His title to that designation consisted in his having been once assistant demonstrator in chemistry at some technical institute.
— from The Secret Agent: A Simple Tale by Joseph Conrad

I spent this day in covering and securing the goods which I had saved, that the rain might not spoil them.
— from The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe

How does it concern a schoolboy to know how Hannibal encouraged his soldiers to cross the Alps?
— from Emile by Jean-Jacques Rousseau

I declare I can almost see the coast of France!"
— from Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray

A modern advocate of the influence of mind upon mind at a distance would have no difficulty in convincing a savage; the savage believed in it long ago, and what is more, he acted on his belief with a logical consistency such as his civilised brother in the faith has not yet, so far as I am aware, exhibited in his conduct.
— from The Golden Bough: A Study of Magic and Religion by James George Frazer

They are under the dominion of the Moon, and being made into a poultice, are excellently good for hot inflammations, swellings, cankers, sore mouths and throats, being washed with the decoction; it cleanses and strengthens the neck and throat, and helps those swellings which, when people have, they say the almonds of the ears are fallen down.
— from The Complete Herbal To which is now added, upwards of one hundred additional herbs, with a display of their medicinal and occult qualities physically applied to the cure of all disorders incident to mankind: to which are now first annexed, the English physician enlarged, and key to Physic. by Nicholas Culpeper

do insufficiently &c. adv.; scotch the snake.
— from Roget's Thesaurus by Peter Mark Roget

Hundreds of shells have passed through the sky near me every day, I could almost see them by their sound and felt I could trace the line made by them in their flight, but this was the only time I ever saw one.
— from The Red Horizon by Patrick MacGill

Half an hour later, exhausted and grimy, they dropped into chairs and surveyed the results.
— from The Boarded-Up House by Augusta Huiell Seaman

The man of parts, Poet, or prose declaimer, on his couch Lolling, like one indifferent, fabricates A heaven of gold, where he, and such as he, Their heads encompassed with crowns, their heels With fine wings garlanded, shall tread the stars Beneath their feet, heaven's pavement, far removed From damned spirits, and the torturing cries Of men, his breth'ren, fashioned of the earth, As he was, nourish'd with the self-same bread, Belike his kindred or companions once— Through everlasting ages now divorced, In chains and savage torments to repent Short years of folly on earth.
— from The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb — Volume 4 Poems and Plays by Charles Lamb

The galleys were dressed in colors and streamers; the ships lying at anchor were magnificently decorated; and the transport ships with colors flying, which extended in a line the whole length of the city, were crowded, as well as the wharves, with spectators.
— from The Women of The American Revolution, Vol. 1 by E. F. (Elizabeth Fries) Ellet

But his vessels were scattered in a storm, and Hugh himself, having landed at Durazzo, was detained in captivity, and sent to Constantinople.
— from Cassell's History of England, Vol. 1 (of 8) From the Roman Invasion to the Wars of the Roses by Anonymous

There must be no murmuring, complaining, and repining about the amount we have to do; we must do it cheerfully, and show that we delight in our Lord’s work.
— from A Book of Gems, or, Choice selections from the writings of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin

In a word, I cannot think that the theory here laid down is clear and satisfactory, that it is consistent with itself, that it accounts for the various excellences of art from a few simple principles, or that the method which Sir Joshua has pursued in treating the subject is, as he himself expresses it, 'a plain and honest method.'
— from Table Talk: Essays on Men and Manners by William Hazlitt

The church (built between 1288-1292), of which only the choir and chancel, with some portions of the transepts, now remain, was originally dedicated to St. Thomas à Becket, but in the present day is called after St. Thomas the Apostle.
— from The Strand Magazine, Vol. 05, Issue 28, April 1893 An Illustrated Monthly by Various