6. Some simple modes have no names.
In general it may be observed, that those simple modes which are
considered but as different degrees of the same simple idea, though they are in themselves many of them very
distinct ideas, yet have ordinarily no distinct names, nor are much taken notice of, as distinct ideas, where the
difference is but very small between them. Whether men have neglected these modes, and given no names to
them, as wanting measures nicely to distinguish them; or because, when they were so distinguished, that
knowledge would not be of general or necessary use, I leave it to the thoughts of others. It is sufficient to my
purpose to show, that all our simple ideas come to our minds only by sensation and reflection; and that when the
mind has them, it can variously repeat and compound them, and so make new complex ideas. But, though white,
red, or sweet, etc. have not been modified, or made into complex ideas, by several combinations, so as to be
named, and thereby ranked into species; yet some others of the simple ideas, viz., those of unity, duration, and
motion, etc., above instanced in, as also power and thinking, have been thus modified to a great variety of
complex ideas, with names belonging to them.
