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Essays — Second Series
Essays — Second Series

Chapter XVII · Chapter 17

Chapter 17 of Essays — Second Series is here in full — 134 sentences across 27 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/26 · 5 lines
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But even one step farther our infidelity has gone.
It appears that some doubt is felt by good and wise men whether really the happiness and probity of men is increased by the culture of the mind in those disciplines to which we give the name of education.
Unhappily too the doubt comes from scholars, from persons who have tried these methods.
In their experience the scholar was not raised by the sacred thoughts amongst which he dwelt, but used them to selfish ends.
He was a profane person, and became a showman, turning his gifts to a marketable use, and not to his own sustenance and growth.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
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A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Essays — Second Series

Chapter XVII · Chapter 17

Chapter 17 of Essays — Second Series is here in full — 134 sentences across 27 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/26 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
But even one step farther our infidelity has gone.
/bʌt ˈiːvɪn wʌn step ˈfɑːrðər ˈaʊər ˌɪnfɪˈdelɪti hæz ɡɔːn/
Line 2
It appears that some doubt is felt by good and wise men whether really the happiness and probity of men is increased by the culture of the mind in those disciplines to which we give the name of education.
/ɪt əˈpɪrz ðæt sʌm daʊt ɪz felt baɪ ɡʊd ənd waɪz men ˈweðər ˈrɪli ðə ˈhæpinəs ənd ˈproʊbəti ʌv men ɪz ˌɪnˈkriːst baɪ ðə ˈkʌltʃər ʌv ðə maɪnd ɪn ðoʊz ˈdɪsəplənz tuː wɪtʃ wiː ɡɪv ðə neɪm ʌv ˌedʒəˈkeɪʃən/
Line 3
Unhappily too the doubt comes from scholars, from persons who have tried these methods.
/ənˈhæpəli tuː ðə daʊt kʌmz frʌm ˈskɑːlərz frʌm ˈpɜːrsənz huː hæv traɪd ðiːz ˈmeθədz/
Line 4
In their experience the scholar was not raised by the sacred thoughts amongst which he dwelt, but used them to selfish ends.
/ɪn ðer ɪkˈspɪriəns ðə ˈskɒl.ər wɑːz nɑːt reɪzd baɪ ðə ˈseɪkrəd θɔːts əˈmʌŋst wɪtʃ hiː dwelt bʌt juːzd ðem tuː ˈselfɪʃ endz/
Line 5
He was a profane person, and became a showman, turning his gifts to a marketable use, and not to his own sustenance and growth.
/hiː wɑːz ə proʊˈfeɪn ˈpɜːrsən ənd bɪˈkeɪm ə ˈʃoʊmən ˈtɜːrnɪŋ hɪz ɡɪfts tuː ə ˈmɑːrkətəbəl juːs ənd nɑːt tuː hɪz oʊn ˈsʌstənəns ənd ɡroʊθ/

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.

disciplines noun US /ˈdɪsəplənz/

plural of “discipline” — a branch of knowledge

From this reading “It appears that some doubt is felt by good and wise men whether really the happiness and probity of men is increased by the culture of the mind in those disciplines to which we give the name of education.”

infidelity noun US /ˌɪnfɪˈdelɪti/

the quality of being unfaithful

From this reading “But even one step farther our infidelity has gone.”

marketable adjective US /ˈmɑːrkətəbəl/

being in demand by especially employers

From this reading “He was a profane person, and became a showman, turning his gifts to a marketable use, and not to his own sustenance and growth.”

probity noun US /ˈproʊbəti/

complete and confirmed integrity; having strong moral principles

From this reading “It appears that some doubt is felt by good and wise men whether really the happiness and probity of men is increased by the culture of the mind in those disciplines to which we give the name of education.”

profane adjective US /proʊˈfeɪn/

characterized by profanity or cursing

From this reading “He was a profane person, and became a showman, turning his gifts to a marketable use, and not to his own sustenance and growth.”

showman noun US /ˈʃoʊmən/

a person skilled at making effective presentations

From this reading “He was a profane person, and became a showman, turning his gifts to a marketable use, and not to his own sustenance and growth.”

sustenance noun US /ˈsʌstənəns/

a source of materials to nourish the body

From this reading “He was a profane person, and became a showman, turning his gifts to a marketable use, and not to his own sustenance and growth.”

