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Blake's Burden
Blake's Burden

Chapter XXVIII · Chapter 28

Chapter 28 of Blake's Burden is here in full — 234 sentences across 47 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Blake's Burden
Context Illustration Reading 1/46 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
BLAKE HOLDS HIS GROUND Dinner was finished at Sandymere, Miss Challoner had gone out, and, in accordance with ancient custom, the cloth had been removed from the great mahogany table.
Its glistening surface was only broken by a decanter, two choice wine-glasses, and a tall silver candlestick.
There were lamps in other parts of the room, but Challoner liked candles.
Lighting a cigar, Blake looked about while he braced himself for the ordeal that must be faced.
He knew the big room well, but its air of solemnity, with which the heavy Georgian furniture was in keeping, impressed him.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Blake's Burden

Chapter XXVIII · Chapter 28

Chapter 28 of Blake's Burden is here in full — 234 sentences across 47 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/46 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
BLAKE HOLDS HIS GROUND Dinner was finished at Sandymere, Miss Challoner had gone out, and, in accordance with ancient custom, the cloth had been removed from the great mahogany table.
Line 2
Its glistening surface was only broken by a decanter, two choice wine-glasses, and a tall silver candlestick.
Line 3
There were lamps in other parts of the room, but Challoner liked candles.
Line 4
Lighting a cigar, Blake looked about while he braced himself for the ordeal that must be faced.
/ˈlaɪtɪŋ ə sɪˈɡɑːr bleɪk lʊkt əˈbaʊt waɪl hiː breɪst hɪmˈself fɔːr ðə ɔːrˈdiːl ðæt mʌst biː feɪst/
Line 5
He knew the big room well, but its air of solemnity, with which the heavy Georgian furniture was in keeping, impressed him.
/hiː nuː ðə bɪɡ ruːm wel bʌt ɪts er ʌv səˈlemnəti wɪð wɪtʃ ðə ˈhevi ˈdʒɔːrdʒən ˈfɜːrnɪtʃər wɑːz ɪn ˈkiːpɪŋ ˌɪmˈprest hɪm/

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.

accordance noun US /əˈkɔːrdəns/

concurrence of opinion

From this reading “BLAKE HOLDS HIS GROUND Dinner was finished at Sandymere, Miss Challoner had gone out, and, in accordance with ancient custom, the cloth had been removed from the great mahogany table.”

braced adjective US /breɪst/

positioned so as to be ready for confrontation or danger

From this reading “Lighting a cigar, Blake looked about while he braced himself for the ordeal that must be faced.”

candlestick noun US /ˈkændəlstɪk/

a holder with sockets for candles

From this reading “Its glistening surface was only broken by a decanter, two choice wine-glasses, and a tall silver candlestick.”

Georgian noun US /ˈdʒɔːrdʒən/

a native or resident of the American state of Georgia

From this reading “He knew the big room well, but its air of solemnity, with which the heavy Georgian furniture was in keeping, impressed him.”

glistening adjective US /ˈɡlɪsənɪŋ/

reflecting light

From this reading “Its glistening surface was only broken by a decanter, two choice wine-glasses, and a tall silver candlestick.”

mahogany noun US /məˈhɑːɡəni/

wood of any of various mahogany trees; much used for cabinetwork and furniture

From this reading “BLAKE HOLDS HIS GROUND Dinner was finished at Sandymere, Miss Challoner had gone out, and, in accordance with ancient custom, the cloth had been removed from the great mahogany table.”

ordeal noun US /ɔːrˈdiːl/

a severe or trying experience

From this reading “Lighting a cigar, Blake looked about while he braced himself for the ordeal that must be faced.”

solemnity noun US /səˈlemnəti/

a trait of dignified seriousness

From this reading “He knew the big room well, but its air of solemnity, with which the heavy Georgian furniture was in keeping, impressed him.”

All words in this reading · 78

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 Its glistening surface was only broken by a decanter, two choice wine-glasses, and a tall silver candlestick.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading Lighting a cigar, Blake looked about while he braced himself for the ordeal that must be faced.

accordancenounUS /əˈkɔːrdəns/

concurrence of opinion

From this reading BLAKE HOLDS HIS GROUND Dinner was finished at Sandymere, Miss Challoner had gone out, and, in accordance with ancient custom, the cloth had been removed from the great mahogany table.

airnounUS /er/

a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of

From this reading He knew the big room well, but its air of solemnity, with which the heavy Georgian furniture was in keeping, impressed him.

ancientadjectiveUS /ˈeɪn.ʃənt/

Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.

