Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Biographia Literaria
Biographia Literaria

Chapter XXVI · Chapter 26

Chapter 26 of Biographia Literaria is here in full — 278 sentences across 56 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Biographia Literaria
Context Illustration Reading 1/55 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Quid quod praefatione praemunierim libellum, qua conor omnem offendiculi ansam praecidere?
[79] Neque quicquam addubito, quin ea candidis omnibus faciat satis.
Quid autem facias istis, qui vel ob ingenii pertinaciam sibi satisfieri nolint, vel stupidiores sint, quam ut satisfactionem intelligant?
Nam quemadmodum Simonides dixit, Thessalos hebetiores esse, quam ut possint a se decipi, ita quosdam videas stupidiores, quam ut placari queant.
Adhaec, non mirum est invenire quod calumnietur, qui nihil aliud quaerit, nisi quod calumnietur.
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.

Biographia Literaria

Chapter XXVI · Chapter 26

Chapter 26 of Biographia Literaria is here in full — 278 sentences across 56 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/55 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Quid quod praefatione praemunierim libellum, qua conor omnem offendiculi ansam praecidere?
Line 2
[79] Neque quicquam addubito, quin ea candidis omnibus faciat satis.
Line 3
Quid autem facias istis, qui vel ob ingenii pertinaciam sibi satisfieri nolint, vel stupidiores sint, quam ut satisfactionem intelligant?
Line 4
Nam quemadmodum Simonides dixit, Thessalos hebetiores esse, quam ut possint a se decipi, ita quosdam videas stupidiores, quam ut placari queant.
Line 5
Adhaec, non mirum est invenire quod calumnietur, qui nihil aliud quaerit, nisi quod calumnietur.

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.

est noun US /est/

standard time in the 5th time zone west of Greenwich, reckoned at the 75th meridian; used in the eastern United States

From this reading “Adhaec, non mirum est invenire quod calumnietur, qui nihil aliud quaerit, nisi quod calumnietur.”

non adverb US /nɑːn/

negation of a word or group of words

From this reading “Adhaec, non mirum est invenire quod calumnietur, qui nihil aliud quaerit, nisi quod calumnietur.”

omnibus noun US /ˈɑːmnəbəs/

an anthology of articles on a related subject or an anthology of the works of a single author

From this reading “[79] Neque quicquam addubito, quin ea candidis omnibus faciat satis.”

Quid noun US /kwɪd/

the basic unit of money in Great Britain and Northern Ireland; equal to 100 pence

From this reading “Quid quod praefatione praemunierim libellum, qua conor omnem offendiculi ansam praecidere?”

quin noun US /kwɪn/

one of five children born at the same time from the same pregnancy

From this reading “[79] Neque quicquam addubito, quin ea candidis omnibus faciat satis.”

All words in this reading · 64

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.

79

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

From this reading [79] Neque quicquam addubito, quin ea candidis omnibus faciat satis.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading Nam quemadmodum Simonides dixit, Thessalos hebetiores esse, quam ut possint a se decipi, ita quosdam videas stupidiores, quam ut placari queant.

addubito

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

From this reading [79] Neque quicquam addubito, quin ea candidis omnibus faciat satis.

Adhaec

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

From this reading Adhaec, non mirum est invenire quod calumnietur, qui nihil aliud quaerit, nisi quod calumnietur.

aliud

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

From this reading Adhaec, non mirum est invenire quod calumnietur, qui nihil aliud quaerit, nisi quod calumnietur.

ansam

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

From this reading Quid quod praefatione praemunierim libellum, qua conor omnem offendiculi ansam praecidere?

autem

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

From this reading Quid autem facias istis, qui vel ob ingenii pertinaciam sibi satisfieri nolint, vel stupidiores sint, quam ut satisfactionem intelligant?

calumnietur

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

From this reading Adhaec, non mirum est invenire quod calumnietur, qui nihil aliud quaerit, nisi quod calumnietur.

candidis

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

From this reading [79] Neque quicquam addubito, quin ea candidis omnibus faciat satis.

conor

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

From this reading Quid quod praefatione praemunierim libellum, qua conor omnem offendiculi ansam praecidere?

decipi

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

From this reading Nam quemadmodum Simonides dixit, Thessalos hebetiores esse, quam ut possint a se decipi, ita quosdam videas stupidiores, quam ut placari queant.

dixit

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

From this reading Nam quemadmodum Simonides dixit, Thessalos hebetiores esse, quam ut possint a se decipi, ita quosdam videas stupidiores, quam ut placari queant.

eanoun

the Babylonian god of wisdom; son of Apsu and father of Marduk; counterpart of the Sumerian Enki; as one of the supreme triad including Anu and Bel he was assigned control of the watery element

From this reading [79] Neque quicquam addubito, quin ea candidis omnibus faciat satis.

esse

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

From this reading Nam quemadmodum Simonides dixit, Thessalos hebetiores esse, quam ut possint a se decipi, ita quosdam videas stupidiores, quam ut placari queant.

