But there was a story, for which it is
difficult to conceive any foundation, that the posterity of Matthew Maule had some connection with the mystery of the looking-glass, and that, by what appears to have been a sort of mesmeric process, they could make its inner region all alive with the departed Pyncheons; not as they had shown themselves to the world, nor in their better and happier hours, but as doing over again some deed of sin, or in the crisis of life's bitterest sorrow.
There, beside the fireplace, the brave old General used to sit; while the Surveyor -- though seldom, when it could be avoided, taking upon himself the
difficult task of engaging him in conversation -- was fond of standing at a distance, and watching his quiet and almost slumberous countenance.
If the place be
difficult to find, ten to one the man will drop his own matters and go with you and show you.
Rebecca leaped off the porch, snatched Alice Robinson from under the currant bushes, and, what was much more
difficult, succeeded, by means of a complicated system of signals, in getting Emma Jane away from the Simpson party and giving them the slip altogether.
After what has happened, and after his recovery, I find it
difficult to imagine any such violent sounding of that string again.
He is a very kindly, generous man, and anyone who has ever written stories will know that it is much more
difficult to make kindly, generous characters interesting than unkindly and mean ones.
But, on examination, I found that, as for logic, its syllogisms and the majority of its other precepts are of avail- rather in the communication of what we already know, or even as the art of Lully, in speaking without judgment of things of which we are ignorant, than in the investigation of the unknown; and although this science contains indeed a number of correct and very excellent precepts, there are, nevertheless, so many others, and these either injurious or superfluous, mingled with the former, that it is almost quite as
difficult to effect a severance of the true from the false as it is to extract a Diana or a Minerva from a rough block of marble.
The transition from this disposition to that of considering them masters, is neither remote nor
difficult; but it is very
difficult to prevail upon a people under such impressions, to make a bold or effectual resistance to usurpations supported by the military power.
The communication between the Western and Atlantic districts, and between different parts of each, will be rendered more and more easy by those numerous canals with which the beneficence of nature has intersected our country, and which art finds it so little
difficult to connect and complete.
It would have been
difficult to explain why he was on board without awakening Passepartout's suspicions, who thought him still at Bombay.
And it ought to be remembered that there is nothing more
difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, then to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things.
Mountain forests, rugged steeps, marshes and fens--all country that is hard to traverse: this is
difficult ground.
It is
difficult for my heart to express itself; still more
difficult for it to forego self- expression.
The object of knowledge would appear to exist before knowledge itself, for it is usually the case that we acquire knowledge of objects already existing; it would be
difficult, if not impossible, to find a branch of knowledge the beginning of the existence of which was contemporaneous with that of its object.
Our progress, at first comparatively easy, became more and more
difficult.
