At first little or no scenery was used, a gilded sign being the only announcement of a change of scene; and this very lack of scenery led to better acting, since the actors must be realistic enough to make the audience forget its shabby surroundings.
— from English Literature Its History and Its Significance for the Life of the English-Speaking World by William J. (William Joseph) Long

Reason must not, therefore, in its transcendental endeavours, look forward with such confidence, as if the path it is pursuing led straight to its aim, nor reckon with such security upon its premisses, as to consider it unnecessary to take a step back, or to keep a strict watch for errors, which, overlooked in the principles, may be detected in the arguments themselves—in which case it may be requisite either to determine these principles with greater strictness, or to change them entirely.
— from The Critique of Pure Reason by Immanuel Kant

The poorest immigrant comes here with the purpose and ambition to better himself and, given half a chance, might be reasonably expected to make the most of it.
— from How the Other Half Lives: Studies Among the Tenements of New York by Jacob A. (Jacob August) Riis

Musculus makes four kinds of desperation, of God, ourselves, our neighbour, or anything to be done; but this division of his may be reduced easily to the former: all kinds are opposite to hope, that sweet moderator of passions, as Simonides calls it; I do not mean that vain hope which fantastical fellows feign to themselves, which according to Aristotle is insomnium vigilantium , a waking dream; but this divine hope which proceeds from confidence, and is an anchor to a floating soul; spes alit agricolas , even in our temporal affairs, hope revives us, but in spiritual it farther animateth; and were it not for hope, we of all others were the most miserable, as Paul saith, in this life; were it not for hope, the heart would break; for though they be punished in the sight of men, ( Wisdom iii.
— from The Anatomy of Melancholy by Robert Burton

But although respect is a feeling, it is not a feeling received through influence, but is self-wrought by a rational concept, and, therefore, is specifically distinct from all feelings of the former kind, which may be referred either to inclination or fear, What I recognise immediately as a law for me, I recognise with respect.
— from Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysic of Morals by Immanuel Kant

And the hope might be reasonably entertained that the important historical facts disclosed in this work will have the effect to open the eyes of the professors of the Christian religion to see their serious error in putting forth such exalted claims for their bible and their religion as that of being perfect products of infinite wisdom, did not the past history of all religious countries furnish sad proof that reason and logic, and even the most cogent and convincing facts of science and history often prove powerless when arrayed against a religious conviction, enstamped upon the mind for thousands of years in the past, and transmitted from parent to child until it has grown to a colossal stature, and become a part of the living tissues of the soul.
— from The World's Sixteen Crucified Saviors; Or, Christianity Before Christ by Kersey Graves

His duty in this respect has been considered fulfilled by requesting such appropriations only as the public service may be reasonably expected to require.
— from State of the Union Addresses (1790-2006) by United States. Presidents

But he acknowledged, and indeed almost boasted, that he had abetted Bates in getting money from the Company, and seemed to think that this was a service which any man in power might be reasonably expected to render to a friend.
— from The History of England, from the Accession of James II — Volume 4 by Macaulay, Thomas Babington Macaulay, Baron

They might not agree with each other on all points at all times, but they always agreed about him; and so the family cake and the kitchen cake became poor and anæmic in order that the cake destined for the Front might be rich enough to put any young officer into a state of bilious inefficiency.
— from Boy of My Heart by Marie Connor Leighton

Swiftly the luxurious habit grows; she rather hoped her husband might become rich enough to provide her a maid always!
— from Guns of the Gods: A Story of Yasmini's Youth by Talbot Mundy

These things might still be seen in St. Gregory's time, in the sixth century; and De Rossi holds out hopes that some traces of them may be restored even to our own generation, some fragments of the inscription perhaps, or even the window itself through which our ancestors once saw so moving a spectacle, assisting, as it were, at a mass celebrated in the third century."— Roma Sotterranea , p. 88.
— from Walks in Rome by Augustus J. C. (Augustus John Cuthbert) Hare

I imagine that, with this general idea in his mind, he gave his full and unfettered attention to the working out of the Plot , which has no reference to the time, circumstances, or history of the Marriage, but relates exclusively to the Moor's Jealousy.
— from Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 67, Number 414, April, 1850 by Various

The direction of this second part of the motion must be referred entirely to necessity, which directly interferes with the purpose of him who designed the rectilinear direction.
— from Darwiniana; Essays and Reviews Pertaining to Darwinism by Asa Gray

Nevertheless, the essential point was carried; Marshall withdrew the resolution, and a compromise was made by referring everything to a committee of sixty, with power to call a new meeting of the people.
— from The Life of Albert Gallatin by Henry Adams

"And if ye want more at any time, sir," quoth he, with immense dignity, "you'll find Michael Berrington ready enough to teach you another lesson.
— from A Blot on the Scutcheon by Mabel Winifred Knowles

There must be room enough to handle the oars.
— from Notes on Life & Letters by Joseph Conrad