estnounUS /est/

standard time in the 5th time zone west of Greenwich, reckoned at the 75th meridian; used in the eastern United States

From this reading Adhaec, non mirum est invenire quod calumnietur, qui nihil aliud quaerit, nisi quod calumnietur.

facias

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

From this reading Quid autem facias istis, qui vel ob ingenii pertinaciam sibi satisfieri nolint, vel stupidiores sint, quam ut satisfactionem intelligant?

faciat

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

From this reading [79] Neque quicquam addubito, quin ea candidis omnibus faciat satis.

hebetiores

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

From this reading Nam quemadmodum Simonides dixit, Thessalos hebetiores esse, quam ut possint a se decipi, ita quosdam videas stupidiores, quam ut placari queant.

ingenii

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

From this reading Quid autem facias istis, qui vel ob ingenii pertinaciam sibi satisfieri nolint, vel stupidiores sint, quam ut satisfactionem intelligant?

intelligant

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

From this reading Quid autem facias istis, qui vel ob ingenii pertinaciam sibi satisfieri nolint, vel stupidiores sint, quam ut satisfactionem intelligant?

invenire

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

From this reading Adhaec, non mirum est invenire quod calumnietur, qui nihil aliud quaerit, nisi quod calumnietur.

istis

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

From this reading Quid autem facias istis, qui vel ob ingenii pertinaciam sibi satisfieri nolint, vel stupidiores sint, quam ut satisfactionem intelligant?

ita

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

From this reading Nam quemadmodum Simonides dixit, Thessalos hebetiores esse, quam ut possint a se decipi, ita quosdam videas stupidiores, quam ut placari queant.

libellum

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

From this reading Quid quod praefatione praemunierim libellum, qua conor omnem offendiculi ansam praecidere?

mirum

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

From this reading Adhaec, non mirum est invenire quod calumnietur, qui nihil aliud quaerit, nisi quod calumnietur.

Nam

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

From this reading Nam quemadmodum Simonides dixit, Thessalos hebetiores esse, quam ut possint a se decipi, ita quosdam videas stupidiores, quam ut placari queant.

Neque

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

From this reading [79] Neque quicquam addubito, quin ea candidis omnibus faciat satis.

nihilnoun

(Latin) nil; nothing (as used by a sheriff after an unsuccessful effort to serve a writ)

From this reading Adhaec, non mirum est invenire quod calumnietur, qui nihil aliud quaerit, nisi quod calumnietur.

nisiadjective

not final or absolute

From this reading Adhaec, non mirum est invenire quod calumnietur, qui nihil aliud quaerit, nisi quod calumnietur.

nolint

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

From this reading Quid autem facias istis, qui vel ob ingenii pertinaciam sibi satisfieri nolint, vel stupidiores sint, quam ut satisfactionem intelligant?

nonadverbUS /nɑːn/

negation of a word or group of words

From this reading Adhaec, non mirum est invenire quod calumnietur, qui nihil aliud quaerit, nisi quod calumnietur.

obnoun

a major river of western Siberia; flows generally northward and westward to the Gulf of Ob and the Kara Sea

From this reading Quid autem facias istis, qui vel ob ingenii pertinaciam sibi satisfieri nolint, vel stupidiores sint, quam ut satisfactionem intelligant?

offendiculi

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

From this reading Quid quod praefatione praemunierim libellum, qua conor omnem offendiculi ansam praecidere?

omnem

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

From this reading Quid quod praefatione praemunierim libellum, qua conor omnem offendiculi ansam praecidere?

omnibusnounUS /ˈɑːmnəbəs/

an anthology of articles on a related subject or an anthology of the works of a single author

From this reading [79] Neque quicquam addubito, quin ea candidis omnibus faciat satis.

pertinaciam

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

From this reading Quid autem facias istis, qui vel ob ingenii pertinaciam sibi satisfieri nolint, vel stupidiores sint, quam ut satisfactionem intelligant?

placari

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

From this reading Nam quemadmodum Simonides dixit, Thessalos hebetiores esse, quam ut possint a se decipi, ita quosdam videas stupidiores, quam ut placari queant.

possint

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

From this reading Nam quemadmodum Simonides dixit, Thessalos hebetiores esse, quam ut possint a se decipi, ita quosdam videas stupidiores, quam ut placari queant.

praecidere

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

From this reading Quid quod praefatione praemunierim libellum, qua conor omnem offendiculi ansam praecidere?

praefatione

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

From this reading Quid quod praefatione praemunierim libellum, qua conor omnem offendiculi ansam praecidere?

praemunierim

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

From this reading Quid quod praefatione praemunierim libellum, qua conor omnem offendiculi ansam praecidere?

qua

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

From this reading Quid quod praefatione praemunierim libellum, qua conor omnem offendiculi ansam praecidere?

quaerit

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

From this reading Adhaec, non mirum est invenire quod calumnietur, qui nihil aliud quaerit, nisi quod calumnietur.

