Many of them cannot tell how to express themselves in words, or how it holds them, what ails them, you cannot understand them, or well tell what to make of their sayings; so far gone sometimes, so stupefied and distracted, they think themselves bewitched, they are in despair, aptae ad fletum, desperationem, dolores mammis et hypocondriis .
— from The Anatomy of Melancholy by Robert Burton

Passed in review at a few days' distance, nothing or little of them remains: most of them have made shipwreck in that great nonentity from which they never more will emerge, and they have carried with them the quantity of duration which was inherent in their being.
— from The Principles of Psychology, Volume 1 (of 2) by William James

Wednesday a fine Day dispatched a perogu and Collected Stone for our Chimnys, Some wind from the S. W. arrange our different articles—maney Indians visit us to day, G D hurd his hand verry bad- all the party in high Spirits—The river Clear of ice, & riseing a little H2 anchor [Clark, November 22, 1804] 22nd of November Thursday 1804 a fine morning Dispatched a perogue and 5 Men under the Derection of Sergeant Pryor to the 2nd Village for 100 bushels of Corn in ears which Mr. Jessomme, let us have did not get more than 80 bushels—I was allarmed about 10 oClock by the Sentinal, who informed that an Indian was about to Kill his wife in the interpeters fire about 60 yards below the works, I went down and Spoke to the fellow about the rash act which he was like to commit and forbid any act of the kind near the fort-
— from The Journals of Lewis and Clark, 1804-1806 by William Clark

Thus in this island of Bensalem there are Jews "of a far differing disposition from the Jews in other parts.
— from Secret Societies And Subversive Movements by Nesta Helen Webster

Compare the following sentences: Domina fîliam amat Fîliam domina amat Amat fîliam domina Domina amat fîliam
— from Latin for Beginners by Benjamin L. (Benjamin Leonard) D'Ooge

A citizen of Bizance in France had a filthy, dowdy, deformed slut to his wife, and finding her in bed with another man, cried out as one amazed; O miser!
— from The Anatomy of Melancholy by Robert Burton

He says this, a censor of morals, a very pelican in his piety, who did not scruple, oblivious of the ties of nature, to attempt illicit intercourse with a female domestic drawn from the lowest strata of society!
— from Ulysses by James Joyce

a Relentless fate, an endless woe; Don Quixote’s tears are on the flow, And all for distant Dulcinea Del Toboso.
— from The History of Don Quixote, Volume 1, Complete by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

The iron will of one stout heart shall make a thousand quail: A feeble dwarf, dauntlessly resolved, will turn the tide of battle, And rally to a nobler strife the giants that had fled.—TUPPER.
— from Pushing to the Front by Orison Swett Marden

Morrel uttered a loud exclamation, and frantic, doubtful, dazzled, as though by a celestial vision, he fell upon his knees.
— from The Count of Monte Cristo, Illustrated by Alexandre Dumas

The soil was a fine deep, dark loam, and for the first time in Nicaragua I found they ploughed their land, and made permanent fences.
— from The Naturalist in Nicaragua by Thomas Belt

But they found that while he at once responded to any suggestion of a raid or a fight, drill, discipline and camp routine were bores that he could be induced to take only a languid interest in.
— from Si Klegg, Book 4 Experiences of Si and Shorty on the Great Tullahoma Campaign by John McElroy

Now if it rains knives and forks, I must sport a ten dollar hat, a forty dollar dress, and a hundred dollar shawl.
— from The Life and Beauties of Fanny Fern by William U. Moulton

"And now, why are you hopping on one foot in that absurd fashion?" "Dad, dear, I lost my shoe——" "Her very best pink one," Barry explained; "she threw it after the bride, and now I've got to give her another pair for her birthday.
— from Contrary Mary by Temple Bailey

One after another they plucked with their beaks the softest feathers from under their wings, and, flying down, dropped then gently upon the body of the King of the Polar Bears.
— from American Fairy Tales by L. Frank (Lyman Frank) Baum

As it was very dangerous to anchor on the coast, and as none of the inhabitants came off in their canoes, the Dutch did not think fit to make any stay, but continued still a western course, and in a few days discovered another island, which at a distance appeared very high and beautiful; but, on a nearer approach they found no ground for anchorage, and the coast appeared so rocky that they were afraid to venture near.
— from A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Volume 11 Arranged in Systematic Order: Forming a Complete History of the Origin and Progress of Navigation, Discovery, and Commerce, by Sea and Land, from the Earliest Ages to the Present Time by Robert Kerr

The Moor took advantage of {168} the moment, and, hitting him a back stroke on the neck with his sword, the temper of which he could rely on, such was the amazing force of the blow, that the animal fell down dead upon the spot, to the great astonishment of all the spectators.
— from The Life and Adventures of Guzman D'Alfarache, or the Spanish Rogue, vol. 1/3 by Mateo Alemán

A few drops did reach me, and when I expressed my disgust most forcibly, Mrs. Blythe said apologetically, 'Don't blame the poor woman.
— from Mary Ware's Promised Land by Annie F. (Annie Fellows) Johnston