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Elsie Venner
Elsie Venner

Chapter XXVIII · Chapter 28

Chapter 28 of Elsie Venner is here in full — 337 sentences across 68 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/67 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The Reverend Chauncy Fairweather's congregation was not large, but select.
The lines of social cleavage run through religious creeds as if they were of a piece with position and fortune.
It is expected of persons of a certain breeding, in some parts of New England, that they shall be either Episcopalians or Unitarians.
The mansion-house gentry of Rockland were pretty fairly divided between the little chapel, with the stained window and the trained rector, and the meeting-house where the Reverend Mr. Fairweather officiated.
It was in the latter that Dudley Venner worshipped, when he attended service anywhere,--which depended very much on the caprice of Elsie.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Elsie Venner

Chapter XXVIII · Chapter 28

Chapter 28 of Elsie Venner is here in full — 337 sentences across 68 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/67 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The Reverend Chauncy Fairweather's congregation was not large, but select.
Line 2
The lines of social cleavage run through religious creeds as if they were of a piece with position and fortune.
/ðə laɪnz ʌv ˈsoʊʃəl ˈkliːvədʒ rʌn θruː rɪˈlɪdʒəs kriːdz æz ɪf ðeɪ wɜːr ʌv ə piːs wɪð pəˈzɪʃən ənd ˈfɔːrtʃən/
Line 3
It is expected of persons of a certain breeding, in some parts of New England, that they shall be either Episcopalians or Unitarians.
Line 4
The mansion-house gentry of Rockland were pretty fairly divided between the little chapel, with the stained window and the trained rector, and the meeting-house where the Reverend Mr. Fairweather officiated.
Line 5
It was in the latter that Dudley Venner worshipped, when he attended service anywhere,--which depended very much on the caprice of Elsie.

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.

breeding noun US /ˈbriːdɪŋ/

elegance by virtue of fineness of manner and expression

From this reading “It is expected of persons of a certain breeding, in some parts of New England, that they shall be either Episcopalians or Unitarians.”

caprice noun US /kəˈpriːs/

a sudden desire

From this reading “It was in the latter that Dudley Venner worshipped, when he attended service anywhere,--which depended very much on the caprice of Elsie.”

cleavage noun US /ˈkliːvədʒ/

the state of being split or cleft

From this reading “The lines of social cleavage run through religious creeds as if they were of a piece with position and fortune.”

creeds noun US /kriːdz/

plural of “creed” — any system of principles or beliefs

From this reading “The lines of social cleavage run through religious creeds as if they were of a piece with position and fortune.”

Episcopalians noun US /ɪˌpɪskəˈpeɪliənz/

plural of “episcopalian” — a member of the Episcopal church

From this reading “It is expected of persons of a certain breeding, in some parts of New England, that they shall be either Episcopalians or Unitarians.”

gentry noun US /ˈdʒentri/

the most powerful members of a society

From this reading “The mansion-house gentry of Rockland were pretty fairly divided between the little chapel, with the stained window and the trained rector, and the meeting-house where the Reverend Mr. Fairweather officiated.”

officiated verb US /əˈfɪʃieɪtəd/

past form of “officiate” — act in an official capacity in a ceremony or religious ritual, such as a wedding

From this reading “The mansion-house gentry of Rockland were pretty fairly divided between the little chapel, with the stained window and the trained rector, and the meeting-house where the Reverend Mr. Fairweather officiated.”

worshipped adjective US /ˈwɜːrʃəpt/

regarded with deep or rapturous love (especially as if for a god)

From this reading “It was in the latter that Dudley Venner worshipped, when he attended service anywhere,--which depended very much on the caprice of Elsie.”

All words in this reading · 80

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 lines of social cleavage run through religious creeds as if they were of a piece with position and fortune.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The lines of social cleavage run through religious creeds as if they were of a piece with position and fortune.

anywhereadverbUS /ˈeniwer/

at or in or to any place

From this reading It was in the latter that Dudley Venner worshipped, when he attended service anywhere,--which depended very much on the caprice of Elsie.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading The lines of social cleavage run through religious creeds as if they were of a piece with position and fortune.

attendedadjectiveUS /əˈtendɪd/

playing or singing with instrumental or vocal accompaniment

From this reading It was in the latter that Dudley Venner worshipped, when he attended service anywhere,--which depended very much on the caprice of Elsie.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading It is expected of persons of a certain breeding, in some parts of New England, that they shall be either Episcopalians or Unitarians.

