—A retired rural policeman of the Tintagel country, where he was born and reared, and now keeper of the Passmore Edwards Art Gallery at Newlyn, offered this testimony from Tintagel:—‘In Tintagel I used to sit round the fire at night and hear old women tell so much about piskies and ghosts that I was then afraid to go out of doors after darkness had fallen.
— from The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries by W. Y. (Walter Yeeling) Evans-Wentz

And suddenly the sequence of these thoughts broke off, and Prince Andrew heard (without knowing whether it was a delusion or reality) a soft whispering voice incessantly and rhythmically repeating “piti-piti-piti,” and then “titi,” and then again “piti-piti-piti,” and “ti-ti” once more.
— from War and Peace by Tolstoy, Leo, graf

When they had, in the depth of winter, to cross deep and rapid rivers, pass among mountains six thousand feet high, pierce dangerous thickets, and find food in a country forsaken even by birds, we can realize their hardships.
— from Following the Equator: A Journey Around the World by Mark Twain

ANT: Rebuff, repulse, premeditation, deliberation, [See INCENTIVE].
— from A Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms or, Synonyms and Words of Opposite Meaning by Samuel Fallows

A remarkable Russian poet who was also something of a wit, seeing the great Rachel on the stage for the first time cried in ecstasy, ‘I wouldn’t exchange Rachel for a peasant!’
— from The Possessed (The Devils) by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

At such times White Fang leaned in close against the master’s legs and received reassuring pats on the head.
— from White Fang by Jack London

It stands upon the very crest of a ridge running parallel to, but considerably elevated above, the margin of the lake.
— from Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, v. 1 of 3 or the Central and Western Rajput States of India by James Tod

Amnesty, cry eloquent Vergniaud and all Patriots: let there be mutual pardon and repentance, restoration, pacification, and if so might any how be, an end!
— from The French Revolution: A History by Thomas Carlyle

I spoke to this monster of a woman in every manner and tone—with gentleness, with argument, rage, remonstrance, prayers, tears, and abuse, but she resisted me for three hours without abandoning her painful position, in spite of the torments I made her endure.
— from The Memoirs of Jacques Casanova de Seingalt, 1725-1798. Complete by Giacomo Casanova

You can get the details of the lives of all the celebrated ecclesiastics in the list; all the celebrated tragedians, comedians, singers, dancers, orators, judges, lawyers, poets, dramatists, historians, biographers, editors, inventors, reformers, statesmen, generals, admirals, discoverers, prize-fighters, murderers, pirates, conspirators, horse-jockeys, bunco-steerers, misers, swindlers, explorers, adventurers by land and sea, bankers, financiers, astronomers, naturalists, claimants, impostors, chemists, biologists, geologists, philologists, college presidents and professors, architects, engineers, painters, sculptors, politicians, agitators, rebels, revolutionists, patriots, demagogues, clowns, cooks, freaks, philosophers, burglars, highwaymen, journalists, physicians, surgeons—you can get the life-histories of all of them but one .
— from What Is Man? and Other Essays by Mark Twain

A rough road, paved with blocks of granite, leads up to it and to the ramparts, commanding beautiful and extensive views.
— from Itinerary through Corsica by its Rail, Carriage & Forest Roads by C. B. Black

Reprinted December, 1910 Reprinted June, 1911 Reprinted August, 1923 rend=';' All Rights Reserved Printed in Great Britain by Hazell, Watson & Viney, Ld., London and Aylesbury.
— from Philosophies by Ross, Ronald, Sir

The older specimens have the inner surface of the lip tinged with a rich rosy purple.
— from A Year at the Shore by Philip Henry Gosse

“Here cometh a right royal playfellow—up, up, my beauties!” and the great brutes, roused by the voice of their master, pulled themselves up, shook themselves awake, and stared at the intruder.
— from Historic Girls: Stories Of Girls Who Have Influenced The History Of Their Times by Elbridge S. (Elbridge Streeter) Brooks

The explanation given by the most reverend prelate is entirely borne out by the statues of the university, and by the practice that prevails there; and this explanation agrees entirely with that given by a right reverend prelate, who was formerly head of one of the colleges at Oxford.
— from Maxims and Opinions of Field-Marshal His Grace the Duke of Wellington, Selected From His Writings and Speeches During a Public Life of More Than Half a Century by Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of

"All right," replied Peter, hopping to his feet.
— from Mother West Wind 'Why' Stories by Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess

A real railroad president, working 18 hours a day, can brook few delays.
— from The Modern Railroad by Edward Hungerford

All Rights Reserved Printed by Hasell, Watson & Viney, Ld., London and Aylesbury, England.
— from The Victory At Sea by Burton Jesse Hendrick

The end Q carries a roller, which engages within the flanges of a ring R permanently fixed in an inclined position on the phantom 78 ring of the compass.
— from The Gyroscopic Compass: A Non-Mathematical Treatment by T. W. (Thomas Wightman) Chalmers