7. In remembering, the mind is often active.
In this secondary perception, as I may so call it, or viewing again the
ideas that are lodged 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 itself 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 understanding; and very often are roused and tumbled out of their
dark cells into open daylight, by turbulent and tempestuous passions; our affections bringing ideas to our memory,
which had otherwise lain quiet and unregarded. This further is to be observed, concerning ideas lodged 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.
