Chapter 8 of Familiar Letters — Volume 06 is here in full — 389 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VIII
Chapter 8 of Familiar Letters — Volume 06 is here in full — 389 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
TO HARRISON BLAKE (AT WORCESTER). CONCORD, July 21, 1852. MR. BLAKE,--I am too stupidly well these days to write to you. My life is almost altogether outward,--all shell and no tender kernel; so that I fear the report of it would be only a nut for you to crack, with no meat in it for you to eat.
Chapter 8 of Familiar Letters — Volume 06 is here in full — 389 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/77 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
visionary British poet and painter (1757-1827)
From this reading “TO HARRISON BLAKE (AT WORCESTER).”
capital of the state of New Hampshire; located in south central New Hampshire on the Merrimack river
From this reading “CONCORD, July 21, 1852.”
English actor on stage and in films (1908-1990)
From this reading “TO HARRISON BLAKE (AT WORCESTER).”
the inner and usually edible part of a seed or grain or nut or fruit stone
From this reading “My life is almost altogether outward,--all shell and no tender kernel; so that I fear the report of it would be only a nut for you to crack, with no meat in it for you to eat.”
usually large hard-shelled seed
From this reading “My life is almost altogether outward,--all shell and no tender kernel; so that I fear the report of it would be only a nut for you to crack, with no meat in it for you to eat.”
relating to physical reality rather than with thoughts or the mind
From this reading “My life is almost altogether outward,--all shell and no tender kernel; so that I fear the report of it would be only a nut for you to crack, with no meat in it for you to eat.”
in a stupid manner
From this reading “BLAKE,--I am too stupidly well these days to write to you.”
United States lexicographer who was accused of plagiarism by Noah Webster (1784-1865)
From this reading “TO HARRISON BLAKE (AT WORCESTER).”
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.
In this reading “My life is almost altogether outward,--all shell and no tender kernel; so that I fear the report of it would be only a nut for you to crack, with no meat in it for you to eat.”
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.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading CONCORD, July 21, 1852.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading CONCORD, July 21, 1852.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading My life is almost altogether outward,--all shell and no tender kernel; so that I fear the report of it would be only a nut for you to crack, with no meat in it for you to eat.
(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 My life is almost altogether outward,--all shell and no tender kernel; so that I fear the report of it would be only a nut for you to crack, with no meat in it for you to eat.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading My life is almost altogether outward,--all shell and no tender kernel; so that I fear the report of it would be only a nut for you to crack, with no meat in it for you to eat.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading My life is almost altogether outward,--all shell and no tender kernel; so that I fear the report of it would be only a nut for you to crack, with no meat in it for you to eat.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading BLAKE,--I am too stupidly well these days to write to you.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading My life is almost altogether outward,--all shell and no tender kernel; so that I fear the report of it would be only a nut for you to crack, with no meat in it for you to eat.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading TO HARRISON BLAKE (AT WORCESTER).
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading My life is almost altogether outward,--all shell and no tender kernel; so that I fear the report of it would be only a nut for you to crack, with no meat in it for you to eat.
visionary British poet and painter (1757-1827)
From this reading TO HARRISON BLAKE (AT WORCESTER).
capital of the state of New Hampshire; located in south central New Hampshire on the Merrimack river
From this reading CONCORD, July 21, 1852.
become fractured; break or crack on the surface only
From this reading My life is almost altogether outward,--all shell and no tender kernel; so that I fear the report of it would be only a nut for you to crack, with no meat in it for you to eat.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading BLAKE,--I am too stupidly well these days to write to you.
take in solid food
From this reading My life is almost altogether outward,--all shell and no tender kernel; so that I fear the report of it would be only a nut for you to crack, with no meat in it for you to eat.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading My life is almost altogether outward,--all shell and no tender kernel; so that I fear the report of it would be only a nut for you to crack, with no meat in it for you to eat.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading My life is almost altogether outward,--all shell and no tender kernel; so that I fear the report of it would be only a nut for you to crack, with no meat in it for you to eat.
English actor on stage and in films (1908-1990)
From this reading TO HARRISON BLAKE (AT WORCESTER).
