The great use of the Indian figures above the Roman shews arithmetic to be about signs, not ideas—or at least not ideas different from the characters themselves[178].
M. N.
Reasoning there may be about things or ideas, or about actions; but demonstration can be only verbal. I question, no matter &c.
G.
Quoth Des Cartes, The idea of God is not made by me, for I can neither add to nor subtract from it. No more can he add to or take from any other idea, even of his own making.
S.
The not distinguishing 'twixt Will and ideas is a grand mistake with Hobbs. He takes those things for nothing which are not ideas[179].
M.
Say you, At this rate all's nothing but idea—mere phantasm. I answer, Everything as real as ever. I hope to call a thing idea makes it not the less real. Truly I should perhaps have stuck to the word thing, and not mentioned [pg 051] the word idea, were it not for a reason, and I think a good one too, which I shall give in the Second Book[180].
I. S.