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Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 2 (1867-1875)
Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 2 (1867-1875)

Chapter XV · Chapter 15

Chapter 15 of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 2 (1867-1875) is here in full — 168 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 2 (1867-1875)
Context Illustration Reading 1/33 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
MY DEAR HOWELLS,--Just as soon as you consented I realized all the atrocity of my request, and straightway blushed and weakened.
I telegraphed my theatrical agent to come here and carry off the MS and copy it.
But I will gladly send it to you if you will do as follows: dramatize it, if you perceive that you can, and take, for your remuneration, half of the first $6000 which I receive for its representation on the stage.
You could alter the plot entirely, if you chose.
I could help in the work, most cheerfully, after you had arranged the plot.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 2 (1867-1875)

Chapter XV · Chapter 15

Chapter 15 of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 2 (1867-1875) is here in full — 168 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/33 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
MY DEAR HOWELLS,--Just as soon as you consented I realized all the atrocity of my request, and straightway blushed and weakened.
Line 2
I telegraphed my theatrical agent to come here and carry off the MS and copy it.
/aɪ ˈteləɡræft maɪ θiˈætrɪkəl ˈeɪdʒənt tuː kʌm hiːr ənd ˈkæri ɔːf ðə mɪz ənd ˈkɑːpi ɪt/
Line 3
But I will gladly send it to you if you will do as follows: dramatize it, if you perceive that you can, and take, for your remuneration, half of the first $6000 which I receive for its representation on the stage.
Line 4
You could alter the plot entirely, if you chose.
/juː kʊd ˈɔːltər ðə plɑːt ɪnˈtaɪərli ɪf juː tʃoʊz/
Line 5
I could help in the work, most cheerfully, after you had arranged the plot.
/aɪ kʊd help ɪn ðə wɜːrk moʊst ˈtʃɪrfəli ˈæftər juː hæd ərˈeɪndʒd ðə plɑːt/

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.

alter verb US /ˈɔːltər/

cause to change; make different; cause a transformation

From this reading “You could alter the plot entirely, if you chose.”

atrocity noun US /əˈtrɑːsəti/

the quality of being shockingly cruel and inhumane

From this reading “MY DEAR HOWELLS,--Just as soon as you consented I realized all the atrocity of my request, and straightway blushed and weakened.”

dramatize verb US /ˈdrɑːmətaɪz/

put into dramatic form

From this reading “But I will gladly send it to you if you will do as follows: dramatize it, if you perceive that you can, and take, for your remuneration, half of the first $6000 which I receive for its representation on the stage.”

remuneration noun US /rɪˌmjuːnərˈeɪʃən/

something that remunerates

From this reading “But I will gladly send it to you if you will do as follows: dramatize it, if you perceive that you can, and take, for your remuneration, half of the first $6000 which I receive for its representation on the stage.”

representation noun US /ˌreprəzenˈteɪʃən/

a presentation to the mind in the form of an idea or image

From this reading “But I will gladly send it to you if you will do as follows: dramatize it, if you perceive that you can, and take, for your remuneration, half of the first $6000 which I receive for its representation on the stage.”

telegraphed verb US /ˈteləɡræft/

past form of “telegraph” — send cables, wires, or telegrams

From this reading “I telegraphed my theatrical agent to come here and carry off the MS and copy it.”

theatrical adjective US /θiˈætrɪkəl/

of or relating to the theater

From this reading “I telegraphed my theatrical agent to come here and carry off the MS and copy it.”

weakened adjective US /ˈwiːkənd/

impaired by diminution

From this reading “MY DEAR HOWELLS,--Just as soon as you consented I realized all the atrocity of my request, and straightway blushed and weakened.”

All words in this reading · 67

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.

6000

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

From this reading But I will gladly send it to you if you will do as follows: dramatize it, if you perceive that you can, and take, for your remuneration, half of the first $6000 which I receive for its representation on the stage.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading I could help in the work, most cheerfully, after you had arranged the plot.

agentnounUS /ˈeɪdʒənt/

an active and efficient cause; capable of producing a certain effect

From this reading I telegraphed my theatrical agent to come here and carry off the MS and copy it.

