It was no wonder that the coastguard was surprised, or even awed, for not often can such a sight have been seen.
— from Dracula by Bram Stoker

These peoples, which not only constituted aristocracies, but very polished and free nations, of course imparted to their literary productions the defects and the merits which characterize the literature of aristocratic ages.
— from Democracy in America — Volume 2 by Alexis de Tocqueville

For without doubt the divine providence procures for her both consolation through prosperity, that she may not be broken by adversity, and trial through adversity, that she may not be corrupted by prosperity; and thus each is tempered by the other, as we recognise in the Psalms that voice which arises from no other cause, "According to the multitude of my griefs in my heart, Thy consolations have delighted my soul."
— from The City of God, Volume II by Augustine, Saint, Bishop of Hippo

Fire is, in a sense, the foundation and first necessity of civilization, and it is interesting to study the myths as to the origin of fire, and possibly even more interesting to compare the Greek and Japanese stories.
— from The Religions of Japan, from the Dawn of History to the Era of Méiji by William Elliot Griffis

But they had seen no one from the Parsonage, not a creature, and had heard no tidings beyond a friendly note of congratulation and inquiry from Mrs. Grant to Lady Bertram.
— from Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

There was a young and poor man called Kolbein; and Thora, King Sigurd the Crusader's mother, had ordered his tongue to be cut out of his mouth, and for no other cause than that this young man had taken a piece of meat out of the king-mother's tub which he said the cook had given him, and which the cook had not ventured to serve up to her.
— from Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway by Snorri Sturluson

Let the preceding analysis, however, be remembered of what is required to be supposed in the conception of the summum bonum, and it will be seen that it cannot be commanded to assume this possibility, and no practical disposition of mind is required to admit it; but that speculative reason must concede it without being asked, for no one can affirm that it is impossible in itself that rational beings in the world should at the same time be worthy of happiness in conformity with the moral law and also possess this happiness proportionately.
— from The Critique of Practical Reason by Immanuel Kant

If you can do this, I will endeavour to get a few necessaries on credit, to make your stay more agreeable.”
— from Roughing It in the Bush by Susanna Moodie

At first no one could guess how the fire had been caused, but at last a man said he saw Dick Towler go into the stable with a pipe in his mouth, and when he came out he had not one, and went to the tap for another.
— from Black Beauty by Anna Sewell

For no one believes that heaven is heaven, no one keeps a fast, no one cares a hang about Jupiter: they all shut their eyes and count up their own profits.
— from The Satyricon — Complete by Petronius Arbiter

He rose and walked up and down the room, and Mrs. Cox, whose nerves were hardly equal to the occasion, slipped on her bonnet and announced her intention of trying to obtain a few necessaries on credit.
— from Light Freights by W. W. (William Wymark) Jacobs

The Sachem answered in a beautiful speech worthy of the occasion: “I thank thee, Blackgown, and thee, Frenchman,” addressing M. Joliet, “for taking so much pains to come and visit us; never has the earth been so beautiful, nor the sun so bright, as to-day; never has our river been so calm, nor so free from rocks, which your canoes have removed as they passed; never has our tobacco had so fine a flavor, nor our corn appeared so beautiful as we behold it to day.
— from Explorers and Travellers by A. W. (Adolphus Washington) Greely

“Excellency, you are aware that I have come to ask for news of Claridge Pasha.”
— from The Weavers: a tale of England and Egypt of fifty years ago - Complete by Gilbert Parker

He could not even let go an anchor, for no one could stand on deck against the force of the wind.
— from Round the World in Seven Days by Herbert Strang

The said Patrone Norado, being void of all hope and finding now opportunity, consulted with the said Sonnings for to swim a-seaboard the islands, and the ship, being then out of danger, should take him in (as was afterwards confessed), and so go to Tallowne, in the province of Marseilles, with this Patrone Norado, and there to take in the rest of his lading.
— from Fifty-two Stories of the British Navy, from Damme to Trafalgar. by Alfred H. (Alfred Henry) Miles

The Levitical high priest was not a forerunner; no one could follow him.
— from The Great Doctrines of the Bible by William Evans

We suspect the following is the title of the work required:—"Pedestrianism; or, an Account of the Performances of celebrated Pedestrians during the last and present Century: with a full Narrative of Captain Barclay's public and private Matches: and an Essay on Training.
— from Notes and Queries, Number 233, April 15, 1854 A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc. by Various

It took a long time, several years, in fact, before the road was completed, but it was done at last and it proved a greater blessing than they had anticipated, for not only could they now drive up the mountain to the lame giant's cave, but he was able to come down to them!
— from In Story-land by Elizabeth Harrison

But when the doctor, after watching the case for a week, pronounced it severe, she thought she ought to write anyhow, for no one could tell what would happen.
— from Jennie Gerhardt: A Novel by Theodore Dreiser

The epistle, of which the above is but a fragment, not only caused Miss Bonnifay to utter an impatient
— from The Copper Princess: A Story of Lake Superior Mines by Kirk Munroe