Richardson, J. of Newent (fl. 1755)

Thoughts upon thinking, or, a new theory of the human mind; wherein a physical rationale of the formation of our ideas, ... is attempted upon principles entirely new. By J. Richardson.

London

Printed for the author; and sold by R. and J. Dodsley; A. Millar; and Mess. Henry and Cave

1755

"[...] a Storehouse, as it were, with Bags, Shelves, and Drawers, to lodge Ideas in, and, at the same Time, to compare these Impressions, such as a Seal makes upon Wax, (when Impressions are worn out, how are they to be renewed without a fresh Application of the Seal?) Footsteps, Traces, &c. and the Mind at first to a Tabula rasa!"

Now in all this Procedure there is nothing but pure and simple Mind and Matter, Volition and Perception, Activity and Passivity. How trifling then must it be, in Logical and Metaphyiscal Writers, to make so many needless Distinctions between [GREEK CHARACTERS] Spiritus, [NOUS] Mens, and [PSYCHE] Anima, for which they alledge Scripture-proof, and between [end page 57... poor page image scan] Anima, &c. and ridiculous and absurd to call [...] Memory and Imagination (which is a Faculty of the Mind proceeding from Volition and the concomitant Im[unreadable] a Storehouse, as it were, with Bags, Shelves, and Drawers, to lodge Ideas in, and, at the same Time, to compare these Impressions, such as a Seal makes upon Wax, (when Impressions are worn out, how are they to be renewed without a fresh Application of the Seal?) Footsteps, Traces, &c. and the Mind at first to a Tabula rasa! But thus have these abstruse Gentlemen perplexed and puzzled themselves and their Readers from the Days of ARISTOTLE down to present Times.
(p. 57-8)

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Richardson, J., of Newent. Thoughts upon thinking, or, a new theory of the human mind; wherein a physical rationale of the formation of our ideas, ... is attempted upon principles entirely new. By J. Richardson. London, 1755. Based on information from English Short Title Catalogue. Eighteenth Century Collections Online. Gale Group.
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10/11/2006