Chapter 2 of Her Infinite Variety is here in full — 440 sentences across 88 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter II
Chapter 2 of Her Infinite Variety is here in full — 440 sentences across 88 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
The Senate was in raptures. “This is the face,” he cried, “‘that launched a thousand ships and burned the topless towers of Ilium!’ ’she is wholly like in feature to the deathless goddesses!’” So he went on. “‘Age can not wither, nor custom stale, her infinite variety.’”
Chapter 2 of Her Infinite Variety is here in full — 440 sentences across 88 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/88 · 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.
a prominent attribute or aspect of something
From this reading “’she is wholly like in feature to the deathless goddesses!’” So he went on.”
plural of “goddess” — a female deity
From this reading “’she is wholly like in feature to the deathless goddesses!’” So he went on.”
past form of “launch” — set up or found
From this reading ““This is the face,” he cried, “‘that launched a thousand ships and burned the topless towers of Ilium!’”
assembly possessing high legislative powers
From this reading “The Senate was in raptures.”
lacking freshness, palatability, or showing deterioration from age
From this reading ““‘Age can not wither, nor custom stale, her infinite variety.’””
having no top
From this reading ““This is the face,” he cried, “‘that launched a thousand ships and burned the topless towers of Ilium!’”
plural of “tower” — a structure taller than its diameter; can stand alone or be attached to a larger building
From this reading ““This is the face,” he cried, “‘that launched a thousand ships and burned the topless towers of Ilium!’”
wither, as with a loss of moisture
From this reading ““‘Age can not wither, nor custom stale, her infinite variety.’””
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 ““‘Age can not wither, nor custom stale, her infinite variety.’””
continue a certain state, condition, or activity
In this reading “’she is wholly like in feature to the deathless goddesses!’” So he went on.”
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 “This is the face,” he cried, “‘that launched a thousand ships and burned the topless towers of Ilium!’
how long something has existed
From this reading “‘Age can not wither, nor custom stale, her infinite variety.’”
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “This is the face,” he cried, “‘that launched a thousand ships and burned the topless towers of Ilium!’
treated by heating to a high temperature but below the melting or fusing point
From this reading “This is the face,” he cried, “‘that launched a thousand ships and burned the topless towers of Ilium!’
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading “‘Age can not wither, nor custom stale, her infinite variety.’”
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading “This is the face,” he cried, “‘that launched a thousand ships and burned the topless towers of Ilium!’
accepted or habitual practice
From this reading “‘Age can not wither, nor custom stale, her infinite variety.’”
never dying
From this reading ’she is wholly like in feature to the deathless goddesses!’” So he went on.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading “This is the face,” he cried, “‘that launched a thousand ships and burned the topless towers of Ilium!’
a prominent attribute or aspect of something
From this reading ’she is wholly like in feature to the deathless goddesses!’” So he went on.
plural of “goddess” — a female deity
From this reading ’she is wholly like in feature to the deathless goddesses!’” So he went on.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “This is the face,” he cried, “‘that launched a thousand ships and burned the topless towers of Ilium!’
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading “‘Age can not wither, nor custom stale, her infinite variety.’”
an ancient city in Asia Minor that was the site of the Trojan War
From this reading “This is the face,” he cried, “‘that launched a thousand ships and burned the topless towers of Ilium!’
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The Senate was in raptures.
having no limits or boundaries in time or space or extent or magnitude
From this reading “‘Age can not wither, nor custom stale, her infinite variety.’”
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “This is the face,” he cried, “‘that launched a thousand ships and burned the topless towers of Ilium!’
past form of “launch” — set up or found
From this reading “This is the face,” he cried, “‘that launched a thousand ships and burned the topless towers of Ilium!’
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading ’she is wholly like in feature to the deathless goddesses!’” So he went on.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading “‘Age can not wither, nor custom stale, her infinite variety.’”
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “‘Age can not wither, nor custom stale, her infinite variety.’”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “This is the face,” he cried, “‘that launched a thousand ships and burned the topless towers of Ilium!’
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading ’she is wholly like in feature to the deathless goddesses!’” So he went on.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Senate was in raptures.
assembly possessing high legislative powers
From this reading The Senate was in raptures.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading ’she is wholly like in feature to the deathless goddesses!’” So he went on.
plural of “ship” — a vessel that carries passengers or freight
From this reading “This is the face,” he cried, “‘that launched a thousand ships and burned the topless towers of Ilium!’
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading ’she is wholly like in feature to the deathless goddesses!’” So he went on.
lacking freshness, palatability, or showing deterioration from age
From this reading “‘Age can not wither, nor custom stale, her infinite variety.’”
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “This is the face,” he cried, “‘that launched a thousand ships and burned the topless towers of Ilium!’
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Senate was in raptures.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “This is the face,” he cried, “‘that launched a thousand ships and burned the topless towers of Ilium!’
the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
From this reading “This is the face,” he cried, “‘that launched a thousand ships and burned the topless towers of Ilium!’
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading ’she is wholly like in feature to the deathless goddesses!’” So he went on.
having no top
From this reading “This is the face,” he cried, “‘that launched a thousand ships and burned the topless towers of Ilium!’
plural of “tower” — a structure taller than its diameter; can stand alone or be attached to a larger building
From this reading “This is the face,” he cried, “‘that launched a thousand ships and burned the topless towers of Ilium!’
a collection containing a variety of sorts of things
From this reading “‘Age can not wither, nor custom stale, her infinite variety.’”
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The Senate was in raptures.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading ’she is wholly like in feature to the deathless goddesses!’” So he went on.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading ’she is wholly like in feature to the deathless goddesses!’” So he went on.
wither, as with a loss of moisture
From this reading “‘Age can not wither, nor custom stale, her infinite variety.’”
Chapter 2 of Her Infinite Variety by Brand Whitlock holds 440 sentences, grouped into 88 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 2 holds 440 sentences of Her Infinite Variety, unabridged, divided into 88 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 2 of Her Infinite Variety by Brand Whitlock exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 440 sentences, grouped into 88 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 88 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 88 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 2 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 Her Infinite Variety by Brand Whitlock on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 1323 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #35727 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #35727, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 110 minutes of reading across 265 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Her Infinite Variety section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 3 chapters of Her Infinite Variety 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 Her Infinite Variety, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
