Date: 1605

"For the wit and mind of man, if it work upon matter, which is the contemplation of the creatures of God, worketh according to the stuff and is limited thereby; but if it work upon itself, as the spider worketh his web, then it is endless, and brings forth indeed cobwebs of learning, admirable fo...

— Bacon, Sir Francis, Lord Verulam (1561-1626)

Date: 1605, 1640

"Amongst the which this last is of special use in moral and civil matters; how, I say, to set affection against affection, and to master one by another; even as we used to hunt beast with beast, and fly bird with bird, which otherwise percase we could not so easily recover."

— Bacon, Sir Francis, Lord Verulam (1561-1626)

Date: 1607

"Take this my endeauour I pray you in worth, cheerish and foster this deformed brood of my braine, in the lap (if I may so tearme it) of your good liking."

— Walkington, Thomas (b. c. 1575, d. 1621)

Date: 1607

"Therefore Iulian the Apostata who had flood of inuention, although that whole flood could not wash or rinch away that one spot of his atheisme, he (though not knowing him a right) could say the body was the chariot of the soule, which while it was well manag'd by discretion the cunning coachman,...

— Walkington, Thomas (b. c. 1575, d. 1621)

Date: 1610

"Man is a lump, where all beasts kneaded be / Wisdom makes him an ark where all agree."

— Donne, John (1572-1631)

Date: w. c. 64 [perhaps much later], 1611

"For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls."

— Simon Peter or Saint Peter (d. c. 64)

Date: 1621

" It was (as I said) once well agreeing with reason, and there was an excellent consent and harmony between them, but that is now dissolved, they often jar, reason is overborne by passion: Fertur equis auriga, nec audit currus habenas, as so many wild horses run away with a chariot, and will not ...

— Burton, Robert (1577-1640)

Date: 1632

"Secondly, when you have made the heart thus affected with sinne, then take heed that the heart doth not flie off and shake off the yoke."

— Hooker, Richard (1554-1600)

Date: 1641

"But I see what it is: my mind enjoys wandering off and will not yet submit to being restrained within the bounds of truth. Very well then; just this once let us give it a completely free rein, so that after a while, when it is time to tighten the reins, it may more readily submit to being curbed."

— Descartes, René (1596-1650)

Date: 1644, 1647

"The brute beasts, who have only their bodies to preserve, are continually occupied in looking for food to nourish them; but human beings, whose most important part is the mind, should devote their main efforts to the search for wisdom, which is the true food of the mind."

— Descartes, René (1596-1650)