Date: 1719

I struggled with the Power of my Imagination, reason'd myself out of it, as I believe People may always do in like Cases, if they will; and, in a Word, I conquer'd it

— Defoe, Daniel (1660?-1731)

Date: 1719

"I thought he was not a Monarch only, but a great Conqueror; for that he that has got a Victory over his own exorbitant Desires, and has the absolute Dominion over himself, whose Reason entirely governs his Will, is certainly greater than he that conquers a City"

— Defoe, Daniel (1660?-1731)

Date: 1722, 1723

"For Jesus sake, remove not my Distress, / Till free Triumphant Grace shall Reposess / The Vacant Throne; from whence my Sins Depart, / And make a willing Captive of my Heart."

— Defoe, Daniel (1660?-1731)

Date: 1724

"In short, every thing we do, you construe to your own advantage: if we look easy and pleas'd in your Company, we are certainly in Love; if grave and reserv'd, 'tis to hide our Love; thus you all imagine we are fond of gaining a Conquest over a Heart, which when we have got it, is perhaps so very...

— Davys, Mary (1674-1732)

Date: 1725

"Cousin, said she, you have very much surpriz'd me with what you have said, I thought I shou'd have been very secure from the Importunities of Love, while I was with you, since you have always express'd the greatest dislike to it; but I flatter myself, that all you have said, has been only to try...

— Davys, Mary (1674-1732)

Date: 1726

"At that Answer I sat me down upon my Chest and burst into Tears, and had such a Combat in my Mind that bereav'd me of the Power even of thinking for some time."

— Chetwood, William Rufus (d. 1766)

Date: 1726

"When she came back from Supper, I had got up and had drest my self; but the Combat in my Mind had really disorder'd my Body, which she soon saw."

— Chetwood, William Rufus (d. 1766)

Date: 1727

Women have the strength to subdue that reason "which conquers the Lords of Creation" and "like Sampson break the trifling Twine and laugh at every Obstacle that would oppose [their] pleasure"

— Davys, Mary (1674-1732)

Date: 1741 [1740]; continued in 1741

"I could not conquer my Love; so I conquer'd a Pride."

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

Date: 1741 [1740]; continued in 1741

One may try in vainto conquer a Passion for someone

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