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"The learned and ingenious Brown, in his Procedure of the Understanding, observes that 'common sense and Reason, to them who will use them in a plain Way, make it evident that we have no immediate or direct Idea or Perception of Sprit, or any of its Operations, as we have of Body and its Qualities.--That the Mind (or Soul) is at first a mere Tabula Rasa, and that the Maxim of the Logicians is to be taken for a sure and fundamental Truth, Nihil est in Intellectu quod non fuit prius in Sensu.'"

— Jackson, W., of Lichfield Close (fl. 1769)

Author

Jackson, W., of Lichfield Close (fl. 1769)

Work Title

The beauties of nature, displayed in a sentimental ramble through her luxuriant fields; with a retrospective view of her, ... To which is added, a choice collection of thoughts: concluded with poems on various occasions. By W. Jackson

Place of Publication

Brimingham

Publisher

Printed by J. Baskerville, for the author, by whom it is sold, and M. Morgan, in Lichfield

Date

1769

Metaphor

"The learned and ingenious Brown, in his Procedure of the Understanding, observes that 'common sense and Reason, to them who will use them in a plain Way, make it evident that we have no immediate or direct Idea or Perception of Sprit, or any of its Operations, as we have of Body and its Qualities.--That the Mind (or Soul) is at first a mere Tabula Rasa, and that the Maxim of the Logicians is to be taken for a sure and fundamental Truth, Nihil est in Intellectu quod non fuit prius in Sensu.'"

Metaphor in Context

[...] How a Soul can be pre-existent to , and yet grow and extend with the Body, I understand not; and though the Doctor makes her so fond of riding in the Air, yet he is silent as to the Shape of her Vehicles. The learned and ingenious Brown, in his Procedure of the Understanding, observes that "common sense and Reason, to them who will use them in a plain Way, make it evident that [end page 159] we have no immediate or direct Idea or Perception of Sprit, or any of its Operations, as we have of Body and its Qualities.--That the Mind (or Soul) is at first a mere Tabula Rasa, and that the Maxim of the Logicians is to be taken for a sure and fundamental Truth, Nihil est in Intellectu quod non fuit prius in Sensu."--Locke is to the same Purpose. The noble and learned Lord Verulam believed the Soul to be the immediate Work of God, "non fuerit extracta aut deducta ex massa coeli & terrae sed immidiate inspirata a Deo."--but he founded his Opinion merely on Faith and this Text of Scripture, "formavit hominem de limo terrae, & spiravit in faciem ejus Spiraculum vitae," which related only to the first Man, and not to any of his Progeny.
(pp. 159-60)