Wherein one cannot but admire the wisdom of the great Creator, who having given to man foresight, and an ability to lay up for the future, as well as to supply the present necessity, hath made it necessary, that society of man and wife should be more lasting, than of male and female amongst other creatures; that so their industry might be encouraged, and their interest better united, to make provision and lay up goods for their common issue, which uncertain mixture, or easy and frequent solutions of conjugal society would mightily disturb.
— from Second Treatise of Government by John Locke

To say that a word has a meaning is not to say that those who use the word correctly have ever thought out what the meaning is: the use of the word comes first, and the meaning is to be distilled out of it by observation and analysis.
— from The Analysis of Mind by Bertrand Russell

MOS: Baseness! BON: Ay; answer me, is not thy sloth Sufficient argument?
— from Volpone; Or, The Fox by Ben Jonson

But before narrating any of the peculiar circumstances, I deem it proper to make known my intention not to state all the facts connected with the transaction.
— from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave by Frederick Douglass

But what really matters is not the stinginess, is not the meanness, but the tone of the whole thing.
— from Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

But having never hitherto been pressed with such a conjuncture of things, as made it necessary to settle either the pri- 296 ority or justice of their claims——like a wise man he had refrained entering into any nice or critical examination about them: so that upon the dismission of every other project at this crisis——the two old projects, the O X-MOOR and my B ROTHER , divided him again; and so equal a match were they for each other, as to become the occasion of no small contest in the old gentleman’s mind—which of the two should be set o’going first.
— from The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman by Laurence Sterne

[Pg 397] One initial fact is constant: mourning is not the spontaneous expression of individual emotions.
— from The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life by Émile Durkheim

Thirdly, Supposing a government wherein the person of the chief magistrate is not thus sacred; yet this doctrine of the lawfulness of resisting all unlawful exercises of his power, will not upon every slight occasion indanger him, or imbroil the government: for where the injured party may be relieved, and his damages repaired by appeal to the law, there can be no pretence for force, which is only to be used where a man is intercepted from appealing to the law: for nothing is to be accounted hostile force, but where it leaves not the remedy of such an appeal; and it is such force alone, that puts him that uses it into a state of war, and makes it lawful to resist him.
— from Second Treatise of Government by John Locke

Moreover, it is not reasonable either, seeing that he had foreign mercenaries and native archers very many in number, to suppose that he was worsted by the returning Samians, who were but few.
— from The History of Herodotus — Volume 1 by Herodotus

For the mind is not then sorrowful depressed, and heavy, as if she were approaching certain tyrants or cruel torturers; but on the contrary, where she is most apprehensive and fullest persuaded the divinity is present, there she most of all throws off sorrows, tears, and pensiveness, and lets herself loose to what is pleasing and agreeable, to the very degree of tipsiness, frolic, and laughter.
— from Complete Works of Plutarch — Volume 3: Essays and Miscellanies by Plutarch

The humidity of St. Augustine during the winter months is nearly the same as that of Jacksonville.
— from The History of Saint Augustine, Florida by William W. (William Whitwell) Dewhurst

Laure received a maternal injunction never to speak to that vile young man again: together with a threat of being locked up if she were restive.
— from The Desultory Man Collection of Ancient and Modern British Novels and Romances. Vol. CXLVII. by G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford) James

Among the schools which, since Comte and Spencer, have divided sociological thinking between them the realists have, on the whole, maintained the tradition of Comte; the nominalists, on the other hand, have preserved the style and manner, if not the substance, of Spencer's thought.
— from Introduction to the Science of Sociology by E. W. (Ernest Watson) Burgess

"I cannot imagine," I rejoined, interrupting her ladyship, "I cannot imagine what end it is to answer, that you seem desirous of planting discord between my husband and me.—I do not suppose you have any views on him; as, according to your principles, his being married would be no obstacle to that view.—Whatever may be the failings of Sir William, as his wife, it is my duty not to resent them, and my interest not to see them.
— from The Sylph, Volume I and II by Cavendish, Georgiana Spencer, Duchess of Devonshire

And Homer must be presumed to have meant that the true man is not the same as the false? HIPPIAS: Of course, Socrates.
— from Lesser Hippias by Plato (spurious and doubtful works)

One may brusquely intrude once, but he will be a violent man indeed, not to say a dull one, who continues to enjoy invading the preserves of the "Friends."
— from Quaker Hill A Sociological Study by Warren H. (Warren Hugh) Wilson

Bad weather made it necessary to stop two nights at the Bäregg hut, and of these and the day’s imprisonment an amusing description is given.
— from James Geikie, the Man and the Geologist by Marion I. (Marion Isabel) Newbigin

As very little moisture is necessary to start the action of the powder, a little cornstarch is added to it to keep it dry.
— from Ontario Teachers' Manuals: Household Management by Ontario. Department of Education