Unhappily adverb US /ənˈhæpəli/

in an unpleasant way

From this reading “Unhappily too the doubt comes from scholars, from persons who have tried these methods.”

All words in this reading · 78

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 He was a profane person, and became a showman, turning his gifts to a marketable use, and not to his own sustenance and growth.

amongstprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋst/

surrounded by; in the company of

From this reading In their experience the scholar was not raised by the sacred thoughts amongst which he dwelt, but used them to selfish ends.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading It appears that some doubt is felt by good and wise men whether really the happiness and probity of men is increased by the culture of the mind in those disciplines to which we give the name of education.

appearsverbUS /əˈpɪrz/

third-person singular of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading It appears that some doubt is felt by good and wise men whether really the happiness and probity of men is increased by the culture of the mind in those disciplines to which we give the name of education.

becameverbUS /bɪˈkeɪm/

inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading He was a profane person, and became a showman, turning his gifts to a marketable use, and not to his own sustenance and growth.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But even one step farther our infidelity has gone.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading It appears that some doubt is felt by good and wise men whether really the happiness and probity of men is increased by the culture of the mind in those disciplines to which we give the name of education.

comesnounUS /kʌmz/

plural of “come” — the thick white fluid containing spermatozoa that is ejaculated by the male genital tract

From this reading Unhappily too the doubt comes from scholars, from persons who have tried these methods.

culturenounUS /ˈkʌltʃər/

a particular society at a particular time and place

From this reading It appears that some doubt is felt by good and wise men whether really the happiness and probity of men is increased by the culture of the mind in those disciplines to which we give the name of education.

disciplinesnounUS /ˈdɪsəplənz/

plural of “discipline” — a branch of knowledge

From this reading It appears that some doubt is felt by good and wise men whether really the happiness and probity of men is increased by the culture of the mind in those disciplines to which we give the name of education.

doubtnounUS /daʊt/

the state of being unsure of something

From this reading It appears that some doubt is felt by good and wise men whether really the happiness and probity of men is increased by the culture of the mind in those disciplines to which we give the name of education.

dweltverbUS /dwelt/

inflected form of “dwell” — think moodily or anxiously about something

From this reading In their experience the scholar was not raised by the sacred thoughts amongst which he dwelt, but used them to selfish ends.

educationnounUS /ˌedʒəˈkeɪʃən/

the activities of educating or instructing; activities that impart knowledge or skill

From this reading It appears that some doubt is felt by good and wise men whether really the happiness and probity of men is increased by the culture of the mind in those disciplines to which we give the name of education.

endsnounUS /endz/

plural of “end” — either extremity of something that has length

From this reading In their experience the scholar was not raised by the sacred thoughts amongst which he dwelt, but used them to selfish ends.

evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading But even one step farther our infidelity has gone.

experienceverbUS /ɪkˈspɪriəns/

undergo or live through a difficult experience

From this reading In their experience the scholar was not raised by the sacred thoughts amongst which he dwelt, but used them to selfish ends.

fartheradjectiveUS /ˈfɑːrðər/

more distant in especially space or time

From this reading But even one step farther our infidelity has gone.

feltverbUS /felt/

mat together and make felt-like

From this reading It appears that some doubt is felt by good and wise men whether really the happiness and probity of men is increased by the culture of the mind in those disciplines to which we give the name of education.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Unhappily too the doubt comes from scholars, from persons who have tried these methods.

giftsnounUS /ɡɪfts/

plural of “gift” — something acquired without compensation

From this reading He was a profane person, and became a showman, turning his gifts to a marketable use, and not to his own sustenance and growth.

giveverbUS /ɡɪv/

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading It appears that some doubt is felt by good and wise men whether really the happiness and probity of men is increased by the culture of the mind in those disciplines to which we give the name of education.

goneadjectiveUS /ɡɔːn/

destroyed or killed

From this reading But even one step farther our infidelity has gone.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

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

From this reading It appears that some doubt is felt by good and wise men whether really the happiness and probity of men is increased by the culture of the mind in those disciplines to which we give the name of education.

growthnounUS /ɡroʊθ/

(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level

From this reading He was a profane person, and became a showman, turning his gifts to a marketable use, and not to his own sustenance and growth.

