Date: 1598

"His heart like an agate with your print impressed, / Proud with his form, in his eye pride expressed."

— Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)

Date: 1598

"Most maculate thoughts, master, are masked under / such colours."

— Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)

Date: 1647

"False Coin with which th'Impostor cheats us still; / The Stamp and Colour good, but Metal ill!"

— Cowley, Abraham (1618-1667)

Date: Jun 12, 1668; 1671

"'Tis so wild [Wildblood's heart], that the Lady who has it in her keeping, would be glad she were well rid on't: it does so flutter about the Cage. 'Tis a meer Bajazet; and if it be not let out the sooner, will beat out the brains against the Grates."

— Dryden, John (1631-1700)

Date: 1684

"Since Harmony, like Fire to VVax, does fit / The softned Heart Impressions to admit."

— Behn, Aphra (1640?-1689)

Date: 1687

"Our Souls are in one mutual Knot combin'd, / Not Common Passion, Dull and Unrefin'd"

— Ayres, Philip (1638-1712)

Date: 1689

And yet there is, there is one prize / Lock'd in an adamantine Breast; / Storm that then, Love, if thou be'st wise, / A Conquest above all the rest, / Her Heart, who binds all Hearts in chains, / Castanna's Heart untouch'd remains."

— Cotton, Charles (1630-1687)

Date: Licens'd Decemb. 22. 1691

"O Leonora! (continued he) how hast thou stamp'd thine Image on my Soul! How much dearer am I to my self, since I have had thy Heavenly Form in keeping!"

— Congreve, William (1670-1729)

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)

Date: Licens'd Decemb. 22. 1691

"I burn and am consumed with hopeless Love; those Beams in whose soft temperate warmth I wanton'd heretofore, now flash destruction to my Soul, my Treacherous greedy Eyes have suck'd the glaring Light, they have united all its Rays, and, like a burning-Glass, Convey'd the pointed Meteor to-my Hea...

— Congreve, William (1670-1729)