"Lest any understand what I have said a few Pages hence as if I wholly denied common Innate Principles, observe, That it is only actual Connate Knowledge that I deny, and in respect to which I say that the Soul is rasa tabula; but I confess a Natural Passive power for the knowing of them and a greater Disposition, or Aptitude in the Intellect to understand them, than Conclusions drawn from them; and so that an Infant also may have a Sanctified Intellect, by such Aptitude and Disposition"

— Baxter, Richard (1615-1691)


Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for Thomas Parkhurst; Jonathan Robinson, and John Lawrence
Date
1707
Metaphor
"Lest any understand what I have said a few Pages hence as if I wholly denied common Innate Principles, observe, That it is only actual Connate Knowledge that I deny, and in respect to which I say that the Soul is rasa tabula; but I confess a Natural Passive power for the knowing of them and a greater Disposition, or Aptitude in the Intellect to understand them, than Conclusions drawn from them; and so that an Infant also may have a Sanctified Intellect, by such Aptitude and Disposition"
Metaphor in Context
Lest any understand what I have said a few Pages hence as if I wholly denied common Innate Principles, observe, That it is only actual Connate Knowledge that I deny, and in respect to which I say that the Soul is rasa tabula; but I confess a Natural Passive power for the knowing of them and a greater Disposition, or Aptitude in the Intellect to understand them, than Conclusions drawn from them; and so that an Infant also may have a Sanctified Intellect, by such Aptitude and Disposition. But I think not that ever these would be acted (in an ordinary natural way) without the help of some sense.
(p. 226)
Provenance
Searching "tabula rasa" in ECCO
Citation
Baxter, Richard. The practical works of the late reverend and pious Mr. Richard Baxter, in four volumes. With a preface; giving some account of the author, and of this edition ... Together with alphabetical tables to each volume. Vol. 2. London, 1707. 4 vols. Based on information from English Short Title Catalogue. Eighteenth Century Collections Online. Gale Group. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/ECCO
Theme
Blank Slate
Date of Entry
10/09/2006

The Mind is a Metaphor is authored by Brad Pasanek, Assistant Professor of English, University of Virginia.