Chapter 17 of Burl is here in full — 67 sentences across 14 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XVII
Chapter 17 of Burl is here in full — 67 sentences across 14 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
HOW THE GLORY OF HIS RACE FIGURED IN HIS RISING. Listen! There lived an Indian--a sachem of the powerful and warlike Shawnees; an Indian who loved his wild people, his wild land, and his wild freedom dearer than his life, and for their defense and weal he labored, and fought and died. Why and how, and to what end--listen! The sachem looked around him.
Chapter 17 of Burl is here in full — 67 sentences across 14 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/13 · 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.
comparative of “dear” — dearly loved
From this reading “There lived an Indian--a sachem of the powerful and warlike Shawnees; an Indian who loved his wild people, his wild land, and his wild freedom dearer than his life, and for their defense and weal he labored, and fought and died.”
(military) military action or resources protecting a country against potential enemies
From this reading “There lived an Indian--a sachem of the powerful and warlike Shawnees; an Indian who loved his wild people, his wild land, and his wild freedom dearer than his life, and for their defense and weal he labored, and fought and died.”
(of e.g. fabric design) adorned with patterns
From this reading “HOW THE GLORY OF HIS RACE FIGURED IN HIS RISING.”
inflected form of “fight” — be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading “There lived an Indian--a sachem of the powerful and warlike Shawnees; an Indian who loved his wild people, his wild land, and his wild freedom dearer than his life, and for their defense and weal he labored, and fought and died.”
the condition of being free; the power to act or speak or think without externally imposed restraints
From this reading “There lived an Indian--a sachem of the powerful and warlike Shawnees; an Indian who loved his wild people, his wild land, and his wild freedom dearer than his life, and for their defense and weal he labored, and fought and died.”
lacking natural ease
From this reading “There lived an Indian--a sachem of the powerful and warlike Shawnees; an Indian who loved his wild people, his wild land, and his wild freedom dearer than his life, and for their defense and weal he labored, and fought and died.”
having great power or force or potency or effect
From this reading “There lived an Indian--a sachem of the powerful and warlike Shawnees; an Indian who loved his wild people, his wild land, and his wild freedom dearer than his life, and for their defense and weal he labored, and fought and died.”
disposed to warfare or hard-line policies
From this reading “There lived an Indian--a sachem of the powerful and warlike Shawnees; an Indian who loved his wild people, his wild land, and his wild freedom dearer than his life, and for their defense and weal he labored, and fought and died.”
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 There lived an Indian--a sachem of the powerful and warlike Shawnees; an Indian who loved his wild people, his wild land, and his wild freedom dearer than his life, and for their defense and weal he labored, and fought and died.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading There lived an Indian--a sachem of the powerful and warlike Shawnees; an Indian who loved his wild people, his wild land, and his wild freedom dearer than his life, and for their defense and weal he labored, and fought and died.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There lived an Indian--a sachem of the powerful and warlike Shawnees; an Indian who loved his wild people, his wild land, and his wild freedom dearer than his life, and for their defense and weal he labored, and fought and died.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading The sachem looked around him.
comparative of “dear” — dearly loved
From this reading There lived an Indian--a sachem of the powerful and warlike Shawnees; an Indian who loved his wild people, his wild land, and his wild freedom dearer than his life, and for their defense and weal he labored, and fought and died.
(military) military action or resources protecting a country against potential enemies
From this reading There lived an Indian--a sachem of the powerful and warlike Shawnees; an Indian who loved his wild people, his wild land, and his wild freedom dearer than his life, and for their defense and weal he labored, and fought and died.
past form of “die” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading There lived an Indian--a sachem of the powerful and warlike Shawnees; an Indian who loved his wild people, his wild land, and his wild freedom dearer than his life, and for their defense and weal he labored, and fought and died.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading Why and how, and to what end--listen!
(of e.g. fabric design) adorned with patterns
From this reading HOW THE GLORY OF HIS RACE FIGURED IN HIS RISING.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading There lived an Indian--a sachem of the powerful and warlike Shawnees; an Indian who loved his wild people, his wild land, and his wild freedom dearer than his life, and for their defense and weal he labored, and fought and died.
inflected form of “fight” — be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading There lived an Indian--a sachem of the powerful and warlike Shawnees; an Indian who loved his wild people, his wild land, and his wild freedom dearer than his life, and for their defense and weal he labored, and fought and died.
the condition of being free; the power to act or speak or think without externally imposed restraints
From this reading There lived an Indian--a sachem of the powerful and warlike Shawnees; an Indian who loved his wild people, his wild land, and his wild freedom dearer than his life, and for their defense and weal he labored, and fought and died.
a state of high honor
From this reading HOW THE GLORY OF HIS RACE FIGURED IN HIS RISING.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading There lived an Indian--a sachem of the powerful and warlike Shawnees; an Indian who loved his wild people, his wild land, and his wild freedom dearer than his life, and for their defense and weal he labored, and fought and died.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The sachem looked around him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading HOW THE GLORY OF HIS RACE FIGURED IN HIS RISING.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW THE GLORY OF HIS RACE FIGURED IN HIS RISING.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading HOW THE GLORY OF HIS RACE FIGURED IN HIS RISING.
