The other Properties of Improvements of the Magnet, viz. Variation, or its Defluction from an exact N. or S. Line, Variation of that Variation, and its Inclination, were the Inventions of Sebastian Cabot , Mr. Gellibrand , and Mr. Norman ; the Inclination of the Needle, or that Property whereby it keeps an Elevation above the Horizon, in all Places but under the Equator, (where its Parallel) is as surprizing a Phænomenon as any, and was the Discovery of our Countrymen; and could it be found regular, I imagine would very much help towards the Discovery of Longitude, at least would point out better Methods than hitherto known, when Ships drew nigh Land, which would answer as useful an End.
— from A General History of the Pyrates: from their first rise and settlement in the island of Providence, to the present time by Daniel Defoe

The first view of it did not strike us so much as Ranelagh, of which he said, the 'coup d'oeil was the finest thing he had ever seen.'
— from Boswell's Life of Johnson Abridged and edited, with an introduction by Charles Grosvenor Osgood by James Boswell

Very often it does not know what to do with genius.
— from Dictionary of Quotations from Ancient and Modern, English and Foreign Sources Including Phrases, Mottoes, Maxims, Proverbs, Definitions, Aphorisms, and Sayings of Wise Men, in Their Bearing on Life, Literature, Speculation, Science, Art, Religion, and Morals, Especially in the Modern Aspects of Them by Wood, James, Rev.

The first of these I chuse to derive from the heart, as the extreme velocity of its discernment seems to denote some previous inward impulse, and the rather as this superlative degree often forms its own objects; sees what is not, and always more than really exists.
— from History of Tom Jones, a Foundling by Henry Fielding

“But you are such a capital partisan, Lady St Julians,” said the Duke of Fitz-Aquitaine, who with the viceroyalty of Ireland dexterously dangled before his eyes for the last two years, had become a thorough conservative and had almost as much confidence in Sir Robert as in Lord Stanley.
— from Sybil, Or, The Two Nations by Disraeli, Benjamin, Earl of Beaconsfield

If, then, animals and plants do vary, let it be ever so slightly or slowly, why should not variations or individual differences, which are in any way beneficial, be preserved and accumulated through natural selection, or the survival of the fittest?
— from The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection Or, the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life, 6th Edition by Charles Darwin

My father held out his hand to me, as I drew near, but he was looking at the doctor, and he said: "It certainly is very odd; I don't understand it quite. Laura, come here, dear; now attend to Doctor Spielsberg, and recollect yourself."
— from Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu

Out of this chaos and vision of imminent destruction Abd-er-Rahmān had evolved order and prosperity.
— from The Moors in Spain by Stanley Lane-Poole

In fact, in great concerns and important matters when the violence of its desires summons all its attention, it sees, feels, hears, imagines, suspects, penetrates, divines all: so that we might think that each of its passions had a magic power proper to it.
— from Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims by François duc de La Rochefoucauld

He accumulated instance on instance of misrule; he showed the insecurity of property, the adulteration of the coin, the burden of the imposts; he spoke of wives and maidens violated, of industry defrauded, of houses forcibly entered, of barns and granaries despoiled, of the impunity of all offenders, if high-born, of the punishment of all complaints, if poor and lowly.
— from The Last of the Barons — Complete by Lytton, Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron

No more than at the second view of it did I now attempt the ascent of the Leaning Tower; I had discharged this duty for life when I first saw it; with my seventy-one years upon me, I was not willing to climb its winding stairs, and I doubted if I could keep it from falling, as I then did, by inclining myself the other way.
— from Roman Holidays, and Others by William Dean Howells

visits of insects, did not present any difference to the eye in the number of seed-capsules which they produced.
— from The Effects of Cross & Self-Fertilisation in the Vegetable Kingdom by Charles Darwin

Thus, the female of Pieris Rapæ is so much like the same sex of Pieris Brassicæ , that it might be taken for a variety of it, did not the green caterpillar of the one, and the spotted one of the other, evince the complete distinction of these butterflies.
— from An Introduction to Entomology: Vol. 3 or Elements of the Natural History of the Insects by William Kirby

It may be that similar variations occur in many individuals at once and many times over; it may be that many variations are not at first small in amount, but express big steps in organisation, as in Bateson's instances of Discontinuous Variation or in De Vries's instances of Mutation; it may be that many variations are not from the first unstable, but express changes of organic equilibrium which have [Pg 191] come to stay if they get a chance at all; and it may be that the supposed swamping effects of inter-crossing are in part illusory, as is strongly suggested by some of the facts summed up in Mendel's Law; but there seems to be still room and need for the theory of Isolation worked out by Romanes, Gulick, and others.
— from Herbert Spencer by J. Arthur (John Arthur) Thomson

Soul descended into world vestige of, is Daemon, iii. 5.6 (50- 1132 ).
— from Plotinos: Complete Works, v. 4 In Chronological Order, Grouped in Four Periods by Plotinus

James then renewed his suit to the younger princess, and still found obstacles from the intrigues of Elizabeth, who, merely with a view of interposing delay, proposed to him the sister of the king of Navarre, a princess much older than himself, and entirely destitute of fortune.
— from The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.I., Part D. From Elizabeth to James I. by David Hume

“Oh, I did not say that you were indifferent to me,” said Fanny, in a low voice; “only I did not know you, and, therefore, did not love you.”
— from Louisa of Prussia and Her Times: A Historical Novel by L. (Luise) Mühlbach

"I would offer to write another promise," said Mrs. Villars, "only I do not like to bind myself to two sums; for every one may not be so honourable as yourself, and you must have it somewhere, but you need not doubt me if it is lost, need you?"
— from Mabel: A Novel. Vol. 1 (of 3) by Newby, C. J., Mrs.

The most striking proof that the Danish refuse-heaps are very old is derived from the character of their imbedded shells.
— from The Subterranean World by G. (Georg) Hartwig