Chapter 6 of Basil is here in full — 96 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VI
Chapter 6 of Basil is here in full — 96 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
TO MR. JOHN BERNARD, FROM THE WRITER OF THE FORE-GOING AUTOBIOGRAPHY. [This letter is nearly nine years later in date than the letters which precede it.] Lanreath Cottage, Breconshire. MY DEAR FRIEND, I find, by your last letter, that you doubt whether I still remember the circumstances under which I made a certain promise to you, more than eight years ago.
Chapter 6 of Basil is here in full — 96 sentences across 20 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/19 · 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.
a biography of yourself
From this reading “JOHN BERNARD, FROM THE WRITER OF THE FORE-GOING AUTOBIOGRAPHY.”
French physiologist noted for research on secretions of the alimentary canal and the glycogenic function of the liver (1813-1878)
From this reading “JOHN BERNARD, FROM THE WRITER OF THE FORE-GOING AUTOBIOGRAPHY.”
a small house with a single story
From this reading “Lanreath Cottage, Breconshire.”
the specified day of the month
From this reading “[This letter is nearly nine years later in date than the letters which precede it.]”
being one more than seven
From this reading “MY DEAR FRIEND, I find, by your last letter, that you doubt whether I still remember the circumstances under which I made a certain promise to you, more than eight years ago.”
the cardinal number that is the sum of eight and one
From this reading “[This letter is nearly nine years later in date than the letters which precede it.]”
be earlier in time; go back further
From this reading “[This letter is nearly nine years later in date than the letters which precede it.]”
writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
From this reading “JOHN BERNARD, FROM THE WRITER OF THE FORE-GOING AUTOBIOGRAPHY.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading MY DEAR FRIEND, I find, by your last letter, that you doubt whether I still remember the circumstances under which I made a certain promise to you, more than eight years ago.
in the past
From this reading MY DEAR FRIEND, I find, by your last letter, that you doubt whether I still remember the circumstances under which I made a certain promise to you, more than eight years ago.
a biography of yourself
From this reading JOHN BERNARD, FROM THE WRITER OF THE FORE-GOING AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
French physiologist noted for research on secretions of the alimentary canal and the glycogenic function of the liver (1813-1878)
From this reading JOHN BERNARD, FROM THE WRITER OF THE FORE-GOING AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lanreath Cottage, Breconshire.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading MY DEAR FRIEND, I find, by your last letter, that you doubt whether I still remember the circumstances under which I made a certain promise to you, more than eight years ago.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading MY DEAR FRIEND, I find, by your last letter, that you doubt whether I still remember the circumstances under which I made a certain promise to you, more than eight years ago.
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
From this reading MY DEAR FRIEND, I find, by your last letter, that you doubt whether I still remember the circumstances under which I made a certain promise to you, more than eight years ago.
a small house with a single story
From this reading Lanreath Cottage, Breconshire.
the specified day of the month
From this reading [This letter is nearly nine years later in date than the letters which precede it.]
dearly loved
From this reading MY DEAR FRIEND, I find, by your last letter, that you doubt whether I still remember the circumstances under which I made a certain promise to you, more than eight years ago.
the state of being unsure of something
From this reading MY DEAR FRIEND, I find, by your last letter, that you doubt whether I still remember the circumstances under which I made a certain promise to you, more than eight years ago.
being one more than seven
From this reading MY DEAR FRIEND, I find, by your last letter, that you doubt whether I still remember the circumstances under which I made a certain promise to you, more than eight years ago.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading MY DEAR FRIEND, I find, by your last letter, that you doubt whether I still remember the circumstances under which I made a certain promise to you, more than eight years ago.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JOHN BERNARD, FROM THE WRITER OF THE FORE-GOING AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading MY DEAR FRIEND, I find, by your last letter, that you doubt whether I still remember the circumstances under which I made a certain promise to you, more than eight years ago.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading JOHN BERNARD, FROM THE WRITER OF THE FORE-GOING AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading MY DEAR FRIEND, I find, by your last letter, that you doubt whether I still remember the circumstances under which I made a certain promise to you, more than eight years ago.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading [This letter is nearly nine years later in date than the letters which precede it.]
