In the first place, generally speaking, each man is better able to provide for his own happiness than for that of other persons, from his more intimate knowledge of his own desires and needs, and his greater opportunities of gratifying them.
— from The Methods of Ethics by Henry Sidgwick

I would fix my eyes, without limit of time, upon the trunk of a distant tree, from behind which she must appear and spring towards me; my closest scrutiny left the horizon barren as before; night was falling; without any hope now would I concentrate my attention, as though to force up out of it the creatures which it must conceal, upon that sterile soil, that stale and outworn land; and it was no longer in lightness of heart, but with sullen anger that I aimed blows at the trees of Roussainville wood, from among which no more living creatures made their appearance than if they had been trees painted on the stretched canvas background of a panorama, when, unable to resign myself to having to return home without having held in my arms the woman I so greatly desired, I was yet obliged to retrace my steps towards Combray, and to admit to myself that the chance of her appearing in my path grew smaller every moment.
— from Swann's Way by Marcel Proust

The celebrated Père Gaubil spent eight months on the island and wrote an interesting letter about it (February, 1722; see also Lettres Edifiantes , Rec. xvi.).
— from The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 2 by Rustichello of Pisa

It was not much to watch: Columbia badly up in the air, Pennsy getting stronger every minute.
— from Rough-Hewn by Dorothy Canfield Fisher

But if it is a poison gas shell each molecule as it is released goes off straight into the air with a speed twice that of the cannon ball and carries death with it.
— from Creative Chemistry: Descriptive of Recent Achievements in the Chemical Industries by Edwin E. (Edwin Emery) Slosson

The law says Yes; but Justice says No; Public Good says even more imperatively No.
— from Glances at Europe In a Series of Letters from Great Britain, France, Italy, Switzerland, &c. During the Summer of 1851. by Horace Greeley

And angry tears fell from her eyes down over her pale cheeks, her hands trembled, and her pride grew stronger every minute.
— from Gertrude's Marriage by W. Heimburg