The peasant, watching this pink chalice of his future joys, this mysterious moving crucible into which whatever dreary dregs and leavings he threw, uttermost dregs of uttermost dregs that even his lean dog would not touch, they still by Christmas emerged as sausages, could not but feel at least some affection, at least some little touch of awe.
"The Pastor's Wife"
Elizabeth von Arnim
The ancient Egyptian worship underwent vast transformations in the crucible of all creeds at Alexandria.
"Roman Society from Nero to Marcus Aurelius"
Samuel Dill
She was a spoiled child, of course, and all that sort of thing, but heaven knows she's been pretty thoroughly made over in a new crucible.
"A Fool and His Money"
George Barr McCutcheon