text,updated_at,metaphor,created_at,context,theme,reviewed_on,dictionary,comments,provenance,id,work_id
"[...] Is it possible to imagine, that any course of education could ever bring a rational creature to believe, that two and two are equal to three, and that he is not the same person to-day he was yesterday, that the ground he stands on does not exist? could make him disbelieve the testimony of his own senses, or that of other men? could make him expect unlike events in like circumstances? or that the course of nature, of which he has hitherto had experience, will be changed even when he foresees no cause to hinder its continuance? I can no more believe, that education could produce such a depravity of judgment, than that education could make me see all human bodies in an inverted position, or hear with my nostrils, or take pleasure in burning or cutting my flesh. Why should not our judgments concerning truth be acknowledged to result from a bias impressed upon the mind by its Creator, as well as our desire of self-preservation, our love of society, our resentment of injury, our joy in the possession of good? If those judgments be not instinctive, I should be glad to know how they come to be universal: the modes of sentiment and behaviour produced by education are uniform, only where education is uniform; but there are many truths which have obtained universal acknowledgement in all ages and nations. If those judgments be not instinctive, I should be glad to know how men find it so difficult, or rather impossible, to lay them aside: the false opinions we imbibe from habit and education, may be, and often are, relinquished by those who make a proper use of their reason; and the man who thus renounces former prejudices, upon conviction of their falsity, is applauded by all as a man of candour, sense, and spirit; but if one were to suffer himself to be argued out of his common sense, the whole world would pronounce him a fool.
(II.ii.1, pp. 258-60)",2011-09-29 18:12:25 UTC,"""Why should not our judgments concerning truth be acknowledged to result from a bias impressed upon the mind by its Creator, as well as our desire of self-preservation, our love of society, our resentment of injury, our joy in the possession of good?""",2011-09-29 18:12:25 UTC,"Part II, Chap. ii, Sect 1","",,Impressions,"",Searching in Google Books,19246,5345
"Some degree of attention is necessary for our perceiving objects at all; sounds often strike the ear without being heard, things are often full in our view without being seen; the whole attention of the soul is otherwise engaged. By bestowing attention, the mind as it were embraces the objects exhibited to it, and lays itself open to a strong impression from them, which makes them both affect it much while they are present, and keep firm possession of the memory afterwards. The length of time for which attention is bestowed, as well as the closeness of the attention, renders our perception of an object the stronger; and it renders the remembrance of it proportionably the more lasting. In like manner, by returning often to the contemplation of an object, we learn to conceive it vigorously, and the remembrance of it becomes clear and permanent: a perception which has seldom affected the senses, is quickly obliterated from the memory; light and colours are totally forgotten by those who have early lost their sight: but such perceptions as are repeated every day, never quit their hold of the memory; by the attention bestowed upon them as often as they recur, they are preserved in their original strength, without finding time even to begin to decay.
(II.ix, pp. 245-6)",2013-06-27 18:31:18 UTC,"""By bestowing attention, the mind as it were embraces the objects exhibited to it, and lays itself open to a strong impression from them, which makes them both affect it much while they are present, and keep firm possession of the memory afterwards.""",2013-06-27 18:31:18 UTC,"","",,Impressions,"",Reading in C-H Lion,21199,7486
"It is observed, that every thing is well remembered, which is impressed on the mind when free and disengaged. This is one of the circumstances which render the morning favourable to study. On this account we retain through life, what we learn in childhood and early youth. When the mind is already occupied by one object, an effort is necessary to draw it off from that object; this effort weakens the application with which we attend to the succeeding object: the former object still attracts some part of our attention, and thus farther weakens our conception of the other. But a disengaged mind bestows its whole attention on the object that is presented to it, and conceives it with great vivacity. Thus also, a thing is well remembered, when the mind is, for some time after having perceived it, occupied by no new object: in this case there is room for continued, as well as close, attention, which strengthens the impression on the senses, and, in consequence of that, upon the memory. Pre-expectation likewise renders the remembrance of an object durable: it rouses the attention, it puts the mind in a proper disposition for bestowing attention, it invigorates our conception of the object. It is from experience of these effects of pre-expectation, that persons who wish us to be much affected with what they communicate, raise our curiosity, delay satisfying it, and render us as impatient as they can.
