"I think I did convince him at last," said Baker with some pride, when long after telling the story to the present writer.
— from The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1 by Rustichello of Pisa

Jane confessed herself a little surprised at the match; but she said less of her astonishment than of her earnest desire for their happiness; nor could Elizabeth persuade her to consider it as improbable.
— from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

So soon as the first hum of emotion and pleasure, which the sudden appearance of this venerated individual created, had a little subsided, the name of “Tamenund” was whispered from mouth to mouth.
— from The Last of the Mohicans; A narrative of 1757 by James Fenimore Cooper

342. A. The consistent type understands that even evil must not be hated, must not be resisted, and that it is not allowable to make war against one's self; that it does not suffice merely to accept the pain which such behaviour brings in its train; that one lives entirely in positive feelings; that one takes the side of one's opponents in word [Pg 277] and deed; that by means of a superfœtation of peaceful, kindly, conciliatory, helpful, and loving states, one impoverishes the soil of the other states, ... that one is in need of unremitting practice.
— from The Will to Power: An Attempted Transvaluation of All Values. Book I and II by Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

“Now you who are a poet, a slave to rhyme and meter, a son of the Muses,” continued Sandoval, with an elegant wave of his hand, as though he were saluting, on the horizon, the Nine Sisters, “do you comprehend, can you conceive, how a language so harsh and unmusical as French can give birth to poets of such gigantic stature as our Garcilasos, our Herreras, our Esproncedas, our Calderons?” “Nevertheless,” objected Pecson, “Victor Hugo—” “Victor Hugo, my friend Pecson, if Victor Hugo is a poet, it is because he owes it to Spain, because it is an established fact, it is a matter beyond all doubt,
— from The Reign of Greed by José Rizal

If she would but have let us know she was going out but there is a something about Fanny, I have often observed it before—she likes to go her own way to work; she does not like to be dictated to; she takes her own independent walk whenever she can; she certainly has a little spirit of secrecy, and independence, and nonsense, about her, which I would advise her to get the better of.”
— from Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

The creek has a low, sluggish flow, the fall being very slight, and the natural advantages for mining are very bad.
— from The Underground World: A mirror of life below the surface by Thomas Wallace Knox

During the fair week, Dan Donnelly's tent (he always kept one after he became a celebrated character) was always crowded to excess by all classes, high and low; some attracted by admiration of the good things of this life dispensed by the amiable Lady Dann'ly, others by the convivial and facetious qualities of her redoubted spouse; in the evening, especially, you were sure to find him the centre of a circle of wondering listeners, detailing some of his extraordinary adventures, the most astonishing of which it was heresy in the eyes of his followers to doubt for an instant, though my love of truth obliges me to confess, that one or two I have heard him relate sounded a little apocryphal.
— from The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction Volume 14, No. 390, September 19, 1829 by Various

On the minus side, because the country has a low standard of living, conscripts have little familiarity with mechanical and electronic equipment.
— from Area Handbook for Romania by Eugene K. Keefe

One cutting, tearing, deafening, sharp, metallic-sounding explosion, that seemed to shake the old mill to its foundations; the windows were blown out; bottles, vessels, and tray were shivered, and the glass flew tinkling in all directions; and then an awful silence, succeeded by a strange singing noise in the ears, through which, as Tom struggled half-stunned and helpless to his feet, he could hear a loud shrieking and yelling for help.
— from The Vast Abyss The Story of Tom Blount, his Uncles and his Cousin Sam by George Manville Fenn

But an indeterminable space away they could hear a low splash followed by a second and a third.
— from The Mystery by Samuel Hopkins Adams

We passed the hounds in the level bit of road beside the high trees going into Fordingbridge and Edward pulled up the dog-cart so that Nancy might say good-bye to the huntsman and cap him a last sovereign.
— from The Good Soldier by Ford Madox Ford

[Pg 178] on this occasion cost him a large sum, as he had backed Gully heavily.
— from Light Come, Light Go: Gambling—Gamesters—Wagers—The Turf by Ralph Nevill