Among the trifling beginnings of other matters, it seemed to me that the first origin of plays also should be noticed; that it might appear how from a moderate commencement it has reached its present extravagance, scarcely to be supported by opulent kingdoms.
— from The History of Rome, Books 01 to 08 by Livy

The following criticism, applicable to all the private galleries in Rome, is perhaps especially so to this: "You may generally form a tolerably correct conjecture of what a gallery will contain, as to subject, before you enter it,—a certain quantity of Landscapes, a great many Holy Families, a few Crucifixions, two or three Pietàs, a reasonable proportion of St. Jeromes, a mixture of other Saints and Martyrdoms, and a large assortment of Madonnas and Magdalenes, make up the principal part of all the collections in Rome; which are generally comprised of quite as many bad as good paintings.
— from Walks in Rome by Augustus J. C. (Augustus John Cuthbert) Hare

“Excuse me, sir,” says Dick, after a pause, and with an appearance of great bewilderment and curiosity; “but could you put ‘practically realized’ into plain English, so that a poor man like me might have a chance of understanding you?”—“Certainly!” says my husband, laughing.
— from After Dark by Wilkie Collins

I wish, however, [157] that you would write out a class-room copy of the report in plain English so that I can have a defense handy in case any one asks questions of me.”
— from Won in the Ninth The first of a series of stories for boys on sports to be known as The Matty Books by Christy Mathewson

Russell, who had been gradually rising in public estimation, showed the qualities of a true statesman on this occasion by a firm yet conciliatory speech which commanded assent on both sides.
— from The Political History of England - Vol XI From Addington's Administration to the close of William IV.'s Reign (1801-1837) by John Knight Fotheringham

The sort of leader that the Union would have had in Seward may be inferred with perfect certainty from the famous, or rather infamous, proposition entitled, "Some Thoughts for the President's Consideration," which Seward solemnly laid before Lincoln less than a month after his inauguration.
— from The Ifs of History by Joseph Edgar Chamberlin

What would women residing in peaceful England say to the fact that one cannot take a walk out of sight of one's own house in the suburbs of Johannesburg with safety?
— from South Africa and the Transvaal War, Vol. 1 (of 8) From the Foundation of Cape Colony to the Boer Ultimatum of 9th Oct. 1899 by Louis Creswicke

And, queer though the arrangement was in many respects, it proved eminently satisfactory to Dick; for Dr Humphreys was not only an extraordinarily able physician and surgeon, but also marvellously clever and learned outside the bounds of his profession, gentle and tender-hearted as a woman, and a thoroughly good fellow all round, in the best and highest sense of the term.
— from The Adventures of Dick Maitland: A Tale of Unknown Africa by Harry Collingwood

The result, however, was the total defeat of Dingaan, who was driven from his kingdom far up the country, where he soon after perished; and thus an ally of the farmers occupied the chieftainship of the Zulus, and they could now rest in peace, each seeking the location that suited him best, and requiring his ammunition and gun no longer for the purpose of slaying his enemy, but merely to supply himself with game; and thus the wishes of the emigrants seemed about to be gratified.
— from Adventures of Hans Sterk: The South African Hunter and Pioneer by Alfred W. (Alfred Wilks) Drayson

“Oh, the reason is plain enough,” said the mate; “they scent the blood, which is carried out by the tide, and the more we kill, the more will come.”
— from Jack at Sea: All Work and No Play Made Him a Dull Boy by George Manville Fenn