CHAPTER IL 399 circles have a centre and circumference : all spirits in their own nature are immortal. A physical or natural universality, is when according to the order and common course of nature, a predicate agrees to all the subjects of that kind, though there may be some accidental and preternatural exceptions, as, all men use words to express their thoughts, yet dumb persons are excepted, for they cannot speak. All beasts have four feet, yet there may be some Mons- ters with five ; or maimed, who have but three. A moral universality, is when the predicate agrees to the greatest part of the particulars which are contained under the universal subject; as, all negroes are stupid creatures: all men are governed by affection rather than by reason : all the old Ro- mans loved their country : and the scripture uses this language, when St. Paul tells us, the Cretes are always liars. Now it is evident, that a special or singular conclusion can - not be inferred from a moral universality, nor always and infal- libly from a physical one, though it may be always inferred from a universality which is metaphysical, without any danger or pos- sibility of a mistake. Let it be observed also, that usually we make little or no distinction in common language, between a subject that is physi- cally or metaphysically universal. Note 2. An universal term is sometimes taken collectively for all its particular ideas united together, and sometimes distri- butively, meaning each of them single alone. Instances of a, collective universal are such as these : all these apples will fill a bushel, all the hours of the night are suffi- cient for sleep : all the rules of grammar overload the memory. In these propositions it is evident, that the predicate belongs not to the individuals separately, but to the whole collective idea; for we cannot affirm the same predicate if we change the word all into one or into every ; we cannot say one apple or every apple will fill a bushel, &c. Now such a collective idea, when it be- comes the subject of a proposition, ought to be esteemed as one single thing, and this renders the preposition singular or indefi- nite, as we shall show immediately. A distributive universal will allow the word all to be changed into every, or into one, and by this means is distinguished from -a collective. Instances of a distribute universal are the most common oil every occasion ; as all men are mortal : every man is a sinner, &c. But in this sort of universal there is a distribution to be made, which follows in the remark. Note 3. When an universal term is taken distributively, sometimes it includes all the individuals contained in its inferior species : as when I say every sickness has a.tendency to death ; I mean every individual sickness, as well as every kind. But
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