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"When a vegetable draws in moisture from the earth, nature, by the same action by which it draws it in, and at the same time, converts it to the nourishment of the plant: it at once circulates through its vessels, and is assimilated to its several parts. In like manner, genius arranges its ideas by the same operation, and almost at the same time, that it collects them. The same force of association which makes us perceive the connexion of all ideas with the subject, leads us soon to perceive also the various degrees of that connexion."

— Gerard, Alexander (1728-1795)

Author

An Essay on Genius

Place of Publication

London and Edinburgh

Publisher

Printed for W. Strahan, T.Cadell, and W. Creech

Date

1774

Metaphor

"When a vegetable draws in moisture from the earth, nature, by the same action by which it draws it in, and at the same time, converts it to the nourishment of the plant: it at once circulates through its vessels, and is assimilated to its several parts. In like manner, genius arranges its ideas by the same operation, and almost at the same time, that it collects them. The same force of association which makes us perceive the connexion of all ideas with the subject, leads us soon to perceive also the various degrees of that connexion."

Metaphor in Context

When a person starts the first hint of a new invention, and begins to meditate a work either in art or science, his notion of the whole is generally but imperfect and confused. When a number of apposite conceptions are collected, various views of their connexions open to him, and perplex his choice. But by degrees the prospect clears. As related ideas are apt to be associated, so, by the very same constitution of our nature, those that are most nearly related will be most strongly and intimately associated together. The operations of genius in forming its designs, are of a more perfect kind than the operations of art or industry in executing them. A statuary conceives all the parts of his work at once, though when he comes to execute it, he can form only one member at a time, and must during this interval leave all the rest a shapeless block. An architect contrives a whole palace in an instant; but when he comes to build it, he must first provide materials, and then rear the different parts of the edifice only in succession. But to collect the materials, and to order and apply them, are not to genius distinct and successive works. This faculty bears a greater resemblance to nature in its operations, than to the less perfect energies of art. When a vegetable draws in moisture from the earth, nature, by the same action by which it draws it in, and at the same time, converts it to the nourishment of the plant: it at once circulates through its vessels, and is assimilated to its several parts. In like manner, genius arranges its ideas by the same operation, and almost at the same time, that it collects them. The same force of association which makes us perceive the connexion of all ideas with the subject, leads us soon to perceive also the various degrees of that connexion. By means of it, these ideas, like a well-disciplined army, fall, of their own accord, into rank and order, and divide themselves into different classes according to their different relations. The most strongly related unite of course in the same member, and all the members are set in that position which association leads us to assign to them, as the most natural. If the principles of association should not at first lead readily to any disposition, or should lead to one which is disapproved on examination, they continue to exert themselves, labour in searching for some other method, project new ones, throw out the unapposite ideas which perplpex the mind and impede its operations, and thus by their continued efforts and unremitted activity, conduct us at length to a regular form, in which reason can find scarce any idea that is misplaced.
(I.iii, pp. 62-4)