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Essays — Second Series
Essays — Second Series

Chapter XIII · Chapter 13

Chapter 13 of Essays — Second Series is here in full — 145 sentences across 29 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Essays — Second Series
Context Illustration Reading 1/29 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
***** POLITICS.
Gold and iron are good To buy iron and gold; All earth's fleece and food For their like are sold.
Boded Merlin wise, Proved Napoleon great,-- Nor kind nor coinage buys Aught above its rate.
Fear, Craft, and Avarice Cannot rear a State.
Out of dust to build What is more than dust,-- Walls Amphion piled Phoebus stablish must.
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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 — Second Series

Chapter XIII · Chapter 13

Chapter 13 of Essays — Second Series is here in full — 145 sentences across 29 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/29 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
***** POLITICS.
/ˈpɑːlətɪks/
Line 2
Gold and iron are good To buy iron and gold; All earth's fleece and food For their like are sold.
/ɡoʊld ənd ˈaɪərn ɑːr ɡʊd tuː baɪ ˈaɪərn ənd ɡoʊld ɔːl ɜːrθs fliːs ənd fuːd fɔːr ðer laɪk ɑːr soʊld/
Line 3
Boded Merlin wise, Proved Napoleon great,-- Nor kind nor coinage buys Aught above its rate.
Line 4
Fear, Craft, and Avarice Cannot rear a State.
Line 5
Out of dust to build What is more than dust,-- Walls Amphion piled Phoebus stablish must.

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.

Avarice noun US /ˈæv.ər.ɪs/

Extreme greed for wealth or material gain.

From this reading “Fear, Craft, and Avarice Cannot rear a State.”

buys noun US /baɪz/

plural of “buy” — an advantageous purchase

From this reading “Boded Merlin wise, Proved Napoleon great,-- Nor kind nor coinage buys Aught above its rate.”

coinage noun US /ˈkɔɪnɪdʒ/

coins collectively

From this reading “Boded Merlin wise, Proved Napoleon great,-- Nor kind nor coinage buys Aught above its rate.”

earth's noun US /ɜːrθs/

possessive form of “earth” — the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on

From this reading “Gold and iron are good To buy iron and gold; All earth's fleece and food For their like are sold.”

fleece noun US /fliːs/

the wool of a sheep or similar animal

From this reading “Gold and iron are good To buy iron and gold; All earth's fleece and food For their like are sold.”

Merlin noun US /ˈmɜːrlɪn/

(Arthurian legend) the magician who acted as King Arthur's advisor

From this reading “Boded Merlin wise, Proved Napoleon great,-- Nor kind nor coinage buys Aught above its rate.”

Phoebus noun US /ˈfiːbəs/

(Greek mythology) Greek god of light; god of prophecy and poetry and music and healing; son of Zeus and Leto; twin brother of Artemis

From this reading “Out of dust to build What is more than dust,-- Walls Amphion piled Phoebus stablish must.”

piled verb US /paɪld/

past form of “pile” — arrange in stacks

From this reading “Out of dust to build What is more than dust,-- Walls Amphion piled Phoebus stablish must.”

All words in this reading · 51

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 Fear, Craft, and Avarice Cannot rear a State.

aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/

higher than, or over, something

From this reading Boded Merlin wise, Proved Napoleon great,-- Nor kind nor coinage buys Aught above its rate.

AlladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading Gold and iron are good To buy iron and gold; All earth's fleece and food For their like are sold.

Amphion

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

From this reading Out of dust to build What is more than dust,-- Walls Amphion piled Phoebus stablish must.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Gold and iron are good To buy iron and gold; All earth's fleece and food For their like are sold.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading Gold and iron are good To buy iron and gold; All earth's fleece and food For their like are sold.

AughtnounUS /ɔːt/

a quantity of no importance

From this reading Boded Merlin wise, Proved Napoleon great,-- Nor kind nor coinage buys Aught above its rate.

AvaricenounUS /ˈæv.ər.ɪs/

Extreme greed for wealth or material gain.

From this reading Fear, Craft, and Avarice Cannot rear a State.

Boded

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

From this reading Boded Merlin wise, Proved Napoleon great,-- Nor kind nor coinage buys Aught above its rate.

buildverbUS /bɪld/

make by combining materials and parts

From this reading Out of dust to build What is more than dust,-- Walls Amphion piled Phoebus stablish must.

buyverbUS /baɪ/

obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction

From this reading Gold and iron are good To buy iron and gold; All earth's fleece and food For their like are sold.

buysnounUS /baɪz/

plural of “buy” — an advantageous purchase

From this reading Boded Merlin wise, Proved Napoleon great,-- Nor kind nor coinage buys Aught above its rate.

Cannot

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

From this reading Fear, Craft, and Avarice Cannot rear a State.

coinagenounUS /ˈkɔɪnɪdʒ/

coins collectively

From this reading Boded Merlin wise, Proved Napoleon great,-- Nor kind nor coinage buys Aught above its rate.

CraftnounUS /kræft/

the skilled practice of a practical occupation

From this reading Fear, Craft, and Avarice Cannot rear a State.

dustverbUS /dʌst/

remove the dust from

From this reading Out of dust to build What is more than dust,-- Walls Amphion piled Phoebus stablish must.

earth'snounUS /ɜːrθs/

possessive form of “earth” — the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on

From this reading Gold and iron are good To buy iron and gold; All earth's fleece and food For their like are sold.

