Date: 1655

"Therefore it belongs to the will as to the Generall of an Army to moove the other powers of the soul to their acts, and among the rest the understanding also, by applying it and reducing its power into act."

— Bramhall, John (1594-1663)

Date: 1682

"We are carry'd Up to the Heavens, and Down again into the Deep, by Turns; so long as we are govern'd by our Affections, and not by Virtue: Passion, and Reason, are a kind of Civil War within us; and as the one, or the other has Dominion, we are either Good, or Bad."

— L'Estrange, Sir Roger (1616-1704)

Date: 1687

"So crowds of anxious Thoughts on ev'ry side, / Invade my Soul."

— Ayres, Philip (1638-1712)

Date: 1687

"The wing'd Battalions from her lovely face / Flew to the Breach, and, rushing in apace, / Did quickly make her Mistress of the place [the heart]."

— Cutts, John, Baron Cutts of Gowran (1660/1-1707)

Date: 1712

"These Out-guards of the Mind are sent abroad, / And still patrolling beat the neighb'ring Road: / Or to the Parts remote obedient fly, / Keep Posts advanc'd, and on the Frontier lye."

— Blackmore, Sir Richard (1654-1729)

Date: 1712

"The watchful Centinels at ev'ry Gate, / At ev'ry Passage to the Senses wait."

— Blackmore, Sir Richard (1654-1729)

Date: 1718

"Should you at length decide the doubtful War, / Renounce to Virtue, and for Vice declare, / You'll ne'er in Triumph captive Reason lead, / On Conscience wholly conquer'd never tread."

— Blackmore, Sir Richard (1654-1729)

Date: 1718

"The Foe has secret Friends within your Breast, / Perfidious Passions, which dissemble Rest / All these, should you approach her Camp too near, / Rising in Arms, against you will declare."

— Blackmore, Sir Richard (1654-1729)

Date: 1786

"From that awful period, almost every expectation is forlorn: the heart is left unguarded: its great protector is no more: the vices therefore, which so long encompassed it in vain, obtain an easy victory: in crouds they pour into the defenceless avenues, and take possession of the soul: there is...

— Clarkson, Thomas (1760–1846)