Chapter 3 of Letters to Severall Persons of Honour is here in full — 422 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter III
Chapter 3 of Letters to Severall Persons of Honour is here in full — 422 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
_Your very affectionate servant_ J. Donne. Monday at night. [lix.] _To my worthy friend_ G. K. _SIR_, I receive this heare [hour] that I begin this return, your Letter by a servant of Sir _G. Greseley_, by whom also I hasten this dispatch. This needs no enlargement since it hath the honour to convey one from M.
Chapter 3 of Letters to Severall Persons of Honour is here in full — 422 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/84 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
having or displaying warmth or affection
From this reading “_Your very affectionate servant_ J. Donne.”
(of information) make known; pass on
From this reading “This needs no enlargement since it hath the honour to convey one from M.”
send away towards a designated goal
From this reading “_SIR_, I receive this heare [hour] that I begin this return, your Letter by a servant of Sir _G. Greseley_, by whom also I hasten this dispatch.”
English clergyman and metaphysical poet celebrated as a preacher (1572-1631)
From this reading “_Your very affectionate servant_ J. Donne.”
the act of increasing (something) in size or volume or quantity or scope
From this reading “This needs no enlargement since it hath the honour to convey one from M.”
act or move at high speed
From this reading “_SIR_, I receive this heare [hour] that I begin this return, your Letter by a servant of Sir _G. Greseley_, by whom also I hasten this dispatch.”
the second day of the week; the first working day
From this reading “Monday at night. [lix.]”
in such a manner as could not be otherwise
From this reading “This needs no enlargement since it hath the honour to convey one from M.”
English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.
Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.
In this reading “_To my worthy friend_ G. K.”
In this reading “Monday at night. [lix.]”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading _SIR_, I receive this heare [hour] that I begin this return, your Letter by a servant of Sir _G. Greseley_, by whom also I hasten this dispatch.
having or displaying warmth or affection
From this reading _Your very affectionate servant_ J. Donne.
in addition
From this reading _SIR_, I receive this heare [hour] that I begin this return, your Letter by a servant of Sir _G. Greseley_, by whom also I hasten this dispatch.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Monday at night. [lix.]
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading _SIR_, I receive this heare [hour] that I begin this return, your Letter by a servant of Sir _G. Greseley_, by whom also I hasten this dispatch.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading _SIR_, I receive this heare [hour] that I begin this return, your Letter by a servant of Sir _G. Greseley_, by whom also I hasten this dispatch.
(of information) make known; pass on
From this reading This needs no enlargement since it hath the honour to convey one from M.
send away towards a designated goal
From this reading _SIR_, I receive this heare [hour] that I begin this return, your Letter by a servant of Sir _G. Greseley_, by whom also I hasten this dispatch.
English clergyman and metaphysical poet celebrated as a preacher (1572-1631)
From this reading _Your very affectionate servant_ J. Donne.
the act of increasing (something) in size or volume or quantity or scope
From this reading This needs no enlargement since it hath the honour to convey one from M.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading _To my worthy friend_ G. K.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading This needs no enlargement since it hath the honour to convey one from M.
a metric unit of weight equal to one thousandth of a kilogram
From this reading _To my worthy friend_ G. K.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _SIR_, I receive this heare [hour] that I begin this return, your Letter by a servant of Sir _G. Greseley_, by whom also I hasten this dispatch.
act or move at high speed
From this reading _SIR_, I receive this heare [hour] that I begin this return, your Letter by a servant of Sir _G. Greseley_, by whom also I hasten this dispatch.
an old form of “has”
From this reading This needs no enlargement since it hath the honour to convey one from M.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _SIR_, I receive this heare [hour] that I begin this return, your Letter by a servant of Sir _G. Greseley_, by whom also I hasten this dispatch.
the state of being honored
From this reading This needs no enlargement since it hath the honour to convey one from M.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading _SIR_, I receive this heare [hour] that I begin this return, your Letter by a servant of Sir _G. Greseley_, by whom also I hasten this dispatch.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading _SIR_, I receive this heare [hour] that I begin this return, your Letter by a servant of Sir _G. Greseley_, by whom also I hasten this dispatch.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading This needs no enlargement since it hath the honour to convey one from M.
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 _Your very affectionate servant_ J. Donne.
the basic unit of thermodynamic temperature adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading _To my worthy friend_ G. K.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading _SIR_, I receive this heare [hour] that I begin this return, your Letter by a servant of Sir _G. Greseley_, by whom also I hasten this dispatch.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Monday at night. [lix.]
the basic unit of length adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites (approximately 1.094 yards)
From this reading This needs no enlargement since it hath the honour to convey one from M.
the second day of the week; the first working day
From this reading Monday at night. [lix.]
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading _To my worthy friend_ G. K.
in such a manner as could not be otherwise
From this reading This needs no enlargement since it hath the honour to convey one from M.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Monday at night. [lix.]
not any; not one
From this reading This needs no enlargement since it hath the honour to convey one from M.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading _SIR_, I receive this heare [hour] that I begin this return, your Letter by a servant of Sir _G. Greseley_, by whom also I hasten this dispatch.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading This needs no enlargement since it hath the honour to convey one from M.
get something; come into possession of
From this reading _SIR_, I receive this heare [hour] that I begin this return, your Letter by a servant of Sir _G. Greseley_, by whom also I hasten this dispatch.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading _SIR_, I receive this heare [hour] that I begin this return, your Letter by a servant of Sir _G. Greseley_, by whom also I hasten this dispatch.
a person working in the service of another (especially in the household)
From this reading _Your very affectionate servant_ J. Donne.
from a time in the past until now
From this reading This needs no enlargement since it hath the honour to convey one from M.
term of address for a man
From this reading _SIR_, I receive this heare [hour] that I begin this return, your Letter by a servant of Sir _G. Greseley_, by whom also I hasten this dispatch.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading _SIR_, I receive this heare [hour] that I begin this return, your Letter by a servant of Sir _G. Greseley_, by whom also I hasten this dispatch.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading This needs no enlargement since it hath the honour to convey one from M.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading _SIR_, I receive this heare [hour] that I begin this return, your Letter by a servant of Sir _G. Greseley_, by whom also I hasten this dispatch.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading _To my worthy friend_ G. K.
precisely as stated
From this reading _Your very affectionate servant_ J. Donne.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading _SIR_, I receive this heare [hour] that I begin this return, your Letter by a servant of Sir _G. Greseley_, by whom also I hasten this dispatch.
Having or showing the qualities or abilities that merit recognition in character or magic.
From this reading _To my worthy friend_ G. K.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading _Your very affectionate servant_ J. Donne.
Chapter 3 of Letters to Severall Persons of Honour by John Donne holds 422 sentences, grouped into 85 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 3 holds 422 sentences of Letters to Severall Persons of Honour, unabridged, divided into 85 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 3 of Letters to Severall Persons of Honour by John Donne exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 422 sentences, grouped into 85 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 85 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 85 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 3 can be played aloud in United States English.
Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.
Common questions about reading Letters to Severall Persons of Honour by John Donne on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 2096 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #37387 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #37387, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 174 minutes of reading across 420 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Letters to Severall Persons of Honour section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 5 chapters of Letters to Severall Persons of Honour to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Letters to Severall Persons of Honour, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
