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Brother Copas
Brother Copas

Chapter XVII · Chapter 17

Chapter 17 of Brother Copas is here in full — 135 sentences across 27 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Brother Copas
Context Illustration Reading 1/27 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE PERVIGILIUM.
'Now learn ye to love who loved never--now ye who have loved, love anew!
It is Spring, it is chorussing Spring: 'tis the birthday of earth, and for you!
It is Spring; and the Loves and the birds wing together, and woo to accord Where the bough to the rain has unbraided her locks as a bride to her lord.
For she walks--She our Lady, our Mistress of Wedlock,--the woodlands atween, And the bride-bed she weaves them, with myrtle enlacing, with curtains of green.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Brother Copas

Chapter XVII · Chapter 17

Chapter 17 of Brother Copas is here in full — 135 sentences across 27 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/27 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE PERVIGILIUM.
Line 2
'Now learn ye to love who loved never--now ye who have loved, love anew!
Line 3
It is Spring, it is chorussing Spring: 'tis the birthday of earth, and for you!
Line 4
It is Spring; and the Loves and the birds wing together, and woo to accord Where the bough to the rain has unbraided her locks as a bride to her lord.
Line 5
For she walks--She our Lady, our Mistress of Wedlock,--the woodlands atween, And the bride-bed she weaves them, with myrtle enlacing, with curtains of green.

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.

accord verb US /əˈkɔːrd/

go together

From this reading “It is Spring; and the Loves and the birds wing together, and woo to accord Where the bough to the rain has unbraided her locks as a bride to her lord.”

anew adverb US /əˈnuː/

again but in a new or different way

From this reading “'Now learn ye to love who loved never--now ye who have loved, love anew!”

bough noun US /baʊ/

any of the larger branches of a tree

From this reading “It is Spring; and the Loves and the birds wing together, and woo to accord Where the bough to the rain has unbraided her locks as a bride to her lord.”

myrtle noun US /ˈmɜːrtəl/

widely cultivated as a groundcover for its dark green shiny leaves and usually blue-violet flowers

From this reading “For she walks--She our Lady, our Mistress of Wedlock,--the woodlands atween, And the bride-bed she weaves them, with myrtle enlacing, with curtains of green.”

weaves noun US /wiːvz/

plural of “weave” — pattern of weaving or structure of a fabric

From this reading “For she walks--She our Lady, our Mistress of Wedlock,--the woodlands atween, And the bride-bed she weaves them, with myrtle enlacing, with curtains of green.”

Wedlock noun US /ˈwedlɑːk/

the state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life (or until divorce)

From this reading “For she walks--She our Lady, our Mistress of Wedlock,--the woodlands atween, And the bride-bed she weaves them, with myrtle enlacing, with curtains of green.”

woo verb US /wuː/

seek someone's favor

From this reading “It is Spring; and the Loves and the birds wing together, and woo to accord Where the bough to the rain has unbraided her locks as a bride to her lord.”

woodlands noun US /ˈwʊdlændz/

plural of “woodland” — land that is covered with trees and shrubs

From this reading “For she walks--She our Lady, our Mistress of Wedlock,--the woodlands atween, And the bride-bed she weaves them, with myrtle enlacing, with curtains of green.”

All words in this reading · 56

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 It is Spring; and the Loves and the birds wing together, and woo to accord Where the bough to the rain has unbraided her locks as a bride to her lord.

accordverbUS /əˈkɔːrd/

go together

From this reading It is Spring; and the Loves and the birds wing together, and woo to accord Where the bough to the rain has unbraided her locks as a bride to her lord.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading It is Spring, it is chorussing Spring: 'tis the birthday of earth, and for you!

anewadverbUS /əˈnuː/

again but in a new or different way

From this reading 'Now learn ye to love who loved never--now ye who have loved, love anew!

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading It is Spring; and the Loves and the birds wing together, and woo to accord Where the bough to the rain has unbraided her locks as a bride to her lord.

atween

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

From this reading For she walks--She our Lady, our Mistress of Wedlock,--the woodlands atween, And the bride-bed she weaves them, with myrtle enlacing, with curtains of green.

birdsnounUS /bɜːrdz/

plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings

From this reading It is Spring; and the Loves and the birds wing together, and woo to accord Where the bough to the rain has unbraided her locks as a bride to her lord.

birthdaynounUS /ˈbɜːrθdeɪ/

an anniversary of the day on which a person was born (or the celebration of it)

From this reading It is Spring, it is chorussing Spring: 'tis the birthday of earth, and for you!

