This, I think, will be evident to every moderately attentive reader.
— from Ethics by Benedictus de Spinoza

It is not within the translator's province to discuss the question of French versification or to elaborate the excellent maxims laid down by Rimsky-Korsakov, the first, among many, to touch upon this delicate and important subject.
— from Principles of Orchestration, with Musical Examples Drawn from His Own Works by Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov

My excitement had grown to such an extent that even my efforts to sleep as a rule ended only in nocturnal adventures.
— from My Life — Volume 1 by Richard Wagner

Every one of them is skilled in their law; for, as it is a very short study, so the plainest meaning of which words are capable is always the sense of their laws; and they argue thus: all laws are promulgated for this end, that every man may know his duty; and, therefore, the plainest and most obvious sense of the words is that which ought to be put upon them, since a more refined exposition cannot be easily comprehended, and would only serve to make the laws become useless to the greater part of mankind, and especially to those who need most the direction of them; for it is all one not to make a law at all or to couch it in such terms that, without a quick apprehension and much study, a man cannot find out the true meaning of it, since the generality of mankind are both so dull, and so much employed in their several trades, that they have neither the leisure nor the capacity requisite for such an inquiry.
— from Utopia by More, Thomas, Saint

Pay when it comes out," returned Mr. Dashwood, as if that point had escaped him; such trifles often do escape the editorial mind, it is said.
— from Little Women; Or, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy by Louisa May Alcott

The cottage had been standing empty this eight months, and it was a pity, for it was a pretty two-storied place, with an old-fashioned porch and honeysuckle about it.
— from The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

On being charged with electricity the energy may be preserved till required for use.
— from The New Gresham Encyclopedia. A to Amide Vol. 1 Part 1 by Various

“The most able papers in the present number, are, of course, those furnished by the editor, (the eminent Mr. Crab,) but there are numerous magnificent contributions from such names as Snob, Mademoiselle Cribalittle, Slyass, Mrs. Fibalittle, Mumblethumb, Mrs. Squibalittle, and last, though not least, Fatquack.
— from The Works of Edgar Allan Poe, The Raven Edition Table Of Contents And Index Of The Five Volumes by Edgar Allan Poe

After this he pressed me earnestly, and in the most affectionate manner, not to play the young man, nor to precipitate myself into miseries which nature, and the station of life I was born in, seemed to have provided against; that I was under no necessity of seeking my bread; that he would do well for me, and endeavour to enter me fairly into the station of life which he had just been recommending to me; and that if I was not very easy and happy in the world, it must be my mere fate or fault that must hinder it; and that he should have nothing to answer for, having thus discharged his duty in warning me against measures which he knew would be to my hurt; in a word, that as he would do very kind things for me if I would stay and settle at home as he directed, so he would not have so much hand in my misfortunes as to give me any encouragement to go away; and to close all, he told me I had my elder brother for an example, to whom he had used the same earnest persuasions to keep him from going into the Low Country wars, but could not prevail, his young desires prompting him to run into the army, where he was killed; and though he said he would not cease to pray for me, yet he would venture to say to me, that if I did take this foolish step, God would not bless me, and I should have leisure hereafter to reflect upon having neglected his counsel when there might be none to assist in my recovery.
— from The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe

No other great kings with prophetic insight appear to have arisen to hold up before the nation the principles of justice and mercy and true piety, The old superstitions and magic also continued in Babylonia as in Egypt to exercise more and more their baneful influence.
— from The Origin and Permanent Value of the Old Testament by Charles Foster Kent

With us, it is expected that every man will work, will earn, will lay up, will deliver his family from public charity.
— from Conflict of Northern and Southern Theories of Man and Society Great Speech, Delivered in New York City by Henry Ward Beecher

It represents the mature deliberations and conclusions of the best talent and experience that ever made a national survey of the production and distribution of fuel.
— from State of the Union Addresses by Calvin Coolidge

English Character set encoding: UTF-8 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE EVERLASTING MERCY *** Produced by Al Haines.
— from The Everlasting Mercy by John Masefield

Now if I am asked to explain these extraordinary movements, I am bound to confess my inability to do so at present.
— from Liquid Drops and Globules, Their Formation and Movements Three lectures delivered to popular audiences by Charles R. (Charles Robert) Darling

In an assembly, however, the purpose of which is conscious iniquity, few, who have not witnessed such scenes, will be aware of the efforts that each man will make to argue himself into a belief of his own upright intentions: or of the eager assent with which his endeavours will be seconded by his associates.
— from The Adventures of Hugh Trevor by Thomas Holcroft

Forgery, perjury, riot, maintenance, fraud, libel, and conspiracy, were the chief offences cognizable in this court, but its scope extended to every misdemeanour, and especially to charges where, from the imperfection of the common law, or the power of offenders, justice was baffled in the lower courts.
— from History of the English People, Volume V Puritan England, 1603-1660 by John Richard Green

It cannot indeed be expected, that every Man should tie himself strictly to the Observations of the same Rules in his Diet, since the Variety of Climates, Constitution, Age, and other Circumstances
— from Medicina Flagellata; Or, The Doctor Scarify'd by Anonymous

The Boers continued their advance against the defending party to within three hundred yards of this [p. 241] kopje, but then swerved off to the east, thus enabling Major Milton to withdraw the whole of his detachment in safety.
— from History of the War in South Africa 1899-1902 v. 1 (of 4) Compiled by Direction of His Majesty's Government by Great Britain. War Office

Antonia left her aunt to look after the business—” “Had she an aunt even then?” exclaimed Malaga.
— from A Man of Business by Honoré de Balzac