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"By bestowing attention, the mind as it were embraces the objects exhibited to it, and lays itself open to a strong impression from them, which makes them both affect it much while they are present, and keep firm possession of the memory afterwards."

— 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

"By bestowing attention, the mind as it were embraces the objects exhibited to it, and lays itself open to a strong impression from them, which makes them both affect it much while they are present, and keep firm possession of the memory afterwards."

Metaphor in Context

Some degree of attention is necessary for our perceiving objects at all; sounds often strike the ear without being heard, things are often full in our view without being seen; the whole attention of the soul is otherwise engaged. By bestowing attention, the mind as it were embraces the objects exhibited to it, and lays itself open to a strong impression from them, which makes them both affect it much while they are present, and keep firm possession of the memory afterwards. The length of time for which attention is bestowed, as well as the closeness of the attention, renders our perception of an object the stronger; and it renders the remembrance of it proportionably the more lasting. In like manner, by returning often to the contemplation of an object, we learn to conceive it vigorously, and the remembrance of it becomes clear and permanent: a perception which has seldom affected the senses, is quickly obliterated from the memory; light and colours are totally forgotten by those who have early lost their sight: but such perceptions as are repeated every day, never quit their hold of the memory; by the attention bestowed upon them as often as they recur, they are preserved in their original strength, without finding time even to begin to decay.
(II.ix, pp. 245-6)