Date: 1691

"I cannot conceive the true Cause hereof [that Men of Learning are uncouth in their discourse], unless it be, that as Plants are Choakt by over-much Moisture, and Lamps are Stifl'd with too much Oil; so are the Actions of the Mind overwhelm'd by over-abundance of Matter and Study."

— Blount, Thomas Pope, Sir (1649-1697)

Date: 1691

"And in a diversity of things, as in a mist, the Mind is apt to lose it self."

— Blount, Thomas Pope, Sir (1649-1697)

Date: 1691

"Now Reading may very properly be compar'd to Eating, and Thinking to Digesting, as therefore to one Hours Eating, we allow many hours for Digesting; so to one hours Reading, we should assign Sufficient time for Meditating, and Digesting, what we have Read."

— Blount, Thomas Pope, Sir (1649-1697)

Date: 1691

"So the other be of no less Prejudice to the understanding, by occasioning Diseases of the Mind."

— Blount, Thomas Pope, Sir (1649-1697)

Date: 1691

"Thoughts are our Plagues; the Beasts, that none do know, / Are Free from trouble and resentment too."

— Heyrick, Thomas (bap. 1649. d. 1694)

Date: 1691

"No pining Thoughts do sowre the Joys, they tast, / No preying Passion doth their Body wast; / While Ours by the Souls Motion's worn so thin; / 'Twill scarce keep Life, and Breath, Life's Tenant, in."

— Heyrick, Thomas (bap. 1649. d. 1694)

Date: 1691

"If helps to Valour we should stand in need, / Let us reflect upon the breach of Oaths, / Truces and Edicts sign'd by treacherous French, / Let's think of Phillipsburg, Spire, Worms, and other / Once famous Towns, now heaps of Dirt and Ruines, / Let this within our minds form such impressions / O...

— Ames, Richard (bap. 1664?, d. 1692)

Date: 1691

"However chast his Body may be, his Mind is extreamly prolifick; his thoughts are a perfect Seraglio, and he, like a great Turk, begets thousands of little Infants--Remarks, Fancys, Fantasticks, Crochets and Whirligigs, on his wandring Intellect, and when once begot, they must be bred--so out he ...

— Dunton, John (1659–1732)

Date: 1691

"Whilst his dull Body's for New-England bound, / His Soul (in Dreams) trots all the World around."

— Dunton, John (1659–1732)

Date: 1691

"Wandring one Evening thro' a Cypress Grove--(I won't be positive, it might be Hazle, but t'other sounds better) revolving in my rambling Brain the Varietyes of Human Affairs, happen'd i' the Drove of Thoughts, that swarm'd up and down my Noddle to reflect on my own self (Sir, Your Humble Servant...

— Dunton, John (1659–1732)