"She had a metaphysical turn, which inclined her to reflect on every object that passed by her; and her mind was not like a mirror, which receives every floating image, but does not retain them: she had not any prejudices, for every opinion was examined before it was adopted."

— Wollstonecraft, Mary (1759-1797)


Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for J. Johnson
Date
1788
Metaphor
"She had a metaphysical turn, which inclined her to reflect on every object that passed by her; and her mind was not like a mirror, which receives every floating image, but does not retain them: she had not any prejudices, for every opinion was examined before it was adopted."
Metaphor in Context
Every day almost they saw their new acquaintance; and civility produced intimacy. Mary sometimes left her friend with them; while she indulged herself in viewing new modes of life, and searching out the causes which produced them. She had a metaphysical turn, which inclined her to reflect on every object that passed by her; and her mind was not like a mirror, which receives every floating image, but does not retain them: she had not any prejudices, for every opinion was examined before it was adopted.
(p. 62)
Provenance
Searching in HDIS
Citation
Only one entry in ESTC (1788).

See Mary Wollstonecraft, Mary, A Fiction (Printed for J. Johnson, 1788). <Link to ECCO>
Date of Entry
03/23/2013

The Mind is a Metaphor is authored by Brad Pasanek, Assistant Professor of English, University of Virginia.