The history of the world affords no instance of a great nation retaining the form of republican government for a long series of years, *r and this has led to the conclusion that such a state of things is impracticable.
— from Democracy in America — Volume 1 by Alexis de Tocqueville

But after that event their fortune took an unfavourable turn; and their political state continued ever growing worse and worse, B.C. 800(?)- B.C. 371. until they finally suffered from a long succession of internal struggles and partisan warfare; were repeatedly agitated by schemes for the redivision of lands and the banishment of one party or another; and were subjected to the severest possible slavery, culminating in the tyrannical government of Nabis: though the word “tyrant” was one which they had in old times scarcely endured to hear mentioned.
— from The Histories of Polybius, Vol. 1 (of 2) by Polybius

If the several breeds are not varieties, and have not proceeded from the rock-pigeon, they must have descended from at least seven or eight aboriginal stocks; for it is impossible to make the present domestic breeds by the crossing of any lesser number: how, for instance, could a pouter be produced by crossing two breeds unless one of the parent-stocks possessed the characteristic enormous crop?
— from On the Origin of Species By Means of Natural Selection Or, the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life by Charles Darwin

On the left side of the cutting we notice an erect serpent, whose rayed head makes us recognise the solar emblem, and its mundane representative, mentula arrecta ; on a spot opposite to the centre of the male's body we find a lozenge, symbolic of the yoni, whilst opposite to his feet is the amphora, whose mystic signification may readily be recognised; it is meant for Ouranos, or the Sun fructifying Terra, or the earth, by pouring from himself into her.
— from Ancient Pagan and Modern Christian Symbolism With an Essay on Baal Worship, on the Assyrian Sacred "Grove," and Other Allied Symbols by Thomas Inman

Even when it comes to the third of the ways I spoke of as effective in dealing with the tenement-house problem, the building of model structures, the personal interest in the matter must form a large share of the capital invested, if it is to yield full returns.
— from How the Other Half Lives: Studies Among the Tenements of New York by Jacob A. (Jacob August) Riis

TRILOBITES.—A peculiar group of extinct crustaceans, somewhat resembling the woodlice in external form, and, like some of them, capable of rolling themselves up into a ball.
— from The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection Or, the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life, 6th Edition by Charles Darwin

As I was paddling along the north shore one very calm October afternoon, for such days especially they settle on to the lakes, like the milkweed down, having looked in vain over the pond for a loon, suddenly one, sailing out from the shore toward the middle a few rods in front of me, set up his wild laugh and betrayed himself.
— from Walden, and On The Duty Of Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau

Double and tri-syllable rhymes, indeed, form a lower species of wit, and, attended to exclusively for their own sake, may become a source of momentary amusement; as in poor Smart's distich to the Welsh Squire who had promised him a hare: "Tell me, thou son of great Cadwallader!
— from Biographia Literaria by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Jonathan attends the President at the Howard House—Visits the Park Theatre with the President and his Handsome Girl—Goes with Mr. Robert Tyler to have his Hair Cut at Clairhugh's—Takes Refreshments with the Ladies at the Howard House—Bed-chamber Scene with the President—Serenade, &c. Dear Par: I begin tu feel a leetle sort of better, but nothing to brag on yit.
— from High Life in New York A series of letters to Mr. Zephariah Slick, Justice of the Peace, and Deacon of the church over to Weathersfield in the state of Connecticut by Ann S. (Ann Sophia) Stephens

“The necessity for a large stock of linen depends on a rule far better than Brummell’s, of three shirts a day, viz:— “Change your linen whenever it is at all dirty.
— from The Gentlemen's Book of Etiquette and Manual of Politeness Being a Complete Guide for a Gentleman's Conduct in All His Relations Towards Society by Cecil B. Hartley

Hester could not help liking him at first sight—yet felt a little shy of him.
— from Weighed and Wanting by George MacDonald

The top of the casket was covered with flowers; and lying stretched out underneath it she saw Miss Myrover's little white dog, Prince.
— from The Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, 1995, Memorial Issue by Various

I found Abe Pike one afternoon poring over a newspaper, tracing each word with a horny finger, and laboriously spelling out the long words.
— from Tales from the Veld by Ernest Glanville

For it cannot be presumed that the same degree of sound policy, prudence, and foresight would uniformly be observed by each of these confederacies for a long succession of years.
— from The Federalist Papers by Alexander Hamilton

Before sunrise each day, weather permitting, the little scattered fleet of boats is far out on the Bay of Naples; for the surface collecting, which furnishes a large share of the best material, can be done only at dawn, as the greater part of the creatures thus secured sink into the retirement of the depths during the day, coming to the surface to feed only at night.
— from A History of Science — Volume 5 by Edward Huntington Williams

Because of the body flexure and large size of the embryo the head was amputated, in the plane a-b , and cut sagitally, while the body was cut transversely in the direction shown by the section planes.
— from Development of the Digestive Canal of the American Alligator by A. M. (Albert Moore) Reese

Now the last oven-bird launched into the air and let fall a little shower of melody, and a whippoorwill took up his chant afar off.
— from Birds in the Bush by Bradford Torrey