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Date: 1691

"Instead of those sage and grave Notions that used to fill my Head, 'twas cramm'd top full of Whimseys and Whirligigs, by the vehement agitation of my distemper'd Fancy, as ever a Carkase-shell with Instruments of Death and Murder."

— Dunton, John (1659–1732)

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Date: 1691

'My very Brains (as Manichæus's Skin) are stuff'd with Chaff."

— Dunton, John (1659–1732)

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Date: Licens'd Decemb. 22. 1691

"For still I did preserve your Image in my Heart, and you were ever present to my dearest Thoughts."

— Congreve, William (1670-1729)

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Date: 1696

"All this is truth; but 'tis a Truth of such a consequence, that I must lay upon you wonderful Injunctions e're I venture to unravel it, your faithful Breast must lock this Secret up as safe as if my Life depended upon disclosing it; or if there is any thing you hold dearer, by that I conjure yo...

— Pix, Mary (c.1666-1720)

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Date: 1700

"Here walk'd a Fellow with a long white Rod on his Shoulder, that's asham'd to cry his Trade, though he gets his Living by it; another bawling out TODD's Four Volumes in Print, which a Man in Reading of, wou'd wonder that so much Venom should not tear him to pieces, but that some of the ancient M...

— Brown, Thomas (bap. 1663, d. 1704)

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Date: 1704

"You boast, indeed, of being obliged to no other Creature, but of drawing, and spinning out all from your self; That is to say, if we may judge of the Liquor in the Vessel by what issues out, You possess a good plentiful Store of Dirt and Poison in your Breast; And, tho' I would by no means, less...

— Swift, Jonathan (1667-1745)

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Date: 1705

"It is true indeed, we may be tempted to our Perdition under a fair and false Appearance of Religion, which commonly proceeds from the Discontentments of Life, or from some Capricio or Fancy of the Brain: And therefore it is very necessary to sound to the bottom of Mens Hearts, to know whether th...

— Manley, Delarivier (c. 1670-1724)

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Date: 1708

Now among other things of this kind which he discover'd, it appear'd to him that the Animal Spirit, which is Seal'd in the Heart (as we have mention'd before) must necessarily have some Quality superadded to its Corporeity, which rendred it capable of those wonderful Actions, different Sensations...

— Ockley, Simon (bap. 1679, d. 1720)

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Date: 1723, 1725

"Reflection was unhing'd; the noble Seat of Memory fill'd with Chimera's and disjointed Notions; wild and confus'd Ideas whirl'd in his distracted Brain; and all the Man, except the Form, was changed."

— Haywood [née Fowler], Eliza (1693?-1756)

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Date: 1760-7

"But the heat gradually increasing, and in a few seconds more getting beyond the point of all sober pleasure, and then advancing with all speed into the regions of pain,--the soul of Phutatorius, together with all his ideas, his thoughts, his attention, his imagination, judgment, resolution, deli...

— Sterne, Laurence (1713-1768)

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