O friends, I hear the tread of nimble feet Hasting this way, and now by glimps discerne Ithuriel and Zephon through the shade, And with them comes a third of Regal port, But faded splendor wan; who by his gate 870 And fierce demeanour seems the Prince of Hell, Not likely to part hence without contest; Stand firm, for in his look defiance lours.
— from The Poetical Works of John Milton by John Milton

Yet the war (it was now styled a rebellion) was still maintained in the southern provinces from Hamcheu to Canton; and the obstinate remnant of independence and hostility was transported from the land to the sea.
— 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

The Father seeing himself entirely rid of Theodosius, and likely to keep a considerable Portion in his Family, was not very much concerned at the obstinate Refusal of his Daughter; and did not find it very difficult to excuse himself upon that Account to his intended Son-in-law, who had all along regarded this Alliance rather as a Marriage of Convenience than of Love.
— from The Spectator, Volume 1 Eighteenth-Century Periodical Essays by Steele, Richard, Sir

Discipline and contemplation are their own reward.
— from The Life of Reason: The Phases of Human Progress by George Santayana

158 It is easy getting into holes and corners and talking of reconciliation: But do such men seriously consider, how difficult the task is, and how dangerous it may prove, should the Continent divide thereon.
— from Common Sense by Thomas Paine

He’ll come and talk or read to me, in the evening, for an hour together sometimes.
— from David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

Then I called at the offices round, but none of them seemed to know anything about it.
— from Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Illustrated by Arthur Conan Doyle

Whether we consider a single object, or several; whether we dwell on these objects, or run from them to others; and in whatever form or order we survey them, the act of the mind exceeds not a simple conception; and the only remarkable difference, which occurs on this occasion, is, when we join belief to the conception, and are persuaded of the truth of what we conceive.
— from A Treatise of Human Nature by David Hume

Well, then, do not be angry with them; for are they not as good as a play, trying their hand at paltry reforms such as I was describing; they are always fancying that by legislation they will make an end of frauds in contracts, and the other rascalities which I was mentioning, not knowing that they are in reality cutting off the heads of a hydra?
— from The Republic by Plato

Every bachelor and every spinster is bound to furnish a written explanation of their irregular condition, and the only reasons admitted as valid are serious ill-health or organic defects.
— from The Red Conspiracy by Joseph J. Mereto

Some of the dwellings about the place were elegant and spacious, but many of these were closed and the owners removed.
— from Campaigns of a Non-Combatant, and His Romaunt Abroad During the War by George Alfred Townsend

In theory the spheres in which the Councils and these organizations respectively move are distinct, and the differences between them naturally result from the difference in the aims of the two organizations.
— from The New German Constitution by René Brunet

The castle and town of Roche-de-Frêne were bathed in a golden light.
— from The Fortunes of Garin by Mary Johnston

See Beauclerk's cheek a tinge of red surprise, And friendship gives what cruel health denies.
— from Club Life of London, Vol. 1 (of 2) With Anecdotes of the Clubs, Coffee-Houses and Taverns of the Metropolis During the 17th, 18th, and 19th Centuries by John Timbs

We catch a tone of relief as he turns in imagination to the peace that dwelt "within the land of Penn": Who knows what goadings in their sterner way O'er jagged ice, relieved by granite grey, Blew round the men of Massachusetts Bay?
— from Shelburne Essays, Third Series by Paul Elmer More

This rude hypothesis is then rudely corrected, and the operation repeated, until the deductive results are at last made to tally with the phenomena.
— from Mental Philosophy: Including the Intellect, Sensibilities, and Will by Joseph Haven

A. 2.—The old Roman constitution and the old Roman character had alike proved wholly unequal to meet the strain thrown upon them by the acquisition of the world-wide empire which they had gained for their city.
— from Early Britain—Roman Britain by John William Edward Conybeare

The first is called Morastano, that is to say, The hospitall, which hath of rent fiue hundred ducats of golde euery day left vnto it by a king of Damasco from auncient times; which king hauing conquered Cairo, for the space of fiue daies continually put the people thereof to the sword, and in the end repenting him of so great manslaughter, caused this cruelty to cease, and to obtaine remission for this sinne committed, caused this hospitall to be built, enriching it as is abouesaid.
— from The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 09 Asia, Part II by Richard Hakluyt