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Among My Books. First Series
Among My Books. First Series

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of Among My Books. First Series is here in full — 386 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/77 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Other books followed on the same side, of which Bekker's, published about a century later, was the most important.
It is well reasoned, learned, and tedious to a masterly degree.
But though the belief in witchcraft might be shaken, it still had the advantage of being on the whole orthodox and respectable.
Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."
The Devil continued to be the only recognized Minister Resident of God upon earth.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Among My Books. First Series

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of Among My Books. First Series is here in full — 386 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/77 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Other books followed on the same side, of which Bekker's, published about a century later, was the most important.
Line 2
It is well reasoned, learned, and tedious to a masterly degree.
/ɪt ɪz wel ˈriːzənd lɜːrnd ənd ˈtiːdiəs tuː ə ˈmæstərli dɪˈɡriː/
Line 3
But though the belief in witchcraft might be shaken, it still had the advantage of being on the whole orthodox and respectable.
/bʌt ðoʊ ðə bɪˈliːf ɪn ˈwɪtʃkræft maɪt biː ˈʃeɪkən ɪt stɪl hæd ðə ædˈvæntɪdʒ ʌv ˈbiːɪŋ ɑːn ðə hoʊl ˈɔːrθədɑːks ənd rɪˈspektəbəl/
Line 4
Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."
Line 5
The Devil continued to be the only recognized Minister Resident of God upon earth.
/ðə ˈdevəl kənˈtɪnjuːd tuː biː ðə ˈoʊnli ˈrekəɡnaɪzd ˈmɪnəstər ˈrezɪdənt ʌv ɡɑːd əˈpɑːn ɜːrθ/

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.

masterly adjective US /ˈmæstərli/

having or revealing supreme mastery or skill

From this reading “It is well reasoned, learned, and tedious to a masterly degree.”

nozzle noun US /ˈnɑːzəl/

a projecting spout from which a fluid is discharged

From this reading “Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."”

orthodox adjective US /ˈɔːrθədɑːks/

of or pertaining to or characteristic of Judaism

From this reading “But though the belief in witchcraft might be shaken, it still had the advantage of being on the whole orthodox and respectable.”

paltry adjective US /ˈpɔːltri/

not worth considering

From this reading “Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."”

Resident adjective US /ˈrezɪdənt/

living in a particular place

From this reading “The Devil continued to be the only recognized Minister Resident of God upon earth.”

sconce noun US /skɑːns/

a shelter or screen providing protection from enemy fire or from the weather

From this reading “Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."”

scouring noun US /ˈskaʊərɪŋ/

moving over territory to search for something

From this reading “Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."”

witchcraft noun US /ˈwɪtʃkræft/

the art of sorcery

From this reading “But though the belief in witchcraft might be shaken, it still had the advantage of being on the whole orthodox and respectable.”

All words in this reading · 86

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 Other books followed on the same side, of which Bekker's, published about a century later, was the most important.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading Other books followed on the same side, of which Bekker's, published about a century later, was the most important.

advantagenounUS /ædˈvæntɪdʒ/

the quality of having a superior or more favorable position

From this reading But though the belief in witchcraft might be shaken, it still had the advantage of being on the whole orthodox and respectable.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading It is well reasoned, learned, and tedious to a masterly degree.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading But though the belief in witchcraft might be shaken, it still had the advantage of being on the whole orthodox and respectable.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading But though the belief in witchcraft might be shaken, it still had the advantage of being on the whole orthodox and respectable.

Bekker's

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

From this reading Other books followed on the same side, of which Bekker's, published about a century later, was the most important.

beliefnounUS /bɪˈliːf/

any cognitive content held as true

From this reading But though the belief in witchcraft might be shaken, it still had the advantage of being on the whole orthodox and respectable.

booksnounUS /bʊks/

Bound written or printed works.

From this reading Other books followed on the same side, of which Bekker's, published about a century later, was the most important.

brokeadjectiveUS /broʊk/

lacking funds

From this reading Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But though the belief in witchcraft might be shaken, it still had the advantage of being on the whole orthodox and respectable.

centurynounUS /ˈsentʃəri/

a period of 100 years

From this reading Other books followed on the same side, of which Bekker's, published about a century later, was the most important.

continuedadjectiveUS /kənˈtɪnjuːd/

without stop or interruption

From this reading The Devil continued to be the only recognized Minister Resident of God upon earth.

