As the child could not endure the intolerable vapours of the cabin, they covered her, in return for her exertions, with some pieces of sail-cloth and ends of tarpaulin, which sufficed to keep her tolerably dry and to shelter her grandfather besides.
— from The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens

But I believe it may be generally allowed, that women are the best or worst part of the human creation: none excel them in virtue; but when they depart from it, none exceed them in vice.
— from The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753) Volume I. by Theophilus Cibber

It is idle to imagine that these lads, possessed of a mental acuteness almost wonderful, will not educate themselves in vice, if we neglect [36] to train them to virtue.
— from London Labour and the London Poor (Vol. 1 of 4) by Henry Mayhew

Net curtains, and muslin stretched over wooden frames, and fixed like blinds in the window-sashes, did indeed keep out the poor mouthful of stifling air for which we were gasping, but did not exclude these intolerable visitors, who made their way in at every crack and crevice and momentarily opened door, and overran with a dreadful swiftness the floor of the room in every direction; occasionally taking to the more agreeable exercise of flying, at which, however, they did not seem quite expert, frequently tumbling down and struggling by twos and threes upon one's hair, neck, and arms, and especially attracted to unfortunate females by white or light-colored muslin gowns, which became perfect receptacles for them as they rushed and rattled over the matting.
— from Records of Later Life by Fanny Kemble

Some of the North Carolinians, particularly the Quakers, came all the way from New England, tarrying in Virginia only long enough to learn how little they were wanted in that Anglican colony.
— from History of the United States by Mary Ritter Beard

It is, however, not excluded that, in view of the fact that the combination of oils and Neradol D appear to produce the most promising results of the three from a technical point of view, such combination would yield products possessing less stretch and greater softness which, by occupying an intermediary position, might possess certain advantages and be useful for certain technical purposes.
— from Synthetic Tannins, Their Synthesis, Industrial Production and Application by Georg Grasser

Even London did not escape this intolerable vexation, though its immunity from billeting was expressly laid down in a succession of charters.
— from The Customs of Old England by F. J. (Frederick John) Snell

Speed is of such supreme importance in naval engagements that its value should be especially emphasized.
— from Defenseless America by Hudson Maxim

For should he have been stricken by a human hand it would be easy for me to cure him by magic operation; but having provoked the Elves he could never escape their infallible vengeance.”
— from The Queen Pedauque by Anatole France