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Letters on Literature
Letters on Literature

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Letters on Literature is here in full — 157 sentences across 32 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/31 · 5 lines
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Introductory: Of Modern English Poetry Of Modern English Poetry Fielding Longfellow A Friend of Keats On Virgil Aucassin and Nicolette Plotinus (A.D.
200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?
Perhaps you will add another to these by accepting the Dedication of a little work, of a sort experimental in English, and in prose, though Horace--in Latin and in verse--was successful with it long ago_?
_A. LANG_.
_To W. J. Way_, _Esq_.
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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.

Letters on Literature

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Letters on Literature is here in full — 157 sentences across 32 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/31 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Introductory: Of Modern English Poetry Of Modern English Poetry Fielding Longfellow A Friend of Keats On Virgil Aucassin and Nicolette Plotinus (A.D.
Line 2
200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?
Line 3
Perhaps you will add another to these by accepting the Dedication of a little work, of a sort experimental in English, and in prose, though Horace--in Latin and in verse--was successful with it long ago_?
Line 4
_A. LANG_.
Line 5
_To W. J. Way_, _Esq_.

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.

Appendix noun US /əˈpendɪks/

supplementary material that is collected and appended at the back of a book

From this reading “200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?”

Dedication noun US /ˌdedəˈkeɪʃən/

complete and wholehearted fidelity

From this reading “Perhaps you will add another to these by accepting the Dedication of a little work, of a sort experimental in English, and in prose, though Horace--in Latin and in verse--was successful with it long ago_?”

experimental adjective US /ɪkˌsperɪˈmentəl/

relating to or based on experiment

From this reading “Perhaps you will add another to these by accepting the Dedication of a little work, of a sort experimental in English, and in prose, though Horace--in Latin and in verse--was successful with it long ago_?”

Fielding noun US /ˈfiːldɪŋ/

(baseball) handling the ball while playing in the field

From this reading “Introductory: Of Modern English Poetry Of Modern English Poetry Fielding Longfellow A Friend of Keats On Virgil Aucassin and Nicolette Plotinus (A.D.”

Introductory adjective US /ˌɪntrəˈdʌktəri/

serving to open or begin

From this reading “Introductory: Of Modern English Poetry Of Modern English Poetry Fielding Longfellow A Friend of Keats On Virgil Aucassin and Nicolette Plotinus (A.D.”

Keats noun US /kiːts/

Englishman and romantic poet (1795-1821)

From this reading “Introductory: Of Modern English Poetry Of Modern English Poetry Fielding Longfellow A Friend of Keats On Virgil Aucassin and Nicolette Plotinus (A.D.”

Longfellow noun US /ˈlɔːŋfeloʊ/

United States poet remembered for his long narrative poems (1807-1882)

From this reading “Introductory: Of Modern English Poetry Of Modern English Poetry Fielding Longfellow A Friend of Keats On Virgil Aucassin and Nicolette Plotinus (A.D.”

Richardson noun US /ˈrɪtʃərdsən/

United States architect (1838-1886)

From this reading “200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?”

All words in this reading · 92

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.

200

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

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

262

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

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

AdeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading Introductory: Of Modern English Poetry Of Modern English Poetry Fielding Longfellow A Friend of Keats On Virgil Aucassin and Nicolette Plotinus (A.D.

AboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

acceptingadjectiveUS /ækˈseptɪŋ/

tolerating without protest

From this reading Perhaps you will add another to these by accepting the Dedication of a little work, of a sort experimental in English, and in prose, though Horace--in Latin and in verse--was successful with it long ago_?

addverbUS /æd/

make an addition (to); join or combine or unite with others; increase the quality, quantity, size or scope of

From this reading Perhaps you will add another to these by accepting the Dedication of a little work, of a sort experimental in English, and in prose, though Horace--in Latin and in verse--was successful with it long ago_?

AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

agoadverbUS /əˈɡoʊ/

in the past

From this reading Perhaps you will add another to these by accepting the Dedication of a little work, of a sort experimental in English, and in prose, though Horace--in Latin and in verse--was successful with it long ago_?

AmericannounUS /əˈmerəkən/

a native or inhabitant of the United States

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Introductory: Of Modern English Poetry Of Modern English Poetry Fielding Longfellow A Friend of Keats On Virgil Aucassin and Nicolette Plotinus (A.D.

anotherdeterminerUS /əˈnʌðər/

one more of the same kind, or a different one

From this reading Perhaps you will add another to these by accepting the Dedication of a little work, of a sort experimental in English, and in prose, though Horace--in Latin and in verse--was successful with it long ago_?

AppendixnounUS /əˈpendɪks/

supplementary material that is collected and appended at the back of a book

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

Aucassin

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

From this reading Introductory: Of Modern English Poetry Of Modern English Poetry Fielding Longfellow A Friend of Keats On Virgil Aucassin and Nicolette Plotinus (A.D.

Book-Hunter

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

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

BooksnounUS /bʊks/

Bound written or printed works.

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

DnounUS /diː/

a fat-soluble vitamin that prevents rickets

From this reading Introductory: Of Modern English Poetry Of Modern English Poetry Fielding Longfellow A Friend of Keats On Virgil Aucassin and Nicolette Plotinus (A.D.

denounUS /diː/

a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

DedicationnounUS /ˌdedəˈkeɪʃən/

complete and wholehearted fidelity

From this reading Perhaps you will add another to these by accepting the Dedication of a little work, of a sort experimental in English, and in prose, though Horace--in Latin and in verse--was successful with it long ago_?

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 Introductory: Of Modern English Poetry Of Modern English Poetry Fielding Longfellow A Friend of Keats On Virgil Aucassin and Nicolette Plotinus (A.D.

Esqnoun

a title of respect for a member of the English gentry ranking just below a knight; placed after the name

From this reading _To W. J. Way_, _Esq_.

existedverbUS /ɪɡˈzɪstəd/

past form of “exist” — have an existence, be extant

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

experimentaladjectiveUS /ɪkˌsperɪˈmentəl/

relating to or based on experiment

From this reading Perhaps you will add another to these by accepting the Dedication of a little work, of a sort experimental in English, and in prose, though Horace--in Latin and in verse--was successful with it long ago_?

FieldingnounUS /ˈfiːldɪŋ/

(baseball) handling the ball while playing in the field

From this reading Introductory: Of Modern English Poetry Of Modern English Poetry Fielding Longfellow A Friend of Keats On Virgil Aucassin and Nicolette Plotinus (A.D.

FriendnounUS /frend/

a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading Introductory: Of Modern English Poetry Of Modern English Poetry Fielding Longfellow A Friend of Keats On Virgil Aucassin and Nicolette Plotinus (A.D.

Gerard

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

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

HoracenounUS /ˈhɔːrəs/

Roman lyric poet said to have influenced English poetry (65-8 BC)

From this reading Perhaps you will add another to these by accepting the Dedication of a little work, of a sort experimental in English, and in prose, though Horace--in Latin and in verse--was successful with it long ago_?

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

IInoun

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Perhaps you will add another to these by accepting the Dedication of a little work, of a sort experimental in English, and in prose, though Horace--in Latin and in verse--was successful with it long ago_?

IntroductoryadjectiveUS /ˌɪntrəˈdʌktəri/

serving to open or begin

From this reading Introductory: Of Modern English Poetry Of Modern English Poetry Fielding Longfellow A Friend of Keats On Virgil Aucassin and Nicolette Plotinus (A.D.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Perhaps you will add another to these by accepting the Dedication of a little work, of a sort experimental in English, and in prose, though Horace--in Latin and in verse--was successful with it long ago_?

