but yesterday I was telling Mr. Cole, I really was ashamed to look at our new grand pianoforte in the drawing-room, while I do not know one note from another, and our little girls, who are but just beginning, perhaps may never make any thing of it; and there is poor Jane Fairfax, who is mistress of music, has not any thing of the nature of an instrument, not even the pitifullest old spinet in the world, to amuse herself with.—I was saying this to Mr. Cole but yesterday, and he quite agreed with me; only he is so particularly fond of music that he could not help indulging himself in the purchase, hoping that some of our good neighbours might be so obliging occasionally to put it to a better use than we can; and that really is the reason why the instrument was bought—or else I am sure we ought to be ashamed of it.—We are in great hopes that Miss Woodhouse may be prevailed with to try it this evening.”
— from Emma by Jane Austen

under this impression I scelected a fat buffaloe and shot him very well, through the lungs; while I was gazeing attentively on the poor anamal discharging blood in streams from his mouth and nostrils, expecting him to fall every instant, and having entirely forgotton to reload my rifle, a large white, or reather brown bear, had perceived and crept on me within 20 steps before I discovered him; in the first moment I drew up my gun to shoot, but at the same instant recolected that she was not loaded and that he was too near for me to hope to perform this opperation before he reached me, as he was then briskly advancing on me; it was an open level plain, not a bush within miles nor a tree within less than three hundred yards of me; the river bank was sloping and not more than three feet above the level of the water; in short there was no place by means of which I could conceal myself from this monster untill I could charge my rifle; in this situation I thought of retreating in a brisk walk as fast as he was advancing untill I could reach a tree about 300 yards below me, but I had no sooner terned myself about but he pitched at me, open mouthed and full speed, I ran about 80 yards and found he gained on me fast, I then run into the water the idea struk me to get into the water to such debth that I could stand and he would be obliged to swim, and that I could in that situation defend myself with my espontoon; accordingly I ran haistily into the water about waist deep, and faced about and presented the point of my espontoon, at this instant he arrived at the edge of the water within about 20 feet of me; the moment I put myself in this attitude of defence he sudonly wheeled about as if frightened, declined the combat on such unequal grounds, and retreated with quite as great precipitation as he had just before pursued me.
— from The Journals of Lewis and Clark, 1804-1806 by William Clark

There was no question now about justification by performing Moses' laws; His light made me see my sins in all their awfulness, and I broke down crying, 'My punishment is greater than I can bear' (Gen. iv. 13).
— from Some Jewish Witnesses For Christ by Aaron Bernstein

Some of these societies were a scandal to morality, being joined by profligate men of depraved appetites, who took a disgusting delight in witnessing young girls in convulsions.
— from Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds by Charles Mackay

As if their day were onely to be spent 30 In dressing, Mistressing and complement; Alas poore joyes, but poorer men, whose trust Seemes richly placed in sublimed dust; (For, such are cloathes and beauty, which though gay, Are, at the best, but of sublimed clay.)
— from The Poems of John Donne, Volume 1 (of 2) Edited from the Old Editions and Numerous Manuscripts by John Donne

Jika bermimpi prahu mudik ka hulu sungei, ʿalamat orang banyak kena penyakit didalam negri itu handak-lah bersuchi diri-nya serta berlimau memakei bauan supaya lepas deripada bahia itu ada-nya.
— from Malay Magic Being an introduction to the folklore and popular religion of the Malay Peninsula by Walter William Skeat

"I beg your pardon," said Tip, rather provoked, for he felt a warm interest in both the Saw-Horse and his man Jack; "but permit me to say that your joke is a poor one, and as old as it is poor."
— from The Marvelous Land of Oz by L. Frank (Lyman Frank) Baum

So that the writings which are produced under his name, and which contain these fables about the giants, saying that their fathers were not men, are properly judged by prudent men to be not genuine; just as many writings are produced by heretics under the names both of other prophets, and, more recently, under the names of the apostles, all of which, after careful examination, have been set apart from canonical authority under the title of Apocrypha.
— from The City of God, Volume II by Augustine, Saint, Bishop of Hippo

[14] 16 Dr. Hornbook, Light red, with white spots; calved March, 1857; bred by John Meikle , of Brownhill, Tarbolton, Ayrshire; imported in 1858, and owned by John Brooks , Princeton, Mass.:
— from Herd Record of the Association of Breeders of Thorough-Bred Neat Stock Short Horns, Ayrshires and Devons by Various

Let the poor man be properly dressed, and accompany his young lady to Woodbourne.' Honest Mac-Morlan received this mandate with great joy, but pondered much upon executing that part of it which related to newly attiring the worthy Dominie.
— from Guy Mannering, Or, the Astrologer — Complete by Walter Scott

Though Joseph Bridau paints magnificent pictures, and renders important services to artists, he is not yet a member of the Institute.
— from The Two Brothers by Honoré de Balzac

By J. B. Pettigrew , M.D., F.R.S., &c. With 130 Illustrations.
— from The Mind and the Brain Being the Authorised Translation of L'Âme et le Corps by Alfred Binet

He survived his journeys by passing many of his hours in the water, and he was at last 'dashed' to Dr. Roulston, of Tákwá.
— from To The Gold Coast for Gold: A Personal Narrative. Vol. II by Burton, Richard Francis, Sir

So she said, "May your journey be prosperous, my husband, and may you return in safety.
— from Black Tales for White Children by Nancy Yulee (Neff) Stigand