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 MY DEAR HOWELLS,--Just as soon as you consented I realized all the atrocity of my request, and straightway blushed and weakened.

alterverbUS /ˈɔːltər/

cause to change; make different; cause a transformation

From this reading You could alter the plot entirely, if you chose.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading MY DEAR HOWELLS,--Just as soon as you consented I realized all the atrocity of my request, and straightway blushed and weakened.

arrangedadjectiveUS /ərˈeɪndʒd/

disposed or placed in a particular kind of order

From this reading I could help in the work, most cheerfully, after you had arranged the plot.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading MY DEAR HOWELLS,--Just as soon as you consented I realized all the atrocity of my request, and straightway blushed and weakened.

atrocitynounUS /əˈtrɑːsəti/

the quality of being shockingly cruel and inhumane

From this reading MY DEAR HOWELLS,--Just as soon as you consented I realized all the atrocity of my request, and straightway blushed and weakened.

blushedverbUS /blʌʃt/

past form of “blush” — turn red, as if in embarrassment or shame

From this reading MY DEAR HOWELLS,--Just as soon as you consented I realized all the atrocity of my request, and straightway blushed and weakened.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But I will gladly send it to you if you will do as follows: dramatize it, if you perceive that you can, and take, for your remuneration, half of the first $6000 which I receive for its representation on the stage.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading But I will gladly send it to you if you will do as follows: dramatize it, if you perceive that you can, and take, for your remuneration, half of the first $6000 which I receive for its representation on the stage.

carryverbUS /ˈkæri/

move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body

From this reading I telegraphed my theatrical agent to come here and carry off the MS and copy it.

cheerfullyadverbUS /ˈtʃɪrfəli/

in a cheerful manner

From this reading I could help in the work, most cheerfully, after you had arranged the plot.

choseverbUS /tʃoʊz/

inflected form of “choose” — pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives

From this reading You could alter the plot entirely, if you chose.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading I telegraphed my theatrical agent to come here and carry off the MS and copy it.

consentedverbUS /kənˈsentɪd/

past form of “consent” — give an affirmative reply to; respond favorably to

From this reading MY DEAR HOWELLS,--Just as soon as you consented I realized all the atrocity of my request, and straightway blushed and weakened.

copynounUS /ˈkɑːpi/

a reproduction of a written record (e.g. of a legal or school record)

From this reading I telegraphed my theatrical agent to come here and carry off the MS and copy it.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading You could alter the plot entirely, if you chose.

DEARadjectiveUS /dɪr/

dearly loved

From this reading MY DEAR HOWELLS,--Just as soon as you consented I realized all the atrocity of my request, and straightway blushed and weakened.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading But I will gladly send it to you if you will do as follows: dramatize it, if you perceive that you can, and take, for your remuneration, half of the first $6000 which I receive for its representation on the stage.

dramatizeverbUS /ˈdrɑːmətaɪz/

put into dramatic form

From this reading But I will gladly send it to you if you will do as follows: dramatize it, if you perceive that you can, and take, for your remuneration, half of the first $6000 which I receive for its representation on the stage.

entirelyadverbUS /ɪnˈtaɪərli/

to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)

From this reading You could alter the plot entirely, if you chose.

