The general opinion is that he was a Scotsman named Seton, and that by a fate very common to alchymists who boasted too loudly of their powers of transmutation, he ended his days miserably in a dungeon, into which he was thrown by a German potentate until he made a million of gold to pay his ransom.
— from Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds by Charles Mackay

She was fair of skin, but a flighty vain coquette, without heart or brains—a second Madame d'Espard, except for her lack of intelligence.
— from Repertory of The Comedie Humaine, Complete, A — Z by Anatole Cerfberr

As soon as the Evil One had disappeared, Bearskin became quite light-hearted; and going into the nearest town he bought a fine velvet coat, and hired a carriage drawn by four white horses, in which he was driven to the house of his bride.
— from Grimm's Fairy Stories by Wilhelm Grimm

On the Tverskóy Boulevard a familiar voice called to him.
— from War and Peace by Tolstoy, Leo, graf

At a meeting of the merchants and bankers in Wall Street, it was resolved to close up business, and form volunteer companies of a hundred men each, to serve under the military.
— from The Great Riots of New York, 1712 to 1873 by Joel Tyler Headley

Here, glimmering amid ferns, sedges, birches, and firs, very calm and peaceful on a golden autumn day, with Helen’s Tower reflected on its face, is a quiet lake.
— from The Chautauquan, Vol. 04, March 1884, No. 6 by Chautauqua Institution

If slides wear, the Long Collars tilt forward, the top rail, spindles, bobbins and flyers vibrate, causing bad work and loss of production.
— from Illustrated Catalogue of Cotton Machinery by Howard & Bullough American Machine Company

Note .—Any kind of game may be hashed by the above recipe, and the flavour may be varied by adding flavoured vinegars, curvy powder, &c.; but we cannot recommend these latter ingredients, as a dish of game should really have a gamy taste; and if too many sauces, essences, &c., are added to the gravy, they quite overpower and destroy the flavour the dish should possess.
— from The Book of Household Management by Mrs. (Isabella Mary) Beeton

The owners of any British property, not being contraband of war, on board a Federal vessel captured and destroyed by a Confederate vessel of war, may claim in a Confederate Prize Court compensation for the destruction of such property.
— from Cruise and Captures of the Alabama by Albert M. Goodrich

She made a valiant endeavor to ride through the tumult on her trembling charger of speech, but memory plucked at the bridle, and unhorsed her into the hands of her besetters; a fair, virginal captive—beautiful under subjection.
— from The Post-Girl by Edward Charles Booth

In France, Spain, and Portugal, our wares are more valuable, though it must be owned, our fraudulent trade in wool is the best branch of our commerce; from hence we get wines, brandy, and fruit, very cheap, and in great perfection; so that though England has constrained us to be poor, they have given us leave to be merry.
— from Ireland in the Days of Dean Swift (Irish Tracts, 1720 to 1734) by Jonathan Swift

His remarks are of course directed principally at ‘smart’ society people, but as Father Vaughan considers lack of means no excuse for ‘deliberate regulation of the marriage state,’ his strictures must be taken as applying to all alike.
— from Modern marriage and how to bear it by Maud Churton Braby

She stopped, hoping that this was the arrival of the doctor; but a familiar voice called to her, and in another minute her father had dismounted and was close at her side.
— from Fenton's Quest by M. E. (Mary Elizabeth) Braddon