With cats, for instance, one naturally takes to catching rats, and another mice, and these tendencies are known to be inherited.
— from The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection Or, the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life, 6th Edition by Charles Darwin

KING ATHELSTAN'S MESSAGE At this time a king called Aethelstan had taken the Kingdom of England.
— from Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway by Snorri Sturluson

And if any man were entirely self-sufficing in every event, I might allow that the accurate knowledge of the past, though a graceful accomplishment, was perhaps not essential: but as long as it is not in mere mortals to say this, either in public or private affairs,—seeing that no man of sense, even if he is prosperous for the moment, will ever reckon with certainty on the future,—then I say that such knowledge is essential, and not merely graceful.
— from The Histories of Polybius, Vol. 1 (of 2) by Polybius

He explained privately that it was necessary to watch this man all the time, and keep him within bounds; it would not do to neglect this precaution, as he, Mr. H., 'knew to his sorrow.'
— from Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain

What is called dreary, wild, and melancholy scenery afforded me, at that time, a kind of satisfaction more profound than that which is given by any of the human arts.
— from Philip Gilbert Hamerton An Autobiography, 1834-1858, and a Memoir by His Wife, 1858-1894 by Eugénie Hamerton

215 315 The Bosporus, however, in reality was and continued to be more a town than a kingdom, and had more similarity with the town–districts of Tyra and Olbia than with the kingdoms of Cappadocia and Numidia.
— from The Provinces of the Roman Empire, from Caesar to Diocletian. v. 1 by Theodor Mommsen

Jdt 8:14 For ye cannot find the depth of the heart of man, neither can ye perceive the things that he thinketh: then how can ye search out God, that hath made all these things, and know his mind, or comprehend his purpose?
— from Deuterocanonical Books of the Bible Apocrypha by Anonymous

Let us leave Modern Science aside for a moment and turn to Ancient Knowledge.
— from The Secret Doctrine, Vol. 2 of 4 by H. P. (Helena Petrovna) Blavatsky

The great thing is to keep the word 'hippopotamus' in your mind all the time and keep trying to work towards it.
— from Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 159, July 14th, 1920 by Various

Some mountains attract to themselves a kind of human affection; others repel; yet others bore, or, on the contrary, interest without charming.
— from The Alps by Conway, William Martin, Sir

I was away in Mobile at the time, and knew nothing about the affair until next day, when my sister's telegram came; but the sheriff never tires of telling how the major rode into that crowd; and how mad Mr. Amory was because Vinton stopped his charge."
— from Kitty's Conquest by Charles King