Date: 1785

"I was surpriz'd, taken unawares, passion ran away with me like an unbroke horse: but I have got him under now; I can govern him with a twine of thread."

— Cumberland, Richard (1732-1811)

Date: 1787

Money may be a ruling passion

— Holcroft, Thomas (1745-1809)

Date: 1789

"A passion like mine, makes the heart rebellious--it will love on--it will hope, in spite of the rules cold reason dictates"

— Inchbald [née Simpson], Elizabeth (1753-1821)

Date: 1789, 1797

"Still in this breast shall dearest Emma reign, / Nor e'er my will your virgin choice shall sway."

— Berkeley, George Monck (1763-1793)

Date: March 8, 1790

"Love does all day the soul's great empire keep; / But Wine, at night, lulls the soft God asleep."

— Kemble, John Philip (1757-1823)

Date: 1795

In "the serious and reflective mind, love raises a despotic throne, and, like the burning sun of Africa, he pours his chiefest ardors upon slaves"

— Cowley [née Parkhouse], Hannah (1743-1809)

Date: April 17, 1795

"Like Britain's Monarch" an audience may "act [their] generous parts, /And fix [their] empire, in [actors] greatful hearts.

— Jerningham, Edward (1727-1812)

Date: 1796, 1806

"A dread coincidence of time and act / Drew me from Reason's empire to Despair!"

— Robinson [Née Darby], Mary [Perdita] (1758-1800)

Date: January 13, 1796

"Come then, sweet sounds, for you alone / Can bid the tumult cease, / Restore reason to it's throne / His bosom to it's peace."

— Cumberland, Richard (1732-1811)

Date: 1805

"And, indeed, so long as chivalry lasted, the minstrels were protected and caressed, because their music tended to do honour to the ruling passion of the times, and to encourage and foment a martial spirit."

— Pratt, Samuel Jackson [pseud. Courtney Melmoth] (1749-1814)