I conceived, however, that I held the distinguished situation I had obtained, however unworthily, rather like the champion of pugilism, 3 on the condition of being always ready to show proofs of my skill, than in the manner of the champion of chivalry, who performs his duties only on rare and solemn occasions.
— from The Lady of the Lake by Walter Scott

thy rocks deep echo rang; And many a chief of birth and rank, Saint Helen!
— from Marmion: A Tale Of Flodden Field by Walter Scott

The houses were large, but they lay half imbedded among the chaos of brick and rising mortar around them.
— from Lady Audley's Secret by M. E. (Mary Elizabeth) Braddon

,' said Mr Podsnap, with a gracious consciousness of being always right, 'is Difficult.
— from Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens

First of all there is a general clause of barrer and renunciation: "In territory outside her European frontiers as fixed by the present Treaty, Germany renounces all rights, titles an
— from The Economic Consequences of the Peace by John Maynard Keynes

This was Fix, one of the detectives who had been dispatched from England in search of the bank robber; it was his task to narrowly watch every passenger who arrived at Suez, and to follow up all who seemed to be suspicious characters, or bore a resemblance to the description of the criminal, which he had received two days before from the police headquarters at London.
— from Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne

I was now, in the months of November and December, expecting my crop of barley and rice.
— from The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe

Bactris was the chief city of Bactria, a region bordering on the western confines of India.
— from The Metamorphoses of Ovid, Books I-VII by Ovid

Loyal to the highest constituted power in the land, actuated by an innate love of rectitude his aims would be the strict maintenance of public order, the repression of many abuses though not of all simultaneously (every measure of reform or retrenchment being a preliminary solution to be contained by fluxion in the final solution), the upholding of the letter of the law (common, statute and law merchant) against all traversers in covin and trespassers acting in contravention of bylaws and regulations, all resuscitators (by trespass and petty larceny of kindlings) of venville rights, obsolete by desuetude, all orotund instigators of international persecution, all perpetuators of international animosities, all menial molestors of domestic conviviality, all recalcitrant violators of domestic connubiality.
— from Ulysses by James Joyce

I don't know what it may be in fifty or a hundred years, but under present conditions the theatre can only be a recreation.
— from Project Gutenberg Compilation of 233 Short Stories of Chekhov by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov

They can only borrow and reflect.
— from The Young Maiden by A. B. (Artemas Bowers) Muzzey

"Pardon me," Emilia answered icily, "I am not conscious of being a rebel—nor of any temptation to be vulgar."
— from Hetty Wesley by Arthur Quiller-Couch

They brought with them certain ordinances and statutes drawn up in writing for the weal of the craft of barbers, and requested the Chancellor to peruse and correct them, and, afterwards, if he approved, attach to them the seal of the University.
— from The Customs of Old England by F. J. (Frederick John) Snell

Now, with eight strange hands, and those foreigners, who had lately come on board, any reasonable person would have naturally divided them four and four in each watch, thus mixing them up with the eight English able seamen left of the Muscadine’s original crew; but no, Mr Tompkins was of a different opinion, and what was more, carried round Captain Harding to his way of thinking, much to Tom and Charley’s surprise.
— from Picked up at Sea The Gold Miners of Minturne Creek by John C. (John Conroy) Hutcheson

I not command you, sir, now well nigh twenty months ago, to retire from the forces of our cousin of Burgundy and return to your native land, for our especial service?"
— from Agincourt: A Romance The Works of G. P. R. James, Volume XX by G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford) James

After his returne, such capteins as remained in his countrie with their bands at the king of Englands paie, made a iournie into France, and wasted the lands that belonged to the earle of Guisnes, wanne the castell of Bruncham, and raced it, taking within it diuerse men of armes and demilances.
— from Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland (2 of 6): England (07 of 12) Iohn the Yongest Sonne of Henrie the Second by Raphael Holinshed

It is not a casual occupation but a real interest that he should have.
— from Psychotherapy Including the History of the Use of Mental Influence, Directly and Indirectly, in Healing and the Principles for the Application of Energies Derived from the Mind to the Treatment of Disease by James J. (James Joseph) Walsh

only sae far o' yer lordship's min' 'at I like fair play—gien a body could only be aye richt sure what was fair play!"
— from Malcolm by George MacDonald

To us, at least, she has become identified with them all; and in speaking of her performances, we must say that the task can only be a repetition of that even strain of unadulterated praise, which, justly awarded, belongs only to perfection.
— from The Knickerbocker, Vol. 10, No. 6, December 1837 by Various