<>, comincio` elli a dire, <<e tu, Cagnazzo; e Barbariccia guidi la decina.
— from Divina Commedia di Dante: Inferno by Dante Alighieri

Isabel pronounced them with confidence “ephemeral,” but she esteemed the courage, energy and good-humour of the writer, who, without parents and without property, had adopted three of the children of an infirm and widowed sister and was paying their school-bills out of the proceeds of her literary labour.
— from The Portrait of a Lady — Volume 1 by Henry James

The Roman theology, more positive and precise, adopted the term most offensive to the ears of the Egyptians, that Christ existed In two natures; and this momentous particle 65 (which the memory, rather than the understanding, must retain) had almost produced a schism among the Catholic bishops.
— from The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Table of Contents with links in the HTML file to the two Project Gutenberg editions (12 volumes) by Edward Gibbon

There's no sort of work," said Caleb, with fervor, putting out his hand and moving it up and down to mark his emphasis, "that could ever be done well, if you minded what fools say.
— from Middlemarch by George Eliot

From the name of my patron, indeed, I hope my reader will be convinced, at his very entrance on this work, that he will find in the whole course of it nothing prejudicial to the cause of religion and virtue, nothing inconsistent with the strictest rules of decency, nor which can offend even the chastest eye in the perusal.
— from History of Tom Jones, a Foundling by Henry Fielding

Nor is it reasonable to dismiss all ideals but the Christian and then invoke Christian patience to help us endure the consequent evils, which are thus declared to be normal.
— from The Life of Reason: The Phases of Human Progress by George Santayana

Evaporate the chloroform extract from a weighed flask with aid of an air blast and dry at 100° C. to constant weight (one-half hour is usually sufficient).
— from All About Coffee by William H. (William Harrison) Ukers

Rust eats the casques enamoured once so much Of death and daring—which knew kiss-like touch Of banner—mistress so august and dear— But not an arm can stir its hinges here; Behold how mute are they whose threats were heard Like savage roar—whose gnashing teeth and word Deadened the clarion's tones; the helmets dread Have not a sound, and all the armor spread, The hauberks, that strong breathing seemed to sway, Are stranded now in helplessness alway To see the shadows, still prolonged, that seem To take at night the image of a dream.
— from Poems by Victor Hugo

Roger Ascham (1515-1568), a famous classical scholar, who published a book called Toxophilus (School of Shooting) in 1545, expresses in his preface, or "apology," a very widespread dissatisfaction over the neglect of native literature when he says, "And as for ye Latin or greke tongue, every thing is so excellently done in them, that none can do better: In the Englysh tonge contrary, every thinge in a maner so meanly, both for the matter and handelynge, that no man can do worse."
— from English Literature Its History and Its Significance for the Life of the English-Speaking World by William J. (William Joseph) Long

No one cared enough to criticise, except himself who soon began to suffer from reaching his own limits.
— from The Education of Henry Adams by Henry Adams

In all this then there is no evidence that Chaucer enjoyed the favour of any particular patron.
— from Chaucer's Official Life by James R. (James Root) Hulbert

It seems my coming had somehow got wind, but the only effect of the rumour had been to increase the panic, for even the conservative elements among the Europeans had made a run on the gunsmiths' shops for firearms and—could you believe it?—on the chemists' for prussic acid to be used by their women in case of the worst.
— from The White Prophet, Volume 1 (of 2) by Caine, Hall, Sir

In bright accordance wit and fancy reign; Whose powers of genius in their ample range Comprise each subject and each tuneful change, Each charm of melody to Phoebus dear, The grave, the gay, the tender, the severe."
— from The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 15, No. 88, February, 1865 A Magazine of Literature, Art, and Politics by Various

Before the descendants of the Hundred Families who entered the Celestial Empire [Pg 36] had reached and obtained possession of mountains
— from A Book of Dartmoor Second Edition by S. (Sabine) Baring-Gould

As a preliminary to this work a huge and ample staging is erected to completely envelop the building.
— from Japanese Homes and Their Surroundings by Edward Sylvester Morse

Richard Chandler, Esq ; James Chetham, Esq ; The Rev. Dr. Alured Clarke. Matthew Clarke, M. D. John Codrington, Esq ; John Conduit, Esq ; Thomas Copleston, Esq ; Thomas Corbett, Esq ; The Honourable Spencer Cowper, Esq ; William Cowper, Esq ; James Cockburn, Esq ; John Crawley, Esq ; Mrs. Crewe.
— from The Spanish Armada, 1588 The Tapestry Hangings of the House of Lords Representing the Several Engagements Between the English and Spanish Fleets. by John Pine

If it act in the contrary direction, and produce an augmentation of price to the consumer, it immediately brings into competition a variety of other oils, vegetable and animal, a good part of which France receives from abroad, and the fisherman thus losing his market, is compelled equally to change either his calling or country.
— from The Writings of Thomas Jefferson Library Edition - Vol. 6 (of 20) by Thomas Jefferson