From this reading BLAKE HOLDS HIS GROUND Dinner was finished at Sandymere, Miss Challoner had gone out, and, in accordance with ancient custom, the cloth had been removed from the great mahogany table.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading BLAKE HOLDS HIS GROUND Dinner was finished at Sandymere, Miss Challoner had gone out, and, in accordance with ancient custom, the cloth had been removed from the great mahogany table.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading BLAKE HOLDS HIS GROUND Dinner was finished at Sandymere, Miss Challoner had gone out, and, in accordance with ancient custom, the cloth had been removed from the great mahogany table.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Lighting a cigar, Blake looked about while he braced himself for the ordeal that must be faced.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading BLAKE HOLDS HIS GROUND Dinner was finished at Sandymere, Miss Challoner had gone out, and, in accordance with ancient custom, the cloth had been removed from the great mahogany table.

bigadjectiveUS /bɪɡ/

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading He knew the big room well, but its air of solemnity, with which the heavy Georgian furniture was in keeping, impressed him.

BLAKEnounUS /bleɪk/

visionary British poet and painter (1757-1827)

From this reading BLAKE HOLDS HIS GROUND Dinner was finished at Sandymere, Miss Challoner had gone out, and, in accordance with ancient custom, the cloth had been removed from the great mahogany table.

bracedadjectiveUS /breɪst/

positioned so as to be ready for confrontation or danger

From this reading Lighting a cigar, Blake looked about while he braced himself for the ordeal that must be faced.

brokenadjectiveUS /ˈbroʊkən/

physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split

From this reading Its glistening surface was only broken by a decanter, two choice wine-glasses, and a tall silver candlestick.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading There were lamps in other parts of the room, but Challoner liked candles.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Its glistening surface was only broken by a decanter, two choice wine-glasses, and a tall silver candlestick.

candlesnounUS /ˈkændəlz/

plural of “candle” — stick of wax with a wick in the middle

From this reading There were lamps in other parts of the room, but Challoner liked candles.

candlesticknounUS /ˈkændəlstɪk/

a holder with sockets for candles

From this reading Its glistening surface was only broken by a decanter, two choice wine-glasses, and a tall silver candlestick.

Challoner

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

From this reading BLAKE HOLDS HIS GROUND Dinner was finished at Sandymere, Miss Challoner had gone out, and, in accordance with ancient custom, the cloth had been removed from the great mahogany table.

choicenounUS /tʃɔɪs/

the person or thing chosen or selected

From this reading Its glistening surface was only broken by a decanter, two choice wine-glasses, and a tall silver candlestick.

cigarnounUS /sɪˈɡɑːr/

a roll of tobacco for smoking

From this reading Lighting a cigar, Blake looked about while he braced himself for the ordeal that must be faced.

clothnounUS /klɔːθ/

artifact made by weaving or felting or knitting or crocheting natural or synthetic fibers

From this reading BLAKE HOLDS HIS GROUND Dinner was finished at Sandymere, Miss Challoner had gone out, and, in accordance with ancient custom, the cloth had been removed from the great mahogany table.

customnounUS /ˈkʌstəm/

accepted or habitual practice

From this reading BLAKE HOLDS HIS GROUND Dinner was finished at Sandymere, Miss Challoner had gone out, and, in accordance with ancient custom, the cloth had been removed from the great mahogany table.

decanternoun

a bottle with a stopper; for serving wine or water

From this reading Its glistening surface was only broken by a decanter, two choice wine-glasses, and a tall silver candlestick.

DinnernounUS /ˈdɪnər/

the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday

From this reading BLAKE HOLDS HIS GROUND Dinner was finished at Sandymere, Miss Challoner had gone out, and, in accordance with ancient custom, the cloth had been removed from the great mahogany table.

facedadjectiveUS /feɪst/

having a face or facing especially of a specified kind or number; often used in combination

From this reading Lighting a cigar, Blake looked about while he braced himself for the ordeal that must be faced.

finishedadjectiveUS /ˈfɪnɪʃt/

(of materials or goods) brought to the desired final state

From this reading BLAKE HOLDS HIS GROUND Dinner was finished at Sandymere, Miss Challoner had gone out, and, in accordance with ancient custom, the cloth had been removed from the great mahogany table.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Lighting a cigar, Blake looked about while he braced himself for the ordeal that must be faced.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading BLAKE HOLDS HIS GROUND Dinner was finished at Sandymere, Miss Challoner had gone out, and, in accordance with ancient custom, the cloth had been removed from the great mahogany table.

furniturenounUS /ˈfɜːrnɪtʃər/

furnishings that make a room or other area ready for occupancy

From this reading He knew the big room well, but its air of solemnity, with which the heavy Georgian furniture was in keeping, impressed him.

