Selected quad for the lemma: ground_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	line_n	point_n	superficies_n	2,462	5	15.6907	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A26588	A discourse of wit by David Abercromby ...	Abercromby, David, d. 1701 or 2.	1686 (1686)	Wing A82; ESTC R32691	73,733	250

christian_a i_o can_v prove_v to_o myself_o and_o perhaps_o to_o other_o too_o by_o a_o convince_a demonstration_n yet_o such_o be_v the_o weakness_n or_o rather_o the_o darkness_n of_o humane_a understanding_n that_o the_o clear_a demonstration_n of_o this_o important_a truth_n be_v refute_v by_o some_o one_o or_o other_o who_o obstinacy_n they_o can_v conquer_v and_o vasques_n if_o i_o misremember_v not_o a_o subtle_a romish_a divine_a after_o a_o large_a confutation_n of_o whatever_o have_v be_v say_v before_o his_o time_n in_o order_n to_o prove_v the_o existency_n of_o a_o sovereign_n be_v admit_v at_o length_n but_o a_o mere_a moral_a demonstration_n of_o this_o fundamental_a point_n though_o so_o evident_a indeed_o that_o it_o cut_v away_o all_o pretence_n and_o excuse_n to_o infidelity_n as_o to_o the_o other_o mystery_n for_o instance_n the_o trinity_n and_o god_n contingent_a degree_n which_o our_o reason_n reach_v not_o it_o be_v a_o piece_n of_o madness_n and_o folly_n for_o we_o to_o endeavour_v their_o discovery_n by_o the_o light_n of_o reason_n yet_o they_o may_v be_v inculcate_v to_o the_o people_n though_o infinite_o above_o their_o comprehensive_a faculty_n as_o be_v article_n of_o mere_a belief_n and_o not_o at_o all_o within_o the_o reach_n of_o humane_a understanding_n i_o can_v not_o but_o smile_v to_o hear_v a_o certain_a minister_n once_o preach_v on_o this_o subject_a because_o he_o very_o confident_o assure_v his_o auditory_a that_o he_o will_v prove_v the_o existence_n of_o the_o trinity_n with_o no_o less_o evidence_n than_o the_o subtle_a philosopher_n can_v demonstrate_v the_o be_v o●_n god_n in_o nature_n and_o his_o unity_n how_o far_o he_o perform_v this_o it_o be_v neither_o worth_n your_o while_n to_o hear_v nor_o i_o to_o relate_v i_o shall_v only_o say_v that_o he_o show_v himself_o all_o along_o a_o very_a ill_a philosopher_n and_o a_o worse_a divine_a 3._o but_o what_o wonder_n if_o man_n be_v so_o short_a sight_v in_o thing_n so_o far_o above_o the_o reach_n of_o their_o capacity_n since_o they_o know_v not_o the_o nature_n and_o natural_a property_n of_o the_o most_o familiar_a and_o obvious_a object_n i_o do_v in_o vain_a make_v my_o application_n either_o to_o the_o old_a or_o new_a philosophy_n for_o the_o intelligence_n of_o the_o most_o common_a thing_n i_o be_o for_o instance_n as_o little_o satisfy_v when_o i_o be_o tell_v that_o whatever_o i_o see_v under_o so_o many_o different_a figure_n shape_n and_o size_n be_v only_o occasion_v by_o a_o various_a texture_n and_o coalition_n of_o corpuscle_n i_o be_o i_o say_v as_o little_o satisfy_v with_o this_o as_o with_o aristotle_n matter_n and_o form_n unite_v together_o i_o know_v not_o how_o for_o to_o say_v a_o thing_n belong_v to_o this_o or_o that_o species_n or_o kind_n because_o it_o have_v a_o certain_a texture_n that_o we_o can_v give_v no_o further_o account_v of_o be_v a_o notion_n almost_o as_o obscure_v unto_o my_o dim_a understanding_n as_o if_o you_o have_v instance_a for_o answer_n a_o matter_n inform_v by_o a_o certain_a specifical_a form_n on_o each_o side_n you_o see_v by_o the_o very_a word_n certain_a we_o insinuate_v enough_o our_o doubtfulness_n and_o uncertainty_n of_o the_o thing_n what_o more_o know_v than_o the_o history_n of_o the_o ebb_a and_o flow_v of_o the_o sea_n the_o dull_a mariner_n can_v give_v you_o a_o satisfactory_a relation_n thereof_o but_o you_o may_v expect_v in_o vain_a a_o rational_a account_n of_o the_o same_o from_o the_o able_a philosopher_n to_o attribute_v with_o the_o great_a number_n of_o philosopher_n this_o wonderful_a phaenomenon_n to_o the_o star_n or_o more_o particular_o to_o the_o moon_n be_v but_o a_o ingenuous_a confession_n of_o their_o ignorance_n and_o despair_v of_o a_o better_a answer_n for_o it_o be_v certain_a that_o when_o the_o moon_n be_v in_o the_o upper_a quadrant_n of_o our_o meridian_n the_o water_n be_v not_o only_o swell_v here_o but_o likewise_o in_o the_o opposite_a part_n of_o the_o earth_n towards_o our_o antipode_n i_o can_v conceive_v how_o the_o moon_n pierce_v through_o such_o a_o thick_a and_o massy_a body_n as_o the_o earth_n so_o as_o to_o heighten_v the_o water_n beneath_o i_o be_o sure_a she_o act_v not_o at_o such_o a_o distance_n either_o by_o