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English Verse
English Verse

Chapter XIII

Chapter 13 of English Verse is here in full — 331 sentences across 67 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/66 · 5 lines
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(BROWNING: _Agamemnon_; chorus.
1877.)
Of the same general metrical character as the irregular odes are certain poems (like some of Patmore's) with no regularly organized structure and varying lengths of line.
See, for example, Milton's verses _At a Solemn Music_ and _On Time_; Swinburne's _Thalassius_ and _On the Cliffs_; and William Morris's _On a fair Spring Morning_.
Compare, also, the effect of the irregular strophic forms in Southey's _Curse of Kehama_, Shelley's _Queen Mab_, and the like.[41] FOOTNOTES:
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

English Verse

Chapter XIII

Chapter 13 of English Verse is here in full — 331 sentences across 67 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/66 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
(BROWNING: _Agamemnon_; chorus.
/ˈbraʊnɪŋ ˌæɡəˈmemnɑːn ˈkɔːrəs/
Line 2
1877.)
Line 3
Of the same general metrical character as the irregular odes are certain poems (like some of Patmore's) with no regularly organized structure and varying lengths of line.
Line 4
See, for example, Milton's verses _At a Solemn Music_ and _On Time_; Swinburne's _Thalassius_ and _On the Cliffs_; and William Morris's _On a fair Spring Morning_.
Line 5
Compare, also, the effect of the irregular strophic forms in Southey's _Curse of Kehama_, Shelley's _Queen Mab_, and the like.[41] FOOTNOTES:

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.

Agamemnon noun US /ˌæɡəˈmemnɑːn/

(Greek mythology) the king who lead the Greeks against Troy in the Trojan War

footnotes noun US /ˈfʊtnoʊts/

plural of “footnote” — a printed note placed below the text on a printed page

From this reading “Compare, also, the effect of the irregular strophic forms in Southey's _Curse of Kehama_, Shelley's _Queen Mab_, and the like.[41] FOOTNOTES:”

lengths noun US /leŋkθs/

plural of “length” — the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place

From this reading “Of the same general metrical character as the irregular odes are certain poems (like some of Patmore's) with no regularly organized structure and varying lengths of line.”

metrical adjective US /ˈmetrɪkəl/

based on the meter as a standard of measurement

From this reading “Of the same general metrical character as the irregular odes are certain poems (like some of Patmore's) with no regularly organized structure and varying lengths of line.”

Morris's noun US /ˈmɔːrɪsɪz/

possessive form of “morris” — United States suffragist in Wyoming (1814-1902)

From this reading “See, for example, Milton's verses _At a Solemn Music_ and _On Time_; Swinburne's _Thalassius_ and _On the Cliffs_; and William Morris's _On a fair Spring Morning_.”

odes noun US /oʊdz/

plural of “ode” — a lyric poem with complex stanza forms

From this reading “Of the same general metrical character as the irregular odes are certain poems (like some of Patmore's) with no regularly organized structure and varying lengths of line.”

Shelley's noun US /ˈʃeliz/

possessive form of “shelley” — English writer who created Frankenstein's monster and married Percy Bysshe Shelley (1797-1851)

From this reading “Compare, also, the effect of the irregular strophic forms in Southey's _Curse of Kehama_, Shelley's _Queen Mab_, and the like.[41] FOOTNOTES:”

Swinburne's noun US /ˈswɪnbərnz/

possessive form of “swinburne” — English poet (1837-1909)

From this reading “See, for example, Milton's verses _At a Solemn Music_ and _On Time_; Swinburne's _Thalassius_ and _On the Cliffs_; and William Morris's _On a fair Spring Morning_.”

Word partnerships in these lines

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.

Solemn Music adjective + noun

In this reading “See, for example, Milton's verses _At a Solemn Music_ and _On Time_; Swinburne's _Thalassius_ and _On the Cliffs_; and William Morris's _On a fair Spring Morning_.”

for example preposition + noun

as an example

In this reading “See, for example, Milton's verses _At a Solemn Music_ and _On Time_; Swinburne's _Thalassius_ and _On the Cliffs_; and William Morris's _On a fair Spring Morning_.”

Spring Morning verb + noun

In this reading “See, for example, Milton's verses _At a Solemn Music_ and _On Time_; Swinburne's _Thalassius_ and _On the Cliffs_; and William Morris's _On a fair Spring Morning_.”

On the Cliffs preposition + article + noun counted as “on … cliff”

In this reading “See, for example, Milton's verses _At a Solemn Music_ and _On Time_; Swinburne's _Thalassius_ and _On the Cliffs_; and William Morris's _On a fair Spring Morning_.”

like some verb + adjective

In this reading “Of the same general metrical character as the irregular odes are certain poems (like some of Patmore's) with no regularly organized structure and varying lengths of line.”

