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Elizabethan Sonnet Cycles: Phillis - Licia
Elizabethan Sonnet Cycles: Phillis - Licia

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Elizabethan Sonnet Cycles: Phillis - Licia is here in full — 404 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Elizabethan Sonnet Cycles: Phillis - Licia
Context Illustration Reading 15/80 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.
Yet for this name or ideal, or whatever Phillis represented in the poet's thought, he has poured forth a passion that has an air of sincerity, an artless freshness, a flute-like clearness of tone, as rare as delightful.
It is the very voice of the oaten pipe itself, thin, clear, and pure.
The touches of seriousness are impossible, to mistake.
When the poet avows his faith in Phillis' constancy, after giving the usual catalogue of her beauties, he says:
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Elizabethan Sonnet Cycles: Phillis - Licia

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Elizabethan Sonnet Cycles: Phillis - Licia is here in full — 404 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 15/80 · 5 reading units · Lines 71–75

Line 1
The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.
Line 2
Yet for this name or ideal, or whatever Phillis represented in the poet's thought, he has poured forth a passion that has an air of sincerity, an artless freshness, a flute-like clearness of tone, as rare as delightful.
Line 3
It is the very voice of the oaten pipe itself, thin, clear, and pure.
Line 4
The touches of seriousness are impossible, to mistake.
/ðə ˈtʌtʃəz ʌv ˈsɪriəsnəs ɑːr ˌɪmˈpɑːsəbəl tuː mɪˈsteɪk/
Line 5
When the poet avows his faith in Phillis' constancy, after giving the usual catalogue of her beauties, he says:

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.

cadences noun US /ˈkeɪdənsɪz/

plural of “cadence” — (prosody) the accent in a metrical foot of verse

From this reading “The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.”

catalogue verb US /ˈkætəlɔːɡ/

make an itemized list or catalog of; classify

From this reading “When the poet avows his faith in Phillis' constancy, after giving the usual catalogue of her beauties, he says:”

chooses verb US /ˈtʃuːzəz/

third-person singular of “choose” — pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives

From this reading “The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.”

constancy noun US /ˈkɑːnstənsi/

the quality of being enduring and free from change or variation

From this reading “When the poet avows his faith in Phillis' constancy, after giving the usual catalogue of her beauties, he says:”

insidious adjective US /ˌɪnˈsɪdiːəs/

beguiling but harmful

From this reading “The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.”

poet's noun US /ˈpoʊəts/

possessive form of “poet” — a writer of poems (the term is usually reserved for writers of good poetry)

From this reading “Yet for this name or ideal, or whatever Phillis represented in the poet's thought, he has poured forth a passion that has an air of sincerity, an artless freshness, a flute-like clearness of tone, as rare as delightful.”

puzzling adjective US /ˈpʌzəlɪŋ/

not clear to the understanding

From this reading “The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.”

rhymes noun US /raɪmz/

plural of “rhyme” — correspondence in the sounds of two or more lines (especially final sounds)

From this reading “The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.”

All words in this reading · 99

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 The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

affectionnounUS /əˈfekʃən/

a positive feeling of liking

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading When the poet avows his faith in Phillis' constancy, after giving the usual catalogue of her beauties, he says:

airnounUS /er/

a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of

From this reading Yet for this name or ideal, or whatever Phillis represented in the poet's thought, he has poured forth a passion that has an air of sincerity, an artless freshness, a flute-like clearness of tone, as rare as delightful.

alliterations

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

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading Yet for this name or ideal, or whatever Phillis represented in the poet's thought, he has poured forth a passion that has an air of sincerity, an artless freshness, a flute-like clearness of tone, as rare as delightful.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading The touches of seriousness are impossible, to mistake.

artlessadjective

characterized by an inability to mask your feelings; not devious

From this reading Yet for this name or ideal, or whatever Phillis represented in the poet's thought, he has poured forth a passion that has an air of sincerity, an artless freshness, a flute-like clearness of tone, as rare as delightful.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

avows

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

From this reading When the poet avows his faith in Phillis' constancy, after giving the usual catalogue of her beauties, he says:

beautiesnounUS /ˈbjuːtiz/

plural of “beauty” — the qualities that give pleasure to the senses

From this reading When the poet avows his faith in Phillis' constancy, after giving the usual catalogue of her beauties, he says:

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

cadencesnounUS /ˈkeɪdənsɪz/

plural of “cadence” — (prosody) the accent in a metrical foot of verse

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

catalogueverbUS /ˈkætəlɔːɡ/

make an itemized list or catalog of; classify

From this reading When the poet avows his faith in Phillis' constancy, after giving the usual catalogue of her beauties, he says:

choosesverbUS /ˈtʃuːzəz/

third-person singular of “choose” — pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

clearverbUS /klɪr/

rid of obstructions

From this reading It is the very voice of the oaten pipe itself, thin, clear, and pure.

clearnessnounUS /ˈklɪrnəs/

free from obscurity and easy to understand; the comprehensibility of clear expression

From this reading Yet for this name or ideal, or whatever Phillis represented in the poet's thought, he has poured forth a passion that has an air of sincerity, an artless freshness, a flute-like clearness of tone, as rare as delightful.

constancynounUS /ˈkɑːnstənsi/

the quality of being enduring and free from change or variation

From this reading When the poet avows his faith in Phillis' constancy, after giving the usual catalogue of her beauties, he says:

CountessnounUS /ˈkaʊntəs/

female equivalent of a count or earl

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

coververbUS /ˈkʌvər/

provide with a covering or cause to be covered

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

delightfuladjectiveUS /dɪˈlaɪtfəl/

greatly pleasing or entertaining

From this reading Yet for this name or ideal, or whatever Phillis represented in the poet's thought, he has poured forth a passion that has an air of sincerity, an artless freshness, a flute-like clearness of tone, as rare as delightful.

disturbverbUS /dɪˈstɜːrb/

move deeply

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

doubleverbUS /ˈdʌbəl/

increase twofold

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

earnounUS /iːr/

the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

faithnounUS /feɪθ/

a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny

From this reading When the poet avows his faith in Phillis' constancy, after giving the usual catalogue of her beauties, he says:

fallverbUS /fɔːl/

descend in free fall under the influence of gravity

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

flute-like

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

From this reading Yet for this name or ideal, or whatever Phillis represented in the poet's thought, he has poured forth a passion that has an air of sincerity, an artless freshness, a flute-like clearness of tone, as rare as delightful.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

forthadverbUS /fɔːrθ/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading Yet for this name or ideal, or whatever Phillis represented in the poet's thought, he has poured forth a passion that has an air of sincerity, an artless freshness, a flute-like clearness of tone, as rare as delightful.

freshnessnounUS /ˈfreʃnəs/

the property of being pure and fresh (as if newly made); not stale or deteriorated

From this reading Yet for this name or ideal, or whatever Phillis represented in the poet's thought, he has poured forth a passion that has an air of sincerity, an artless freshness, a flute-like clearness of tone, as rare as delightful.

gentleadjectiveUS /ˈdʒentəl/

soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

givingnounUS /ˈɡɪvɪŋ/

the act of giving

From this reading When the poet avows his faith in Phillis' constancy, after giving the usual catalogue of her beauties, he says:

grandadjectiveUS /ɡrænd/

of behavior that is impressive and ambitious in scale or scope

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading Yet for this name or ideal, or whatever Phillis represented in the poet's thought, he has poured forth a passion that has an air of sincerity, an artless freshness, a flute-like clearness of tone, as rare as delightful.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

idealadjectiveUS /aɪˈdiːl/

conforming to an ultimate standard of perfection or excellence; embodying an ideal

From this reading Yet for this name or ideal, or whatever Phillis represented in the poet's thought, he has poured forth a passion that has an air of sincerity, an artless freshness, a flute-like clearness of tone, as rare as delightful.

impossibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpɑːsəbəl/

not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with

From this reading The touches of seriousness are impossible, to mistake.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

insidiousadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈsɪdiːəs/

beguiling but harmful

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It is the very voice of the oaten pipe itself, thin, clear, and pure.

itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading It is the very voice of the oaten pipe itself, thin, clear, and pure.

ladynounUS /ˈleɪdi/

a polite name for any woman

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

mistakenounUS /mɪˈsteɪk/

a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention

From this reading The touches of seriousness are impossible, to mistake.