heat_n or_o by_o light_n for_o her_o heat_n be_v not_o strong_a and_o her_o light_n be_v but_o very_o weak_a and_o neither_o of_o they_o can_v penetrate_v above_o ten_o foot_n within_o the_o superficies_n of_o the_o earth_n her_o occult_a and_o secret_a influence_n i_o neither_o understand_v nor_o look_v upon_o as_o a_o answer_n capable_a to_o satisfy_v a_o curious_a enquirer_n the_o movement_n of_o the_o earth_n by_o which_o some_o endeavour_n to_o give_v a_o account_n of_o this_o regular_a movement_n we_o observe_v in_o the_o sea_n beside_o the_o uncertainty_n of_o this_o principle_n contribute_v but_o little_a or_o nothing_o towards_o the_o solution_n of_o this_o insuperable_a difficulty_n and_o maurus_n his_o angel_n move_v thus_o orderly_a this_o great_a and_o vast_a body_n be_v but_o a_o guess_n and_o at_o most_o but_o a_o ill_a ground_a opinion_n 4._o if_o we_o come_v now_o ashore_o and_o travel_v over_o the_o habitable_a tract_n of_o the_o continent_n what_o a_o infinite_a number_n of_o obvious_a but_o most_o hide_a mystery_n shall_v we_o discover_v every_o where_n i_o shall_v offer_v but_o two_o at_o present_a to_o your_o consideration_n the_o loadstone_n and_o quicksilver_n or_o mercury_n the_o former_a be_v a_o unpolished_a piece_n of_o work_n and_o look_n like_o a_o excrementitious_a part_n of_o nature_n but_o who_o can_v give_v we_o a_o tolerable_a account_n of_o its_o attractive_a faculty_n why_o it_o draw_v and_o hold_v close_o iron_n rather_o than_o any_o other_o metal_n why_o it_o thrust_v from_o it_o the_o needle_n with_o one_o pole_n and_o attract_v it_o again_o with_o the_o other_o and_o why_o it_o decline_v more_o or_o less_o or_o no_o at_o all_o in_o several_a part_n of_o the_o world_n etc._n etc._n philosopher_n be_v commendable_a for_o do_v their_o utmost_a endeavour_n and_o squeeze_v their_o brain_n to_o answer_v such_o difficulty_n but_o i_o fear_v after_o al●_n their_o sweat_v and_o laborious_a speculation_n they_o shall_v never_o satisfy_v either_o themselves_o on_o this_o subject_n or_o other_o mercury_n be_v clear_a indeed_o to_o the_o ey●_n than_o the_o loadstone_n but_o as_o obscure_v if_o not_o more_o to_o our_o darken_a understanding_n it_o be_v the_o very_a riddle_n of_o nature_n aenigma_fw-la naturae_fw-la it_o be_v a_o monster_n compound_v of_o mere_a contrariety_n as_o be_v round_o and_o sharp_a cold_a and_o in_o the_o opinion_n of_o some_o hot_a too_o light_a and_o heavy_a moist_a and_o dry_a corruptible_a and_o incorruptible_a always_o the_o same_o and_o yet_o most_o changeable_a invisible_a and_o by_o a_o easy_a recovery_n of_o itself_o visible_a again_o i_o ever_o admire_v above_o all_o this_o its_o compactness_n and_o close_a texture_n for_o it_o admit_v not_o the_o subtle_a air_n and_o give_v no_o access_n to_o the_o point_n of_o fire_n it_o fly_v from_o before_o it_o 5._o but_o i_o need_v not_o have_v recourse_n to_o the_o confess_a prodigy_n of_o nature_n to_o show_v how_o far_o we_o be_v from_o understand_v any_o thing_n to_o the_o bottom_n the_o very_a science_n themselves_o be_v not_o such_o to_o we_o if_o narrow_o look_v into_o i_o have_v reason_n to_o examine_v the_o truth_n of_o euclides_n demonstration_n since_o i_o see_v the_o impossibility_n of_o a_o common_a segment_n as_o they_o speak_v demonstrate_v to_o my_o weak_a judgement_n by_o proclus_n and_o again_o contradict_v with_o no_o less_o evidence_n by_o other_o able_a mathematician_n to_o say_v nothing_o of_o the_o duplication_n of_o the_o cub_n the_o square_n of_o the_o circle_n and_o other_o gordian_a lenot_n of_o this_o nature_n i_o doubt_v always_o of_o the_o very_a foundation_n of_o geometry_n i_o mean_v of_o the_o true_a notion_n of_o a_o point_n for_o when_o i_o hear_v this_o strange_a description_n punctum_fw-la est_fw-la cujus_fw-la pars_fw-la nullae_fw-la est_fw-la i_o begin_v to_o wonder_v what_o that_o can_v be_v that_o though_o not_o a_o spirit_n have_v no_o imaginable_a part_n and_o then_o conclude_v there_o be_v no_o such_o thing_n in_o be_v i_o take_v the_o true_a object_n of_o geometry_n as_o a_o line_n that_o be_v make_v of_o point_n and_o a_o superficies_n compound_v of_o line_n to_o have_v no_o other_o foundation_n in_o essence_n or_o existency_n but_o my_o own_o conceit_n and_o fancy_n i_o be_o moreover_o so_o little_o satisfy_v with_o the_o groundless_a ground_n and_o principle_n of_o judiciary_n astrology_n that_o i_o fancy_v it_o the_o most_o vain_a and_o most_o uncertain_a of_o all_o science_n and_o those_o that_o admire_v it_o to_o be_v none_o of_o the_o judicious_a sort_n i_o confess_v the_o heaven_n be_v