Date: 1794

"The mind is not a rasa tabula, though, at the same time, it must be allowed, we gain no actual knowledge of the latent ideas which it possesses, but as they are awakened by reflection and experience."

— Sullivan, Richard Joseph, Sir (1752-1806)

Date: 1794

"The rasa tabula will not allow us to have mental ideas."

— Sullivan, Richard Joseph, Sir (1752-1806)

Date: 1794

"The intelligent eyes of Emily seemed to read what passed in the mind of her father, and she fixed them on his face, with an expression of such tender pity, as recalled his thoughts from every desultory object of regret, and he remembered only, that he must leave his daughter without protection."

— Radcliffe [née Ward], Ann (1764-1823)

Date: 1794

"Emily observed these written characters of his thoughts with deep interest, and not without some degree of awe, when she considered that she was entirely in his power; but forbore even to hint her fears, or her observations, to Madame Montoni, who discerned nothing in her husband, at these times...

— Radcliffe [née Ward], Ann (1764-1823)

Date: 1795

"Like souls unborn and unequipp'd, / A blank, of many a passion stripp'd."

— Stevenson, John Hall (1717-1785)

Date: 1795

"I'm only a living volume, and if you will peruse my thoughts, you'll read of nothing but yourself --you are engraved here in indelible letters"

— Reynolds, Frederick (1764-1841)

Date: 1795

"A soft sponginess of character that will easily acquire any hue, or any stain; a tabula rasa of intellect; a spirit invulnerable to insult; that (for example) after vain endeavors to disunite and discourage the Catholics of Ireland, could condescend to [end page 2] truck and chaffer, for the off...

— Drennan, William (1754-1820)

Date: 1795

"The infant mind has been compared to a tabula rasa, or sheet of clean paper: but there is this essential difference, as hath been well observed, between the opposite objects of comparison they are not both equally Indifferent to the inscription which they are to bear."

— Napleton, John (1738/9-1817)

Date: 1796

"Oh! it was not a diamond which engraved that image on my heart"

— Anonymous; Kotzebue (1761-1819)

Date: 1796

"Ay: ay: this is none of your modern paper skull'd authors--old Geoffery's head is sound"

— Reynolds, Frederick (1764-1841)