He knew very well that this was Napoleon, but Napoleon’s presence could no more intimidate him than Rostóv’s, or a sergeant major’s with the rods, would have done, for he had nothing that either the sergeant major or Napoleon could deprive him of.
— from War and Peace by Tolstoy, Leo, graf

At five o’clock in the morning I found Madame du Rumain nearly dressed when I went into her room, and we immediately went into another, from which the rising sun might have been see if the “Hotel de Bouillon” had not been in the way, but that, of course, was a matter of no consequence.
— from The Memoirs of Jacques Casanova de Seingalt, 1725-1798. Complete by Giacomo Casanova

According to the constitution of the human Understanding, no other than designedly-working causes can be assumed for the possibility of organised beings in nature; and the mere mechanism of nature cannot be adequate to the explanation of these its products.
— from Kant's Critique of Judgement by Immanuel Kant

Doctor Faustus answered, I durst never doe it, although I often minded to settle my life [myself?— to godly people to desire counsell and helpe; and once mine old neighbour counselled me that I should follow his learning and leave all my conjurations: yet, when I was minded to amend and to follow that good mans counsell, then came the Devill and would have had me away, as this night he is like to doe, and said, so soone as I turned againe to God, he would dispatch me altogether."
— from The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus From the Quarto of 1604 by Christopher Marlowe

He always thought me of no consequence whatever; his behaviour to me, though not quite courteous, was tolerable.
— from Notes from the Underground by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

RATCLIFF, about the mid of night come to my tent And help to arm me.
— from The Complete Works of William Shakespeare by William Shakespeare

I returned her kisses, judging by her warmth that her guest was a man of no consequence.
— from The Memoirs of Jacques Casanova de Seingalt, 1725-1798. Complete by Giacomo Casanova

For three or four years they had fought our troops obstinately, and surrendered at the bitter end in the belief that they were merely overpowered, not conquered.
— from Personal Memoirs of P. H. Sheridan, Volume 1, Part 1 by Philip Henry Sheridan

In the month of November, captain Curry, of the Acteon, chased a large privateer, and drove her ashore between Cape Barfleur and La Hogue, where she perished.
— from The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.II. Continued from the Reign of William and Mary to the Death of George II. by T. (Tobias) Smollett

"I have to see a man on North Capitol, but I will be at the station before train time."
— from A Modern Madonna by Caroline Abbot Stanley

Yes, I like it very much Oo, nahagugma caayo
— from Mga Paquigpulong sa Iningles ug Binisaya by Gregorio de Santiago Vela

[92] have seen in my own native country.
— from Charles Sumner: his complete works, volume 02 (of 20) by Charles Sumner

When I go home on summer visitations, old friends, with the most generous desire to aid one in an eccentric and indeed half-daft and wholly disreputable way of living, come to me covertly in reckless moments “for auld lang syne,” and remind me of native characters ancient or modern.
— from Jaunty Jock, and Other Stories by Neil Munro

—During the summer of 1787, writes Mr. McClung, in his Sketches of Western Adventure, "The house of Mr. John Merrill, of Nelson County, Kentucky, was attacked by the Indians, and defended with singular address and good fortune.
— from The Book of Three Hundred Anecdotes Historical, Literary, and Humorous—A New Selection by Various