JnounUS /dʒeɪ/

a unit of electrical energy equal to the work done when a current of one ampere passes through a resistance of one ohm for one second

From this reading _To W. J. Way_, _Esq_.

KeatsnounUS /kiːts/

Englishman and romantic poet (1795-1821)

From this reading Introductory: Of Modern English Poetry Of Modern English Poetry Fielding Longfellow A Friend of Keats On Virgil Aucassin and Nicolette Plotinus (A.D.

kindnesses

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

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

LANG

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

From this reading _A. LANG_.

LatinadjectiveUS /ˈlætən/

of or relating to the ancient Latins or the Latin language

From this reading Perhaps you will add another to these by accepting the Dedication of a little work, of a sort experimental in English, and in prose, though Horace--in Latin and in verse--was successful with it long ago_?

lettersnounUS /ˈletərz/

the literary culture

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Perhaps you will add another to these by accepting the Dedication of a little work, of a sort experimental in English, and in prose, though Horace--in Latin and in verse--was successful with it long ago_?

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 Perhaps you will add another to these by accepting the Dedication of a little work, of a sort experimental in English, and in prose, though Horace--in Latin and in verse--was successful with it long ago_?

LongfellownounUS /ˈlɔːŋfeloʊ/

United States poet remembered for his long narrative poems (1807-1882)

From this reading Introductory: Of Modern English Poetry Of Modern English Poetry Fielding Longfellow A Friend of Keats On Virgil Aucassin and Nicolette Plotinus (A.D.

Lucretiusnoun

Roman philosopher and poet; in a long didactic poem he tried to provide a scientific explanation of the universe (96-55 BC)

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

MennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

ModernadjectiveUS /ˈmɑːdərn/

belonging to the modern era; since the Middle Ages

From this reading Introductory: Of Modern English Poetry Of Modern English Poetry Fielding Longfellow A Friend of Keats On Virgil Aucassin and Nicolette Plotinus (A.D.

Nerval

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

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

Nicolette

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

From this reading Introductory: Of Modern English Poetry Of Modern English Poetry Fielding Longfellow A Friend of Keats On Virgil Aucassin and Nicolette Plotinus (A.D.

OfprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Introductory: Of Modern English Poetry Of Modern English Poetry Fielding Longfellow A Friend of Keats On Virgil Aucassin and Nicolette Plotinus (A.D.

OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Introductory: Of Modern English Poetry Of Modern English Poetry Fielding Longfellow A Friend of Keats On Virgil Aucassin and Nicolette Plotinus (A.D.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

PerhapsadverbUS /pərˈhæps/

by chance

From this reading Perhaps you will add another to these by accepting the Dedication of a little work, of a sort experimental in English, and in prose, though Horace--in Latin and in verse--was successful with it long ago_?

personnounUS /ˈpɜːrsən/

a human being

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

Plotinusnoun

Roman philosopher (born in Egypt) who was the leading representative of Neoplatonism (205-270)

From this reading Introductory: Of Modern English Poetry Of Modern English Poetry Fielding Longfellow A Friend of Keats On Virgil Aucassin and Nicolette Plotinus (A.D.

PoetrynounUS /ˈpoʊətri/

literature in metrical form

From this reading Introductory: Of Modern English Poetry Of Modern English Poetry Fielding Longfellow A Friend of Keats On Virgil Aucassin and Nicolette Plotinus (A.D.

prosenounUS /proʊz/

ordinary writing as distinguished from verse

From this reading Perhaps you will add another to these by accepting the Dedication of a little work, of a sort experimental in English, and in prose, though Horace--in Latin and in verse--was successful with it long ago_?

realadjectiveUS /riːl/

being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

RednounUS /red/

red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

RichardsonnounUS /ˈrɪtʃərdsən/

United States architect (1838-1886)

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

Rochefoucauld

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

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

seenverbUS /siːn/

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔːrt/

primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

Societe

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

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

sortnounUS /sɔːrt/

a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality

From this reading Perhaps you will add another to these by accepting the Dedication of a little work, of a sort experimental in English, and in prose, though Horace--in Latin and in verse--was successful with it long ago_?

successfuladjectiveUS /səkˈsesfəl/

having succeeded or being marked by a favorable outcome

From this reading Perhaps you will add another to these by accepting the Dedication of a little work, of a sort experimental in English, and in prose, though Horace--in Latin and in verse--was successful with it long ago_?

