It appears to be a mythological expression for the whole system or order, of which the individual characters form an inconsiderable and feeble part; which seems to determine, far more than they, their native dispositions and their circumstances, and, through these, their action; which is so vast and complex that they can scarcely at all understand it or control its workings; and which has a nature so definite and fixed that whatever changes take place in it produce other changes inevitably and without regard to men's desires and regrets.
— from Shakespearean Tragedy: Lectures on Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth by A. C. (Andrew Cecil) Bradley

‘Them things as is alvays a-fluctooatin’, and gettin’ theirselves inwolved somehow or another vith the national debt, and the chequers bill; and all that.’
— from The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens

One year and nine days after the commencement of the siege, an army, so lately strong and triumphant, burnt their tents, and tumultuously repassed the Milvian bridge.
— 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

I next did answer the contrary very plainly, and had, in this dispute, which vexed and will never be forgot by my Lord, many occasions of speaking severely, and did, against his bad practices.
— from The Diary of Samuel Pepys — Complete by Samuel Pepys

“In God's name, Diccon, an thou canst, aid me to recover the child of my bosom!”
— from Ivanhoe: A Romance by Walter Scott

So long as there is no doubt about the course to be taken, so long as the plan is plainly revealed, it is easy for a courageous man to advance.
— from The Heart-Cry of Jesus by Byron J. (Byron Johnson) Rees

Being little and swift moving they can do no damage as they could do if massed and of slow movement.
— from The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume 33, 1519-1522 Explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and their peoples, their history and records of the Catholic missions, as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the political, economic, commercial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the close of the nineteenth century by Antonio Pigafetta

The mesmeric condition is so near death as to content me.
— from The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 2 by Edgar Allan Poe

During the time which was to elapse before the third market-day (which the Romans hold on every ninth day, and therefore call them nundinae), they had some hope that a campaign against the people of Antium would enable them to put off the trial until the people's anger had abated through length of time and warlike occupations; afterwards, as they came to terms at once with the Antiates, the patricians held frequent meetings, in which they expressed their fear of the people, and considered by what means they could avoid delivering Marcius up to them, and prevent their mob orators from exciting them.
— from Plutarch's Lives, Volume 1 (of 4) by Plutarch

[Footnote: Without this the race would necessarily diminish; all things considered, for its preservation each woman ought to have about four children, for about half the children born die before they can become parents, and two must survive to replace the father and mother.
— from Emile by Jean-Jacques Rousseau

I sail to-morrow or next day, according to circumstances.
— from The Pirate of the Mediterranean: A Tale of the Sea by William Henry Giles Kingston

The emperor for a long time, distinguished so harmless a kinsman by his favor and protection, bestowed on him his own niece Domitilla, adopted the children of that marriage to the hope of the succession, and invested their father with the honors of the consulship.
— from History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire — Volume 2 by Edward Gibbon

They feel no despair at the circumstance, for their pockets have been refilled, though (they are assured) for the last time; and they rejoice at the prospect of spending their capital far from the observation of intrusive guardians.
— from The Bushman — Life in a New Country by Edward Wilson Landor

Charley Steele, brilliant, enigmatic and epigrammatic, did not die at the Cote Dorion, but lived in that far valley by Dalgrothe Mountain, and became a tailor!
— from The Right of Way — Complete by Gilbert Parker

The next day, after the children had finished their lessons, Mrs. Payson said, "I will tell you a little story, showing how a child can do much good.
— from Happy Hearts by June Isle

And in memory of this, no one can be matriculated in the said University of Poitiers who has not drunk at the cabalistic fountain of Croustelles, been to Passe-Lourdin, and mounted on La Pierre Levée."
— from Béarn and the Pyrenees A Legendary Tour to the Country of Henri Quatre by Louisa Stuart Costello

Mr. Grey thus explains the new deception adopted to conceal the deficiency: At the annual examination both ledger and balance-book were duly placed in the hands of the managers; but when they had satisfied themselves that all the balances had been correctly transferred, they shrank from the laborious task of adding together two or three thousand accounts, trusting to the secretary's addition.
— from A History of Banks for Savings in Great Britain and Ireland by William Lewins

We have now but to send for Miss Thorpe—if she is Miss Thorpe—" "Oh, yes, there was no deception as to Celestine's name."
— from The Road to Paris: A Story of Adventure by Robert Neilson Stephens

"But I must not go out and leave you," replied Ned Dyram, "after the charge my young lord has laid upon me;" and as he still pressed her to accompany him, Ella, who felt that she owed him some gratitude for having forwarded her schemes so far, at length consented; and they issued forth together into the streets of Ghent.
— from Agincourt: A Romance The Works of G. P. R. James, Volume XX by G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford) James

Dampier and one or two of the men declared their certainty that there was ice near them, but, at least, they could not see it, though there was now no doubt about the crackling beneath the schooner’s side.
— from Masters of the Wheat-Lands by Harold Bindloss