In all truth, a certain blind faith in the goodness of human nature, an implanted distaste for any disparagement of human concerns, a sort of shamefacedness at the nakedness of the soul, may be far more desirable things in the general happiness of a man, than this only occasionally advantageous quality of psychological sharpsightedness; and perhaps belief in the good, in virtuous men and actions, in a plenitude of disinterested benevolence has been more productive of good in the world of men in so far as it has made men less distrustful.
— from Human, All Too Human: A Book for Free Spirits by Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

In their actual disposition, as many were almost disengaged from their artificial prejudices, but equally susceptible and desirous of a devout attachment; an object much less deserving would have been sufficient to fill the vacant place in their hearts, and to gratify the uncertain eagerness of their passions.
— from The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Table of Contents with links in the HTML file to the two Project Gutenberg editions (12 volumes) by Edward Gibbon

And I remembered, I remembered vividly how that spring morning she had come to me at the mill, lain down and covered herself with her jacket-she wanted to be like a simple peasant woman.
— from Project Gutenberg Compilation of 233 Short Stories of Chekhov by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov

Let your worship at any rate marry this queen, now that we have got her here as if showered down from heaven, and afterwards you may go back to my lady Dulcinea; for there must have been kings in the world who kept mistresses.
— from The History of Don Quixote, Volume 1, Complete by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

] and Sir W. Batten do offer me L1000 down for my particular share, beside Sir Richard Ford’s part, which do tempt me; but yet I would not take it, but will stand and fall with the company.
— from The Diary of Samuel Pepys — Complete by Samuel Pepys

[11] Again, another French officer, of much later date, justifies the opinion expressed, when speaking of the war of the American Revolution in the following terms:— "It was necessary to get rid of the unhappy prejudices of the days of the regency and of Louis XV.; but the mishaps of which they were full were too recent to be forgotten by our ministers.
— from The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, 1660-1783 by A. T. (Alfred Thayer) Mahan

No. 3, 4) enumerates only the public and private crimes, for which a son might likewise disinherit his father.
— from The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Table of Contents with links in the HTML file to the two Project Gutenberg editions (12 volumes) by Edward Gibbon

And this misseeming hew your manly looks doth marre?
— from Spenser's The Faerie Queene, Book I by Edmund Spenser

“I am sick, my little Dormouse, very, very sick—and from an illness which frightens me!
— from The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi

It is correct to assert that one side or the other of a vertically held hand will be clearer if, before looking at it with both eyes, you look at it with one or the other, but this makes little difference to our purpose.
— from Criminal Psychology: A Manual for Judges, Practitioners, and Students by Hans Gross

There were many little deficiencies in the tales which their kind-hearted rescuers essayed to fill, allowing that the stress and excitement had made the imaginations of many quite acute.
— from Bahama Bill, Mate of the Wrecking Sloop Sea-Horse by T. Jenkins (Thornton Jenkins) Hains

"No matter, how many lines do your opinions fill?"
— from Bohemians of the Latin Quarter by Henri Murger

He immediately added, he believed it fitting that M. le Duc should enter the council of the regency as its chief; and that since the company had rendered the justice due to his birth and his position as Regent, he would explain what he thought upon the form to be given to the government, and that meanwhile he profited by the power he had to avail himself of the knowledge and the wisdom of the company, and restored to them from that time their former liberty of remonstrance.
— from Memoirs of Louis XIV and His Court and of the Regency — Volume 11 by Saint-Simon, Louis de Rouvroy, duc de

The heavy clouds cleared gradually away, and the bright stars (those cheering beacons to the mariner) were seen glimmering from the clear dark blue sky: the wind, too, shifted to the southward of east, and the sea fell considerably, so that the repairs of the corvette could be carried on with much less danger and difficulty than at first.
— from The Prime Minister by William Henry Giles Kingston

But Penard questions Leidy’s conclusion that the walls are of ectoplasm: “Moreover Leidy deceives himself without any doubt in considering these partitions as folds of the ectosarc .
— from Ameboid movement by Asa A. (Asa Arthur) Schaeffer

My Lady Dedlock's "place" has been extremely dreary.
— from Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. XXIII.—April, 1852.—Vol. IV. None by Various

"O Miss Layton, dare I come just as I am—with such a hard heart?
— from Ella Clinton; or, By Their Fruits Ye Shall Know Them by Martha Finley

“Even if the subject of my lecture did not require me to infringe your instructions, I beg to assure you that I could not consent to speak under any such constraint.
— from Charles Sumner: his complete works, volume 07 (of 20) by Charles Sumner

There is Monsieur le Duc there; you know he's out of the question, because he's past the age."
— from The Huguenot: A Tale of the French Protestants. Volumes I-III by G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford) James

Monsieur le comte de Grandville of the royal suite, Monsieur Camusot of the Court of commerce, and Monsieur Cardot, his father-in-law, and, perhaps, Monsieur le duc de Lenoncourt, first gentleman of the bed-chamber to the king.
— from The Works of Balzac: A linked index to all Project Gutenberg editions by Honoré de Balzac