The people, who had thought a slave an ass, Much wonder'd how it came to pass That one alone should have more sense Than all their men of most pretence.
— from Fables of La Fontaine — a New Edition, with Notes by Jean de La Fontaine

Perseus, the child of this union, has many points of resemblance with Vali, for he, too, [ 358 ] is an avenger, and slays his mother’s enemies just as surely as Vali destroys Hodur, the murderer of Balder.
— from Myths of the Norsemen: From the Eddas and Sagas by H. A. (Hélène Adeline) Guerber

Thence to my Lord’s, and took up my wife, whom my Lady hath received with her old good nature and kindnesse, and so homewards, and she home, I ‘lighting by the way, and upon the ‘Change met my uncle Wight and told him my discourse this afternoon with Sir G. Carteret in Maes’ business, but much to his discomfort, and after a dish of coffee home, and at my office a good while with Sir W. Warren talking with great pleasure of many businesses, and then home to supper, my wife and I had a good fowle to supper, and then I to the office again and so home, my mind in great ease to think of our coming to so good a respect with my Lord again, and my Lady, and that my Lady do so much cry up my father’s usage of her children, and the goodness of the ayre there, found in the young ladies’ faces at their return thence, as she says, as also my being put into the commission of the Fishery, [There had been recently established, under the Great Seal of England, a Corporation for the Royal Fishing, of which the Duke of York was Governor, Lord Craven Deputy-Governor, and the Lord Mayor and Chamberlain of London, for the time being, Treasurers, in which body was vested the sole power of licensing lotteries (“The Newes,” October 6th, 1664).
— from The Diary of Samuel Pepys — Complete by Samuel Pepys

To free his imagination in any direction he must disengage it from the contrary intent, and so he must either purify his object or leave it a mass of confused promptings.
— from The Life of Reason: The Phases of Human Progress by George Santayana

The company by and by parted, and G. Carteret and I to White Hall, where I set him down and took his coach as far as the Temple, it raining, and there took a hackney and home, and so had my head combed, and then to bed. 9th.
— from The Diary of Samuel Pepys — Complete by Samuel Pepys

She also recollected the furious and imprudent attack she had made upon d’Artagnan when he spared the life of her brother.
— from The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas

“The lanai is the favorite reception room, and here at any social function the musical program is given and cakes and ices are served; here morning callers are received, or gay riding parties, the ladies in pretty divided skirts, worn for convenience in riding astride,—the universal mode adopted by Europeans and Americans, as well as by the natives.
— from Following the Equator: A Journey Around the World by Mark Twain

And therewithal, Sir Uwaine gat his spear in his hand and rode toward Sir Launcelot, and Sir Launcelot knew him well, and so he met him on the plain, and gave him such a buffet that he was astonied, that long he wist not where he was.
— from Le Morte d'Arthur: Volume 1 by Malory, Thomas, Sir

She had slipped off the fence and secured her mirror before he could reach it; and then, with a look of quite unnecessary scorn and anger, she almost turned her back upon him, and stood looking at the one angle of the house which she could see.
— from A True Friend: A Novel by Adeline Sergeant

Hugh Littlepage has more than he wants, and spends his money in riotous livin' in foreign parts."
— from The Chainbearer; Or, The Littlepage Manuscripts by James Fenimore Cooper

Besides, if there were an evil eye it couldn't hurt us, for we wear our medals, and if we met him we'd just hold on to them and say Hail Marys till he went by."
— from The Blissylvania Post-Office by Marion Ames Taggart

At first this gave offense to all parties—to the crowd, because they didn't like to be driven away—to the mayor, who remained with the sergeant and invalids in the area which had been cleared by the privateer's people, because he thought that they had interfered with his civil authority—and to the sergeant of invalids, because he thought that the marine force had interfered with his military authority; but the captain of the privateer having taken off his hat and bowed, first to the mayor and then to the sergeant, and saying how much he was obliged to them for their assistance, both parties were satisfied; and now a consultation was held between them how to proceed, while the privateer's men, who kept back the crowd, amused them by giving a detail of the two desperate actions which had been fought—no two accounts agreeing, certainly, but that was of no consequence.
— from Poor Jack by Frederick Marryat

Also, since he might not at this present fight for the cause, he could speak for it; and he thanked the Queen of England for having shown him his duty.
— from Michel and Angele [A Ladder of Swords] — Complete by Gilbert Parker

There is not a trace of this in Michelangelo, however, and surely he must be considered as the typical great man of the Renaissance.
— from The Century of Columbus by James J. (James Joseph) Walsh

Such is the fine "Ode to the memory of Sir Lucius Cary and Sir Henry Moryson," and that admirable piece of critical insight and filial affection, prefixed to the first Shakespeare folio, "To the memory of my beloved master, William Shakespeare, and what he hath left us."
— from The Poetaster by Ben Jonson

Unfortunately, however, after she had made this good resolution, she thought of nothing else, and puzzled herself over the whole business, and especially Bertie’s share in it, night and day.
— from Ombra by Mrs. (Margaret) Oliphant

He did not mean to be brutal, but he saw at once how deeply he had wounded Prescott, and suddenly in a panic of inability to listen any longer, he rose and said he must go.
— from Sinister Street, vol. 2 by Compton MacKenzie

And she had many a time heard him declare that he was not a business man.
— from The Hundredth Chance by Ethel M. (Ethel May) Dell

You and Tim go and see how many men you can gather.
— from Tom Swift and His Big Tunnel; Or, The Hidden City of the Andes by Victor Appleton