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Lectures on the English Poets
Lectures on the English Poets

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of Lectures on the English Poets is here in full — 364 sentences across 73 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/72 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"A fair and happy milk-maid is a country wench that is so far from making herself beautiful by art, that one look of her's is able to put all face-physic out of countenance.
She knows a fair look is but a dumb orator to commend virtue, therefore minds it not.
All her excellences stand in her so silently, as if they had stolen upon her without her knowledge.
The lining of her apparel (which is herself) is far better than outsides of tissue; for though she be not arrayed in the spoil of the silkworm, she is decked in innocency, a far better wearing.
She doth not, with lying long in bed, spoil both her complexion and conditions.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Lectures on the English Poets

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of Lectures on the English Poets is here in full — 364 sentences across 73 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/72 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"A fair and happy milk-maid is a country wench that is so far from making herself beautiful by art, that one look of her's is able to put all face-physic out of countenance.
Line 2
She knows a fair look is but a dumb orator to commend virtue, therefore minds it not.
/ʃiː noʊz ə fer lʊk ɪz bʌt ə dʌm ˈɔːrətər tuː kəˈmend ˈvɝː.tʃuː ˈðerfɔːr maɪndz ɪt nɑːt/
Line 3
All her excellences stand in her so silently, as if they had stolen upon her without her knowledge.
Line 4
The lining of her apparel (which is herself) is far better than outsides of tissue; for though she be not arrayed in the spoil of the silkworm, she is decked in innocency, a far better wearing.
Line 5
She doth not, with lying long in bed, spoil both her complexion and conditions.
/ʃiː dɔːθ nɑːt wɪð ˈlaɪɪŋ lɔːŋ ɪn bed spɔɪl boʊθ hɜːr kəmˈplekʃən ənd kənˈdɪʃənz/

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.

apparel noun US /əˈpærəl/

clothing in general

From this reading “The lining of her apparel (which is herself) is far better than outsides of tissue; for though she be not arrayed in the spoil of the silkworm, she is decked in innocency, a far better wearing.”

commend verb US /kəˈmend/

express approval of

From this reading “She knows a fair look is but a dumb orator to commend virtue, therefore minds it not.”

decked verb US /dekt/

past form of “deck” — be beautiful to look at

From this reading “The lining of her apparel (which is herself) is far better than outsides of tissue; for though she be not arrayed in the spoil of the silkworm, she is decked in innocency, a far better wearing.”

lining noun US /ˈlaɪnɪŋ/

a protective covering that protects an inside surface

From this reading “The lining of her apparel (which is herself) is far better than outsides of tissue; for though she be not arrayed in the spoil of the silkworm, she is decked in innocency, a far better wearing.”

orator noun US /ˈɔːrətər/

a person who delivers a speech or oration

From this reading “She knows a fair look is but a dumb orator to commend virtue, therefore minds it not.”

outsides noun US /ˈaʊtˈsaɪdz/

plural of “outside” — the region that is outside of something

From this reading “The lining of her apparel (which is herself) is far better than outsides of tissue; for though she be not arrayed in the spoil of the silkworm, she is decked in innocency, a far better wearing.”

silkworm noun US /ˈsɪlkwərm/

the commercially bred hairless white caterpillar of the domestic silkworm moth which spins a cocoon that can be processed to yield silk fiber; the principal source of commercial silk

From this reading “The lining of her apparel (which is herself) is far better than outsides of tissue; for though she be not arrayed in the spoil of the silkworm, she is decked in innocency, a far better wearing.”

tissue noun US /ˈtɪsjuː/

part of an organism consisting of an aggregate of cells having a similar structure and function

From this reading “The lining of her apparel (which is herself) is far better than outsides of tissue; for though she be not arrayed in the spoil of the silkworm, she is decked in innocency, a far better wearing.”

All words in this reading · 77

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 "A fair and happy milk-maid is a country wench that is so far from making herself beautiful by art, that one look of her's is able to put all face-physic out of countenance.

ableadjectiveUS /ˈeɪbəl/

(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something

From this reading "A fair and happy milk-maid is a country wench that is so far from making herself beautiful by art, that one look of her's is able to put all face-physic out of countenance.