happinessnounUS /ˈhæpinəs/

state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy

From this reading It appears that some doubt is felt by good and wise men whether really the happiness and probity of men is increased by the culture of the mind in those disciplines to which we give the name of education.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading But even one step farther our infidelity has gone.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Unhappily too the doubt comes from scholars, from persons who have tried these methods.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading In their experience the scholar was not raised by the sacred thoughts amongst which he dwelt, but used them to selfish ends.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading He was a profane person, and became a showman, turning his gifts to a marketable use, and not to his own sustenance and growth.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading It appears that some doubt is felt by good and wise men whether really the happiness and probity of men is increased by the culture of the mind in those disciplines to which we give the name of education.

increasedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkriːst/

made greater in size or amount or degree

From this reading It appears that some doubt is felt by good and wise men whether really the happiness and probity of men is increased by the culture of the mind in those disciplines to which we give the name of education.

infidelitynounUS /ˌɪnfɪˈdelɪti/

the quality of being unfaithful

From this reading But even one step farther our infidelity has gone.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading It appears that some doubt is felt by good and wise men whether really the happiness and probity of men is increased by the culture of the mind in those disciplines to which we give the name of education.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It appears that some doubt is felt by good and wise men whether really the happiness and probity of men is increased by the culture of the mind in those disciplines to which we give the name of education.

marketableadjectiveUS /ˈmɑːrkətəbəl/

being in demand by especially employers

From this reading He was a profane person, and became a showman, turning his gifts to a marketable use, and not to his own sustenance and growth.

mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading It appears that some doubt is felt by good and wise men whether really the happiness and probity of men is increased by the culture of the mind in those disciplines to which we give the name of education.

methodsnounUS /ˈmeθədz/

plural of “method” — a way of doing something, especially a systematic way; implies an orderly logical arrangement (usually in steps)

From this reading Unhappily too the doubt comes from scholars, from persons who have tried these methods.

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading It appears that some doubt is felt by good and wise men whether really the happiness and probity of men is increased by the culture of the mind in those disciplines to which we give the name of education.

nameverbUS /neɪm/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading It appears that some doubt is felt by good and wise men whether really the happiness and probity of men is increased by the culture of the mind in those disciplines to which we give the name of education.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading In their experience the scholar was not raised by the sacred thoughts amongst which he dwelt, but used them to selfish ends.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It appears that some doubt is felt by good and wise men whether really the happiness and probity of men is increased by the culture of the mind in those disciplines to which we give the name of education.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading But even one step farther our infidelity has gone.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading But even one step farther our infidelity has gone.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading He was a profane person, and became a showman, turning his gifts to a marketable use, and not to his own sustenance and growth.

personnounUS /ˈpɜːrsən/

a human being

From this reading He was a profane person, and became a showman, turning his gifts to a marketable use, and not to his own sustenance and growth.

personsnounUS /ˈpɜːrsənz/

plural of “person” — a human being

From this reading Unhappily too the doubt comes from scholars, from persons who have tried these methods.

probitynounUS /ˈproʊbəti/

complete and confirmed integrity; having strong moral principles

From this reading It appears that some doubt is felt by good and wise men whether really the happiness and probity of men is increased by the culture of the mind in those disciplines to which we give the name of education.

profaneadjectiveUS /proʊˈfeɪn/

characterized by profanity or cursing

From this reading He was a profane person, and became a showman, turning his gifts to a marketable use, and not to his own sustenance and growth.

raisedadjectiveUS /reɪzd/

located or moved above the surround or above the normal position

From this reading In their experience the scholar was not raised by the sacred thoughts amongst which he dwelt, but used them to selfish ends.

reallyadverbUS /ˈrɪli/

in accordance with truth or fact or reality

From this reading It appears that some doubt is felt by good and wise men whether really the happiness and probity of men is increased by the culture of the mind in those disciplines to which we give the name of education.

sacredadjectiveUS /ˈseɪkrəd/

concerned with religion or religious purposes

From this reading In their experience the scholar was not raised by the sacred thoughts amongst which he dwelt, but used them to selfish ends.

scholarnounUS /ˈskɒl.ər/

A specialist in a particular branch of study; a distinguished student.

