O God!- O nurse, how shall this be prevented?
— from The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

“I thought them out in the fir grove one night,” he said dreamily.
— from Anne of Avonlea by L. M. (Lucy Maud) Montgomery

He sincerely accomplished the articles of capitulation, without seeking or accepting any sinister advantage from ambiguous expressions or unforeseen events: the garrison of Naples had stipulated that they should be transported by sea; the obstinacy of the winds prevented their voyage, but they were generously supplied with horses, provisions, and a safe-conduct to the gates of Rome.
— 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

The gloom of night hath shrouded every region, and all the earth is shut away behind thick clouds.
— from Selections from the Writings of `Abdu'l-Bahá by `Abdu'l-Bahá

The genius of night had stood till now, invisibly, before Emanuel, and poured high raptures into his bosom, but no passions; and he said: "We are not alone,–my soul feels the passing by of its kindred, and lifts itself up,– under the earth is sleep, above the earth is dream, but between sleep and dream I see luminous eyes move along like stars,–a cool breath comes from the sea of eternity over the glowing earth,–my heart mounts up, and will break away from life,–all around me is as great as if God passed through the night.–Spirits!
— from Hesperus; or, Forty-Five Dog-Post-Days: A Biography. Vol. I. by Jean Paul

… I believe there will be some great event soon, as the people are much dissatisfied and distressed by want of trade, and these gentlemen of Nonsuch have some new imaginations in their heads.”
— from The Great Lord Burghley: A study in Elizabethan statecraft by Martin A. S. (Martin Andrew Sharp) Hume

“Look here—I forgot to give Old Nancy her slipper back, and now I’ve got three slippers all alike!”
— from Knock Three Times! by Marion St. John Webb

Sandy had left his rifle at the cabin when he carried Grit out, now he spun the two cylinders of his Colts, lowered himself into the split, holding on to the vine, looking straight into Grit's lambent eyes.
— from Rimrock Trail by Dunn, J. Allan, (Joseph Allan)

"Go out now," he said with fine contempt, "you that are so afraid you'll get burned yourselves that you'd tramp the girls down.
— from The Widow O'Callaghan's Boys by Gulielma Zollinger

It was as if the chill and gloom of night had suddenly struck the summer's noonday.
— from Desert Conquest; or, Precious Waters by A. M. (Arthur Murray) Chisholm

“There is a great oak near here,” said [ Pg 201] Ecta, wondering, “a great hollow oak whose belly would hold five men, each standing upon the other.”
— from The Washer of the Ford: Legendary moralities and barbaric tales by William Sharp