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Perhaps you will add another to these by accepting the Dedication of a little work, of a sort experimental in English, and in prose, though Horace--in Latin and in verse--was successful with it long ago_?

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading Perhaps you will add another to these by accepting the Dedication of a little work, of a sort experimental in English, and in prose, though Horace--in Latin and in verse--was successful with it long ago_?

thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

ToparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

venturenounUS /ˈventʃər/

any venturesome undertaking especially one with an uncertain outcome

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

Vers

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

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

versenounUS /vɜːrs/

literature in metrical form

From this reading Perhaps you will add another to these by accepting the Dedication of a little work, of a sort experimental in English, and in prose, though Horace--in Latin and in verse--was successful with it long ago_?

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

VirgilnounUS /ˈvɜːrdʒəl/

a Roman poet; author of the epic poem “Aeneid” (70-19 BC)

From this reading Introductory: Of Modern English Poetry Of Modern English Poetry Fielding Longfellow A Friend of Keats On Virgil Aucassin and Nicolette Plotinus (A.D.

WnounUS /ˈdʌbəljuː/

a heavy grey-white metallic element; the pure form is used mainly in electrical applications; it is found in several ores including wolframite and scheelite

From this reading _To W. J. Way_, _Esq_.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Perhaps you will add another to these by accepting the Dedication of a little work, of a sort experimental in English, and in prose, though Horace--in Latin and in verse--was successful with it long ago_?

WaynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading _To W. J. Way_, _Esq_.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading Perhaps you will add another to these by accepting the Dedication of a little work, of a sort experimental in English, and in prose, though Horace--in Latin and in verse--was successful with it long ago_?

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Perhaps you will add another to these by accepting the Dedication of a little work, of a sort experimental in English, and in prose, though Horace--in Latin and in verse--was successful with it long ago_?

workverbUS /wɜːrk/

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading Perhaps you will add another to these by accepting the Dedication of a little work, of a sort experimental in English, and in prose, though Horace--in Latin and in verse--was successful with it long ago_?

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Perhaps you will add another to these by accepting the Dedication of a little work, of a sort experimental in English, and in prose, though Horace--in Latin and in verse--was successful with it long ago_?

YoungadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

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

From this reading 200-262) Lucretius To a Young American Book-Hunter Rochefoucauld Of Vers de Societe On Vers de Societe Richardson Gerard de Nerval On Books About Red Men Appendix I Appendix II _After so many letters to people who never existed, may I venture a short one, to a person very real to me, though I have never seen him, and only know him by his many kindnesses?

Chapter 1 of Letters on Literature by Andrew Lang holds 157 sentences, grouped into 32 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 Letters on Literature contain?

Chapter 1 holds 157 sentences of Letters on Literature, unabridged, divided into 32 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Letters on Literature by Andrew Lang exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 157 sentences, grouped into 32 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 Letters on Literature?

Work through the 32 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 32 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 Letters on Literature

Common questions about reading Letters on Literature by Andrew Lang on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Letters on Literature?

Yes. All 1411 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1395 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Letters on Literature is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1395, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Letters on Literature take to read?

About 117 minutes of reading across 283 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Letters on Literature section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

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  3. Listen and tap

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

Vocabulary met early in Letters on Literature

Words and structures a reader meets early in Letters on Literature, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Introductory
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Letters on Literature; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Modern
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Letters on Literature; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
English
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Letters on Literature; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Poetry
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Letters on Literature; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.