1. From the connexion or contexture of names arise divers kinds of speech, whereof some signify the desires and affections of men; such are, first, _interrogations_, which denote the desire of knowing: as, _Who is a good man?_ In which speech there is one name expressed, and another desired and expected from him of whom we ask the same. Then _prayers_, which signify the desire of having something; _promises_, _threats_, _wishes_, _commands_, _complaints_, and other significations of other affections. Speech may also be absurd and insignificant; as when there is a succession of words, to which there can be no succession of thoughts in mind to answer them; and this happens often to such, as, understanding nothing in some subtle matter, do, nevertheless, to make others believe they understand, speak of the same incoherently; for the connection of incoherent words, though it want the end of speech (which is signification) yet it is speech; and is used by writers of _metaphysics_ almost as frequently as speech significative. In philosophy, there is but one kind of speech useful, which some call in Latin _dictum_, others _enuntiatum et pronunciatum_; but most men call it _proposition_, and is the speech of those that affirm or deny, and expresseth truth or falsity. [Sidenote: Proposition defined.] 2. _A_ PROPOSITION _is a speech consisting of two names copulated, by which he that speaketh signifies he conceives the latter name to be the name of the same thing whereof the former is the name; or_ (which is all one) _that the former name is comprehended by the latter_. For example, this speech, _man is a living creature_, in which two names are copulated by the verb _is_, is a _proposition_, for this reason, that he that speaks it conceives both _living creature_ and _man_ to be names of the same thing, or that the former name, _man_, is comprehended by the latter name, _living creature_. Now the former name is commonly called the _subject_, or _antecedent_, or the _contained name_, and the latter _predicate_, _consequent_, or _containing name_. The sign of connection amongst most nations is either some word, as the word _is_ in the proposition _man is a living creature_, or some case or termination of a word, as in this proposition, _man walketh_ (which is equivalent to this, _man is walking_); the termination by which it is said he _walketh_, rather than he _is walking_, signifieth that those two are understood to be copulated, or to be names of the same thing. But there are, or certainly may be, some nations that have no word which answers to our verb _is_, who nevertheless form propositions by the position only of one name after another, as if instead of _man is a living creature_, it should be said _man a living creature_; for the very order of the names may sufficiently show their connection; and they are as apt and useful in philosophy, as if they were copulated by the verb _is_.