There is nothing of course that takes the place of the smooth fineness of really beautiful linen—it can no more be imitated than can a diamond, and its value is scarcely less.
— from Etiquette by Emily Post

The emperor ascended a lofty throne, and in a speech, full of reason and dignity, declared his intention, both to the people and to the soldiers who were assembled on this extraordinary occasion.
— 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

Last night I dreamt a dream; and still The fear and awe my bosom chill; For in that dream I saw foreshown Our race by Ráma's hand o'erthrown.
— from The Rámáyan of Válmíki, translated into English verse by Valmiki

He is neither so complicated nor so full of riddles.
— from Gargantua and Pantagruel by François Rabelais

well-a-day, lack-a-day Ioed, n. time past; ever Iolad, n. a worshipping Iolaeth, n. adoration, worship Iolaethu, v. to adore Iolawr, n. an adorer Iolch, n. an act of devotion Ioli, v. to praise; to worship Ion, n. a first cause; the Lord Ionawr, n. January Ior, n. the eternal; the Lord Iorn, n. a burst, a thrust Iornad, n. a bursting through Iorni, v. to burst through Iorthawl, a. incessant; diligent Iorthi, v. to be continual Iorthyn, n. assiduity Ir, n. that is pure; that is fresh; a. juicy; green; raw Iraâd, n. a growing juicy Irad, n. pungency, rage: a. pungent; grievous; rueful Iradedd, n. grievousness Iradrwydd, n. grievousness Iradu, v. to render afflicting Iradus, a. rueful, afflicting Irai, n. a sharp point; a goad Iraid, n. grease Iraidd, a. juicy; sappy; fresh Irain, a. full of juice; luxuriant Irâu, v. to grow juicy Irdanc, n. stupor, amazement Irdangawl, a. stupifying, amazing, causing a stupor Irdangiad, n. a stupifying Irdawd, n. succulency; freshness, or rawness Irdra, n. juiciness, freshness Ireidiad, n. an anointing, or greasing Ireidlyd, a. of a grea
— from A Pocket Dictionary: Welsh-English by William Richards

Gabriel meditated, and so deeply that he brought small furrows into his forehead by sheer force of reverie.
— from Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy

But the spirit of persecution in Plato, unlike that of modern religious bodies, arises out of the desire to enforce a true and simple form of religion, and is directed against the superstitions which tend to degrade mankind.
— from Laws by Plato

Further, when she sees her husband not very eager about money, and instead of battling and railing in the law courts or assembly, taking whatever happens to him quietly; and when she observes that his thoughts always centre in himself, while he treats her with very considerable indifference, she is annoyed, and says to her son that his father is only half a man and far too easy-going: adding all the other complaints about her own E ill-treatment which women are so fond of rehearsing.
— from The Republic of Plato by Plato

" "I wish, Alicia, you were not so fond of ridiculing Bob," Sir Michael said, gravely.
— from Lady Audley's Secret by M. E. (Mary Elizabeth) Braddon

To be a sailor of the world bound for all ports, A ship itself, (see indeed these sails I spread to the sun and air,) A swift and swelling ship full of rich words, full of joys. H2 anchor BOOK
— from Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman

And Brandon, smiling indulgently at the generosity that was so fearful of receiving thanks, lost no time in putting a long stretch of roadway between themselves and the tall, gaunt woman behind them.
— from The Turn of the Tide: The Story of How Margaret Solved Her Problem by Eleanor H. (Eleanor Hodgman) Porter

Then we work like galley-slaves unbarring, and the blazing sun floods our room.
— from In the Courts of Memory, 1858-1875; from Contemporary Letters by L. de (Lillie de) Hegermann-Lindencrone

Unlike the founder of the fortune the present Longworth generation never strays from the set formulas of respectability; it has intermarried with other rich families: and Nicholas, a namesake and grandson of the original, and a representative in Congress, married in circumstances of great and lavish pomp a daughter of President Roosevelt, thus linking a large fortune, based upon vested interests, with the ruling executive of the day and strategically combining wealth with direct political power.
— from History of the Great American Fortunes, Vol. I Conditions in Settlement and Colonial Times by Gustavus Myers

English Abhorrence of Slavery Such were some of the causes of British dislike for Boer methods and for naturally unfriendly contact with them through strong sympathy for oppressed races and utter abhorrence of slavery in every shape and form.
— from South Africa and the Boer-British War, Volume I Comprising a History of South Africa and its people, including the war of 1899 and 1900 by J. Castell (John Castell) Hopkins

Moreover, we love to think that those quarrels, originating in other times from the deplorable strife between the clergy and the University, have not survived it, and that now all sincere friends of religion and philosophy will give each other the hand, and will work in concert to encourage desponding souls and lift up burdened characters.
— from Lectures on the true, the beautiful and the good by Victor Cousin

The following letter will serve to show the strong feeling of regard which he entertained for his correspondent—a feeling which I have often heard him emphatically express, and which was warmly returned.
— from Life and Letters of Charles Darwin — Volume 2 by Charles Darwin

The people alone bore arms, guarded the public buildings, watched, gave orders, punished; it was an extraordinary and terrible thing to see in the sole hands of those who possessed nothing all this immense town, so full of riches, or rather this great nation: for, thanks to centralization, he who reigns in Paris governs France.
— from The Recollections of Alexis de Tocqueville by Alexis de Tocqueville

An Original Newspaper of James the Second's Reign, rare and curious, sent free on receipt of 3 s. 6 d. An Original Newspaper of William And Mary's Reign, rare and curious, sent free on receipt of 3 s. 6 d. An Original Newspaper of Queen Anne's Reign, ornamented with curious woodcuts, rare and very interesting, sent free on receipt of 3 s. An Original Newspaper of George the First's Reign, with a curious woodcut title, rare, sent free on receipt of 2 s. 6
— from Notes and Queries, Number 195, July 23, 1853 A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc. by Various