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Mosses from an old manse
Mosses from an old manse

Chapter XXXVIII · Chapter 38

Chapter 38 of Mosses from an old manse is here in full — 151 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Nathaniel Hawthorne • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for Mosses from an old manse
Context Illustration Reading 1/30 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
He went through a fit of illness.
After his recovery his small and slender frame assumed an obtuser garniture of flesh than it had ever before worn.
His thin cheeks became round; his delicate little hand, so spiritually fashioned to achieve fairy task-work, grew plumper than the hand of a thriving infant.
His aspect had a childishness such as might have induced a stranger to pat him on the head—pausing, however, in the act, to wonder what manner of child was here.
It was as if the spirit had gone out of him, leaving the body to flourish in a sort of vegetable existence.
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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.

Mosses from an old manse

Chapter XXXVIII · Chapter 38

Chapter 38 of Mosses from an old manse is here in full — 151 sentences across 31 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/30 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
He went through a fit of illness.
Line 2
After his recovery his small and slender frame assumed an obtuser garniture of flesh than it had ever before worn.
Line 3
His thin cheeks became round; his delicate little hand, so spiritually fashioned to achieve fairy task-work, grew plumper than the hand of a thriving infant.
Line 4
His aspect had a childishness such as might have induced a stranger to pat him on the head—pausing, however, in the act, to wonder what manner of child was here.
Line 5
It was as if the spirit had gone out of him, leaving the body to flourish in a sort of vegetable existence.

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.

Thin adjective US /θɪn/

Having little thickness or extent.

From this reading “His thin cheeks became round; his delicate little hand, so spiritually fashioned to achieve fairy task-work, grew plumper than the hand of a thriving infant.”

Velmora curated lexicon
Worn verb US /wɔːrn/

Damaged or thinned by continuous use.

From this reading “After his recovery his small and slender frame assumed an obtuser garniture of flesh than it had ever before worn.”

Velmora curated lexicon

All words in this reading · 76

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.

a

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

From this reading He went through a fit of illness.

Pending verification
achieve

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

From this reading His thin cheeks became round; his delicate little hand, so spiritually fashioned to achieve fairy task-work, grew plumper than the hand of a thriving infant.

Pending verification
act

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

From this reading His aspect had a childishness such as might have induced a stranger to pat him on the head—pausing, however, in the act, to wonder what manner of child was here.

Pending verification
After

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

From this reading After his recovery his small and slender frame assumed an obtuser garniture of flesh than it had ever before worn.

Pending verification
an

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

From this reading After his recovery his small and slender frame assumed an obtuser garniture of flesh than it had ever before worn.

Pending verification
and

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

From this reading After his recovery his small and slender frame assumed an obtuser garniture of flesh than it had ever before worn.

Pending verification
as

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

From this reading His aspect had a childishness such as might have induced a stranger to pat him on the head—pausing, however, in the act, to wonder what manner of child was here.

Pending verification
aspect

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

From this reading His aspect had a childishness such as might have induced a stranger to pat him on the head—pausing, however, in the act, to wonder what manner of child was here.

Pending verification
assumed

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

From this reading After his recovery his small and slender frame assumed an obtuser garniture of flesh than it had ever before worn.

Pending verification
became

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

From this reading His thin cheeks became round; his delicate little hand, so spiritually fashioned to achieve fairy task-work, grew plumper than the hand of a thriving infant.

Pending verification
before

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

From this reading After his recovery his small and slender frame assumed an obtuser garniture of flesh than it had ever before worn.

Pending verification
body

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

From this reading It was as if the spirit had gone out of him, leaving the body to flourish in a sort of vegetable existence.

Pending verification
cheeks

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

From this reading His thin cheeks became round; his delicate little hand, so spiritually fashioned to achieve fairy task-work, grew plumper than the hand of a thriving infant.

Pending verification
child

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

From this reading His aspect had a childishness such as might have induced a stranger to pat him on the head—pausing, however, in the act, to wonder what manner of child was here.

Pending verification
childishness

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

From this reading His aspect had a childishness such as might have induced a stranger to pat him on the head—pausing, however, in the act, to wonder what manner of child was here.

Pending verification
delicate

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

From this reading His thin cheeks became round; his delicate little hand, so spiritually fashioned to achieve fairy task-work, grew plumper than the hand of a thriving infant.

Pending verification
ever

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

From this reading After his recovery his small and slender frame assumed an obtuser garniture of flesh than it had ever before worn.

Pending verification
existence

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

From this reading It was as if the spirit had gone out of him, leaving the body to flourish in a sort of vegetable existence.

Pending verification
fairy

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

From this reading His thin cheeks became round; his delicate little hand, so spiritually fashioned to achieve fairy task-work, grew plumper than the hand of a thriving infant.

