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Date: 1651

"Voluntary, the third, or intellective, which commands the other two in men, and is a curb unto them, or at least should be, but for the most part is captivated and overruled by them; and men are led like beasts by sense, giving reins to their concupiscence and several lusts."

— Burton, Robert (1577-1640)

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Date: 1654

"[T]here are cases wherein this law must vaile to an higher, which is the law of Conscience: Woe be to that man who shall tye himselfe so close to the letter of the law, as to make shipwrack of conscience; And that bird in his bosome will tell him, that if upon what ever pretences, he shall willi...

— Hall, Joseph (1574-1656)

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Date: 1674, 1686

"For Fancy's like a rough, but ready Horse, / Whose mouth is govern'd more by skill than force; / Wherein (my Friend) you do a Maistry own, / If not particular to you alone; /Yet such at least as to all eyes declares /Your Pegasus the best performs his Ayres."

— Cotton, Charles (1630-1687)

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Date: 1683

"To Reason's yoke she quickly will incline, / Which, far from hurting, renders her divine; / But if neglected, will as easily stray, / And master Reason, which she should obey."

— Dryden, John (1631-1700) [Poem ascribed to]

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Date: 1683

Reason may (not) "rule the Rost"

— Dixon, Robert (1614/15-1688).

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Date: 1689, 1716

"'What Confidence can you in them repose, / 'Who e're they serve you, all their Value lose? / 'Who once enslave their Conscience to their Lust, / 'Have lost their Reins, and can no more be Just."

— Montagu, Charles, 1st Earl of Halifax (1661-1715)

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Date: 1694, 1704

"If we govern ourselves in the use of sensual delight, by the Laws of God and reason, we shall find ourselves more at ease than if we should let loose the reins to our appetites and lusts."

— Tillotson, John (1630–1694)

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Date: 1697

"Inexorable Hatred, Pride unmixt / Desp'rate Revenge, and Malice deeply fixt, / With Wrath from every Stain of Love refin'd / Reign'd uncontroul'd in his envenom'd Mind."

— Blackmore, Sir Richard (1654-1729)

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Date: 1700, 1712

"And so our Saviour tells us, that 'whosoever committeth sin is the Servant of sin'; and this is the vilest and hardest Slavery in the World, because it is the Servitude of the Soul, the best and noblest part of our selves; 'tis the subjection of our Reason, which ought to rule and bear Sway over...

— Tillotson, John (1630-1694)

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Date: 1711

"Passions impatient of the Rein, disown / Reason's Dominion, and usurp her Throne."

— Blackmore, Sir Richard (1654-1729)

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The Mind is a Metaphor is authored by Brad Pasanek, Assistant Professor of English, University of Virginia.