No poet is ever completely lost. He has the secret of his childhood safe with him, like some secret cave in which he can kneel. And, when we read his poetry, we can join him there.

-Ackroyd, Peter
  Chatterton, ch.10.

My theory isöwe don't really go that far into other people, even when we think we do.We hardly ever go in and bring them out.We just stand at the jaws of the cave, and strike a match, and ask quickly if anybody's there.

-Amis, Martin Louis
  Money.

The rugged miners poured to war from Medip's sunless caves.

-1st Baron
  'The  Armada', in the Quarterly Magazine.

   Hence loathe'  d Melancholy, Of Cerberus and blackest midnight born, In Stygian cave forlorn 'Mongst horrid shapes, and shrieks, and sights unholy, Find out some uncouth cell, Where brooding Darkness spreads his jealous wings, And the night-raven sings.

-Milton,John
c.1631 L'Allegro, opening lines.

Swiftly walk o'er the western wave, Spirit of Night! Out of the misty eastern cave, Where, all the long and lone daylight, Thou wovest dreams of joyand fear, Which make thee terrible and dear, Swift be thy flight!

-Shelley, Percy Bysshe
'To Night' (published1824).

Beware of anything that promises freedom or enlightenmentötraps for eager and clever foolsöa dog has a keener noseöevery creature in a cave can justify himself. Three-fourths of philosophyand literature is the talk of people trying to convince themselves that they really like the cage they were tricked into entering.

-Snyder, Gary Sherman
  Earth House Hold,'Japan FirstTimeAround, 24: X'.