Date: 1712

"When Man with Reason dignify'd is born, / No Images his naked Mind adorn: / No Sciences or Arts enrich his Brain, / Nor Fancy yet displays her pictur'd Train."

— Blackmore, Sir Richard (1654-1729)

Date: 1712

"Our Intellectual, like the Body's Eye, / Whilst in the Womb, no Object can descry; / Yet is dispos'd to entertain the Light, / And judge of Things when offer'd to the Sight."

— Blackmore, Sir Richard (1654-1729)

Date: 1712

"When Objects thro' the Senses Passage gain, / And fill with various Imag'ry the Brain, / Th' Ideas, which the Mind does thence perceive,/ To Think and Know the first Occasion give."

— Blackmore, Sir Richard (1654-1729)

Date: 1712

"Then grant a Man his Being did commence, / Deny'd by Nature each external Sense, / These Ports unopen'd, diffident we guess, / Th' unconscious Soul no Image could possess. / Tho' what in such a State the restless Train / Of Spirits would produce, we ask in vain."

— Blackmore, Sir Richard (1654-1729)

Date: 1712

"Hence stampt on Nature we Perfection find, / Fair as th'Idea in th'Eternal Mind."

— Blackmore, Sir Richard (1654-1729)

Date: 1712

"Our wondring Eyes his high Perfections view, / The lofty Contemplation we pursue, / 'Till ravish'd we the great Idea find, / Shining in bright Impressions on our Mind."

— Blackmore, Sir Richard (1654-1729)

Date: 1712

"Objects, which thro' the Senses make their Way, / And just Impressions to the Soul convey, Give her Occasion first her self to move, / And to exert her Hatred, or her Love."

— Blackmore, Sir Richard (1654-1729)

Date: 1712

"When she to foreign Objects Audience gives, / Their Strokes and Motions in the Brain perceives, / As these Perceptions we Ideas name, / From her own Pow'r and active Nature came, / So when discern'd by Intellectual Light, / Her self her various Passions does excite, / To Ill her Hate, to Good he...

— Blackmore, Sir Richard (1654-1729)

Date: 1712

"These Out-guards of the Mind are sent abroad, / And still patrolling beat the neighb'ring Road: / Or to the Parts remote obedient fly, / Keep Posts advanc'd, and on the Frontier lye."

— Blackmore, Sir Richard (1654-1729)

Date: 1712

"The watchful Centinels at ev'ry Gate, / At ev'ry Passage to the Senses wait."

— Blackmore, Sir Richard (1654-1729)