No doubt both the ideas themselves and the corresponding pleasurable emotions, arising on the contemplation of conduct, are often indistinguishable: a noble action affects us like a scene, a picture, or a strain of music: and the delineation of human virtue is an important part of the means which the artist has at his disposal for producing his peculiar effects.
— from The Methods of Ethics by Henry Sidgwick
Hands grabbed my shoulders and feet and I was picked up like a sack of potatoes.
— from Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
About this time, as might have been anticipated, Seduced by youth and dangerous examples, Don Juan grew, I fear, a little dissipated; Which is a sad thing, and not only tramples On our fresh feelings, but—as being participated With all kinds of incorrigible samples Of frail humanity—must make us selfish, And shut our souls up in us like a shell-fish.
— from Don Juan by Byron, George Gordon Byron, Baron
To see a man roll himself up like a snowball, from base beggary to right worshipful and right honourable titles, unjustly to screw himself into honours and offices; another to starve his genius, damn his soul to gather wealth, which he shall not enjoy, which his prodigal son melts and consumes in an instant.
— from The Anatomy of Melancholy by Robert Burton
An apparent accident, which looks more to us like a special Providence, determined his course.
— from English Literature Its History and Its Significance for the Life of the English-Speaking World by William J. (William Joseph) Long
In the first place, the vast expenditures of the war, the inflation of prices, and the depreciation of currency, leading up to a complete instability of the unit of value, have made us lose all sense of number and magnitude in matters of finance.
— from The Economic Consequences of the Peace by John Maynard Keynes
Looking out upon land and sea and sky, the educated soul sees all, and appreciates all.
— from Right Living as a Fine Art A Study of Channing's Symphony as an Outline of the Ideal Life and Character by Newell Dwight Hillis
So she strives to return among us, light and small as a swallow.
— from Woman in the Nineteenth Century and Kindred Papers Relating to the Sphere, Condition and Duties, of Woman. by Margaret Fuller
Mrs Temple’s mirror, that had once given back lovely visions in diaphanous draperies and sparkling jewels, now reflected something uncommonly like a seedy youth of the type that relations get rid of to South Africa and hope they’ll never see again.
— from Pink Gods and Blue Demons by Cynthia Stockley
Mabel crawled into cover of the taller trees, and there stood up looking as slender as a poplar and as unreal as the wrong answer to a sum in long division.
— from The Enchanted Castle by E. (Edith) Nesbit
The world would turn from her with an unbelieving laugh, and she was to be left alone in her dishonour, and people would judge that she was not even a fit companion for her blind sister in their solitude.
— from In the Palace of the King: A Love Story of Old Madrid by F. Marion (Francis Marion) Crawford
Whilst inwardly longing to fling herself prone in the mire and embrace his dear, lovely legs, the marquise grew nervous in her husband's presence; was fatally impelled somehow to play the somnambule, and close up like a sleeping flower.
— from The Maid of Honour: A Tale of the Dark Days of France. Vol. 1 (of 3) by Lewis Wingfield
It was possible that after a few months of loneliness in his old house he would give way to an uncontrollable longing and send for his wife.
— from Senator North by Gertrude Franklin Horn Atherton
“I’ll see as no one else comes in,” said Harry, getting up like a small edition of Goliath; and he stood on one side of the wicket gate, while Banks opened it and admitted Mrs Glaire, with Eve Pelly, who looked ghastly pale.
— from The Parson O' Dumford by George Manville Fenn
They muddle through with the greatest possible amount of unnecessary labour and suffering!
— from The Works of John Galsworthy An Index of the Project Gutenberg Works of Galsworthy by John Galsworthy
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