On the one side, that which is afterwards turned downwards, the cord, the ribs are made on, forms loops, held with pins, into which meshes of threads can be knotted when the gimp is finished, for making either a fringe or a grounding. Fig.
— from Encyclopedia of Needlework by Thérèse de Dillmont

At first I thought it was a joke, but I soon found out my mistake; the veil fell from my eyes and I saw myself in my true colours, the degraded dupe of a vile prostitute.
— from The Memoirs of Jacques Casanova de Seingalt, 1725-1798. Complete by Giacomo Casanova

Solers quilibet artifex instrumenta sua diligentissime curat, penicellos pictor; malleos incudesque faber ferrarius; miles equos, arma venator, auceps aves, et canes, Cytharam Cytharaedus, &c. soli musarum mystae tam negligentes sunt, ut instrumentum illud quo mundum universum metiri solent, spiritum scilicet, penitus negligere videantur. 1982 .
— from The Anatomy of Melancholy by Robert Burton

Possibly, though, the word is often used with a due regard to facts, for marriages, especially amongst our upper classes, are not always “made in heaven.”
— from The Slang Dictionary: Etymological, Historical and Andecdotal by John Camden Hotten

So far from men fighting for the gods, the gods, as in Homer, fought for men; each asked his god for victory, and repayed him with new altars.
— from The Social Contract & Discourses by Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Incessantly occupied with Rome and Athens, conversing, if I may so express myself with their illustrious heroes; born the citizen of a republic, of a father whose ruling passion was a love of his country, I was fired with these examples; could fancy myself a Greek or Roman, and readily give into the character of the personage whose life I read; transported by the recital of any extraordinary instance of fortitude or intrepidity, animation flashed from my eyes, and gave my voice additional strength and energy.
— from The Confessions of Jean Jacques Rousseau — Complete by Jean-Jacques Rousseau

We used to think of you as almost superhuman, but now the scales have fallen from my eyes and I see you as you are!
— from Uncle Vanya: Scenes from Country Life in Four Acts by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov

Thrice I sprang towards her and tried to clasp her in my arms, but each time she flitted from my embrace as it were a dream or phantom, and being touched to the quick I said to her, 'Mother, why do you not stay still when I would embrace you?
— from The Odyssey Rendered into English prose for the use of those who cannot read the original by Homer

One recurring scene has the same fascination for my eyes as the fishers' lights.
— from Heart of Man by George Edward Woodberry

You put that in good forcible French for me, Edgar, and I'll be grateful to you till I die.
— from Seeing France with Uncle John by Anne Warner

It was full five minutes ere another giant wave reached out for him and felt him about the feet.
— from A Sovereign Remedy by Flora Annie Webster Steel

In absence of tangible accusation or tittle of evidence, it seems needless to repel such a charge from Francesco Maria, especially as other accounts impute the Pontiff's dissolution to malaria fever, to a severe catarrh, [283] -412- to debauchery, or even to excessive exultation at the joyful news.
— from Memoirs of the Dukes of Urbino, Volume 2 (of 3) Illustrating the Arms, Arts, and Literature of Italy, from 1440 To 1630. by James Dennistoun

“Ah, that is because you are a fool, François, mon enfant , a more arrant fool even than the dear Courtenay himself.
— from A Pirate of the Caribbees by Harry Collingwood

A veil has suddenly fallen from my eyes; and I now comprehend the impropriety of my conduct.
— from The Mysteries of London, v. 1/4 by George W. M. (George William MacArthur) Reynolds

The wild plants of the prairie are used by the Mandans, and other people of the Upper Missouri; and to those before-mentioned, I can only add the feverolles ( Faba minor equina ), a fruit resembling the bean, which is said to grow in the ground, but which I did not see; there are many other roots in the prairie, which are used for food.
— from Maximilian, Prince of Wied's, Travels in the Interior of North America, 1832-1834, part 2 by Wied, Maximilian, Prinz von

"Each atom of prana is formed from manasa, exactly as ether was formed from prana, and each pranic atom in the universe is the centre of a manasic molecule, having an atmosphere of manasic atoms.
— from Ancient and Modern Physics by Thomas E. Willson

I don't agree with her, as all this time the money has been forwarded for my education and keep."
— from The Scarlet Bat: A Detective Story by Fergus Hume