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History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne
History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne

Chapter XVII

Chapter 17 of History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne is here in full — 104 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Andrew Lang • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne
Context Illustration Reading 1/20 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
WYATT AND SURREY.
GASCOIGNE.
SACKVILLE.
The names of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) and of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547), are for ever memorable in English poetry, not so much for what they actually achieved as for what they attempted.
They abstained from allegory, still lingering in its unlovely dotage, and from doggerel.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne

Chapter XVII

Chapter 17 of History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne is here in full — 104 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/20 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
WYATT AND SURREY.
/ˈwaɪət ənd ˈsɜːri/
Line 2
GASCOIGNE.
Line 3
SACKVILLE.
Line 4
The names of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) and of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547), are for ever memorable in English poetry, not so much for what they actually achieved as for what they attempted.
Line 5
They abstained from allegory, still lingering in its unlovely dotage, and from doggerel.

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.

abstained verb US /əbˈsteɪnd/

past form of “abstain” — refrain from voting

From this reading “They abstained from allegory, still lingering in its unlovely dotage, and from doggerel.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
achieved verb US /əˈtʃiːvd/

past form of “achieve” — to gain with effort

From this reading “The names of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) and of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547), are for ever memorable in English poetry, not so much for what they actually achieved as for what they attempted.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
allegory noun US /ˈæləɡɔːri/

a short moral story (often with animal characters)

From this reading “They abstained from allegory, still lingering in its unlovely dotage, and from doggerel.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
doggerel noun US /ˈdɑːɡərəl/

a comic verse of irregular measure

From this reading “They abstained from allegory, still lingering in its unlovely dotage, and from doggerel.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lingering noun US /ˈlɪŋɡərɪŋ/

the act of tarrying

From this reading “They abstained from allegory, still lingering in its unlovely dotage, and from doggerel.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
memorable adjective US /ˈmemərəbəl/

worth remembering

From this reading “The names of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) and of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547), are for ever memorable in English poetry, not so much for what they actually achieved as for what they attempted.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
surrey noun US /ˈsɜːri/

a county in southeastern England on the Thames

From this reading “WYATT AND SURREY.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wyatt noun US /ˈwaɪət/

English architect (1746-1813)

From this reading “WYATT AND SURREY.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Word partnerships in these lines

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.

abstained from verb + particle counted as “abstain from”

In this reading “They abstained from allegory, still lingering in its unlovely dotage, and from doggerel.”

2,756 times in 426,211 chapters
still lingering adjective + noun

In this reading “They abstained from allegory, still lingering in its unlovely dotage, and from doggerel.”

640 times in 426,211 chapters
for ever preposition + adverb

In this reading “The names of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) and of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547), are for ever memorable in English poetry, not so much for what they actually achieved as for what they attempted.”

37,533 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 42

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.

1503

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The names of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) and of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547), are for ever memorable in English poetry, not so much for what they actually achieved as for what they attempted.

Pending verification
1517

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The names of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) and of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547), are for ever memorable in English poetry, not so much for what they actually achieved as for what they attempted.

Pending verification
1542

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The names of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) and of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547), are for ever memorable in English poetry, not so much for what they actually achieved as for what they attempted.

Pending verification
1547

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The names of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) and of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547), are for ever memorable in English poetry, not so much for what they actually achieved as for what they attempted.

Pending verification
abstainedverbUS /əbˈsteɪnd/

past form of “abstain” — refrain from voting

From this reading They abstained from allegory, still lingering in its unlovely dotage, and from doggerel.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
achievedverbUS /əˈtʃiːvd/

past form of “achieve” — to gain with effort

From this reading The names of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) and of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547), are for ever memorable in English poetry, not so much for what they actually achieved as for what they attempted.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
actuallyadverbUS /ˈæktʃuːəli/

in actual fact

From this reading The names of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) and of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547), are for ever memorable in English poetry, not so much for what they actually achieved as for what they attempted.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
allegorynounUS /ˈæləɡɔːri/

a short moral story (often with animal characters)

From this reading They abstained from allegory, still lingering in its unlovely dotage, and from doggerel.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading WYATT AND SURREY.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading The names of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) and of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547), are for ever memorable in English poetry, not so much for what they actually achieved as for what they attempted.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading The names of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) and of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547), are for ever memorable in English poetry, not so much for what they actually achieved as for what they attempted.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
attemptedadjectiveUS /əˈtemptɪd/

tried unsuccessfully

From this reading The names of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) and of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547), are for ever memorable in English poetry, not so much for what they actually achieved as for what they attempted.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
doggerelnounUS /ˈdɑːɡərəl/

a comic verse of irregular measure

From this reading They abstained from allegory, still lingering in its unlovely dotage, and from doggerel.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
dotagenoun

mental infirmity as a consequence of old age; sometimes shown by foolish infatuations

