20 Aug. 1813

Logic

Ch. Language

Physical fictitious

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4. Time Time is as it were on an ulterior and double account, a fictitious entity: its denominations so many names of fictitious entities.

Compared with substance, and in particular with body, place is, as hath been seen, a fictitious entity. Without some body placed in it, or considered as being capable of being placed in it, place would have no existence, or what, with reference to use, would amount to the same thing, there would be no purpose for which, - no occasion on which, it could be considered as having existence.

But, if, putting substance out of consideration, place be a fiction, time is, so to speak, a still more fictitious fiction, having nothing more substantial to lean upon than the fiction of place.

To be capable of being spoken of, time itself must be, cannot but be, spoken of a modification of space. Witness the prepositions in and at: in such a portion of time - at such a portion of time; in an hour - at 12 o'clock; in such a year, month, day, at such an hour, at so many minutes after such an hour, - at so many seconds after such a minute in such an hour.

Witness, again, the common expressions - a short time, a long time, a space of time.

By a line it is that every portion of time, every particular time, is conceived, represented, and spoken of; - by a line, i.e. a body, of which the length alone, is considered without breadth or depth.

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