Date: 1719

"These Reflections oppress'd me for the second or third Day of my Distemper, and in the Violence, as well of the Fever, as of the dreadful Reproaches of my Conscience, extorted some Words from me, like praying to God, tho' I cannot say they were either a Prayer attended with Desires or with Hopes...

— Defoe, Daniel (1660?-1731)

Date: 1719

"These were the Subject of the first Night's Cogitation, after I was come home again, while the Apprehensions which had so over-run my Mind were fresh upon me, and my Head was full of Vapours, as above."

— Defoe, Daniel (1660?-1731)

Date: 1719

"The Thoughts of this sometimes sunk my very Soul within me, and distress'd my Mind so much that I could not soon recover it, to think what I should have done, and how I not only should not have been able to resist them, but even should not have had Presence of Mind enough to do what I might have...

— Defoe, Daniel (1660?-1731)

Date: 1719

"When I came to the Place, my very Blood ran chill in my Veins, and my Heart sunk within me at the Horror of the Spectacle."

— Defoe, Daniel (1660?-1731)

Date: 1719

"I thought of nothing then but the Hill falling upon my Tent, and all my Houshold Goods, and burying all at once; and this sunk my very Soul within me a second time."

— Defoe, Daniel (1660?-1731)

Date: 1719

"In a word, as the Sea was returned to its Smoothness of Surface and settled Calmness by the Abatement of that Storm, so the Hurry of my Thoughts being over, my Fears and Apprehensions of being swallow'd up by the Sea being forgotten, and the Current of my former Desires return'd, I entirely forg...

— Defoe, Daniel (1660?-1731)

Date: 1719

There may be a "Flood of Joy" in the breast

— Defoe, Daniel (1660?-1731)

Date: 1722

"My Temper was touch'd before, the wretched Boldness of Spirit, which I had acquir'd, abated, and conscious Guilt began to flow in my Mind."

— Defoe, Daniel (1660?-1731)

Date: 1722

"This honest friendly way of treating me, unlock'd all the Sluces of my Passions: He broke into my very Soul by it; and I unravell'd all the Wickedness of my Life to him: In a word, I gave him an Abridgement of this whole History."

— Defoe, Daniel (1660?-1731)

Date: 1724

"So possible is it for us to roll ourselves up in Wickedness, till we grow invulnerable by Conscience; and that Centinel once doz'd, sleeps fast, not to be awaken'd while the Tide of Pleasure continues to flow, or till something dark and dreadful brings us to ourselves again."

— Defoe, Daniel (1660?-1731)