"The word 'sentiment' has, of late years, been much used by some writers, to signify, not a formed opinion, notion, or principle, (which seems to be the true, and the old English sense), but an internal impulse of passion, affection, fancy, or intellect, which is to be considered rather as the cause or occasion of our forming an opinion, than as the real opinion itself."
— Beattie, James (1735-1803)
Author
Work Title
Place of Publication
Edinburgh
Publisher
Printed for A. Kincaid & J. Bell. Sold, at London, by E. & C. Dilly
Date
1770
Metaphor
"The word 'sentiment' has, of late years, been much used by some writers, to signify, not a formed opinion, notion, or principle, (which seems to be the true, and the old English sense), but an internal impulse of passion, affection, fancy, or intellect, which is to be considered rather as the cause or occasion of our forming an opinion, than as the real opinion itself."
Metaphor in Context
The word sentiment has, of late years, been much used by some writers, to signify, not a formed opinion, notion, or principle, (which seems to be the true, and the old English sense), but an internal impulse of passion, affection, fancy, or intellect, which is to be considered rather as the cause or occasion of our forming an opinion, than as the real opinion itself. In this sense it is used here, and perhaps in one or two other places of the Essay. But though we could produce sufficient authorities for this freedom, we are not very fond of the innovation; having observed, that some late authors use this word in a way hardly consistent with precision or perspicuity; and being somewhat apprehensive, that if it is not fixed down to its original signification, the word sentiment, and its upstart derivative sentimental, may in time give rise to as many ambiguities in language, and errors in philosophy, as the word idea.
(II.i.1, p. 167n)
(II.i.1, p. 167n)
Categories
Provenance
Searching in Google Books
Citation
10 entries in ESTC (1770, 1771, 1772, 1773, 1774, 1777, 1778).
Beattie, James. An Essay on the Nature and Immutability of Truth; in Opposition to Sophistry and Scepticism (Edinburgh: A Kincaid & J. Bell, 1770). <Link to ECCO>
Text from corrected and enlarged second edition of 1771. <Link to Google Books>
Beattie, James. An Essay on the Nature and Immutability of Truth; in Opposition to Sophistry and Scepticism (Edinburgh: A Kincaid & J. Bell, 1770). <Link to ECCO>
Text from corrected and enlarged second edition of 1771. <Link to Google Books>
Date of Entry
09/29/2011
