Charlotte the wife of Mr. Collins, was a most humiliating picture!—And to the pang of a friend disgracing herself and sunk in her esteem, was added the distressing conviction that it was impossible for that friend to be tolerably happy in the lot she had chosen.
— from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

This latter form seemed to please him best;—perhaps because it involved the least risk; for Dammit had become excessively parsimonious.
— from The Works of Edgar Allan Poe, The Raven Edition Table Of Contents And Index Of The Five Volumes by Edgar Allan Poe

Great Britain, perhaps, has made but too little use of this kind of artillery, which France has found so effectual towards subjugating the continent: but Troubridge had the prey within his reach; and in the course of a few days, his last battery, "after much trouble and palaver," as he said, "brought the vagabonds to their senses.
— from The Life of Horatio, Lord Nelson by Robert Southey

[To Higgins, who takes refuge on the piano bench, a little overwhelmed by the proximity of his visitor; for Doolittle has a professional flavor of dust about him].
— from Pygmalion by Bernard Shaw

Almost in the same instant, with a thunder-boom, the enormous mass dropped into the sea, like Niagara’s Table-Rock into the whirlpool; the suddenly relieved hull rolled away from it, to far down her glittering copper; and all caught their breath, as half swinging—now over the sailors’ heads, and now over the water—Daggoo, through a thick mist of spray, was dimly beheld clinging to the pendulous tackles, while poor, buried-alive Tashtego was sinking utterly down to the bottom of the sea!
— from Moby Dick; Or, The Whale by Herman Melville

In a few days he would be off to sea.
— from Martin Eden by Jack London

Nicol, failing a couple of broadswords or four dirks, had got two pieces of rusty old iron and placed them cross-wise on the extemporised floor.
— from The Beautiful Wretch; The Pupil of Aurelius; and The Four Macnicols by William Black

— An account of spirits that live in the Sun . — Spirits conversing with human beings. — Mode of communication by letters of fire, or large printed capitals . — Interview with the spirit of Pharaoh . — His present dwelling in the planet Jupiter . — Information gleaned in conversation with him. — Swedenborg's account of Sir John Franklin. — Describes his situation, blocked up by ice . — Spirits do not understand about latitude and longitude .
— from The Spirit Land by Samuel B. (Samuel Bulfinch) Emmons

On the 30th of November, General Somerset arrived with about 500 men, at Whittlesea, the most remote of the frontier posts, and the following day, having been joined by Captain Tylden's force, marched through Tambookie
— from Campaigning in Kaffirland; Or, Scenes and Adventures in the Kaffir War of 1851-52 by William Ross King

This forced draught has now been adopted on large ships, and to-day the very high speed of naval vessels, and of many mercantile steamers, is due to it.
— from Ocean Steamships A popular account of their construction, development, management and appliances by A. E. (Albert Edward) Seaton

Now the Duchess had her in her arms, and almost forcibly drew her to a sofa.
— from The Weavers: a tale of England and Egypt of fifty years ago - Complete by Gilbert Parker

Morning drew on apace; the air became more sharp and piercing, as its first dull hue—the death of night rather than the birth of day—glimmered faintly in the sky.
— from Oliver Twist, Vol. 2 (of 3) by Charles Dickens

Hurry!" commanded the lad, fairly dragging his companion along.
— from The Pony Rider Boys in New Mexico; Or, The End of the Silver Trail by Frank Gee Patchin

“You’d go up a precipice, Hans, I do believe, if there was no way round it,” said Considine, as he gazed in admiring wonder at his tall friend driving his oxen up an acclivity that threatened destruction to waggon, beasts, and men.
— from The Settler and the Savage by R. M. (Robert Michael) Ballantyne

I could realize just how shocked Prince Michael was by the event; just how puzzled his own reasoning powers were for the moment, because of this discovery of a spy concealed in the private room of the palace, who might, if I had not so fortunately discovered him, have betrayed the real purpose of my presence there, even before the accomplishment of any results.
— from Princess Zara by Ross Beeckman