Chapter 6 of Dissertations on the English Language, with Notes, Historical and Critical is here in full — 388 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VI
Chapter 6 of Dissertations on the English Language, with Notes, Historical and Critical is here in full — 388 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Let the foregoing passages be contrasted with the following. "But if he _say_ true, there is but one government in the world that can have any thing of justice in it."----Sidney, sect. 1. "If he _have_ any knowlege of actual existence, he must be satisfied."----Priestley, let. 8.
Chapter 6 of Dissertations on the English Language, with Notes, Historical and Critical is here in full — 388 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/77 · 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.
presently existing in fact and not merely potential or possible
From this reading “"If he _have_ any knowlege of actual existence, he must be satisfied."----Priestley, let.”
past form of “contrast” — put in opposition to show or emphasize differences
From this reading “Let the foregoing passages be contrasted with the following.”
the state or fact of existing
From this reading “"If he _have_ any knowlege of actual existence, he must be satisfied."----Priestley, let.”
especially of writing or speech; going before
From this reading “Let the foregoing passages be contrasted with the following.”
plural of “passage” — the act of passing from one state or place to the next
From this reading “Let the foregoing passages be contrasted with the following.”
English chemist who isolated many gases and discovered oxygen (independently of Scheele) (1733-1804)
From this reading “"If he _have_ any knowlege of actual existence, he must be satisfied."----Priestley, let.”
a subdivision of a larger religious group
From this reading “"But if he _say_ true, there is but one government in the world that can have any thing of justice in it."----Sidney, sect.”
English poet (1554-1586)
From this reading “"But if he _say_ true, there is but one government in the world that can have any thing of justice in it."----Sidney, sect.”
English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.
Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.
In this reading “"But if he _say_ true, there is but one government in the world that can have any thing of justice in it."----Sidney, sect.”
In this reading “"But if he _say_ true, there is but one government in the world that can have any thing of justice in it."----Sidney, sect.”
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.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 1.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 8.
presently existing in fact and not merely potential or possible
From this reading "If he _have_ any knowlege of actual existence, he must be satisfied."----Priestley, let.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading "But if he _say_ true, there is but one government in the world that can have any thing of justice in it."----Sidney, sect.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Let the foregoing passages be contrasted with the following.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "But if he _say_ true, there is but one government in the world that can have any thing of justice in it."----Sidney, sect.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading "But if he _say_ true, there is but one government in the world that can have any thing of justice in it."----Sidney, sect.
past form of “contrast” — put in opposition to show or emphasize differences
From this reading Let the foregoing passages be contrasted with the following.
the state or fact of existing
From this reading "If he _have_ any knowlege of actual existence, he must be satisfied."----Priestley, let.
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading Let the foregoing passages be contrasted with the following.
especially of writing or speech; going before
From this reading Let the foregoing passages be contrasted with the following.
the organization that is the governing authority of a political unit
From this reading "But if he _say_ true, there is but one government in the world that can have any thing of justice in it."----Sidney, sect.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "But if he _say_ true, there is but one government in the world that can have any thing of justice in it."----Sidney, sect.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "But if he _say_ true, there is but one government in the world that can have any thing of justice in it."----Sidney, sect.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "But if he _say_ true, there is but one government in the world that can have any thing of justice in it."----Sidney, sect.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "But if he _say_ true, there is but one government in the world that can have any thing of justice in it."----Sidney, sect.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "But if he _say_ true, there is but one government in the world that can have any thing of justice in it."----Sidney, sect.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "But if he _say_ true, there is but one government in the world that can have any thing of justice in it."----Sidney, sect.
the quality of being just or fair
From this reading "But if he _say_ true, there is but one government in the world that can have any thing of justice in it."----Sidney, sect.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "If he _have_ any knowlege of actual existence, he must be satisfied."----Priestley, let.
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading Let the foregoing passages be contrasted with the following.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading "If he _have_ any knowlege of actual existence, he must be satisfied."----Priestley, let.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "But if he _say_ true, there is but one government in the world that can have any thing of justice in it."----Sidney, sect.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "But if he _say_ true, there is but one government in the world that can have any thing of justice in it."----Sidney, sect.
plural of “passage” — the act of passing from one state or place to the next
From this reading Let the foregoing passages be contrasted with the following.
English chemist who isolated many gases and discovered oxygen (independently of Scheele) (1733-1804)
From this reading "If he _have_ any knowlege of actual existence, he must be satisfied."----Priestley, let.
filled with satisfaction
From this reading "If he _have_ any knowlege of actual existence, he must be satisfied."----Priestley, let.
express in words
From this reading "But if he _say_ true, there is but one government in the world that can have any thing of justice in it."----Sidney, sect.
a subdivision of a larger religious group
From this reading "But if he _say_ true, there is but one government in the world that can have any thing of justice in it."----Sidney, sect.
English poet (1554-1586)
From this reading "But if he _say_ true, there is but one government in the world that can have any thing of justice in it."----Sidney, sect.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "But if he _say_ true, there is but one government in the world that can have any thing of justice in it."----Sidney, sect.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Let the foregoing passages be contrasted with the following.
in or at that place or location
From this reading "But if he _say_ true, there is but one government in the world that can have any thing of justice in it."----Sidney, sect.
a special situation
From this reading "But if he _say_ true, there is but one government in the world that can have any thing of justice in it."----Sidney, sect.
consistent with fact or reality; not false
From this reading "But if he _say_ true, there is but one government in the world that can have any thing of justice in it."----Sidney, sect.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Let the foregoing passages be contrasted with the following.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading "But if he _say_ true, there is but one government in the world that can have any thing of justice in it."----Sidney, sect.
Chapter 6 of Dissertations on the English Language, with Notes, Historical and Critical by Noah Webster holds 388 sentences, grouped into 78 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 6 holds 388 sentences of Dissertations on the English Language, with Notes, Historical and Critical, unabridged, divided into 78 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 6 of Dissertations on the English Language, with Notes, Historical and Critical by Noah Webster exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 388 sentences, grouped into 78 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 78 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 78 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 6 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 Dissertations on the English Language, with Notes, Historical and Critical by Noah Webster on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 4427 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #45738 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #45738, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 368 minutes of reading across 886 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Dissertations on the English Language, with Notes, Historical and Critical section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 11 chapters of Dissertations on the English Language, with Notes, Historical and Critical 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 Dissertations on the English Language, with Notes, Historical and Critical, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