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading The mansion-house gentry of Rockland were pretty fairly divided between the little chapel, with the stained window and the trained rector, and the meeting-house where the Reverend Mr. Fairweather officiated.

breedingnounUS /ˈbriːdɪŋ/

elegance by virtue of fineness of manner and expression

From this reading It is expected of persons of a certain breeding, in some parts of New England, that they shall be either Episcopalians or Unitarians.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The Reverend Chauncy Fairweather's congregation was not large, but select.

capricenounUS /kəˈpriːs/

a sudden desire

From this reading It was in the latter that Dudley Venner worshipped, when he attended service anywhere,--which depended very much on the caprice of Elsie.

certainadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrtən/

definite but not specified or identified

From this reading It is expected of persons of a certain breeding, in some parts of New England, that they shall be either Episcopalians or Unitarians.

chapelnounUS /ˈtʃæpəl/

a place of worship that has its own altar

From this reading The mansion-house gentry of Rockland were pretty fairly divided between the little chapel, with the stained window and the trained rector, and the meeting-house where the Reverend Mr. Fairweather officiated.

Chauncy

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

From this reading The Reverend Chauncy Fairweather's congregation was not large, but select.

cleavagenounUS /ˈkliːvədʒ/

the state of being split or cleft

From this reading The lines of social cleavage run through religious creeds as if they were of a piece with position and fortune.

congregationnounUS /ˌkɑːŋɡrəˈɡeɪʃən/

a group of people who adhere to a common faith and habitually attend a given church

From this reading The Reverend Chauncy Fairweather's congregation was not large, but select.

creedsnounUS /kriːdz/

plural of “creed” — any system of principles or beliefs

From this reading The lines of social cleavage run through religious creeds as if they were of a piece with position and fortune.

dependedverbUS /dɪˈpendəd/

past form of “depend” — be contingent upon (something that is elided)

From this reading It was in the latter that Dudley Venner worshipped, when he attended service anywhere,--which depended very much on the caprice of Elsie.

dividedadjectiveUS /dɪˈvaɪdɪd/

separated into parts or pieces

From this reading The mansion-house gentry of Rockland were pretty fairly divided between the little chapel, with the stained window and the trained rector, and the meeting-house where the Reverend Mr. Fairweather officiated.

Dudley

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

From this reading It was in the latter that Dudley Venner worshipped, when he attended service anywhere,--which depended very much on the caprice of Elsie.

eitherdeterminerUS /ˈiːðər/

one or the other of two

From this reading It is expected of persons of a certain breeding, in some parts of New England, that they shall be either Episcopalians or Unitarians.

Elsie

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

From this reading It was in the latter that Dudley Venner worshipped, when he attended service anywhere,--which depended very much on the caprice of Elsie.

EnglandnounUS /ˈɪŋɡlənd/

a division of the United Kingdom

From this reading It is expected of persons of a certain breeding, in some parts of New England, that they shall be either Episcopalians or Unitarians.

EpiscopaliansnounUS /ɪˌpɪskəˈpeɪliənz/

plural of “episcopalian” — a member of the Episcopal church

From this reading It is expected of persons of a certain breeding, in some parts of New England, that they shall be either Episcopalians or Unitarians.

expectedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈspektəd/

considered likely or probable to happen or arrive

From this reading It is expected of persons of a certain breeding, in some parts of New England, that they shall be either Episcopalians or Unitarians.

fairlyadverbUS /ˈferli/

to certain extent or degree

From this reading The mansion-house gentry of Rockland were pretty fairly divided between the little chapel, with the stained window and the trained rector, and the meeting-house where the Reverend Mr. Fairweather officiated.

Fairweather

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

From this reading The mansion-house gentry of Rockland were pretty fairly divided between the little chapel, with the stained window and the trained rector, and the meeting-house where the Reverend Mr. Fairweather officiated.