GeorgiannounUS /ˈdʒɔːrdʒən/

a native or resident of the American state of Georgia

From this reading He knew the big room well, but its air of solemnity, with which the heavy Georgian furniture was in keeping, impressed him.

glisteningadjectiveUS /ˈɡlɪsənɪŋ/

reflecting light

From this reading Its glistening surface was only broken by a decanter, two choice wine-glasses, and a tall silver candlestick.

goneadjectiveUS /ɡɔːn/

destroyed or killed

From this reading BLAKE HOLDS HIS GROUND Dinner was finished at Sandymere, Miss Challoner had gone out, and, in accordance with ancient custom, the cloth had been removed from the great mahogany table.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

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

From this reading BLAKE HOLDS HIS GROUND Dinner was finished at Sandymere, Miss Challoner had gone out, and, in accordance with ancient custom, the cloth had been removed from the great mahogany table.

GROUNDnounUS /ɡraʊnd/

the solid part of the earth's surface

From this reading BLAKE HOLDS HIS GROUND Dinner was finished at Sandymere, Miss Challoner had gone out, and, in accordance with ancient custom, the cloth had been removed from the great mahogany table.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading BLAKE HOLDS HIS GROUND Dinner was finished at Sandymere, Miss Challoner had gone out, and, in accordance with ancient custom, the cloth had been removed from the great mahogany table.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Lighting a cigar, Blake looked about while he braced himself for the ordeal that must be faced.

heavyadjectiveUS /ˈhevi/

of comparatively great physical weight or density

From this reading He knew the big room well, but its air of solemnity, with which the heavy Georgian furniture was in keeping, impressed him.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading He knew the big room well, but its air of solemnity, with which the heavy Georgian furniture was in keeping, impressed him.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading Lighting a cigar, Blake looked about while he braced himself for the ordeal that must be faced.

HISdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading BLAKE HOLDS HIS GROUND Dinner was finished at Sandymere, Miss Challoner had gone out, and, in accordance with ancient custom, the cloth had been removed from the great mahogany table.

HOLDSnounUS /hoʊldz/

plural of “hold” — the act of grasping

From this reading BLAKE HOLDS HIS GROUND Dinner was finished at Sandymere, Miss Challoner had gone out, and, in accordance with ancient custom, the cloth had been removed from the great mahogany table.

impressedadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈprest/

deeply or markedly affected or influenced

From this reading He knew the big room well, but its air of solemnity, with which the heavy Georgian furniture was in keeping, impressed him.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading BLAKE HOLDS HIS GROUND Dinner was finished at Sandymere, Miss Challoner had gone out, and, in accordance with ancient custom, the cloth had been removed from the great mahogany table.

ItsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Its glistening surface was only broken by a decanter, two choice wine-glasses, and a tall silver candlestick.

keepingnounUS /ˈkiːpɪŋ/

conformity or harmony

From this reading He knew the big room well, but its air of solemnity, with which the heavy Georgian furniture was in keeping, impressed him.

knewverbUS /nuː/

inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading He knew the big room well, but its air of solemnity, with which the heavy Georgian furniture was in keeping, impressed him.

lampsnounUS /læmps/

plural of “lamp” — an artificial source of visible illumination

From this reading There were lamps in other parts of the room, but Challoner liked candles.

LightingnounUS /ˈlaɪtɪŋ/

having abundant light or illumination

From this reading Lighting a cigar, Blake looked about while he braced himself for the ordeal that must be faced.

likedadjectiveUS /laɪkt/

found pleasant or attractive; often used as a combining form

From this reading There were lamps in other parts of the room, but Challoner liked candles.

lookedverbUS /lʊkt/

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading Lighting a cigar, Blake looked about while he braced himself for the ordeal that must be faced.

mahoganynounUS /məˈhɑːɡəni/

wood of any of various mahogany trees; much used for cabinetwork and furniture

From this reading BLAKE HOLDS HIS GROUND Dinner was finished at Sandymere, Miss Challoner had gone out, and, in accordance with ancient custom, the cloth had been removed from the great mahogany table.

