French Clay’s affair with Lady Harriot had been much talked of in the fashionable world; from a love of scandal or a love of justice, from zeal in the cause of morality or from natural curiosity, her trial had been a matter of general interest to the ladies, young and old.
— from Tales and Novels — Volume 07 Patronage [part 1] by Maria Edgeworth

The creator of Falstaff could have been no stranger to tavern life, and he doubtless took part with zest in the convivialities of men of letters.
— from A Life of William Shakespeare with portraits and facsimiles by Lee, Sidney, Sir

Among Protestant sects the Methodists and Baptists are most zealous in the cause of missions, and the Moravian Brethren have wrought most successfully in this department.
— from Church History, Volume 3 (of 3) by J. H. (Johann Heinrich) Kurtz

We forget whether we got the extract from the Edinburgh or the Foreign Quarterly Review , having made it sometime back and mislaid the reference; and we take a liberty with him in mentioning his name as the writer, for which his zeal in the cause of mankind will assuredly pardon us.
— from Captain Sword and Captain Pen: A Poem by Leigh Hunt

So the Nestorians in former ages, and the Moravians in modern times, were characterized by warm zeal in the cause of missions.
— from Notes on the New Testament, Explanatory and Practical: Revelation by Albert Barnes

The active benevolence of St. Louis was not confined to this paternal care for the private interests of such subjects as approached his person; he was equally attentive and zealous in the case of measures called for by the social condition of the times and the general interests of the kingdom.
— from A Popular History of France from the Earliest Times, Volume 2 by François Guizot

His zeal in the cause of my race was far greater than mine—it was as the burning sun to my taper light—mine was bounded by time, his stretched away to the boundless shores of eternity.
— from John Brown: An Address at the 14th Anniversary of Storer College by Frederick Douglass

I had obtained a room in the same house with my friend, who was visited daily by great numbers of the Chinese, and who, although not a very good Chinaman, was most zealous in the cause of medical missions.
— from Three Years' Wanderings in the Northern Provinces of China Including a visit to the tea, silk, and cotton countries; with an account of the agriculture and horticulture of the Chinese, new plants, etc. by Robert Fortune

Eight days’ journey beyond Zingero is the country of Mager, the king of which is represented to be a very powerful monarch.
— from The Highlands of Ethiopia by Harris, William Cornwallis, Sir

I was full of eagerness, for, apart from my zeal in the cause of morality and domestic happiness, I did not approve of being called a clumsy young animal.
— from Sport Royal, and Other Stories by Anthony Hope