Date: 1691

"We feed our Bodies, our Souls are also to be fed: The Food of the Soul is Knowledg, especially knowledg in the Things of God, and the Things that concern its eternal Peace and Happiness."

— Ray [formerly Wray], John (1627–1705)

Date: 1691

"I say I've but one little tiney favour to beg, and then--and that is--that he'd maturely Weigh, Swallow, Chew the Cud, and soundly digest this following first Book, before he throw it out agen, for should he make too much hast, and too greedily read it over, as 'tis to be fear'd the pleasantness...

— Dunton, John (1659–1732)

Date: 1696

"This shall be the Banquet of my Mind, all Times, besides those Devoted to my Sighs, and Sadness!"

— Pix, Mary (c.1666-1720)

Date: 1699, 1714

"There is no body who has consider'd ever so little the nature of the sensible part, the Soul or Mind, but knows that in the same manner as without action, motion and employment, the Body languishes and is oppress'd, its Nourishment grows the matter and food of Disease, the Spirits unconsum'd hel...

— Cooper, Anthony Ashley, third earl of Shaftesbury (1671-1713)

Date: 1700

"But yet, my Lord, we must not drink Despair; that Draught let me throw by, and dash the Goblet, urg'd by the Fiends to hinder future Blessings."

— D'Urfey, Thomas (1653?-1723)

Date: 1701

"And if a bottle does their brains refine, / It makes their wit as sparkling as their wine."

— Defoe, Daniel (1660?-1731)

Date: 1701

"That Opinion, Tremilia, denotes a diseas'd Mind, which is as naturally averse to every thing that's pleasant, and agreeable, as a Diseas'd Body is to wholsom Food."

— Baker, Thomas (b. 1680-1)

Date: 1701, 1704

"And tho' Truth be the Food of the Soul, and the relish of it be very Delicious and Savoury to its Tast, and tho' even in this Sense also 'Light be sweet,and a pleasant thing it is to the Eye to behold the Sun', yet it is painful and troublesom to behold it So, and Men Love Shade and Darkness, ra...

— Norris, John (1657-1712)

Date: May 10, 1704

"He that can with Epicurus content his ideas with the films and images that fly off upon his senses from the superficies of things, such a man, truly wise, creams off Nature, leaving the sour and the dregs for philosophy and reason to lap up."

— Swift, Jonathan (1667-1745)

Date: 1705, 1712

"[W]ise Men on sound Reason ground Belief: / How that they find what for the Soul is good, / As by their Smell and Taste they judge their Food; / For who but each Man's Reason ought to try / 'Tis Faith, who must be sav'd or damn'd thereby."

— Ward, Edward (1667-1731)