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 "A fair and happy milk-maid is a country wench that is so far from making herself beautiful by art, that one look of her's is able to put all face-physic out of countenance.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading "A fair and happy milk-maid is a country wench that is so far from making herself beautiful by art, that one look of her's is able to put all face-physic out of countenance.

apparelnounUS /əˈpærəl/

clothing in general

From this reading The lining of her apparel (which is herself) is far better than outsides of tissue; for though she be not arrayed in the spoil of the silkworm, she is decked in innocency, a far better wearing.

arrayedadjectiveUS /ərˈeɪd/

in ceremonial attire and paraphernalia

From this reading The lining of her apparel (which is herself) is far better than outsides of tissue; for though she be not arrayed in the spoil of the silkworm, she is decked in innocency, a far better wearing.

artauxiliary verbUS /ɑːrt/

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

From this reading "A fair and happy milk-maid is a country wench that is so far from making herself beautiful by art, that one look of her's is able to put all face-physic out of countenance.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading All her excellences stand in her so silently, as if they had stolen upon her without her knowledge.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading The lining of her apparel (which is herself) is far better than outsides of tissue; for though she be not arrayed in the spoil of the silkworm, she is decked in innocency, a far better wearing.

beautifuladjectiveUS /ˈbjuːtəfəl/

delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration

From this reading "A fair and happy milk-maid is a country wench that is so far from making herself beautiful by art, that one look of her's is able to put all face-physic out of countenance.

bednounUS /bed/

a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep

From this reading She doth not, with lying long in bed, spoil both her complexion and conditions.

betteradjectiveUS /ˈbetər/

(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 The lining of her apparel (which is herself) is far better than outsides of tissue; for though she be not arrayed in the spoil of the silkworm, she is decked in innocency, a far better wearing.

bothdeterminerUS /boʊθ/

the two together, not just one

From this reading She doth not, with lying long in bed, spoil both her complexion and conditions.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading She knows a fair look is but a dumb orator to commend virtue, therefore minds it not.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading "A fair and happy milk-maid is a country wench that is so far from making herself beautiful by art, that one look of her's is able to put all face-physic out of countenance.

commendverbUS /kəˈmend/

express approval of

From this reading She knows a fair look is but a dumb orator to commend virtue, therefore minds it not.

complexionnounUS /kəmˈplekʃən/

the coloring of a person's face

From this reading She doth not, with lying long in bed, spoil both her complexion and conditions.

conditionsnounUS /kənˈdɪʃənz/

the prevailing context that influences the performance or the outcome of a process

From this reading She doth not, with lying long in bed, spoil both her complexion and conditions.

countenancenounUS /ˈkaʊntənəns/

the appearance conveyed by a person's face

From this reading "A fair and happy milk-maid is a country wench that is so far from making herself beautiful by art, that one look of her's is able to put all face-physic out of countenance.

countrynounUS /ˈkʌntri/

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading "A fair and happy milk-maid is a country wench that is so far from making herself beautiful by art, that one look of her's is able to put all face-physic out of countenance.

deckedverbUS /dekt/

past form of “deck” — be beautiful to look at

From this reading The lining of her apparel (which is herself) is far better than outsides of tissue; for though she be not arrayed in the spoil of the silkworm, she is decked in innocency, a far better wearing.

dothauxiliary verbUS /dɔːθ/

an old form of “does”

From this reading She doth not, with lying long in bed, spoil both her complexion and conditions.

dumbadjectiveUS /dʌm/

slow to learn or understand; lacking intellectual acuity

From this reading She knows a fair look is but a dumb orator to commend virtue, therefore minds it not.

excellences

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

From this reading All her excellences stand in her so silently, as if they had stolen upon her without her knowledge.

face-physic

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

From this reading "A fair and happy milk-maid is a country wench that is so far from making herself beautiful by art, that one look of her's is able to put all face-physic out of countenance.

fairadjectiveUS /fer/

free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules

From this reading "A fair and happy milk-maid is a country wench that is so far from making herself beautiful by art, that one look of her's is able to put all face-physic out of countenance.

faradverbUS /fɑːr/

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading "A fair and happy milk-maid is a country wench that is so far from making herself beautiful by art, that one look of her's is able to put all face-physic out of countenance.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The lining of her apparel (which is herself) is far better than outsides of tissue; for though she be not arrayed in the spoil of the silkworm, she is decked in innocency, a far better wearing.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading "A fair and happy milk-maid is a country wench that is so far from making herself beautiful by art, that one look of her's is able to put all face-physic out of countenance.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading All her excellences stand in her so silently, as if they had stolen upon her without her knowledge.

