When a poem, or a part of a poem, shall be adduced, which is evidently vicious in the figures and centexture of its style, yet for the condemnation of which no reason can be assigned, except that it differs from the style in which men actually converse, then, and not till then, can I hold this theory to be either plausible, or practicable, or capable of furnishing either rule, guidance, or precaution, that might not, more easily and more safely, as well as more naturally, have been deduced in the author's own mind from considerations of grammar, logic, and the truth and nature of things, confirmed by the authority of works, whose fame is not of one country nor of one age.
— from Biographia Literaria by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Thou shinest out, and art pleasing, and beloved, and longed for; that I may be ashamed of myself, and renounce myself, and choose Thee, and neither please Thee nor myself, but in Thee.
— from The Confessions of St. Augustine by Augustine, Saint, Bishop of Hippo

Later, he reviewed his opinion by pointing to the object of levirate marriage, and contending that as no children had been the result of the union, the King must have married his brother's widow without the intention of continuing his brother's line, and consequently the marriage was illegitimate and invalid.
— from Some Jewish Witnesses For Christ by Aaron Bernstein

Then there was a woman of about thirty years of age, whose duty it was to sweep the floors, open the sliding shutters in the morning and close them at night, and sew on my buttons.
— from A Diplomat in Japan The inner history of the critical years in the evolution of Japan when the ports were opened and the monarchy restored, recorded by a diplomatist who took an active part in the events of the time, with an account of his personal experiences during that period by Ernest Mason Satow

[157] After destroying this town I marched on one mile, and came to a new town [158] consisting of 9 houses which we destroyed, and proceeded one mile and found one large house which we set fire to, and marched 2 miles and encamped.
— from The Journal of Lieut. John L. Hardenbergh of the Second New York Continental Regiment from May 1 to October 3, 1779, in General Sullivan's Campaign Against the Western Indians With an Introduction, Copious Historical Notes, and Maps of the Battle-field of Newtown and Groveland Ambuscade by John Leonard Hardenbergh

Easing back on the oars, they let the sloop lose momentum and came to a natural stop near one of the moorings.
— from Troubled Waters Sandy Steele Adventures #6 by Robert Leckie

A. --There is a slight advantage, but it is so slight as hardly to balance the increased trouble of manufacture, and, consequently, they are not generally or widely adopted.
— from A Catechism of the Steam Engine by Bourne, John, C.E.

In reality their moves are calculated to a nicety, and they turn and "click" to place with almost the precision of the plungers of the combination of a safe.
— from Stories of the Ships by Lewis R. (Lewis Ransome) Freeman

Marie-Angelique felt for Felix precisely the feelings with which Felix desired to inspire her,—true friendship, sincere gratitude, and a fraternal love, in which was mingled, at certain times, a noble and dignified tenderness, such as tenderness between husband and wife ought to be.
— from A Daughter of Eve by Honoré de Balzac

I know lots of influential people, but I can't go to them and say, 'I know three charming girls; they are all as ignorant as possible; they don't know any of our manners and customs; they are not educated up to the required standard; they are fearfully independent.
— from The Palace Beautiful: A Story for Girls by L. T. Meade

Chantrey's request that Scott would sit to him was communicated through Mr. Allan Cunningham, then (as now) employed as Clerk of the Works in our great Sculptor's establishment.
— from Memoirs of the Life of Sir Walter Scott, Volume 6 (of 10) by J. G. (John Gibson) Lockhart

Taxation was moderate and Congress, then as now, held itself responsible for one-half of the taxes.
— from As I Remember Recollections of American Society during the Nineteenth Century by Marian Gouverneur