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Demos
Demos

Chapter XII · Chapter 12

Chapter 12 of Demos is here in full — 454 sentences across 91 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/90 · 5 lines
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In the church of the Insurgents there are many orders.
To rise to the supreme passion of revolt, two conditions are indispensable: to possess the heart of a poet, and to be subdued by poverty to the yoke of ignoble labour.
But many who fall short of the priesthood have yet a share of the true spirit, bestowed upon them by circumstances of birth and education, developed here and there by the experience of life, yet rigidly limited in the upshot by the control of material ease, the fatal lordship of the comfortable commonplace.
Of such was Hubert Eldon.
In him, despite his birth and breeding, there came to the surface a rich vein of independence, obscurely traceable, no doubt, in the characters of certain of his ancestors, appearing at length where nineteenth-century influences had thinned the detritus of convention and class prejudice.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Demos

Chapter XII · Chapter 12

Chapter 12 of Demos is here in full — 454 sentences across 91 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/90 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
In the church of the Insurgents there are many orders.
/ɪn ðə tʃɜːrtʃ ʌv ðə ˌɪnˈsɜːrdʒənts ðer ɑːr ˈmeni ˈɔːrdərz/
Line 2
To rise to the supreme passion of revolt, two conditions are indispensable: to possess the heart of a poet, and to be subdued by poverty to the yoke of ignoble labour.
/tuː raɪz tuː ðə səˈpriːm ˈpæʃən ʌv rɪˈvoʊlt tuː kənˈdɪʃənz ɑːr ˌɪndɪˈspensəbəl tuː pəˈzes ðə hɑːrt ʌv ə ˈpoʊət ənd tuː biː səbˈduːd baɪ ˈpɑːvərti tuː ðə joʊk ʌv ˌɪɡˈnoʊbəl ˈleɪbər/
Line 3
But many who fall short of the priesthood have yet a share of the true spirit, bestowed upon them by circumstances of birth and education, developed here and there by the experience of life, yet rigidly limited in the upshot by the control of material ease, the fatal lordship of the comfortable commonplace.
/bʌt ˈmeni huː fɔːl ʃɔːrt ʌv ðə ˈpriːsthʊd hæv jet ə ʃer ʌv ðə truː ˈspɪrət bɪˈstoʊd əˈpɑːn ðem baɪ ˈsɜːrkəmstænsəz ʌv bɜːrθ ənd ˌedʒəˈkeɪʃən dɪˈveləpt hiːr ənd ðer baɪ ðə ɪkˈspɪriəns ʌv laɪf jet ˈrɪdʒɪdli ˈlɪmətəd ɪn ðə ˈʌpʃɑːt baɪ ðə kənˈtroʊl ʌv məˈtɪriəl iːz ðə ˈfeɪtəl ˈlɔːrdʃɪp ʌv ðə ˈkʌmfərtəbəl ˈkɑːmənpleɪs/
Line 4
Of such was Hubert Eldon.
Line 5
In him, despite his birth and breeding, there came to the surface a rich vein of independence, obscurely traceable, no doubt, in the characters of certain of his ancestors, appearing at length where nineteenth-century influences had thinned the detritus of convention and class prejudice.

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.

detritus noun US /dɪˈtraɪtəs/

the remains of something that has been destroyed or broken up

From this reading “In him, despite his birth and breeding, there came to the surface a rich vein of independence, obscurely traceable, no doubt, in the characters of certain of his ancestors, appearing at length where nineteenth-century influences had thinned the detritus of convention and class prejudice.”

ignoble adjective US /ˌɪɡˈnoʊbəl/

completely lacking nobility in character or quality or purpose

From this reading “To rise to the supreme passion of revolt, two conditions are indispensable: to possess the heart of a poet, and to be subdued by poverty to the yoke of ignoble labour.”

