About the Book
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1883 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XI. COMPLEX IDEAS. Prepared by the preceding exercises in Comparison and Distinction, the pupil will now be able to comprehend the following doctrine of Complex Ideas, the use and importance of which is due to the fact that it assists the memory in retaining what has been learnt, produces order and clearness in ideas, and gives precision to expression. This Chapter is an important introduction to Composition, as it prepares for exercises in Arrangement. 128 Genus, Species, Co-ordinate Species. EXPLANATORY EXAMPLES. (I.) 1. Singing bird. Lark, Blackbird, Starling, Finch, Linnet, Thrush, Canary, Robin. 2. Bird. Bird of prey, Singing bird, "Wader, Swimming bird, Punning bird. 3. Animal. Mammal, Bird, Eeptile, Fish. (II.) Tree. Fir, Pine, Oak, Beech, Birch, Lime, Poplar, Willow, Alder, Aspen. EXPLANATIONS. (1.) Ideas are either simple or complex. 127 A simple idea, in a strictly logical sense, is one which cannot be divided or distinguished by the mind into two or more ideas; such as, sweet, hitter, red, rest, motion, thought, wish. A complex idea is made by joining two or more simple ideas together; as, square, (which implies surface, equiangular, equilateral, quadrilateral, rectangular), cube, pen, reading, truth, man, horse, swift horse; everything that can be separated by the mind into two or more ideas, is called complex. Since our minds cannot survey the several parts of any compound being in a single view, we must take it to pieces, as it were, and consider the parts separately, so that we may have a more complete conception of the whole. In forming such complex conceptions of objects or actions, we consider in a general view their essential properties only, without regard to their points of difference. Thus, reverting to the...
