"And, my Reason is, because, unless Men take Principles along with them, to guide their Thoughts right, and keep an Attentive Eye to them, while they thus Meditate; 'tis to be fear'd, their long Meditating will, by its frequent Dints, so imprint and fix what you have told them, in their Brain; and, at length, make it sink so deep into their Minds, that, whether it be Right or Wrong, it will stick there, as daily Experience shews us; Custom, a Second Nature, having a very powerful Ascendent over the Understanding, to imbue us with False Impressions, by the oft-reiterated Thinking upon any Point that is Disputable; especially, Ingenious Explications (as was shewn lately) too often serving for Reasons, to those who are not well vers'd in True Logick."
— Sergeant, John (1622-1707)
Metaphor
"And, my Reason is, because, unless Men take Principles along with them, to guide their Thoughts right, and keep an Attentive Eye to them, while they thus Meditate; 'tis to be fear'd, their long Meditating will, by its frequent Dints, so imprint and fix what you have told them, in their Brain; and, at length, make it sink so deep into their Minds, that, whether it be Right or Wrong, it will stick there, as daily Experience shews us; Custom, a Second Nature, having a very powerful Ascendent over the Understanding, to imbue us with False Impressions, by the oft-reiterated Thinking upon any Point that is Disputable; especially, Ingenious Explications (as was shewn lately) too often serving for Reasons, to those who are not well vers'd in True Logick."
Metaphor in Context
36. Thus much concerning your Method of Proving by Explicating; or rather, of substituting Explications in the place of Proofs. As for the other part of your Method, which is, your putting Learners to Meditate long and seriously, upon what you have propos'd to them, I lik'd that as ill as I did that of Explicating: And, my Reason is, because, unless Men take Principles along with them, to guide their Thoughts right, and keep an Attentive Eye to them, while they thus Meditate; 'tis to be fear'd, their long Meditating will, by its frequent Dints, so imprint and fix what you have told them, in their Brain; and, at length, make it sink so deep into their Minds, that, whether it be Right or Wrong, it will stick there, as daily Experience shews us; Custom, a Second Nature, having a very powerful Ascendent over the Understanding, to imbue us with False Impressions, by the oft-reiterated Thinking upon any Point that is Disputable; especially, Ingenious Explications (as was shewn lately) too often serving for Reasons, to those who are not well vers'd in True Logick.
(pp. 77-8)