Cornelius

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

From this reading Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."

degreenounUS /dɪˈɡriː/

a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality

From this reading It is well reasoned, learned, and tedious to a masterly degree.

DevilnounUS /ˈdevəl/

(Judeo-Christian and Islamic religions) chief spirit of evil and adversary of God; tempter of mankind; master of Hell

From this reading The Devil continued to be the only recognized Minister Resident of God upon earth.

earthnounUS /ɜːrθ/

the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on

From this reading The Devil continued to be the only recognized Minister Resident of God upon earth.

faithnounUS /feɪθ/

a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny

From this reading Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."

followedverbUS /ˈfɑːloʊd/

past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after

From this reading Other books followed on the same side, of which Bekker's, published about a century later, was the most important.

GodnounUS /ɡɑːd/

the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions

From this reading The Devil continued to be the only recognized Minister Resident of God upon earth.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading But though the belief in witchcraft might be shaken, it still had the advantage of being on the whole orthodox and respectable.

importantadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpɔːrtənt/

of great significance or value

From this reading Other books followed on the same side, of which Bekker's, published about a century later, was the most important.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading But though the belief in witchcraft might be shaken, it still had the advantage of being on the whole orthodox and respectable.

insistedverbUS /ˌɪnˈsɪstəd/

past form of “insist” — be emphatic or resolute and refuse to budge

From this reading Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading It is well reasoned, learned, and tedious to a masterly degree.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It is well reasoned, learned, and tedious to a masterly degree.

lateradverbUS /ˈleɪtər/

happening at a time subsequent to a reference time

From this reading Other books followed on the same side, of which Bekker's, published about a century later, was the most important.

learnedadjectiveUS /lɜːrnd/

having or showing profound knowledge

From this reading It is well reasoned, learned, and tedious to a masterly degree.

lestconjunctionUS /lest/

in order that something should not happen

From this reading Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."

masterlyadjectiveUS /ˈmæstərli/

having or revealing supreme mastery or skill

From this reading It is well reasoned, learned, and tedious to a masterly degree.

mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading But though the belief in witchcraft might be shaken, it still had the advantage of being on the whole orthodox and respectable.

MinisternounUS /ˈmɪnəstər/

a person authorized to conduct religious worship

From this reading The Devil continued to be the only recognized Minister Resident of God upon earth.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."

mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading Other books followed on the same side, of which Bekker's, published about a century later, was the most important.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."

nozzlenounUS /ˈnɑːzəl/

a projecting spout from which a fluid is discharged

From this reading Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."

objectedverbUS /əbˈdʒektəd/

past form of “object” — express or raise an objection or protest or criticism or express dissent

From this reading Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Other books followed on the same side, of which Bekker's, published about a century later, was the most important.

offadverbUS /ɔːf/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Other books followed on the same side, of which Bekker's, published about a century later, was the most important.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading The Devil continued to be the only recognized Minister Resident of God upon earth.

orthodoxadjectiveUS /ˈɔːrθədɑːks/

of or pertaining to or characteristic of Judaism

From this reading But though the belief in witchcraft might be shaken, it still had the advantage of being on the whole orthodox and respectable.

OtheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading Other books followed on the same side, of which Bekker's, published about a century later, was the most important.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."

paltryadjectiveUS /ˈpɔːltri/

not worth considering

From this reading Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."

publishedadjectiveUS /ˈpʌblɪʃt/

prepared and printed for distribution and sale

From this reading Other books followed on the same side, of which Bekker's, published about a century later, was the most important.

reasonedadjectiveUS /ˈriːzənd/

logically valid

From this reading It is well reasoned, learned, and tedious to a masterly degree.

recognizedadjectiveUS /ˈrekəɡnaɪzd/

generally approved or compelling recognition

From this reading The Devil continued to be the only recognized Minister Resident of God upon earth.

regardingverbUS /rɪˈɡɑːrdɪŋ/

-ing form of “regard” — deem to be

From this reading Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."

religionnounUS /rɪˈlɪdʒən/

a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny

From this reading Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."

