Date: 1696

"The Sences in Confederacy raise Rebellion against reason; there now is a Civil War over all this Compound Tabernacle. Pride and Desire disturb the Harmony of Government, endeavouring to undermine the tottering Fabrick, and to hurl all into Chaos and Confusion."

— Anonymous; George Powell (1658-1714), Publisher

Date: 1696

"Is your heart made of that impenetrable Mould, that Sighs and Prayers are vain Batteries; or doth some hidden happy Youth rob me of my desir'd Prize? She blusht at that, and he observ'd it."

— Pix, Mary (c.1666-1720)

Date: 1696

"'Twas not with ease the Usurper got Possession here (went she on; pointing to her Heart) nor will he be with ease dislodg'd. All the Sighs and Tears it cost Emilius to gain this Virgin Heart, to bind it in the Inchanting Chains of Tyrannick Love; I must, with Interest, pay back, e'er I can set t...

— Pix, Mary (c.1666-1720)

Date: 1696

"I find the danger now: my Spirits start / At the alarm, and from all quarters come / To Man my Heart, the Citadel of love."

— Southerne, Thomas (1659-1746)

Date: 1696

"But 'tis a pleasure more than life can give, / That with unconquer'd Passion to the last, / You struggle still, and fain wou'd hold me to you."

— Southerne, Thomas (1659-1746)

Date: 1698

"Your Bulwarks, Entrenchments and Redoubts lay so cunningly hid in your Way of Ideas, that they were altogether Invisible; so that the most quick-sighted Engineer living could not discern them, or take any sure Aim at them: Much less such a Dull Eye as mine; who, tho' I bend my Sight as strongly ...

— Sergeant, John (1622-1707)

Date: 1698

"But when Vice is varnish'd over with Pleasure, and comes in the Shape of Convenience, the case grows somewhat dangerous; for then the Fancy may be gain'd, and the Guards corrupted, and Reason suborn'd against it self."

— Collier, Jeremy (1650-1726)

Date: 1698

"The Passions are up in Arms, and there's a mighty Contest between Duty, and Inclination. The Mind is over-run with Amusements, and commonly good for nothing sometime after."

— Collier, Jeremy (1650-1726)

Date: 1700

"As it can't but be uneasie to the Person who pays it, so he who receives it will be sometimes disappointed when he expects to find it, for that Woman must be endow'd with a Wisdom and Goodness much above what we suppose the Sex capable of, I fear much greater than e're a Man can pretend to, who ...

— Astell, Mary (1666–1731)

Date: 1700, 1717

"This Helenus to great AEneas told, / Which I retain, e'er since in other Mould: / My Soul was cloath'd; and now rejoice to view / My Country Walls rebuilt, and Troy reviv'd anew, / Rais'd by the fall: Decreed by Loss to Gain; / Enslav'd but to be free, and conquer'd but to reign."

— Dryden, John (1631-1700)