The original beauty is never so great as that which may be introduced.
— from The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 2 by Edgar Allan Poe

In all presbyterian churches, the equality of authority is perfect; that of benefice is not so.
— from An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith

But to return to the former class, who are contented to copy nature, instead of forming originals from the confused heap of matter in their own brains, is not such a book as that which records the achievements of the renowned Don Quixote more worthy the name of a history than even Mariana's: for, whereas the latter is confined to a particular period of time, and to a particular nation, the former is the history of the world in general, at least that part which is polished by laws, arts, and sciences; and of that from the time it was first polished to this day; nay, and forwards as long as it shall so remain?
— from Joseph Andrews, Vol. 2 by Henry Fielding

The breadth of the river opposite to it, is not quite so wide as the Thames at Waterloo Bridge, and the opposite bank is not so high as that on which the town stands.
— from Travels of Richard and John Lander into the interior of Africa, for the discovery of the course and termination of the Niger From unpublished documents in the possession of the late Capt. John William Barber Fullerton ... with a prefatory analysis of the previous travels of Park, Denham, Clapperton, Adams, Lyon, Ritchie, &c. into the hitherto unexplored countries of Africa by Robert Huish

The whole of the old Bible is now said to be ready for the press, in its amended form, and will be forthcoming, as soon as the state of their finances will permit.
— from Gleanings by the Way by John A. (John Alonzo) Clark

Stand you there with the axe, and I will even save them the trouble of breaking in." "Nay," said Biorn; "we know not how many are there, and it were better that you should arm first.
— from Havelok the Dane A Legend of Old Grimsby and Lincoln by Charles W. (Charles Watts) Whistler

“I am bound to admit,” said Bickley, looking after him, “that old Bastin is not so stupid as he seems.
— from When the World Shook Being an Account of the Great Adventure of Bastin, Bickley and Arbuthnot by H. Rider (Henry Rider) Haggard

I expected to tell General Gordon of these occurrences, but I never saw him again.
— from Lee and Longstreet at High Tide: Gettysburg in the Light of the Official Records by Helen Dortch Longstreet