His predecessors, the ancient Tanjous, had often addressed, in the same hostile and peremptory manner, the daughters of China; and the pretensions of Attila were not less offensive to the majesty of Rome.
— 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

There is nothing that does any one so much credit all his life long as the showing himself a proper man with his hands and feet.
— from The Odyssey Rendered into English prose for the use of those who cannot read the original by Homer

My invisibility at school has actually placed me there in a decidedly awkward position."
— from Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda

Indeed, it at first so highly provoked her, that it might have produced some tragical event, had it not taken a more harmless turn, by filling her with the utmost contempt for her husband's understanding, which somewhat qualified her hatred towards him; though of this likewise she had a pretty moderate share.
— from History of Tom Jones, a Foundling by Henry Fielding

She did not like to intrude upon what might be the last interview between mother and son, for she was firmly persuaded that Mrs. Brand would recover consciousness, and would tell Wyvis in her own way something of what she had thought and felt; but she was not far off, and when Wyvis sent her a peremptory message to the effect that she was wanted, she came at once and took up her position with him as watcher beside his mother's bed.
— from A True Friend: A Novel by Adeline Sergeant

For, though you are blessed with sense and prudence above your years, yet I tremble to think, what a sad hazard a poor maiden of little more than fifteen years of age stands against the temptations of this world, and a designing young gentleman, if he should prove so, who has so much power to oblige, and has a kind of authority to command, as your master.
— from Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded by Samuel Richardson

He did not look like men, as she had always pictured men; but he acted like one and she was content.
— from Darkwater: Voices from Within the Veil by W. E. B. (William Edward Burghardt) Du Bois

CASSIO So hangs, and lolls, and weeps upon me; so hales and pulls me: ha, ha, ha!
— from Othello, the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare

When two men shake hands and part, mark which of the two takes the sunny side: he will be the younger man of the two.
— from What Will He Do with It? — Complete by Lytton, Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron

He could understand how an ignorant colored man could have his superstitions aroused, and he could see how a plain man like Green might be tricked; but it was hard to believe that this apparently educated colored woman, living for two years within the shadow of the tree, could be fooled.
— from The Secret Toll by Paul Thorne

For the present we are safe here; and perhaps Mowno will be able to get us back to our boat without danger.’
— from The Island Home by Richard Archer

Prudence would be neuter; but if, in the contention between fond attachment and fierce antipathy concerning things in their nature not made to produce such heats, a prudent man were obliged to make a choice of what errors and excesses of enthusiasm he would condemn or bear, perhaps he would think the superstition which builds, to be more tolerable than that which demolishes; that which adorns a country, than that which deforms it; that which endows, than that which plunders; that which disposes to mistaken beneficence, than that which stimulates to real injustice; that which leads a man to refuse to himself lawful pleasures, than that which snatches from others the scanty subsistence of their self-denial.
— from Selections from the Speeches and Writings of Edmund Burke by Edmund Burke

Wild, strong hearts, and powerful minds, were hidden under an enforced propriety and regularity of demeanour and expression, just as their faces had been concealed by their father, under his stiff, unchanging mask.
— from The Life of Charlotte Brontë — Volume 1 by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell

Dixie Topping, who used to be one of the four of us that do the dance I’m in, let herself get stiff, and one night when it came to kicking William Tell’s apple off the boy’s head, she missed it clean, and, as it’s got to be done in time with the music, that put the conductor out, so when she had another try, and missed it again, he got so mad that they sacked her and put me on.
— from Mrs. Vanderstein's jewels by Bryce, Charles, Mrs.

About the end of October I went on to Carlisle, but a Scotchman had already preceded me there, and I thought one Daguerreotypist was quite enough for so small a place, and pushed on to Penrith, where I settled for the winter and gradually worked up a little connection, and formed some life-long friendships.
— from The Evolution of Photography With a Chronological Record of Discoveries, Inventions, Etc., Contributions to Photographic Literature, and Personal Reminescences Extending over Forty Years by Werge, John, active 1854-1890

Rattazzi, Cavour’s old ally in the early days of Victor Emmanuel’s reign, succeeded him as Prime Minister.
— from Builders of United Italy by Rupert Sargent Holland

M’Donald, however, took advantage of his position as a guest, says history, and privately married the daughter of his host.
— from Romantic Ireland; volume 2/2 by Blanche McManus