VELMORA ACADEMY

Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies

Menu Close

Middlemarch

Chapter XVI · Chapter 16

Chapter 16 of Middlemarch is here in full — 131 sentences across 27 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By George Eliot • Curated US English Learning Edition

Cover illustration for Middlemarch

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

“Close up his eyes and draw the curtain close; And let us all to meditation.”

—2 _Henry VI_.

That night after twelve o’clock Mary Garth relieved the watch in Mr. Featherstone’s room, and sat there alone through the small hours.

She often chose this task, in which she found some pleasure, notwithstanding the old man’s testiness whenever he demanded her attentions.

There were intervals in which she could sit perfectly still, enjoying the outer stillness and the subdued light.

Narrator

Speed 0.75x

AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English

LEARNER DICTIONARY

Archivist

/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/

Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Chapter XVI Reading 1/26

Middlemarch

Chapter XVI · Chapter 16

Chapter 16 of Middlemarch is here in full — 131 sentences across 27 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/26 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

“Close up his eyes and draw the curtain close; And let us all to meditation.”

Line 2

—2 _Henry VI_.

Line 3

That night after twelve o’clock Mary Garth relieved the watch in Mr. Featherstone’s room, and sat there alone through the small hours.

Line 4

She often chose this task, in which she found some pleasure, notwithstanding the old man’s testiness whenever he demanded her attentions.

Line 5

There were intervals in which she could sit perfectly still, enjoying the outer stillness and the subdued light.

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.

Alone adjective US /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading “That night after twelve o’clock Mary Garth relieved the watch in Mr. Featherstone’s room, and sat there alone through the small hours.”

All words in this reading · 64

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.

2

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

From this reading —2 _Henry VI_.

after

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

From this reading That night after twelve o’clock Mary Garth relieved the watch in Mr. Featherstone’s room, and sat there alone through the small hours.

all

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

From this reading “Close up his eyes and draw the curtain close; And let us all to meditation.”

aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading That night after twelve o’clock Mary Garth relieved the watch in Mr. Featherstone’s room, and sat there alone through the small hours.

and

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

From this reading “Close up his eyes and draw the curtain close; And let us all to meditation.”

attentions

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

From this reading She often chose this task, in which she found some pleasure, notwithstanding the old man’s testiness whenever he demanded her attentions.

chose

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

From this reading She often chose this task, in which she found some pleasure, notwithstanding the old man’s testiness whenever he demanded her attentions.

Close

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

From this reading “Close up his eyes and draw the curtain close; And let us all to meditation.”

could

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

From this reading There were intervals in which she could sit perfectly still, enjoying the outer stillness and the subdued light.

curtain

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

From this reading “Close up his eyes and draw the curtain close; And let us all to meditation.”

demanded

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

From this reading She often chose this task, in which she found some pleasure, notwithstanding the old man’s testiness whenever he demanded her attentions.

draw

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

From this reading “Close up his eyes and draw the curtain close; And let us all to meditation.”

enjoying

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

From this reading There were intervals in which she could sit perfectly still, enjoying the outer stillness and the subdued light.

eyes

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

From this reading “Close up his eyes and draw the curtain close; And let us all to meditation.”

Featherstone's

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

From this reading That night after twelve o’clock Mary Garth relieved the watch in Mr. Featherstone’s room, and sat there alone through the small hours.

found

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

From this reading She often chose this task, in which she found some pleasure, notwithstanding the old man’s testiness whenever he demanded her attentions.

Garth

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

From this reading That night after twelve o’clock Mary Garth relieved the watch in Mr. Featherstone’s room, and sat there alone through the small hours.

he

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

From this reading She often chose this task, in which she found some pleasure, notwithstanding the old man’s testiness whenever he demanded her attentions.

Henry

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

From this reading —2 _Henry VI_.

her

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

From this reading She often chose this task, in which she found some pleasure, notwithstanding the old man’s testiness whenever he demanded her attentions.

his

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

From this reading “Close up his eyes and draw the curtain close; And let us all to meditation.”

hours

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

From this reading That night after twelve o’clock Mary Garth relieved the watch in Mr. Featherstone’s room, and sat there alone through the small hours.

in

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

From this reading That night after twelve o’clock Mary Garth relieved the watch in Mr. Featherstone’s room, and sat there alone through the small hours.

intervals

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

From this reading There were intervals in which she could sit perfectly still, enjoying the outer stillness and the subdued light.

let

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

From this reading “Close up his eyes and draw the curtain close; And let us all to meditation.”

light

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

From this reading There were intervals in which she could sit perfectly still, enjoying the outer stillness and the subdued light.

man's

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

From this reading She often chose this task, in which she found some pleasure, notwithstanding the old man’s testiness whenever he demanded her attentions.

Mary

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

From this reading That night after twelve o’clock Mary Garth relieved the watch in Mr. Featherstone’s room, and sat there alone through the small hours.

meditation

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

From this reading “Close up his eyes and draw the curtain close; And let us all to meditation.”

