"All the Alarms and Troubles of the Soul blot out the Ideas that are already entertain'd, and hinder others from coming in. They obstruct all the Passages; and the Croud of thoughts that in such cases arise is a great hindrance to Memory."

— D'Assigny, Marius (1643-1717)


Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
J. Darby
Date
1697
Metaphor
"All the Alarms and Troubles of the Soul blot out the Ideas that are already entertain'd, and hinder others from coming in. They obstruct all the Passages; and the Croud of thoughts that in such cases arise is a great hindrance to Memory."
Metaphor in Context
Memory is nam'd, or rather describ'd by Plato, that great and famous Philosopher of his Age, The Soundness of the Senses; because the Soul making use of the Senses of the Body to receive the Impressions of things, the Memory is: either larger or narrower, greater or less, according to the good or ill Qualities of the Senses; and the Ideas are more or less lasting in Man. However, 'tis most certain that in general it is requisit for a good Memory, that the Body be in perfect health; for if either the whole be distemper'd, or any part be diseas'd, the Sufferings are communicated to every Member, and all are sensible in some respect of the Pain with the disaffected Part; and the Disease, whatever it be, disorders the Functions more or less, according to the nearness of Communication. Some Diseases have that evil Influence that they totally deprive us of our Memory for a time, as those that seize upon the Head and Brain, and such as distemper the Nerves and Veins that are uppermost, and corrupt the Blood and Spirits which are us'd for the exercise of Memory. Besides, when any part of the Body is diseas'd, the Mind is distracted,, and cannot so readily perform that Office, as when it injoys a perfect Tranquillity free from the Avocations of Maladies and Pain. Likewise, if the Spirit be disturb'd by the violent Passions of Anger, Fear, Despair, &c. the exercise of Memory can never be so free, because it requires a sedate and quiet Temper of Mind as well as a Soundness in the Body. All the Alarms and Troubles of the Soul blot out the Ideas that are already entertain'd, and hinder others from coming in. They obstruct all the Passages; and the Croud of thoughts that in such cases arise is a great hindrance to Memory.
(ii, pp. 26-8)
Provenance
Browsing in Google Books
Citation
Four entries in ESTC: 1697, 1699, 1699?, and 1706. Text from The Art of Memory. A Treatise useful for all, especially such as are to speak in Publick., 3rd edition, corrected (London: Printed by J. Darby, 1706). <Link to Google Books>
Date of Entry
07/13/2013

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