boughnounUS /baʊ/

any of the larger branches of a tree

From this reading It is Spring; and the Loves and the birds wing together, and woo to accord Where the bough to the rain has unbraided her locks as a bride to her lord.

bridenounUS /braɪd/

a woman who has recently been married

From this reading It is Spring; and the Loves and the birds wing together, and woo to accord Where the bough to the rain has unbraided her locks as a bride to her lord.

bride-bed

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

From this reading For she walks--She our Lady, our Mistress of Wedlock,--the woodlands atween, And the bride-bed she weaves them, with myrtle enlacing, with curtains of green.

chorussing

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

From this reading It is Spring, it is chorussing Spring: 'tis the birthday of earth, and for you!

curtainsnounUS /ˈkɜːrtənz/

plural of “curtain” — hanging cloth used as a blind (especially for a window)

From this reading For she walks--She our Lady, our Mistress of Wedlock,--the woodlands atween, And the bride-bed she weaves them, with myrtle enlacing, with curtains of green.

earthnounUS /ɜːrθ/

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

From this reading It is Spring, it is chorussing Spring: 'tis the birthday of earth, and for you!

enlacing

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

From this reading For she walks--She our Lady, our Mistress of Wedlock,--the woodlands atween, And the bride-bed she weaves them, with myrtle enlacing, with curtains of green.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading It is Spring, it is chorussing Spring: 'tis the birthday of earth, and for you!

greennounUS /ɡriːn/

green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass

From this reading For she walks--She our Lady, our Mistress of Wedlock,--the woodlands atween, And the bride-bed she weaves them, with myrtle enlacing, with curtains of green.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading It is Spring; and the Loves and the birds wing together, and woo to accord Where the bough to the rain has unbraided her locks as a bride to her lord.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading 'Now learn ye to love who loved never--now ye who have loved, love anew!

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading It is Spring; and the Loves and the birds wing together, and woo to accord Where the bough to the rain has unbraided her locks as a bride to her lord.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading It is Spring, it is chorussing Spring: 'tis the birthday of earth, and for you!

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It is Spring, it is chorussing Spring: 'tis the birthday of earth, and for you!

LadynounUS /ˈleɪdi/

a polite name for any woman

From this reading For she walks--She our Lady, our Mistress of Wedlock,--the woodlands atween, And the bride-bed she weaves them, with myrtle enlacing, with curtains of green.

learnverbUS /lɜːrn/

gain knowledge or skills

From this reading 'Now learn ye to love who loved never--now ye who have loved, love anew!

locksnounUS /lɑːks/

plural of “lock” — a fastener fitted to a door or drawer to keep it firmly closed

From this reading It is Spring; and the Loves and the birds wing together, and woo to accord Where the bough to the rain has unbraided her locks as a bride to her lord.

lordnounUS /lɔːrd/

terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God

From this reading It is Spring; and the Loves and the birds wing together, and woo to accord Where the bough to the rain has unbraided her locks as a bride to her lord.

lovenounUS /lʌv/

a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading 'Now learn ye to love who loved never--now ye who have loved, love anew!

lovedadjectiveUS /lʌvd/

held dear

From this reading 'Now learn ye to love who loved never--now ye who have loved, love anew!

LovesnounUS /lʌvz/

plural of “love” — a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading It is Spring; and the Loves and the birds wing together, and woo to accord Where the bough to the rain has unbraided her locks as a bride to her lord.

MistressnounUS /ˈmɪstrəs/

an adulterous woman; a woman who has an ongoing extramarital sexual relationship with a man

From this reading For she walks--She our Lady, our Mistress of Wedlock,--the woodlands atween, And the bride-bed she weaves them, with myrtle enlacing, with curtains of green.

myrtlenounUS /ˈmɜːrtəl/

widely cultivated as a groundcover for its dark green shiny leaves and usually blue-violet flowers

From this reading For she walks--She our Lady, our Mistress of Wedlock,--the woodlands atween, And the bride-bed she weaves them, with myrtle enlacing, with curtains of green.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading 'Now learn ye to love who loved never--now ye who have loved, love anew!

NowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading 'Now learn ye to love who loved never--now ye who have loved, love anew!

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It is Spring, it is chorussing Spring: 'tis the birthday of earth, and for you!

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading For she walks--She our Lady, our Mistress of Wedlock,--the woodlands atween, And the bride-bed she weaves them, with myrtle enlacing, with curtains of green.

