Date: w. 1741

"While breath shall animate this frail machine, / My heart sincere, which never flatt'ry knew, / Shall consecrate its warmest wish to you."

— Montagu, Lady Mary Wortley [née Lady Mary Pierrepont] (1689-1762)

Date: 1752, 1790

"The yielding paper's pure, but vacant breast, / By her fair hand and flowing pen imprest, / At ev'ry touch more animated grows."

— Jenyns, Soame (1704-1787)

Date: 1755

"Like Death impartial, [Love] presents his Dart, / And sure to conquer, aims at ev'ry Heart"

— Masters, Mary (1694-1771)

Date: 1755

"After the many restless Nights I've spent, / In anxious Care, in raving Discontent, / Contending with a wild, a fierce Desire, / The Flame of Love, which set my Soul on Fire."

— Masters, Mary (1694-1771)

Date: 1755

"Oh let me now thy tender Mercy find, / With thy free Grace illuminate my Mind, / Let me no more the Slave of Passion be, / But turn my wand'ring Thoughts to Heav'n and thee."

— Masters, Mary (1694-1771)

Date: 1755

"Then shall my cruel Foe, abash'd, recede, / Finding his artful Snares are vainly spread. / Of rolling Years, eleven are past in Pain, / Since I was doom'd to wear the galling Chain: / The Chain which am'rous Minds are forc'd to bear, / Still to the most Submissive, most severe."

— Masters, Mary (1694-1771)

Date: 1755

Had only heaven "stamp'd Omniscience on thy weaker Soul"

— Masters, Mary (1694-1771)

Date: 1755

"They George's Image in his Coin approve, / Thy pictur'd Mind I in thy Letters love."

— Masters, Mary (1694-1771)

Date: 1756

"A war of passions in their breasts they feel / As the muse fires, who have not hearts of Steel."

— Cooke, Thomas (1703-1756)

Date: March 1763, 1774

"While with the motion of the pen, / Method pops in and out agen, / So, as I said, I thought it better, / To set me down and think a letter, / And without any more ado, / Seal up my mind, and send it you."

— Lloyd, Robert (bap. 1733, d. 1764)