Before the Roman came to Rye or out to Severn strode, the rolling English drunkard made the rolling English road. - G.K. Chesterton 'The Rolling English Road'

While he is at rest, I am cursed still to live:- even Death loved him the best. - Adelaide Anne Procter 'Envy'

O God, you made me like to know, you kept the things straight in my head, please God, if you can make it so, let me know something when I'm dead. - E. Nesbit 'The Things That Matter'

A frail, dead, new-born lamb, ghostly and pitiful and white a blot upon the night, the moon's dropped child! - Charlotte Mew, 'Fame'

With mast, and helm, and pennon fair, that well had borne their part - but the noblest thing which perish'd there, was that young faithful heart. - Felicia Hemans 'Casabianca'

'There is no God,' the wicked saith, 'and truly it's a blessing, for what he might have done with us it's better only guessing.? - Arthur Hugh Clough 'There Is No God'

A thousand martyrs I have made, all sacrificed to my desire. - Aphra Behn 'A Thousand Martyrs'

And who has greater sense, but greater sorrow shares? - Anne Finch, 'The hog, the sheep and the goat, carrying to a fair'

Go to thy little senseless play; thou dost not heed my lay. - Joanna Baillie 'A Mother To Her Waking Infant'

How very mean a thing is a Duke; From all his ill-got honours flung, turned to that dirt from whence he sprung. - Jonathan Swift 'A satirical elegy on the death of a late famous general'

With walking sick, with curtseys lame, and frighted by the scolding dame, poor Mira once again is seen within the bounds of Goslin-Green. - Mary Leapor 'The Visit'

For I will consider my Cat Jeoffry. For he is the servant of the Living God, duly and daily serving him. - Christopher Smart 'My cat Jeoffrey'