Date: 1671

"Fancy rough-draws, but judgement smooths and finishes."

— Shadwell, Thomas (1642-1692)

Date: 1702

"Imagine somewhat exquisitly fine, / Which Fancy cannot paint, which the pleas'd Mind / Can barely know, unable to describe it."

— Rowe, Nicholas (1674-1718)

Date: 1703

"Because my Soul was rudely drawn from yours; / A poor imperfect Copy of my Father, / Where Goodness, and the strength of manly Virtue, / Was thinly planted, and the idle Void / Fill'd up with light Belief, and easie Fondness; / It was, because I lov'd, and was a Woman."

— Rowe, Nicholas (1674-1718)

Date: November 25, 1707; 1708

"Find out, my Soul, in thy rich Store of Thought, / Somewhat more Great, more Worthy of thy self; / Or let the mimick Fancy shew its Art, / And paint some pleasing Image to delight me."

— Rowe, Nicholas (1674-1718)

Date: 1719

"The Absence of an old Mistress makes room for a new one--Therefore I have blotted her from my Fancy, like a Painter that strikes one form out of his Cloth, to lay in another."

— Savage, Richard (1697/8-1743)

Date: April 18, 1721

"If this was Fancy's Work, / She draws a Picture strongly."

— Young, Edward (bap. 1683, d. 1765)

Date: 1725

"When Friendship engraves the Image of Love, 'tis true, she proceeds by slow Degrees, But forms each Feature with the deepest Art, / And carves a lasting Image on the Heart."

— Odingsells, Gabriel (1690-1734)

Date: 1761

"No, thou art all that's elegant and fair, / And perfect upon earth; and Caius happy / Beyond whatever gratitude express'd, / Or fancy drew, when glowing raptures catch / The poet's breast, and set the soul on fire."

— Cumberland, Richard (1732-1811)

Date: 1775

"[B]e assured I throw the original from my heart as easily!"

— Sheridan, Richard Brinsley (1751-1816)

Date: 1788

"Worlds would I give now for that sketch of my Quintin, that my cruel brother deprived me of; but his dear image is engraven on my heart"

— O'Keeffe, John (1747-1833)