modulations

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

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

musicaladjectiveUS /ˈmjuːzɪkəl/

characterized by or capable of producing music

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

nameverbUS /neɪm/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

oatenadjective

of or related to or derived from oats

From this reading It is the very voice of the oaten pipe itself, thin, clear, and pure.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Yet for this name or ideal, or whatever Phillis represented in the poet's thought, he has poured forth a passion that has an air of sincerity, an artless freshness, a flute-like clearness of tone, as rare as delightful.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

passionnounUS /ˈpæʃən/

a strong feeling or emotion

From this reading Yet for this name or ideal, or whatever Phillis represented in the poet's thought, he has poured forth a passion that has an air of sincerity, an artless freshness, a flute-like clearness of tone, as rare as delightful.

perfectionnounUS /pərˈfekʃən/

the state of being without a flaw or defect

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

performe

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

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

personalitynounUS /ˌpɜːrsəˈnælɪti/

the complex of all the attributes--behavioral, temperamental, emotional and mental--that characterize a unique individual

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

Phillis

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

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

pipenounUS /paɪp/

a tube with a small bowl at one end; used for smoking tobacco

From this reading It is the very voice of the oaten pipe itself, thin, clear, and pure.

pleasurenounUS /ˈpleʒər/

a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

poetnounUS /ˈpoʊət/

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

From this reading When the poet avows his faith in Phillis' constancy, after giving the usual catalogue of her beauties, he says:

poet'snounUS /ˈpoʊəts/

possessive form of “poet” — a writer of poems (the term is usually reserved for writers of good poetry)

From this reading Yet for this name or ideal, or whatever Phillis represented in the poet's thought, he has poured forth a passion that has an air of sincerity, an artless freshness, a flute-like clearness of tone, as rare as delightful.

pouredverbUS /pɔːrd/

past form of “pour” — cause to run

From this reading Yet for this name or ideal, or whatever Phillis represented in the poet's thought, he has poured forth a passion that has an air of sincerity, an artless freshness, a flute-like clearness of tone, as rare as delightful.

promisesnounUS /ˈprɑːməsəz/

plural of “promise” — a verbal commitment by one person to another agreeing to do (or not to do) something in the future

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

pureadjectiveUS /pjʊr/

free of extraneous elements of any kind

From this reading It is the very voice of the oaten pipe itself, thin, clear, and pure.

puzzlingadjectiveUS /ˈpʌzəlɪŋ/

not clear to the understanding

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

questionsnounUS /ˈkwestʃənz/

plural of “question” — an instance of questioning

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

rareadjectiveUS /rer/

not widely known; especially valued for its uncommonness

From this reading Yet for this name or ideal, or whatever Phillis represented in the poet's thought, he has poured forth a passion that has an air of sincerity, an artless freshness, a flute-like clearness of tone, as rare as delightful.

readernounUS /ˈriːdər/

a person who enjoys reading

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

representedadjectiveUS /ˌreprɪˈzentɪd/

represented accurately or precisely

From this reading Yet for this name or ideal, or whatever Phillis represented in the poet's thought, he has poured forth a passion that has an air of sincerity, an artless freshness, a flute-like clearness of tone, as rare as delightful.

rhymesnounUS /raɪmz/

plural of “rhyme” — correspondence in the sounds of two or more lines (especially final sounds)

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

saysnounUS /sez/

plural of “say” — the chance to speak

From this reading When the poet avows his faith in Phillis' constancy, after giving the usual catalogue of her beauties, he says:

seriousnessnounUS /ˈsɪriəsnəs/

an earnest and sincere feeling

From this reading The touches of seriousness are impossible, to mistake.

she-Maecenas

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

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

Shrewsbury

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

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

sinceritynounUS /sɪnˈserəti/

an earnest and sincere feeling

From this reading Yet for this name or ideal, or whatever Phillis represented in the poet's thought, he has poured forth a passion that has an air of sincerity, an artless freshness, a flute-like clearness of tone, as rare as delightful.

SovereignadjectiveUS /ˈsɑːv.rən/

Possessing supreme or ultimate power; autonomous and commanding.

