Date: 1719

I struggled with the Power of my Imagination, reason'd myself out of it, as I believe People may always do in like Cases, if they will; and, in a Word, I conquer'd it

— Defoe, Daniel (1660?-1731)

Date: 1719

"I thought he was not a Monarch only, but a great Conqueror; for that he that has got a Victory over his own exorbitant Desires, and has the absolute Dominion over himself, whose Reason entirely governs his Will, is certainly greater than he that conquers a City"

— Defoe, Daniel (1660?-1731)

Date: 1719

"But it was all to no Purpose, I had an irresistible Desire to the Voyage; and I told her, I thought there was something so uncommon in the Impressions I had upon my Mind for the Voyage, that it would be a Kind of resisting Providence, if I should attempt to stay at Home."

— Defoe, Daniel (1660?-1731)

Date: 1719

"I was not so much surpriz'd with the Lightning, as I was with a Thought which darted into my Mind as swift as the Lightning it self: O my Powder!"

— Defoe, Daniel (1660?-1731)

Date: 1720

"Ah! Wissin, had thy Art been so refin'd, / As with their Beauty to have drawn their Mind."

— Prior, Matthew (1664-1721)

Date: 1720

Justice, the "Queen of Virtues" may poize the mind in "equal balance" so that "All different Graces soon will enter, / Like Lines concurrent to their Center"

— Prior, Matthew (1664-1721)

Date: 1720

"The prodigious stupid Bigottry of the People also was irksome to me; I thought there was something in it very sordid, the entire Empire the Priests have over both the Souls and Bodies of the People, gave me a Specimen of that Meanness of Spirit which is no where else to be seen but in Italy, esp...

— Defoe, Daniel (1660?-1731)

Date: 1720

"Well, I know that too, William, said I; but the Captain is a Man will be ruled by Reason; what have you to say to it?."

— Defoe, Daniel (1660?-1731)

Date: 1720

"After I had made proper Impressions on his Mind, of the Terror of his Punishment, and found that he was sufficiently humbled by it, I went into the House, and caus'd him to be brought out, just as they do when they go to Correct the Negroes on such Occasions; when he was strip'd and ty'd up, he ...

— Defoe, Daniel (1660?-1731)

Date: 1720

"Then I was to argue with them, and Work upon their Reason, to make the Mercy that was shew'd them sink deep into their Minds, and give lasting Impressions; explain the Meaning of Gratitude to them, and the Nature of an Obligation, and the like, as I had done with Mouchat."

— Defoe, Daniel (1660?-1731)