The moon was shining down upon the old gateway of the town, leaving the low archway very black and dark; and with a mingled sensation of curiosity and fear, she slowly approached the gate, and stood still to look up at it, wondering to see how dark, and grim, and old, and cold, it looked.
— from The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens

Now when some days were passed the castle people showed more courage, and would go without weapons upon the castle wall, while the castle gates were standing open.
— from Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway by Snorri Sturluson

They noticed that the Rabbit kept sleek and lively, although it was still dry weather and the water was getting low in the well.
— from Myths of the Cherokee Extract from the Nineteenth Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology by James Mooney

Starkad was so disgusted at the excess of Ingild, that he forsook his friendship, and sought the fellowship of Halfdan, the King of Swedes, preferring work to idleness.
— from The Danish History, Books I-IX by Grammaticus Saxo

King Philip, determine what we shall do straight.
— from The Complete Works of William Shakespeare by William Shakespeare

There were four of them in a row, three of which were simply dirty, while the fourth was shuttered up.
— from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

But in respect of her subsequent conduct—her motive in coming to Casterbridge to unite herself with Henchard—her assumed justification in abandoning him when she discovered reasons for fearing him (though in truth her inconsequent passion for another man at first sight had most to do with that abandonment)—her method of reconciling to her conscience a marriage with the second when she was in a measure committed to the first: to what extent she spoke of these things remained Farfrae's secret alone.
— from The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy

Ancient heraldic writers seem to have amused themselves by inventing "appropriate" arms for mythological or historical personages, and I verily believe that when so doing they never intended these arms to stand for more than examples of their own wit.
— from A Complete Guide to Heraldry by Arthur Charles Fox-Davies

"Well, so does the family doctor for that matter, Lord Canterville.
— from The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde

Early in 1466 he was struck down with apoplexy; though he rallied from the attack, his physicians knew that his days were numbered, and on Monday, the 15th of June, 1467, the end came.
— from The Story of Bruges by Ernest Gilliat-Smith

But was there ever a man—at least an imaginative, impulsive man—who did not fancy he was the person to deal with such difficulties?
— from Luttrell Of Arran by Charles James Lever

A bridge, even at this early period, stretched over into Southwark, and on the Surrey side it was stoutly defended 251 by the enemy, who for a long time held the Saxons at bay; for they were strengthened by the ships which Canute had brought up from Greenwich, and placed on the west side of the bridge; thus cutting off all aid from the river; while he left a part of his fleet below, to guard against surprise from the mouth of the Thames.
— from History of the Anglo-Saxons, from the Earliest Period to the Norman Conquest Second Edition by Thomas Miller

This class of "survivals" in the constitution were the work of Sieyès, who was the brain of the Jacobins, now led by Robespierre, and with him ignoring republicanism for no better reason than that their title was "Société des Amis de la Constitution."
— from The Life Of Thomas Paine, Vol. 1. (of 2) With A History of His Literary, Political and Religious Career in America France, and England; to which is added a Sketch of Paine by William Cobbett by Moncure Daniel Conway

My light will sure discover those who talk.—
— from The Dramatic Works of John Dryden, Volume 1 With a Life of the Author by Walter Scott

Wolves, when pressed with hunger, will sometimes devour a fellow wolf; as a rule, however, rapacious animals will starve to death rather than prey on one of their own kind, nor is it a common thing for them to attack other species possessing instincts similar to their own.
— from The Naturalist in La Plata by W. H. (William Henry) Hudson

Horses and mules in numbers are shown off among the crowd to increase the turmoil; nor is even the wandering Hebrew wanting to complete the scene of traffic, haggling, and barter, which continues, without intermission, until a late hour in the afternoon, when the village relapses again into its wonted six days of quiet and repose.
— from The Highlands of Ethiopia by Harris, William Cornwallis, Sir

But, in addition, a special track is provided at the firing point and the entire gun car is run on this track and bolted to it with spades driven into the ground to resist what recoil is not taken up in the cradle.
— from America's Munitions 1917-1918 by Benedict Crowell

As those who have long leaned over a precipice, have at last felt a desire to plunge below, to relieve the intolerable temptation of their giddiness (11) , you will hear them laugh amid their wildest paroxysms; you will say, ‘Doubtless those wretches have some consolation, but I have none; my sanity is my greatest curse in this abode of horrors.
— from Melmoth the Wanderer, Vol. 1 (of 4) by Charles Robert Maturin

Greet her therefore for me; right willingly will I pay her what she deserves at my hands.”
— from Stories of the Old World by Alfred John Church