"Good sense is a judicious mechanic, who can produce beauty and convenience out of suitable means; but Genius (I speak with reverence of the immeasurable distance) bears some remote resemblance to the divine architect, who produced perfection of beauty without any visible materials, 'who spake, and it was created'; who said, 'Let it be, and it was.'"
— More, Hannah (1745-1833)
Author
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for J. Wilkie; and T. Cadell
Date
1777
Metaphor
"Good sense is a judicious mechanic, who can produce beauty and convenience out of suitable means; but Genius (I speak with reverence of the immeasurable distance) bears some remote resemblance to the divine architect, who produced perfection of beauty without any visible materials, 'who spake, and it was created'; who said, 'Let it be, and it was.'"
Metaphor in Context
As it is the character of Genius to penetrate with a lynx's beam into unfathomable abysses and uncreated worlds, and to see what is not, so it is the property of good sense to distinguish perfectly, and judge accurately what really is. Good sense has not so piercing an eye, but it has as clear a sight: it does not penetrate so deeply, but as far as it does see, it discerns distinctly. Good sense is a judicious mechanic, who can produce beauty and convenience out of suitable means; but Genius (I speak with reverence of the immeasurable distance) bears some remote resemblance to the divine architect, who produced perfection of beauty without any visible materials, who spake, and it was created; who said, Let it be, and it was.
(pp. 213-4)
(pp. 213-4)
Provenance
ECCO-TCP
Citation
11 entries in ESTC (1777, 1778, 1785, 1786, 1787, 1791, 1792, 1796).
Essays on Various Subjects: Principally Designed for Young Ladies. (London: Printed for J. Wilkie; and T. Cadell, 1777). <Link to ECCO-TCP>
Essays on Various Subjects: Principally Designed for Young Ladies. (London: Printed for J. Wilkie; and T. Cadell, 1777). <Link to ECCO-TCP>
Date of Entry
10/16/2013
