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Ishmael
Ishmael

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Ishmael is here in full — 326 sentences across 66 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Ishmael
Context Illustration Reading 1/65 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE SISTERS.
But if thou wilt be constant then, And faithful of thy word, I'll make thee glorious by my pen And famous by my sword.
I'll serve thee in such noble ways Was never heard before; I'll crown and deck thee all with bays, And love thee evermore.
--_James Graham_.
"Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Ishmael

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Ishmael is here in full — 326 sentences across 66 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/65 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE SISTERS.
/ðə ˈsɪstərz/
Line 2
But if thou wilt be constant then, And faithful of thy word, I'll make thee glorious by my pen And famous by my sword.
Line 3
I'll serve thee in such noble ways Was never heard before; I'll crown and deck thee all with bays, And love thee evermore.
Line 4
--_James Graham_.
/dʒeɪmz ˈɡreɪəm/
Line 5
"Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

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.

adage noun US /ˈædədʒ/

a condensed but memorable saying embodying some important fact of experience that is taken as true by many people

From this reading “"Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.”

bays noun US /beɪz/

plural of “bay” — an indentation of a shoreline larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf

From this reading “I'll serve thee in such noble ways Was never heard before; I'll crown and deck thee all with bays, And love thee evermore.”

evermore adverb US /ˈevərmɔːr/

at any future time; in the future

From this reading “I'll serve thee in such noble ways Was never heard before; I'll crown and deck thee all with bays, And love thee evermore.”

Graham noun US /ˈɡreɪəm/

United States evangelical preacher famous as a mass evangelist (born in 1918)

Herman noun US /ˈhɜːrmən/

United States jazz musician and bandleader (1913-1987)

From this reading “"Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.”

prosperous adjective US /ˈprɑːspərəs/

in fortunate circumstances financially; moderately rich

From this reading “"Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.”

radiance noun US /ˈreɪdiːəns/

the amount of electromagnetic radiation leaving or arriving at a point on a surface

From this reading “"Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.”

sunny adjective US /ˈsʌni/

bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer

From this reading “"Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.”

All words in this reading · 93

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.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

adagenounUS /ˈædədʒ/

a condensed but memorable saying embodying some important fact of experience that is taken as true by many people

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

airnounUS /er/

a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading I'll serve thee in such noble ways Was never heard before; I'll crown and deck thee all with bays, And love thee evermore.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading But if thou wilt be constant then, And faithful of thy word, I'll make thee glorious by my pen And famous by my sword.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

AprilnounUS /ˈeɪprəl/

the month following March and preceding May

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

baysnounUS /beɪz/

plural of “bay” — an indentation of a shoreline larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf

From this reading I'll serve thee in such noble ways Was never heard before; I'll crown and deck thee all with bays, And love thee evermore.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading But if thou wilt be constant then, And faithful of thy word, I'll make thee glorious by my pen And famous by my sword.

beautifuladjectiveUS /ˈbjuːtəfəl/

delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading I'll serve thee in such noble ways Was never heard before; I'll crown and deck thee all with bays, And love thee evermore.

beneathprepositionUS /bɪˈniːθ/

Directly under; in or to a lower position than.

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

Brudenell

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

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But if thou wilt be constant then, And faithful of thy word, I'll make thee glorious by my pen And famous by my sword.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading But if thou wilt be constant then, And faithful of thy word, I'll make thee glorious by my pen And famous by my sword.

constantadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːnstənt/

unvarying in nature

From this reading But if thou wilt be constant then, And faithful of thy word, I'll make thee glorious by my pen And famous by my sword.

crownnounUS /kraʊn/

the Crown (or the reigning monarch) as the symbol of the power and authority of a monarchy

From this reading I'll serve thee in such noble ways Was never heard before; I'll crown and deck thee all with bays, And love thee evermore.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

decknounUS /dek/

any of various platforms built into a vessel

From this reading I'll serve thee in such noble ways Was never heard before; I'll crown and deck thee all with bays, And love thee evermore.

doornounUS /dɔːr/

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/

at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

evermoreadverbUS /ˈevərmɔːr/

at any future time; in the future

From this reading I'll serve thee in such noble ways Was never heard before; I'll crown and deck thee all with bays, And love thee evermore.

faithfuladjectiveUS /ˈfeɪθfəl/

steadfast in affection or allegiance

From this reading But if thou wilt be constant then, And faithful of thy word, I'll make thee glorious by my pen And famous by my sword.

famousadjectiveUS /ˈfeɪməs/

widely known and esteemed

From this reading But if thou wilt be constant then, And faithful of thy word, I'll make thee glorious by my pen And famous by my sword.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

gloriousadjectiveUS /ˈɡlɔːriəs/

having or deserving or conferring glory

From this reading But if thou wilt be constant then, And faithful of thy word, I'll make thee glorious by my pen And famous by my sword.

GrahamnounUS /ˈɡreɪəm/

United States evangelical preacher famous as a mass evangelist (born in 1918)

From this reading --_James Graham_.

Hannah

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

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

heardadjectiveUS /hɜːrd/

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading I'll serve thee in such noble ways Was never heard before; I'll crown and deck thee all with bays, And love thee evermore.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

HermannounUS /ˈhɜːrmən/

United States jazz musician and bandleader (1913-1987)

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

hutnounUS /hʌt/

temporary military shelter

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

I'll

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

From this reading But if thou wilt be constant then, And faithful of thy word, I'll make thee glorious by my pen And famous by my sword.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading But if thou wilt be constant then, And faithful of thy word, I'll make thee glorious by my pen And famous by my sword.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading I'll serve thee in such noble ways Was never heard before; I'll crown and deck thee all with bays, And love thee evermore.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

JamesnounUS /dʒeɪmz/

a Stuart king of Scotland who married a daughter of Henry VII; when England and France went to war in 1513 he invaded England and died in defeat at Flodden (1473-1513)

From this reading --_James Graham_.

