12. The contrary shown in complex ideas, by instances of a statue and rainbow.
The case is quite otherwise in
complex ideas; which, consisting of several simple ones, it is in the power of words, standing for the several ideas
that make that composition, to imprint complex ideas in the mind which were never there before, and so make
their names be understood. In such collections of ideas, passing under one name, definition, or the teaching the
signification of one word by several others, has place, and may make us understand the names of things which
never came within the reach of our senses; and frame ideas suitable to those in other men's minds, when they use
those names: provided that none of the terms of the definition stand for any such simple ideas, which he to whom
the explication is made has never yet had in his thought. Thus the word statue may be explained to a blind man by
other words, when picture cannot; his senses having given him the idea of figure, but not of colours, which
therefore words cannot excite in him. This gained the prize to the painter against the statuary: each of which
contending for the excellency of his art, and the statuary bragging that his was to be preferred, because it reached
further, and even those who had lost their eyes could yet perceive the excellency of it. The painter agreed to refer
himself to the judgment of a blind man; who being brought where there was a statue made by the one, and a
picture drawn by the other; he was first led to the statue, in which he traced with his hands all the lineaments of
the face and body, and with great admiration applauded the skill of the workman. But being led to the picture, and
having his hands laid upon it, was told, that now he touched the head, and then the forehead, eyes, nose, etc., as
his hand moved over the parts of the picture on the cloth, without finding any the least distinction: whereupon he
cried out, that certainly that must needs be a very admirable and divine piece of workmanship, which could
represent to them all those parts, where he could neither feel nor perceive anything.