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"It is imagination that produces genius; the other intellectual faculties lend their assistance to rear the offspring of imagination to maturity."

— Gerard, Alexander (1728-1795)

Author

An Essay on Genius

Place of Publication

London and Edinburgh

Publisher

Printed for W. Strahan, T.Cadell, and W. Creech

Date

1774

Metaphor

"It is imagination that produces genius; the other intellectual faculties lend their assistance to rear the offspring of imagination to maturity."

Metaphor in Context

From these observations, it would appear, that genius of every kind derives its immediate origin from the imagination. Mere imagination, it is true, will not constitute genius. If fancy were left entirely to itself, it would run into wild caprice and extravagance, unworthy to be called invention. A man who throws out indigested notions, contradictory positions, trite and vulgar sentiments, or foolish whimsies, is not said to have invented them, but is rather blamed for not having avoided them. As fancy has an indirect dependence both on sense and memory, from which it receives the first elements of all its conceptions, so when it exerts itself in the way of genius, it has an immediate connexion with judgment, which must constantly attend it, and correct and regulate its suggestions. This connexion is so intimate, that a man can scarce be said to have invented till he has exercised his judgment. But still it is true that imagination invents, and judgment only scrutinizes and determines concerning what it has invented. It is imagination that produces genius; the other intellectual faculties lend their assistance to rear the offspring of imagination to maturity. It is also true, that in matters of speculation, imagination resigns its discoveries into the hands of reason, sooner than in the arts, and leaves it more to finish. Yet it always supplies the subject on which reason is to work. Without judgment, imagination would be extravagant; but without imagination, judgment could do nothing. A bright and vigorous imagination joined with a very moderate judgment, will produce genius, incorrect, it may be, but fertile and extensive: but the nicest judgment unattended with a good imagination, cannot bestow a single spark of genius. It will form good sense, it will enable a man to perceive every defect and error in the discoveries of others; but it cannot qualify him for supplying these defects, or for being himself the author of any new invention. A man of mere judgment, is essentially different from a man of genius. The former can employ his reason only on subjects that are provided by others; but the latter can provide subjects for himself. This ability is owing solely to his possessing a comprehensive imagination, which the former wants.
(I.ii, pp. 36-8)