man would be as well understood, and the idea it stands for be at least as clearly made known, as when it is defined to be a rational animal:  which, by the several definitions of animal, VIVENS, and Corpus, resolves itself into those enumerated ideas.  I have, in explaining the term man, followed here the ordinary definition of the schools; which, though perhaps not the most, exact, yet serves well enough to my present purpose.  And one may, in this instance, see what gave occasion to the rule, that a definition must consist of genus and differentia; and it suffices to show us the little necessity there is of such a rule, or advantage in the strict observing of it.  For, definitions, as has been said, being only the explaining of one word by several others, so that the meaning or idea it stands for may be certainly known; languages are not always so made according to the rules of logic, that every term can have its signification exactly and clearly expressed by two others.  Experience sufficiently satisfies us to the contrary; or else those who have made this rule have done ill, that they have given us so few definitions conformable to it.  But of definitions more in the next chapter.

11.  General and Universal are Creatures of the Understanding, and belong not to the Real Existence of things.

To return to general words:  it is plain, by what has been said, that general and universal belong not to the real existence of things; but are the inventions and creatures of the understanding, made by it for its own use, and concern only signs, whether words or ideas.  Words are general, as has been said, when used for signs of general ideas, and so are applicable indifferently to many particular things; and ideas are general when they are set up as the representatives of many particular things:  but universality belongs not to things themselves, which are all of them particular in their existence, even those words and ideas which in their signification are general.  When therefore we quit particulars, the generals that rest are only creatures of our own making; their general nature being nothing but the capacity they are put into, by the understanding, of signifying or representing many particulars.  For the signification they have is nothing but a relation that, by the mind of man, is added to them.

12.  Abstract Ideas are the Essences of Genera and Species.

The next thing therefore to be considered is, What kind of signification it is that general words have.  For, as it is evident that they do not signify barely one particular thing; for then they would not be general terms, but proper names, so, on the other side, it is as evident they do not signify a plurality; for man and men would then signify the same; and the distinction of numbers (as the grammarians call them) would be superfluous and useless.  That then which general words signify is a sort