Mr

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

From this reading That night after twelve o’clock Mary Garth relieved the watch in Mr. Featherstone’s room, and sat there alone through the small hours.

night

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

From this reading That night after twelve o’clock Mary Garth relieved the watch in Mr. Featherstone’s room, and sat there alone through the small hours.

notwithstanding

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

From this reading She often chose this task, in which she found some pleasure, notwithstanding the old man’s testiness whenever he demanded her attentions.

o'clock

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

From this reading That night after twelve o’clock Mary Garth relieved the watch in Mr. Featherstone’s room, and sat there alone through the small hours.

often

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

From this reading She often chose this task, in which she found some pleasure, notwithstanding the old man’s testiness whenever he demanded her attentions.

old

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

From this reading She often chose this task, in which she found some pleasure, notwithstanding the old man’s testiness whenever he demanded her attentions.

outer

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

From this reading There were intervals in which she could sit perfectly still, enjoying the outer stillness and the subdued light.

perfectly

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

From this reading There were intervals in which she could sit perfectly still, enjoying the outer stillness and the subdued light.

pleasure

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

From this reading She often chose this task, in which she found some pleasure, notwithstanding the old man’s testiness whenever he demanded her attentions.

relieved

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

From this reading That night after twelve o’clock Mary Garth relieved the watch in Mr. Featherstone’s room, and sat there alone through the small hours.

room

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

From this reading That night after twelve o’clock Mary Garth relieved the watch in Mr. Featherstone’s room, and sat there alone through the small hours.

sat

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

From this reading That night after twelve o’clock Mary Garth relieved the watch in Mr. Featherstone’s room, and sat there alone through the small hours.

She

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

From this reading She often chose this task, in which she found some pleasure, notwithstanding the old man’s testiness whenever he demanded her attentions.

sit

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

From this reading There were intervals in which she could sit perfectly still, enjoying the outer stillness and the subdued light.

small

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

From this reading That night after twelve o’clock Mary Garth relieved the watch in Mr. Featherstone’s room, and sat there alone through the small hours.

some

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

From this reading She often chose this task, in which she found some pleasure, notwithstanding the old man’s testiness whenever he demanded her attentions.

still

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

From this reading There were intervals in which she could sit perfectly still, enjoying the outer stillness and the subdued light.

stillness

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

From this reading There were intervals in which she could sit perfectly still, enjoying the outer stillness and the subdued light.

subdued

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

From this reading There were intervals in which she could sit perfectly still, enjoying the outer stillness and the subdued light.

task

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

From this reading She often chose this task, in which she found some pleasure, notwithstanding the old man’s testiness whenever he demanded her attentions.

testiness

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

From this reading She often chose this task, in which she found some pleasure, notwithstanding the old man’s testiness whenever he demanded her attentions.

That

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

From this reading That night after twelve o’clock Mary Garth relieved the watch in Mr. Featherstone’s room, and sat there alone through the small hours.

the

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

From this reading “Close up his eyes and draw the curtain close; And let us all to meditation.”

there

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

From this reading That night after twelve o’clock Mary Garth relieved the watch in Mr. Featherstone’s room, and sat there alone through the small hours.

this

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

From this reading She often chose this task, in which she found some pleasure, notwithstanding the old man’s testiness whenever he demanded her attentions.

through

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

From this reading That night after twelve o’clock Mary Garth relieved the watch in Mr. Featherstone’s room, and sat there alone through the small hours.

to

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

From this reading “Close up his eyes and draw the curtain close; And let us all to meditation.”

twelve

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

From this reading That night after twelve o’clock Mary Garth relieved the watch in Mr. Featherstone’s room, and sat there alone through the small hours.

up

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

From this reading “Close up his eyes and draw the curtain close; And let us all to meditation.”

us

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

From this reading “Close up his eyes and draw the curtain close; And let us all to meditation.”

VI

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

From this reading —2 _Henry VI_.

watch

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

From this reading That night after twelve o’clock Mary Garth relieved the watch in Mr. Featherstone’s room, and sat there alone through the small hours.

were

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

From this reading There were intervals in which she could sit perfectly still, enjoying the outer stillness and the subdued light.

whenever

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

From this reading She often chose this task, in which she found some pleasure, notwithstanding the old man’s testiness whenever he demanded her attentions.

which

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

From this reading She often chose this task, in which she found some pleasure, notwithstanding the old man’s testiness whenever he demanded her attentions.

Chapter 16 of Middlemarch by George Eliot holds 131 sentences, grouped into 27 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 16 of Middlemarch contain?

Chapter 16 holds 131 sentences of Middlemarch, unabridged, divided into 27 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 16 of Middlemarch by George Eliot exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 131 sentences, grouped into 27 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 16 of Middlemarch?

Work through the 27 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 27 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 16 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 16 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 Middlemarch

Common questions about reading Middlemarch by George Eliot on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Middlemarch?

Yes. All 14163 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #145 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Middlemarch is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #145, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Middlemarch take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 2833 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Middlemarch section by section

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

Open a chapter

Choose one of the 40 chapters of Middlemarch to begin.
Read one section

Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Listen and tap

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

Vocabulary met early in Middlemarch

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

Finale: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Middlemarch; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Prelude: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Middlemarch; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Cares: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Middlemarch; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
History: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Middlemarch; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.