Nobody, it would seem, would be more ready seriously to utter a radical denial of life, an actual denial of action even more than a denial of life, than the author of this book.
— from The Will to Power: An Attempted Transvaluation of All Values. Book III and IV by Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

When an animal, as it approaches maturity, becomes less perfectly organised than might be expected from its early stages and known relationships, it is said to undergo a RETROGRADE DEVELOPMENT or METAMORPHOSIS.
— from The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection Or, the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life, 6th Edition by Charles Darwin

In spite of every effort the sledge slipped sideways, then upset, and rolled down into a deep ditch, turning over three times as it went, and dragging the dogs after it.
— from Shores of the Polar Sea: A Narrative of the Arctic Expedition of 1875-6 by Edward L. (Edward Lawton) Moss

“The strangest part of it,” she said, taking up a remark Dick had just made, “is that too much philosophizing about life gets one worse than nowhere.
— from The Little Lady of the Big House by Jack London

These splendid trees, unfortunately, are rapidly disappearing.
— from The Earth and its inhabitants, Volume 1: Europe. Greece, Turkey in Europe, Rumania, Servia, Montenegro, Italy, Spain, and Portugal. by Elisée Reclus

The examples and events of history press, indeed, upon the mind with the weight of truth; but when they are reposited in the memory, they are oftener employed for show than use, and rather diversify conversation than regulate life.
— from The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. in Nine Volumes, Volume 04 The Adventurer; The Idler by Samuel Johnson