Chapter 15 of Life of Johnson, Volume 3 1776-1780 is here in full — 413 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XV
Chapter 15 of Life of Johnson, Volume 3 1776-1780 is here in full — 413 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
344 of this Volume. BOSWELL. [1194] 'Johnson's first question was, "What kind of a man was Mr. Pope in his conversation?" His Lordship answered, that if the conversation did not take something of a lively or epigrammatic turn, he fell asleep, or perhaps pretended to do so.' Johnson's _Works_ (1787), xi.
Chapter 15 of Life of Johnson, Volume 3 1776-1780 is here in full — 413 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/82 · 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.
Scottish author noted for his biography of Samuel Johnson (1740-1795)
From this reading “BOSWELL.”
terse and witty and like a maxim
From this reading “His Lordship answered, that if the conversation did not take something of a lively or epigrammatic turn, he fell asleep, or perhaps pretended to do so.'”
possessive form of “johnson” — English writer and lexicographer (1709-1784)
From this reading “[1194] 'Johnson's first question was, "What kind of a man was Mr. Pope in his conversation?"”
full of life and energy
From this reading “His Lordship answered, that if the conversation did not take something of a lively or epigrammatic turn, he fell asleep, or perhaps pretended to do so.'”
a title used to address any British peer except a duke and extended to a bishop or a judge
From this reading “His Lordship answered, that if the conversation did not take something of a lively or epigrammatic turn, he fell asleep, or perhaps pretended to do so.'”
the head of the Roman Catholic Church
From this reading “[1194] 'Johnson's first question was, "What kind of a man was Mr. Pope in his conversation?"”
adopted in order to deceive
From this reading “His Lordship answered, that if the conversation did not take something of a lively or epigrammatic turn, he fell asleep, or perhaps pretended to do so.'”
the amount of 3-dimensional space occupied by an object
From this reading “344 of this Volume.”
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.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [1194] 'Johnson's first question was, "What kind of a man was Mr. Pope in his conversation?"
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Johnson's _Works_ (1787), xi.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 344 of this Volume.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading [1194] 'Johnson's first question was, "What kind of a man was Mr. Pope in his conversation?"
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading His Lordship answered, that if the conversation did not take something of a lively or epigrammatic turn, he fell asleep, or perhaps pretended to do so.'
in a state of sleep
From this reading His Lordship answered, that if the conversation did not take something of a lively or epigrammatic turn, he fell asleep, or perhaps pretended to do so.'
Scottish author noted for his biography of Samuel Johnson (1740-1795)
From this reading BOSWELL.
the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.
From this reading [1194] 'Johnson's first question was, "What kind of a man was Mr. Pope in his conversation?"
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading His Lordship answered, that if the conversation did not take something of a lively or epigrammatic turn, he fell asleep, or perhaps pretended to do so.'
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading His Lordship answered, that if the conversation did not take something of a lively or epigrammatic turn, he fell asleep, or perhaps pretended to do so.'
terse and witty and like a maxim
From this reading His Lordship answered, that if the conversation did not take something of a lively or epigrammatic turn, he fell asleep, or perhaps pretended to do so.'
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading His Lordship answered, that if the conversation did not take something of a lively or epigrammatic turn, he fell asleep, or perhaps pretended to do so.'
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading [1194] 'Johnson's first question was, "What kind of a man was Mr. Pope in his conversation?"
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading His Lordship answered, that if the conversation did not take something of a lively or epigrammatic turn, he fell asleep, or perhaps pretended to do so.'
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading [1194] 'Johnson's first question was, "What kind of a man was Mr. Pope in his conversation?"
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading His Lordship answered, that if the conversation did not take something of a lively or epigrammatic turn, he fell asleep, or perhaps pretended to do so.'
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading [1194] 'Johnson's first question was, "What kind of a man was Mr. Pope in his conversation?"
possessive form of “johnson” — English writer and lexicographer (1709-1784)
From this reading [1194] 'Johnson's first question was, "What kind of a man was Mr. Pope in his conversation?"
