And do not suppose that I am so candid out of pure simplicity of soul.
— from The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

there are in the United States some characters of opposite principles; some of them are high in office, others possessing great wealth, and all of them hostile to France, and fondly looking to England as the staff of their hope.
— from The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 3 (of 9) Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private by Thomas Jefferson

Their service consisted only of prayer, singing and religious instruction; but also written prayers were presented to God by burning.
— from Church History, Volume 3 (of 3) by J. H. (Johann Heinrich) Kurtz

Pánshin speedily divined, with the swift comprehension of other people's sentiments which was peculiar to him, that he was not affording his interlocutor any particular pleasure, and made his escape, under a plausible pretext, deciding in his own mind that Lavrétzky might be a very fine man, but that he was not sympathetic, was " aigri ," and, " en somme ," rather ridiculous.—Márya Dmítrievna made her appearance accompanied by Gedeónovsky; then Márfa Timoféevn
— from A Nobleman's Nest by Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev

On reading your last letter but one, I find some stinging comments on our political situation.
— from The Works of Balzac: A linked index to all Project Gutenberg editions by Honoré de Balzac

Let us a little examine the several conditions of our Paragraphistical suitors.
— from Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 09 of 10 by John Fletcher

Moreover, I would prefer to escape, as you can imagine, while Madame Prune is still enjoying her siesta; I should be afraid of being drawn into some corner, or of provoking some heartrending parting scene."
— from Madame Chrysantheme — Volume 4 by Pierre Loti