I gave up singing in the choir and I did not go to church at all; since my notion was that I was a righteous man and that the church did not suit me owing to its imperfections—that is, indeed, like a fallen angel, I was puffed up in my pride beyond all belief.
— from Project Gutenberg Compilation of 233 Short Stories of Chekhov by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov

Persons of delicate fibers and a weak constitution of body complain that in looking on the sores and ulcers which are exposed by beggars in the streets they are apt to feel an itching or uneasy sensation in the corresponding part of their own bodies.
— from Introduction to the Science of Sociology by E. W. (Ernest Watson) Burgess

The refutation of these various opinions as a rule hardly presents any difficulties; the authors are, as usual, stronger in the criticism which they practice on each other than in their own work.
— from Totem and Taboo Resemblances Between the Psychic Lives of Savages and Neurotics by Sigmund Freud

The following general survey of the field argues in favor of the promulgation of well-ordered and systematic research, of the type now in progress at several places in the United States, into the chemical behavior of coffee throughout the various processes to which it is subjected in the course of its preparation for human consumption.
— from All About Coffee by William H. (William Harrison) Ukers

And if he say, as is usually said in the case of friends that are gone abroad, It is well that he went, then assure thyself that no latent mischief or enmity may be feared at his hand; but if he answer otherwise, that will be a sure sign that he hath some designs against me, Accordingly thou shalt inform me of thy father's inclinations; and that out of pity to my case and out of thy friendship for me, as instances of which friendship thou hast vouchsafed to accept of the assurances of my love to thee, and to give the like assurances to me, that is, those of a master to his servant; but if thou discoverest any wickedness in me, do thou prevent thy father, and kill me thyself.
— from Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus

A Cherokee Union soldier in the civil war.
— from Myths of the Cherokee Extract from the Nineteenth Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology by James Mooney

1633-69 , A25 , C , RP61 in Certaine selected Psalmes of David (in Verse) differint from Those usually sung in the Church Composed by Francis Davison esq r .
— from The Poems of John Donne, Volume 1 (of 2) Edited from the Old Editions and Numerous Manuscripts by John Donne

But these irrelevant details need not be dilated upon; suffice it to confine ourselves to Pao-yü.
— from Hung Lou Meng, or, the Dream of the Red Chamber, a Chinese Novel, Book I by Xueqin Cao

They call your attention to the fact that not only did the venerable tower come crashing down, after having stood for centuries erect, but that in falling it struck to the earth St. Crallo’s cross—an upright stone in the churchyard as venerable as itself—breaking it all to pieces.
— from British Goblins: Welsh Folk-lore, Fairy Mythology, Legends and Traditions by Wirt Sikes

The weather continuing obstinately and almost unprecedentedly bad, we usually straggled into this cabin, more or less faint and miserable, about an hour before noon, and lay down on the sofas to recover; during which interval, the captain would look in to communicate the state of the wind, the moral certainty of its changing to-morrow (the weather is always going to improve to-morrow, at sea), the vessel’s rate of sailing, and so forth.
— from American Notes by Charles Dickens

Consists of several formulas for making Standard cleaning fluids, and the best method of using same, in the cleaning of all kinds of garments.
— from The Copeland Method A Complete Manual for Cleaning, Repairing, Altering and Pressing All Kinds of Garments for Men and Women, at Home or for Business by Vanness Copeland

Perhaps he thought that his friend Rajab Ali might have consulted him before sending a new and untried spy into the city.
— from Barclay of the Guides by Herbert Strang

But Denry stayed up smoking in the corridor.
— from Denry the Audacious by Arnold Bennett

The whole number of captures made by the United States in this contest is not known, but six hundred and fifty prizes are said to have been brought into port.
— from The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government, Volume 2 by Jefferson Davis

There was an unmistakable sneer in the curve of her mouth, which was quite as sensitive as Jenny’s but lacking the sweet cheerful upturn at the corners.
— from Sisters by Grace May North

Then, at New Orleans, after his election to the Senate was secured, he says: “The Democracy of Illinois accept the decision of the Supreme Court of the United States in the case of Dred Scott as an authoritative interpretation of the Constitution.
— from Charles Sumner: his complete works, volume 06 (of 20) by Charles Sumner

2. Upon sailing into the Caspian, on the right hand, contiguous to the Europeans, Scythians and Sarmatians occupy the country between the Tanaïs and this sea; they are chiefly Nomades, or shepherd tribes, of whom I have already spoken.
— from The Geography of Strabo, Volume 2 (of 3) Literally Translated, with Notes by Strabo

Gravidation is generally a less ailing or unhealthy State in the Country, than in very populous Towns.
— from Advice to the people in general, with regard to their health by S. A. D. (Samuel Auguste David) Tissot

I've spent some of it so as not to have us shamed in the country."
— from The Pioneers by Katharine Susannah Prichard