Chapter 8 of Imaginary Conversations and Poems is here in full — 405 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VIII
Chapter 8 of Imaginary Conversations and Poems is here in full — 405 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
_Leontion._ It is better, I own it, that such writers should amuse our idleness than excite our spleen. _Ternissa._ What is spleen? _Epicurus._ Do not ask her; she cannot tell you. The spleen, Ternissa, is to the heart what Arimanes is to Oromazes. _Ternissa._ I am little the wiser yet.
Chapter 8 of Imaginary Conversations and Poems is here in full — 405 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/81 · 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.
occupy in an agreeable, entertaining or pleasant fashion
From this reading “_Leontion._ It is better, I own it, that such writers should amuse our idleness than excite our spleen.”
make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading “_Epicurus._ Do not ask her; she cannot tell you.”
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading “_Leontion._ It is better, I own it, that such writers should amuse our idleness than excite our spleen.”
arouse or elicit a feeling
From this reading “_Leontion._ It is better, I own it, that such writers should amuse our idleness than excite our spleen.”
having no employment
From this reading “_Leontion._ It is better, I own it, that such writers should amuse our idleness than excite our spleen.”
a large dark-red oval organ on the left side of the body between the stomach and the diaphragm; produces cells involved in immune responses
From this reading “_Leontion._ It is better, I own it, that such writers should amuse our idleness than excite our spleen.”
comparative of “wise” — having or prompted by wisdom or discernment
From this reading “_Ternissa._ I am little the wiser yet.”
plural of “writer” — writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
From this reading “_Leontion._ It is better, I own it, that such writers should amuse our idleness than excite our spleen.”
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 form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading _Ternissa._ I am little the wiser yet.
occupy in an agreeable, entertaining or pleasant fashion
From this reading _Leontion._ It is better, I own it, that such writers should amuse our idleness than excite our spleen.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The spleen, Ternissa, is to the heart what Arimanes is to Oromazes.
make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading _Epicurus._ Do not ask her; she cannot tell you.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading _Leontion._ It is better, I own it, that such writers should amuse our idleness than excite our spleen.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Epicurus._ Do not ask her; she cannot tell you.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading _Epicurus._ Do not ask her; she cannot tell you.
Greek philosopher who believed that the world is a random combination of atoms and that pleasure is the highest good (341-270 BC)
From this reading _Epicurus._ Do not ask her; she cannot tell you.
arouse or elicit a feeling
From this reading _Leontion._ It is better, I own it, that such writers should amuse our idleness than excite our spleen.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading The spleen, Ternissa, is to the heart what Arimanes is to Oromazes.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading _Epicurus._ Do not ask her; she cannot tell you.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading _Leontion._ It is better, I own it, that such writers should amuse our idleness than excite our spleen.
having no employment
From this reading _Leontion._ It is better, I own it, that such writers should amuse our idleness than excite our spleen.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading _Leontion._ It is better, I own it, that such writers should amuse our idleness than excite our spleen.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading _Leontion._ It is better, I own it, that such writers should amuse our idleness than excite our spleen.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Leontion._ It is better, I own it, that such writers should amuse our idleness than excite our spleen.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading _Ternissa._ I am little the wiser yet.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading _Epicurus._ Do not ask her; she cannot tell you.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The spleen, Ternissa, is to the heart what Arimanes is to Oromazes.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading _Leontion._ It is better, I own it, that such writers should amuse our idleness than excite our spleen.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading _Leontion._ It is better, I own it, that such writers should amuse our idleness than excite our spleen.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading _Epicurus._ Do not ask her; she cannot tell you.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading _Leontion._ It is better, I own it, that such writers should amuse our idleness than excite our spleen.
a large dark-red oval organ on the left side of the body between the stomach and the diaphragm; produces cells involved in immune responses
From this reading _Leontion._ It is better, I own it, that such writers should amuse our idleness than excite our spleen.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading _Leontion._ It is better, I own it, that such writers should amuse our idleness than excite our spleen.
express in words
From this reading _Epicurus._ Do not ask her; she cannot tell you.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Ternissa._ What is spleen?
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading _Leontion._ It is better, I own it, that such writers should amuse our idleness than excite our spleen.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading _Leontion._ It is better, I own it, that such writers should amuse our idleness than excite our spleen.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The spleen, Ternissa, is to the heart what Arimanes is to Oromazes.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The spleen, Ternissa, is to the heart what Arimanes is to Oromazes.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading _Ternissa._ What is spleen?
comparative of “wise” — having or prompted by wisdom or discernment
From this reading _Ternissa._ I am little the wiser yet.
plural of “writer” — writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
From this reading _Leontion._ It is better, I own it, that such writers should amuse our idleness than excite our spleen.
but in spite of that
From this reading _Ternissa._ I am little the wiser yet.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading _Epicurus._ Do not ask her; she cannot tell you.
Chapter 8 of Imaginary Conversations and Poems by Walter Savage Landor holds 405 sentences, grouped into 81 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 405 sentences of Imaginary Conversations and Poems, unabridged, divided into 81 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 8 of Imaginary Conversations and Poems by Walter Savage Landor exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 405 sentences, grouped into 81 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 81 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 81 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 Imaginary Conversations and Poems by Walter Savage Landor on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 7349 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #21628 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #21628, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 1470 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Imaginary Conversations and Poems section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 18 chapters of Imaginary Conversations and Poems 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 Imaginary Conversations and Poems, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
