I like to perform good actions and to get pleasure for my money, but not at the expense of my liberty: Whenever you want to know my affairs, recollect that you can receive information about them only from me, and public rumour is only good to amuse fools.”
— from The Memoirs of Jacques Casanova de Seingalt, 1725-1798. Complete by Giacomo Casanova

That I'll straight do, and, knowing myself again, Repair to th' Senate House.
— from The Complete Works of William Shakespeare by William Shakespeare

They certainly cannot know more about rugs than the few authorities who have made a study of the subject; and, as said before, they are generally prompted by the “consignor” of the collection.
— from The Oriental Rug A Monograph on Eastern Rugs and Carpets, Saddle-Bags, Mats & Pillows, with a Consideration of Kinds and Classes, Types, Borders, Figures, Dyes, Symbols, etc. Together with Some Practical Advice to Collectors. by William De Lancey Ellwanger

I had got part of it learned; I knew more about retreating than the man that invented retreating.
— from The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg, and Other Stories by Mark Twain

We swell with knowledge momentarily, and return to more prosaic tasks elate, having hung its proper label on blade and bush, bird and bough.
— from The Joys of Being a Woman, and Other Papers by Winifred Margaretta Kirkland

The General Assembly being desirous to promove the great work of Unity in Religion, and Uniformity in Church government, in all thir three Dominions, for which the Assembly hath humbly supplicate the Kings Majestie, and remonstrate their desires to the Parliament of England , lest they should be wanting in any meane that may further so glorious and so good a work: Doe ordain, that not only the said Declaration to the Parliament, and supplication to the Kings Majestie, shall be accompanied with the earnest Petition, and prayers of the whole brethren in private and publike, for the Lords blessing hereunto, according to the laudable custome of our predecessors, who in the year of God 1589.
— from The Acts Of The General Assemblies of the Church of Scotland by Church of Scotland. General Assembly

For these reasons, the world has never known much about Rembrandt, the man.
— from The Mentor: Rembrandt, Vol. 4, Num. 20, Serial No. 120, December 1, 1916 by John Charles Van Dyke

Shaw's treatment of the Salvation Army in "Major Barbara" showed that he knew more about religion than some of his churchly critics.
— from Six Major Prophets by Edwin E. (Edwin Emery) Slosson

Keech made a remark that amused me, and has remained fresh in my memory.
— from Personal Recollections of the War of 1861 As Private, Sergeant and Lieutenant in the Sixty-First Regiment, New York Volunteer Infantry by Charles A. Fuller

Dinshaw kept moving about, repeating the orders of the mate, or talking to himself.
— from Isle o' Dreams by Frederick Ferdinand Moore

Mr. Trowbridge keeps me advised respecting the all important and growing importance of the department's fiscal affairs.
— from Personal Memoirs of a Residence of Thirty Years with the Indian Tribes on the American Frontiers by Henry Rowe Schoolcraft