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"The grand Instruments by which the Understanding works, are Memory and Invention: Now, since these Faculties have their foundation in the sensitive Capacity, as this Prop is withdrawn, the Understanding must of Consequence be more clouded and obscure."

— Nourse, Timothy (c.1636–1699)

Author

Nourse, Timothy (c.1636–1699)

Work Title

A Discourse Upon the Nature and Faculties of Man

Place of Publication

London

Publisher

Printed for Jacob Tonson

Date

1686, 1689, 1697

Metaphor

"The grand Instruments by which the Understanding works, are Memory and Invention: Now, since these Faculties have their foundation in the sensitive Capacity, as this Prop is withdrawn, the Understanding must of Consequence be more clouded and obscure."

Metaphor in Context

But do we not see that some Men who have rational Souls, and such as are reputed of as good Education as the best, how they act upon the same Principles of Sense and Bestiality with other Creatures. 'Tis not therefore from Nature, but from forreign and adventitious Helps, that others make a different and more refin'd discovery of themselves. 'Tis true, we find some Men acting at a very extravagant rate, not only by following the Propensities of Sense, but by transgressing even the Dictates of Nature in Beasts, by their Ingratitude and Infidelity towards those they are obliged to; nay, sometimes in killing themselves, either Gradually by Intemperance, or more compendiously by the help of a Sword, or of a never-failing Halter. So far therefore is this Consideration from destroying my Assertion, that it doth exceedingly confirm it, since it establisheth that Liberty and Arbitrary Power of the Will, which is incommunicable with Beasts, and is one of the chiefest Prerogatives of a humane Soul. The grand Instruments by which the Understanding works, are Memory and Invention: Now, since these Faculties have their foundation in the sensitive Capacity, as this Prop is withdrawn, the Understanding must of Consequence be more clouded and obscure. Nay, tho the rational Faculties in, or a little before the moment of Death seem totally extinguished, (because we are not sensible of any effects they make) neither yet is this any Argument of the Souls mortality: For when a man is profoundly asleep, or (what is almost as natural to some) profoundly drunk, their is a seeming extinction of all the rational Powers; and yet for all this we find that where Nature is once deliver'd from such oppressions, the Soul is the same in being as it was before.
(pp. 6-8)