Fairweather's

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

From this reading The Reverend Chauncy Fairweather's congregation was not large, but select.

fortunenounUS /ˈfɔːrtʃən/

an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another

From this reading The lines of social cleavage run through religious creeds as if they were of a piece with position and fortune.

gentrynounUS /ˈdʒentri/

the most powerful members of a society

From this reading The mansion-house gentry of Rockland were pretty fairly divided between the little chapel, with the stained window and the trained rector, and the meeting-house where the Reverend Mr. Fairweather officiated.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading It was in the latter that Dudley Venner worshipped, when he attended service anywhere,--which depended very much on the caprice of Elsie.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading The lines of social cleavage run through religious creeds as if they were of a piece with position and fortune.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading It is expected of persons of a certain breeding, in some parts of New England, that they shall be either Episcopalians or Unitarians.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading It is expected of persons of a certain breeding, in some parts of New England, that they shall be either Episcopalians or Unitarians.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It is expected of persons of a certain breeding, in some parts of New England, that they shall be either Episcopalians or Unitarians.

largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading The Reverend Chauncy Fairweather's congregation was not large, but select.

latteradjectiveUS /ˈlætər/

referring to the second of two things or persons mentioned (or the last one or ones of several)

From this reading It was in the latter that Dudley Venner worshipped, when he attended service anywhere,--which depended very much on the caprice of Elsie.

linesnounUS /laɪnz/

plural of “line” — a formation of people or things one beside another

From this reading The lines of social cleavage run through religious creeds as if they were of a piece with position and fortune.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading The mansion-house gentry of Rockland were pretty fairly divided between the little chapel, with the stained window and the trained rector, and the meeting-house where the Reverend Mr. Fairweather officiated.

mansion-house

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

From this reading The mansion-house gentry of Rockland were pretty fairly divided between the little chapel, with the stained window and the trained rector, and the meeting-house where the Reverend Mr. Fairweather officiated.

meeting-house

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

From this reading The mansion-house gentry of Rockland were pretty fairly divided between the little chapel, with the stained window and the trained rector, and the meeting-house where the Reverend Mr. Fairweather officiated.

MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading The mansion-house gentry of Rockland were pretty fairly divided between the little chapel, with the stained window and the trained rector, and the meeting-house where the Reverend Mr. Fairweather officiated.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading It was in the latter that Dudley Venner worshipped, when he attended service anywhere,--which depended very much on the caprice of Elsie.

NewadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading It is expected of persons of a certain breeding, in some parts of New England, that they shall be either Episcopalians or Unitarians.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The Reverend Chauncy Fairweather's congregation was not large, but select.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The lines of social cleavage run through religious creeds as if they were of a piece with position and fortune.

officiatedverbUS /əˈfɪʃieɪtəd/

past form of “officiate” — act in an official capacity in a ceremony or religious ritual, such as a wedding

From this reading The mansion-house gentry of Rockland were pretty fairly divided between the little chapel, with the stained window and the trained rector, and the meeting-house where the Reverend Mr. Fairweather officiated.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading It was in the latter that Dudley Venner worshipped, when he attended service anywhere,--which depended very much on the caprice of Elsie.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading It is expected of persons of a certain breeding, in some parts of New England, that they shall be either Episcopalians or Unitarians.

partsnounUS /pɑːrts/

the local environment

From this reading It is expected of persons of a certain breeding, in some parts of New England, that they shall be either Episcopalians or Unitarians.

personsnounUS /ˈpɜːrsənz/

plural of “person” — a human being

From this reading It is expected of persons of a certain breeding, in some parts of New England, that they shall be either Episcopalians or Unitarians.

piecenounUS /piːs/

a separate part of a whole

From this reading The lines of social cleavage run through religious creeds as if they were of a piece with position and fortune.

positionnounUS /pəˈzɪʃən/

the particular portion of space occupied by something

From this reading The lines of social cleavage run through religious creeds as if they were of a piece with position and fortune.

prettyadjectiveUS /ˈprɪti/

pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing

From this reading The mansion-house gentry of Rockland were pretty fairly divided between the little chapel, with the stained window and the trained rector, and the meeting-house where the Reverend Mr. Fairweather officiated.

rectornounUS /ˈrektər/

a person authorized to conduct religious worship

From this reading The mansion-house gentry of Rockland were pretty fairly divided between the little chapel, with the stained window and the trained rector, and the meeting-house where the Reverend Mr. Fairweather officiated.

religiousadjectiveUS /rɪˈlɪdʒəs/

concerned with sacred matters or religion or the church

From this reading The lines of social cleavage run through religious creeds as if they were of a piece with position and fortune.

ReverendnounUS /ˈrevərənd/

a member of the clergy and a spiritual leader of the Christian Church

From this reading The Reverend Chauncy Fairweather's congregation was not large, but select.