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Yet for this name or ideal, or whatever Phillis represented in the poet's thought, he has poured forth a passion that has an air of sincerity, an artless freshness, a flute-like clearness of tone, as rare as delightful.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

thereforeadverbUS /ˈðerfɔːr/

for that reason; as a result

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

thinadjectiveUS /θɪn/

Having little thickness or extent.

From this reading It is the very voice of the oaten pipe itself, thin, clear, and pure.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading Yet for this name or ideal, or whatever Phillis represented in the poet's thought, he has poured forth a passion that has an air of sincerity, an artless freshness, a flute-like clearness of tone, as rare as delightful.

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading Yet for this name or ideal, or whatever Phillis represented in the poet's thought, he has poured forth a passion that has an air of sincerity, an artless freshness, a flute-like clearness of tone, as rare as delightful.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The touches of seriousness are impossible, to mistake.

toilverbUS /tɔɪl/

work hard

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

tonenounUS /toʊn/

the quality of a person's voice

From this reading Yet for this name or ideal, or whatever Phillis represented in the poet's thought, he has poured forth a passion that has an air of sincerity, an artless freshness, a flute-like clearness of tone, as rare as delightful.

touchesnounUS /ˈtʌtʃəz/

plural of “touch” — the event of something coming in contact with the body

From this reading The touches of seriousness are impossible, to mistake.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading The Countess of Shrewsbury he chooses for the "Sovereign and she-Maecenas" of his toil, and promises her "as much in affection as any other can performe in perfection;" but the name of Phillis is no cover for the personality of a grand lady, and therefore no puzzling questions disturb the pleasure of the reader as the gentle modulations, the insidious alliterations, and the musical cadences of his double rhymes fall upon the ear.

usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/

occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure

From this reading When the poet avows his faith in Phillis' constancy, after giving the usual catalogue of her beauties, he says:

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading It is the very voice of the oaten pipe itself, thin, clear, and pure.

voicenounUS /vɔɪs/

the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech

From this reading It is the very voice of the oaten pipe itself, thin, clear, and pure.

whateverdeterminerUS /ˌwʌˈtevər/

any or all of a kind, it does not matter which

From this reading Yet for this name or ideal, or whatever Phillis represented in the poet's thought, he has poured forth a passion that has an air of sincerity, an artless freshness, a flute-like clearness of tone, as rare as delightful.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When the poet avows his faith in Phillis' constancy, after giving the usual catalogue of her beauties, he says:

YetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading Yet for this name or ideal, or whatever Phillis represented in the poet's thought, he has poured forth a passion that has an air of sincerity, an artless freshness, a flute-like clearness of tone, as rare as delightful.

Chapter 1 of Elizabethan Sonnet Cycles: Phillis - Licia by Martha Foote [Editor] Crow holds 404 sentences, grouped into 81 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 1 of Elizabethan Sonnet Cycles: Phillis - Licia contain?

Chapter 1 holds 404 sentences of Elizabethan Sonnet Cycles: Phillis - Licia, unabridged, divided into 81 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Elizabethan Sonnet Cycles: Phillis - Licia by Martha Foote [Editor] Crow exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 404 sentences, grouped into 81 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 1 of Elizabethan Sonnet Cycles: Phillis - Licia?

Work through the 81 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 81 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 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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 Elizabethan Sonnet Cycles: Phillis - Licia

Common questions about reading Elizabethan Sonnet Cycles: Phillis - Licia by Martha Foote [Editor] Crow on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Elizabethan Sonnet Cycles: Phillis - Licia?

Yes. All 803 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #18841 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Elizabethan Sonnet Cycles: Phillis - Licia is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #18841, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Elizabethan Sonnet Cycles: Phillis - Licia take to read?

About 66 minutes of reading across 161 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Elizabethan Sonnet Cycles: Phillis - Licia section by section

How to work through Elizabethan Sonnet Cycles: Phillis - Licia section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Elizabethan Sonnet Cycles: Phillis - Licia

Words and structures a reader meets early in Elizabethan Sonnet Cycles: Phillis - Licia, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Kegan
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Elizabethan Sonnet Cycles: Phillis - Licia; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Trench
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Elizabethan Sonnet Cycles: Phillis - Licia; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Truebner
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Elizabethan Sonnet Cycles: Phillis - Licia; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Paternoster
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Elizabethan Sonnet Cycles: Phillis - Licia; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.