Date: 1691

"I cannot conceive the true Cause hereof [that Men of Learning are uncouth in their discourse], unless it be, that as Plants are Choakt by over-much Moisture, and Lamps are Stifl'd with too much Oil; so are the Actions of the Mind overwhelm'd by over-abundance of Matter and Study."

— Blount, Thomas Pope, Sir (1649-1697)

Date: 1691

"And in a diversity of things, as in a mist, the Mind is apt to lose it self."

— Blount, Thomas Pope, Sir (1649-1697)

Date: 1691

"Now Reading may very properly be compar'd to Eating, and Thinking to Digesting, as therefore to one Hours Eating, we allow many hours for Digesting; so to one hours Reading, we should assign Sufficient time for Meditating, and Digesting, what we have Read."

— Blount, Thomas Pope, Sir (1649-1697)

Date: 1691

"So the other be of no less Prejudice to the understanding, by occasioning Diseases of the Mind."

— Blount, Thomas Pope, Sir (1649-1697)

Date: 1692

"Abandon'd to a callousness and numness of soul"

— Bentley, Richard (1662-1742)

Date: 1692

"For where Diligence opens the Door of the Understanding, and Impartiality keeps it, Truth is sure to find both an Entrance and a Welcome too."

— South, Robert (1634-1716)

Date: 1692

"But now, Impartiality strips the Mind of Prejudice and Passion, keeps it right and even from the Byass of Interest and Desire, and so presents it like a Rasa Tabula, equally disposed to the Reception of all Truth."

— South, Robert (1634-1716)

Date: 1693

"An impression made on Bees-wax or Lead will not last so long as on Brass or Steel. Indeed, if it be renew'd often, it may last the longer; but every new reflecting on it is a new impression, and 'tis from thence one is to reckon, if one would know how long the Mind reteins it"

— Locke, John (1632-1704)

Date: 1693

"But the learning Pages of Latin by heart, no more fits the Memory for Retention of any thing else, than the graving of one Sentence in Lead makes it the more capable of retaining firmly any other Characters. "

— Locke, John (1632-1704)

Date: 1693

Locke's book is "designed for a Gentleman's Son, who being then very little, I considered only as white Paper, or Wax, to be moulded and fashioned as one pleases."

— Locke, John (1632-1704)