"The Mind, a Blank, when Life begins to flow, / But without Knowledge capable to know, / The God of Nature to our Care commits; / As to the Press we send th' unsully'd Sheets."
— Bancks, John (1709-1751)
Author
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
James Hodges
Date
1738, 1739
Metaphor
"The Mind, a Blank, when Life begins to flow, / But without Knowledge capable to know, / The God of Nature to our Care commits; / As to the Press we send th' unsully'd Sheets."
Metaphor in Context
The Mind, a Blank, when Life begins to flow,
But without Knowledge capable to know,
The God of Nature to our Care commits;
As to the Press we send th' unsully'd Sheets.
And as with Milton's Numbers, or with mine,
Those Sheets come forth, as Corbet may enjoin;
So Education on the Mind imprints
Sublime Ideas, or low trivial Hints:
These, mix'd or sep'rate, form'd into a Plan,
The Boy proceeds, and thinks himself to Man.
(ll. 1-10, p. 305)
But without Knowledge capable to know,
The God of Nature to our Care commits;
As to the Press we send th' unsully'd Sheets.
And as with Milton's Numbers, or with mine,
Those Sheets come forth, as Corbet may enjoin;
So Education on the Mind imprints
Sublime Ideas, or low trivial Hints:
These, mix'd or sep'rate, form'd into a Plan,
The Boy proceeds, and thinks himself to Man.
(ll. 1-10, p. 305)
Categories
Provenance
Reading in Google Books
Citation
At least 2 entries in ECCO and ESTC (1738, 1739, 1748, 1752).
See Miscellaneous Works, in Verse and Prose, of John Bancks. Adorned With Sculptures and Illustrated With Notes. (London: printed by T. Aris, in Red-Lyon-Court, Fleet-Street, for the author; and sold by C. Corbett, at Addison’s-Head, over-against St. Dunstan’s Church, in Fleet-Street; J. Brindley, in New-Bond-Street; Mess. Gilliver and Clarke, in Westminster-Hall; J. James, under the Royal Exchange; Mess. Ward and Chandler, without Temple-Bar; and at their Shops in Coney-Street, York, and at Scarborough Spaw, 1738). <Link to ESTC>
See also Miscellaneous Works in Verse and Prose of Mr. John Bancks, 2nd ed., vol. I (London: James Hodges, 1739). <Link to Google Books>
See Miscellaneous Works, in Verse and Prose, of John Bancks. Adorned With Sculptures and Illustrated With Notes. (London: printed by T. Aris, in Red-Lyon-Court, Fleet-Street, for the author; and sold by C. Corbett, at Addison’s-Head, over-against St. Dunstan’s Church, in Fleet-Street; J. Brindley, in New-Bond-Street; Mess. Gilliver and Clarke, in Westminster-Hall; J. James, under the Royal Exchange; Mess. Ward and Chandler, without Temple-Bar; and at their Shops in Coney-Street, York, and at Scarborough Spaw, 1738). <Link to ESTC>
See also Miscellaneous Works in Verse and Prose of Mr. John Bancks, 2nd ed., vol. I (London: James Hodges, 1739). <Link to Google Books>
Theme
Blank Slate
Date of Entry
04/10/2012
