Date: 1774
"The vigour of imagination carries it forward to invention; but understanding must always conduct it and regulate its motions. A horse of high mettle ranging at liberty, will run with great swiftness and spirit, but in an irregular track and without any fixt direction: a skilful rider makes him m...
preview | full record— Gerard, Alexander (1728-1795)
Date: 1774
"That turn of imagination which fits a person for productions in the arts, may no doubt be most properly said to soar, to fly, and to have wings. To dig with labour and patience, is a metaphor which may with equal propriety be applied to the investigation of philosophical truth; it is strongly ex...
preview | full record— Gerard, Alexander (1728-1795)
Date: 1779, 1781
"When Horace says of Pindar, that he pours his violence and rapidity of verse, as a river swoln with rain rushes from the mountain; or of himself, that his genius wanders in quest of poetical decorations, as the bee wanders to collect honey; he, in either case, produces a simile; the mind is impr...
preview | full record— Johnson, Samuel (1709-1784)
Date: 1780
"The best way therefore is, whilst the mind of the historian is on horseback, for his style to walk on foot, and take hold of the rein, that it may not be left behind."
preview | full record— Francklin, Thomas (1721–1784); Lucian (b.c. 125, d. after 180)
Date: 1785
"BOSWELL. 'But, sir,'tis like walking up and down a hill; one man will naturally do the one better than the other. A hare will run up a hill best, from her fore-legs being short; a dog down.' JOHNSON. 'Nay, sir; that is from mechanical powers. If you make mind mechanical, you may argue in that ma...
preview | full record— Boswell, James (1740-1795)
Date: January, 1884
"Our mental life, like a bird's life, seems to be made of an alternation of flights and perchings."
preview | full record— James, William (1842-1910)
Date: May 21, 2011
"My thoughts turn into the cowbirds wandering among the horses’ hooves."
preview | full record— Klinkenbourg, Verlyn (b. 1952)
Date: June 30, 2017
"Research explains why forgetting delivers this memory boost. Memories don't fly out of our brains like sparrows from a barn."
preview | full record— Boser, Ulrich
Date: May 4, 2018
"But if I can identify the lizard of envy crawling around in my psyche, I can usually tamp down the ire."
preview | full record— Marino, Gordon