quam

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

From this reading Quid autem facias istis, qui vel ob ingenii pertinaciam sibi satisfieri nolint, vel stupidiores sint, quam ut satisfactionem intelligant?

queant

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

From this reading Nam quemadmodum Simonides dixit, Thessalos hebetiores esse, quam ut possint a se decipi, ita quosdam videas stupidiores, quam ut placari queant.

quemadmodum

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

From this reading Nam quemadmodum Simonides dixit, Thessalos hebetiores esse, quam ut possint a se decipi, ita quosdam videas stupidiores, quam ut placari queant.

qui

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

From this reading Quid autem facias istis, qui vel ob ingenii pertinaciam sibi satisfieri nolint, vel stupidiores sint, quam ut satisfactionem intelligant?

quicquam

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

From this reading [79] Neque quicquam addubito, quin ea candidis omnibus faciat satis.

QuidnounUS /kwɪd/

the basic unit of money in Great Britain and Northern Ireland; equal to 100 pence

From this reading Quid quod praefatione praemunierim libellum, qua conor omnem offendiculi ansam praecidere?

quinnounUS /kwɪn/

one of five children born at the same time from the same pregnancy

From this reading [79] Neque quicquam addubito, quin ea candidis omnibus faciat satis.

quod

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

From this reading Quid quod praefatione praemunierim libellum, qua conor omnem offendiculi ansam praecidere?

quosdam

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

From this reading Nam quemadmodum Simonides dixit, Thessalos hebetiores esse, quam ut possint a se decipi, ita quosdam videas stupidiores, quam ut placari queant.

satis

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

From this reading [79] Neque quicquam addubito, quin ea candidis omnibus faciat satis.

satisfactionem

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

From this reading Quid autem facias istis, qui vel ob ingenii pertinaciam sibi satisfieri nolint, vel stupidiores sint, quam ut satisfactionem intelligant?

satisfieri

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

From this reading Quid autem facias istis, qui vel ob ingenii pertinaciam sibi satisfieri nolint, vel stupidiores sint, quam ut satisfactionem intelligant?

senounUS /seɪ/

a toxic nonmetallic element related to sulfur and tellurium

From this reading Nam quemadmodum Simonides dixit, Thessalos hebetiores esse, quam ut possint a se decipi, ita quosdam videas stupidiores, quam ut placari queant.

sibi

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

From this reading Quid autem facias istis, qui vel ob ingenii pertinaciam sibi satisfieri nolint, vel stupidiores sint, quam ut satisfactionem intelligant?

Simonides

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

From this reading Nam quemadmodum Simonides dixit, Thessalos hebetiores esse, quam ut possint a se decipi, ita quosdam videas stupidiores, quam ut placari queant.

sint

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

From this reading Quid autem facias istis, qui vel ob ingenii pertinaciam sibi satisfieri nolint, vel stupidiores sint, quam ut satisfactionem intelligant?

stupidiores

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

From this reading Quid autem facias istis, qui vel ob ingenii pertinaciam sibi satisfieri nolint, vel stupidiores sint, quam ut satisfactionem intelligant?

Thessalos

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

From this reading Nam quemadmodum Simonides dixit, Thessalos hebetiores esse, quam ut possint a se decipi, ita quosdam videas stupidiores, quam ut placari queant.

utnoun

the local time at the 0 meridian passing through Greenwich, England; it is the same everywhere

From this reading Quid autem facias istis, qui vel ob ingenii pertinaciam sibi satisfieri nolint, vel stupidiores sint, quam ut satisfactionem intelligant?

vel

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

From this reading Quid autem facias istis, qui vel ob ingenii pertinaciam sibi satisfieri nolint, vel stupidiores sint, quam ut satisfactionem intelligant?

videas

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

From this reading Nam quemadmodum Simonides dixit, Thessalos hebetiores esse, quam ut possint a se decipi, ita quosdam videas stupidiores, quam ut placari queant.

Chapter 26 of Biographia Literaria by Samuel Taylor Coleridge holds 278 sentences, grouped into 56 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 26 of Biographia Literaria contain?

Chapter 26 holds 278 sentences of Biographia Literaria, unabridged, divided into 56 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 26 of Biographia Literaria by Samuel Taylor Coleridge exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 278 sentences, grouped into 56 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 26 of Biographia Literaria?

Work through the 56 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 56 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 26 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 26 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 Biographia Literaria

Common questions about reading Biographia Literaria by Samuel Taylor Coleridge on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Biographia Literaria?

Yes. All 4132 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #6081 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Biographia Literaria is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #6081, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Biographia Literaria take to read?

About 344 minutes of reading across 827 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Biographia Literaria section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 27 chapters of Biographia Literaria 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 Biographia Literaria

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

Motives
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Biographia Literaria; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Present
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Biographia Literaria; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Work--reception
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Biographia Literaria; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Biographia Literaria; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.