Chapter 18 of Gossamer is here in full — 349 sentences across 70 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XVIII
Chapter 18 of Gossamer is here in full — 349 sentences across 70 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
No one has greater respect and admiration for Ascher than I have. I respect his ability. I admire his cool detachment of mind and his unfailing feeling for justice. I recognise in him a magnanimity, a certain knightliness which is very rare. But it is vain to pretend that I can ever regard Ascher as an intimate friend.
Chapter 18 of Gossamer is here in full — 349 sentences across 70 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/69 · 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.
the quality of being able to perform; a quality that permits or facilitates achievement or accomplishment
From this reading “I respect his ability.”
feel admiration for
From this reading “I admire his cool detachment of mind and his unfailing feeling for justice.”
avoiding emotional involvement
From this reading “I admire his cool detachment of mind and his unfailing feeling for justice.”
marked by close acquaintance, association, or familiarity
From this reading “But it is vain to pretend that I can ever regard Ascher as an intimate friend.”
make believe with the intent to deceive
From this reading “But it is vain to pretend that I can ever regard Ascher as an intimate friend.”
not widely known; especially valued for its uncommonness
From this reading “I recognise in him a magnanimity, a certain knightliness which is very rare.”
show approval or appreciation of
From this reading “I recognise in him a magnanimity, a certain knightliness which is very rare.”
not liable to failure
From this reading “I admire his cool detachment of mind and his unfailing feeling for justice.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading I recognise in him a magnanimity, a certain knightliness which is very rare.
the quality of being able to perform; a quality that permits or facilitates achievement or accomplishment
From this reading I respect his ability.
a feeling of delighted approval and liking
From this reading No one has greater respect and admiration for Ascher than I have.
feel admiration for
From this reading I admire his cool detachment of mind and his unfailing feeling for justice.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading But it is vain to pretend that I can ever regard Ascher as an intimate friend.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading No one has greater respect and admiration for Ascher than I have.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading But it is vain to pretend that I can ever regard Ascher as an intimate friend.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No one has greater respect and admiration for Ascher than I have.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But it is vain to pretend that I can ever regard Ascher as an intimate friend.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading But it is vain to pretend that I can ever regard Ascher as an intimate friend.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading I recognise in him a magnanimity, a certain knightliness which is very rare.
neither warm nor very cold; giving relief from heat
From this reading I admire his cool detachment of mind and his unfailing feeling for justice.
avoiding emotional involvement
From this reading I admire his cool detachment of mind and his unfailing feeling for justice.
at any time
From this reading But it is vain to pretend that I can ever regard Ascher as an intimate friend.
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading I admire his cool detachment of mind and his unfailing feeling for justice.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading No one has greater respect and admiration for Ascher than I have.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading But it is vain to pretend that I can ever regard Ascher as an intimate friend.
greater in size or importance or degree
From this reading No one has greater respect and admiration for Ascher than I have.
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading No one has greater respect and admiration for Ascher than I have.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading No one has greater respect and admiration for Ascher than I have.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I recognise in him a magnanimity, a certain knightliness which is very rare.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading I respect his ability.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading No one has greater respect and admiration for Ascher than I have.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I recognise in him a magnanimity, a certain knightliness which is very rare.
marked by close acquaintance, association, or familiarity
From this reading But it is vain to pretend that I can ever regard Ascher as an intimate friend.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I recognise in him a magnanimity, a certain knightliness which is very rare.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But it is vain to pretend that I can ever regard Ascher as an intimate friend.
the quality of being just or fair
From this reading I admire his cool detachment of mind and his unfailing feeling for justice.
the medieval principles governing knighthood and knightly conduct
From this reading I recognise in him a magnanimity, a certain knightliness which is very rare.
liberality in bestowing gifts; extremely liberal and generous of spirit
From this reading I recognise in him a magnanimity, a certain knightliness which is very rare.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading I admire his cool detachment of mind and his unfailing feeling for justice.
not any; not one
From this reading No one has greater respect and admiration for Ascher than I have.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I admire his cool detachment of mind and his unfailing feeling for justice.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading No one has greater respect and admiration for Ascher than I have.
make believe with the intent to deceive
From this reading But it is vain to pretend that I can ever regard Ascher as an intimate friend.
not widely known; especially valued for its uncommonness
From this reading I recognise in him a magnanimity, a certain knightliness which is very rare.
show approval or appreciation of
From this reading I recognise in him a magnanimity, a certain knightliness which is very rare.
(usually preceded by “in”) a detail or point
From this reading But it is vain to pretend that I can ever regard Ascher as an intimate friend.
(usually preceded by “in”) a detail or point
From this reading No one has greater respect and admiration for Ascher than I have.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading No one has greater respect and admiration for Ascher than I have.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But it is vain to pretend that I can ever regard Ascher as an intimate friend.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But it is vain to pretend that I can ever regard Ascher as an intimate friend.
not liable to failure
From this reading I admire his cool detachment of mind and his unfailing feeling for justice.
characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
From this reading But it is vain to pretend that I can ever regard Ascher as an intimate friend.
precisely as stated
From this reading I recognise in him a magnanimity, a certain knightliness which is very rare.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading I recognise in him a magnanimity, a certain knightliness which is very rare.
Chapter 18 of Gossamer by George A. Birmingham holds 349 sentences, grouped into 70 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 18 holds 349 sentences of Gossamer, unabridged, divided into 70 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 18 of Gossamer by George A. Birmingham exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 349 sentences, grouped into 70 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 70 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 70 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 18 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 Gossamer by George A. Birmingham on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 5373 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #24394 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #24394, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 447 minutes of reading across 1075 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Gossamer section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 19 chapters of Gossamer 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 Gossamer, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