All words in this reading · 61

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.

1877

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

From this reading 1877.)

41

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

From this reading Compare, also, the effect of the irregular strophic forms in Southey's _Curse of Kehama_, Shelley's _Queen Mab_, and the like.[41] FOOTNOTES:

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading See, for example, Milton's verses _At a Solemn Music_ and _On Time_; Swinburne's _Thalassius_ and _On the Cliffs_; and William Morris's _On a fair Spring Morning_.

AgamemnonnounUS /ˌæɡəˈmemnɑːn/

(Greek mythology) the king who lead the Greeks against Troy in the Trojan War

From this reading (BROWNING: _Agamemnon_; chorus.

alsoadverbUS /ˈɔːlsoʊ/

in addition

From this reading Compare, also, the effect of the irregular strophic forms in Southey's _Curse of Kehama_, Shelley's _Queen Mab_, and the like.[41] FOOTNOTES:

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Of the same general metrical character as the irregular odes are certain poems (like some of Patmore's) with no regularly organized structure and varying lengths of line.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading Of the same general metrical character as the irregular odes are certain poems (like some of Patmore's) with no regularly organized structure and varying lengths of line.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Of the same general metrical character as the irregular odes are certain poems (like some of Patmore's) with no regularly organized structure and varying lengths of line.

AtprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading See, for example, Milton's verses _At a Solemn Music_ and _On Time_; Swinburne's _Thalassius_ and _On the Cliffs_; and William Morris's _On a fair Spring Morning_.

BROWNINGnounUS /ˈbraʊnɪŋ/

United States inventor of firearms (especially automatic pistols and repeating rifles and a machine gun called the Peacemaker) (1855-1926)

From this reading (BROWNING: _Agamemnon_; chorus.

certainadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrtən/

definite but not specified or identified

From this reading Of the same general metrical character as the irregular odes are certain poems (like some of Patmore's) with no regularly organized structure and varying lengths of line.

characternounUS /ˈkerɪktər/

an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)

From this reading Of the same general metrical character as the irregular odes are certain poems (like some of Patmore's) with no regularly organized structure and varying lengths of line.

chorusnounUS /ˈkɔːrəs/

any utterance produced simultaneously by a group

From this reading (BROWNING: _Agamemnon_; chorus.

CliffsnounUS /klɪfs/

plural of “cliff” — a steep high face of rock

From this reading See, for example, Milton's verses _At a Solemn Music_ and _On Time_; Swinburne's _Thalassius_ and _On the Cliffs_; and William Morris's _On a fair Spring Morning_.

CompareverbUS /kəmˈper/

examine and note the similarities or differences of

From this reading Compare, also, the effect of the irregular strophic forms in Southey's _Curse of Kehama_, Shelley's _Queen Mab_, and the like.[41] FOOTNOTES:

CursenounUS /kɜːrs/

profane or obscene expression usually of surprise or anger

From this reading Compare, also, the effect of the irregular strophic forms in Southey's _Curse of Kehama_, Shelley's _Queen Mab_, and the like.[41] FOOTNOTES:

effectnounUS /ɪˈfekt/

a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon

From this reading Compare, also, the effect of the irregular strophic forms in Southey's _Curse of Kehama_, Shelley's _Queen Mab_, and the like.[41] FOOTNOTES:

examplenounUS /ɪɡˈzæmpəl/

an item of information that is typical of a class or group

From this reading See, for example, Milton's verses _At a Solemn Music_ and _On Time_; Swinburne's _Thalassius_ and _On the Cliffs_; and William Morris's _On a fair Spring Morning_.

fairadjectiveUS /fer/

free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules

From this reading See, for example, Milton's verses _At a Solemn Music_ and _On Time_; Swinburne's _Thalassius_ and _On the Cliffs_; and William Morris's _On a fair Spring Morning_.

