The President could do nothing effectual in foreign affairs, but at least he could see something of the field.
— from The Education of Henry Adams by Henry Adams

Nor was this charity so extraordinary eminent only in a few, but (for I cannot lightly quit this point) the charity of the rich, as well in the city and suburbs as from the country, was so great that, in a word, a prodigious number of people who must otherwise inevitably have perished for want as well as sickness were supported and subsisted by it; and though I could never, nor I believe any one else, come to a full knowledge of what was so contributed, yet I do believe that, as I heard one say that was a critical observer of that part, there was not only many thousand pounds contributed, but many hundred thousand pounds, to the relief of the poor of this distressed, afflicted city; nay, one man affirmed to me that he could reckon up above one hundred thousand pounds a week, which was distributed by the churchwardens at the several parish vestries by the Lord Mayor and aldermen in the several wards and precincts, and by the particular direction of the court and of the justices respectively in the parts where they resided, over and above the private charity distributed by pious bands in the manner I speak of; and this continued for many weeks together.
— from A Journal of the Plague Year Written by a Citizen Who Continued All the While in London by Daniel Defoe

‘Tis their part to relate common beliefs, not to regulate them: that part concerns divines and philosophers, directors of consciences; and therefore it was that this companion of his, and a great man like himself, very wisely said: “Equidem plura transcribo, quam credo: nam nec affirmare sustineo, de quibus dubito, nec subducere quae accepi;” [“Truly, I set down more things than I believe, for I can neither affirm things whereof I doubt, nor suppress what I have heard.” —Quintus Curtius, ix.
— from Essays of Michel de Montaigne — Complete by Michel de Montaigne

“If they do not give as much as they ask, or do not pay for as many Indians as they say there are, they abuse the poor principal, or throw him into the pillory ( cepo de cabeza ), because all the encomenderos, when they go to make collections, take their pillories with them, and there they keep [ 165 ] him and torment him, until forced to give all they ask.
— from A History of the Philippines by David P. Barrows

Here Creed shewed me a copy of some propositions, which Bland and others, in the name of the Corporation of Tangier, did present to Norwood, for his opinion in, in order to the King’s service, which were drawn up very humbly, and were really good things; but his answer to them was in the most shitten proud, carping, insolent, and ironically-prophane stile, that ever I saw in my life, so as I shall never think the place can do well, while he is there.
— from The Diary of Samuel Pepys — Complete by Samuel Pepys

History will teach us that the former has been found a much more certain road to the introduction of despotism than the latter, and that of those men who have overturned the liberties of republics, the greatest number have begun their career by paying an obsequious court to the people; commencing demagogues, and ending tyrants.
— from The Federalist Papers by Alexander Hamilton

The second degree is sharply distinguished from the first, through the positive character of the actions resulting therefrom; for at this point Compassion does more than keep me back from injuring my neighbour; it impels me to help him.
— from The Basis of Morality by Arthur Schopenhauer

The body of the flea (Fig. 98, greatly magnified; a , antennæ; b , maxillæ, and their palpi, c ; d , mandibles; the latter, with the labium, which is not shown in the figure, forming the acute beak) is much compressed, and there are minute wing-pads, instead of wings, present in some species.
— from Our Common Insects A Popular Account of the Insects of Our Fields, Forests, Gardens and Houses by A. S. (Alpheus Spring) Packard

And yet what, in this particular case, did all that matter?
— from Henry James by Rebecca West

For since the priestly caste despises common amours, I am determined to take this maiden to myself, not out of mere lust, but for the sake of offspring.
— from The Greek Romances of Heliodorus, Longus and Achilles Tatius Comprising the Ethiopics; or, Adventures of Theagenes and Chariclea; The pastoral amours of Daphnis and Chloe; and the loves of Clitopho and Leucippe by of Emesa Heliodorus

Whether there is a distinct line of demarcation between vegetable and animal does not require special attention, for no matter of controversy on this point can delay procedure.
— from The Relations of Science and Religion The Morse Lecture, 1880 by Henry Calderwood

At the revolution, being suspected of disaffection to the government, and looked upon as a Papist or a Jesuit, under the mask of a Quaker, he was examined before the Privy Council, Dec., 1688; but, on giving security, was discharged.
— from Curiosities of Human Nature by Samuel G. (Samuel Griswold) Goodrich

This player collects double, or 960, from East Wind and 480 each from South and West Winds.
— from Pung Chow The Game of a Hundred Intelligences. Also known as Mah-Diao, Mah-Jong, Mah-Cheuk, Mah-Juck and Pe-Ling by Lew Lysle Harr

I do not think either of them as lovers of horses ever offered adequate reason for having ridden their bronchos such a hard pace up grade the last ten miles that the ponies came down the Ridge to the Valley road a lather of sweat.
— from The Freebooters of the Wilderness by Agnes C. Laut

The term Preta is, however, sometimes applied to the spirit of a deformed or crippled person, or one defective in some limb or organ, or of a child who dies prematurely owing to the omission of the prescribed ceremonies during the formation of the embryo.
— from The Popular Religion and Folk-Lore of Northern India, Vol. 1 (of 2) by William Crooke

“And suppose the police call during your absence?” said Austin Turold, glancing sharply at his son.
— from The Moon Rock by Arthur J. (Arthur John) Rees