How could I have brought myself to believe that anything questionable could possibly find place in the straight and upright ranks of printed letters?
— from My Reminiscences by Rabindranath Tagore

Near six years the flame of discord burnt with various success and unabated rage: the cities were distracted by the faction of the nobles and the plebeians; the Cantacuzeni and Palæologi: and the Bulgarians, the Servians, and the Turks, were invoked on both sides as the instruments of private ambition and the common ruin.
— from The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Table of Contents with links in the HTML file to the two Project Gutenberg editions (12 volumes) by Edward Gibbon

They found the proclamation a fair one in comparison of what their fear had suggested; the Athenians being glad to go out, as they thought they ran more risk than the rest, and further, did not expect any speedy relief, and the multitude generally being content at being left in possession of their civic rights, and at such an unexpected reprieve from danger.
— from The History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides

Those intending to be present, and those proposing to furnish fruit for the same, are urgently requested to send in their names on or before the preceding Saturday.
— from Juliette Drouet's Love-Letters to Victor Hugo Edited with a Biography of Juliette Drouet by Louis Guimbaud

Thus favoured with a pretext, he took his leave of her, in a letter, giving her to understand, that he was no stranger to the barbarous snare she had laid for him; and upbraiding her with having made such an ungrateful return for all his tenderness and attachment.
— from The Adventures of Ferdinand Count Fathom — Complete by T. (Tobias) Smollett

Some quickened their pace behind, as though to see whither she was hastening at such an unusual rate; and a few made head upon her, and looked back, surprised at her undiminished speed; but they fell off one by one; and when she neared her place of destination, she was alone.
— from Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens

When Heraclian landed in the harbor of Carthage, he found that the whole province, disdaining such an unworthy ruler, had returned to their allegiance.
— from The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Table of Contents with links in the HTML file to the two Project Gutenberg editions (12 volumes) by Edward Gibbon

Wherefore, let the divine clemency and grace move thee to sincere and unfeigned repentance.
— from True Christianity A Treatise on Sincere Repentence, True Faith, the Holy Walk of the True Christian, Etc. by Johann Arndt

There is a belief amongst the Indians in several parts that some of the unexplored mountains are inhabited by strange and unknown races.
— from The Devil-Tree of El Dorado: A Novel by Frank Aubrey

Calm, composed and perfectly free from the slightest impatience under the idea of my lengthened imprisonment, I have nothing about me of pining or fretting; and when I nightly lay my head down on my pillow, I invariably enjoy sweet, sound, and uninterrupted repose.
— from Memoirs of Henry Hunt, Esq. — Volume 2 by Henry Hunt

The following is the inscription on a stone designed to perpetuate the memory of the late singular and unfortunate rector of Little Stukely, and is now exhibited in the mason's yard at Huntingdon.
— from The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction Volume 10, No. 277, October 13, 1827 by Various

Labor force: 700,000 economically active Labor force - by occupation: 86% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa Unemployment rate: 45% (2000 est.)
— from The 2002 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency

" "You'd have jumped over trees a hundred feet high if a hundred thousand Yankees were shooting at you as they were shooting at us," rejoined Harry.
— from The Star of Gettysburg: A Story of Southern High Tide by Joseph A. (Joseph Alexander) Altsheler

I felt mean, and I probably looked it, and I was glad that telepathy did not permit Miss Barrison to record my secret and unworthy ruminations.
— from In Search of the Unknown by Robert W. (Robert William) Chambers

With his friends he held that there was not the slightest probability of her being other than a widow, and a challenge to the missing man now, followed by no response, would stultify any unpleasant remarks which might be thrown at her after their union.
— from A Changed Man, and Other Tales by Thomas Hardy