"The vigour of imagination carries it forward to invention; but understanding must always conduct it and regulate its motions. A horse of high mettle ranging at liberty, will run with great swiftness and spirit, but in an irregular track and without any fixt direction: a skilful rider makes him move straight in the road, with equal spirit and swiftness. In like manner, a fine imagination left to itself, will break out into bold sallies and wild extravagance, and overleap the bounds of truth or probability: but when it is put under the management of sound judgment, it leads to solid and useful invention, without having its natural sprightliness in the least impaired."
— Gerard, Alexander (1728-1795)
Work Title
Place of Publication
London and Edinburgh
Publisher
Printed for W. Strahan, T.Cadell, and W. Creech
Date
1774
Metaphor
"The vigour of imagination carries it forward to invention; but understanding must always conduct it and regulate its motions. A horse of high mettle ranging at liberty, will run with great swiftness and spirit, but in an irregular track and without any fixt direction: a skilful rider makes him move straight in the road, with equal spirit and swiftness. In like manner, a fine imagination left to itself, will break out into bold sallies and wild extravagance, and overleap the bounds of truth or probability: but when it is put under the management of sound judgment, it leads to solid and useful invention, without having its natural sprightliness in the least impaired."
Metaphor in Context
Though genius be properly a comprehensive, regular, and active imagination, yet it can never attain perfection, or exert itself successfully on any subject, except it be united with a sound and piercing judgment. The vigour of imagination carries it forward to invention; but understanding must always conduct it and regulate its motions. A horse of high mettle ranging at liberty, will run with great swiftness and spirit, but in an irregular track and without any fixt direction: a skilful rider makes him move straight in the road, with equal spirit and swiftness. In like manner, a fine imagination left to itself, will break out into bold sallies and wild extravagance, and overleap the bounds of truth or probability: but when it is put under the management of sound judgment, it leads to solid and useful invention, without having its natural sprightliness in the least impaired.
(I.iv, p. 71)
(I.iv, p. 71)
Categories
Provenance
Reading in C-H Lion
Citation
Only 1 entry in ESTC (1774).
An Essay on Genius. By Alexander Gerard, D.D. Professor of Divinity in King's College, Aberdeen. (London: Printed for W. Strahan; T. Cadell, and W. Creech at Edinburgh 1774). <Link to ECCO>
An Essay on Genius. By Alexander Gerard, D.D. Professor of Divinity in King's College, Aberdeen. (London: Printed for W. Strahan; T. Cadell, and W. Creech at Edinburgh 1774). <Link to ECCO>
Date of Entry
06/27/2013