Insurgents noun US /ˌɪnˈsɜːrdʒənts/

plural of “insurgent” — a person who takes part in an armed rebellion against the constituted authority (especially in the hope of improving conditions)

From this reading “In the church of the Insurgents there are many orders.”

priesthood noun US /ˈpriːsthʊd/

the body of ordained religious practitioners

From this reading “But many who fall short of the priesthood have yet a share of the true spirit, bestowed upon them by circumstances of birth and education, developed here and there by the experience of life, yet rigidly limited in the upshot by the control of material ease, the fatal lordship of the comfortable commonplace.”

rigidly adverb US /ˈrɪdʒɪdli/

in a rigid manner

From this reading “But many who fall short of the priesthood have yet a share of the true spirit, bestowed upon them by circumstances of birth and education, developed here and there by the experience of life, yet rigidly limited in the upshot by the control of material ease, the fatal lordship of the comfortable commonplace.”

thinned adjective US /θɪnd/

mixed with water

From this reading “In him, despite his birth and breeding, there came to the surface a rich vein of independence, obscurely traceable, no doubt, in the characters of certain of his ancestors, appearing at length where nineteenth-century influences had thinned the detritus of convention and class prejudice.”

traceable adjective US /ˈtreɪsəbəl/

(usually followed by “to”) able to be traced to

From this reading “In him, despite his birth and breeding, there came to the surface a rich vein of independence, obscurely traceable, no doubt, in the characters of certain of his ancestors, appearing at length where nineteenth-century influences had thinned the detritus of convention and class prejudice.”

upshot noun US /ˈʌpʃɑːt/

a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon

From this reading “But many who fall short of the priesthood have yet a share of the true spirit, bestowed upon them by circumstances of birth and education, developed here and there by the experience of life, yet rigidly limited in the upshot by the control of material ease, the fatal lordship of the comfortable commonplace.”

All words in this reading · 91

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 To rise to the supreme passion of revolt, two conditions are indispensable: to possess the heart of a poet, and to be subdued by poverty to the yoke of ignoble labour.

ancestorsnounUS /ˈænsestərz/

plural of “ancestor” — someone from whom you are descended (but usually more remote than a grandparent)

From this reading In him, despite his birth and breeding, there came to the surface a rich vein of independence, obscurely traceable, no doubt, in the characters of certain of his ancestors, appearing at length where nineteenth-century influences had thinned the detritus of convention and class prejudice.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading To rise to the supreme passion of revolt, two conditions are indispensable: to possess the heart of a poet, and to be subdued by poverty to the yoke of ignoble labour.

appearingnounUS /əˈpɪrɪŋ/

formal attendance (in court or at a hearing) of a party in an action

From this reading In him, despite his birth and breeding, there came to the surface a rich vein of independence, obscurely traceable, no doubt, in the characters of certain of his ancestors, appearing at length where nineteenth-century influences had thinned the detritus of convention and class prejudice.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading In the church of the Insurgents there are many orders.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading In him, despite his birth and breeding, there came to the surface a rich vein of independence, obscurely traceable, no doubt, in the characters of certain of his ancestors, appearing at length where nineteenth-century influences had thinned the detritus of convention and class prejudice.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading To rise to the supreme passion of revolt, two conditions are indispensable: to possess the heart of a poet, and to be subdued by poverty to the yoke of ignoble labour.

bestowedverbUS /bɪˈstoʊd/

past form of “bestow” — present

From this reading But many who fall short of the priesthood have yet a share of the true spirit, bestowed upon them by circumstances of birth and education, developed here and there by the experience of life, yet rigidly limited in the upshot by the control of material ease, the fatal lordship of the comfortable commonplace.

birthnounUS /bɜːrθ/

the time when something begins (especially life)

From this reading But many who fall short of the priesthood have yet a share of the true spirit, bestowed upon them by circumstances of birth and education, developed here and there by the experience of life, yet rigidly limited in the upshot by the control of material ease, the fatal lordship of the comfortable commonplace.

breedingnounUS /ˈbriːdɪŋ/

elegance by virtue of fineness of manner and expression

From this reading In him, despite his birth and breeding, there came to the surface a rich vein of independence, obscurely traceable, no doubt, in the characters of certain of his ancestors, appearing at length where nineteenth-century influences had thinned the detritus of convention and class prejudice.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But many who fall short of the priesthood have yet a share of the true spirit, bestowed upon them by circumstances of birth and education, developed here and there by the experience of life, yet rigidly limited in the upshot by the control of material ease, the fatal lordship of the comfortable commonplace.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading To rise to the supreme passion of revolt, two conditions are indispensable: to possess the heart of a poet, and to be subdued by poverty to the yoke of ignoble labour.

cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading In him, despite his birth and breeding, there came to the surface a rich vein of independence, obscurely traceable, no doubt, in the characters of certain of his ancestors, appearing at length where nineteenth-century influences had thinned the detritus of convention and class prejudice.

certainadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrtən/

definite but not specified or identified

From this reading In him, despite his birth and breeding, there came to the surface a rich vein of independence, obscurely traceable, no doubt, in the characters of certain of his ancestors, appearing at length where nineteenth-century influences had thinned the detritus of convention and class prejudice.

charactersnounUS /ˈkærəktərz/

plural of “character” — an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)

From this reading In him, despite his birth and breeding, there came to the surface a rich vein of independence, obscurely traceable, no doubt, in the characters of certain of his ancestors, appearing at length where nineteenth-century influences had thinned the detritus of convention and class prejudice.

churchnounUS /tʃɜːrtʃ/

one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship

From this reading In the church of the Insurgents there are many orders.

circumstancesnounUS /ˈsɜːrkəmstænsəz/

your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)

From this reading But many who fall short of the priesthood have yet a share of the true spirit, bestowed upon them by circumstances of birth and education, developed here and there by the experience of life, yet rigidly limited in the upshot by the control of material ease, the fatal lordship of the comfortable commonplace.

classnounUS /klæs/

a collection of things sharing a common attribute

From this reading In him, despite his birth and breeding, there came to the surface a rich vein of independence, obscurely traceable, no doubt, in the characters of certain of his ancestors, appearing at length where nineteenth-century influences had thinned the detritus of convention and class prejudice.

comfortableadjectiveUS /ˈkʌmfərtəbəl/

providing or experiencing physical well-being or relief (“comfy” is informal)

From this reading But many who fall short of the priesthood have yet a share of the true spirit, bestowed upon them by circumstances of birth and education, developed here and there by the experience of life, yet rigidly limited in the upshot by the control of material ease, the fatal lordship of the comfortable commonplace.

commonplaceadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːmənpleɪs/

completely ordinary and unremarkable

From this reading But many who fall short of the priesthood have yet a share of the true spirit, bestowed upon them by circumstances of birth and education, developed here and there by the experience of life, yet rigidly limited in the upshot by the control of material ease, the fatal lordship of the comfortable commonplace.

conditionsnounUS /kənˈdɪʃənz/

the prevailing context that influences the performance or the outcome of a process

From this reading To rise to the supreme passion of revolt, two conditions are indispensable: to possess the heart of a poet, and to be subdued by poverty to the yoke of ignoble labour.

controlnounUS /kənˈtroʊl/

power to direct or determine

From this reading But many who fall short of the priesthood have yet a share of the true spirit, bestowed upon them by circumstances of birth and education, developed here and there by the experience of life, yet rigidly limited in the upshot by the control of material ease, the fatal lordship of the comfortable commonplace.

conventionnounUS /kənˈvenʃən/

a large formal assembly

From this reading In him, despite his birth and breeding, there came to the surface a rich vein of independence, obscurely traceable, no doubt, in the characters of certain of his ancestors, appearing at length where nineteenth-century influences had thinned the detritus of convention and class prejudice.

despiteprepositionUS /dɪˈspaɪt/

although something is true; in spite of

From this reading In him, despite his birth and breeding, there came to the surface a rich vein of independence, obscurely traceable, no doubt, in the characters of certain of his ancestors, appearing at length where nineteenth-century influences had thinned the detritus of convention and class prejudice.

detritusnounUS /dɪˈtraɪtəs/

the remains of something that has been destroyed or broken up

From this reading In him, despite his birth and breeding, there came to the surface a rich vein of independence, obscurely traceable, no doubt, in the characters of certain of his ancestors, appearing at length where nineteenth-century influences had thinned the detritus of convention and class prejudice.

developedadjectiveUS /dɪˈveləpt/

being changed over time so as to be e.g. stronger or more complete or more useful

