Naturalists continually refer to external conditions, such as climate, food, etc., as the only possible cause of variation.
— from The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection Or, the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life, 6th Edition by Charles Darwin

If we but knew, so the myth runs, that experience can show no patterns but those which the prolific Mind has woven, we should not wonder at this necessary correspondence.
— from The Life of Reason: The Phases of Human Progress by George Santayana

[442] In the Colloquy it is said that Patrick went his way ‘to sow faith and piety, to banish devils and wizards out of Ireland; to raise up saints and righteous, to erect crosses, station-stones, and altars; also to overthrow idols and goblin images, and the whole art of sorcery’.
— from The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries by W. Y. (Walter Yeeling) Evans-Wentz

I had no letter, and I never saw him more.' 'I went,' said Mr. Brownlow, after a short pause, 'I went, when all was over, to the scene of his—I will use the term the world would freely use, for worldly harshness or favour are now alike to him—of his guilty love, resolved that if my fears were realised that erring child should find one heart and home to shelter and compassionate her.
— from Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens

The races, the English Club, sprees with Denísov, and visits to a certain house—that was another matter and quite the thing for a dashing young hussar!
— from War and Peace by Tolstoy, Leo, graf

“We must ransack the earth,” cried Socrates, “until we find that boat.
— from The Pursuit of the House-Boat Being Some Further Account of the Divers Doings of the Associated Shades, under the Leadership of Sherlock Holmes, Esq. by John Kendrick Bangs

The necessities of the world require that every Christian should carry a pocket Bible, and study how to use it well.
— from The Man with the Book; or, The Bible Among the People. by John Matthias Weylland

When the last breath seemed to have left his body, and "Doctors were in vain," a sudden resurrection took place; and if ever a mule laughed with scornful triumph, that was the beast, as he leisurely rose, gave a comfortable shake; and, calmly regarding the excited crowd seemed to say—"A hit!
— from Hospital Sketches by Louisa May Alcott

[Pg 238] 2. That Colombia should give to the American government the right to establish coaling stations in the islands of San Andres and Providencia, which are located in the Caribbean Sea.
— from The Panama Canal: A history and description of the enterprise by J. Saxon (John Saxon) Mills

He proved that an arrondissement could be managed by ten men; a prefecture by a dozen at the most; which reduced the entire civil service force throughout France to five thousand men, exclusive of the departments of war and justice.
— from Bureaucracy by Honoré de Balzac

As for expense, we reckoned that each conquered state would give us supplies of money and provisions sufficient to pay for its own conquest, and furnish the means for the conquest of its neighbours.
— from The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World: from Marathon to Waterloo by Creasy, Edward Shepherd, Sir

He particularly desires the advanced posts will, if possible, increase their vigilance, and in case of an insult, to meet it coolly, not risking themselves by darting forward (this not being the time for such exertion), but to check their ardour, and content themselves by standing on the defensive, and repulsing the enemy, covering steadily the bringing up the battering train to their destined ground, which will very soon be completed, and the batteries ready to open powerfully upon the enemy from three points at one and the same time; which [Pg A22] done, the Commander in Chief assures the army that he has every reason to believe they will be in possession of the enemy's last stake in a little time, and honourably put an end to their labours.
— from An Account of the Campaign in the West Indies, in the Year 1794 Under the Command of their Excellencies Lieutenant General Sir Charles Grey, K.B., and Vice Admiral Sir John Jervis, K.B. by Cooper Willyams