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading BLAKE,--I am too stupidly well these days to write to you.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading My life is almost altogether outward,--all shell and no tender kernel; so that I fear the report of it would be only a nut for you to crack, with no meat in it for you to eat.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading My life is almost altogether outward,--all shell and no tender kernel; so that I fear the report of it would be only a nut for you to crack, with no meat in it for you to eat.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading My life is almost altogether outward,--all shell and no tender kernel; so that I fear the report of it would be only a nut for you to crack, with no meat in it for you to eat.
the month following June and preceding August
From this reading CONCORD, July 21, 1852.
the inner and usually edible part of a seed or grain or nut or fruit stone
From this reading My life is almost altogether outward,--all shell and no tender kernel; so that I fear the report of it would be only a nut for you to crack, with no meat in it for you to eat.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading My life is almost altogether outward,--all shell and no tender kernel; so that I fear the report of it would be only a nut for you to crack, with no meat in it for you to eat.
the flesh of animals (including fishes and birds and snails) used as food
From this reading My life is almost altogether outward,--all shell and no tender kernel; so that I fear the report of it would be only a nut for you to crack, with no meat in it for you to eat.
a form of address for a man
From this reading MR.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading My life is almost altogether outward,--all shell and no tender kernel; so that I fear the report of it would be only a nut for you to crack, with no meat in it for you to eat.
not any; not one
From this reading My life is almost altogether outward,--all shell and no tender kernel; so that I fear the report of it would be only a nut for you to crack, with no meat in it for you to eat.
usually large hard-shelled seed
From this reading My life is almost altogether outward,--all shell and no tender kernel; so that I fear the report of it would be only a nut for you to crack, with no meat in it for you to eat.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading My life is almost altogether outward,--all shell and no tender kernel; so that I fear the report of it would be only a nut for you to crack, with no meat in it for you to eat.
and nothing more
From this reading My life is almost altogether outward,--all shell and no tender kernel; so that I fear the report of it would be only a nut for you to crack, with no meat in it for you to eat.
relating to physical reality rather than with thoughts or the mind
From this reading My life is almost altogether outward,--all shell and no tender kernel; so that I fear the report of it would be only a nut for you to crack, with no meat in it for you to eat.
to give an account or representation of in words
From this reading My life is almost altogether outward,--all shell and no tender kernel; so that I fear the report of it would be only a nut for you to crack, with no meat in it for you to eat.
ammunition consisting of a cylindrical metal casing containing an explosive charge and a projectile; fired from a large gun
From this reading My life is almost altogether outward,--all shell and no tender kernel; so that I fear the report of it would be only a nut for you to crack, with no meat in it for you to eat.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading My life is almost altogether outward,--all shell and no tender kernel; so that I fear the report of it would be only a nut for you to crack, with no meat in it for you to eat.
in a stupid manner
From this reading BLAKE,--I am too stupidly well these days to write to you.
given to sympathy or gentleness or sentimentality
From this reading My life is almost altogether outward,--all shell and no tender kernel; so that I fear the report of it would be only a nut for you to crack, with no meat in it for you to eat.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading My life is almost altogether outward,--all shell and no tender kernel; so that I fear the report of it would be only a nut for you to crack, with no meat in it for you to eat.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading My life is almost altogether outward,--all shell and no tender kernel; so that I fear the report of it would be only a nut for you to crack, with no meat in it for you to eat.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading BLAKE,--I am too stupidly well these days to write to you.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading TO HARRISON BLAKE (AT WORCESTER).
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading BLAKE,--I am too stupidly well these days to write to you.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading BLAKE,--I am too stupidly well these days to write to you.
in the company of; together with
From this reading My life is almost altogether outward,--all shell and no tender kernel; so that I fear the report of it would be only a nut for you to crack, with no meat in it for you to eat.
United States lexicographer who was accused of plagiarism by Noah Webster (1784-1865)
From this reading TO HARRISON BLAKE (AT WORCESTER).
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading My life is almost altogether outward,--all shell and no tender kernel; so that I fear the report of it would be only a nut for you to crack, with no meat in it for you to eat.
produce a literary work
From this reading BLAKE,--I am too stupidly well these days to write to you.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading BLAKE,--I am too stupidly well these days to write to you.
Chapter 8 of Familiar Letters — Volume 06 by Henry David Thoreau holds 389 sentences, grouped into 78 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.
Chapter 8 holds 389 sentences of Familiar Letters — Volume 06, unabridged, divided into 78 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 8 of Familiar Letters — Volume 06 by Henry David Thoreau exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 389 sentences, grouped into 78 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.
Work through the 78 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 78 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 8 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.
Common questions about reading Familiar Letters — Volume 06 by Henry David Thoreau on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 7534 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #43523 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #43523, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 1507 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Familiar Letters — Volume 06 section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 19 chapters of Familiar Letters — Volume 06 to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Familiar Letters — Volume 06, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
