To the Berties are to be added the Lances, with whose cards we have been endowed, and whose visit Frank and I returned yesterday.
— from The Letters of Jane Austen Selected from the compilation of her great nephew, Edward, Lord Bradbourne by Jane Austen

When you are going to do a miracle for an ignorant race, you want to get in every detail that will count; you want to make all the properties impressive to the public eye; you want to make matters comfortable for your head guest; then you can turn yourself loose and play your effects for all they are worth.
— from A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain

I know infinitely too much; enough indeed to satisfy me, that unless she is immediately prevented, she is in danger of running into the same fatal mischief, which, by foolishly and ignorantly refusing your most wise and prudent advice, I have unfortunately brought on myself.
— from History of Tom Jones, a Foundling by Henry Fielding

To this address, characteristic alike in the peculiar syntax of its sentences and in the well-meant platitudes to which it gives expression, his Excellency was pleased to return the following answer: "I return you my thanks for your dutiful address and for your good wishes for my welfare and prosperity of this province.
— from Toronto of Old Collections and recollections illustrative of the early settlement and social life of the capital of Ontario by Henry Scadding

It was formerly in much repute for swearing on; “and a terrible thing it was, for if you swore falsely and it round your neck, your mouth would turn to the back of your head, or you’d get such a throttling as you’d never get the better of.”
— from The Irish Penny Journal, Vol. 1 No. 11, September 12, 1840 by Various

A truce was concluded with France, and its renewal year after year enabled the king to lighten the burthen of taxation.
— from History of the English People, Volume II The Charter, 1216-1307; The Parliament, 1307-1400 by John Richard Green

"Well, Mistress Patience, you have shown great condescension to a poor forester, and I return you many thanks for your kindness toward me: I will now take my leave."
— from The Children of the New Forest by Frederick Marryat

He meant, I suppose, “legs taken off unnecessarily,” and I thought so; but he had been boring me till I felt pale and looked like fainting, and I replied: “Yes.
— from John Smith's Funny Adventures on a Crutch Or The Remarkable Peregrinations of a One-legged Soldier after the War by A. F. (Ashbel Fairchild) Hill

I can't tell you the words, but I got this general impression, as far as I remember; yes, sir; and he did not want to do factory work.
— from Warren Commission (10 of 26): Hearings Vol. X (of 15) by United States. Warren Commission

“‘Drive another one of them,’ he said, pointing to the stake between my feet, ‘and I reckon you’ll pull it out with your teeth.’”
— from Lost Farm Camp by Henry Herbert Knibbs

"Never but one; that was the Floridian, and I reckon you know as much about that affair as any other person, Christy," replied Percy, laughing as though it had been a good joke on Captain Flanger.
— from Fighting for the Right by Oliver Optic