Date: 1760

"With how quick a succession, do days, months and years pass over our heads? -- how truly like a shadow that departeth do they flee away insensibly, and scarce leave an impression with us?"

— Sterne, Laurence (1713-1768)

Date: 1762

"The same object makes not always the same impression; because the mind, being of a limited capacity, cannot, at the same instant, give great attention to a plurality of objects."

— Home, Henry, Lord Kames (1696-1782)

Date: 1762

"These emotions tending strongly to their own gratification, impose upon a weak mind, and impress upon it a thorough conviction contrary to all sense and reason."

— Home, Henry, Lord Kames (1696-1782)

Date: 1762

"A multitude of objects crowding into the mind at once, disturb the attention, and pass without making any impression, or any lasting impression."

— Home, Henry, Lord Kames (1696-1782)

Date: 1762

"In the latter passage, the most striking circumstances are selected to fill the mind with the grand and terrible. The former is a collection of minute and low circumstances, which scatter the thought and make no impression."

— Home, Henry, Lord Kames (1696-1782)

Date: 1762

"It ought to be so deeply ingraved on the mind, as to be ready for use upon every occasion. Now, in order to a deep impression, it is wisely contrived, that things should be introduced to our acquaintance, with a certain pomp and solemnity productive of a vivid emotion. When the impression is onc...

— Home, Henry, Lord Kames (1696-1782)

Date: 1762

"Some emotions, by hurrying the mind from object to object, accelerate the succession. Where the train is composed of connected objects, the succession is quick. For it is so ordered by nature, that the mind goes easily and sweetly along connected objects. On the other hand, the succession must b...

— Home, Henry, Lord Kames (1696-1782)

Date: 1762

"The mind can bear a quick succession of related ideas. But an unrelated idea, for which the mind is not prepared, takes time to make a distinct impression; and therefore a train composed of such ideas, ought to proceed with a slow pace."

— Home, Henry, Lord Kames (1696-1782)

Date: 1762

"Another valuable purpose may be gathered, from considering in what manner objects are imprinted upon the mind."

— Home, Henry, Lord Kames (1696-1782)

Date: 1762

"To make such an impression as to give the memory fast hold of the object, time is required, even where attention is the greatest; and a moderate degree of attention, which is the common case, must be continued still longer to produce the same effect."

— Home, Henry, Lord Kames (1696-1782)