an enquiry concerning human understanding-第5章

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disgrace　upon　them。　All　ideas；　especially　abstract　ones；　are
naturally　faint　and　obscure：　The　mind　has　but　a　slender　hold
of　them：　They　are　apt　to　be　confounded　with　other　resembling
ideas；　and　when　we　have　often　employed　any　term；　though
without　a　distinct　meaning；　we　are　apt　to　imagine　it　has　a
determinate　idea　annexed　to　it。　On　the　contrary；　all
impressions；　that　is；　all　sensations；　either　outward　or
inward；　are　strong　and　vivid：　The　limits　between　them　are
more　exactly　determined：　Nor　is　it　easy　to　fall　into　any
error　or　mistake　with　regard　to　them。　When　we　entertain；
therefore；　any　suspicion　that　a　philosophical　term　is
employed　without　any　meaning　or　idea　（as　is　but　too
frequent）；　we　need　but　enquire；　？　And　if　it　be　impossible　to
assign　any；　this　will　serve　to　confirm　our　suspicion。　By
bringing　ideas　into　so　clear　a　light　we　may　reasonably　hope
to　remove　all　dispute；　which　may　arise；　concerning　their
nature　and　reality。＇4＇

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　*　*　*　*
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SECTION　III。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Of　the　Association　of　Ideas。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
　　　　　I/T　is　evident　that　there　is　a　principle　of　connexion
between　the　different　thoughts　or　ideas　of　the　mind；　and
that　in　their　appearance　to　the　memory　or　imagination；　they
introduce　each　other　with　a　certain　degree　of　method　and
regularity。　In　our　more　serious　thinking　or　discourse　this
is　so　observable　that　any　particular　thought；　which　breaks
in　upon　the　regular　tract　or　chain　of　ideas；　is　immediately
remarked　and　rejected。　And　even　in　our　wildest　and　most
wandering　reveries；　nay　in　our　very　dreams；　we　shall　find；
if　we　reflect；　that　the　imagination　ran　not　altogether　at
adventures；　but　that　there　was　still　a　connexion　upheld
among　the　different　ideas；　which　succeeded　each　other。　Were
the　loosest　and　freest　conversation　to　be　transcribed；　there
would　immediately　be　observed　something　which　connected　it
in　all　its　transitions。　Or　where　this　is　wanting；　the　person
who　broke　the　thread　of　discourse　might　still　inform　you；
that　there　had　secretly　revolved　in　his　mind　a　succession　of
thought；　which　had　gradually　led　him　from　the　subject　of
conversation。　Among　different　languages；　even　where　we
cannot　suspect　the　least　connexion　or　communication；　it　is
found；　that　the　words；　expressive　of　ideas；　the　most
compounded；　do　yet　nearly　correspond　to　each　other：　A
certain　proof　that　the　simple　ideas；　comprehended　in　the
compound　ones；　were　bound　together　by　some　universal
principle；　which　had　an　equal　influence　on　all　mankind。

　　　　　Though　it　be　too　obvious　to　escape　observation；　that
different　ideas　are　connected　together；　I　do　not　find　that
any　philosopher　has　attempted　to　enumerate　or　class　all　the
principles　of　association；　a　subject；　however；　that　seems
worthy　of　curiosity。　To　me；　there　appear　to　be　only　three
principles　of　connexion　among　ideas；　namely；　；
　in　time　or　place；　and　　or　。

　　　　　That　these　principles　serve　to　connect　ideas　will　not；
I　believe；　be　much　doubted。　A　picture　naturally　leads　our
thoughts　to　the　original：＇5＇　the　mention　of　one　apartment　in
a　building　naturally　introduces　an　enquiry　or　discourse
concerning　the　others：＇6＇　and　if　we　think　of　a　wound；　we　can
scarcely　forbear　reflecting　on　the　pain　which　follows　it。＇7＇
But　that　this　enumeration　is　complete；　and　that　there　are　no
other　principles　of　association　except　these；　may　be
difficult　to　prove　to　the　satisfaction　of　the　reader；　or
even　to　a　man's　own　satisfaction。　All　we　can　do；　in　such
cases；　is　to　run　over　several　instances；　and　examine
carefully　the　principle　which　binds　the　different　thoughts
to　each　other；　never　stopping　till　we　render　the　principle
as　general　as　possible。＇8＇　The　more　instances　we　examine；
and　the　more　care　we　employ；　the　more　assurance　shall　we
acquire；　that　the　enumeration；　which　we　form　from　the　whole；
is　complete　and　entire。＇9＇

