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Mary Barton
Mary Barton

Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of Mary Barton is here in full — 305 sentences across 61 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Mary Barton
Context Illustration Reading 1/61 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
MARGARET'S DEBUT AS A PUBLIC SINGER.
"Deal gently with them, they have much endured.
Scoff not at their fond hopes and earnest plans, Though they may seem to thee wild dreams and fancies.
Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"
LOVE THOUGHTS.
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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.

Mary Barton

Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of Mary Barton is here in full — 305 sentences across 61 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/61 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
MARGARET'S DEBUT AS A PUBLIC SINGER.
Line 2
"Deal gently with them, they have much endured.
/diːl ˈdʒentli wɪð ðem ðeɪ hæv mʌtʃ enˈdjʊrd/
Line 3
Scoff not at their fond hopes and earnest plans, Though they may seem to thee wild dreams and fancies.
/skɔːf nɑːt æt ðer fɑːnd hoʊps ənd ˈɜːrnɪst plænz ðoʊ ðeɪ meɪ siːm tuː ðiː waɪld driːmz ənd ˈfænsiz/
Line 4
Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"
Line 5
LOVE THOUGHTS.
/lʌv θɔːts/

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.

debut verb US /deɪˈbjuː/

present for the first time to the public

From this reading “MARGARET'S DEBUT AS A PUBLIC SINGER.”

endured verb US /enˈdjʊrd/

past form of “endure” — put up with something or somebody unpleasant

From this reading “"Deal gently with them, they have much endured.”

err verb US /er/

to make a mistake or be incorrect

From this reading “Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"”

guidance noun US /ˈɡaɪdəns/

something that provides direction or advice as to a decision or course of action

From this reading “Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"”

Perchance adverb US /pərˈtʃæns/

through chance

From this reading “Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"”

plead verb US /pliːd/

appeal or request earnestly

From this reading “Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"”

Scoff verb US /skɔːf/

laugh at with contempt and derision

From this reading “Scoff not at their fond hopes and earnest plans, Though they may seem to thee wild dreams and fancies.”

singer noun US /ˈsɪŋər/

a person who sings

From this reading “MARGARET'S DEBUT AS A PUBLIC SINGER.”

All words in this reading · 65

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

AdeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading MARGARET'S DEBUT AS A PUBLIC SINGER.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Scoff not at their fond hopes and earnest plans, Though they may seem to thee wild dreams and fancies.

ASconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading MARGARET'S DEBUT AS A PUBLIC SINGER.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Scoff not at their fond hopes and earnest plans, Though they may seem to thee wild dreams and fancies.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"

DealverbUS /diːl/

act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression

From this reading "Deal gently with them, they have much endured.

DEBUTverbUS /deɪˈbjuː/

present for the first time to the public

From this reading MARGARET'S DEBUT AS A PUBLIC SINGER.

doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/

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

From this reading Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"

dreamsnounUS /driːmz/

plural of “dream” — a series of mental images and emotions occurring during sleep

From this reading Scoff not at their fond hopes and earnest plans, Though they may seem to thee wild dreams and fancies.

earnestadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrnɪst/

characterized by a firm and humorless belief in the validity of your opinions

From this reading Scoff not at their fond hopes and earnest plans, Though they may seem to thee wild dreams and fancies.

enduredverbUS /enˈdjʊrd/

past form of “endure” — put up with something or somebody unpleasant

From this reading "Deal gently with them, they have much endured.

errverbUS /er/

to make a mistake or be incorrect

From this reading Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"

errornounUS /ˈerər/

a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention

From this reading Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"

experienceverbUS /ɪkˈspɪriəns/

undergo or live through a difficult experience

From this reading Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"

fanciesnounUS /ˈfænsiz/

plural of “fancy” — something many people believe that is false

From this reading Scoff not at their fond hopes and earnest plans, Though they may seem to thee wild dreams and fancies.

fondadjectiveUS /fɑːnd/

having or displaying warmth or affection

From this reading Scoff not at their fond hopes and earnest plans, Though they may seem to thee wild dreams and fancies.

gentlyadverbUS /ˈdʒentli/

in a gradual manner

From this reading "Deal gently with them, they have much endured.

