Chapter 1 of A History of American Literature is here in full — 296 sentences across 60 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of A History of American Literature is here in full — 296 sentences across 60 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
This version of the text is unable to reproduce certain typographic features. Italics are delimited with the '_' character as _italic_. Bold text is delimited with the '=' character. The 'oe' ligature is rendered as separate characters. Any text printed using "small capitals" was shifted to all upper-case.
Chapter 1 of A History of American Literature is here in full — 296 sentences across 60 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/59 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
plural of “capital” — assets available for use in the production of further assets
From this reading “Any text printed using "small capitals" was shifted to all upper-case.”
a style of handwriting with the letters slanting to the right
plural of “italic” — a style of handwriting with the letters slanting to the right
From this reading “Italics are delimited with the '_' character as _italic_.”
make a copy or equivalent of
From this reading “This version of the text is unable to reproduce certain typographic features.”
act as a barrier between; stand between
From this reading “The 'oe' ligature is rendered as separate characters.”
past form of “shift” — make a shift in or exchange of
From this reading “Any text printed using "small capitals" was shifted to all upper-case.”
the words of something written
From this reading “This version of the text is unable to reproduce certain typographic features.”
an interpretation of a matter from a particular viewpoint
From this reading “This version of the text is unable to reproduce certain typographic features.”
English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.
Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.
a character having the form of an upper-case letter but the same height as lower-case letters
In this reading “Any text printed using "small capitals" was shifted to all upper-case.”
Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.
Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading Any text printed using "small capitals" was shifted to all upper-case.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Any text printed using "small capitals" was shifted to all upper-case.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Italics are delimited with the '_' character as _italic_.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Italics are delimited with the '_' character as _italic_.
fearless and daring
From this reading Bold text is delimited with the '=' character.
plural of “capital” — assets available for use in the production of further assets
From this reading Any text printed using "small capitals" was shifted to all upper-case.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading This version of the text is unable to reproduce certain typographic features.
an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)
From this reading Italics are delimited with the '_' character as _italic_.
plural of “character” — an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)
From this reading The 'oe' ligature is rendered as separate characters.
having the limits or boundaries established
From this reading Italics are delimited with the '_' character as _italic_.
plural of “feature” — a prominent attribute or aspect of something
From this reading This version of the text is unable to reproduce certain typographic features.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This version of the text is unable to reproduce certain typographic features.
a style of handwriting with the letters slanting to the right
From this reading Italics are delimited with the '_' character as _italic_.
plural of “italic” — a style of handwriting with the letters slanting to the right
From this reading Italics are delimited with the '_' character as _italic_.
(music) a group of notes connected by a slur
From this reading The 'oe' ligature is rendered as separate characters.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The 'oe' ligature is rendered as separate characters.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading This version of the text is unable to reproduce certain typographic features.
past form of “print” — put into print
From this reading Any text printed using "small capitals" was shifted to all upper-case.
past form of “render” — cause to become
From this reading The 'oe' ligature is rendered as separate characters.
make a copy or equivalent of
From this reading This version of the text is unable to reproduce certain typographic features.
act as a barrier between; stand between
From this reading The 'oe' ligature is rendered as separate characters.
past form of “shift” — make a shift in or exchange of
From this reading Any text printed using "small capitals" was shifted to all upper-case.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Any text printed using "small capitals" was shifted to all upper-case.
the words of something written
From this reading This version of the text is unable to reproduce certain typographic features.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading This version of the text is unable to reproduce certain typographic features.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This version of the text is unable to reproduce certain typographic features.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading This version of the text is unable to reproduce certain typographic features.
relating to or occurring or used in typography
From this reading This version of the text is unable to reproduce certain typographic features.
(usually followed by “to”) not having the necessary means or skill or know-how
From this reading This version of the text is unable to reproduce certain typographic features.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Any text printed using "small capitals" was shifted to all upper-case.
an act that exploits or victimizes someone (treats them unfairly)
From this reading Any text printed using "small capitals" was shifted to all upper-case.
an interpretation of a matter from a particular viewpoint
From this reading This version of the text is unable to reproduce certain typographic features.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Any text printed using "small capitals" was shifted to all upper-case.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Italics are delimited with the '_' character as _italic_.
Chapter 1 of A History of American Literature by Percy Holmes Boynton holds 296 sentences, grouped into 60 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 1 holds 296 sentences of A History of American Literature, unabridged, divided into 60 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of A History of American Literature by Percy Holmes Boynton exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 296 sentences, grouped into 60 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 60 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 60 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 can be played aloud in United States English.
Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.
Common questions about reading A History of American Literature by Percy Holmes Boynton on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 8487 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #45353 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #45353, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 1698 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through A History of American Literature section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 29 chapters of A History of American Literature to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in A History of American Literature, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
