458 Only allow me to feed my fancy like the solitary in his walks, with a dream of what might be, and then I will return to the question of what can be.
— from The Republic of Plato by Plato

Now to speak thus is true enough but conveys no very definite meaning: as, in fact, in all other pursuits requiring attention and diligence on which skill and science are brought to bear; it is quite true of course to say that men are neither to labour nor relax too much or too little, but in moderation, and as Right Reason directs; yet if this were all a man had he would not be greatly the wiser; as, for instance, if in answer to the question, what are proper applications to the body, he were to be told, “Oh! of course, whatever the science of medicine, and in such manner as the physician, directs.”
— from The Ethics of Aristotle by Aristotle

Others are oppositely constituted; and are so in degrees which may vary from something so slight as to result in a merely odd or whimsical inconsistency, to a discordancy of which the consequences may be inconvenient in the extreme.
— from Introduction to the Science of Sociology by E. W. (Ernest Watson) Burgess

The latter says, “Polydamas will be the first to fix Disgrace upon me.” Diomed again, “For Hector surely will hereafter say, Speaking in Troy, Tydides by my hand”— This I say most nearly resembles the Courage before spoken of, because it arises from virtue, from a feeling of shame, and a desire of what is noble (that is, of honour), and avoidance of disgrace which is base.
— from The Ethics of Aristotle by Aristotle

But she would not leave him alone, and urged him saying, ‘If you will not eat anything, at least you might take a draught of wine; one drink counts for nothing,’ and at last he allowed himself to be persuaded, and drank.
— from Grimms' Fairy Tales by Wilhelm Grimm

A piece of bread and a draught of water was often his sole and evening repast; and if he tasted of a wild boar or a stag, which he had roasted with his own hands, it was the well-earned fruit of a laborious chase.
— from The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Table of Contents with links in the HTML file to the two Project Gutenberg editions (12 volumes) by Edward Gibbon

It is by this principle chiefly that poetry, painting, and other affecting arts, transfuse their passions from one breast to another, and are often capable of grafting a delight on wretchedness, misery, and death itself.
— from The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 01 (of 12) by Edmund Burke

By now convinced that that would certainly happen, “‘Why,” I asked myself, “Why, in one of our long past quarrels, had not I given her a divorce, or why had she not at that time left me altogether?
— from Project Gutenberg Compilation of 233 Short Stories of Chekhov by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov

A TEAR FOR A DROP OF WATER.
— from Notre-Dame de Paris by Victor Hugo

More conclusive still is the evidence of a mistake in Joshua ix., where it is impossible that the artist can have had before him the pretty little cut of the Gibeonites as hewers of wood and drawers of water, which is one of our illustrations.
— from Old Picture Books, With Other Essays on Bookish Subjects by Alfred W. (Alfred William) Pollard

Do you have anything to add, Dr. Olivier, which you think would be helpful to the Commission in any way?
— from Warren Commission (05 of 26): Hearings Vol. V (of 15) by United States. Warren Commission

I call'd thee then, vaine flourish of my fortune: I call'd thee then, poore Shadow, painted Queen, The presentation of but what I was; The flattering Index of a direfull Pageant; One heau'd a high, to be hurl'd downe below: A Mother onely mockt with two faire Babes; A dreame of what thou wast, a garish Flagge To be the ayme of euery dangerous Shot; A signe of Dignity, a Breath, a Bubble; A Queene in ieast, onely to fill the Scene.
— from Richard III by William Shakespeare

“It will not, indeed, be with them a day of wrath.
— from The Little Child's Book of Divinity or Grandmamma's Stories about Bible Doctrines by John R. (John Ross) Macduff

But the feeling in England was very strong against the outrage which had been committed, and it was only the most moderate of any political party who were willing to believe—either that the American Government might not be cognisant of the act done in its name, or that it might be willing to atone by honourable means for a violation of international law—enough to provoke the withdrawal of the English ambassador from Washington, and a declaration of war between the two countries.
— from Life of Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen — Volume 2 by Sarah Tytler

Many a time me an’ poor ole Bill Lawson have skrimmaged with the Injuns through here, when it war more’n a feller’s har war wuth to come to this creek arter a drink o’ water.
— from Frank on the Prairie by Harry Castlemon

She jumped out of bed to get me a drop of water, and kissed me, and said how sorry she was, and how undeserving of so much interest being taken in her.
— from The Queen of Hearts by Wilkie Collins

“Alas!” said Hyoy, still in the mock heroic—“where is the pride and dignity of woman?
— from The Emigrants Of Ahadarra The Works of William Carleton, Volume Two by William Carleton