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading [This letter is nearly nine years later in date than the letters which precede it.]
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading [This letter is nearly nine years later in date than the letters which precede it.]
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading JOHN BERNARD, FROM THE WRITER OF THE FORE-GOING AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lanreath Cottage, Breconshire.
immediately past
From this reading MY DEAR FRIEND, I find, by your last letter, that you doubt whether I still remember the circumstances under which I made a certain promise to you, more than eight years ago.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading [This letter is nearly nine years later in date than the letters which precede it.]
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading [This letter is nearly nine years later in date than the letters which precede it.]
the literary culture
From this reading [This letter is nearly nine years later in date than the letters which precede it.]
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading MY DEAR FRIEND, I find, by your last letter, that you doubt whether I still remember the circumstances under which I made a certain promise to you, more than eight years ago.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading MY DEAR FRIEND, I find, by your last letter, that you doubt whether I still remember the circumstances under which I made a certain promise to you, more than eight years ago.
a form of address for a man
From this reading TO MR.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading MY DEAR FRIEND, I find, by your last letter, that you doubt whether I still remember the circumstances under which I made a certain promise to you, more than eight years ago.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading [This letter is nearly nine years later in date than the letters which precede it.]
the cardinal number that is the sum of eight and one
From this reading [This letter is nearly nine years later in date than the letters which precede it.]
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading JOHN BERNARD, FROM THE WRITER OF THE FORE-GOING AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
be earlier in time; go back further
From this reading [This letter is nearly nine years later in date than the letters which precede it.]
make a promise or commitment
From this reading MY DEAR FRIEND, I find, by your last letter, that you doubt whether I still remember the circumstances under which I made a certain promise to you, more than eight years ago.
To recall to mind.
From this reading MY DEAR FRIEND, I find, by your last letter, that you doubt whether I still remember the circumstances under which I made a certain promise to you, more than eight years ago.
not in physical motion
From this reading MY DEAR FRIEND, I find, by your last letter, that you doubt whether I still remember the circumstances under which I made a certain promise to you, more than eight years ago.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading [This letter is nearly nine years later in date than the letters which precede it.]
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading MY DEAR FRIEND, I find, by your last letter, that you doubt whether I still remember the circumstances under which I made a certain promise to you, more than eight years ago.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading JOHN BERNARD, FROM THE WRITER OF THE FORE-GOING AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading [This letter is nearly nine years later in date than the letters which precede it.]
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading TO MR.
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading MY DEAR FRIEND, I find, by your last letter, that you doubt whether I still remember the circumstances under which I made a certain promise to you, more than eight years ago.
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading MY DEAR FRIEND, I find, by your last letter, that you doubt whether I still remember the circumstances under which I made a certain promise to you, more than eight years ago.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading [This letter is nearly nine years later in date than the letters which precede it.]
writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
From this reading JOHN BERNARD, FROM THE WRITER OF THE FORE-GOING AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
a late time of life
From this reading [This letter is nearly nine years later in date than the letters which precede it.]
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading MY DEAR FRIEND, I find, by your last letter, that you doubt whether I still remember the circumstances under which I made a certain promise to you, more than eight years ago.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading MY DEAR FRIEND, I find, by your last letter, that you doubt whether I still remember the circumstances under which I made a certain promise to you, more than eight years ago.
Chapter 6 of Basil by Wilkie Collins holds 96 sentences, grouped into 20 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 6 holds 96 sentences of Basil, unabridged, divided into 20 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 6 of Basil by Wilkie Collins exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 96 sentences, grouped into 20 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 20 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 20 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 6 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 Basil by Wilkie Collins on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 5117 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #4605 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #4605, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 426 minutes of reading across 1024 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Basil section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 6 chapters of Basil 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 Basil, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
