3. 'Within a year the old grain is exhausted, and the new grain has sprung up, and, in procuring fire by friction, we go through all the changes of wood for that purpose.
— from The Analects of Confucius (from the Chinese Classics) by Confucius

He had gathered together what was left of his army and gone forth from Guadix to succour Malaga; but his ill-starred nephew again proved his title to the name "Unlucky," for in a fit of insensate jealousy he ordered out the troops of Granada, intercepted Ez-Zaghal's small force as it was on its way to Malaga, and dispersed it.
— from The Moors in Spain by Stanley Lane-Poole

They understand the beauty, proportion, and, as I may so term it, the becomingness of colors and figures; they distinguish things of greater importance, even virtues and vices; they know whether a man is angry or calm, cheerful or sad, courageous or cowardly, bold or timorous.
— from Cicero's Tusculan Disputations Also, Treatises On The Nature Of The Gods, And On The Commonwealth by Marcus Tullius Cicero

“But for Saint Dunstan?” said the Friar— “A cope, a stole, and an altar-cloth shalt thou also have,” continued the King, crossing himself—“But we may not turn our game into earnest, lest God punish us for thinking more on our follies than on his honour and worship.”
— from Ivanhoe: A Romance by Walter Scott

If I marry a charming girl like Gwendolen, and she is the only girl I ever saw in my life that I would marry, I certainly won’t want to know Bunbury.
— from The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People by Oscar Wilde

the only girl I ever cared for in my life.
— from The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People by Oscar Wilde

Faith, look you, one cannot tell how to say that; for the defence of a town our general is excellent.
— from The Complete Works of William Shakespeare by William Shakespeare

X. The only ghost I ever saw Was dressed in mechlin, — so; He wore no sandal on his foot, And stepped like flakes of snow.
— from Poems by Emily Dickinson, Three Series, Complete by Emily Dickinson

The only ghost I ever saw
— from Poems by Emily Dickinson, Three Series, Complete by Emily Dickinson

Visions of a Christian paradise above the skies have much less hold on the popular mind than dread of a pagan Tartarus under the earth; and that full conviction that after all it was a very bad thing to die, that tendency to attach a paramount value to life, 380 per se , and quand même , which constituted so significant a feature of the old Greeks, is equally characteristic of their modern representatives.
— from Essays in the Study of Folk-Songs (1886) by Martinengo-Cesaresco, Evelyn Lilian Hazeldine Carrington, contessa

"4. Minimum territory of Germany in Europe, the boundaries to be fixed in the Definitive Treaty.
— from The Peace Negotiations: A Personal Narrative by Robert Lansing

Miss Johnston," continued the Colonel, "the daughter of Sir J. Johnston, was the only girl I ever loved, and she wouldn't have me."
— from The Canadian Portrait Gallery - Volume 3 (of 4) by John Charles Dent

That the said gaol appears, from experience of the Magistrates, to be too small for the number, and too weak for the safe custody of prisoners; that to this gaol persons for execution in debts recovered in the Court of Conscience, are committed; and he said, he believed this is the only gaol in England where there is not some provision for the poor and distressed prisoners; and he added, that when a Magistrate commits a man to that gaol for an assault, he does not know but he commits him there to starve.
— from Anecdotes of the Manners and Customs of London during the Eighteenth Century; Vol. 1 (of 2) Including the Charities, Depravities, Dresses, and Amusements etc. by James Peller Malcolm

The place of charity, like that of God, is everywhere.—
— from Pearls of Thought by Maturin Murray Ballou

We speak, it is true, of games in education, but it must be made clear that we understand by this term a free activity, ordered to a definite end; not disorderly noise, which distracts the attention.
— from The Montessori Method Scientific Pedagogy as Applied to Child Education in 'The Children's Houses' with Additions and Revisions by the Author by Maria Montessori

He did not believe this could be the case, as it was well known to the European Courts that our Government is established on principles totally different from theirs; and when our Ministers informed them that their Government did not permit them to receive presents, it must be a satisfactory reason for not accepting them.
— from Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856, Vol. 2 (of 16) by United States. Congress

"But, really, you ought to marry me—not merely because I love you—and you're the only girl I ever——" He stopped short and she almost smiled as she taunted him: "Go on—I dare you to say it."
— from Excuse Me! by Rupert Hughes

the 'ead bottlewasher Brahman, 'im as they called the Gossoon--though w'y, I can't say, since the only gossoon I ever 'eard tell on was a Hirish gentleman in the Colleen Bawn--was dead on leeches--'e was a real blood leech 'imself, if you like--but, though 'e kep 'is eye on them
— from The Mercy of the Lord by Flora Annie Webster Steel