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Bibliomania
Bibliomania

Chapter XII · Chapter 12

Chapter 12 of Bibliomania is here in full — 2325 sentences across 465 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Bibliomania
Context Illustration Reading 1/465 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
=The Alcove.= SYMPTOMS OF THE BIBLIOMANIA.----PROBABLE MEANS OF ITS CURE.
"One saith this booke is too long: another, too short: the third, of due length; and for fine phrase and style, the like [of] that booke was not made a great while.
It is all lies, said another; the booke is starke naught."
_Choice of Change_; 1585.
4to., sign.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Bibliomania

Chapter XII · Chapter 12

Chapter 12 of Bibliomania is here in full — 2325 sentences across 465 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/465 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
=The Alcove.= SYMPTOMS OF THE BIBLIOMANIA.----PROBABLE MEANS OF ITS CURE.
Line 2
"One saith this booke is too long: another, too short: the third, of due length; and for fine phrase and style, the like [of] that booke was not made a great while.
Line 3
It is all lies, said another; the booke is starke naught."
Line 4
_Choice of Change_; 1585.
Line 5
4to., sign.

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.

Alcove noun US /ˈælkoʊv/

a small recess opening off a larger room

From this reading “=The Alcove.= SYMPTOMS OF THE BIBLIOMANIA.----PROBABLE MEANS OF ITS CURE.”

Choice noun US /tʃɔɪs/

the person or thing chosen or selected

cure verb US /kjʊr/

provide a cure for, make healthy again

From this reading “=The Alcove.= SYMPTOMS OF THE BIBLIOMANIA.----PROBABLE MEANS OF ITS CURE.”

naught noun US /nɔːt/

a quantity of no importance

From this reading “It is all lies, said another; the booke is starke naught."”

phrase noun US /freɪz/

an expression consisting of one or more words forming a grammatical constituent of a sentence

From this reading “"One saith this booke is too long: another, too short: the third, of due length; and for fine phrase and style, the like [of] that booke was not made a great while.”

probable adjective US /ˈprɑːbəbəl/

likely but not certain to be or become true or real

From this reading “=The Alcove.= SYMPTOMS OF THE BIBLIOMANIA.----PROBABLE MEANS OF ITS CURE.”

style noun US /staɪl/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading “"One saith this booke is too long: another, too short: the third, of due length; and for fine phrase and style, the like [of] that booke was not made a great while.”

symptoms noun US /ˈsɪmptəmz/

plural of “symptom” — (medicine) any sensation or change in bodily function that is experienced by a patient and is associated with a particular disease

From this reading “=The Alcove.= SYMPTOMS OF THE BIBLIOMANIA.----PROBABLE MEANS OF ITS CURE.”

All words in this reading · 46

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.

1585

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

From this reading _Choice of Change_; 1585.

4

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

From this reading 4to., sign.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading "One saith this booke is too long: another, too short: the third, of due length; and for fine phrase and style, the like [of] that booke was not made a great while.

AlcovenounUS /ˈælkoʊv/

a small recess opening off a larger room

From this reading =The Alcove.= SYMPTOMS OF THE BIBLIOMANIA.----PROBABLE MEANS OF ITS CURE.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(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 It is all lies, said another; the booke is starke naught."

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading "One saith this booke is too long: another, too short: the third, of due length; and for fine phrase and style, the like [of] that booke was not made a great while.

anotherdeterminerUS /əˈnʌðər/

one more of the same kind, or a different one

From this reading "One saith this booke is too long: another, too short: the third, of due length; and for fine phrase and style, the like [of] that booke was not made a great while.

BIBLIOMANIAnoun

preoccupation with the acquisition and possession of books

From this reading =The Alcove.= SYMPTOMS OF THE BIBLIOMANIA.----PROBABLE MEANS OF ITS CURE.

booke

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

From this reading "One saith this booke is too long: another, too short: the third, of due length; and for fine phrase and style, the like [of] that booke was not made a great while.

ChangeverbUS /tʃeɪndʒ/

cause to change; make different; cause a transformation

From this reading _Choice of Change_; 1585.

ChoicenounUS /tʃɔɪs/

the person or thing chosen or selected

From this reading _Choice of Change_; 1585.

CUREverbUS /kjʊr/

provide a cure for, make healthy again

From this reading =The Alcove.= SYMPTOMS OF THE BIBLIOMANIA.----PROBABLE MEANS OF ITS CURE.

dueadjectiveUS /duː/

owed and payable immediately or on demand

From this reading "One saith this booke is too long: another, too short: the third, of due length; and for fine phrase and style, the like [of] that booke was not made a great while.

fineadjectiveUS /faɪn/

being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition

From this reading "One saith this booke is too long: another, too short: the third, of due length; and for fine phrase and style, the like [of] that booke was not made a great while.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading "One saith this booke is too long: another, too short: the third, of due length; and for fine phrase and style, the like [of] that booke was not made a great while.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading "One saith this booke is too long: another, too short: the third, of due length; and for fine phrase and style, the like [of] that booke was not made a great while.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading "One saith this booke is too long: another, too short: the third, of due length; and for fine phrase and style, the like [of] that booke was not made a great while.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It is all lies, said another; the booke is starke naught."

ITSdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading =The Alcove.= SYMPTOMS OF THE BIBLIOMANIA.----PROBABLE MEANS OF ITS CURE.

lengthnounUS /leŋkθ/

the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place

From this reading "One saith this booke is too long: another, too short: the third, of due length; and for fine phrase and style, the like [of] that booke was not made a great while.

liesnounUS /laɪz/

plural of “lie” — a statement that deviates from or perverts the truth

From this reading It is all lies, said another; the booke is starke naught."

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading "One saith this booke is too long: another, too short: the third, of due length; and for fine phrase and style, the like [of] that booke was not made a great while.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading "One saith this booke is too long: another, too short: the third, of due length; and for fine phrase and style, the like [of] that booke was not made a great while.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading "One saith this booke is too long: another, too short: the third, of due length; and for fine phrase and style, the like [of] that booke was not made a great while.

MEANSnounUS /miːnz/

thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end

From this reading =The Alcove.= SYMPTOMS OF THE BIBLIOMANIA.----PROBABLE MEANS OF ITS CURE.

naughtnounUS /nɔːt/

a quantity of no importance

From this reading It is all lies, said another; the booke is starke naught."

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading "One saith this booke is too long: another, too short: the third, of due length; and for fine phrase and style, the like [of] that booke was not made a great while.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading =The Alcove.= SYMPTOMS OF THE BIBLIOMANIA.----PROBABLE MEANS OF ITS CURE.

OnepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading "One saith this booke is too long: another, too short: the third, of due length; and for fine phrase and style, the like [of] that booke was not made a great while.

phrasenounUS /freɪz/

an expression consisting of one or more words forming a grammatical constituent of a sentence

From this reading "One saith this booke is too long: another, too short: the third, of due length; and for fine phrase and style, the like [of] that booke was not made a great while.

PROBABLEadjectiveUS /ˈprɑːbəbəl/

likely but not certain to be or become true or real

From this reading =The Alcove.= SYMPTOMS OF THE BIBLIOMANIA.----PROBABLE MEANS OF ITS CURE.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading It is all lies, said another; the booke is starke naught."

saith

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

From this reading "One saith this booke is too long: another, too short: the third, of due length; and for fine phrase and style, the like [of] that booke was not made a great while.

shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔːrt/

primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration

From this reading "One saith this booke is too long: another, too short: the third, of due length; and for fine phrase and style, the like [of] that booke was not made a great while.

signnounUS /saɪn/

a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)

From this reading 4to., sign.

starke

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

From this reading It is all lies, said another; the booke is starke naught."

stylenounUS /staɪl/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading "One saith this booke is too long: another, too short: the third, of due length; and for fine phrase and style, the like [of] that booke was not made a great while.

SYMPTOMSnounUS /ˈsɪmptəmz/

plural of “symptom” — (medicine) any sensation or change in bodily function that is experienced by a patient and is associated with a particular disease

From this reading =The Alcove.= SYMPTOMS OF THE BIBLIOMANIA.----PROBABLE MEANS OF ITS CURE.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading "One saith this booke is too long: another, too short: the third, of due length; and for fine phrase and style, the like [of] that booke was not made a great while.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading =The Alcove.= SYMPTOMS OF THE BIBLIOMANIA.----PROBABLE MEANS OF ITS CURE.

thirdnounUS /θɜːrd/

one of three equal parts of a divisible whole

From this reading "One saith this booke is too long: another, too short: the third, of due length; and for fine phrase and style, the like [of] that booke was not made a great while.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading "One saith this booke is too long: another, too short: the third, of due length; and for fine phrase and style, the like [of] that booke was not made a great while.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading 4to., sign.

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading "One saith this booke is too long: another, too short: the third, of due length; and for fine phrase and style, the like [of] that booke was not made a great while.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading "One saith this booke is too long: another, too short: the third, of due length; and for fine phrase and style, the like [of] that booke was not made a great while.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading "One saith this booke is too long: another, too short: the third, of due length; and for fine phrase and style, the like [of] that booke was not made a great while.

Chapter 12 of Bibliomania by Thomas Frognall Dibdin holds 2325 sentences, grouped into 465 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 12 of Bibliomania contain?

Chapter 12 holds 2325 sentences of Bibliomania, unabridged, divided into 465 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 12 of Bibliomania by Thomas Frognall Dibdin exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 2325 sentences, grouped into 465 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 12 of Bibliomania?

Work through the 465 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 465 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 12 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 12 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 Bibliomania

Common questions about reading Bibliomania by Thomas Frognall Dibdin on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Bibliomania?

Yes. All 14941 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #28540 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Bibliomania is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #28540, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Bibliomania take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 2989 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Bibliomania section by section

How to work through Bibliomania section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 18 chapters of Bibliomania 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 Bibliomania

Words and structures a reader meets early in Bibliomania, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Thomas
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Bibliomania; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Frognall
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Bibliomania; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Dibdin's
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Bibliomania; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Bibliomania
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Bibliomania; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.