FOOTNOTESnounUS /ˈfʊtnoʊts/

plural of “footnote” — a printed note placed below the text on a printed page

From this reading Compare, also, the effect of the irregular strophic forms in Southey's _Curse of Kehama_, Shelley's _Queen Mab_, and the like.[41] FOOTNOTES:

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading See, for example, Milton's verses _At a Solemn Music_ and _On Time_; Swinburne's _Thalassius_ and _On the Cliffs_; and William Morris's _On a fair Spring Morning_.

formsnounUS /fɔːrmz/

plural of “form” — the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something

From this reading Compare, also, the effect of the irregular strophic forms in Southey's _Curse of Kehama_, Shelley's _Queen Mab_, and the like.[41] FOOTNOTES:

generaladjectiveUS /ˈdʒenərəl/

applying to all or most members of a category or group

From this reading Of the same general metrical character as the irregular odes are certain poems (like some of Patmore's) with no regularly organized structure and varying lengths of line.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Compare, also, the effect of the irregular strophic forms in Southey's _Curse of Kehama_, Shelley's _Queen Mab_, and the like.[41] FOOTNOTES:

irregularadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈreɡjələr/

contrary to rule or accepted order or general practice

From this reading Of the same general metrical character as the irregular odes are certain poems (like some of Patmore's) with no regularly organized structure and varying lengths of line.

Kehama

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

From this reading Compare, also, the effect of the irregular strophic forms in Southey's _Curse of Kehama_, Shelley's _Queen Mab_, and the like.[41] FOOTNOTES:

lengthsnounUS /leŋkθs/

plural of “length” — the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place

From this reading Of the same general metrical character as the irregular odes are certain poems (like some of Patmore's) with no regularly organized structure and varying lengths of line.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading Of the same general metrical character as the irregular odes are certain poems (like some of Patmore's) with no regularly organized structure and varying lengths of line.

linenounUS /laɪn/

a formation of people or things one beside another

From this reading Of the same general metrical character as the irregular odes are certain poems (like some of Patmore's) with no regularly organized structure and varying lengths of line.

Mab

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

From this reading Compare, also, the effect of the irregular strophic forms in Southey's _Curse of Kehama_, Shelley's _Queen Mab_, and the like.[41] FOOTNOTES:

metricaladjectiveUS /ˈmetrɪkəl/

based on the meter as a standard of measurement

From this reading Of the same general metrical character as the irregular odes are certain poems (like some of Patmore's) with no regularly organized structure and varying lengths of line.

Milton's

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

From this reading See, for example, Milton's verses _At a Solemn Music_ and _On Time_; Swinburne's _Thalassius_ and _On the Cliffs_; and William Morris's _On a fair Spring Morning_.

MorningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading See, for example, Milton's verses _At a Solemn Music_ and _On Time_; Swinburne's _Thalassius_ and _On the Cliffs_; and William Morris's _On a fair Spring Morning_.

Morris'snounUS /ˈmɔːrɪsɪz/

possessive form of “morris” — United States suffragist in Wyoming (1814-1902)

From this reading See, for example, Milton's verses _At a Solemn Music_ and _On Time_; Swinburne's _Thalassius_ and _On the Cliffs_; and William Morris's _On a fair Spring Morning_.

MusicnounUS /ˈmjuːzɪk/

an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner

From this reading See, for example, Milton's verses _At a Solemn Music_ and _On Time_; Swinburne's _Thalassius_ and _On the Cliffs_; and William Morris's _On a fair Spring Morning_.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Of the same general metrical character as the irregular odes are certain poems (like some of Patmore's) with no regularly organized structure and varying lengths of line.

odesnounUS /oʊdz/

plural of “ode” — a lyric poem with complex stanza forms

From this reading Of the same general metrical character as the irregular odes are certain poems (like some of Patmore's) with no regularly organized structure and varying lengths of line.

OfprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Of the same general metrical character as the irregular odes are certain poems (like some of Patmore's) with no regularly organized structure and varying lengths of line.

OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading See, for example, Milton's verses _At a Solemn Music_ and _On Time_; Swinburne's _Thalassius_ and _On the Cliffs_; and William Morris's _On a fair Spring Morning_.

organizedadjectiveUS /ˈɔːrɡənaɪzd/

formed into a structured or coherent whole, particularly on a large scale

From this reading Of the same general metrical character as the irregular odes are certain poems (like some of Patmore's) with no regularly organized structure and varying lengths of line.

Patmore's

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

From this reading Of the same general metrical character as the irregular odes are certain poems (like some of Patmore's) with no regularly organized structure and varying lengths of line.

poemsnounUS /ˈpoʊəmz/

plural of “poem” — a composition written in metrical feet forming rhythmical lines

From this reading Of the same general metrical character as the irregular odes are certain poems (like some of Patmore's) with no regularly organized structure and varying lengths of line.

QueennounUS /kwiːn/

the only fertile female in a colony of social insects such as bees and ants and termites; its function is to lay eggs

From this reading Compare, also, the effect of the irregular strophic forms in Southey's _Curse of Kehama_, Shelley's _Queen Mab_, and the like.[41] FOOTNOTES:

regularlyadverbUS /ˈreɡjələrli/

in a regular manner

From this reading Of the same general metrical character as the irregular odes are certain poems (like some of Patmore's) with no regularly organized structure and varying lengths of line.

sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading Of the same general metrical character as the irregular odes are certain poems (like some of Patmore's) with no regularly organized structure and varying lengths of line.

SeeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading See, for example, Milton's verses _At a Solemn Music_ and _On Time_; Swinburne's _Thalassius_ and _On the Cliffs_; and William Morris's _On a fair Spring Morning_.

Shelley'snounUS /ˈʃeliz/

possessive form of “shelley” — English writer who created Frankenstein's monster and married Percy Bysshe Shelley (1797-1851)

From this reading Compare, also, the effect of the irregular strophic forms in Southey's _Curse of Kehama_, Shelley's _Queen Mab_, and the like.[41] FOOTNOTES:

SolemnadjectiveUS /ˈsɑːləm/

dignified and somber in manner or character and committed to keeping promises

From this reading See, for example, Milton's verses _At a Solemn Music_ and _On Time_; Swinburne's _Thalassius_ and _On the Cliffs_; and William Morris's _On a fair Spring Morning_.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

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

From this reading Of the same general metrical character as the irregular odes are certain poems (like some of Patmore's) with no regularly organized structure and varying lengths of line.

Southey's

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

From this reading Compare, also, the effect of the irregular strophic forms in Southey's _Curse of Kehama_, Shelley's _Queen Mab_, and the like.[41] FOOTNOTES:

SpringnounUS /sprɪŋ/

the season of growth

From this reading See, for example, Milton's verses _At a Solemn Music_ and _On Time_; Swinburne's _Thalassius_ and _On the Cliffs_; and William Morris's _On a fair Spring Morning_.

strophic

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

From this reading Compare, also, the effect of the irregular strophic forms in Southey's _Curse of Kehama_, Shelley's _Queen Mab_, and the like.[41] FOOTNOTES:

structurenounUS /ˈstrʌktʃər/

a thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many parts

From this reading Of the same general metrical character as the irregular odes are certain poems (like some of Patmore's) with no regularly organized structure and varying lengths of line.

Swinburne'snounUS /ˈswɪnbərnz/

possessive form of “swinburne” — English poet (1837-1909)

From this reading See, for example, Milton's verses _At a Solemn Music_ and _On Time_; Swinburne's _Thalassius_ and _On the Cliffs_; and William Morris's _On a fair Spring Morning_.

Thalassius

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

From this reading See, for example, Milton's verses _At a Solemn Music_ and _On Time_; Swinburne's _Thalassius_ and _On the Cliffs_; and William Morris's _On a fair Spring Morning_.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Of the same general metrical character as the irregular odes are certain poems (like some of Patmore's) with no regularly organized structure and varying lengths of line.

TimenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading See, for example, Milton's verses _At a Solemn Music_ and _On Time_; Swinburne's _Thalassius_ and _On the Cliffs_; and William Morris's _On a fair Spring Morning_.

varyingadjectiveUS /ˈveriɪŋ/

marked by diversity or difference

From this reading Of the same general metrical character as the irregular odes are certain poems (like some of Patmore's) with no regularly organized structure and varying lengths of line.

versesnounUS /ˈvɜːrsəz/

plural of “verse” — literature in metrical form

From this reading See, for example, Milton's verses _At a Solemn Music_ and _On Time_; Swinburne's _Thalassius_ and _On the Cliffs_; and William Morris's _On a fair Spring Morning_.

William

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

From this reading See, for example, Milton's verses _At a Solemn Music_ and _On Time_; Swinburne's _Thalassius_ and _On the Cliffs_; and William Morris's _On a fair Spring Morning_.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Of the same general metrical character as the irregular odes are certain poems (like some of Patmore's) with no regularly organized structure and varying lengths of line.

Chapter 13 of English Verse by Raymond MacDonald Alden holds 331 sentences, grouped into 67 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 13 of English Verse contain?

Chapter 13 holds 331 sentences of English Verse, unabridged, divided into 67 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 13 of English Verse by Raymond MacDonald Alden exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 331 sentences, grouped into 67 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 13 of English Verse?

Work through the 67 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 67 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 13 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 13 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.

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Is this the complete text of English Verse?

Yes. All 5323 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #32262 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of English Verse is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #32262, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does English Verse take to read?

About 443 minutes of reading across 1065 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in English Verse

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

Upper
A word that appears in the opening chapter of English Verse; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Lower
A word that appears in the opening chapter of English Verse; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Thorn
A word that appears in the opening chapter of English Verse; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Footnotes
A word that appears in the opening chapter of English Verse; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.