(II.ix, pp. 246-8)",2013-06-27 18:32:03 UTC,"""It is observed, that every thing is well remembered, which is impressed on the mind when free and disengaged.""",2013-06-27 18:32:03 UTC,"","",,"","",Reading in C-H Lion,21200,7486
"Let us suppose two persons, the one possessed of a comprehensive and penetrating judgment, without any refinement or delicacy of taste; the other endued with the most exquisite sensibility of taste, without any extraordinary proportion of the reasoning talent, both set to work in examining the merit of some masterly production of art, that admired piece of history-painting, for instance, of the Crucifixion, by Michael Angelo, and observe their different procedure, and the very different remarks they will make. The former measures with his eye the exact proportion of every figure in the piece; he considers how far the rules of art are observed in the design and ordonance; whether the group of subordinate figures naturally lead the eye to the capital one, and fix the attention principally upon it and whether the artist has given a proper variety of expression to the countenances of the several spectators. Upon discovering that the painter had exactly conformed to the rules of his art in all these particulars, he would not only applaud his judgment, but would also give testimony to his mastery and skill; without, however, having any true feeling of those uncommon beauties which constitute real merit in the art of painting. Such would be the procedure and remarks of the man of mere judgment. Consider now, on the other hand, in what a different manner the man of taste will proceed, and in what manner he will be affected. Instead of attending, in the first place, to the just proportions of the various figures exhibited in the draught, however necessary to be observed; instead of remarking, with approbation, the judgment and ingenuity displayed by the artist in the uniformity of design, and in the regularity and justness that appear in the disposition of the several figures of the piece; he fixes his eye upon the principal one, in which he observes the various contorsions of the countenance, the natural expressions of agonising pain, mixed however with an air of divine benignity and compassion. Then he passes on to the contemplation of the inferior and subordinate figures, in which he perceives a variety of opposite passions, of rage and terror, of admiration and pity, strongly marked in their different countenances; and feels the corresponding emotions in their utmost strength which those several passions are calculated to inspire. In a word, the man of judgment approves of and admires what is merely mechanical in the piece; the man of taste is struck with what could only be effected by the power of Genius. Wherever nature is justly represented, wherever the features of any one passion are forcibly expressed, to those features his attention is attracted, and he dwells on the contemplation of them with intense and exquisite pleasure. The sensations of the former are cool, weak, and unaffecting throughout; those of the latter are warm, vivid, and deeply interesting; or, to speak more properly, the one reasons, the other feels. But as no reasoning can enable a man to form an idea of what is really an object of sensation, the most penetrating judgment can never supply the want of an exquisite sensibility of taste. In order therefore to relish and to judge of the production of Genius and to Art, there must be an internal perceptive power, exquisitely sensible to all the impressions which such productions are capable of making on a susceptible mind.
(pp. 13-16)",2013-07-01 16:49:41 UTC,"""In order therefore to relish and to judge of the production of Genius and to Art, there must be an internal perceptive power, exquisitely sensible to all the impressions which such productions are capable of making on a susceptible mind.""",2013-07-01 16:49:41 UTC,"","",,Impressions,"",C-H Lion,21357,7498
"The same VIVACITY and ARDOR of Imagination which indicates the Poet, characterises likewise and distinguishes the Painter; the signs only being different by which it is expressed. The former endeavours to impart his sentiments and ideas to us by verbal description; the latter sets before our eyes a striking resemblance of the objects of which he intends to convey an idea, by the ingenious contrivance of various colours delicately blended, and by the proper union of light and shade. In order to effect his purpose, he must have his imagination possessed with very vivid conceptions of the objects he would thus exhibit; otherwise it is impossible he should delineate the transcript of them upon canvas. The Imagination must guide the hand in the design and execution of the whole. A Painter therefore of true Genius, having his fancy strongly impressed and wholly occupied by the most lively conceptions of the objects of which he intends to express the resemblance, has immediate recourse to his pencil, and attempts, by the dexterous use of colours, to sketch out those perfect and living figures which exist in his own mind. He will be frequently observed to employ his talents in this manner; and the eminence and extent of his Genius is indicated by the degree of his success.
