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“ The church bell, no longer a message of peace, called now to blood and battle. The sports and labours of the field were abandoned for fiercer pursuits. The cloud of anxiety darkened every face. Each day brought new events: some fresh encounter, some impending danger, some hard-earned victory. Many a gallant youth of the village lay unburied on a distant battlefield; others, after every action, returned home to die. As the Vendéan women were forbidden to follow the army, most of them remained and performed all the duties of guard-mounting and patrolling like experienced soldiers. ”

“ Many to the right and left sunk with the violent pressure, and were soon suffocated; for now a steam arose from the living and the dead, which affected us in all its circumstances, as if we were forcibly held by our heads over a bowl of strong volatile spirit of hartshorn, until suffocated; nor could the effluvia of the one be distinguished from the other; and frequently, when I was forced by the load upon my head and shoulders, to hold my face down, I was obliged, near as I was to the window, instantly to raise it again, to escape suffocation. ”

“ So the young Prince set forth on his travels, and wandered for many years through all the different countries of the world without ever coming on a trace of the three Princesses. At last one day he came to the mountain where Fabiella and the Eagle lived, and when he saw their palace Tittone stood still, lost in admiration of its marble pillars and alabaster walls, its windows of crystal and roof of glittering gold. ”

“ But what does the greatest honour to Captain Tyrrel, the commodore, is the following incident; when the fort was demolished, a village situated close by it was a strong temptation to men flushed with victory to attack, and they sollicited warmly for leave to destroy it; but their brave commander replied, 'Gentlemen, it is beneath us to render a number of poor people miserable, by destroying their habitations and little conveniencies of life; brave Englishmen scorn to distress even their enemies when not in arms against them:' This prevailed, and saved the lives of the innocent villagers. ”

“ Men may swim obstacle races in the water, may ride them on bicycles, or may run them on their own natural feet. The obstacle race is not a form of sport largely affected by the great London clubs, on their sprucely-kept grounds, but at country meetings, held in the handiest field, at seaside regattas, and among the diversions provided at a sporting festival organized by a larky crew of bluejackets, the obstacle race bloometh and flourisheth exceedingly, and glorious and great is the congregation of guffawing spectators, who gather thickest at the muddywater jump. ”

“ That the commerce of his subjects, the source of our riches, has, by the vigilant protection received from his majesty's fleet, flourished in a manner not to be paralleled during such troubles.
In this state of things, his majesty, in his wisdom, thinks it unnecessary to use many words to persuade you to bear up against all difficulties; effectually to stand by, and defend his majesty; vigorously to support the King of Prussia, and the rest of his majesty's allies; and to exert yourselves to reduce our enemies to equitable terms of accommodation. ”

“ Before many minutes had passed a black slave girl arrived at the well with a pitcher for water. She was just going to dip the jug in the waves, when she perceived the face of the fairy reflected in the water, and, thinking it was her own reflection she saw, she started back with a cry of surprise, exclaiming at the same time, "What, unhappy Lucia, you are as beautiful as all that, and yet your mistress sends you to the well to get water, and you submit to her conduct?" ”

“ John, Wapping, the neighbourhood was alarmed with the cry of fire, which spread a general consternation among the inhabitants. The house of Mr. Hughes, sail-maker, adjoining to Gun-dock, was all in flames in an instant, and communicated itself to a biscuit baker's adjoining, and with irresistable fury burnt down 15 houses on both sides the way before water could be had to supply the engines, it being then ebb-tide. Numbers of the unhappy sufferers had their goods carried off by persons who pretended to assift them in their distress, some of whom are in custody. ”

“ You have pronounced your own doom, for it was you, and no other, you vile wretch, who did my beautiful bride so much wrong. Know now that this is the lovely maid whose head you pierced with your hairpin, and she, too, was the beautiful dove you had so cruelly caught and roasted. But as you have done unto others, so it shall be done unto you, and as you showed no mercy, neither shall it be shown you. ”

“ In Germany his majesty's good brother the King of Prussia, and Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick, have found full employment for the armies of France and her confederates; from which our operations, both by sea, and in America, have derived the most evident advantage. Their successes, owing, under God, to their able conduct, and the bravery of his majesty's troops and those of his allies, have been signal and glorious. ”

“ When at last the tide of battle had ebbed away from the wrecked village, Margot, having marvellously escaped all personal injury, but nearly dead with grief and horror, was free to weep in solitude over the smoking heap which was all that remained of her home. ”

“ It has pleased the Divine Providence to bless his majesty's measures and arms with success in several parts; and to make our enemies feel, that the strength of Great Britain is not to be provoked with impunity.
We have it also in command from his majesty to acquaint you, that the conquest of the strong fortress of Louisbourg, with the islands of Cape Breton and St. John; the taking of Frontenac, of the highest importance to our operations in North America; and the reduction of Senegal; cannot fail to bring great distress upon the French commerce and colonies ”

“ The plank obstacle is an easy one—merely an inclined plane a foot wide or more, up which one must ride and down another. It requires nothing more than steadiness and careful steering, but it is bad for the competitor who approaches it with a wobble; for, verily, that wobble, once on, shall not leave his wheel until it goes over the side of the plank, and carries him with it, so that a certain amount of innocent rustic enjoyment may be extracted from the contemplation even of this simple obstacle. ”

“ Make known to all the inhabitants of Brittany, that the descent on their coast with the powerful army under our command, and our formidable armament by sea, is not made with an intention to make war on the inhabitants of the country, excepting those who should be found in arms, or shall otherwise oppose the just war, which we wage against his majesty the most Christian king. ”

“ A good, clear run is given before the first obstacle is reached, just to break up the crowd a little, and send them into their difficulties with plenty of impetus. It is a remarkable thing that, no matter what may happen in other races, there is always a dog about when an obstacle race is started—a dog which goes off after the runners, and barks and snaps angrily at their heels. ”

“ With these words the Queen rose and descended to a lily-boat, which bore her quickly away. Now three of the loveliest of the fairies stepped with Zandilli into the golden canoe—wonder after wonder unfolded itself to his astonished gaze. was glitter and light. But there was one dark cavern, whose walls were lustreless and black as night. ”

“ You are now therefore receiving the acknowledgments of the people, only in a more solemn way—by the voice, the general voice, of their representatives in parliament—The most honourable fame that any man can arrive at, in this, or any other country. It is, on these occasions, a national honour, from a free people; ever cautiously to be conferred, in order to be the more esteemed to be the greater reward; and which ought to be reserved for the most signal services to the state, and the most approved merit in them ”

“ To fight one's way blindly through paper, tow, and cotton-waste in a wobbling barrel is a worse thing than to do the same through the empty article; but when soot is added in generous quantities then is the bitterness of the obstacle race seen indeed, and felt, and tasted. ”

“ Before I hit upon this happy expedient, I had in an ungovernable fit of thirst, attempted drinking my urine; but it was so intensely bitter, there was no enduring a second taste, whereas no Bristol water could be more soft or pleasant than what arose from perspiration.
By half an hour past eleven, the much greater number of those living were in an outrageous delirium, and the others quite ungovernable; few retaining any calmness, but the ranks next the windows. ”

“ Nearer and nearer to the devoted village swept the wild current of war; for the wide-spreading force of the Republican arms was now driving the gallant Vendéans to the more remote and difficult positions. Margot's village became the headquarters of one of the retreating bodies of Royalists. All was bustle and excitement. The seigneur, having escaped death in several desperate encounters, had reached again his own roof, there to enjoy such a measure of repose as his anxiety would allow him. The general commanding, with his staff, was, of course, lodged in the château. ”