From this reading They abstained from allegory, still lingering in its unlovely dotage, and from doggerel.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
EarlnounUS /ɜːrl/

a British peer ranking below a marquess and above a viscount

From this reading The names of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) and of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547), are for ever memorable in English poetry, not so much for what they actually achieved as for what they attempted.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
EnglishnounUS /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ/

an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries

From this reading The names of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) and of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547), are for ever memorable in English poetry, not so much for what they actually achieved as for what they attempted.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading The names of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) and of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547), are for ever memorable in English poetry, not so much for what they actually achieved as for what they attempted.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The names of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) and of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547), are for ever memorable in English poetry, not so much for what they actually achieved as for what they attempted.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading They abstained from allegory, still lingering in its unlovely dotage, and from doggerel.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
GASCOIGNE

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading GASCOIGNE.

Pending verification
HenrynounUS /ˈhenri/

a unit of inductance in which an induced electromotive force of one volt is produced when the current is varied at the rate of one ampere per second

From this reading The names of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) and of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547), are for ever memorable in English poetry, not so much for what they actually achieved as for what they attempted.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
HowardnounUS /ˈhaʊərd/

English actor of stage and screen (1893-1943)

From this reading The names of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) and of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547), are for ever memorable in English poetry, not so much for what they actually achieved as for what they attempted.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The names of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) and of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547), are for ever memorable in English poetry, not so much for what they actually achieved as for what they attempted.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading They abstained from allegory, still lingering in its unlovely dotage, and from doggerel.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
lingeringnounUS /ˈlɪŋɡərɪŋ/

the act of tarrying

From this reading They abstained from allegory, still lingering in its unlovely dotage, and from doggerel.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
memorableadjectiveUS /ˈmemərəbəl/

worth remembering

From this reading The names of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) and of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547), are for ever memorable in English poetry, not so much for what they actually achieved as for what they attempted.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading The names of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) and of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547), are for ever memorable in English poetry, not so much for what they actually achieved as for what they attempted.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
namesnounUS /neɪmz/

verbal abuse; a crude substitute for argument

From this reading The names of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) and of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547), are for ever memorable in English poetry, not so much for what they actually achieved as for what they attempted.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The names of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) and of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547), are for ever memorable in English poetry, not so much for what they actually achieved as for what they attempted.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The names of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) and of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547), are for ever memorable in English poetry, not so much for what they actually achieved as for what they attempted.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
poetrynounUS /ˈpoʊətri/

literature in metrical form

From this reading The names of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) and of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547), are for ever memorable in English poetry, not so much for what they actually achieved as for what they attempted.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SACKVILLE

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading SACKVILLE.

Pending verification
SirnounUS /sɜːr/

term of address for a man

From this reading The names of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) and of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547), are for ever memorable in English poetry, not so much for what they actually achieved as for what they attempted.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading The names of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) and of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547), are for ever memorable in English poetry, not so much for what they actually achieved as for what they attempted.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading They abstained from allegory, still lingering in its unlovely dotage, and from doggerel.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SURREYnounUS /ˈsɜːri/

a county in southeastern England on the Thames

From this reading WYATT AND SURREY.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The names of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) and of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547), are for ever memorable in English poetry, not so much for what they actually achieved as for what they attempted.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading The names of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) and of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547), are for ever memorable in English poetry, not so much for what they actually achieved as for what they attempted.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ThomasnounUS /ˈtɑːməs/

United States clockmaker who introduced mass production (1785-1859)

From this reading The names of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) and of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547), are for ever memorable in English poetry, not so much for what they actually achieved as for what they attempted.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
unlovelyadjective

without beauty or charm

From this reading They abstained from allegory, still lingering in its unlovely dotage, and from doggerel.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading The names of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) and of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547), are for ever memorable in English poetry, not so much for what they actually achieved as for what they attempted.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
WYATTnounUS /ˈwaɪət/

English architect (1746-1813)

From this reading WYATT AND SURREY.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Chapter 17 of History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne by Andrew Lang holds 104 sentences, grouped into 21 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.

What does chapter 17 of History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne contain?

Chapter 17 holds 104 sentences of History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne, unabridged, divided into 21 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 17 of History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne by Andrew Lang exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 104 sentences, grouped into 21 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 History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne?

Work through the 21 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 21 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 History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne

Common questions about reading History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne by Andrew Lang on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne?

Yes. All 8679 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #56613 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #56613, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1736 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne section by section

How to work through History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

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  3. Listen and tap

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Vocabulary met early in History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne

Words and structures a reader meets early in History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Literature
A word that appears in the opening chapter of History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Every
A word that appears in the opening chapter of History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Modern
A word that appears in the opening chapter of History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Country
A word that appears in the opening chapter of History of English Literature from "Beowulf" to Swinburne; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.