Date: 1743

"As his most powerful and predominant Passion was Ambition, so Nature had with consummate Propriety, adapted all his Faculties to the attaining those glorious Ends, to which this Passion directed him."

— Fielding, Henry (1707-1754)

Date: 1743

"Upon this, my Son Swane invaded the Coasts with several Ships, and committed many outragious Cruelties; which, indeed, did his business, as they served me to apply to the Fear of this King, which I had long since discovered to be his predominant Passion."

— Fielding, Henry (1707-1754)

Date: 1743

"He was very bad at acting any Part that was not quite sincere; but the present Confusion of her Mind was so great, she could not distinguish very clearly; and not knowing he was acquainted with what had passed between her and her Confidant, his Behaviour threw her into a great Consternation, and...

— Fielding, Henry (1707-1754)

Date: 1743

"Reason, however we flatter ourselves, hath not such despotic Empire in our Minds, that it can, with imperial Voice, hush all our Sorrow in a Moment"

— Fielding, Henry (1707-1754)

Date: 1743

It may cost one "more struggling than may easily be believed, utterly to conquer his Reluctance, and to banish away every Degree of Humanity from his Mind"

— Fielding, Henry (1707-1754)

Date: 1743

One's conqueror may be "one of those over whom Passion hath a limited Jurisdiction"

— Fielding, Henry (1707-1754)

Date: 1743

"[T]here is still a Judge in every Man's Breast, which none can cheat nor corrupt, tho' perhaps it is the only uncorrupt Thing about him. And yet, inflexible and honest as this Judge is, (however polluted the Bench be on he sits) no man can, in my Opinion, enjoy any Applause which is not thus adj...

— Fielding, Henry (1707-1754)

Date: 1748

"[A]nd in the mean time went to dress, with an intention of visiting Mrs. Snapper and Miss, whom I had utterly neglected and indeed almost forgot, since my dear Narcissa had resumed the empire of my soul."

— Smollett, Tobias (1721-1777)

Date: 1747-8

"Riches were, are, and always will be, his predominant passion."

— Richardson, Samuel (bap. 1689, d. 1761)

Date: 1747-8

"My predominant passion is Girl, not Gold; nor value I This, but as it helps me to That, and gives me independence."

— Richardson, Samuel (bap. 1689, d. 1761)