JunenounUS /dʒuːn/

the month following May and preceding July

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

lookingnounUS /ˈlʊkɪŋ/

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

lovenounUS /lʌv/

a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading I'll serve thee in such noble ways Was never heard before; I'll crown and deck thee all with bays, And love thee evermore.

lovelyadjectiveUS /ˈlʌvli/

appealing to the emotions as well as the eye

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading But if thou wilt be constant then, And faithful of thy word, I'll make thee glorious by my pen And famous by my sword.

middlenounUS /ˈmɪdəl/

an area that is approximately central within some larger region

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading But if thou wilt be constant then, And faithful of thy word, I'll make thee glorious by my pen And famous by my sword.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading I'll serve thee in such noble ways Was never heard before; I'll crown and deck thee all with bays, And love thee evermore.

nobleadjectiveUS /ˈnoʊbəl/

impressive in appearance

From this reading I'll serve thee in such noble ways Was never heard before; I'll crown and deck thee all with bays, And love thee evermore.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading But if thou wilt be constant then, And faithful of thy word, I'll make thee glorious by my pen And famous by my sword.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

pennounUS /pen/

a writing implement with a point from which ink flows

From this reading But if thou wilt be constant then, And faithful of thy word, I'll make thee glorious by my pen And famous by my sword.

prosperousadjectiveUS /ˈprɑːspərəs/

in fortunate circumstances financially; moderately rich

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

radiancenounUS /ˈreɪdiːəns/

the amount of electromagnetic radiation leaving or arriving at a point on a surface

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

reallyadverbUS /ˈrɪli/

in accordance with truth or fact or reality

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

scenenounUS /siːn/

the place where some action occurs

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

serveverbUS /sɜːrv/

serve a purpose, role, or function

From this reading I'll serve thee in such noble ways Was never heard before; I'll crown and deck thee all with bays, And love thee evermore.

shoneverbUS /ʃoʊn/

inflected form of “shine” — be bright by reflecting or casting light

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

SISTERSnounUS /ˈsɪstərz/

plural of “sister” — a female person who has the same parents as another person

From this reading THE SISTERS.

skynounUS /skaɪ/

the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

splendidadjectiveUS /ˈsplendɪd/

having great beauty and splendor

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

springnounUS /sprɪŋ/

the season of growth

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading I'll serve thee in such noble ways Was never heard before; I'll crown and deck thee all with bays, And love thee evermore.

sunnyadjectiveUS /ˈsʌni/

bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

swordnounUS /sɔːrd/

a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard

From this reading But if thou wilt be constant then, And faithful of thy word, I'll make thee glorious by my pen And famous by my sword.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE SISTERS.

theepronounUS /ðiː/

an old word for “you”, as the object, speaking to one person

From this reading But if thou wilt be constant then, And faithful of thy word, I'll make thee glorious by my pen And famous by my sword.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading But if thou wilt be constant then, And faithful of thy word, I'll make thee glorious by my pen And famous by my sword.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

thoupronounUS /ðaʊ/

an old word for “you”, as the subject, speaking to one person

From this reading But if thou wilt be constant then, And faithful of thy word, I'll make thee glorious by my pen And famous by my sword.

thydeterminerUS /ðaɪ/

an old word for “your”, speaking to one person

From this reading But if thou wilt be constant then, And faithful of thy word, I'll make thee glorious by my pen And famous by my sword.

truthnounUS /truːθ/

a fact that has been verified

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

warmadjectiveUS /wɔːrm/

having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

Wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading I'll serve thee in such noble ways Was never heard before; I'll crown and deck thee all with bays, And love thee evermore.

waysnounUS /weɪz/

structure consisting of a sloping way down to the water from the place where ships are built or repaired

From this reading I'll serve thee in such noble ways Was never heard before; I'll crown and deck thee all with bays, And love thee evermore.

WelladverbUS /wel/

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

wiltmodal verbUS /wɪlt/

an old form of “will”, used with “thou”

From this reading But if thou wilt be constant then, And faithful of thy word, I'll make thee glorious by my pen And famous by my sword.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading I'll serve thee in such noble ways Was never heard before; I'll crown and deck thee all with bays, And love thee evermore.

wordnounUS /wɜːrd/

a unit of language that native speakers can identify

From this reading But if thou wilt be constant then, And faithful of thy word, I'll make thee glorious by my pen And famous by my sword.

WorthnounUS /wɜːrθ/

an indefinite quantity of something having a specified value

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading "Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April--the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June," said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning.

Chapter 1 of Ishmael by Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte Southworth holds 326 sentences, grouped into 66 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 1 of Ishmael contain?

Chapter 1 holds 326 sentences of Ishmael, unabridged, divided into 66 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Ishmael by Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte Southworth exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 326 sentences, grouped into 66 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 1 of Ishmael?

Work through the 66 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 66 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 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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 Ishmael

Common questions about reading Ishmael by Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte Southworth on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Ishmael?

Yes. All 12266 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #15774 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Ishmael is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #15774, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Ishmael take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 2454 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Ishmael section by section

How to work through Ishmael section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of Ishmael to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Ishmael

Words and structures a reader meets early in Ishmael, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Sisters
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Ishmael; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Constant
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Ishmael; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Faithful
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Ishmael; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Glorious
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Ishmael; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.