But in ancient Rome they combined religious duty with pleasure.
— from The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain

“I suppose Dante showed a lot of speed for an old-timer—not that I've actually read him, of course—but to come right down to hard facts, he wouldn't stand one-two-three if he had to buckle down to practical literature and turn out a poem for the newspaper-syndicate every day, like Chum does!”
— from Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis

Words in which the action of Spain in this old controversy have been described are curiously applicable to certain recent disputes to which the United States has been a party.
— from The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, 1660-1783 by A. T. (Alfred Thayer) Mahan

The common rabble do directly say She is a strumpet.
— from The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster

Some miles before they could reach Dorylaeum in Phrygia, the left, and least numerous, division was surprised, and attacked, and almost oppressed, by the Turkish cavalry.
— 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

The Christian religion does this; it is in this that it consists.
— from Pascal's Pensées by Blaise Pascal

Around me sat color in human flesh—brown that crimsoned readily; dim soft-yellow that escaped description; cream-like duskiness that shadowed to rich tints of autumn leaves.
— from Darkwater: Voices from Within the Veil by W. E. B. (William Edward Burghardt) Du Bois

I could not understand why both Karl and the children ran down the steps to meet us, and when they saw Le Grand, did not say a word, but looked quite discomposed, till they explained it when we went up-stairs.
— from The Letters of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart — Volume 01 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

The shouting of the rowers and the noise of the rowing were heard by the Indians who had already submitted to Alexander, and these came running down to the river’s bank and accompanied him singing their native songs.
— from The Anabasis of Alexander or, The History of the Wars and Conquests of Alexander the Great by Arrian

The Cid Ruy Diaz is a principal character in this comedy, which, like all others of the same kind, is divided into three acts.
— from History of Spanish and Portuguese Literature (Vol 1 of 2) by Friedrich Bouterwek

On the 23d of January, 1784, Gov. Hancock sent a message to the Legislature, transmitting correspondence received dining the adjournment of the Legislature from Oct 28, 1783, to Jan. 21, 1784.
— from History of the Negro Race in America From 1619 to 1880. Vol 1 Negroes as Slaves, as Soldiers, and as Citizens by George Washington Williams

Short the triumph, brief his rapture: see a hurricane suddenly Beat the lifting billow crestless, roll it broken this way and that;— At the leap on yielding ether, in despite of his reprimand, Swayed tumultuous the fire-steeds, plunging reckless hither and yon; Unto men a great amazement, all agaze at the Orient:— Pitifully for mastery striving in ascension, the charioteer, Reminiscent, drifts of counsel caught confused in his arid wits; The reins stiff ahind his shoulder madly pulled for the mastery, Till a thunder off the tense chords thro' his ears dinned horrible.
— from Ballads and Poems of Tragic Life by George Meredith

"The obvious conclusion was, that the individuals who, for some reason, did not wish to make themselves known, did wish to keep track of you, and to assure themselves that you were still at the convent, rue de la Glacière...."
— from Messengers of Evil Being a Further Account of the Lures and Devices of Fantômas by Pierre Souvestre

Worst of all, we're still selling the suckers of the world more funny-colored paper than czarist Russia did.
— from The Samurai Strategy by Thomas Hoover

As the season advances, still keeping watch on the development of the plumage and of the voice of the immature male, I observe that no very definite change takes place—that the colours remain dull, that there is a conspicuous absence in the song of certain phrases, and that the notes lack purity of tone.
— from Territory in Bird Life by Henry Eliot Howard

To read or hear the Ten Commandments read, denotes you will fall into errors from which you will hardly escape, even with the counsels of friends of wise and unerring judgment.
— from Ten Thousand Dreams Interpreted; Or, What's in a Dream A Scientific and Practical Exposition by Gustavus Hindman Miller

On the other hand, people are now picking up heart to say that “they cannot read Dickens,” and that they particularly detest “Pickwick.”
— from Letters to Dead Authors by Andrew Lang

There are hopes that this secret missive, after three centuries of darkness, may soon see the light.—[I am assured by Mr. Gachard that a copy of this important letter is confidently expected by the Commission Royale d'Histoire.]
— from The Rise of the Dutch Republic — Complete (1555-84) by John Lothrop Motley

No one heard save the uncouth being who clung to the window, revolver in hand, steadily dying the creeping red death.
— from Stories by American Authors, Volume 7 by Various