He knew not what course to take, and had no manner of doubt of his poor daughter's innocence, and that foul play was designed her.
— from Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded by Samuel Richardson

168-178).”—Steinman’s Memoir of Duchess of Cleveland, p. 35.
— from The Diary of Samuel Pepys — Complete by Samuel Pepys

His son Mahadi, in a single pilgrimage to Mecca, expended six millions of dinars of gold.
— 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

—It is the awkward and timid people who easily become murderers: they do not understand slight but sufficient means of defence or revenge, and their hatred, owing to their lack of intelligence and presence of mind, can conceive of no other expedient than destruction.
— from The Dawn of Day by Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

wreak one's malice on, do one's worst, break a butterfly on the wheel; dip one's hands in blood, imbrue one's hands in blood; have no mercy &c. 914a.
— from Roget's Thesaurus by Peter Mark Roget

Chiefs of renown and power were flattered by the most trifling presents, which they received either as marks of distinction, or as the instruments of luxury.
— 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

Of the method of deduction of judgements of taste 152 § 32.
— from Kant's Critique of Judgement by Immanuel Kant

I bet anything Lebedeff lent somebody money on deposit of this dozen of champagne.
— from The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

For example, Common Sense may seem to regard Liberality, Frugality, Courage, Placability, as intrinsically desirable: but when we consider their relation respectively to Profusion, Meanness, Foolhardiness, Weakness, we find that Common Sense draws the line in each case not by immediate intuition, but by reference either to some definite maxim of duty, or to the general notion of ‘Good’ or Wellbeing: and similarly when we ask at what point Candour, Generosity, Humility cease to be virtues by becoming ‘excessive.’
— from The Methods of Ethics by Henry Sidgwick

But instead of endeavouring to raise a vain monument to myself, of the merits or difficulties of it (which must be left to the world, to truth, and to posterity), let me leave behind me a memorial of my friendship with one of the most valuable of men, as well as finest writers, of my age and country, one who has tried, and knows by his own experience, how hard an undertaking it is to do justice to Homer, and one whom (I am sure) sincerely rejoices with me at the period of my labours.
— from The Iliad by Homer

To Salisbury town—but a mile of down, Once over this brook and rail. Trap! trap!
— from In the Saddle: A Collection of Poems on Horseback-Riding by Various

The Emperor Paul, shocked by the methods of his mother, Catherine the Great, in the matter of distribution of commissions to the sons of her boyars, had instituted this corps of cadets as a much-needed measure of reform, and indeed the step was taken not a moment too soon for the good of the country.
— from Moscow: A Story of the French Invasion of 1812 by Frederick Whishaw

The accusation of this sin was, however, long used by Rome as a means of gaining further advantages over the See of Milan, or driving out a prelate approved perhaps by the Emperor and obnoxious to the papal interests.
— from The Story of Milan by Ella Noyes

"But" said M. Hervart, "faithfulness only begins at the moment of discovering one's real vocation."
— from A Virgin Heart: A Novel by Remy de Gourmont

"Mr. Rogers," I continued, "I have discovered in 'Coppers' an opportunity whereby you and your associates can, by the investment of a hundred millions of dollars, obtain these results: First , your money will be as safe as in anything you now have it invested in.
— from Frenzied Finance, Vol. 1: The Crime of Amalgamated by Thomas William Lawson

k cashmere trousers pleated, a black coat very well fitting, and a cane with a gilt top, the cost of which he had saved himself, caused a natural joy to the poor lad, who thought of his manner of dress on the day of that journey to Presles, as the effect that Georges had then produced upon him came back to his mind.
— from The Works of Balzac: A linked index to all Project Gutenberg editions by Honoré de Balzac

One, therefore, has no body but himself to blame, in case he shall find himself deprived of a man, whom he thought he had, by buying for a price, made his own; for he dealt in a trade which was illicit, and was prohibited by the most obvious dictates of humanity.
— from Some Historical Account of Guinea, Its Situation, Produce, and the General Disposition of Its Inhabitants An Inquiry into the Rise and Progress of the Slave Trade, Its Nature and Lamentable Effects by Anthony Benezet

"Oh, men of destiny, opportunities still await, but the past has no recall.
— from Looking Back: An Autobiography by Merrick Abner Richardson