　　　　　Instead　of　entering　into　a　detail　of　this　kind；　which
would　lead　us　into　many　useless　subtilties；　we　shall
consider　some　of　the　effects　of　this　connection　upon　the
passions　and　imagination；　where　we　may　open　up　a　field　of
speculation　more　entertaining；　and　perhaps　more　instructive；
than　the　other。

　　　　　As　man　is　a　reasonable　being　and　is　continually　in
pursuit　of　happiness；　which　he　hopes　to　find　in　the
gratification　of　some　passion　or　affection；　he　seldom　acts
or　speaks　or　things　without　a　purpose　and　intention。　He　has
still　some　object　in　vies；　and　however　improper　the　means
may　sometimes　be　which　he　chooses　for　the　attainment　of　his
end；　he　never　loses　view　of　an　end；　nor　will　he　so　much　as
throw　away　his　thoughts　or　reflections　where　he　hopes　not　to
reap　any　satisfaction　from　them。

　　　　In　all　compositions　of　genius；　therefore；　it　is　requisite　that　the　
writer　have　some　plan　or　object；　and　though　he　may　be　hurried　
from　this　plan　by　the　vehemence　of　thought；　as　in　an　ode；　
or　drop　it　carelessly；　as　in　an　epistle　or　essay；　there　must　
appear　some　aim　or　intention　in　his　first　setting　out；　if　not　in　the　
composition　of　the　whole　work。　A　production　without　a　design　
would　resemble　more　the　ravings　of　a　madman　than　the　sober　
efforts　of　genius　and　learning。

　　　　　As　this　rule　admits　of　no　exception；　it　follows　that　in
narrative　compositions　the　events　or　actions　which　the
writer　relates　must　be　connected　together　by　some　bond　or
tie：　They　must　be　related　to　each　other　in　the　imagination；
and　form　a　kind　of　　which　may　bring　them　under　one
plan　or　view；　and　which　may　be　the　object　or　end　of　the
writer　in　his　first　undertaking。

　　　　　This　connecting　principle　among　the　several　events
which　form　the　subject　of　a　poem　or　history　may　be　very
different　according　to　the　different　designs　of　the　poet　or
historian。　O/VID　has　formed　his　plan　upon　the　connecting
principles　of　resemblance。　Every　fabulous　transformation
produced　by　the　miraculous　power　of　the　gods　falls　within
the　compass　of　his　work。　There　needs　but　this　one
circumstance；　in　any　event；　to　bring　it　under　his　original
plan　or　intention。

　　　　　An　annalist　or　historian　who　should　undertake　to　write
the　history　or　Europe　during　any　century　would　be　influenced
by　the　connection　of　contiguity　in　time　or　place。　All　events
which　happen　in　that　portion　of　space　and　period　of　time　are
comprehended　in　his　design；　though　in　other　respects
different　and　unconnected。　They　have　still　a　species　of
unity　amidst　all　their　diversity。

　　　　　But　the　most　usual　species　of　connections　among　the
different　events　which　enter　into　any　narrative　composition
is　that　of　cause　and　effect；　while　the　historian　traces　the
series　of　actions　according　to　their　natural　order；　remounts
to　their　secret　springs　and　principles；　and　delineates　their
most　remote　consequences。　He　chooses　for　his　subject　a
certain　portion　of　that　great　chain　of　events　which　compose
the　history　of　mankind：　Each　link　in　this　chain　he
endeavours　to　touch　in　his　narration；　sometimes　unavoidable
ignorance　renders　all　his　attempts　fruitless；　sometimes　he
supplies　by　conjecture　what　is　wanting　in　knowledge；　and
always　he　is　sensible　that　the　more　unbroken　the　chain　is
which　he　presents　to　his　readers；　the　more　perfect　is　his
production。　He　sees　that　the　knowledge　of　causes　is　not　only
the　most　satisfactory；　this　relation　or　connection　being　the
strongest　of　all　others；　but　also　the　most　instructive；
since　it　is　by　this　knowledge　alone　we　are　enabled　to
control　events　and　govern　futurity。

　　　　　Here；　therefore；　we　may　attain　some　notion　of　that
　of　　about　which　all　critics　after　Aristotle
have　talked　so　much；　perhaps　to　little　purpose；　which　they
directed　not　their　taste　or　sentiment　by　the　accuracy　of
philosophy。　It　appears　that　in　all　productions；　as　well　as
in　the　epic　and　tragic；　there　is　a　certain　unity　required；
and　that　on　no　occasion　our　thoughts　can　be　allowed　to　run
at　adventures　if　we　would　produce　a　work　that　will　give　any
lasting　entertainment　to　mankind。　It　appears；　also；　that
even　a　biographer　who　should　write　the　life　of　Achilles
would　con