He loses at Vernon a case which he had gained at Poissy.
— from Travels in France during the years 1814-15 Comprising a residence at Paris, during the stay of the allied armies, and at Aix, at the period of the landing of Bonaparte, in two volumes. by Patrick Fraser Tytler

If city bred, he has been for the best part of his life a villager and countryman.
— from Concord Days by Amos Bronson Alcott

"The dying swan, when years her temples pierce, In music-strains breathes out her life and verse, And, chanting her own dirge, tides on her wat'ry hearse." Phineas Fletcher's, Purple Island , Canto I .
— from Notes and Queries, Vol. V, Number 118, January 31, 1852 A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc. by Various

The remark is not so pretty as, but far more true than, that of the bard who would have us believe that the dying swan: "In music's strains breathes out her life and verse, And, chaunting her own dirge, rides on her watery hearse."
— from The Life of Captain Matthew Flinders by Scott, Ernest, Sir

At the beginning of his scientific career at Odessa he led a very active campaign in favour of the teaching of Natural Science.
— from Life of Elie Metchnikoff, 1845-1916 by Olga Metchnikoff

The reason of his increased confidence was this: upon going to London, the old director of Esmond's aunt, the dowager, paid her ladyship a visit at Chelsey, and there learnt from her that Captain Esmond was acquainted with the secret of his family, and was determined never to divulge it.
— from Henry Esmond; The English Humourists; The Four Georges by William Makepeace Thackeray

He looked at Vera as calmly as at the others, and did not avoid Tatiana Markovna’s eyes.
— from The Precipice by Ivan Aleksandrovich Goncharov

Then this same John raised his head, and with as great and touching sorrow as can be expressed, after thanking this unknown speaker for his comfortable words, he begged of Muriel to relate to him each action and speech in the dying scene she had witnessed; and when she had ended this recital, with the like urgency he moved me to tell him all I could remember of his brother's young years, all my father had written of his life and virtues at college, all which we had heard of his labors since he had come into the country, and lastly, in a manner most simple and affecting, we all entreating him thereunto, he made this narrative, addressing himself chiefly to Muriel: "You, madam, are acquainted with what was the hardness of mine heart and cruel indifference to my brother's fate; with what disdain I listened to you, with what pride I received his last advice.
— from Constance Sherwood: An Autobiography of the Sixteenth Century by Georgiana Fullerton