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading But I will gladly send it to you if you will do as follows: dramatize it, if you perceive that you can, and take, for your remuneration, half of the first $6000 which I receive for its representation on the stage.

followsverbUS /ˈfɑːloʊz/

third-person singular of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after

From this reading But I will gladly send it to you if you will do as follows: dramatize it, if you perceive that you can, and take, for your remuneration, half of the first $6000 which I receive for its representation on the stage.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading But I will gladly send it to you if you will do as follows: dramatize it, if you perceive that you can, and take, for your remuneration, half of the first $6000 which I receive for its representation on the stage.

gladlyadverbUS /ˈɡlædli/

in a willing manner

From this reading But I will gladly send it to you if you will do as follows: dramatize it, if you perceive that you can, and take, for your remuneration, half of the first $6000 which I receive for its representation on the stage.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading I could help in the work, most cheerfully, after you had arranged the plot.

halfadjectiveUS /hæf/

consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity

From this reading But I will gladly send it to you if you will do as follows: dramatize it, if you perceive that you can, and take, for your remuneration, half of the first $6000 which I receive for its representation on the stage.

helpverbUS /help/

give help or assistance; be of service

From this reading I could help in the work, most cheerfully, after you had arranged the plot.

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading I telegraphed my theatrical agent to come here and carry off the MS and copy it.

HOWELLSnounUS /ˈhaʊəlz/

United States writer and editor (1837-1920)

From this reading MY DEAR HOWELLS,--Just as soon as you consented I realized all the atrocity of my request, and straightway blushed and weakened.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading MY DEAR HOWELLS,--Just as soon as you consented I realized all the atrocity of my request, and straightway blushed and weakened.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading But I will gladly send it to you if you will do as follows: dramatize it, if you perceive that you can, and take, for your remuneration, half of the first $6000 which I receive for its representation on the stage.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading I could help in the work, most cheerfully, after you had arranged the plot.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading I telegraphed my theatrical agent to come here and carry off the MS and copy it.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading But I will gladly send it to you if you will do as follows: dramatize it, if you perceive that you can, and take, for your remuneration, half of the first $6000 which I receive for its representation on the stage.

JustadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading MY DEAR HOWELLS,--Just as soon as you consented I realized all the atrocity of my request, and straightway blushed and weakened.

mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading I could help in the work, most cheerfully, after you had arranged the plot.

MSnounUS /mɪz/

a chronic progressive nervous disorder involving loss of myelin sheath around certain nerve fibers

From this reading I telegraphed my theatrical agent to come here and carry off the MS and copy it.

MYdeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading MY DEAR HOWELLS,--Just as soon as you consented I realized all the atrocity of my request, and straightway blushed and weakened.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading MY DEAR HOWELLS,--Just as soon as you consented I realized all the atrocity of my request, and straightway blushed and weakened.

offadverbUS /ɔːf/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading I telegraphed my theatrical agent to come here and carry off the MS and copy it.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading But I will gladly send it to you if you will do as follows: dramatize it, if you perceive that you can, and take, for your remuneration, half of the first $6000 which I receive for its representation on the stage.

perceiveverbUS /pərˈsiːv/

to become aware of through the senses

From this reading But I will gladly send it to you if you will do as follows: dramatize it, if you perceive that you can, and take, for your remuneration, half of the first $6000 which I receive for its representation on the stage.

plotnounUS /plɑːt/

a secret scheme to do something (especially something underhand or illegal)

From this reading You could alter the plot entirely, if you chose.

realizedadjectiveUS /ˈriːəlaɪzd/

successfully completed or brought to an end

From this reading MY DEAR HOWELLS,--Just as soon as you consented I realized all the atrocity of my request, and straightway blushed and weakened.

receiveverbUS /rəˈsiːv/

get something; come into possession of

From this reading But I will gladly send it to you if you will do as follows: dramatize it, if you perceive that you can, and take, for your remuneration, half of the first $6000 which I receive for its representation on the stage.

remunerationnounUS /rɪˌmjuːnərˈeɪʃən/

something that remunerates

From this reading But I will gladly send it to you if you will do as follows: dramatize it, if you perceive that you can, and take, for your remuneration, half of the first $6000 which I receive for its representation on the stage.

representationnounUS /ˌreprəzenˈteɪʃən/

a presentation to the mind in the form of an idea or image

From this reading But I will gladly send it to you if you will do as follows: dramatize it, if you perceive that you can, and take, for your remuneration, half of the first $6000 which I receive for its representation on the stage.

