Chapter 23 of Happy-Thought Hall is here in full — 129 sentences across 26 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXIII
Chapter 23 of Happy-Thought Hall is here in full — 129 sentences across 26 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
AFTER THE PERFORMANCE, CONVERSATION COMMENCES. "Your wife played charmingly, Mr. Frimmely." Mr. Frimmely smiles, and tries to look as if the merit of her acting was due entirely to his instruction. _Madame Regniati._ I don't suppose you chose her dress for her. _Mr. Orby Frimmely_ (_still as if he HAD done so, but allowed her the credit of it_).
Chapter 23 of Happy-Thought Hall is here in full — 129 sentences across 26 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/25 · 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 performance of a part or role in a drama
From this reading “Mr. Frimmely smiles, and tries to look as if the merit of her acting was due entirely to his instruction.”
in a charming manner
From this reading “"Your wife played charmingly, Mr. Frimmely."”
third-person singular of “commence” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading “AFTER THE PERFORMANCE, CONVERSATION COMMENCES.”
a message describing how something is to be done
From this reading “Mr. Frimmely smiles, and tries to look as if the merit of her acting was due entirely to his instruction.”
any admirable quality or attribute
From this reading “Mr. Frimmely smiles, and tries to look as if the merit of her acting was due entirely to his instruction.”
a dramatic or musical entertainment
From this reading “AFTER THE PERFORMANCE, CONVERSATION COMMENCES.”
plural of “smile” — a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement
From this reading “Mr. Frimmely smiles, and tries to look as if the merit of her acting was due entirely to his instruction.”
plural of “try” — earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading “Mr. Frimmely smiles, and tries to look as if the merit of her acting was due entirely to his instruction.”
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.
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.
the performance of a part or role in a drama
From this reading Mr. Frimmely smiles, and tries to look as if the merit of her acting was due entirely to his instruction.
later than; following
From this reading AFTER THE PERFORMANCE, CONVERSATION COMMENCES.
past form of “allow” — make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
From this reading _Mr. Orby Frimmely_ (_still as if he HAD done so, but allowed her the credit of it_).
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Mr. Frimmely smiles, and tries to look as if the merit of her acting was due entirely to his instruction.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Mr. Frimmely smiles, and tries to look as if the merit of her acting was due entirely to his instruction.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading _Mr. Orby Frimmely_ (_still as if he HAD done so, but allowed her the credit of it_).
in a charming manner
From this reading "Your wife played charmingly, Mr. Frimmely."
inflected form of “choose” — pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives
From this reading _Madame Regniati._ I don't suppose you chose her dress for her.
third-person singular of “commence” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading AFTER THE PERFORMANCE, CONVERSATION COMMENCES.
the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.
From this reading AFTER THE PERFORMANCE, CONVERSATION COMMENCES.
approval
From this reading _Mr. Orby Frimmely_ (_still as if he HAD done so, but allowed her the credit of it_).
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Madame Regniati._ I don't suppose you chose her dress for her.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading _Mr. Orby Frimmely_ (_still as if he HAD done so, but allowed her the credit of it_).
put on clothes
From this reading _Madame Regniati._ I don't suppose you chose her dress for her.
owed and payable immediately or on demand
From this reading Mr. Frimmely smiles, and tries to look as if the merit of her acting was due entirely to his instruction.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading Mr. Frimmely smiles, and tries to look as if the merit of her acting was due entirely to his instruction.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading _Madame Regniati._ I don't suppose you chose her dress for her.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Your wife played charmingly, Mr. Frimmely."
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading _Mr. Orby Frimmely_ (_still as if he HAD done so, but allowed her the credit of it_).
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading _Mr. Orby Frimmely_ (_still as if he HAD done so, but allowed her the credit of it_).
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Mr. Frimmely smiles, and tries to look as if the merit of her acting was due entirely to his instruction.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Mr. Frimmely smiles, and tries to look as if the merit of her acting was due entirely to his instruction.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading _Madame Regniati._ I don't suppose you chose her dress for her.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Mr. Frimmely smiles, and tries to look as if the merit of her acting was due entirely to his instruction.
a message describing how something is to be done
From this reading Mr. Frimmely smiles, and tries to look as if the merit of her acting was due entirely to his instruction.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading _Mr. Orby Frimmely_ (_still as if he HAD done so, but allowed her the credit of it_).
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Mr. Frimmely smiles, and tries to look as if the merit of her acting was due entirely to his instruction.
title used for a married Frenchwoman
From this reading _Madame Regniati._ I don't suppose you chose her dress for her.
any admirable quality or attribute
From this reading Mr. Frimmely smiles, and tries to look as if the merit of her acting was due entirely to his instruction.
a form of address for a man
From this reading "Your wife played charmingly, Mr. Frimmely."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Mr. Frimmely smiles, and tries to look as if the merit of her acting was due entirely to his instruction.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Mr. Orby Frimmely_ (_still as if he HAD done so, but allowed her the credit of it_).
a dramatic or musical entertainment
From this reading AFTER THE PERFORMANCE, CONVERSATION COMMENCES.
(of games) engaged in
From this reading "Your wife played charmingly, Mr. Frimmely."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Madame Regniati._ I don't suppose you chose her dress for her.
plural of “smile” — a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement
From this reading Mr. Frimmely smiles, and tries to look as if the merit of her acting was due entirely to his instruction.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading _Mr. Orby Frimmely_ (_still as if he HAD done so, but allowed her the credit of it_).
not in physical motion
From this reading _Mr. Orby Frimmely_ (_still as if he HAD done so, but allowed her the credit of it_).
express a supposition
From this reading _Madame Regniati._ I don't suppose you chose her dress for her.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading AFTER THE PERFORMANCE, CONVERSATION COMMENCES.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Mr. Frimmely smiles, and tries to look as if the merit of her acting was due entirely to his instruction.
plural of “try” — earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading Mr. Frimmely smiles, and tries to look as if the merit of her acting was due entirely to his instruction.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Mr. Frimmely smiles, and tries to look as if the merit of her acting was due entirely to his instruction.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading "Your wife played charmingly, Mr. Frimmely."
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading _Madame Regniati._ I don't suppose you chose her dress for her.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Your wife played charmingly, Mr. Frimmely."
Chapter 23 of Happy-Thought Hall by F. C. (Francis Cowley) Burnand holds 129 sentences, grouped into 26 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 23 holds 129 sentences of Happy-Thought Hall, unabridged, divided into 26 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 23 of Happy-Thought Hall by F. C. (Francis Cowley) Burnand exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 129 sentences, grouped into 26 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 26 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 26 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 23 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 Happy-Thought Hall by F. C. (Francis Cowley) Burnand on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3094 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #26281 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #26281, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 257 minutes of reading across 619 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Happy-Thought Hall section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 27 chapters of Happy-Thought Hall 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 Happy-Thought Hall, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
