The bustle and terror of the Rostóvs’ last days in Moscow stifled the gloomy thoughts that oppressed Sónya.
— from War and Peace by Tolstoy, Leo, graf

But this definition is manifestly superficial.
— from Introduction to the Science of Sociology by E. W. (Ernest Watson) Burgess

Then I must do it myself," said the young man, and he tore the curtain from its rod and flung it on the ground.
— from The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Always ready to oblige me, she sat down directly and wrote the duke a letter, telling me to deliver it myself since my personal description was necessary.
— from The Memoirs of Jacques Casanova de Seingalt, 1725-1798. Complete by Giacomo Casanova

“And, my dear, I must see that poor boy every Sunday.
— from The Secret Agent: A Simple Tale by Joseph Conrad

First, That, in order to prevent all confusion in disputes, it may stand as much distinguished for ever, from every other species of argument———as the Argumentum ad Verecundiam, ex Absurdo, ex Fortiori, or any other argument whatsoever:——And, secondly, That it may be said by my children’s children, when my head is laid to rest,——that their learn’d grandfather’s head had been busied to as much purpose once, as other people’s;—That he had invented a name, and generously thrown it into the T REASURY of the Ars Logica, for one of the most unanswerable arguments in the whole science.
— from The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman by Laurence Sterne

The valley was beautiful and quiet, the blue heavens seemed as though resting upon a lovely circle of hills; in the distance were the voices of birds, and close to me the voices of children, like two songs of angels mingled together; the universal purity enshrouded me: all this grace and all this grandeur shed a golden dawn into my soul....
— from The History of a Crime The Testimony of an Eye-Witness by Victor Hugo

"No, what does it matter?" said her father, brightening up at once.
— from A True Friend: A Novel by Adeline Sergeant

Fanned by the storm of that desire Deep in my soul I felt the fire, Whose offerings flowed from weeping eyes, With fuel fed of groans and sighs, [pg 123] While round the flame the smoke grew hot Of tears because thou camest not.
— from The Rámáyan of Válmíki, translated into English verse by Valmiki

In the towns and in the country through which he passed he saw the clerks in the stores, the merchants with worried faces hurrying into banks, the farmers, brutalised by toil, dragging their weary bodies homeward at the coming of night, and told himself that all life was abortive, that on all sides of him it wore itself out in little futile efforts or ran away in side currents, that nowhere did it move steadily, continuously forward giving point to the tremendous sacrifice involved in just living and working in the world.
— from Windy McPherson's Son by Sherwood Anderson

The last chrism, poured right, Was on that Head, and poured for burial And not for domination in men’s sight.
— from The Poetical Works of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Volume 4 by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

If we meant to play into the hands of the rebels, we could hardly do it more successfully than our papers are doing it daily.
— from Nurse and Spy in the Union Army The Adventures and Experiences of a Woman in Hospitals, Camps, and Battle-Fields by S. Emma E. (Sarah Emma Evelyn) Edmonds

These felloes abovsaid in generall demanded in mutenose sort the fift parte of the merchandiz taken in the friggot, as also for other matters taken before, aledging
— from Diary of Richard Cocks, Volume 2 Cape-Merchant in the English Factory in Japan, 1615-1622, with Correspondence by Richard Cocks

"Let's drop it, Murty," said Mr. Prying, not liking to hear any more of such "arguing," particularly as the children were present, and seemed much to enjoy the home-spun comparison between the Dominie Dilman and "Old Harry."
— from The Cross and the Shamrock Or, How To Defend The Faith. An Irish-American Catholic Tale Of Real Life, Descriptive Of The Temptations, Sufferings, Trials, And Triumphs Of The Children Of St. Patrick In The Great Republic Of Washington. A Book For The Entertainment And Special Instructions Of The Catholic Male And Female Servants Of The United States. by Hugh Quigley

When the term divine Principle is used to signify Deity it may seem distant or cold, until better apprehended.
— from No and Yes by Mary Baker Eddy