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In remembring the Mind is often
active.
§7. In this secondary Perception, as I may so call it, or
viewing
again the
Ideas, that are lodg’d
in the
Memory, the Mind is oftentimes
more than barely passive, the appearance of those dormant Pictures,
depending
sometimes on the Will. The Mind very often sets it self
on work in search of some
hidden
Idea, and turns, as it were, the
Eye of the Soul upon it;
though sometimes too they start up in our
Minds of their own accord, and offer
themselves to the Under-
standing; and very often are rouzed and tumbled out of their
dark
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Cells, into open Day-light, by some turbulent and tempestuous
Passion; our
Affections bringing
Ideas to our Memory, which had
otherwise
lain quiet and unregarded. This farther is to be observed,
concerning
Ideas lodg’d in the Memory, and upon occasion revived
by the Mind, that
they are not only (as the Word
revive imports)
none of them new
ones; but also that the Mind takes notice of them,
as of a former Impression, and
renews its acquaintance with them,
as with
Ideas it had known
before. So that though
Ideas formerly
imprinted are not all
constantly in view, yet in remembrance they
are constantly known to be such, as have
been formerly imprinted,
i.e. in view, and taken notice of before by the Understanding.