Date: 1606

"[H]aving sucked and drawne the good" (the "marrow and spirit") from books, one must "feed his mind therewith, informe his judgement, instruct and direct his conscience and his opinions, rectifie his will."

— Charron, Pierre (1541-1603); Lennard, Sampson (d. 1633)

Date: 1610

Man "into himself can draw / All, all his faith can swallow, or reason chaw ... All the round world, to man is but a pill."

— Donne, John (1572-1631)

Date: 1611

"The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself."

— Author Unknown

Date: 1611

"As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God."

— Author Unknown

Date: 1611

"My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips."

— Author Unknown

Date: 1611

"For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness."

— Author Unknown

Date: 1611

"And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the LORD."

— Author Unknown

Date: 1644, 1647

"The brute beasts, who have only their bodies to preserve, are continually occupied in looking for food to nourish them; but human beings, whose most important part is the mind, should devote their main efforts to the search for wisdom, which is the true food of the mind."

— Descartes, René (1596-1650)

Date: 1662

"Flowers, rivers, woods, the pleasant air and wind, / With Sacred thoughts, do feed my serious mind."

— Watkyns, Rowland (c. 1614-1664)

Date: 1667

Conscience "is a cordial Electuary: / And very many good ingredients go / Therein, Meat, Drink, Sleep, Ease, Refreshment too.

— Billingsley, Nicholas (bap. 1633, d. 1709)