Discoursing thus of various matters and faring on their way, on the look out the while for time and place apt unto their knavish purpose, they came, late in the day, to a place a little beyond Castel Guglielmo, where, at the fording of a river, the three rogues, seeing the hour advanced and the spot solitary and close shut in, fell upon Rinaldo and robbed him of money, clothes and horse.
— from The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio by Giovanni Boccaccio

I do not say that the former times were better than these, as old men have talked for two thousand years, for those times were hard, and the struggles of life were great,--without facilities of travel, without luxuries, without even comforts, as they seem to us; but there was doubtless then a loftier spiritual life, and fewer distractions in the pursuit of solid knowledge; people then could live in the country all the year round without complaint, or that restless craving for novelties which demoralizes and undermines the moral health.
— from Beacon Lights of History, Volume 11: American Founders by John Lord

‘He isn’t bad, really , Kit,’ persisted the child, looking troubled.
— from The Youngest Girl in the School by Evelyn Sharp

Under the terms of a charter granted to the Faculty by King James VI. , and dated November, 1599, visitors were appointed, and they were given “Full power to call, sumonnd, and convene before thame, within the said burgh of Glasgow, or onie otheris of ouir said burrowis, or publict places of the foirsaids boundis, all personis professing or using the said airt of Chirurgie, to examine thame upon thair literature, knawledge and practize; gif they be fund wordie, to admit, allow, and approve thame, give them testimonial according to the airt and knawledge that they sal be fund wordie to exercise thareftir, resave thair aithis, and authorize thame as accordis, and to discharge thame to use onie farder nor they have knawledge passing their capacity, laist our subjectis be abusit”.
— from The Mystery and Romance of Alchemy and Pharmacy by C. J. S. (Charles John Samuel) Thompson

Her words were indistinct, but rays of different colours from the jewels on her body kept piercing the curtain like needles and violently vibrating.
— from Stories from Tagore by Rabindranath Tagore

Our saddle hosses kin pull the cart later on, if it aer needed ter get moved.
— from Indian and Scout: A Tale of the Gold Rush to California by F. S. (Frederick Sadleir) Brereton

"You know, professor, the company like to engage their own prospectors," he demurred.
— from A Rip Van Winkle Of The Kalahari And Other Tales of South-West Africa by Frederick Carruthers Cornell

The older societies of Europe, as every one knows, protect their caste lines a great deal more resolutely.
— from The American Credo A Contribution Toward the Interpretation of the National Mind by H. L. (Henry Louis) Mencken

The original text was published in: The Nineteenth Century, Kegan Paul, Trench & Co., London, July-December 1885, pp.
— from Transylvanian Superstitions From: The Nineteenth Century (Vol. 18), London, July-December 1885, pp. 130-150 by E. (Emily) Gerard

He ran right through the kitchen, past the cook, like a flash of lightning.
— from Little Erik of Sweden by Madeline Brandeis