(pp. 39-41)",2013-07-01 16:53:09 UTC,"""A Painter therefore of true Genius, having his fancy strongly impressed and wholly occupied by the most lively conceptions of the objects of which he intends to express the resemblance, has immediate recourse to his pencil, and attempts, by the dexterous use of colours, to sketch out those perfect and living figures which exist in his own mind.""",2013-07-01 16:53:09 UTC,"","",,Impressions,"",C-H Lion,21361,7498
"Philosophers have distinguished two general sources of our ideas, from which we draw all our knowledge, SENSATION and REFLECTION. Very different ideas however are excited in the minds of some, from those excited in the minds of others, even by the first of these, which may be said to be the original fountain of our knowledge, though the ideas produced by it are conveyed by organs common to human nature; and still more different ideas are excited in the minds of different persons by the other faculty, that of REFLECTION. Some persons indeed have few ideas except such as are derived from sensation; they seldom ruminate upon, revolve, and compare the impressions made upon their minds, unless at the time they are made, or while they are recent in their remembrance: hence they become incapable of tracing those relations and analogies which exist in nature, but which can only be traced by men of a comprehensive Imagination and penetrating Judgment. Others, endued with these qualities, are rendered thereby capable of associating and disjoining, of comparing and transforming their ideas in such a manner, as to perceive almost all their possible relations; by which means they are qualified to discover the latent truths of science, and to produce the noblest monuments of human ingenuity in the several arts. In other words, they by these means become original Geniuses in that particular art or science, to which they have received the most remarkable bias from the hand of Nature.
(pp. 87-9)",2013-07-01 17:00:31 UTC,"""Some persons indeed have few ideas except such as are derived from sensation; they seldom ruminate upon, revolve, and compare the impressions made upon their minds, unless at the time they are made, or while they are recent in their remembrance: hence they become incapable of tracing those relations and analogies which exist in nature, but which can only be traced by men of a comprehensive Imagination and penetrating Judgment.""",2013-07-01 17:00:31 UTC,"","",,Impressions,"",C-H Lion,21370,7498
"A person who is destitute of Genius, discovers nothing new or discriminating in the objects which he surveys. He takes only a general and superficial view of them, and is incapable of discerning those minute properties, or of relishing those particular and distinguishing beauties, which a lively Imagination, united with an exquisite Taste, can alone enable a man to conceive and admire. The descriptions of such a person (if he attempts to describe) must necessarily be unanimated, undistinguishing, and uninteresting; for as his imagination hath presented to him no distinct or vivid idea of the scenes or objects he has contemplated, it is impossible he should be able to give a particular and picturesque representation of it to others. A Poet, on the other hand, who is possessed of original Genius, feels in the strongest manner every impression made upon the mind, by the influence of external objects on the senses, or by reflection on those ideas which are treasured up in the repository of the memory, and is consequently qualified to express the vivacity and strength of his own feelings. If we suppose a person endued with this quality to describe real objects and scenes, such as are either immediately present to his senses, or recent in his remembrance; he will paint them in such vivid colours, and with so many picturesque circumstances, as to convey the same lively and fervid ideas to the mind of the Reader, which possessed and filled the imagination of the Author. If we suppose him to describe unreal objects or scenes, such as exist not in nature, but may be supposed to exist, he will present to us a succession of these equally various and wonderful, the mere creation of his own fancy; and by the strength of his representation, will give to an illusion all the force and efficacy of a reality. As all his descriptions will be vivid, so all his scenery will be rich and luxuriant in the highest degree, so as to evidence the extent, the copiousness, and the fertility of his imagination.
(pp. 158-60)",2013-07-01 18:17:56 UTC,"""A Poet, on the other hand, who is possessed of original Genius, feels in the strongest manner every impression made upon the mind, by the influence of external objects on the senses, or by reflection on those ideas which are treasured up in the repository of the memory, and is consequently qualified to express the vivacity and strength of his own feelings.""",2013-07-01 18:17:56 UTC,"","",,Architecture,"",C-H Lion,21380,7498
"We may venture then to lay it down as a position highly probable, that the first essays of original Genius will be in ALLEGORIES, VISIONS, or the creation of ideal beings, of one kind or another. There is no kind of Invention, in which there is fuller scope afforded to the exercise of Imagination, than in that of ALLEGORY; which has this advantage over most other fables, that in it the Author is by no means restricted to such an exact probability, as is required in those fables that instruct us by a representation of actions, which, though not real, must always however be such as might have happened. Let it be observed, that we are here speaking of ALLEGORY in its utmost latitude. We are not ignorant that there is a species of it, which, like the Epic fable, attempts to instruct by the invention of a series of incidents strictly probable. Such are the beautiful and striking ALLEGORIES contained in different parts of the Sacred Writings. But there is another kind of ALLEGORICAL fable, in which there is very little regard shewn to probability. Its object also is instruction; though it does not endeavour to instruct by real or probable actions; but wrapt in a veil of exaggerated, yet delicate and apposite fiction, is studious at once to delight the imagination, and to impress some important maxim upon the mind. Of this kind is the Fairy Queen of Spenser . As in this species of ALLEGORY, we neither expect what is true, nor what is like the truth; so we read such fabulous compositions, partly for the sake of the morals they contain, but principally for the sake of gratifying that curiosity so deeply implanted in the human mind, of becoming acquainted with new and marvellous events. We are in this case in a great measure upon our guard against the delusions of fancy; are highly pleased with the narrative, though we do not allow it to impose upon us so far as to obtain our credit. Yet such is the power of ingenious fiction over our minds, that we are not only captivated and interested by a relation of surprising incidents, though very improbable, but, during the time of the relation at least, we forget that they are fictitious, and almost fancy them to be real. This deceit, however, lasts no longer than the perusal, in which we are too much agitated to reflect on the probability or improbability of the events related; but when that is over, the inchantment vanishes in the cool moment of deliberation; and, being left at leisure to think and reason, we never admit as true what is not strictly probable.
