Date: 1777

"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."

— More, Hannah (1745-1833)

Date: 1777

"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."

— More, Hannah (1745-1833)

Date: 1777

"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, a...

— More, Hannah (1745-1833)

Date: 1782

"Oh! the joy / Of young ideas painted on the mind, / In the warm glowing colours fancy spreads / On objects not yet known, when all is new, / And all is lovely!"

— More, Hannah (1745-1833)

Date: 1782

"Why drive him from my presence? he might now / Raise my sunk soul, and my benighted mind / Enlighten with religion's cheering ray."

— More, Hannah (1745-1833)

Date: 1782

"Where are those cunning men, / Who boast, by chosen sounds, and measur'd sweetness, / To set the busy spirits in a flame, / And cool them at their will? who know the art / To call the hidden pow'rs of numbers forth, / And make that pliant instrument, the mind, / Yield to the pow'rful sympathy of...

— More, Hannah (1745-1833)

Date: 1782

"Proceed, proceed, thrice venerable sage! / Enlighten my dark mind with this new ray, / This dawning of salvation!"

— More, Hannah (1745-1833)

Date: 1782

"Wisdom, blest beam! / The brightness of the everlasting light! / The spotlesss mirror of the pow'r of GOD! / The reflex image of th' all-perfect mind!"

— More, Hannah (1745-1833)

Date: 1782

"Perish the barb'rous maxims of the East, / Which basely wou'd enslave the free-born mind, / And plunder it of the best gift of Heav'n, / Its liberty!"

— More, Hannah (1745-1833)

Date: 1788

"Does matter govern spirit? or is mind / Degraded by the form to which 'tis joined?"

— More, Hannah (1745-1833)