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading [1194] 'Johnson's first question was, "What kind of a man was Mr. Pope in his conversation?"
full of life and energy
From this reading His Lordship answered, that if the conversation did not take something of a lively or epigrammatic turn, he fell asleep, or perhaps pretended to do so.'
a title used to address any British peer except a duke and extended to a bishop or a judge
From this reading His Lordship answered, that if the conversation did not take something of a lively or epigrammatic turn, he fell asleep, or perhaps pretended to do so.'
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading [1194] 'Johnson's first question was, "What kind of a man was Mr. Pope in his conversation?"
a form of address for a man
From this reading [1194] 'Johnson's first question was, "What kind of a man was Mr. Pope in his conversation?"
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading His Lordship answered, that if the conversation did not take something of a lively or epigrammatic turn, he fell asleep, or perhaps pretended to do so.'
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading 344 of this Volume.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading His Lordship answered, that if the conversation did not take something of a lively or epigrammatic turn, he fell asleep, or perhaps pretended to do so.'
by chance
From this reading His Lordship answered, that if the conversation did not take something of a lively or epigrammatic turn, he fell asleep, or perhaps pretended to do so.'
the head of the Roman Catholic Church
From this reading [1194] 'Johnson's first question was, "What kind of a man was Mr. Pope in his conversation?"
adopted in order to deceive
From this reading His Lordship answered, that if the conversation did not take something of a lively or epigrammatic turn, he fell asleep, or perhaps pretended to do so.'
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading [1194] 'Johnson's first question was, "What kind of a man was Mr. Pope in his conversation?"
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading His Lordship answered, that if the conversation did not take something of a lively or epigrammatic turn, he fell asleep, or perhaps pretended to do so.'
a thing, without saying which
From this reading His Lordship answered, that if the conversation did not take something of a lively or epigrammatic turn, he fell asleep, or perhaps pretended to do so.'
carry out
From this reading His Lordship answered, that if the conversation did not take something of a lively or epigrammatic turn, he fell asleep, or perhaps pretended to do so.'
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading His Lordship answered, that if the conversation did not take something of a lively or epigrammatic turn, he fell asleep, or perhaps pretended to do so.'
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading His Lordship answered, that if the conversation did not take something of a lively or epigrammatic turn, he fell asleep, or perhaps pretended to do so.'
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading 344 of this Volume.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading His Lordship answered, that if the conversation did not take something of a lively or epigrammatic turn, he fell asleep, or perhaps pretended to do so.'
change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense
From this reading His Lordship answered, that if the conversation did not take something of a lively or epigrammatic turn, he fell asleep, or perhaps pretended to do so.'
the amount of 3-dimensional space occupied by an object
From this reading 344 of this Volume.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading [1194] 'Johnson's first question was, "What kind of a man was Mr. Pope in his conversation?"
used to ask for information about something
From this reading [1194] 'Johnson's first question was, "What kind of a man was Mr. Pope in his conversation?"
buildings for carrying on industrial labor
From this reading Johnson's _Works_ (1787), xi.
the cardinal number that is the sum of ten and one
From this reading Johnson's _Works_ (1787), xi.
Chapter 15 of Life of Johnson, Volume 3 1776-1780 by James Boswell holds 413 sentences, grouped into 83 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 15 holds 413 sentences of Life of Johnson, Volume 3 1776-1780, unabridged, divided into 83 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 15 of Life of Johnson, Volume 3 1776-1780 by James Boswell exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 413 sentences, grouped into 83 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 83 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 83 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 15 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 Life of Johnson, Volume 3 1776-1780 by James Boswell on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 6640 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #9180 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #9180, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 553 minutes of reading across 1328 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Life of Johnson, Volume 3 1776-1780 section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 16 chapters of Life of Johnson, Volume 3 1776-1780 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 Life of Johnson, Volume 3 1776-1780, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