From this reading But many who fall short of the priesthood have yet a share of the true spirit, bestowed upon them by circumstances of birth and education, developed here and there by the experience of life, yet rigidly limited in the upshot by the control of material ease, the fatal lordship of the comfortable commonplace.

doubtnounUS /daʊt/

the state of being unsure of something

From this reading In him, despite his birth and breeding, there came to the surface a rich vein of independence, obscurely traceable, no doubt, in the characters of certain of his ancestors, appearing at length where nineteenth-century influences had thinned the detritus of convention and class prejudice.

easeverbUS /iːz/

move gently or carefully

From this reading But many who fall short of the priesthood have yet a share of the true spirit, bestowed upon them by circumstances of birth and education, developed here and there by the experience of life, yet rigidly limited in the upshot by the control of material ease, the fatal lordship of the comfortable commonplace.

educationnounUS /ˌedʒəˈkeɪʃən/

the activities of educating or instructing; activities that impart knowledge or skill

From this reading But many who fall short of the priesthood have yet a share of the true spirit, bestowed upon them by circumstances of birth and education, developed here and there by the experience of life, yet rigidly limited in the upshot by the control of material ease, the fatal lordship of the comfortable commonplace.

Eldon

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

From this reading Of such was Hubert Eldon.

experienceverbUS /ɪkˈspɪriəns/

undergo or live through a difficult experience

From this reading But many who fall short of the priesthood have yet a share of the true spirit, bestowed upon them by circumstances of birth and education, developed here and there by the experience of life, yet rigidly limited in the upshot by the control of material ease, the fatal lordship of the comfortable commonplace.

fallverbUS /fɔːl/

descend in free fall under the influence of gravity

From this reading But many who fall short of the priesthood have yet a share of the true spirit, bestowed upon them by circumstances of birth and education, developed here and there by the experience of life, yet rigidly limited in the upshot by the control of material ease, the fatal lordship of the comfortable commonplace.

fataladjectiveUS /ˈfeɪtəl/

bringing death

From this reading But many who fall short of the priesthood have yet a share of the true spirit, bestowed upon them by circumstances of birth and education, developed here and there by the experience of life, yet rigidly limited in the upshot by the control of material ease, the fatal lordship of the comfortable commonplace.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading In him, despite his birth and breeding, there came to the surface a rich vein of independence, obscurely traceable, no doubt, in the characters of certain of his ancestors, appearing at length where nineteenth-century influences had thinned the detritus of convention and class prejudice.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading But many who fall short of the priesthood have yet a share of the true spirit, bestowed upon them by circumstances of birth and education, developed here and there by the experience of life, yet rigidly limited in the upshot by the control of material ease, the fatal lordship of the comfortable commonplace.

heartnounUS /hɑːrt/

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading To rise to the supreme passion of revolt, two conditions are indispensable: to possess the heart of a poet, and to be subdued by poverty to the yoke of ignoble labour.

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading But many who fall short of the priesthood have yet a share of the true spirit, bestowed upon them by circumstances of birth and education, developed here and there by the experience of life, yet rigidly limited in the upshot by the control of material ease, the fatal lordship of the comfortable commonplace.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading In him, despite his birth and breeding, there came to the surface a rich vein of independence, obscurely traceable, no doubt, in the characters of certain of his ancestors, appearing at length where nineteenth-century influences had thinned the detritus of convention and class prejudice.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading In him, despite his birth and breeding, there came to the surface a rich vein of independence, obscurely traceable, no doubt, in the characters of certain of his ancestors, appearing at length where nineteenth-century influences had thinned the detritus of convention and class prejudice.

