perversest

So they are to lose a son, or to conquer a daughter — the perversest and most ungrateful that ever parents had! —

Clarissa Harlowe 2006

What-ever be his fate with one of the perversest, yet no — blest-minded of women, I will ever look upon him as my brother.

Sir Charles Grandison 2006

'Now you Eastern galoots won't believe anything against the yellow devils, 'he suddenly flamed out with an appearance of earnestness not altogether convincing,' but I tell you that Chink was the perversest scoundrel outside San Francisco.

Can Such Things Be 1893

And yet, perversest beings! hating Death, their best of friends!

Poems Victor Hugo 1843

I assure you, Radie, I think you, all to nothing, the perversest fool I ever encountered or heard of in the course of my life. '

Wylder's Hand Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu 1843

Then would the noble or right honourable Barnacle perceive, sir, from this little document, which he thought might carry conviction even to the perversest mind (Derisive laughter and cheering from the Barnacle fry), that within the short compass of the last financial half-year, this much-maligned Department (Cheers) had written and received fifteen thousand letters (Loud cheers), had written twenty-four thousand minutes

Little Dorrit Charles Dickens 1841

You invent all sorts of vices, under pretence of making laws for preserving virtue; and the anomalous artificialities of conduct yourselves produce, you say you are born with; you make a machine by the perversest art you can think of, and you call it, with a sigh, 'Human

Paul Clifford — Volume 04 Edward Bulwer Lytton Lytton 1838

You invent all sorts of vices, under pretence of making laws for preserving virtue; and the anomalous artificialities of conduct yourselves produce, you say you are born with; you make a machine by the perversest art you can think of, and you call it, with

Paul Clifford — Complete Edward Bulwer Lytton Lytton 1838

Virtue,’ thought I, ‘but the tempter without, and the tempter within, will be too many for the perversest nicety that ever the sex boasted.’

Pamela 2006

These take the fastest and surest hold of men, even of the most obstinate and obdurate sinners; for arguments of love and kindness will work but little upon such persons; some ingenuity is required to be swayed by such considerations: but the perversest creatures love themselves, and may be wrought upon by arguments of fear: so that it is agreeable both to the nature of man and of religion, to propound such arguments to our consideration.

The Works of Dr. John Tillotson, Late Archbishop of Canterbury. Vol. 10. 1630-1694 1820