Grocott & Ward, comps. Grocott’s Familiar Quotations, 6th ed. 189-?.
Astonishment
The whole company were in astonishment: whist stood still; quadrille laid down the cards; and brag was in suspense.
Murphy.—The Way to Keep Him, Act II.
The sempster sat still as I pass’d by,
And dropt her needle! fishwives stayed their cry!
Ben Jonson.—Time Vindicated.
The steer forgot to graze.
Tennyson.—The Gardener’s Daughter.
A tale which holdeth children from their play, and old men from the chimney corner.
Sidney.—Apology for Poetry. (Arber’s reprint, 40.)
He caught the attention of both old and young—labour stood still as he passed—the bucket hung suspended in the middle of the well—the spinning-wheel forgot its round—even chuck-farthing and shufflecap themselves stood gaping till he had got out of sight.
Sterne.—Tristram Shandy, Chap. X.; Wm. Combe, Doctor Syntax, Chap. V.