requestverbUS /rɪˈkwest/

express the need or desire for

From this reading MY DEAR HOWELLS,--Just as soon as you consented I realized all the atrocity of my request, and straightway blushed and weakened.

sendverbUS /send/

cause to go somewhere

From this reading But I will gladly send it to you if you will do as follows: dramatize it, if you perceive that you can, and take, for your remuneration, half of the first $6000 which I receive for its representation on the stage.

soonadverbUS /suːn/

in the near future

From this reading MY DEAR HOWELLS,--Just as soon as you consented I realized all the atrocity of my request, and straightway blushed and weakened.

stagenounUS /steɪdʒ/

any distinct time period in a sequence of events

From this reading But I will gladly send it to you if you will do as follows: dramatize it, if you perceive that you can, and take, for your remuneration, half of the first $6000 which I receive for its representation on the stage.

straightwayadverb

at once

From this reading MY DEAR HOWELLS,--Just as soon as you consented I realized all the atrocity of my request, and straightway blushed and weakened.

takeverbUS /teɪk/

carry out

From this reading But I will gladly send it to you if you will do as follows: dramatize it, if you perceive that you can, and take, for your remuneration, half of the first $6000 which I receive for its representation on the stage.

telegraphedverbUS /ˈteləɡræft/

past form of “telegraph” — send cables, wires, or telegrams

From this reading I telegraphed my theatrical agent to come here and carry off the MS and copy it.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading But I will gladly send it to you if you will do as follows: dramatize it, if you perceive that you can, and take, for your remuneration, half of the first $6000 which I receive for its representation on the stage.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading MY DEAR HOWELLS,--Just as soon as you consented I realized all the atrocity of my request, and straightway blushed and weakened.

theatricaladjectiveUS /θiˈætrɪkəl/

of or relating to the theater

From this reading I telegraphed my theatrical agent to come here and carry off the MS and copy it.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading I telegraphed my theatrical agent to come here and carry off the MS and copy it.

weakenedadjectiveUS /ˈwiːkənd/

impaired by diminution

From this reading MY DEAR HOWELLS,--Just as soon as you consented I realized all the atrocity of my request, and straightway blushed and weakened.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading But I will gladly send it to you if you will do as follows: dramatize it, if you perceive that you can, and take, for your remuneration, half of the first $6000 which I receive for its representation on the stage.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading But I will gladly send it to you if you will do as follows: dramatize it, if you perceive that you can, and take, for your remuneration, half of the first $6000 which I receive for its representation on the stage.

workverbUS /wɜːrk/

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

From this reading I could help in the work, most cheerfully, after you had arranged the plot.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading MY DEAR HOWELLS,--Just as soon as you consented I realized all the atrocity of my request, and straightway blushed and weakened.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading But I will gladly send it to you if you will do as follows: dramatize it, if you perceive that you can, and take, for your remuneration, half of the first $6000 which I receive for its representation on the stage.

Chapter 15 of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 2 (1867-1875) by Mark Twain holds 168 sentences, grouped into 34 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 15 of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 2 (1867-1875) contain?

Chapter 15 holds 168 sentences of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 2 (1867-1875), unabridged, divided into 34 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 15 of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 2 (1867-1875) by Mark Twain exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 168 sentences, grouped into 34 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 15 of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 2 (1867-1875)?

Work through the 34 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 34 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 15 be read aloud to me?

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.

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Is this the complete text of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 2 (1867-1875)?

Yes. All 2561 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #3194 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 2 (1867-1875) is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #3194, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 2 (1867-1875) take to read?

About 213 minutes of reading across 513 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 2 (1867-1875) section by section

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Vocabulary met early in Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 2 (1867-1875)

Words and structures a reader meets early in Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 2 (1867-1875), each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Volume
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 2 (1867-1875); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Harte
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 2 (1867-1875); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Francisco
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 2 (1867-1875); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Westminster
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mark Twain's Letters — Volume 2 (1867-1875); the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.