happyadjectiveUS /ˈhæpi/

enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure

From this reading "A fair and happy milk-maid is a country wench that is so far from making herself beautiful by art, that one look of her's is able to put all face-physic out of countenance.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading All her excellences stand in her so silently, as if they had stolen upon her without her knowledge.

her's

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

From this reading "A fair and happy milk-maid is a country wench that is so far from making herself beautiful by art, that one look of her's is able to put all face-physic out of countenance.

herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading "A fair and happy milk-maid is a country wench that is so far from making herself beautiful by art, that one look of her's is able to put all face-physic out of countenance.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading All her excellences stand in her so silently, as if they had stolen upon her without her knowledge.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading All her excellences stand in her so silently, as if they had stolen upon her without her knowledge.

innocencynoun

an innocent quality or thing or act

From this reading The lining of her apparel (which is herself) is far better than outsides of tissue; for though she be not arrayed in the spoil of the silkworm, she is decked in innocency, a far better wearing.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading "A fair and happy milk-maid is a country wench that is so far from making herself beautiful by art, that one look of her's is able to put all face-physic out of countenance.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading She knows a fair look is but a dumb orator to commend virtue, therefore minds it not.

knowledgenounUS /ˈnɑːlədʒ/

the psychological result of perception and learning and reasoning

From this reading All her excellences stand in her so silently, as if they had stolen upon her without her knowledge.

knowsnounUS /noʊz/

plural of “know” — the fact of being aware of information that is known to few people

From this reading She knows a fair look is but a dumb orator to commend virtue, therefore minds it not.

liningnounUS /ˈlaɪnɪŋ/

a protective covering that protects an inside surface

From this reading The lining of her apparel (which is herself) is far better than outsides of tissue; for though she be not arrayed in the spoil of the silkworm, she is decked in innocency, a far better wearing.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading She doth not, with lying long in bed, spoil both her complexion and conditions.

lookverbUS /lʊk/

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading "A fair and happy milk-maid is a country wench that is so far from making herself beautiful by art, that one look of her's is able to put all face-physic out of countenance.

lyingnounUS /ˈlaɪɪŋ/

the deliberate act of deviating from the truth

From this reading She doth not, with lying long in bed, spoil both her complexion and conditions.

makingnounUS /ˈmeɪkɪŋ/

the act that results in something coming to be

From this reading "A fair and happy milk-maid is a country wench that is so far from making herself beautiful by art, that one look of her's is able to put all face-physic out of countenance.

milk-maid

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

From this reading "A fair and happy milk-maid is a country wench that is so far from making herself beautiful by art, that one look of her's is able to put all face-physic out of countenance.

mindsnounUS /maɪndz/

plural of “mind” — that which is responsible for one's thoughts, feelings, and conscious brain functions; the seat of the faculty of reason

From this reading She knows a fair look is but a dumb orator to commend virtue, therefore minds it not.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading She knows a fair look is but a dumb orator to commend virtue, therefore minds it not.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading "A fair and happy milk-maid is a country wench that is so far from making herself beautiful by art, that one look of her's is able to put all face-physic out of countenance.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading "A fair and happy milk-maid is a country wench that is so far from making herself beautiful by art, that one look of her's is able to put all face-physic out of countenance.

oratornounUS /ˈɔːrətər/

a person who delivers a speech or oration

From this reading She knows a fair look is but a dumb orator to commend virtue, therefore minds it not.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading "A fair and happy milk-maid is a country wench that is so far from making herself beautiful by art, that one look of her's is able to put all face-physic out of countenance.

outsidesnounUS /ˈaʊtˈsaɪdz/

plural of “outside” — the region that is outside of something

From this reading The lining of her apparel (which is herself) is far better than outsides of tissue; for though she be not arrayed in the spoil of the silkworm, she is decked in innocency, a far better wearing.

putverbUS /pʊt/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading "A fair and happy milk-maid is a country wench that is so far from making herself beautiful by art, that one look of her's is able to put all face-physic out of countenance.

