Chapter 23 of Clarissa Harlowe is here in full — 161 sentences across 33 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXIII
Chapter 23 of Clarissa Harlowe is here in full — 161 sentences across 33 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE, TO MISS HOWE SAT. NIGHT. I have been down. I am to be unlucky in all I do, I think, be my intentions ever so good. I have made matters worse instead of better: as I shall now tell you.
Chapter 23 of Clarissa Harlowe is here in full — 161 sentences across 33 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/32 · 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.
United States editor (1920-1993)
From this reading “MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE, TO MISS HOWE SAT.”
in place of, or as an alternative to
From this reading “I have made matters worse instead of better: as I shall now tell you.”
plural of “intention” — an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions
From this reading “I am to be unlucky in all I do, I think, be my intentions ever so good.”
plural of “matter” — a vaguely specified concern
From this reading “I have made matters worse instead of better: as I shall now tell you.”
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading “MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE, TO MISS HOWE SAT.”
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading “MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE, TO MISS HOWE SAT.”
having or bringing misfortune
From this reading “I am to be unlucky in all I do, I think, be my intentions ever so good.”
(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability
From this reading “I have made matters worse instead of better: as I shall now tell you.”
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.
(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 I am to be unlucky in all I do, I think, be my intentions ever so good.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading I am to be unlucky in all I do, I think, be my intentions ever so good.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading I have made matters worse instead of better: as I shall now tell you.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading I am to be unlucky in all I do, I think, be my intentions ever so good.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading I have been down.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading I have made matters worse instead of better: as I shall now tell you.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE, TO MISS HOWE SAT.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading I am to be unlucky in all I do, I think, be my intentions ever so good.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading I have been down.
at any time
From this reading I am to be unlucky in all I do, I think, be my intentions ever so good.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading I am to be unlucky in all I do, I think, be my intentions ever so good.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE, TO MISS HOWE SAT.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading I have been down.
United States editor (1920-1993)
From this reading MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE, TO MISS HOWE SAT.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I have been down.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I am to be unlucky in all I do, I think, be my intentions ever so good.
in place of, or as an alternative to
From this reading I have made matters worse instead of better: as I shall now tell you.
plural of “intention” — an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions
From this reading I am to be unlucky in all I do, I think, be my intentions ever so good.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading I have made matters worse instead of better: as I shall now tell you.
plural of “matter” — a vaguely specified concern
From this reading I have made matters worse instead of better: as I shall now tell you.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE, TO MISS HOWE SAT.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I am to be unlucky in all I do, I think, be my intentions ever so good.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading NIGHT.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading I have made matters worse instead of better: as I shall now tell you.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I have made matters worse instead of better: as I shall now tell you.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE, TO MISS HOWE SAT.
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading I have made matters worse instead of better: as I shall now tell you.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading I am to be unlucky in all I do, I think, be my intentions ever so good.
express in words
From this reading I have made matters worse instead of better: as I shall now tell you.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading I am to be unlucky in all I do, I think, be my intentions ever so good.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE, TO MISS HOWE SAT.
having or bringing misfortune
From this reading I am to be unlucky in all I do, I think, be my intentions ever so good.
(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability
From this reading I have made matters worse instead of better: as I shall now tell you.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading I have made matters worse instead of better: as I shall now tell you.
Chapter 23 of Clarissa Harlowe by Samuel Richardson holds 161 sentences, grouped into 33 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 23 holds 161 sentences of Clarissa Harlowe, unabridged, divided into 33 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 23 of Clarissa Harlowe by Samuel Richardson exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 161 sentences, grouped into 33 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 33 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 33 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 23 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 Clarissa Harlowe by Samuel Richardson on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3786 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #9296 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #9296, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 315 minutes of reading across 758 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Clarissa Harlowe section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 34 chapters of Clarissa Harlowe 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 Clarissa Harlowe, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
