Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Essays and Lectures
Essays and Lectures

Chapter XII · Chapter 12

Chapter 12 of Essays and Lectures is here in full — 111 sentences across 23 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Essays and Lectures
Context Illustration Reading 1/22 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
As regards the influence of the ordinary model on our English school of painting, it cannot be said that it is altogether good.
It is, of course, an advantage for the young artist sitting in his studio to be able to isolate a little corner of life,’ as the French say, from disturbing surroundings, and to study it under certain effects of light and shade.
But this very isolation leads often to mere mannerism in the painter, and robs him of that broad acceptance of the general facts of life which is the very essence of art.
Model-painting, in a word, while it may be the condition of art, is not by any means its aim.
It is simply practice, not perfection.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Essays and Lectures

Chapter XII · Chapter 12

Chapter 12 of Essays and Lectures is here in full — 111 sentences across 23 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/22 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
As regards the influence of the ordinary model on our English school of painting, it cannot be said that it is altogether good.
Line 2
It is, of course, an advantage for the young artist sitting in his studio to be able to isolatea little corner of life,’ as the French say, from disturbing surroundings, and to study it under certain effects of light and shade.
Line 3
But this very isolation leads often to mere mannerism in the painter, and robs him of that broad acceptance of the general facts of life which is the very essence of art.
Line 4
Model-painting, in a word, while it may be the condition of art, is not by any means its aim.
Line 5
It is simply practice, not perfection.

All words in this reading · 81

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.

a

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

From this reading It is, of course, an advantage for the young artist sitting in his studio to be able to isolate ‘a little corner of life,’ as the French say, from disturbing surroundings, and to study it under certain effects of light and shade.

able

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

From this reading It is, of course, an advantage for the young artist sitting in his studio to be able to isolate ‘a little corner of life,’ as the French say, from disturbing surroundings, and to study it under certain effects of light and shade.

acceptance

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

From this reading But this very isolation leads often to mere mannerism in the painter, and robs him of that broad acceptance of the general facts of life which is the very essence of art.

advantage

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

From this reading It is, of course, an advantage for the young artist sitting in his studio to be able to isolate ‘a little corner of life,’ as the French say, from disturbing surroundings, and to study it under certain effects of light and shade.

aim

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

From this reading Model-painting, in a word, while it may be the condition of art, is not by any means its aim.

altogether

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

From this reading As regards the influence of the ordinary model on our English school of painting, it cannot be said that it is altogether good.

an

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

From this reading It is, of course, an advantage for the young artist sitting in his studio to be able to isolate ‘a little corner of life,’ as the French say, from disturbing surroundings, and to study it under certain effects of light and shade.

and

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

From this reading It is, of course, an advantage for the young artist sitting in his studio to be able to isolate ‘a little corner of life,’ as the French say, from disturbing surroundings, and to study it under certain effects of light and shade.

any

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

From this reading Model-painting, in a word, while it may be the condition of art, is not by any means its aim.

art

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

From this reading But this very isolation leads often to mere mannerism in the painter, and robs him of that broad acceptance of the general facts of life which is the very essence of art.

artist

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

From this reading It is, of course, an advantage for the young artist sitting in his studio to be able to isolate ‘a little corner of life,’ as the French say, from disturbing surroundings, and to study it under certain effects of light and shade.

As

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

From this reading As regards the influence of the ordinary model on our English school of painting, it cannot be said that it is altogether good.

be

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

From this reading As regards the influence of the ordinary model on our English school of painting, it cannot be said that it is altogether good.

broad

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

From this reading But this very isolation leads often to mere mannerism in the painter, and robs him of that broad acceptance of the general facts of life which is the very essence of art.

But

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

From this reading But this very isolation leads often to mere mannerism in the painter, and robs him of that broad acceptance of the general facts of life which is the very essence of art.

by

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

From this reading Model-painting, in a word, while it may be the condition of art, is not by any means its aim.

cannot

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

From this reading As regards the influence of the ordinary model on our English school of painting, it cannot be said that it is altogether good.

certain

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

From this reading It is, of course, an advantage for the young artist sitting in his studio to be able to isolate ‘a little corner of life,’ as the French say, from disturbing surroundings, and to study it under certain effects of light and shade.

condition

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

From this reading Model-painting, in a word, while it may be the condition of art, is not by any means its aim.

corner

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

From this reading It is, of course, an advantage for the young artist sitting in his studio to be able to isolate ‘a little corner of life,’ as the French say, from disturbing surroundings, and to study it under certain effects of light and shade.

course

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

From this reading It is, of course, an advantage for the young artist sitting in his studio to be able to isolate ‘a little corner of life,’ as the French say, from disturbing surroundings, and to study it under certain effects of light and shade.

disturbing

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

From this reading It is, of course, an advantage for the young artist sitting in his studio to be able to isolate ‘a little corner of life,’ as the French say, from disturbing surroundings, and to study it under certain effects of light and shade.

effects

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

From this reading It is, of course, an advantage for the young artist sitting in his studio to be able to isolate ‘a little corner of life,’ as the French say, from disturbing surroundings, and to study it under certain effects of light and shade.