Rockland

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

From this reading The mansion-house gentry of Rockland were pretty fairly divided between the little chapel, with the stained window and the trained rector, and the meeting-house where the Reverend Mr. Fairweather officiated.

runverbUS /rʌn/

move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time

From this reading The lines of social cleavage run through religious creeds as if they were of a piece with position and fortune.

selectadjectiveUS /səˈlekt/

of superior grade

From this reading The Reverend Chauncy Fairweather's congregation was not large, but select.

servicenounUS /ˈsɜːrvəs/

work done by one person or group that benefits another

From this reading It was in the latter that Dudley Venner worshipped, when he attended service anywhere,--which depended very much on the caprice of Elsie.

shallmodal verbUS /ʃæl/

used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest

From this reading It is expected of persons of a certain breeding, in some parts of New England, that they shall be either Episcopalians or Unitarians.

socialadjectiveUS /ˈsoʊʃəl/

relating to human society and its members

From this reading The lines of social cleavage run through religious creeds as if they were of a piece with position and fortune.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading It is expected of persons of a certain breeding, in some parts of New England, that they shall be either Episcopalians or Unitarians.

stainedadjectiveUS /steɪnd/

marked or dyed or discolored with foreign matter

From this reading The mansion-house gentry of Rockland were pretty fairly divided between the little chapel, with the stained window and the trained rector, and the meeting-house where the Reverend Mr. Fairweather officiated.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It is expected of persons of a certain breeding, in some parts of New England, that they shall be either Episcopalians or Unitarians.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The Reverend Chauncy Fairweather's congregation was not large, but select.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading The lines of social cleavage run through religious creeds as if they were of a piece with position and fortune.

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading The lines of social cleavage run through religious creeds as if they were of a piece with position and fortune.

trainedadjectiveUS /treɪnd/

shaped or conditioned or disciplined by training; often used as a combining form

From this reading The mansion-house gentry of Rockland were pretty fairly divided between the little chapel, with the stained window and the trained rector, and the meeting-house where the Reverend Mr. Fairweather officiated.

Unitarians

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

From this reading It is expected of persons of a certain breeding, in some parts of New England, that they shall be either Episcopalians or Unitarians.

Venner

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

From this reading It was in the latter that Dudley Venner worshipped, when he attended service anywhere,--which depended very much on the caprice of Elsie.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading It was in the latter that Dudley Venner worshipped, when he attended service anywhere,--which depended very much on the caprice of Elsie.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The Reverend Chauncy Fairweather's congregation was not large, but select.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading The lines of social cleavage run through religious creeds as if they were of a piece with position and fortune.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading It was in the latter that Dudley Venner worshipped, when he attended service anywhere,--which depended very much on the caprice of Elsie.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading The mansion-house gentry of Rockland were pretty fairly divided between the little chapel, with the stained window and the trained rector, and the meeting-house where the Reverend Mr. Fairweather officiated.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading It was in the latter that Dudley Venner worshipped, when he attended service anywhere,--which depended very much on the caprice of Elsie.

windownounUS /ˈwɪndoʊ/

a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air

From this reading The mansion-house gentry of Rockland were pretty fairly divided between the little chapel, with the stained window and the trained rector, and the meeting-house where the Reverend Mr. Fairweather officiated.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The lines of social cleavage run through religious creeds as if they were of a piece with position and fortune.

worshippedadjectiveUS /ˈwɜːrʃəpt/

regarded with deep or rapturous love (especially as if for a god)

From this reading It was in the latter that Dudley Venner worshipped, when he attended service anywhere,--which depended very much on the caprice of Elsie.

Chapter 28 of Elsie Venner by Oliver Wendell Holmes holds 337 sentences, grouped into 68 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 28 of Elsie Venner contain?

Chapter 28 holds 337 sentences of Elsie Venner, unabridged, divided into 68 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 28 of Elsie Venner by Oliver Wendell Holmes exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 337 sentences, grouped into 68 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 28 of Elsie Venner?

Work through the 68 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 68 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 28 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 28 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 Elsie Venner

Common questions about reading Elsie Venner by Oliver Wendell Holmes on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Elsie Venner?

Yes. All 5639 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2696 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Elsie Venner is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #2696, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Elsie Venner take to read?

About 469 minutes of reading across 1128 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Elsie Venner section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 32 chapters of Elsie Venner to begin.

  2. Read one section

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  3. Listen and tap

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

Vocabulary met early in Elsie Venner

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

Nothing
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Elsie Venner; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
England
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Elsie Venner; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Corresponding
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Elsie Venner; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Feudal
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Elsie Venner; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.