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A Prisoner in Fairyland
A Prisoner in Fairyland

Chapter XVIII · Chapter 18

Chapter 18 of A Prisoner in Fairyland is here in full — 394 sentences across 79 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for A Prisoner in Fairyland
Context Illustration Reading 1/78 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
What art thou, then?
I cannot guess; But tho' I seem in star and flower To feel thee some diffusive power, I do not therefore love thee less.
_Love and Death,_ TENNYSON.
In the act of waking up on the morning of the Star Cave experience, Henry Rogers caught the face of a vivid dream close against his own-- but in rapid motion, already passing.
He tried to seize it.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

A Prisoner in Fairyland

Chapter XVIII · Chapter 18

Chapter 18 of A Prisoner in Fairyland is here in full — 394 sentences across 79 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/78 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
What art thou, then?
/wʌt ɑːrt ðaʊ ðen/
Line 2
I cannot guess; But tho' I seem in star and flower To feel thee some diffusive power, I do not therefore love thee less.
Line 3
_Love and Death,_ TENNYSON.
/lʌv ənd deθ ˈtenɪsən/
Line 4
In the act of waking up on the morning of the Star Cave experience, Henry Rogers caught the face of a vivid dream close against his own-- but in rapid motion, already passing.
/ɪn ðə ækt ʌv ˈweɪ.kɪŋ ʌp ɑːn ðə ˈmɔːrnɪŋ ʌv ðə stɑːr keɪv ɪkˈspɪriəns ˈhenri ˈrɑːdʒərz kɑːt ðə feɪs ʌv ə ˈvɪvəd driːm kloʊs əˈɡenst hɪz oʊn bʌt ɪn ˈræpəd ˈmoʊʃən ɔːlˈredi ˈpæsɪŋ/
Line 5
He tried to seize it.
/hiː traɪd tuː siːz ɪt/

Learner Dictionary

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.

Cave noun US /keɪv/

a geological formation consisting of an underground enclosure with access from the surface of the ground or from the sea

From this reading “In the act of waking up on the morning of the Star Cave experience, Henry Rogers caught the face of a vivid dream close against his own-- but in rapid motion, already passing.”

rapid adjective US /ˈræpəd/

done or occurring in a brief period of time

From this reading “In the act of waking up on the morning of the Star Cave experience, Henry Rogers caught the face of a vivid dream close against his own-- but in rapid motion, already passing.”

Rogers noun US /ˈrɑːdʒərz/

United States humorist remembered for his homespun commentary on politics and American society (1879-1935)

From this reading “In the act of waking up on the morning of the Star Cave experience, Henry Rogers caught the face of a vivid dream close against his own-- but in rapid motion, already passing.”

seize verb US /siːz/

take hold of; grab

From this reading “He tried to seize it.”

tennyson noun US /ˈtenɪsən/

Englishman and Victorian poet (1809-1892)

From this reading “_Love and Death,_ TENNYSON.”

tho noun US /ðoʊ/

a branch of the Tai languages

From this reading “I cannot guess; But tho' I seem in star and flower To feel thee some diffusive power, I do not therefore love thee less.”

vivid adjective US /ˈvɪvəd/

evoking lifelike images within the mind

From this reading “In the act of waking up on the morning of the Star Cave experience, Henry Rogers caught the face of a vivid dream close against his own-- but in rapid motion, already passing.”

waking adjective US /ˈweɪ.kɪŋ/

Risen from sleep; conscious.

From this reading “In the act of waking up on the morning of the Star Cave experience, Henry Rogers caught the face of a vivid dream close against his own-- but in rapid motion, already passing.”

All words in this reading · 55

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.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading In the act of waking up on the morning of the Star Cave experience, Henry Rogers caught the face of a vivid dream close against his own-- but in rapid motion, already passing.

actverbUS /ækt/

perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)

From this reading In the act of waking up on the morning of the Star Cave experience, Henry Rogers caught the face of a vivid dream close against his own-- but in rapid motion, already passing.

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading In the act of waking up on the morning of the Star Cave experience, Henry Rogers caught the face of a vivid dream close against his own-- but in rapid motion, already passing.

alreadyadverbUS /ɔːlˈredi/

prior to a specified or implied time

From this reading In the act of waking up on the morning of the Star Cave experience, Henry Rogers caught the face of a vivid dream close against his own-- but in rapid motion, already passing.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading I cannot guess; But tho' I seem in star and flower To feel thee some diffusive power, I do not therefore love thee less.

artauxiliary verbUS /ɑːrt/

an old form of “are”, used with “thou”

From this reading What art thou, then?