Pending verification
fashioned

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

From this reading His thin cheeks became round; his delicate little hand, so spiritually fashioned to achieve fairy task-work, grew plumper than the hand of a thriving infant.

Pending verification
fit

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

From this reading He went through a fit of illness.

Pending verification
flesh

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

From this reading After his recovery his small and slender frame assumed an obtuser garniture of flesh than it had ever before worn.

Pending verification
flourish

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

From this reading It was as if the spirit had gone out of him, leaving the body to flourish in a sort of vegetable existence.

Pending verification
frame

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

From this reading After his recovery his small and slender frame assumed an obtuser garniture of flesh than it had ever before worn.

Pending verification
garniture

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

From this reading After his recovery his small and slender frame assumed an obtuser garniture of flesh than it had ever before worn.

Pending verification
gone

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

From this reading It was as if the spirit had gone out of him, leaving the body to flourish in a sort of vegetable existence.

Pending verification
grew

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

From this reading His thin cheeks became round; his delicate little hand, so spiritually fashioned to achieve fairy task-work, grew plumper than the hand of a thriving infant.

Pending verification
had

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

From this reading After his recovery his small and slender frame assumed an obtuser garniture of flesh than it had ever before worn.

Pending verification
hand

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

From this reading His thin cheeks became round; his delicate little hand, so spiritually fashioned to achieve fairy task-work, grew plumper than the hand of a thriving infant.

Pending verification
have

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

From this reading His aspect had a childishness such as might have induced a stranger to pat him on the head—pausing, however, in the act, to wonder what manner of child was here.

Pending verification
He

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

From this reading He went through a fit of illness.

Pending verification
head

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

From this reading His aspect had a childishness such as might have induced a stranger to pat him on the head—pausing, however, in the act, to wonder what manner of child was here.

Pending verification
here

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

From this reading His aspect had a childishness such as might have induced a stranger to pat him on the head—pausing, however, in the act, to wonder what manner of child was here.

Pending verification
him

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

From this reading His aspect had a childishness such as might have induced a stranger to pat him on the head—pausing, however, in the act, to wonder what manner of child was here.

Pending verification
his

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

From this reading After his recovery his small and slender frame assumed an obtuser garniture of flesh than it had ever before worn.

Pending verification
however

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

From this reading His aspect had a childishness such as might have induced a stranger to pat him on the head—pausing, however, in the act, to wonder what manner of child was here.

Pending verification
if

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

From this reading It was as if the spirit had gone out of him, leaving the body to flourish in a sort of vegetable existence.

Pending verification
illness

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

From this reading He went through a fit of illness.

Pending verification
in

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

From this reading His aspect had a childishness such as might have induced a stranger to pat him on the head—pausing, however, in the act, to wonder what manner of child was here.

Pending verification
induced

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

From this reading His aspect had a childishness such as might have induced a stranger to pat him on the head—pausing, however, in the act, to wonder what manner of child was here.

Pending verification
infant

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

From this reading His thin cheeks became round; his delicate little hand, so spiritually fashioned to achieve fairy task-work, grew plumper than the hand of a thriving infant.

Pending verification
it

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

From this reading After his recovery his small and slender frame assumed an obtuser garniture of flesh than it had ever before worn.

Pending verification
leaving

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

From this reading It was as if the spirit had gone out of him, leaving the body to flourish in a sort of vegetable existence.

Pending verification
little

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

From this reading His thin cheeks became round; his delicate little hand, so spiritually fashioned to achieve fairy task-work, grew plumper than the hand of a thriving infant.

Pending verification
manner

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

From this reading His aspect had a childishness such as might have induced a stranger to pat him on the head—pausing, however, in the act, to wonder what manner of child was here.

Pending verification
might

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

From this reading His aspect had a childishness such as might have induced a stranger to pat him on the head—pausing, however, in the act, to wonder what manner of child was here.

Pending verification
obtuser

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

From this reading After his recovery his small and slender frame assumed an obtuser garniture of flesh than it had ever before worn.

Pending verification
of

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

From this reading He went through a fit of illness.

Pending verification
on

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

From this reading His aspect had a childishness such as might have induced a stranger to pat him on the head—pausing, however, in the act, to wonder what manner of child was here.

Pending verification
out

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

From this reading It was as if the spirit had gone out of him, leaving the body to flourish in a sort of vegetable existence.

Pending verification
pat

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

From this reading His aspect had a childishness such as might have induced a stranger to pat him on the head—pausing, however, in the act, to wonder what manner of child was here.

Pending verification
pausing

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

From this reading His aspect had a childishness such as might have induced a stranger to pat him on the head—pausing, however, in the act, to wonder what manner of child was here.

