Date: 1734

"Of brass his heart who durst explore,-- / Lock'd up in triple brass, and more,"

— Young, Edward (bap. 1683, d. 1765)

Date: 1754

"The mind of man does often what princes and states have done. It gives a currency to brass and copper coined in the several philosophical and theological mints, and raises the value of gold and silver above that of their true standard."

— St John, Henry, styled first Viscount Bolingbroke (1678-1751)

Date: 1764, 1773

"But 'tis not Gomez, 'tis not he whose heart / Is crusted o'er with dross, whose callous mind / Is senseless as his gold."

— Shenstone, William (1714-1763)

Date: 1770

"Not greater wonder seiz'd th' abode / Of gloomy Dis, infernal god, / With pity when th' Orphean lyre / Did every iron heart inspire, / Sooth'd tortur'd ghosts with heavenly strains, / And respited eternal pains."

— Dalton, John (b. 1709, d. 1763)

Date: 1791

"The generous Mind expanding into Joy, / While no mean Passion mixt its base Alloy;"

— Polwhele, Richard (1760-1838)

Date: 1795

"Disdaining even the thought of flight or fear, / His life, his soul, by steady valor steel'd."

— Pye, Henry James (1745-1813)

Date: 1804

"The daring imp has learn'd to stand his ground; / Well steel'd his heart, and bronz'd his face"

— Wolcot, John, pseud. Peter Pindar, (1738-1819)

Date: 1810

"They form a picture, delicate of trait, / Soft as the scene now mirror'd in thy breast"

— Seward, Anna (1742-1809)