From this reading In their experience the scholar was not raised by the sacred thoughts amongst which he dwelt, but used them to selfish ends.

scholarsnounUS /ˈskɑːlərz/

plural of “scholar” — a learned person (especially in the humanities); someone who by long study has gained mastery in one or more disciplines

From this reading Unhappily too the doubt comes from scholars, from persons who have tried these methods.

selfishadjectiveUS /ˈselfɪʃ/

concerned chiefly or only with yourself and your advantage to the exclusion of others

From this reading In their experience the scholar was not raised by the sacred thoughts amongst which he dwelt, but used them to selfish ends.

showmannounUS /ˈʃoʊmən/

a person skilled at making effective presentations

From this reading He was a profane person, and became a showman, turning his gifts to a marketable use, and not to his own sustenance and growth.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

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

From this reading It appears that some doubt is felt by good and wise men whether really the happiness and probity of men is increased by the culture of the mind in those disciplines to which we give the name of education.

stepnounUS /step/

any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal

From this reading But even one step farther our infidelity has gone.

sustenancenounUS /ˈsʌstənəns/

a source of materials to nourish the body

From this reading He was a profane person, and became a showman, turning his gifts to a marketable use, and not to his own sustenance and growth.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It appears that some doubt is felt by good and wise men whether really the happiness and probity of men is increased by the culture of the mind in those disciplines to which we give the name of education.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading It appears that some doubt is felt by good and wise men whether really the happiness and probity of men is increased by the culture of the mind in those disciplines to which we give the name of education.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading In their experience the scholar was not raised by the sacred thoughts amongst which he dwelt, but used them to selfish ends.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading In their experience the scholar was not raised by the sacred thoughts amongst which he dwelt, but used them to selfish ends.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading Unhappily too the doubt comes from scholars, from persons who have tried these methods.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading It appears that some doubt is felt by good and wise men whether really the happiness and probity of men is increased by the culture of the mind in those disciplines to which we give the name of education.

thoughtsnounUS /θɔːts/

plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading In their experience the scholar was not raised by the sacred thoughts amongst which he dwelt, but used them to selfish ends.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It appears that some doubt is felt by good and wise men whether really the happiness and probity of men is increased by the culture of the mind in those disciplines to which we give the name of education.

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading Unhappily too the doubt comes from scholars, from persons who have tried these methods.

triedadjectiveUS /traɪd/

tested and proved useful or correct

From this reading Unhappily too the doubt comes from scholars, from persons who have tried these methods.

turningnounUS /ˈtɜːrnɪŋ/

the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course

From this reading He was a profane person, and became a showman, turning his gifts to a marketable use, and not to his own sustenance and growth.

UnhappilyadverbUS /ənˈhæpəli/

in an unpleasant way

From this reading Unhappily too the doubt comes from scholars, from persons who have tried these methods.

usenounUS /juːs/

the act of using

From this reading He was a profane person, and became a showman, turning his gifts to a marketable use, and not to his own sustenance and growth.

usedadjectiveUS /juːzd/

employed in accomplishing something

From this reading In their experience the scholar was not raised by the sacred thoughts amongst which he dwelt, but used them to selfish ends.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading In their experience the scholar was not raised by the sacred thoughts amongst which he dwelt, but used them to selfish ends.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading It appears that some doubt is felt by good and wise men whether really the happiness and probity of men is increased by the culture of the mind in those disciplines to which we give the name of education.

whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/

used to introduce two or more possibilities

From this reading It appears that some doubt is felt by good and wise men whether really the happiness and probity of men is increased by the culture of the mind in those disciplines to which we give the name of education.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading It appears that some doubt is felt by good and wise men whether really the happiness and probity of men is increased by the culture of the mind in those disciplines to which we give the name of education.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Unhappily too the doubt comes from scholars, from persons who have tried these methods.

wiseadjectiveUS /waɪz/

having or prompted by wisdom or discernment

From this reading It appears that some doubt is felt by good and wise men whether really the happiness and probity of men is increased by the culture of the mind in those disciplines to which we give the name of education.

Chapter 17 of Essays — Second Series by Ralph Waldo Emerson holds 134 sentences, grouped into 27 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 17 of Essays — Second Series contain?

Chapter 17 holds 134 sentences of Essays — Second Series, unabridged, divided into 27 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 17 of Essays — Second Series by Ralph Waldo Emerson exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 134 sentences, grouped into 27 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 17 of Essays — Second Series?

Work through the 27 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 27 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 17 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 17 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.

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

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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.