And then up and home, and there dressed myself, and by appointment to Deptford, to Sir G. Carteret’s, between six and seven o’clock, where I found him and my Lady almost ready, and by and by went over to the ferry, and took coach and six horses nobly for Dagenhams, himself and lady and their little daughter, Louisonne, and myself in the coach; where, when we come, we were bravely entertained and spent the day most pleasantly with the young ladies, and I so merry as never more.
— from The Diary of Samuel Pepys — Complete by Samuel Pepys

The elements were turned loose, and they rattled and banged and blazed away in the most blind and frantic manner.
— from Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain

Then Hero was led away into a retreat, and Beatrice and Benedick remained alone in the church.
— from Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare by William Shakespeare

I was loved , etc. amâ bam amâ bâmus amâ bar amâ bâmur amâ bâs amâ bâtis amâ bâris, -re amâ bâminî amâ bat amâ bant amâ bâtur amâ bantur FUTURE I shall love , etc.
— from Latin for Beginners by Benjamin L. (Benjamin Leonard) D'Ooge

One grand great life throbs through earth’s giant heart, And mighty waves of single Being roll From nerveless germ to man, for we are part Of every rock and bird and beast and hill, One with the things that prey on us, and one with what we kill.
— from Poems, with The Ballad of Reading Gaol by Oscar Wilde

They crossed the bridge, and lo, all the paths lay open before them; but their gaze was readily attracted by a brick cottage spotless and cool-looking; whose walls were constructed of polished bricks, of uniform colour; (whose roof was laid) with speckless tiles; and whose enclosing walls were painted; while the minor slopes, which branched off from the main hill, all passed along under the walls on to the other side.
— from Hung Lou Meng, or, the Dream of the Red Chamber, a Chinese Novel, Book I by Xueqin Cao

Now, if there be two Liquors of full Colours, suppose a red and blue, and both of them so thick as suffices to make their Colours sufficiently full; though either Liquor be sufficiently transparent apart, yet will you not be able to see through both [Pg 184] together.
— from Opticks Or, A Treatise of the Reflections, Refractions, Inflections, and Colours of Light by Isaac Newton

In the hands of genius the driest stick becomes an Aaron's rod, and buds and blossoms out in poetry.
— from Dictionary of Quotations from Ancient and Modern, English and Foreign Sources Including Phrases, Mottoes, Maxims, Proverbs, Definitions, Aphorisms, and Sayings of Wise Men, in Their Bearing on Life, Literature, Speculation, Science, Art, Religion, and Morals, Especially in the Modern Aspects of Them by Wood, James, Rev.

Thy son returning, moonlike, thence, Shall at thy feet do reverence, And, blest and blameless lady, thou Shalt see his head to touch them bow, Yea, thou shalt see thy son made king
— from The Rámáyan of Válmíki, translated into English verse by Valmiki

a small river, a brook, a branch of a river.
— from Austral English A dictionary of Australasian words, phrases and usages with those aboriginal-Australian and Maori words which have become incorporated in the language, and the commoner scientific words that have had their origin in Australasia by Edward Ellis Morris

Then, mounted on a horned horse, One bore a gauntlet and gilt spurs, Ty'd to the pummel of a long sword 635 He held reverst, the point turn'd downward, Next after, on a raw-bon'd steed, The conqueror's standard-bearer rid, And bore aloft before the champion A petticoat display'd, and rampant 640 Near whom the Amazon triumphant Bestrid her beast, and on the rump on't Sat face to tail, and bum to bum, The warrior whilom overcome; Arm'd with a spindle and a distaff, 645 Which, as he rode, she made him twist off; And when he loiter'd, o'er her shoulder Chastis'd the reformado soldier.
— from Hudibras, in Three Parts, Written in the Time of the Late Wars by Samuel Butler

And the best of it is that this reform among burglars and beggars is not for the "duration of the war only."
— from Mud and Khaki: Sketches from Flanders and France by Vernon Bartlett

A sacred spark, created by His breath, The immortal mind of man his image bears; A spirit living midst the forms of death, Oppress'd but not subdued by mortal cares— A germ, preparing in the winter's frost, To rise and bud and blossom in the spring; An unfledged eagle by the tempest tost, Unconscious of his future strength of wing:— The child of trial, to mortality, And all its changeful influences given: On the green earth decreed to move and die; And yet by such a fate prepared for Heaven.— Soon as it breathes, to feel the mother's form Of orbed beauty, through its organs thrill; To press the limbs of life with rapture warm, And drink of transport from a living rill: To view the skies with morning radiance bright, Majestic mingling with the ocean blue, Or bounded by green hills, or mountains white; Or peopled plains of rich and varied hue: The nobler charms astonish'd to behold Of living loveliness, to see it move, Cast in expression's rich and varied mould, Awakening sympathy, compelling love:— 128 The heavenly balm of mutual hope to taste, Soother of life; affection's bliss to share, Sweet as the stream amidst the desert waste, As the first blush of arctic daylight fair:— To mingle with its kindred, to descry
— from The Life of Sir Humphrey Davy, Bart. LL.D., Volume 1 (of 2) by John Ayrton Paris

But in his hurry he overlooked a paving-stone in his way, stumbled, lost his centre of gravity, rolled over to a distance of some yards, and only rose again, bruised and begrimed, after the whole rabble of the Hague, with their muddy feet, had passed over him.
— from The Black Tulip by Alexandre Dumas

The press work has a rich and black appearance; but the vellum is rather soiled.
— from A Bibliographical, Antiquarian and Picturesque Tour in France and Germany, Volume Two by Thomas Frognall Dibdin

He expressed deep concern at the daily losses of the country caused by the dissensions of the capital: an opportunity now presented to retrieve all by a blow.
— from Chronicle of the Conquest of Granada, from the mss. of Fray Antonio Agapida by Washington Irving

A number of cows stood knee-deep in mud and water, round as barrels, and breathing hard, with tails unceasingly switching away the flies.
— from Dorian by Nephi Anderson