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading I cannot guess; But tho' I seem in star and flower To feel thee some diffusive power, I do not therefore love thee less.

cannot

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading I cannot guess; But tho' I seem in star and flower To feel thee some diffusive power, I do not therefore love thee less.

caughtverbUS /kɑːt/

inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state

From this reading In the act of waking up on the morning of the Star Cave experience, Henry Rogers caught the face of a vivid dream close against his own-- but in rapid motion, already passing.

CavenounUS /keɪv/

a geological formation consisting of an underground enclosure with access from the surface of the ground or from the sea

From this reading In the act of waking up on the morning of the Star Cave experience, Henry Rogers caught the face of a vivid dream close against his own-- but in rapid motion, already passing.

closeadjectiveUS /kloʊs/

at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other

From this reading In the act of waking up on the morning of the Star Cave experience, Henry Rogers caught the face of a vivid dream close against his own-- but in rapid motion, already passing.

DeathnounUS /deθ/

the event of dying or departure from life

From this reading _Love and Death,_ TENNYSON.

diffusiveadjective

spreading by diffusion

From this reading I cannot guess; But tho' I seem in star and flower To feel thee some diffusive power, I do not therefore love thee less.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading I cannot guess; But tho' I seem in star and flower To feel thee some diffusive power, I do not therefore love thee less.

dreamnounUS /driːm/

A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.

From this reading In the act of waking up on the morning of the Star Cave experience, Henry Rogers caught the face of a vivid dream close against his own-- but in rapid motion, already passing.

experienceverbUS /ɪkˈspɪriəns/

undergo or live through a difficult experience

From this reading In the act of waking up on the morning of the Star Cave experience, Henry Rogers caught the face of a vivid dream close against his own-- but in rapid motion, already passing.

facenounUS /feɪs/

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading In the act of waking up on the morning of the Star Cave experience, Henry Rogers caught the face of a vivid dream close against his own-- but in rapid motion, already passing.

feelverbUS /fiːl/

undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind

From this reading I cannot guess; But tho' I seem in star and flower To feel thee some diffusive power, I do not therefore love thee less.

flowernounUS /ˈflaʊər/

a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms

From this reading I cannot guess; But tho' I seem in star and flower To feel thee some diffusive power, I do not therefore love thee less.

guessverbUS /ɡes/

expect, believe, or suppose

From this reading I cannot guess; But tho' I seem in star and flower To feel thee some diffusive power, I do not therefore love thee less.

HepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading He tried to seize it.

HenrynounUS /ˈhenri/

a unit of inductance in which an induced electromotive force of one volt is produced when the current is varied at the rate of one ampere per second

From this reading In the act of waking up on the morning of the Star Cave experience, Henry Rogers caught the face of a vivid dream close against his own-- but in rapid motion, already passing.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading In the act of waking up on the morning of the Star Cave experience, Henry Rogers caught the face of a vivid dream close against his own-- but in rapid motion, already passing.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading I cannot guess; But tho' I seem in star and flower To feel thee some diffusive power, I do not therefore love thee less.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading I cannot guess; But tho' I seem in star and flower To feel thee some diffusive power, I do not therefore love thee less.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading He tried to seize it.

lessadverbUS /les/

used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs

From this reading I cannot guess; But tho' I seem in star and flower To feel thee some diffusive power, I do not therefore love thee less.

lovenounUS /lʌv/

a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading I cannot guess; But tho' I seem in star and flower To feel thee some diffusive power, I do not therefore love thee less.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading In the act of waking up on the morning of the Star Cave experience, Henry Rogers caught the face of a vivid dream close against his own-- but in rapid motion, already passing.

motionnounUS /ˈmoʊʃən/

the use of movements (especially of the hands) to communicate familiar or prearranged signals

From this reading In the act of waking up on the morning of the Star Cave experience, Henry Rogers caught the face of a vivid dream close against his own-- but in rapid motion, already passing.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading I cannot guess; But tho' I seem in star and flower To feel thee some diffusive power, I do not therefore love thee less.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading In the act of waking up on the morning of the Star Cave experience, Henry Rogers caught the face of a vivid dream close against his own-- but in rapid motion, already passing.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading In the act of waking up on the morning of the Star Cave experience, Henry Rogers caught the face of a vivid dream close against his own-- but in rapid motion, already passing.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading In the act of waking up on the morning of the Star Cave experience, Henry Rogers caught the face of a vivid dream close against his own-- but in rapid motion, already passing.

passingnounUS /ˈpæsɪŋ/

(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate

From this reading In the act of waking up on the morning of the Star Cave experience, Henry Rogers caught the face of a vivid dream close against his own-- but in rapid motion, already passing.

powernounUS /ˈpaʊər/

possession of controlling influence

From this reading I cannot guess; But tho' I seem in star and flower To feel thee some diffusive power, I do not therefore love thee less.

rapidadjectiveUS /ˈræpəd/

done or occurring in a brief period of time

From this reading In the act of waking up on the morning of the Star Cave experience, Henry Rogers caught the face of a vivid dream close against his own-- but in rapid motion, already passing.

