2. Few simple ideas have names.
I think it will be needless to enumerate all the particular simple ideas belonging
to each sense. Nor indeed is it possible if we would; there being a great many more of them belonging to most of
the senses than we have names for. The variety of smells, which are as many almost, if not more, than species of
bodies in the world, do most of them want names. Sweet and stinking commonly serve our turn for these ideas,
which in effect is little more than to call them pleasing or displeasing; though the smell of a rose and violet, both
sweet, are certainly very distinct ideas. Nor are the different tastes, that by our palates we receive ideas of, much
better provided with names. Sweet, bitter, sour, harsh, and salt are almost all the epithets we have to denominate
that numberless variety of relishes, which are to be found distinct, not only in almost every sort of creatures, but
in the different parts of the same plant, fruit, or animal. The same may be said of colours and sounds. I shall,
therefore, in the account of simple ideas I am here giving, content myself to set down only such as are most
material to our present purpose, or are in themselves less apt to be taken notice of though they are very frequently
the ingredients of our complex ideas; amongst which, I think, I may well account solidity, which therefore I shall
treat of in the next chapter.