Pending verification
plumper

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

From this reading His thin cheeks became round; his delicate little hand, so spiritually fashioned to achieve fairy task-work, grew plumper than the hand of a thriving infant.

Pending verification
recovery

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

From this reading After his recovery his small and slender frame assumed an obtuser garniture of flesh than it had ever before worn.

Pending verification
round

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

From this reading His thin cheeks became round; his delicate little hand, so spiritually fashioned to achieve fairy task-work, grew plumper than the hand of a thriving infant.

Pending verification
slender

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

From this reading After his recovery his small and slender frame assumed an obtuser garniture of flesh than it had ever before worn.

Pending verification
small

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

From this reading After his recovery his small and slender frame assumed an obtuser garniture of flesh than it had ever before worn.

Pending verification
so

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

From this reading His thin cheeks became round; his delicate little hand, so spiritually fashioned to achieve fairy task-work, grew plumper than the hand of a thriving infant.

Pending verification
sort

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

From this reading It was as if the spirit had gone out of him, leaving the body to flourish in a sort of vegetable existence.

Pending verification
spirit

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

From this reading It was as if the spirit had gone out of him, leaving the body to flourish in a sort of vegetable existence.

Pending verification
spiritually

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

From this reading His thin cheeks became round; his delicate little hand, so spiritually fashioned to achieve fairy task-work, grew plumper than the hand of a thriving infant.

Pending verification
stranger

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

From this reading His aspect had a childishness such as might have induced a stranger to pat him on the head—pausing, however, in the act, to wonder what manner of child was here.

Pending verification
such

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

From this reading His aspect had a childishness such as might have induced a stranger to pat him on the head—pausing, however, in the act, to wonder what manner of child was here.

Pending verification
task-work

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

From this reading His thin cheeks became round; his delicate little hand, so spiritually fashioned to achieve fairy task-work, grew plumper than the hand of a thriving infant.

Pending verification
than

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

From this reading After his recovery his small and slender frame assumed an obtuser garniture of flesh than it had ever before worn.

Pending verification
the

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

From this reading His thin cheeks became round; his delicate little hand, so spiritually fashioned to achieve fairy task-work, grew plumper than the hand of a thriving infant.

Pending verification
thinadjectiveUS /θɪn/

Having little thickness or extent.

From this reading His thin cheeks became round; his delicate little hand, so spiritually fashioned to achieve fairy task-work, grew plumper than the hand of a thriving infant.

Velmora curated lexicon
thriving

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

From this reading His thin cheeks became round; his delicate little hand, so spiritually fashioned to achieve fairy task-work, grew plumper than the hand of a thriving infant.

Pending verification
through

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

From this reading He went through a fit of illness.

Pending verification
to

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

From this reading His thin cheeks became round; his delicate little hand, so spiritually fashioned to achieve fairy task-work, grew plumper than the hand of a thriving infant.

Pending verification
vegetable

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

From this reading It was as if the spirit had gone out of him, leaving the body to flourish in a sort of vegetable existence.

Pending verification
was

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

From this reading His aspect had a childishness such as might have induced a stranger to pat him on the head—pausing, however, in the act, to wonder what manner of child was here.

Pending verification
went

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

From this reading He went through a fit of illness.

Pending verification
what

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

From this reading His aspect had a childishness such as might have induced a stranger to pat him on the head—pausing, however, in the act, to wonder what manner of child was here.

Pending verification
wonder

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

From this reading His aspect had a childishness such as might have induced a stranger to pat him on the head—pausing, however, in the act, to wonder what manner of child was here.

Pending verification
wornverbUS /wɔːrn/

Damaged or thinned by continuous use.

From this reading After his recovery his small and slender frame assumed an obtuser garniture of flesh than it had ever before worn.

Velmora curated lexicon

Chapter 38 of Mosses from an old manse by Nathaniel Hawthorne holds 151 sentences, grouped into 31 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 38 of Mosses from an old manse contain?

Chapter 38 holds 151 sentences of Mosses from an old manse, unabridged, divided into 31 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 38 of Mosses from an old manse by Nathaniel Hawthorne exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 151 sentences, grouped into 31 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 38 of Mosses from an old manse?

Work through the 31 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 31 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 38 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 38 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 Mosses from an old manse

Common questions about reading Mosses from an old manse by Nathaniel Hawthorne on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Mosses from an old manse?

Yes. All 6218 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #512 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Mosses from an old manse is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #512, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Mosses from an old manse take to read?

About 518 minutes of reading across 1244 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Mosses from an old manse section by section

How to work through Mosses from an old manse section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of Mosses from an old manse 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 Mosses from an old manse

Words and structures a reader meets early in Mosses from an old manse, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Manse
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mosses from an old manse; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Birthmark
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mosses from an old manse; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Select
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mosses from an old manse; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Party
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Mosses from an old manse; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.