"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 move straight in the road, with equal spirit and swiftness. In like manner, a fine imagination left to itself, will break out into bold sallies and wild extravagance, and overleap the bounds of truth or probability: but when it is put under the management of sound judgment, it leads to solid and useful invention, without having its natural sprightliness in the least impaired."
An Essay on Genius
Only 1 entry in ESTC (1774).<br>
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<u>An Essay on Genius. By Alexander Gerard, D.D. Professor of Divinity in King's College, Aberdeen.</u> (London: Printed for W. Strahan; T. Cadell, and W. Creech at Edinburgh 1774). &lt;<a href="http://find.galegroup.com/ecco/infomark.do?&source=gale&prodId=ECCO&userGroupName=viva_uva&tabID=T001&docId=CW3315407235&type=multipage&contentSet=ECCOArticles&version=1.0&docLevel=FASCIMILE">Link to ECCO</a>&gt;