ResidentadjectiveUS /ˈrezɪdənt/

living in a particular place

From this reading The Devil continued to be the only recognized Minister Resident of God upon earth.

respectableadjectiveUS /rɪˈspektəbəl/

characterized by socially or conventionally acceptable morals

From this reading But though the belief in witchcraft might be shaken, it still had the advantage of being on the whole orthodox and respectable.

sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading Other books followed on the same side, of which Bekker's, published about a century later, was the most important.

sconcenounUS /skɑːns/

a shelter or screen providing protection from enemy fire or from the weather

From this reading Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."

scouringnounUS /ˈskaʊərɪŋ/

moving over territory to search for something

From this reading Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."

Scriblerus

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

From this reading Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."

shakenadjectiveUS /ˈʃeɪkən/

disturbed psychologically as if by a physical jolt or shock

From this reading But though the belief in witchcraft might be shaken, it still had the advantage of being on the whole orthodox and respectable.

shieldnounUS /ʃiːld/

a protective covering or structure

From this reading Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."

sidenounUS /saɪd/

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading Other books followed on the same side, of which Bekker's, published about a century later, was the most important.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading But though the belief in witchcraft might be shaken, it still had the advantage of being on the whole orthodox and respectable.

substancenounUS /ˈsʌbstəns/

the real physical matter of which a person or thing consists

From this reading Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."

suddenlyadverbUS /ˈsʌdənli/

happening unexpectedly

From this reading Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."

superstitionnounUS /ˌsuːpərˈstɪʃən/

an irrational belief arising from ignorance or fear

From this reading Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."

tediousadjectiveUS /ˈtiːdiəs/

so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness

From this reading It is well reasoned, learned, and tedious to a masterly degree.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Other books followed on the same side, of which Bekker's, published about a century later, was the most important.

thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading But though the belief in witchcraft might be shaken, it still had the advantage of being on the whole orthodox and respectable.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It is well reasoned, learned, and tedious to a masterly degree.

turnverbUS /tɜːrn/

change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense

From this reading Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading The Devil continued to be the only recognized Minister Resident of God upon earth.

usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/

occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure

From this reading Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Other books followed on the same side, of which Bekker's, published about a century later, was the most important.

welladverbUS /wel/

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading It is well reasoned, learned, and tedious to a masterly degree.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading Other books followed on the same side, of which Bekker's, published about a century later, was the most important.

wholeadjectiveUS /hoʊl/

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading But though the belief in witchcraft might be shaken, it still had the advantage of being on the whole orthodox and respectable.

WiseadjectiveUS /waɪz/

having or prompted by wisdom or discernment

From this reading Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."

witchcraftnounUS /ˈwɪtʃkræft/

the art of sorcery

From this reading But though the belief in witchcraft might be shaken, it still had the advantage of being on the whole orthodox and respectable.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Wise men, as usual, insisted on regarding superstition as of one substance with faith, and objected to any scouring of the shield of religion, lest, like that of Cornelius Scriblerus, it should suddenly turn out to be nothing more than "a paltry old sconce with the nozzle broke off."

Chapter 5 of Among My Books. First Series by James Russell Lowell holds 386 sentences, grouped into 78 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 5 of Among My Books. First Series contain?

Chapter 5 holds 386 sentences of Among My Books. First Series, unabridged, divided into 78 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 5 of Among My Books. First Series by James Russell Lowell exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 386 sentences, grouped into 78 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 5 of Among My Books. First Series?

Work through the 78 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 78 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 5 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 5 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 Among My Books. First Series

Common questions about reading Among My Books. First Series by James Russell Lowell on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Among My Books. First Series?

Yes. All 4320 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #8503 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Among My Books. First Series is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #8503, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Among My Books. First Series take to read?

About 360 minutes of reading across 864 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Among My Books. First Series section by section

How to work through Among My Books. First Series section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 11 chapters of Among My Books. First Series 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 Among My Books. First Series

Words and structures a reader meets early in Among My Books. First Series, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Comes
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Among My Books. First Series; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Music
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Among My Books. First Series; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Tunes
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Among My Books. First Series; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Young
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Among My Books. First Series; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.