Date: 1760-7

"Could no such thing as favour and affection enter this sacred Court [of Conscience]:--Did Wit disdain to take a bribe in it;--or was asham'd to shew its face as an advocate for an unwarrantable enjoyment?"

— Sterne, Laurence (1713-1768)

Date: 1723

"Tho' now, 'tis true, the strong Temptation's Force / Suspends Religion, and diverts its Course; / Yet still the Pow'r that chiefly rules your Soul, / And will I trust your future Life controul, / Is heav'nly Virtue, which, tho' now opprest / It sleeps a while unactive in your Breast, / Will, rou...

— Blackmore, Sir Richard (1654-1729)

Date: 1684, 1717

The Will, "that Bully of the Mind," is next to pay court to Queen Fancy: "Follies wait on him in a Troop behind; / He meets Reception from the Antick Queen, / Who thinks her Majesty's most honour'd, when / Attended by those fine drest Gentlemen"

— Duke, Richard (1658-1711)

Date: 1703, 1718

"Passions Subjection to their Guide disown, / Insult their Soveraign, and subvert his Throne"

— Blackmore, Sir Richard (1654-1729)

Date: 1703, 1718

Fancy may "fickle reign in Reason's Seat, / And Thy wild Empire, Anarchy, uphold"

— Blackmore, Sir Richard (1654-1729)

Date: 1703, 1718

"Hostile Desires fierce Wars repeat"

— Blackmore, Sir Richard (1654-1729)

Date: 1703, 1718

Tyrant desires subject man to "various Servitude, and endless Change of Pain"

— Blackmore, Sir Richard (1654-1729)

Date: 1703, 1718

"Guilt's infernal Gloom, and horrid Night" may "O'erwhelm [Man's] Intellectual Sight"

— Blackmore, Sir Richard (1654-1729)

Date: 1703, 1718

"Darkness, like that in Central Caves beneath, / Like that, which spreads the lonesome Walks of Death, / Where never Ray one Inroad made, / The Rebels Mind did swift invade."

— Blackmore, Sir Richard (1654-1729)

Date: 1703, 1718

Light may fly back to Heaven and leave one's breast bereft of its "Celestial Guest"

— Blackmore, Sir Richard (1654-1729)