GiveverbUS /ɡɪv/

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"

greatlyadverbUS /ˈɡreɪtli/

to an extraordinary extent or degree

From this reading Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"

guidancenounUS /ˈɡaɪdəns/

something that provides direction or advice as to a decision or course of action

From this reading Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading "Deal gently with them, they have much endured.

hopesnounUS /hoʊps/

plural of “hope” — a specific instance of feeling hopeful

From this reading Scoff not at their fond hopes and earnest plans, Though they may seem to thee wild dreams and fancies.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"

learnedadjectiveUS /lɜːrnd/

having or showing profound knowledge

From this reading Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"

letauxiliary verbUS /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"

lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/

of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"

LOVEnounUS /lʌv/

a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading LOVE THOUGHTS.

MARGARET'S

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

From this reading MARGARET'S DEBUT AS A PUBLIC SINGER.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading Scoff not at their fond hopes and earnest plans, Though they may seem to thee wild dreams and fancies.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading "Deal gently with them, they have much endured.

neednounUS /niːd/

a condition requiring relief

From this reading Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Scoff not at their fond hopes and earnest plans, Though they may seem to thee wild dreams and fancies.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"

OrconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"

PerchanceadverbUS /pərˈtʃæns/

through chance

From this reading Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"

plansnounUS /plænz/

plural of “plan” — a series of steps to be carried out or goals to be accomplished

From this reading Scoff not at their fond hopes and earnest plans, Though they may seem to thee wild dreams and fancies.

pleadverbUS /pliːd/

appeal or request earnestly

From this reading Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"

PUBLICnounUS /ˈpʌblɪk/

people in general considered as a whole

From this reading MARGARET'S DEBUT AS A PUBLIC SINGER.

roughadjectiveUS /rʌf/

having or caused by an irregular surface

From this reading Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"

schoolnounUS /skuːl/

an educational institution

From this reading Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"

ScoffverbUS /skɔːf/

laugh at with contempt and derision

From this reading Scoff not at their fond hopes and earnest plans, Though they may seem to thee wild dreams and fancies.

seemverbUS /siːm/

give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading Scoff not at their fond hopes and earnest plans, Though they may seem to thee wild dreams and fancies.

SINGERnounUS /ˈsɪŋər/

a person who sings

From this reading MARGARET'S DEBUT AS A PUBLIC SINGER.

somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"

sternadjectiveUS /stɜːrn/

of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor; forbidding in aspect

From this reading Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"

strongeradjectiveUS /ˈstrɔːŋər/

comparative of “strong” — having strength or power greater than average or expected

From this reading Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"

teachverbUS /tiːtʃ/

impart skills or knowledge to

From this reading Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"

theepronounUS /ðiː/

an old word for “you”, as the object, speaking to one person

From this reading Scoff not at their fond hopes and earnest plans, Though they may seem to thee wild dreams and fancies.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Scoff not at their fond hopes and earnest plans, Though they may seem to thee wild dreams and fancies.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading "Deal gently with them, they have much endured.

TheorynounUS /ˈθɪri/

a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena

From this reading Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading "Deal gently with them, they have much endured.

They've

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

From this reading Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"

ThoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading Scoff not at their fond hopes and earnest plans, Though they may seem to thee wild dreams and fancies.

THOUGHTSnounUS /θɔːts/

plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading LOVE THOUGHTS.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Scoff not at their fond hopes and earnest plans, Though they may seem to thee wild dreams and fancies.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading Perchance, in the rough school of stern experience, They've something learned which Theory does not teach; Or if they greatly err, deal gently still, And let their error but the stronger plead 'Give us the light and guidance that we need!'"

wildadjectiveUS /waɪld/

marked by extreme lack of restraint or control

From this reading Scoff not at their fond hopes and earnest plans, Though they may seem to thee wild dreams and fancies.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading "Deal gently with them, they have much endured.

Chapter 8 of Mary Barton by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell holds 305 sentences, grouped into 61 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 8 of Mary Barton contain?

Chapter 8 holds 305 sentences of Mary Barton, unabridged, divided into 61 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 8 of Mary Barton by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 305 sentences, grouped into 61 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 8 of Mary Barton?

Work through the 61 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 61 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 8 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 8 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 Mary Barton

Common questions about reading Mary Barton by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Mary Barton?

Yes. All 7946 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2153 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Mary Barton is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #2153, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Mary Barton take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1590 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Mary Barton section by section

How to work through Mary Barton section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 38 chapters of Mary Barton to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

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

Vocabulary met early in Mary Barton

Words and structures a reader meets early in Mary Barton, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Mysterious
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mary Barton; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Disappearance
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mary Barton; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Working
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mary Barton; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Whole
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mary Barton; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.