of or relating to or characteristic of India or the East Indies or their peoples or languages or cultures
From this reading There lived an Indian--a sachem of the powerful and warlike Shawnees; an Indian who loved his wild people, his wild land, and his wild freedom dearer than his life, and for their defense and weal he labored, and fought and died.
lacking natural ease
From this reading There lived an Indian--a sachem of the powerful and warlike Shawnees; an Indian who loved his wild people, his wild land, and his wild freedom dearer than his life, and for their defense and weal he labored, and fought and died.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading There lived an Indian--a sachem of the powerful and warlike Shawnees; an Indian who loved his wild people, his wild land, and his wild freedom dearer than his life, and for their defense and weal he labored, and fought and died.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading There lived an Indian--a sachem of the powerful and warlike Shawnees; an Indian who loved his wild people, his wild land, and his wild freedom dearer than his life, and for their defense and weal he labored, and fought and died.
hear with intention
From this reading Listen!
past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading There lived an Indian--a sachem of the powerful and warlike Shawnees; an Indian who loved his wild people, his wild land, and his wild freedom dearer than his life, and for their defense and weal he labored, and fought and died.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading The sachem looked around him.
held dear
From this reading There lived an Indian--a sachem of the powerful and warlike Shawnees; an Indian who loved his wild people, his wild land, and his wild freedom dearer than his life, and for their defense and weal he labored, and fought and died.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading HOW THE GLORY OF HIS RACE FIGURED IN HIS RISING.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading There lived an Indian--a sachem of the powerful and warlike Shawnees; an Indian who loved his wild people, his wild land, and his wild freedom dearer than his life, and for their defense and weal he labored, and fought and died.
having great power or force or potency or effect
From this reading There lived an Indian--a sachem of the powerful and warlike Shawnees; an Indian who loved his wild people, his wild land, and his wild freedom dearer than his life, and for their defense and weal he labored, and fought and died.
any competition
From this reading HOW THE GLORY OF HIS RACE FIGURED IN HIS RISING.
advancing or becoming higher or greater in degree or value or status
From this reading HOW THE GLORY OF HIS RACE FIGURED IN HIS RISING.
a political leader (especially of Tammany Hall)
From this reading There lived an Indian--a sachem of the powerful and warlike Shawnees; an Indian who loved his wild people, his wild land, and his wild freedom dearer than his life, and for their defense and weal he labored, and fought and died.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There lived an Indian--a sachem of the powerful and warlike Shawnees; an Indian who loved his wild people, his wild land, and his wild freedom dearer than his life, and for their defense and weal he labored, and fought and died.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading There lived an Indian--a sachem of the powerful and warlike Shawnees; an Indian who loved his wild people, his wild land, and his wild freedom dearer than his life, and for their defense and weal he labored, and fought and died.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading HOW THE GLORY OF HIS RACE FIGURED IN HIS RISING.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading There lived an Indian--a sachem of the powerful and warlike Shawnees; an Indian who loved his wild people, his wild land, and his wild freedom dearer than his life, and for their defense and weal he labored, and fought and died.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There lived an Indian--a sachem of the powerful and warlike Shawnees; an Indian who loved his wild people, his wild land, and his wild freedom dearer than his life, and for their defense and weal he labored, and fought and died.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Why and how, and to what end--listen!
disposed to warfare or hard-line policies
From this reading There lived an Indian--a sachem of the powerful and warlike Shawnees; an Indian who loved his wild people, his wild land, and his wild freedom dearer than his life, and for their defense and weal he labored, and fought and died.
a raised mark on the skin (as produced by the blow of a whip); characteristic of many allergic reactions
From this reading There lived an Indian--a sachem of the powerful and warlike Shawnees; an Indian who loved his wild people, his wild land, and his wild freedom dearer than his life, and for their defense and weal he labored, and fought and died.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Why and how, and to what end--listen!
which person or people
From this reading There lived an Indian--a sachem of the powerful and warlike Shawnees; an Indian who loved his wild people, his wild land, and his wild freedom dearer than his life, and for their defense and weal he labored, and fought and died.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading Why and how, and to what end--listen!
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading There lived an Indian--a sachem of the powerful and warlike Shawnees; an Indian who loved his wild people, his wild land, and his wild freedom dearer than his life, and for their defense and weal he labored, and fought and died.
Chapter 17 of Burl by Morrison Heady holds 67 sentences, grouped into 14 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.
Chapter 17 holds 67 sentences of Burl, unabridged, divided into 14 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 17 of Burl by Morrison Heady exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 67 sentences, grouped into 14 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 14 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 14 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 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.
Common questions about reading Burl by Morrison Heady on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 1839 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #27363 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #27363, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 153 minutes of reading across 368 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Burl section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 21 chapters of Burl 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 Burl, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
