"The period depends sometimes upon a fortunate accident encouraging its exertion, sometimes upon a variety of concurring causes stimulating its ardor, and sometimes upon that natural effervescence of mind (if we may thus express it) by which it bursts forth with irresistible energy, at different ages, in different persons, not only without any foreign aid, but in opposition to every obstacle that arises in its way."
— Duff, William (1732-1815)
Author
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for Edward and Charles Dilly
Date
1767
Metaphor
"The period depends sometimes upon a fortunate accident encouraging its exertion, sometimes upon a variety of concurring causes stimulating its ardor, and sometimes upon that natural effervescence of mind (if we may thus express it) by which it bursts forth with irresistible energy, at different ages, in different persons, not only without any foreign aid, but in opposition to every obstacle that arises in its way."
Metaphor in Context
It may be observed in general, that Genius is neither uniform in the manner, nor periodical with regard to the time of its appearance. The manner depends upon the original constitution and peculiar modification of the mental powers, together with the corresponding organisation of the corporeal ones, and upon that mutual influence of both, in consequence of which the mind receives a particular bias to one certain object, and acquires a talent for one art or science rather than another. The period depends sometimes upon a fortunate accident encouraging its exertion, sometimes upon a variety of concurring causes stimulating its ardor, and sometimes upon that natural effervescence of mind (if we may thus express it) by which it bursts forth with irresistible energy, at different ages, in different persons, not only without any foreign aid, but in opposition to every obstacle that arises in its way.
(pp. 27-8)
(pp. 27-8)
Categories
Provenance
C-H Lion
Citation
2 entries in ESTC (1767).
Text from William Duff, An Essay on Original Genius; and its Various Modes of Exertion in Philosophy and the Fine Arts, Particularly in Poetry (London: Printed for Edward and Charles Dilly, 1767). <Link to ESTC>
Text from William Duff, An Essay on Original Genius; and its Various Modes of Exertion in Philosophy and the Fine Arts, Particularly in Poetry (London: Printed for Edward and Charles Dilly, 1767). <Link to ESTC>
Date of Entry
07/01/2013
