We seem so beset with difficulties on every side, that though it would make us miserable for a time, we should be happier perhaps in the end.
— from Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

She longed to know what at the moment was passing in his mind—in what manner he thought of her, and whether, in defiance of everything, she was still dear to him.
— from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

King Edward (we are not told which among the monarchs of that name, but, from his temper and habits, we may suppose Edward IV.) sets forth with his court to a gallant hunting-match in Sherwood Forest, in which, as is not unusual for princes in romance, he falls in with a deer of extraordinary size and swiftness, and pursues it closely, till he has outstripped his whole retinue, tired out hounds and horse, and finds himself alone under the gloom of an extensive forest, upon which night is descending.
— from Ivanhoe: A Romance by Walter Scott

A ceremony, called Dwāra Pratishta, is performed by Lingāyats when the door-frame of a new house is set up, and an iron nail is driven into the frame, to prevent devils or evil spirits from entering the house.
— from Omens and Superstitions of Southern India by Edgar Thurston

LADIES F YODOR PETROVITCH the Director of Elementary Schools in the N. District, who considered himself a just and generous man, was one day interviewing in his office a schoolmaster called Vremensky.
— from Project Gutenberg Compilation of 233 Short Stories of Chekhov by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov

She is represented as a lion-couchant, with the head and bust of a woman, and wears a peculiar sort of hood, which completely envelops her head, and falls down on either side of the face.
— from Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome by E. M. Berens

In the first we suspect some degree of exaggeration, such as we may also observe among certain masters of the art, not unknown to us, at the present day.
— from The Republic by Plato

And there is no reason to despair of equal success in our enquiries concerning the mental powers and economy, if prosecuted with equal capacity and caution.
— from An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding by David Hume

Son, thou in whom my glory I behold In full resplendence, Heir of all my might, Neerly it now concernes us to be sure Of our Omnipotence, and with what Arms We mean to hold what anciently we claim Of Deitie or Empire, such a foe Is rising, who intends to erect his Throne Equal to ours, throughout the spacious North; Nor so content, hath in his thought to trie In battel, what our Power is, or our right.
— from Paradise Lost by John Milton

But how is your acquaintance to be long supported, under such extraordinary despatch of every subject for discourse?
— from Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

It is often supplanted by Douglas or Engelmann spruce.
— from The Rocky Mountain Wonderland by Enos A. Mills

Nature has traced out a line over our mountain ranges; the whole appearance of the country is different on either side of it.
— from The Works of Balzac: A linked index to all Project Gutenberg editions by Honoré de Balzac

I saw the white, gauzy draperies studded with bunches of violets, the bare shoulders, and the face a little too small but fresh like a spring morning, and so original in the bold outline of the eyebrows, the long lashes, and that soft down on either side of the face.
— from Without Dogma: A Novel of Modern Poland by Henryk Sienkiewicz

This, when it has been done for a time, even for a short time, will become so habitual to him that he will have appreciated the metrical duration of every syllable before it shall have dared to show itself upon paper.
— from An Autobiography of Anthony Trollope by Anthony Trollope

That was, either I must have kept out the fleete from entring the Port, the which with Gods helpe I was very well able to doe, or else suffer them to enter in with their accustomed treason, which they never faile to execute where they may have opportunitie to compasse it by any meanes: if I had kept them out, then had there bene present shipwrack of all the fleete which amounted in value to sixe Millions, which was in value of our money 1,800,000 li., which I considered I was not able to answere, fearing the Queenes Majesties indignation in so weightie a matter.
— from The Boy's Hakluyt: English Voyages of Adventure and Discovery by Edwin M. (Edwin Monroe) Bacon

Come, Somnus, with thy potent charms, And seize this Captive in thy arms; And sweetly drop on every sense Thy soul-refreshing influence.
— from The Every-day Book and Table Book. v. 3 (of 3) Everlasting Calerdar of Popular Amusements, Sports, Pastimes, Ceremonies, Manners, Customs and Events, Incident to Each of the Three Hundred and Sixty-five Days, in past and Present Times; Forming a Complete History of the Year, Month, and Seasons, and a Perpetual Key to the Almanac by William Hone

"I wish," said Stoller, with a savage disregard of expressed sequences and relevancies, "I could ha' got some pictures to send home with that letter this afternoon: something to show how they do things here, and be a kind of object-lesson."
— from Their Silver Wedding Journey — Volume 2 by William Dean Howells

Ba-na-lang had been kept in his shackle, and treated with so much kindness, that it was now supposed he might be trusted with his liberty, without any fear of his leaving us; he was therefore, in the month of April, 1790, which was soon after we left Port Jackson for Norfolk Island, set at liberty, and did not appear at all disposed to leave the governor's house, or absent himself from his new acquired friends; this appearance of satisfaction he feigned with success for several days, for no person seemed to suspect him; he at last, however, took French leave; having, after dark, one evening, stripped himself of his very decent cloathing, left them behind, and walked off.
— from An Historical Journal of the Transactions at Port Jackson and Norfolk Island by John Hunter