Hubert

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

From this reading Of such was Hubert Eldon.

ignobleadjectiveUS /ˌɪɡˈnoʊbəl/

completely lacking nobility in character or quality or purpose

From this reading To rise to the supreme passion of revolt, two conditions are indispensable: to possess the heart of a poet, and to be subdued by poverty to the yoke of ignoble labour.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading In the church of the Insurgents there are many orders.

independencenounUS /ˌɪndɪˈpendəns/

freedom from control or influence of another or others

From this reading In him, despite his birth and breeding, there came to the surface a rich vein of independence, obscurely traceable, no doubt, in the characters of certain of his ancestors, appearing at length where nineteenth-century influences had thinned the detritus of convention and class prejudice.

indispensableadjectiveUS /ˌɪndɪˈspensəbəl/

not to be dispensed with; essential

From this reading To rise to the supreme passion of revolt, two conditions are indispensable: to possess the heart of a poet, and to be subdued by poverty to the yoke of ignoble labour.

influencesnounUS /ˈɪnfluːənsɪz/

plural of “influence” — a power to affect persons or events especially power based on prestige etc

From this reading In him, despite his birth and breeding, there came to the surface a rich vein of independence, obscurely traceable, no doubt, in the characters of certain of his ancestors, appearing at length where nineteenth-century influences had thinned the detritus of convention and class prejudice.

InsurgentsnounUS /ˌɪnˈsɜːrdʒənts/

plural of “insurgent” — a person who takes part in an armed rebellion against the constituted authority (especially in the hope of improving conditions)

From this reading In the church of the Insurgents there are many orders.

labournounUS /ˈleɪbər/

a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages

From this reading To rise to the supreme passion of revolt, two conditions are indispensable: to possess the heart of a poet, and to be subdued by poverty to the yoke of ignoble labour.

lengthnounUS /leŋkθ/

the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place

From this reading In him, despite his birth and breeding, there came to the surface a rich vein of independence, obscurely traceable, no doubt, in the characters of certain of his ancestors, appearing at length where nineteenth-century influences had thinned the detritus of convention and class prejudice.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading But many who fall short of the priesthood have yet a share of the true spirit, bestowed upon them by circumstances of birth and education, developed here and there by the experience of life, yet rigidly limited in the upshot by the control of material ease, the fatal lordship of the comfortable commonplace.

limitedadjectiveUS /ˈlɪmətəd/

small in range or scope

From this reading But many who fall short of the priesthood have yet a share of the true spirit, bestowed upon them by circumstances of birth and education, developed here and there by the experience of life, yet rigidly limited in the upshot by the control of material ease, the fatal lordship of the comfortable commonplace.

lordshipnounUS /ˈlɔːrdʃɪp/

a title used to address any British peer except a duke and extended to a bishop or a judge

From this reading But many who fall short of the priesthood have yet a share of the true spirit, bestowed upon them by circumstances of birth and education, developed here and there by the experience of life, yet rigidly limited in the upshot by the control of material ease, the fatal lordship of the comfortable commonplace.

manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading In the church of the Insurgents there are many orders.

materialadjectiveUS /məˈtɪriəl/

concerned with worldly rather than spiritual interests

From this reading But many who fall short of the priesthood have yet a share of the true spirit, bestowed upon them by circumstances of birth and education, developed here and there by the experience of life, yet rigidly limited in the upshot by the control of material ease, the fatal lordship of the comfortable commonplace.

nineteenth-century

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

From this reading In him, despite his birth and breeding, there came to the surface a rich vein of independence, obscurely traceable, no doubt, in the characters of certain of his ancestors, appearing at length where nineteenth-century influences had thinned the detritus of convention and class prejudice.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading In him, despite his birth and breeding, there came to the surface a rich vein of independence, obscurely traceable, no doubt, in the characters of certain of his ancestors, appearing at length where nineteenth-century influences had thinned the detritus of convention and class prejudice.

obscurelyadverb

in an obscure manner

From this reading In him, despite his birth and breeding, there came to the surface a rich vein of independence, obscurely traceable, no doubt, in the characters of certain of his ancestors, appearing at length where nineteenth-century influences had thinned the detritus of convention and class prejudice.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading In the church of the Insurgents there are many orders.

ordersnounUS /ˈɔːrdərz/

plural of “order” — (often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed

From this reading In the church of the Insurgents there are many orders.

passionnounUS /ˈpæʃən/

a strong feeling or emotion

From this reading To rise to the supreme passion of revolt, two conditions are indispensable: to possess the heart of a poet, and to be subdued by poverty to the yoke of ignoble labour.

poetnounUS /ˈpoʊət/

a writer of poems (the term is usually reserved for writers of good poetry)