FearverbUS /fɪr/

be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event

From this reading Fear, Craft, and Avarice Cannot rear a State.

fleecenounUS /fliːs/

the wool of a sheep or similar animal

From this reading Gold and iron are good To buy iron and gold; All earth's fleece and food For their like are sold.

foodnounUS /fuːd/

any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue

From this reading Gold and iron are good To buy iron and gold; All earth's fleece and food For their like are sold.

ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Gold and iron are good To buy iron and gold; All earth's fleece and food For their like are sold.

GoldnounUS /ɡoʊld/

coins made of gold

From this reading Gold and iron are good To buy iron and gold; All earth's fleece and food For their like are sold.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading Gold and iron are good To buy iron and gold; All earth's fleece and food For their like are sold.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading Boded Merlin wise, Proved Napoleon great,-- Nor kind nor coinage buys Aught above its rate.

ironnounUS /ˈaɪərn/

a heavy ductile magnetic metallic element; is silver-white in pure form but readily rusts; used in construction and tools and armament; plays a role in the transport of oxygen by the blood

From this reading Gold and iron are good To buy iron and gold; All earth's fleece and food For their like are sold.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Out of dust to build What is more than dust,-- Walls Amphion piled Phoebus stablish must.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Boded Merlin wise, Proved Napoleon great,-- Nor kind nor coinage buys Aught above its rate.

kindadjectiveUS /kaɪnd/

having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior

From this reading Boded Merlin wise, Proved Napoleon great,-- Nor kind nor coinage buys Aught above its rate.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading Gold and iron are good To buy iron and gold; All earth's fleece and food For their like are sold.

MerlinnounUS /ˈmɜːrlɪn/

(Arthurian legend) the magician who acted as King Arthur's advisor

From this reading Boded Merlin wise, Proved Napoleon great,-- Nor kind nor coinage buys Aught above its rate.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading Out of dust to build What is more than dust,-- Walls Amphion piled Phoebus stablish must.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading Out of dust to build What is more than dust,-- Walls Amphion piled Phoebus stablish must.

NapoleonnounUS /nəˈpoʊliən/

French general who became emperor of the French (1769-1821)

From this reading Boded Merlin wise, Proved Napoleon great,-- Nor kind nor coinage buys Aught above its rate.

NorconjunctionUS /nɔːr/

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading Boded Merlin wise, Proved Napoleon great,-- Nor kind nor coinage buys Aught above its rate.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Out of dust to build What is more than dust,-- Walls Amphion piled Phoebus stablish must.

OutadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Out of dust to build What is more than dust,-- Walls Amphion piled Phoebus stablish must.

PhoebusnounUS /ˈfiːbəs/

(Greek mythology) Greek god of light; god of prophecy and poetry and music and healing; son of Zeus and Leto; twin brother of Artemis

From this reading Out of dust to build What is more than dust,-- Walls Amphion piled Phoebus stablish must.

piledverbUS /paɪld/

past form of “pile” — arrange in stacks

From this reading Out of dust to build What is more than dust,-- Walls Amphion piled Phoebus stablish must.

POLITICSnounUS /ˈpɑːlətɪks/

social relations involving intrigue to gain authority or power

From this reading ***** POLITICS.

ProvedadjectiveUS /pruːvd/

established beyond doubt

From this reading Boded Merlin wise, Proved Napoleon great,-- Nor kind nor coinage buys Aught above its rate.

ratenounUS /reɪt/

a magnitude or frequency relative to a time unit

From this reading Boded Merlin wise, Proved Napoleon great,-- Nor kind nor coinage buys Aught above its rate.

rearnounUS /rɪr/

the back of a military formation or procession

From this reading Fear, Craft, and Avarice Cannot rear a State.

soldadjectiveUS /soʊld/

disposed of to a purchaser

From this reading Gold and iron are good To buy iron and gold; All earth's fleece and food For their like are sold.

stablish

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

From this reading Out of dust to build What is more than dust,-- Walls Amphion piled Phoebus stablish must.

StatenounUS /steɪt/

the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation

From this reading Fear, Craft, and Avarice Cannot rear a State.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Out of dust to build What is more than dust,-- Walls Amphion piled Phoebus stablish must.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Gold and iron are good To buy iron and gold; All earth's fleece and food For their like are sold.

ToparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Gold and iron are good To buy iron and gold; All earth's fleece and food For their like are sold.

WallsnounUS /wɔːlz/

plural of “wall” — an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure

From this reading Out of dust to build What is more than dust,-- Walls Amphion piled Phoebus stablish must.

WhatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading Out of dust to build What is more than dust,-- Walls Amphion piled Phoebus stablish must.

wiseadjectiveUS /waɪz/

having or prompted by wisdom or discernment

From this reading Boded Merlin wise, Proved Napoleon great,-- Nor kind nor coinage buys Aught above its rate.

Chapter 13 of Essays — Second Series by Ralph Waldo Emerson holds 145 sentences, grouped into 29 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 13 of Essays — Second Series contain?

Chapter 13 holds 145 sentences of Essays — Second Series, unabridged, divided into 29 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 13 of Essays — Second Series by Ralph Waldo Emerson exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 145 sentences, grouped into 29 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 Essays — Second Series?

Work through the 29 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 29 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.

Questions about reading Essays — Second Series

Common questions about reading Essays — Second Series by Ralph Waldo Emerson on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Essays — Second Series?

Yes. All 2456 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2945 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Essays — Second Series is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #2945, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Essays — Second Series take to read?

About 204 minutes of reading across 492 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Essays — Second Series section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 17 chapters of Essays — Second Series 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 — Second Series

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

Moody
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Essays — Second Series; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Child
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Essays — Second Series; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Wildly
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Essays — Second Series; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Pursued
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Essays — Second Series; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.