For each sound, so soon as made, passeth away, nor canst thou find ought to recall and by art to compose.
— from The Confessions of St. Augustine by Augustine, Saint, Bishop of Hippo

But Dob reads Latin like English, and French and that; and when we go out together he tells me stories about my Papa, and never about himself; though I heard Colonel Buckler, at Grandpapa's, say that he was one of the bravest officers in the army, and had distinguished himself ever so much.
— from Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray

It is through sorrow and mirth, plenty and need, a variety of passions, circumstances, and temptations, even through sin and misery, that men's natures are developed.
— from Introduction to the Science of Sociology by E. W. (Ernest Watson) Burgess

So he did, and then all the company: and having done it, all fell a-crying for joy, being all maudlin and kissing one another, the King the Duke of York, and the Duke of York the King: and in such a maudlin pickle as never people were: and so passed the day.
— from The Diary of Samuel Pepys — Complete by Samuel Pepys

A sweet win and not less noisy than saddle and more ploughing and nearly well painted by little things so.
— from Tender Buttons Objects—Food—Rooms by Gertrude Stein

But for many generations we have regarded this statement as mere poetry and not necessarily truth.
— from Farm Boys and Girls by William A. (William Arch) McKeever

The accomplishment of these circumstances has generated, in all countries, a numerous class of readers, among whom are many Professors , Philosophers , Statesmen , Politicians , Theologians , Antiquaries , Naturalists , and eminent Scholars ; besides Amateurs of general Literature, with whose taste, feelings, and principles, the Author of this volume is anxious to identify his own, and whose favourable opinion he is ambitious to enjoy;—these are the free and honest searchers after MORAL , POLITICAL , and NATURAL TRUTH ,—the votaries of COMMON SENSE ,—the patients of their NATURAL SENSIBILITIES ,—all, who are neither TOO OLD , TOO POWERFUL , nor TOO WISE ,—and, finally, all those WHO PASS THEIR LIVES IN SEARCH OF HAPPINESS , and who are not unwilling to be pleased, in whatsoever form, or by whomsoever the attempt may be made: TO SUCH ESTIMABLE PERSONS, IN ALL COUNTRIES, AND IN ALL SITUATIONS, THE AUTHOR RESPECTFULLY DEDICATES THIS VOLUME.
— from A Morning's Walk from London to Kew by Phillips, R. (Richard), Sir

One day as I passed through the town I saw a man painting a new sign over a shop, a proceeding that so aroused my curiosity that I stood for a minute or two to look on.
— from Highways and Byways in Sussex by E. V. (Edward Verrall) Lucas

The red ocher is applied smoothly in a rather thin coat which looks as if it were always put on in the manner observed by Capt. Herendeen, who saw a man painting a new sled at Utkiavwĭñ.
— from Ethnological results of the Point Barrow expedition Ninth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1887-1888, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1892, pages 3-442 by John Murdoch

Hence, amongst the ornaments of the house of God some must be virgins, others widows, some married and others chaste, such as monks, priests and nuns.
— from Luther, vol. 4 of 6 by Hartmann Grisar

So he did, and then all the company: and having done it, all fell a-crying for joy, being all maudlin and kissing one another, the king the Duke of York, and the Duke of York the king; and in such a maudlin pickle as never people were: and so passed the day.
— from Nineteen Centuries of Drink in England: A History by Richard Valpy French