To retrieve a story in this pile is difficult and time consuming, unless the title is printed on the cover.
— from The Online World by Odd De Presno

The following short review of some of the principal taxes which have taken place in different ages and countries, will show, that the endeavours of all nations have not in this respect been equally successful.
— from An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith

“The letters W. V. B. are also branded very distinctly on his forehead,” interrupted a second equerry, “I supposed them, of course, to be the initials of Wilhelm Von Berlifitzing—but all at the castle are positive in denying any knowledge of the horse.”
— from The Works of Edgar Allan Poe, The Raven Edition Table Of Contents And Index Of The Five Volumes by Edgar Allan Poe

If you do not wish to continue the acquaintance any farther, you need not return a second call, but politeness imperatively demands a return of the first one.
— from The Gentlemen's Book of Etiquette and Manual of Politeness Being a Complete Guide for a Gentleman's Conduct in All His Relations Towards Society by Cecil B. Hartley

But these fears proved groundless, for Paul Ivanovitch displayed an extraordinary aptitude for accommodating himself to his new position.
— from Dead Souls by Nikolai Vasilevich Gogol

The answer is that they gloss their text in this way, that if the wine be boiled, so that a part is dissipated and the rest becomes sweet, they may drink without breach of the commandment; for it is then no longer called wine, the name being changed with the change of flavour.[NOTE 4]] NOTE 1.—The following appear to be Polo's Eight Kingdoms:— I. KAZVÍN; then a flourishing city, though I know not why he calls it a kingdom.
— from The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1 by Rustichello of Pisa

Gauls, who principally inhabited deep and thick forests, fed on herbs and fruits, and particularly on acorns.
— from Manners, Customs, and Dress During the Middle Ages and During the Renaissance Period by P. L. Jacob

Let them say what they will: to premeditate is doubtless a very great advantage; and besides, is it nothing to go so far, at least, without disturbance or alteration?
— from Essays of Michel de Montaigne — Complete by Michel de Montaigne

The merest tyro can by patient trial obtain correct results, and there is a singular pleasure in discovering and recording each new arrangement akin to the delight of the botanist in finding some long-sought plant.
— from Amusements in Mathematics by Henry Ernest Dudeney

What then is the precise point in dispute about luxury?
— from The Social Contract & Discourses by Jean-Jacques Rousseau

If, despite the changes that the religious doctrines underwent, despite the new interpretations given to old myths and legends, despite the profound changes introduced into the relationship of the gods to one another through the systematization of the pantheon, if, despite all this, the Babylonians and Assyrians—leaders and people—continued to feel that they were following the religion of their forefathers, it was due to the maintenance of the old sanctuaries.
— from The Religion of Babylonia and Assyria by Morris Jastrow

And the population is dwindling away to nought."
— from A Drake by George! by John Trevena

I perceive I did;” and she looked significantly at the mustang, while a bitter smile played upon her lips.
— from The War Trail: The Hunt of the Wild Horse by Mayne Reid

He took pleasure in dwelling at great length upon Mahony, and declared that he had never heard anybody give such a clear and good account of an occurrence as he.
— from Court Memoirs of France Series — Complete by Various

In South Africa the primitive race has continued to exist until our own times, but in Portugal it disappeared ages ago, no one can do more than conjecture
— from Willem Adriaan Van Der Stel, and Other Historical Sketches by George McCall Theal

Apparently in opposition to the peacefully industrious democrats and Revolution-ideologues, and still more so to the awkward philosophasters and fraternity-visionaries who call themselves Socialists and want a "free society," those are really at one with them all in their thorough and instinctive hostility to every form of society other than that of the AUTONOMOUS herd (to the extent even of repudiating the notions "master" and "servant"—ni dieu ni maitre, says a socialist formula); at one in their tenacious opposition to every special claim, every special right and privilege (this means ultimately opposition to EVERY right, for when all are equal, no one needs "rights" any longer); at one in their distrust of punitive justice (as though it were a violation of the weak, unfair to the NECESSARY consequences of all former society); but equally at one in their religion of sympathy, in their compassion for all that feels, lives, and suffers (down to the very animals, up even to "God"—the extravagance of "sympathy for God" belongs to a democratic age); altogether at one in the cry and impatience of their sympathy, in their deadly hatred of suffering generally, in their almost feminine incapacity for witnessing it or ALLOWING it; at one in their involuntary beglooming and heart-softening, under the spell of which Europe seems to be threatened with a new Buddhism; at one in their belief in the morality of MUTUAL sympathy, as though it were morality in itself, the climax, the ATTAINED climax of mankind, the sole hope of the future, the consolation of the present, the great discharge from all the obligations of the past; altogether at one in their belief in the community as the DELIVERER, in the herd, and therefore in "themselves.
— from Beyond Good and Evil by Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

I put it down as a fact that if all men knew what each said of the other, there would not be four friends in the world.
— from The Thoughts of Blaise Pascal by Blaise Pascal

He would attempt to draw the attention of the committee from these desultory excursions, which settle no point in debate, and often have no visible connection with it, to the important question they were called upon to decide; and in doing so, he would take no notice of any thing that had been offered as argument, which was not necessarily connected with the question.
— from Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856, Vol. 3 (of 16) by United States. Congress

An entry of three puncheons of wine having been made, they are stove in with stones, a portion is drunk, and the rest taken to the barracks to debauch the soldiers; M. de Sauzay, commandant of the "Royal Roussillon," who was bold enough to save the clerks, is menaced, and for this misdeed he barely escapes being hung himself.
— from The French Revolution - Volume 1 by Hippolyte Taine

They came pouring in day after day, camping in the woods, on the prairie, every where.
— from The Country of the Dwarfs by Paul B. (Paul Belloni) Du Chaillu