Madame Beck esteemed me learned and blue; Miss Fanshawe, caustic, ironic, and cynical; Mr. Home, a model teacher, the essence of the sedate and discreet: somewhat conventional, perhaps, too strict, limited, and scrupulous, but still the pink and pattern of governess-correctness; whilst another person, Professor Paul Emanuel, to wit, never lost an opportunity of intimating his opinion that mine was rather a fiery and rash nature—adventurous, indocile, and audacious.
— from Villette by Charlotte Brontë

Quando fuor giunti, assai con l'occhio bieco mi rimiraron sanza far parola; poi si volsero in se', e dicean seco: <<Costui par vivo a l'atto de la gola; e s'e' son morti, per qual privilegio vanno scoperti de la grave stola?
— from Divina Commedia di Dante: Inferno by Dante Alighieri

He sat writing in the room with the deadly statistical clock, proving something no doubt—probably, in the main, that the Good Samaritan was a Bad Economist.
— from Hard Times by Charles Dickens

Longa famis tolerantia, ut iis saepe accidit qui tanto cum fervore Deo servire cupiunt per jejunium, quod maniaci efficiantur, ipse vidi saepe.
— from The Anatomy of Melancholy by Robert Burton

Who says that the aristocracy are proud? Here was a lady by birth a Tyrrell, and descended from the great Sir Walter that shot King Rufus, and in whose veins ran the p. 166 blood of him who murdered the little princes in the Tower, going every day to see what dainty dishes she could prepare for Samuel Brown, a mountebank!
— from Cranford by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell

Her little airs and graces were much admired, so were her accomplishments; for beside her drawing, she could play twelve tunes, crochet, and read French without mispronouncing more than two thirds of the words.
— from Little Women; Or, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy by Louisa May Alcott

, H. Der. : shyrnes , clearness, purity, H.—AS. scír ; cp. Goth.
— from A Concise Dictionary of Middle English from A.D. 1150 to 1580 by A. L. (Anthony Lawson) Mayhew

When he joined the Training Camp, Billy says, "No doubt, I will draw some clerical position;"
— from With the Colors Songs of the American Service by Everard Jack Appleton

Before going back on deck she carefully placed the jade pin in her purse.
— from The Deserted Yacht Madge Sterling Series, #2 by Mildred A. (Mildred Augustine) Wirt

Is not the idolatry that the soldiers entertain for her a sufficient guarantee that, in the event of Victorin's premature death, she could preserve alone the wardship of her grandson and govern in his name?"
— from The Casque's Lark; or, Victoria, the Mother of the Camps by Eugène Sue

O gentle son, Upon the heat and flame of thy distemper Sprinkle cool patience.
— from The Canadian Elocutionist Designed for the Use of Colleges, Schools and Self Instruction, Together with a Copious Selection in Prose and Poetry of Pieces Adapted for Reading, Recitation and Practice by Anna K. (Anna Kelsey) Howard

[Gustavo TERAN Acosta]; Radical Alfarista Front or FRA [Fabian ALARCON, director]; Roldosist Party or PRE [Abdala BUCARAM Ortiz, director]; Social Christian Party or PSC [Leon FEBRES CORDERO]; Socialist Party - Broad Front or PS-FA [Victor GRANDA] Egypt National Democratic Party or NDP [Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (governing party)]; National Progressive Unionist Grouping or Tagammu [Rifaat EL-SAID]; New Wafd Party or NWP [Mahmoud ABAZA]; Tomorrow Party [Naji AL-GHATRIFI] note: formation of political parties must be approved by the government El Salvador Christian Democratic Party or PDC
— from The 2007 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency

“The ship is old, Doctor,” says Captain Paul Jones, as he and Doctor Franklin canvass the situation.
— from The Story of Paul Jones: An Historical Romance by Alfred Henry Lewis

Flinging out her arms with a gesture of bitterness and despair, she cried, pointing to Nicole’s boat: “Push off the boat, you cowards, and I will go alone!”
— from A Sister to Evangeline Being the Story of Yvonne de Lamourie, and how she went into exile with the villagers of Grand Pré by Roberts, Charles G. D., Sir

Rebouise donc ce niert, ses maltaises et son pèze sont en salade dans la valade de son croisant; pécille l’orient avec ta fourchette.
— from Argot and Slang A New French and English Dictionary of the Cant Words, Quaint Expressions, Slang Terms and Flash Phrases Used in the High and Low Life of Old and New Paris by Albert Barrère

Side by side they went rolling swiftly between the darkling hedges, across broad pasture lands that gave forth a dank, sweet country perfume of earth and grass.
— from Shadows of Flames: A Novel by Amélie Rives