Sentence:  ... Aristotle has brought to explain his Doctrine of Substantial Forms, when he tells us that a Statue lies hid in a Block of Marble; and that the Art of the statuary only <WSD>clears</WSD> away the superfluous Matter, and removes the Rubbish. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  To remove (items or material) so as to leave something unobstructed or open.