So that with persons having powerful pyramidal muscles, if there is under the influence of a bright light an unconscious desire to prevent the lowering of the eyebrows, the central fasciae of the frontal muscle must be brought into play; and their contraction, if sufficiently strong to overmaster the pyramidals, together with the contraction of the corrugator and orbicular muscles, will act in the manner just described on the eyebrows and forehead.
— from The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals by Charles Darwin

Now the good gods forbid That our renowned Rome, whose gratitude Towards her deserved children is enroll'd In Jove's own book, like an unnatural dam Should now eat up her own!
— from The Complete Works of William Shakespeare by William Shakespeare

The rooms vary in size rather than in degree of comfort, there being none of the sudden leaps or plunges between luxury and utter discomfort, found in so many hotels—elsewhere.
— from An American Girl Abroad by Adeline Trafton

A glaring British Lion and Unicorn decorated the stone gateway leading to the Gardens of San Carlos, which covered the top of the batteries.
— from Galicia, the Switzerland of Spain by Annette M. B. Meakin

The beautiful steeple of St. Paul's cathedral, the loftiest in the kingdom, had been stricken by lightning and utterly destroyed, together with the bells and roof.
— from Memoirs of the Court of Queen Elizabeth by Lucy Aikin

There was white bread that had been ground from thousands of innocent blades of wheat, once waving in the sunlight, and a juicy fish that had been lured and unwillingly drawn from the crystal waters.
— from Days Off, and Other Digressions by Henry Van Dyke

Stunned by the crushing disaster at the Blue Licks, and utterly disheartened and cast down by the continued ravages, many of the settlers threatened to leave the country.
— from The Winning of the West, Volume 2 From the Alleghanies to the Mississippi, 1777-1783 by Theodore Roosevelt

I'm hugging myself to know it's all going to be like an ugly dream now.
— from Afloat; or, Adventures on Watery Trails by Douglas, Alan, Captain

That whereas there has been long and uncomfortable differences among us, chiefly relating to Mr. Parris; and we having, as we apprehend, attended all probable means for a composure of our troubles; and whereas we had hopes of an happy Issue, by your endeavors among us, but now are utterly frustrated of our Expectations, and that instead of uniting, our rent is made worse, and our breach made wider.
— from The Witchcraft Delusion in New England: Its Rise, Progress, and Termination (Vol. 2 of 3) by Robert Calef

With a view of discovering the will of the gods, according to the common practice of Pagan antiquity, Haman ordered the lot to be cast, which was supposed to discriminate between lucky and unlucky days, little aware that "the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord."
— from Female Scripture Biography, Volume I by F. A. (Francis Augustus) Cox

The Norwegian ponies, who are the most docile animals in 105 the world, were often suspicious of our harmless donkeys, who, quietly browsing, looked as unlike dangerous ferocity as could possibly be imagined.
— from Tent life with English Gipsies in Norway by Hubert (Solicitor) Smith