Date: 1814

"The mind which does not struggle against itself under one circumstance, would find objects to distract it in the other, I believe; and the influence of the place and of example may often rouse better feelings than are begun with."

— Austen, Jane (1775-1817)

Date: 1816

"It darted through her, with the speed of an arrow, that Mr Knightley must marry no one but herself!"

— Austen, Jane (1775-1817)

Date: 1860

"There were passions at war in Maggie at that moment to have made a tragedy, if tragedies were made by passion only, but the essential ti megethos which was present in the passion, was wanting to the action; the utmost Maggie could do, with a fierce thrust of her small brown arm, was to pu...

— Eliot, George (1819-1880)

Date: 1860

"While Maggie's life-struggles had lain almost entirely within her own soul, one shadowy army fighting another, and the slain shadows for ever rising again, Tom was engaged in a dustier, noisier warfare, grappling with more substantial obstacles, and gaining more definite conquests."

— Eliot, George (1819-1880)

Date: 1860

"What you call self-conquest -- blinding and deafening yourself to all but one train of impressions, is only the culture of monomania in a nature like yours."

— Eliot, George (1819-1880)

Date: 1860

"Yes! I have had feelings to struggle with - but I conquered them."

— Eliot, George (1819-1880)

Date: 1890

"To fight aloud is very brave, / But gallanter, I know, / Who charge within the bosom, / The cavalry of woe."

— Dickinson, Emily (1830-1886)