The Divine Understanding

“For the principal ideas are certain forms, or stable and unchangeable reasons of things themselves not formed, and so continuing eternal and always after the same manner, which are contained in the divine understanding. And though they themselves do not perish, yet after their pattern everything is said to be formed that is able to come into being and to perish. But it is affirmed that the soul is not able to behold them, save it be the rational soul.”

St. Augustine, Principales