places his goods in his shop or warehouse in a regular order, nor steeps the accounts of his buying and selling, paying and receiving, in a just method, is in the utmost danger of plung- ing all his affairs into confusion and ruin : so a student who is in the search of truth, or an author or teacher who communicates knowledge to others, will very much obstruct his design, and confound his own mind or the minds of his hearers, unless he range his ideas in just order. If we would therefore become successful learners or teachers, we must not conceive of things in a confused heap, liut dispose our ideas in some certain method, which may be Most easy and useful both for the understanding and titëmóry ; and be sue, as midi as may be, to follow 'the nature of things, for which many roles might be given, namely : 1. Conceive as much as you can of the essentials of any sub ject, before you consider its accidentals. 2. Survey the first ge- neral ports and properties of any subject, before you extend your thoughts to discourse of the particular kinds or species of it. 3. Contemplate things first in their own simple natures, and afterwards view them in composition with other things ; unless it he your present purpose to take a compound being to pieces, in

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