Date: Tuesday, January 15, 1712

"We observed a long Antrum or Cavity in the Sinciput, that was filled with Ribbons, Lace and Embroidery, wrought together in a most curious Piece of Network, the Parts of which were likewise imperceptible to the naked Eye. Another of these Antrums or Cavities was stuffed with invisible Billetdoux...

— Addison, Joseph (1672-1719)

Date: Jan 7 1712/13

"The Heart must be Tabula Rasa, white Paper to his Pen, soft Wax to his Seal: Let him write upon me what he pleaseth, and make what Impressions he pleaseth upon me."

— Henry, Matthew (1662-1714)

Date: 1715

"Speech was given to Man as the Image and Interpreter of the Soul: It is anime index & speculum, the Messenger of the Heart, the Gate by which all that is within issues forth, and comes into open View."

— Bulstrode, Richard, Sir (1610-1711)

Date: 1718

"A thousand little Nerves She sends / Quite to our Toes, and Fingers Ends; / And These in Gratitude again / Return their Spirits to the Brain; / In which their Figure being printed / (As just before, I think, I hinted) / Alma inform'd can try the Case, / As She had seen upon the Place. // Thus, w...

— Prior, Matthew (1664-1721)

Date: 1722

"For before the Vessel be seasoned with one kind of Liquor, it is equally capable of all, and so the Wax is indifferent to any Impression, before it is moulded and determined by a particular Seal: If the Mind be a rasa Tabula, as Aristotle would have it, then this White Paper may best be i...

— Hartcliffe, John (1651/2-1712)

Date: 1727

"The Characters Engraven on each, would be much the same, Deriv'd from those Sensations, which are Common to all; since according to this Philosophy, what is Originally Writ upon our Minds, is from our Conversation with External Objects, and then Reflecting upon the Operations of the Faculties an...

— Greene, Robert (c. 1678-1730)

Date: 1727

"For it's whole Systeme Aims at this, to make the Furniture of every Person's Mind Alike, their Reason and Faculties the same, and which Garniture, after it has made it a Rasa Tabula, must be of it's own Supplying; 'Tis an Empty Room, without any Thing to Set if off or Adorn it, till this Philoso...

— Greene, Robert (c. 1678-1730)

Date: 1727

"We rather take Notice of this here; Because this Philosophy had made the Mind a Rasa Tabula, or a Blank Paper, or an Empty and Void Room without any Furniture, which therefore it was to Supply; And this is done by Storing it with it's Simple Ideas from Sensation and Reflection, and from thence D...

— Greene, Robert (c. 1678-1730)

Date: Friday, April 14, 1727

"A Man of true Honour will as soon break open a Lock as a Letter, which does not belong to him; and pick his Neighbour's Pocket, as soon as discover his Nakedness in this Respect; for a Letter, being the Representative of the Person's Heart, who sends it, ought to pass, without Examination or Int...

— Caleb d'Anvers [pseud. for Nicholas Amhurst, Henry, Viscount Bolingbroke, and William Pulteney, Earl of Bath]

Date: 1729

"Secondly, 'Tis just matter of wonder & astonishment that ever one spark of faith was kindled in such an heart as thine is; [end page 124] an heart which had no predisposition or inclination in the least to believe; yea, it was not rasa tabula, like clean paper, void of any impression of f...

— Flavell, John (bap. 1630, d. 1691)