Such were the arts of war, by which the Roman emperors defended their extensive conquests, and preserved a military spirit, at a time when every other virtue was oppressed by luxury and despotism.
— 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

Having therefore thought of a new trick, he bored a hole with a long gimlet through a cane, and, watching for a moment when the wife of Capodoca was not at the fire, he pushed it more than once through the aforesaid hole in the wall and put as much salt as he wished into his neighbour's pot; wherefore Capodoca, returning either for dinner or for supper, more often than not could not eat or even taste either broth or meat, so bitter was everything through the great quantity of salt.
— from Lives of the Most Eminent Painters Sculptors and Architects, Vol. 01 (of 10) Cimabue to Agnolo Gaddi by Giorgio Vasari

But before the idea of self is well constituted and before the category of ideals has been conceived at all, every ingredient ultimately assigned to those two regions is attracted into the perceptual vortex for which such qualities as pressure and motion supply a nucleus.
— from The Life of Reason: The Phases of Human Progress by George Santayana

We allotted the apartments according to the several companies, placed our cannon in an advantageous position, and made such arrangements that our cavalry, as well as the infantry, might be ready at a moment's notice.
— from The Memoirs of the Conquistador Bernal Diaz del Castillo, Vol 1 (of 2) Written by Himself Containing a True and Full Account of the Discovery and Conquest of Mexico and New Spain. by Bernal Díaz del Castillo

Its communication with the Baths, is through the yard of an inn, where the poor trembling valetudinarian is carried in a chair, betwixt the heels of a double row of horses, wincing under the curry-combs of grooms and postilions, over and above the hazard of being obstructed, or overturned by the carriages which are continually making their exit or their entrance—I suppose after some chairmen shall have been maimed, and a few lives lost by those accidents, the corporation will think, in earnest, about providing a more safe and commodious passage.
— from The Expedition of Humphry Clinker by T. (Tobias) Smollett

The streak across the eye was not forgotten and presented a most shocking appearance.
— from The Works of Edgar Allan Poe, The Raven Edition Table Of Contents And Index Of The Five Volumes by Edgar Allan Poe

By the Vestry are all parochial Affairs managed, such as the Church, Poor, and the Minister's Salary.
— from The Present State of Virginia by Hugh Jones

“I—I believe so,” said Peveril, not much read in Chaucer, who was then even more neglected than at present; and much surprised at a literary quotation from one of the mean appearance exhibited by the person before him.
— from Peveril of the Peak by Walter Scott

But as this outline can no longer contain the innumerable species now known to me, I take up monographically the species from the different geological formations in the order of the deposits, and publish as many supplements as there are great formations rich in fossil fishes.
— from Louis Agassiz: His Life and Correspondence by Louis Agassiz

He belonged to the English Cathedral church and was interested in all that pertained to the city’s development and progress, along material, social and moral lines.
— from Montreal from 1535 to 1914. Vol. 3. Biographical by William H. (William Henry) Atherton

“Of course Isabelle shrieked and Augusta screamed and Lillian yelped like a puppy and Marjory squealed; and altogether this corridor was full of lovely noises when I slipped out of it.
— from Girls of Highland Hall: Further Adventures of the Dandelion Cottagers by Carroll Watson Rankin

Lee and his older aides, Taylor and Peyton and Marshall, slept also.
— from The Shades of the Wilderness: A Story of Lee's Great Stand by Joseph A. (Joseph Alexander) Altsheler

“Boat, your honour?” said a dozen voices at once, as I reached New Sallyport; but I was resolved that Point-Street should have a look at me as well as High Street, so I kept a profound and mysterious silence, and let the watermen follow me to the Point, just like so many sucking fish after a shark.
— from Frank Mildmay; Or, the Naval Officer by Frederick Marryat

Put anything good in a paper about Mr. Smith, and Mr. Smith is the only man who will buy it.
— from The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Complete Contents Dresden Edition—Twelve Volumes by Robert Green Ingersoll

Famous, too, as portraits, are Mrs. Siddons as the Tragic Muse (Duke of Westminster's and Dulwich Gallery), Garrick between Tragedy and Comedy , The Strawberry Girl , The Shepherd Boy , The Little Girl in a Mob Cap (Penelope Boothby), The Little Duke , and The Little Marchioness ; many others which are scattered in the galleries and chambers of the English nobility and gentry, and which are now frequently seen on the walls of Burlington House as each "Old Masters" Exhibition passes by.
— from English Painters, with a Chapter on American Painters by H. J. (Harry John) Wilmot-Buxton