English

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

From this reading As regards the influence of the ordinary model on our English school of painting, it cannot be said that it is altogether good.

essence

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

From this reading But this very isolation leads often to mere mannerism in the painter, and robs him of that broad acceptance of the general facts of life which is the very essence of art.

facts

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

From this reading But this very isolation leads often to mere mannerism in the painter, and robs him of that broad acceptance of the general facts of life which is the very essence of art.

for

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

From this reading It is, of course, an advantage for the young artist sitting in his studio to be able to isolate ‘a little corner of life,’ as the French say, from disturbing surroundings, and to study it under certain effects of light and shade.

French

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

From this reading It is, of course, an advantage for the young artist sitting in his studio to be able to isolate ‘a little corner of life,’ as the French say, from disturbing surroundings, and to study it under certain effects of light and shade.

from

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

From this reading It is, of course, an advantage for the young artist sitting in his studio to be able to isolate ‘a little corner of life,’ as the French say, from disturbing surroundings, and to study it under certain effects of light and shade.

general

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

From this reading But this very isolation leads often to mere mannerism in the painter, and robs him of that broad acceptance of the general facts of life which is the very essence of art.

good

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

From this reading As regards the influence of the ordinary model on our English school of painting, it cannot be said that it is altogether good.

him

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

From this reading But this very isolation leads often to mere mannerism in the painter, and robs him of that broad acceptance of the general facts of life which is the very essence of art.

his

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

From this reading It is, of course, an advantage for the young artist sitting in his studio to be able to isolate ‘a little corner of life,’ as the French say, from disturbing surroundings, and to study it under certain effects of light and shade.

in

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

From this reading It is, of course, an advantage for the young artist sitting in his studio to be able to isolate ‘a little corner of life,’ as the French say, from disturbing surroundings, and to study it under certain effects of light and shade.

influence

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

From this reading As regards the influence of the ordinary model on our English school of painting, it cannot be said that it is altogether good.

is

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

From this reading As regards the influence of the ordinary model on our English school of painting, it cannot be said that it is altogether good.

isolate

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

From this reading It is, of course, an advantage for the young artist sitting in his studio to be able to isolate ‘a little corner of life,’ as the French say, from disturbing surroundings, and to study it under certain effects of light and shade.

isolation

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

From this reading But this very isolation leads often to mere mannerism in the painter, and robs him of that broad acceptance of the general facts of life which is the very essence of art.

it

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

From this reading As regards the influence of the ordinary model on our English school of painting, it cannot be said that it is altogether good.

its

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

From this reading Model-painting, in a word, while it may be the condition of art, is not by any means its aim.

leads

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

From this reading But this very isolation leads often to mere mannerism in the painter, and robs him of that broad acceptance of the general facts of life which is the very essence of art.

life

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

From this reading It is, of course, an advantage for the young artist sitting in his studio to be able to isolate ‘a little corner of life,’ as the French say, from disturbing surroundings, and to study it under certain effects of light and shade.

light

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

From this reading It is, of course, an advantage for the young artist sitting in his studio to be able to isolate ‘a little corner of life,’ as the French say, from disturbing surroundings, and to study it under certain effects of light and shade.

little

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

From this reading It is, of course, an advantage for the young artist sitting in his studio to be able to isolate ‘a little corner of life,’ as the French say, from disturbing surroundings, and to study it under certain effects of light and shade.

mannerism

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

From this reading But this very isolation leads often to mere mannerism in the painter, and robs him of that broad acceptance of the general facts of life which is the very essence of art.

may

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

From this reading Model-painting, in a word, while it may be the condition of art, is not by any means its aim.

means

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

From this reading Model-painting, in a word, while it may be the condition of art, is not by any means its aim.

mere

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

From this reading But this very isolation leads often to mere mannerism in the painter, and robs him of that broad acceptance of the general facts of life which is the very essence of art.

model

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

From this reading As regards the influence of the ordinary model on our English school of painting, it cannot be said that it is altogether good.

