A false tone is there: such gatherings are in strange contrast with the misery and barrenness of our existence.
— from The Essays of Arthur Schopenhauer; Counsels and Maxims by Arthur Schopenhauer

He stood for a few minutes holding the candle aloft, and blinking on our travellers with a dismal and mystified expression that was truly ludicrous.
— from Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe

Genius is never without a high, broad, finely-arched brow; but such a brow often occurs where there is no genius.
— from The World as Will and Idea (Vol. 1 of 3) by Arthur Schopenhauer

To be assured of success in these maneuvers, a body of observation is left in front of the army to be held in check, with instructions to avoid a serious engagement, but to delay the enemy as much as possible by taking advantage of the ground, continually falling back upon the principal army.
— from The Art of War by Jomini, Antoine Henri, baron de

High on the stern Aeneas took his stand, And held a branch of olive in his hand, While thus he spoke: “The Phrygians’ arms you see, Expell’d from Troy, provok’d in Italy
— from The Aeneid by Virgil

Día, naghinigulang mig tabì, Here we are, gossiping like a bunch of old folks.
— from A Dictionary of Cebuano Visayan by John U. Wolff

But other dogs were attracted as before, and one evening, when a big dinner party was on, a stuffed turkey was carried away by one of them right under the cook's nose, and she did not dare to stop him.
— from Complete Original Short Stories of Guy De Maupassant by Guy de Maupassant

a 1 always be out of one’s home and be at places where he is not supposed to be.
— from A Dictionary of Cebuano Visayan by John U. Wolff

And at last they came to a door; and the door was opened; and there was a blaze of orange light; and they entered—all dripping and unrecognizable—the warm, snug little place, to the astonishment of a handsome young lady who proved to be their hostess.
— from Macleod of Dare by William Black

◊ T HAT gardening has always been one of the most natural, as well as the most useful occupations of mankind, is obvious: that it has advanced—been retarded—or flourished, according as general taste or wants, or peculiar political, moral, or local circumstances, were favourable or adverse, is also sufficiently evident from all historical testimony;—but in no age has it advanced with such rapid strides towards perfection as it has done within the last fifty years.
— from The Quarterly Journal of Science, Literature and the Arts, July-December, 1827 by Various

He could boast of having most of the Old Testament by heart, making a prayer or "asking a blessing" of one hour's duration in the delivery; and by these virtues, and others he knew how to practise, every person who lived in his house, or came within the influence of his zeal, was sure "to get religion in no time.
— from The Cross and the Shamrock Or, How To Defend The Faith. An Irish-American Catholic Tale Of Real Life, Descriptive Of The Temptations, Sufferings, Trials, And Triumphs Of The Children Of St. Patrick In The Great Republic Of Washington. A Book For The Entertainment And Special Instructions Of The Catholic Male And Female Servants Of The United States. by Hugh Quigley

When the palace was completed to Dion’s satisfaction and became one of the most lauded ornaments of the city, the young men’s friendship assumed a new form, and it would have been difficult to say which received the most benefit.
— from Cleopatra — Complete by Georg Ebers

Later, when her attitude became one of tolerant friendliness, he blessed his stars, vowing privately that his circumspection should be without a flaw.
— from The Crimson Conquest: A Romance of Pizarro and Peru by Charles B. (Charles Bradford) Hudson

The camels, not having been used to this food, did not like it; they would have greatly preferred a bit of old, worn-out mat, as we have found to our cost in the desert.
— from Famous Givers and Their Gifts by Sarah Knowles Bolton

When he collected a batch of objects, he sent them off by post to Naturalists in different parts of the country, for the purpose of obtaining from them the proper names.
— from Life of a Scotch Naturalist: Thomas Edward, Associate of the Linnean Society. Fourth Edition by Samuel Smiles

The busy stage of life, the virtues of heroes, and the actions of men, were his theme; and his hope and his dream was to become one among those whose names are recorded in story, as the gallant and adventurous benefactors of our species.
— from Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

Not at all: they are far too stupid to understand their wives: there is something too fine and elusive about a woman's intellect and heart to be attained by one of our sex.
— from Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, Volume 22. October, 1878. by Various