RogersnounUS /ˈrɑːdʒərz/

United States humorist remembered for his homespun commentary on politics and American society (1879-1935)

From this reading In the act of waking up on the morning of the Star Cave experience, Henry Rogers caught the face of a vivid dream close against his own-- but in rapid motion, already passing.

seemverbUS /siːm/

give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading I cannot guess; But tho' I seem in star and flower To feel thee some diffusive power, I do not therefore love thee less.

seizeverbUS /siːz/

take hold of; grab

From this reading He tried to seize it.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading I cannot guess; But tho' I seem in star and flower To feel thee some diffusive power, I do not therefore love thee less.

starnounUS /stɑːr/

(astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior

From this reading I cannot guess; But tho' I seem in star and flower To feel thee some diffusive power, I do not therefore love thee less.

TENNYSONnounUS /ˈtenɪsən/

Englishman and Victorian poet (1809-1892)

From this reading _Love and Death,_ TENNYSON.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading In the act of waking up on the morning of the Star Cave experience, Henry Rogers caught the face of a vivid dream close against his own-- but in rapid motion, already passing.

theepronounUS /ðiː/

an old word for “you”, as the object, speaking to one person

From this reading I cannot guess; But tho' I seem in star and flower To feel thee some diffusive power, I do not therefore love thee less.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading What art thou, then?

thereforeadverbUS /ˈðerfɔːr/

for that reason; as a result

From this reading I cannot guess; But tho' I seem in star and flower To feel thee some diffusive power, I do not therefore love thee less.

thonounUS /ðoʊ/

a branch of the Tai languages

From this reading I cannot guess; But tho' I seem in star and flower To feel thee some diffusive power, I do not therefore love thee less.

thoupronounUS /ðaʊ/

an old word for “you”, as the subject, speaking to one person

From this reading What art thou, then?

ToparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading I cannot guess; But tho' I seem in star and flower To feel thee some diffusive power, I do not therefore love thee less.

triedadjectiveUS /traɪd/

tested and proved useful or correct

From this reading He tried to seize it.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading In the act of waking up on the morning of the Star Cave experience, Henry Rogers caught the face of a vivid dream close against his own-- but in rapid motion, already passing.

vividadjectiveUS /ˈvɪvəd/

evoking lifelike images within the mind

From this reading In the act of waking up on the morning of the Star Cave experience, Henry Rogers caught the face of a vivid dream close against his own-- but in rapid motion, already passing.

wakingadjectiveUS /ˈweɪ.kɪŋ/

Risen from sleep; conscious.

From this reading In the act of waking up on the morning of the Star Cave experience, Henry Rogers caught the face of a vivid dream close against his own-- but in rapid motion, already passing.

WhatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading What art thou, then?

Chapter 18 of A Prisoner in Fairyland by Algernon Blackwood holds 394 sentences, grouped into 79 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.

What does chapter 18 of A Prisoner in Fairyland contain?

Chapter 18 holds 394 sentences of A Prisoner in Fairyland, unabridged, divided into 79 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 18 of A Prisoner in Fairyland by Algernon Blackwood exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 394 sentences, grouped into 79 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.

How do I study chapter 18 of A Prisoner in Fairyland?

Work through the 79 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 79 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.

Can chapter 18 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 18 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.

Questions about reading A Prisoner in Fairyland

Common questions about reading A Prisoner in Fairyland by Algernon Blackwood on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of A Prisoner in Fairyland?

Yes. All 9117 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #6021 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of A Prisoner in Fairyland is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #6021, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does A Prisoner in Fairyland take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1824 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read A Prisoner in Fairyland section by section

How to work through A Prisoner in Fairyland section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 34 chapters of A Prisoner in Fairyland to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in A Prisoner in Fairyland

Words and structures a reader meets early in A Prisoner in Fairyland, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Render
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Prisoner in Fairyland; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Honest
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Prisoner in Fairyland; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Perfect
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Prisoner in Fairyland; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Commands
A word that appears in the opening chapter of A Prisoner in Fairyland; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.