Without great men, great crowds of people in 35 a nation are disgusting; like moving cheese, like hills of ants or of fleas—the more, the worse.
— from Dictionary of Quotations from Ancient and Modern, English and Foreign Sources Including Phrases, Mottoes, Maxims, Proverbs, Definitions, Aphorisms, and Sayings of Wise Men, in Their Bearing on Life, Literature, Speculation, Science, Art, Religion, and Morals, Especially in the Modern Aspects of Them by Wood, James, Rev.

Poscia li pie` di retro, insieme attorti, diventaron lo membro che l'uom cela, e 'l misero del suo n'avea due porti.
— from Divina Commedia di Dante: Inferno by Dante Alighieri

If he hinted at a lecture or concert, he was answered with a reproachful look, and a decided "Leave my children for pleasure, never!"
— from Little Women; Or, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy by Louisa May Alcott

Diderot never dated his letters—Madam d’Epinay and Madam d’ Houdetot seldom dated theirs except the day of the week, and De Leyre mostly confined himself to the same rules.
— from The Confessions of Jean Jacques Rousseau — Complete by Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Up betimes, and did do several things towards the settling all matters both of house and office in order for my journey this day, and did leave my chief care, and the key of my closet, with Mr. Hater, with directions what papers to secure, in case of fire or other accident; and so, about nine o’clock, I, and my wife, and Willet, set out in a coach I have hired, with four horses; and W. Hewer and Murford rode by us on horseback; and so my wife and she in their morning gowns, very handsome and pretty, and to my great liking.
— from The Diary of Samuel Pepys — Complete by Samuel Pepys

It was a dozen lines merely commending me in a general way to the courtesies of servants in his Italian Majesty’s service, but it was more powerful than it looked.
— from Following the Equator: A Journey Around the World by Mark Twain

V ARIANTS : Al alcance de la mano ; cerca .
— from Heath's Modern Language Series: The Spanish American Reader by Ernesto Nelson

No pudiendo reembolsar el importe de sus ventas a la presentación de los documentos de aceptación de la mercadería, como lo hace el europeo con los suyos, habría debido aumentar su capital para llenar el vacío causado por las ventas a plazo.
— from Heath's Modern Language Series: The Spanish American Reader by Ernesto Nelson

I am only in town for a day; left my company thirty miles off,—orphans, as I said before."
— from What Will He Do with It? — Volume 03 by Lytton, Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron

De place fer a big fine is whar de brush is tick and de Linkum men crawl away
— from Taken Alive by Edward Payson Roe

I do hope you will soon be in town, and do let me come to tea soon .—With
— from Kate Greenaway by M. H. (Marion Harry) Spielmann

So they came to Saint Peter's; and because the Count of the Lateran should by right have been the Emperor's sponsor at the anointing, and had left Rome in anger and disdain, Lewis made Castruccio a knight of the Empire and Count of the Lateran in his stead, and sponsor; and two excommunicated Bishops consecrated the Emperor, and anointed him, and Sciarra Colonna crowned him and his queen.
— from Ave Roma Immortalis, Vol. 1 Studies from the Chronicles of Rome by F. Marion (Francis Marion) Crawford

Il y avoit dans la même Chambre un autre lit de la même grandeur; ce fut dans ce lit que la femme de l'Ogre mit coucher les sept petits garçons, aprés quoi elle s'alla coucher auprés de son mary.
— from Popular Tales by Charles Perrault

Next day I was in Dublin, and duly left my captain’s letter at the Admiralty.
— from Kilgorman: A Story of Ireland in 1798 by Talbot Baines Reed

Miss Allen was not possessed of "long patience," and dear little Mahla could make nothing of her scientific explanations.
— from Little Prudy's Cousin Grace by Sophie May