7 Aug. 1814

Logic

Ch. │ │ Methodization

'. │ │ Subjects of Denominant

4

Fictitious entities, viz. the objects for the designation of which throughout the whole course of the present work this appellative is meant to be employed, are such of which, in a very ample proportion, the mention and consequent fiction requires to be introduced for the purpose of discourse, for the common purposes of every discourse. Their names being employed in the same manner as names of substances are employed, hence the character in which they present themselves is that of so many names of substances. But these names of fictitious entities do not, as do the abovementioned names of fabulous entities, raise up in the mind any correspondent images.

Follows a sort of commenced catalogue of these fictitious entities of these names of fictitious entities: from which the common nature in which as above they all participate will presently become perceptible. Like the names of real and those of fabulous entities, all these words, it will be seen are, in the language of Grammarians, noun substantives. All these fictitious entities are accordingly so many fictitious substances. The properties which for the purposes of discourse are attributed to them are so many properties of substances - so many properties of all substances.

That the properties belonging to substances, to bodies in general, are attributed to them - that they are spoken of as if possessed of such properties, appears from the prepositions by which the import of their respective names is put in connexion with the import of the other words of which the sentence, [by which] the grammatical sentence is composed.

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