For it is an experience only too common among men, in whatever pursuit they may be engaged, that they let the original object and goal of their efforts pass out of view, and come to regard the means to this end as ends in themselves: so that they at last even sacrifice the original end to the attainment of what is only secondarily and derivatively desirable.
— from The Methods of Ethics by Henry Sidgwick

In the examples of good old ANDREWS and his WIFE, let those, who are reduced to a low estate, see, that Providence never fails to reward their honesty and integrity: and that God will, in his own good time, extricate them, by means unforeseen, out of their present difficulties, and reward them with benefits unhoped for.
— from Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded by Samuel Richardson

There is reason to believe that King Charles' spaniel has been unconsciously modified to a large extent since the time of that monarch.
— 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

The unions refused to admit the women, and, as the support of the family depended upon her to a large extent, such terms as were offered had to be accepted.
— from How the Other Half Lives: Studies Among the Tenements of New York by Jacob A. (Jacob August) Riis

There is reason to believe that King Charles's spaniel has been unconsciously modified to a large extent since the time of that monarch.
— from On the Origin of Species By Means of Natural Selection Or, the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life by Charles Darwin

To avoid leaving empty spaces therein we pad the interstices.
— from Fathers and Sons by Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev

He avoided the pass that Bob made at him, and after the boys had gathered up the tools and left everything shipshape, they came down the ladder and rejoined their comrade.
— from The Radio Boys at Ocean Point; Or, The Message that Saved the Ship by Allen Chapman

These two boys, Rodney and Marcy Gray, were very popular among their fellows, and had been looked up to as leaders ever since they arrived at the dignity of memberships in the first class and company.
— from True To His Colors by Harry Castlemon

Before night Miss May's adventure was the gossip of the village; especially her ride homeward with the doctor, who was observed to look uncommonly interested, and to be engaged in earnest conversation with his fair companion; nor did it escape the vigilant eye of Mrs. Tiptop that the doctor's buggy stood at the minister's gate every day for a week thereafter, and longer each successive time than she thought necessary for a professional call.
— from Graham's Magazine, Vol XXXIII, No. 6, December 1848 by Various

Mr. Smith visited the gardens when public patronage had declined to a low ebb, so that he had the gallery all to himself, as he imagined.
— from Inns and Taverns of Old London by Henry C. (Henry Charles) Shelley

I call attention: 1st, to the amount of labor and time it will require simply to do the work of the above lesson, even supposing that a class of children from eleven to thirteen years of age have the ability, and after five hours in the school-room during the day; and 2d, to the character of some of the requirements.
— from Insanity: Its Causes and Prevention by Henry Putnam Stearns

If I could help him to any light employment, something that did not require any great physical exertion or mental excitement, he would be thankful.
— from Drift from Two Shores by Bret Harte