(pp. 172-5)",2013-07-01 18:22:58 UTC,"""But there is another kind of ALLEGORICAL fable, in which there is very little regard shewn to probability. Its object also is instruction; though it does not endeavour to instruct by real or probable actions; but wrapt in a veil of exaggerated, yet delicate and apposite fiction, is studious at once to delight the imagination, and to impress some important maxim upon the mind.""",2013-07-01 18:22:58 UTC,"","",,Impressions,"",C-H Lion,21384,7498
"It would far exceed the bounds prescribed to this Essay, to point out all the particular tracks which an original Genius will strike out in the extensive sphere of Imagination, as those paths are so various and devious. In the mean time we may observe, that as the hand of Nature hath stamped different minds with a different kind and degree of Originality, giving each a particular bent to one certain object or pursuit; original Authors will pursue the track marked out by Nature, by faithfully following which they can alone hope for immortality to their writings and reputation. Thus while one Writer, obeying the impulse of his Genius, displays the exuberance of his Fancy in the beautiful and surprising fictions of Allegory; another discovers the fertility and extent of his Imagination, as well as the justness of his Judgment, in the conduct of the Epic or Dramatic Fable, in which he raise our admiration, our terror, or our pity, as occasion may require.
(pp. 177-8)",2013-07-01 18:24:02 UTC,"""In the mean time we may observe, that as the hand of Nature hath stamped different minds with a different kind and degree of Originality, giving each a particular bent to one certain object or pursuit; original Authors will pursue the track marked out by Nature, by faithfully following which they can alone hope for immortality to their writings and reputation.""",2013-07-01 18:24:02 UTC,"","",,Impressions,"",C-H Lion,21385,7498
"Next Arcas, Cleon, valiant Chromius, dy'd;
With Dares, to the Spartan chiefs ally'd.
And Phoemius, whom the Gods in early youth
Had form'd for virtue and the love of truth;
His gen'rous soul to noble deeds they turn'd,
And love to mankind in his bosom burn'd:
Cold thro' his throat the hissing weapon glides,
And on his neck the waving locks divides.
His fate the Graces mourn'd. The Gods above,
Who sit around the starry throne of Jove,
On high Olympus bending from the skies,
His fate beheld with sorrow-streaming eyes.
Pallas alone, unalter'd and serene,
With secret triumph saw the mournful scene:
Not hard of heart; for none of all the pow'rs,
In earth or ocean, or th' Olympian tow'rs,
Holds equal sympathy with human grief,
Or with a freer hand bestows relief;
But conscious that a mind by virtue steel'd,
To no impression of distress will yield;
That, still unconquer'd, in its awful hour
O'er death it triumphs with immortal pow'r.",2014-02-23 21:36:43 UTC,""But conscious that a mind by virtue steel'd, / To no impression of distress will yield.""",2014-02-23 21:33:26 UTC,"","",,Impressions,"•I've included twice: Impression and Steel.
•INTEREST. USE IN ENTRY? -- REVISED INTO METAPHOR. NOTE variant: in ECCO (1757): ""But conscious that by fate's eternal will, / To virtue, all is good and nothing ill; / Which mocks distress, and in its awful hour / O'er death itself exerts immortal pow'r"" (Book II, p. 43).
•I copied and deleted metaphor 14281 associated with 1757 title and created a new title and metaphor here. ","Searching ""mind"" and ""impression"" in HDIS (Poetry); I find variant lines in 1757 edition",23406,7800