From this reading To rise to the supreme passion of revolt, two conditions are indispensable: to possess the heart of a poet, and to be subdued by poverty to the yoke of ignoble labour.

possessverbUS /pəˈzes/

have as an attribute, knowledge, or skill

From this reading To rise to the supreme passion of revolt, two conditions are indispensable: to possess the heart of a poet, and to be subdued by poverty to the yoke of ignoble labour.

povertynounUS /ˈpɑːvərti/

the state of having little or no money and few or no material possessions

From this reading To rise to the supreme passion of revolt, two conditions are indispensable: to possess the heart of a poet, and to be subdued by poverty to the yoke of ignoble labour.

prejudicenounUS /ˈpredʒədɪs/

a partiality that prevents objective consideration of an issue or situation

From this reading In him, despite his birth and breeding, there came to the surface a rich vein of independence, obscurely traceable, no doubt, in the characters of certain of his ancestors, appearing at length where nineteenth-century influences had thinned the detritus of convention and class prejudice.

priesthoodnounUS /ˈpriːsthʊd/

the body of ordained religious practitioners

From this reading But many who fall short of the priesthood have yet a share of the true spirit, bestowed upon them by circumstances of birth and education, developed here and there by the experience of life, yet rigidly limited in the upshot by the control of material ease, the fatal lordship of the comfortable commonplace.

revoltnounUS /rɪˈvoʊlt/

organized opposition to authority; a conflict in which one faction tries to wrest control from another

From this reading To rise to the supreme passion of revolt, two conditions are indispensable: to possess the heart of a poet, and to be subdued by poverty to the yoke of ignoble labour.

richadjectiveUS /rɪtʃ/

possessing material wealth

From this reading In him, despite his birth and breeding, there came to the surface a rich vein of independence, obscurely traceable, no doubt, in the characters of certain of his ancestors, appearing at length where nineteenth-century influences had thinned the detritus of convention and class prejudice.

rigidlyadverbUS /ˈrɪdʒɪdli/

in a rigid manner

From this reading But many who fall short of the priesthood have yet a share of the true spirit, bestowed upon them by circumstances of birth and education, developed here and there by the experience of life, yet rigidly limited in the upshot by the control of material ease, the fatal lordship of the comfortable commonplace.

riseverbUS /raɪz/

move upward

From this reading To rise to the supreme passion of revolt, two conditions are indispensable: to possess the heart of a poet, and to be subdued by poverty to the yoke of ignoble labour.

shareverbUS /ʃer/

have in common

From this reading But many who fall short of the priesthood have yet a share of the true spirit, bestowed upon them by circumstances of birth and education, developed here and there by the experience of life, yet rigidly limited in the upshot by the control of material ease, the fatal lordship of the comfortable commonplace.

shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔːrt/

primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration

From this reading But many who fall short of the priesthood have yet a share of the true spirit, bestowed upon them by circumstances of birth and education, developed here and there by the experience of life, yet rigidly limited in the upshot by the control of material ease, the fatal lordship of the comfortable commonplace.

spiritnounUS /ˈspɪrət/

the vital principle or animating force within living things

From this reading But many who fall short of the priesthood have yet a share of the true spirit, bestowed upon them by circumstances of birth and education, developed here and there by the experience of life, yet rigidly limited in the upshot by the control of material ease, the fatal lordship of the comfortable commonplace.

subduedadjectiveUS /səbˈduːd/

in a softened tone

From this reading To rise to the supreme passion of revolt, two conditions are indispensable: to possess the heart of a poet, and to be subdued by poverty to the yoke of ignoble labour.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading Of such was Hubert Eldon.

supremeadjectiveUS /səˈpriːm/

final or last in your life or progress

From this reading To rise to the supreme passion of revolt, two conditions are indispensable: to possess the heart of a poet, and to be subdued by poverty to the yoke of ignoble labour.

surfacenounUS /ˈsɜːrfəs/

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

From this reading In him, despite his birth and breeding, there came to the surface a rich vein of independence, obscurely traceable, no doubt, in the characters of certain of his ancestors, appearing at length where nineteenth-century influences had thinned the detritus of convention and class prejudice.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading In the church of the Insurgents there are many orders.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading But many who fall short of the priesthood have yet a share of the true spirit, bestowed upon them by circumstances of birth and education, developed here and there by the experience of life, yet rigidly limited in the upshot by the control of material ease, the fatal lordship of the comfortable commonplace.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading In the church of the Insurgents there are many orders.

thinnedadjectiveUS /θɪnd/

mixed with water

From this reading In him, despite his birth and breeding, there came to the surface a rich vein of independence, obscurely traceable, no doubt, in the characters of certain of his ancestors, appearing at length where nineteenth-century influences had thinned the detritus of convention and class prejudice.

ToparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading To rise to the supreme passion of revolt, two conditions are indispensable: to possess the heart of a poet, and to be subdued by poverty to the yoke of ignoble labour.

traceableadjectiveUS /ˈtreɪsəbəl/

(usually followed by “to”) able to be traced to

From this reading In him, despite his birth and breeding, there came to the surface a rich vein of independence, obscurely traceable, no doubt, in the characters of certain of his ancestors, appearing at length where nineteenth-century influences had thinned the detritus of convention and class prejudice.

trueadjectiveUS /truː/

consistent with fact or reality; not false

From this reading But many who fall short of the priesthood have yet a share of the true spirit, bestowed upon them by circumstances of birth and education, developed here and there by the experience of life, yet rigidly limited in the upshot by the control of material ease, the fatal lordship of the comfortable commonplace.

twonounUS /tuː/

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

From this reading To rise to the supreme passion of revolt, two conditions are indispensable: to possess the heart of a poet, and to be subdued by poverty to the yoke of ignoble labour.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading But many who fall short of the priesthood have yet a share of the true spirit, bestowed upon them by circumstances of birth and education, developed here and there by the experience of life, yet rigidly limited in the upshot by the control of material ease, the fatal lordship of the comfortable commonplace.

upshotnounUS /ˈʌpʃɑːt/

a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon

From this reading But many who fall short of the priesthood have yet a share of the true spirit, bestowed upon them by circumstances of birth and education, developed here and there by the experience of life, yet rigidly limited in the upshot by the control of material ease, the fatal lordship of the comfortable commonplace.

veinnounUS /veɪn/

a blood vessel that carries blood from the capillaries toward the heart

From this reading In him, despite his birth and breeding, there came to the surface a rich vein of independence, obscurely traceable, no doubt, in the characters of certain of his ancestors, appearing at length where nineteenth-century influences had thinned the detritus of convention and class prejudice.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Of such was Hubert Eldon.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading In him, despite his birth and breeding, there came to the surface a rich vein of independence, obscurely traceable, no doubt, in the characters of certain of his ancestors, appearing at length where nineteenth-century influences had thinned the detritus of convention and class prejudice.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading But many who fall short of the priesthood have yet a share of the true spirit, bestowed upon them by circumstances of birth and education, developed here and there by the experience of life, yet rigidly limited in the upshot by the control of material ease, the fatal lordship of the comfortable commonplace.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading But many who fall short of the priesthood have yet a share of the true spirit, bestowed upon them by circumstances of birth and education, developed here and there by the experience of life, yet rigidly limited in the upshot by the control of material ease, the fatal lordship of the comfortable commonplace.

yokenounUS /joʊk/

fabric comprising a fitted part at the top of a garment

From this reading To rise to the supreme passion of revolt, two conditions are indispensable: to possess the heart of a poet, and to be subdued by poverty to the yoke of ignoble labour.

Chapter 12 of Demos by George Gissing holds 454 sentences, grouped into 91 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 12 of Demos contain?

Chapter 12 holds 454 sentences of Demos, unabridged, divided into 91 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 12 of Demos by George Gissing exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 454 sentences, grouped into 91 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 12 of Demos?

Work through the 91 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 91 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 12 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 12 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 Demos

Common questions about reading Demos by George Gissing on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Demos?

Yes. All 13251 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #4309 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Demos is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #4309, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Demos take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 2651 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Demos section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 36 chapters of Demos 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 Demos

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

Passed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Demos; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Adela
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Demos; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Brother
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Demos; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Short
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Demos; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.