Date: 1693

"When I did first this charming object view, / Her Image in my Mind took Root & grew."

— Hawkshaw, Benjamin (1671/2-1738)

Date: May 10, 1704

"As the face of nature never produces rain but when it is overcast and disturbed, so human understanding, seated in the brain, must be troubled and overspread by vapours ascending from the lower faculties to water the invention, and render it fruitful."

— Swift, Jonathan (1667-1745)

Date: May 10, 1704

"Thus far, I suppose, will easily be granted me; and then it will follow that as the face of Nature never produces rain but when it is overcast and disturbed, so human understanding seated in the brain must be troubled and overspread by vapours ascending from the lower faculties to water the inve...

— Swift, Jonathan (1667-1745)

Date: 1709

An "early prejudice" may have "implanted in the mind" a "false persuasion"

— Berkeley, George (1685-1753)

Date: 1709

A "false persuasion" "implanted in the mind" by prejudice may be rooted out

— Berkeley, George (1685-1753)

Date: 1732

"You must know, said he, that the mind of man may be fitly compared to a piece of land. What stubbing, ploughing, digging, and harrowing is to the one, that thinking, reflecting, examining is to the other."

— Berkeley, George (1685-1753)

Date: 1732

"Each hath its proper culture; and as land that is suffered to lie waste and wild for a long tract of time will be overspread with brushwood, brambles, thorns, and such vegetables which have neither use nor beauty; even so there will not fail to sprout up in a neglected, uncultivated mind, a grea...

— Berkeley, George (1685-1753)

Date: 1732

"Represent to yourself the man of mind, or human nature in general, that for so many ages had lain obnoxious to the frauds of designing, and the follies of weak men; how it must be overrun with prejudices and errors, what firm and deep roots they must have taken, and consequently how difficult a ...

— Berkeley, George (1685-1753)

Date: 1732

"On the other hand, those who duly employ their faculties in the search of truth, take especial care to weed out of their minds, and extirpate all such notions or prejudices as were planted in them before they arrived at the free and entire use of reason."

— Berkeley, George (1685-1753)

Date: 1732

"You have rooted up a world of notions: I should be glad to see what fine things you have planted in their stead."

— Berkeley, George (1685-1753)