Were I a steam-engine, wouldst thou take the trouble to tell lies of me? Carlyle.
Were I so tall to reach the pole / Or grasp 5 the ocean with my span, / I must be measured by my soul: / The mind's the standard of the man. Watts.
Were it no for hope the heart wad break. Sc. Pr.
Were it not miraculous, could I stretch forth my hand and clutch the sun? Dost thou not see that the true inexplicable God-revealing miracle lies in this, that I can stretch forth my hand at all, that I have free force to clutch aught therewith? Carlyle.
Were man / But constant, he were perfect. Two Gent. of Verona, v. 4.
Were man not a poor hungry dastard, and even much of a blockhead withal, he would cease criticising his victuals to such extent, and criticise himself rather, what he does with his victuals. Carlyle.
Were one to preach a sermon on Health, as 10 really were worth doing, Scott ought to be the text. Carlyle.
Were the eye not sun-related (sonnenhaft), it could never see the sun; were there not in us divine affinities, how could the divine so ravish us? Goethe.
"Were there as many devils in Worms as there are roof-tiles, I would on." Luther's answer to his friends who pled with him not to go.
Were there but one man in the world, he would be a terror to himself; and the highest man not less so than the lowest. Carlyle.