Model-painting

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

From this reading Model-painting, in a word, while it may be the condition of art, is not by any means its aim.

not

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

From this reading Model-painting, in a word, while it may be the condition of art, is not by any means its aim.

of

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

From this reading As regards the influence of the ordinary model on our English school of painting, it cannot be said that it is altogether good.

often

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

From this reading But this very isolation leads often to mere mannerism in the painter, and robs him of that broad acceptance of the general facts of life which is the very essence of art.

on

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

From this reading As regards the influence of the ordinary model on our English school of painting, it cannot be said that it is altogether good.

ordinary

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

From this reading As regards the influence of the ordinary model on our English school of painting, it cannot be said that it is altogether good.

our

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

From this reading As regards the influence of the ordinary model on our English school of painting, it cannot be said that it is altogether good.

painter

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

From this reading But this very isolation leads often to mere mannerism in the painter, and robs him of that broad acceptance of the general facts of life which is the very essence of art.

painting

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

From this reading As regards the influence of the ordinary model on our English school of painting, it cannot be said that it is altogether good.

perfection

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

From this reading It is simply practice, not perfection.

practice

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

From this reading It is simply practice, not perfection.

regards

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

From this reading As regards the influence of the ordinary model on our English school of painting, it cannot be said that it is altogether good.

robs

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

From this reading But this very isolation leads often to mere mannerism in the painter, and robs him of that broad acceptance of the general facts of life which is the very essence of art.

said

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

From this reading As regards the influence of the ordinary model on our English school of painting, it cannot be said that it is altogether good.

say

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

From this reading It is, of course, an advantage for the young artist sitting in his studio to be able to isolate ‘a little corner of life,’ as the French say, from disturbing surroundings, and to study it under certain effects of light and shade.

school

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

From this reading As regards the influence of the ordinary model on our English school of painting, it cannot be said that it is altogether good.

shade

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

From this reading It is, of course, an advantage for the young artist sitting in his studio to be able to isolate ‘a little corner of life,’ as the French say, from disturbing surroundings, and to study it under certain effects of light and shade.

simply

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

From this reading It is simply practice, not perfection.

sitting

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

From this reading It is, of course, an advantage for the young artist sitting in his studio to be able to isolate ‘a little corner of life,’ as the French say, from disturbing surroundings, and to study it under certain effects of light and shade.

studio

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

From this reading It is, of course, an advantage for the young artist sitting in his studio to be able to isolate ‘a little corner of life,’ as the French say, from disturbing surroundings, and to study it under certain effects of light and shade.

study

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

From this reading It is, of course, an advantage for the young artist sitting in his studio to be able to isolate ‘a little corner of life,’ as the French say, from disturbing surroundings, and to study it under certain effects of light and shade.

surroundings

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

From this reading It is, of course, an advantage for the young artist sitting in his studio to be able to isolate ‘a little corner of life,’ as the French say, from disturbing surroundings, and to study it under certain effects of light and shade.

that

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

From this reading As regards the influence of the ordinary model on our English school of painting, it cannot be said that it is altogether good.

the

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

From this reading As regards the influence of the ordinary model on our English school of painting, it cannot be said that it is altogether good.

this

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

From this reading But this very isolation leads often to mere mannerism in the painter, and robs him of that broad acceptance of the general facts of life which is the very essence of art.

to

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

From this reading It is, of course, an advantage for the young artist sitting in his studio to be able to isolate ‘a little corner of life,’ as the French say, from disturbing surroundings, and to study it under certain effects of light and shade.

under

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

From this reading It is, of course, an advantage for the young artist sitting in his studio to be able to isolate ‘a little corner of life,’ as the French say, from disturbing surroundings, and to study it under certain effects of light and shade.

very

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

From this reading But this very isolation leads often to mere mannerism in the painter, and robs him of that broad acceptance of the general facts of life which is the very essence of art.

which

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

From this reading But this very isolation leads often to mere mannerism in the painter, and robs him of that broad acceptance of the general facts of life which is the very essence of art.

while

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

From this reading Model-painting, in a word, while it may be the condition of art, is not by any means its aim.

word

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

From this reading Model-painting, in a word, while it may be the condition of art, is not by any means its aim.

young

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

From this reading It is, of course, an advantage for the young artist sitting in his studio to be able to isolate ‘a little corner of life,’ as the French say, from disturbing surroundings, and to study it under certain effects of light and shade.

Chapter 12 of Essays and Lectures by Oscar Wilde holds 111 sentences, grouped into 23 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 12 of Essays and Lectures contain?

Chapter 12 holds 111 sentences of Essays and Lectures, unabridged, divided into 23 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 12 of Essays and Lectures by Oscar Wilde exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 111 sentences, grouped into 23 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 12 of Essays and Lectures?

Work through the 23 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 23 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 12 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 12 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading Essays and Lectures

Common questions about reading Essays and Lectures by Oscar Wilde on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Essays and Lectures?

Yes. All 1630 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #774 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Essays and Lectures is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #774, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Essays and Lectures take to read?

About 135 minutes of reading across 326 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Essays and Lectures section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 13 chapters of Essays and Lectures to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

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

Vocabulary met early in Essays and Lectures

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

First
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Essays and Lectures; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Published
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Essays and Lectures; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Limited
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Essays and Lectures; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Edition
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Essays and Lectures; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.