The men that I know of the nine I like very well; that is, Mr. Pierrepont, Lord Brereton, and Sir William Turner; and I do think the rest are so, too; but such as will not be able to do this business as it ought to be, to do any good with.
— from The Diary of Samuel Pepys — Complete by Samuel Pepys

Royal Lear, Whom I have ever honour’d as my king, Lov’d as my father, as my master follow’d, As my great patron thought on in my prayers.— LEAR.
— from The Complete Works of William Shakespeare by William Shakespeare

It may, perhaps, look like a very presumptuous Work, though not Foreign from the Duty of a Spectator , to tax the Writings of such as have long had the general Applause of a Nation; But I shall always make Reason, Truth, and Nature the Measures of Praise and Dispraise; if those are for me, the Generality of Opinion is of no Consequence against me; if they are against me, the general Opinion cannot long support me.
— from The Spectator, Volume 1 Eighteenth-Century Periodical Essays by Steele, Richard, Sir

But I was in mighty pain lest I should be seen by any body to be at a play.
— from The Diary of Samuel Pepys — Complete by Samuel Pepys

To parents and guardians I offer my earnest advice that they should, by hearty sympathy and frank explanation, aid their charges in maintaining pure lives." What stronger breastplate than a heart untainted?
— from Pushing to the Front by Orison Swett Marden

‘What is it?’ inquired Mr. Pickwick, looking at Bob Sawyer.
— from The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens

It mocked, “Poor little girl!”
— from The Garden Party, and Other Stories by Katherine Mansfield

But its struggles are too far off, too much confused; scarcely can I perceive the colourless reflection in which are blended the uncapturable whirling medley of radiant hues, and I cannot distinguish its form, cannot invite it, as the one possible interpreter, to translate to me the evidence of its contemporary, its inseparable paramour, the taste of cake soaked in tea; cannot ask it to inform me what special circumstance is in question, of what period in my past life.
— from Swann's Way by Marcel Proust

But as you thought he came towards me, but not with so much joy, I may possibly live a few years longer, but not become old, and I trust his providence will stand over me; but that he did not come to me with the same splendour and glory as to our brother Olaf, that will be because, in many ways, I have sinned and transgressed his command.
— from Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway by Snorri Sturluson

Then part, where stretch'd along the winding bay, The ships and tents in mingled prospect lay.
— from The Iliad by Homer

It really is not in my power; Lord Cumber took care to leave me no discretion in the business at all.”
— from Valentine M'Clutchy, The Irish Agent The Works of William Carleton, Volume Two by William Carleton

Screw, go down into my private laboratory, open the table-drawer nearest the window, and bring up a locked book, with a parchment cover, which you will find in it.”
— from A Rogue's Life by Wilkie Collins

His opinion upon the matter cannot be expressed in more pointed language, than he used in a letter to the company.
— from Anecdotes of the American Indians Illustrating their Eccentricities of Character by Alexander Vietts Blake

About the languages spoken nowadays by savage tribes we have generally very little information, as most of those who have made a first-hand study of such languages have not been trained to observe and to describe these delicate points; still, there is of late years an increasing number of observations of tone accents, for instance in African languages, which may justify us in thinking that tone plays an important part in many primitive languages.
— from Language: Its Nature, Development and Origin by Otto Jespersen

And in my past life they might find something far more grave than the selling of smuggled cigars, or barrels of brandy without a permit.
— from The Count of Monte Cristo, Illustrated by Alexandre Dumas

"Yes, you can go to-morrow," indulgently added the driver, and the official chimed sweetly in, " Mañana por la mañana! "
— from Spanish Highways and Byways by Katharine Lee Bates

Without attempting any of that species of oratory which may be necessary to cover falsehood, but which would encumber instead of adorning truth, I shall now, in the simplest manner in my power, lay the evidence before the court.”
— from Tales and Novels — Volume 01 Moral Tales by Maria Edgeworth