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading She knows a fair look is but a dumb orator to commend virtue, therefore minds it not.

silentlyadverbUS /ˈsaɪləntli/

without speaking

From this reading All her excellences stand in her so silently, as if they had stolen upon her without her knowledge.

silkwormnounUS /ˈsɪlkwərm/

the commercially bred hairless white caterpillar of the domestic silkworm moth which spins a cocoon that can be processed to yield silk fiber; the principal source of commercial silk

From this reading The lining of her apparel (which is herself) is far better than outsides of tissue; for though she be not arrayed in the spoil of the silkworm, she is decked in innocency, a far better wearing.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading "A fair and happy milk-maid is a country wench that is so far from making herself beautiful by art, that one look of her's is able to put all face-physic out of countenance.

spoilverbUS /spɔɪl/

make a mess of, destroy or ruin

From this reading The lining of her apparel (which is herself) is far better than outsides of tissue; for though she be not arrayed in the spoil of the silkworm, she is decked in innocency, a far better wearing.

standverbUS /stænd/

be standing; be upright

From this reading All her excellences stand in her so silently, as if they had stolen upon her without her knowledge.

stolenverbUS /ˈstoʊlən/

inflected form of “steal” — take without the owner's consent

From this reading All her excellences stand in her so silently, as if they had stolen upon her without her knowledge.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading The lining of her apparel (which is herself) is far better than outsides of tissue; for though she be not arrayed in the spoil of the silkworm, she is decked in innocency, a far better wearing.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading "A fair and happy milk-maid is a country wench that is so far from making herself beautiful by art, that one look of her's is able to put all face-physic out of countenance.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The lining of her apparel (which is herself) is far better than outsides of tissue; for though she be not arrayed in the spoil of the silkworm, she is decked in innocency, a far better wearing.

thereforeadverbUS /ˈðerfɔːr/

for that reason; as a result

From this reading She knows a fair look is but a dumb orator to commend virtue, therefore minds it not.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading All her excellences stand in her so silently, as if they had stolen upon her without her knowledge.

thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading The lining of her apparel (which is herself) is far better than outsides of tissue; for though she be not arrayed in the spoil of the silkworm, she is decked in innocency, a far better wearing.

tissuenounUS /ˈtɪsjuː/

part of an organism consisting of an aggregate of cells having a similar structure and function

From this reading The lining of her apparel (which is herself) is far better than outsides of tissue; for though she be not arrayed in the spoil of the silkworm, she is decked in innocency, a far better wearing.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading "A fair and happy milk-maid is a country wench that is so far from making herself beautiful by art, that one look of her's is able to put all face-physic out of countenance.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading All her excellences stand in her so silently, as if they had stolen upon her without her knowledge.

virtuenounUS /ˈvɝː.tʃuː/

Moral excellence and goodness of character; the highest human attainment in Stoic philosophy.

From this reading She knows a fair look is but a dumb orator to commend virtue, therefore minds it not.

wearingnounUS /ˈwerɪŋ/

(geology) the mechanical process of wearing or grinding something down (as by particles washing over it)

From this reading The lining of her apparel (which is herself) is far better than outsides of tissue; for though she be not arrayed in the spoil of the silkworm, she is decked in innocency, a far better wearing.

wenchnounUS /wentʃ/

informal terms for a (young) woman

From this reading "A fair and happy milk-maid is a country wench that is so far from making herself beautiful by art, that one look of her's is able to put all face-physic out of countenance.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading The lining of her apparel (which is herself) is far better than outsides of tissue; for though she be not arrayed in the spoil of the silkworm, she is decked in innocency, a far better wearing.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading She doth not, with lying long in bed, spoil both her complexion and conditions.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading All her excellences stand in her so silently, as if they had stolen upon her without her knowledge.

Chapter 5 of Lectures on the English Poets by William Hazlitt holds 364 sentences, grouped into 73 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 5 of Lectures on the English Poets contain?

Chapter 5 holds 364 sentences of Lectures on the English Poets, unabridged, divided into 73 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 5 of Lectures on the English Poets by William Hazlitt exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 364 sentences, grouped into 73 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 5 of Lectures on the English Poets?

Work through the 73 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 73 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 5 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 5 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 Lectures on the English Poets

Common questions about reading Lectures on the English Poets by William Hazlitt on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Lectures on the English Poets?

Yes. All 2545 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #16209 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Lectures on the English Poets is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #16209, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Lectures on the English Poets take to read?

About 212 minutes of reading across 509 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Lectures on the English Poets section by section

How to work through Lectures on the English Poets section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  2. Read one section

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  3. Listen and tap

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

Vocabulary met early in Lectures on the English Poets

Words and structures a reader meets early in Lectures on the English Poets, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

General
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Lectures on the English Poets; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Notion
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Lectures on the English Poets; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Poetry
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Lectures on the English Poets; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Natural
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Lectures on the English Poets; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.