PERVIGILIUM

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

From this reading THE PERVIGILIUM.

rainnounUS /reɪn/

water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere

From this reading It is Spring; and the Loves and the birds wing together, and woo to accord Where the bough to the rain has unbraided her locks as a bride to her lord.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading For she walks--She our Lady, our Mistress of Wedlock,--the woodlands atween, And the bride-bed she weaves them, with myrtle enlacing, with curtains of green.

SpringnounUS /sprɪŋ/

the season of growth

From this reading It is Spring, it is chorussing Spring: 'tis the birthday of earth, and for you!

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE PERVIGILIUM.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading For she walks--She our Lady, our Mistress of Wedlock,--the woodlands atween, And the bride-bed she weaves them, with myrtle enlacing, with curtains of green.

tisnounUS /tɪz/

plural of “ti” — a light strong grey lustrous corrosion-resistant metallic element used in strong lightweight alloys (as for airplane parts); the main sources are rutile and ilmenite

From this reading It is Spring, it is chorussing Spring: 'tis the birthday of earth, and for you!

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading 'Now learn ye to love who loved never--now ye who have loved, love anew!

togetheradverbUS /təˈɡeðər/

in contact with each other or in proximity

From this reading It is Spring; and the Loves and the birds wing together, and woo to accord Where the bough to the rain has unbraided her locks as a bride to her lord.

unbraided

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

From this reading It is Spring; and the Loves and the birds wing together, and woo to accord Where the bough to the rain has unbraided her locks as a bride to her lord.

walksnounUS /wɔːks/

plural of “walk” — the act of traveling by foot

From this reading For she walks--She our Lady, our Mistress of Wedlock,--the woodlands atween, And the bride-bed she weaves them, with myrtle enlacing, with curtains of green.

weavesnounUS /wiːvz/

plural of “weave” — pattern of weaving or structure of a fabric

From this reading For she walks--She our Lady, our Mistress of Wedlock,--the woodlands atween, And the bride-bed she weaves them, with myrtle enlacing, with curtains of green.

WedlocknounUS /ˈwedlɑːk/

the state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life (or until divorce)

From this reading For she walks--She our Lady, our Mistress of Wedlock,--the woodlands atween, And the bride-bed she weaves them, with myrtle enlacing, with curtains of green.

WhereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading It is Spring; and the Loves and the birds wing together, and woo to accord Where the bough to the rain has unbraided her locks as a bride to her lord.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading 'Now learn ye to love who loved never--now ye who have loved, love anew!

wingnounUS /wɪŋ/

a movable organ for flying (one of a pair)

From this reading It is Spring; and the Loves and the birds wing together, and woo to accord Where the bough to the rain has unbraided her locks as a bride to her lord.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading For she walks--She our Lady, our Mistress of Wedlock,--the woodlands atween, And the bride-bed she weaves them, with myrtle enlacing, with curtains of green.

wooverbUS /wuː/

seek someone's favor

From this reading It is Spring; and the Loves and the birds wing together, and woo to accord Where the bough to the rain has unbraided her locks as a bride to her lord.

woodlandsnounUS /ˈwʊdlændz/

plural of “woodland” — land that is covered with trees and shrubs

From this reading For she walks--She our Lady, our Mistress of Wedlock,--the woodlands atween, And the bride-bed she weaves them, with myrtle enlacing, with curtains of green.

yepronounUS /jiː/

an old word for “you”, speaking to more than one person

From this reading 'Now learn ye to love who loved never--now ye who have loved, love anew!

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading It is Spring, it is chorussing Spring: 'tis the birthday of earth, and for you!

Chapter 17 of Brother Copas by Arthur Quiller-Couch holds 135 sentences, grouped into 27 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 17 of Brother Copas contain?

Chapter 17 holds 135 sentences of Brother Copas, unabridged, divided into 27 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 17 of Brother Copas by Arthur Quiller-Couch exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 135 sentences, grouped into 27 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 17 of Brother Copas?

Work through the 27 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 27 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 17 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 17 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 Brother Copas

Common questions about reading Brother Copas by Arthur Quiller-Couch on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Brother Copas?

Yes. All 4642 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #20979 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Brother Copas is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #20979, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Brother Copas take to read?

About 386 minutes of reading across 929 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Brother Copas section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 23 chapters of Brother Copas 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 Brother Copas

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

College
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Brother Copas; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Noble
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Brother Copas; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Poverty
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Brother Copas; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Foreigner
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Brother Copas; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.