MissverbUS /mɪs/

fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind

From this reading BLAKE HOLDS HIS GROUND Dinner was finished at Sandymere, Miss Challoner had gone out, and, in accordance with ancient custom, the cloth had been removed from the great mahogany table.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading Lighting a cigar, Blake looked about while he braced himself for the ordeal that must be faced.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading There were lamps in other parts of the room, but Challoner liked candles.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading Its glistening surface was only broken by a decanter, two choice wine-glasses, and a tall silver candlestick.

ordealnounUS /ɔːrˈdiːl/

a severe or trying experience

From this reading Lighting a cigar, Blake looked about while he braced himself for the ordeal that must be faced.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading There were lamps in other parts of the room, but Challoner liked candles.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading BLAKE HOLDS HIS GROUND Dinner was finished at Sandymere, Miss Challoner had gone out, and, in accordance with ancient custom, the cloth had been removed from the great mahogany table.

partsnounUS /pɑːrts/

the local environment

From this reading There were lamps in other parts of the room, but Challoner liked candles.

removedadjectiveUS /riˈmuːvd/

separated in relationship by a given degree of descent

From this reading BLAKE HOLDS HIS GROUND Dinner was finished at Sandymere, Miss Challoner had gone out, and, in accordance with ancient custom, the cloth had been removed from the great mahogany table.

roomnounUS /ruːm/

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading There were lamps in other parts of the room, but Challoner liked candles.

Sandymere

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

From this reading BLAKE HOLDS HIS GROUND Dinner was finished at Sandymere, Miss Challoner had gone out, and, in accordance with ancient custom, the cloth had been removed from the great mahogany table.

silvernounUS /ˈsɪlvər/

a soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal; occurs in argentite and in free form; used in coins and jewelry and tableware and photography

From this reading Its glistening surface was only broken by a decanter, two choice wine-glasses, and a tall silver candlestick.

solemnitynounUS /səˈlemnəti/

a trait of dignified seriousness

From this reading He knew the big room well, but its air of solemnity, with which the heavy Georgian furniture was in keeping, impressed him.

surfacenounUS /ˈsɜːrfəs/

the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary

From this reading Its glistening surface was only broken by a decanter, two choice wine-glasses, and a tall silver candlestick.

tablenounUS /ˈteɪbəl/

a set of data arranged in rows and columns

From this reading BLAKE HOLDS HIS GROUND Dinner was finished at Sandymere, Miss Challoner had gone out, and, in accordance with ancient custom, the cloth had been removed from the great mahogany table.

talladjectiveUS /tɔːl/

great in vertical dimension; high in stature

From this reading Its glistening surface was only broken by a decanter, two choice wine-glasses, and a tall silver candlestick.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Lighting a cigar, Blake looked about while he braced himself for the ordeal that must be faced.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading BLAKE HOLDS HIS GROUND Dinner was finished at Sandymere, Miss Challoner had gone out, and, in accordance with ancient custom, the cloth had been removed from the great mahogany table.

ThereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading There were lamps in other parts of the room, but Challoner liked candles.

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading Its glistening surface was only broken by a decanter, two choice wine-glasses, and a tall silver candlestick.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading BLAKE HOLDS HIS GROUND Dinner was finished at Sandymere, Miss Challoner had gone out, and, in accordance with ancient custom, the cloth had been removed from the great mahogany table.

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 He knew the big room well, but its air of solemnity, with which the heavy Georgian furniture was in keeping, impressed him.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading There were lamps in other parts of the room, but Challoner liked candles.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading He knew the big room well, but its air of solemnity, with which the heavy Georgian furniture was in keeping, impressed him.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading Lighting a cigar, Blake looked about while he braced himself for the ordeal that must be faced.

wine-glasses

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

From this reading Its glistening surface was only broken by a decanter, two choice wine-glasses, and a tall silver candlestick.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading BLAKE HOLDS HIS GROUND Dinner was finished at Sandymere, Miss Challoner had gone out, and, in accordance with ancient custom, the cloth had been removed from the great mahogany table.

Chapter 28 of Blake's Burden by Harold Bindloss holds 234 sentences, grouped into 47 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 28 of Blake's Burden contain?

Chapter 28 holds 234 sentences of Blake's Burden, unabridged, divided into 47 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 28 of Blake's Burden by Harold Bindloss exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 234 sentences, grouped into 47 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 28 of Blake's Burden?

Work through the 47 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 47 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 28 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 28 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 Blake's Burden

Common questions about reading Blake's Burden by Harold Bindloss on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Blake's Burden?

Yes. All 5536 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #29155 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Blake's Burden is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #29155, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Blake's Burden take to read?

About 461 minutes of reading across 1108 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Blake's Burden section by section

How to work through Blake's Burden section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 31 chapters of Blake's Burden 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 Blake's Burden

Words and structures a reader meets early in Blake's Burden, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Blake's Burden; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Impostor
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Blake's Burden; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Hawtrey's
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Blake's Burden; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Deputy
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Blake's Burden; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.