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Mrs. Shelley
Mrs. Shelley

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Mrs. Shelley is here in full — 167 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Mrs. Shelley
Context Illustration Reading 1/33 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
BY LUCY MADOX ROSSETTI.
PREFACE.
I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.
Every aspect has been presented, and of known material it only remained to compare, sift, and use with judgment.
Concerning facts subsequent to Shelley's death, many valuable papers have been placed at my service, and I have made no new statement which there are not existing documents to vouch for.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Mrs. Shelley

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Mrs. Shelley is here in full — 167 sentences across 34 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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

Line 1
BY LUCY MADOX ROSSETTI.
Line 2
PREFACE.
/ˈprefəs/
Line 3
I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.
Line 4
Every aspect has been presented, and of known material it only remained to compare, sift, and use with judgment.
/ˈevəri ˈæspekt hæz bɪn priˈzentɪd ənd ʌv noʊn məˈtɪriəl ɪt ˈoʊnli rɪˈmeɪnd tuː kəmˈper sɪft ənd juːs wɪð ˈdʒʌdʒmənt/
Line 5
Concerning facts subsequent to Shelley's death, many valuable papers have been placed at my service, and I have made no new statement which there are not existing documents to vouch for.
/kənˈsɜːrnɪŋ fækts ˈsʌbsəkwənt tuː ˈʃeliz deθ ˈmeni ˈvæljəbəl ˈpeɪpərz hæv bɪn pleɪst æt maɪ ˈsɜːrvəs ənd aɪ hæv meɪd noʊ nuː ˈsteɪtmənt wɪtʃ ðer ɑːr nɑːt ɪɡˈzɪstɪŋ ˈdɑːkjəmənts tuː vaʊtʃ fɔːr/

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.

preface noun US /ˈprefəs/

a short introductory essay preceding the text of a book

From this reading “PREFACE.”

research noun US /riˈsɜːrtʃ/

systematic investigation to establish facts

From this reading “I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.”

rossetti noun US /roʊˈseti/

English poet and painter who was a leader of the Pre-Raphaelites (1828-1882)

From this reading “BY LUCY MADOX ROSSETTI.”

Shelley noun US /ˈʃeli/

English writer who created Frankenstein's monster and married Percy Bysshe Shelley (1797-1851)

From this reading “I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.”

Shelley's noun US /ˈʃeliz/

possessive form of “shelley” — English writer who created Frankenstein's monster and married Percy Bysshe Shelley (1797-1851)

From this reading “Concerning facts subsequent to Shelley's death, many valuable papers have been placed at my service, and I have made no new statement which there are not existing documents to vouch for.”

sift verb US /sɪft/

move as if through a sieve

From this reading “Every aspect has been presented, and of known material it only remained to compare, sift, and use with judgment.”

truthful adjective US /ˈtruːθfəl/

expressing or given to expressing the truth

From this reading “I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.”

vouch verb US /vaʊtʃ/

give personal assurance; guarantee

From this reading “Concerning facts subsequent to Shelley's death, many valuable papers have been placed at my service, and I have made no new statement which there are not existing documents to vouch for.”

All words in this reading · 74

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.

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 I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.

amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/

surrounded by; in the middle of a group

From this reading I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Concerning facts subsequent to Shelley's death, many valuable papers have been placed at my service, and I have made no new statement which there are not existing documents to vouch for.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.

aspectnounUS /ˈæspekt/

a distinct feature or element in a problem

From this reading Every aspect has been presented, and of known material it only remained to compare, sift, and use with judgment.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Concerning facts subsequent to Shelley's death, many valuable papers have been placed at my service, and I have made no new statement which there are not existing documents to vouch for.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Every aspect has been presented, and of known material it only remained to compare, sift, and use with judgment.

BYprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading BY LUCY MADOX ROSSETTI.

compareverbUS /kəmˈper/

examine and note the similarities or differences of

From this reading Every aspect has been presented, and of known material it only remained to compare, sift, and use with judgment.

ConcerningverbUS /kənˈsɜːrnɪŋ/

-ing form of “concern” — be relevant to

From this reading Concerning facts subsequent to Shelley's death, many valuable papers have been placed at my service, and I have made no new statement which there are not existing documents to vouch for.

deathnounUS /deθ/

the event of dying or departure from life

From this reading Concerning facts subsequent to Shelley's death, many valuable papers have been placed at my service, and I have made no new statement which there are not existing documents to vouch for.

documentsnounUS /ˈdɑːkjəmənts/

plural of “document” — writing that provides information (especially information of an official nature)

From this reading Concerning facts subsequent to Shelley's death, many valuable papers have been placed at my service, and I have made no new statement which there are not existing documents to vouch for.

EverydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading Every aspect has been presented, and of known material it only remained to compare, sift, and use with judgment.

existingadjectiveUS /ɪɡˈzɪstɪŋ/

presently existing

From this reading Concerning facts subsequent to Shelley's death, many valuable papers have been placed at my service, and I have made no new statement which there are not existing documents to vouch for.

factsnounUS /fækts/

plural of “fact” — a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred

From this reading Concerning facts subsequent to Shelley's death, many valuable papers have been placed at my service, and I have made no new statement which there are not existing documents to vouch for.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading Every aspect has been presented, and of known material it only remained to compare, sift, and use with judgment.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.

husbandnounUS /ˈhʌzbənd/

a married man; a woman's partner in marriage

From this reading I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Every aspect has been presented, and of known material it only remained to compare, sift, and use with judgment.

judgmentnounUS /ˈdʒʌdʒmənt/

an opinion formed by judging something

From this reading Every aspect has been presented, and of known material it only remained to compare, sift, and use with judgment.

knownadjectiveUS /noʊn/

apprehended with certainty

From this reading Every aspect has been presented, and of known material it only remained to compare, sift, and use with judgment.

lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.

leastadjectiveUS /liːst/

the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree

From this reading I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.

lovingadjectiveUS /ˈlʌvɪŋ/

feeling or showing love and affection

From this reading I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.

LUCYnounUS /ˈluːsi/

incomplete skeleton of female found in eastern Ethiopia in 1974

From this reading BY LUCY MADOX ROSSETTI.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading Concerning facts subsequent to Shelley's death, many valuable papers have been placed at my service, and I have made no new statement which there are not existing documents to vouch for.

MADOX

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

From this reading BY LUCY MADOX ROSSETTI.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.

manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading Concerning facts subsequent to Shelley's death, many valuable papers have been placed at my service, and I have made no new statement which there are not existing documents to vouch for.

materialadjectiveUS /məˈtɪriəl/

concerned with worldly rather than spiritual interests

From this reading Every aspect has been presented, and of known material it only remained to compare, sift, and use with judgment.

MrsnounUS /ˈmɪsɪz/

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.

newadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading Concerning facts subsequent to Shelley's death, many valuable papers have been placed at my service, and I have made no new statement which there are not existing documents to vouch for.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Concerning facts subsequent to Shelley's death, many valuable papers have been placed at my service, and I have made no new statement which there are not existing documents to vouch for.

norconjunctionUS /nɔːr/

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading Every aspect has been presented, and of known material it only remained to compare, sift, and use with judgment.

papersnounUS /ˈpeɪpərz/

writing that provides information (especially information of an official nature)

From this reading Concerning facts subsequent to Shelley's death, many valuable papers have been placed at my service, and I have made no new statement which there are not existing documents to vouch for.

placedadjectiveUS /pleɪst/

situated in a particular spot or position

From this reading Concerning facts subsequent to Shelley's death, many valuable papers have been placed at my service, and I have made no new statement which there are not existing documents to vouch for.

poetnounUS /ˈpoʊət/

a writer of poems (the term is usually reserved for writers of good poetry)

From this reading I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.

PREFACEnounUS /ˈprefəs/

a short introductory essay preceding the text of a book

From this reading PREFACE.

presentedverbUS /priˈzentɪd/

past form of “present” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading Every aspect has been presented, and of known material it only remained to compare, sift, and use with judgment.

previousadjectiveUS /ˈpriːviəs/

just preceding something else in time or order

From this reading I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.

remainedverbUS /rɪˈmeɪnd/

past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state

From this reading Every aspect has been presented, and of known material it only remained to compare, sift, and use with judgment.

researchnounUS /riˈsɜːrtʃ/

systematic investigation to establish facts

From this reading I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.

ROSSETTInounUS /roʊˈseti/

English poet and painter who was a leader of the Pre-Raphaelites (1828-1882)

From this reading BY LUCY MADOX ROSSETTI.

servicenounUS /ˈsɜːrvəs/

work done by one person or group that benefits another

From this reading Concerning facts subsequent to Shelley's death, many valuable papers have been placed at my service, and I have made no new statement which there are not existing documents to vouch for.

ShelleynounUS /ˈʃeli/

English writer who created Frankenstein's monster and married Percy Bysshe Shelley (1797-1851)

From this reading I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.

Shelley'snounUS /ˈʃeliz/

possessive form of “shelley” — English writer who created Frankenstein's monster and married Percy Bysshe Shelley (1797-1851)

From this reading Concerning facts subsequent to Shelley's death, many valuable papers have been placed at my service, and I have made no new statement which there are not existing documents to vouch for.

siftverbUS /sɪft/

move as if through a sieve

From this reading Every aspect has been presented, and of known material it only remained to compare, sift, and use with judgment.

statementnounUS /ˈsteɪtmənt/

a message that is stated or declared; a communication (oral or written) setting forth particulars or facts etc

From this reading Concerning facts subsequent to Shelley's death, many valuable papers have been placed at my service, and I have made no new statement which there are not existing documents to vouch for.

studentsnounUS /ˈstuːdənts/

plural of “student” — a learner who is enrolled in an educational institution

From this reading I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.

subjectsnounUS /ˈsʌbdʒɪkts/

plural of “subject” — the subject matter of a conversation or discussion

From this reading I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.

subsequentadjectiveUS /ˈsʌbsəkwənt/

following in time or order

From this reading Concerning facts subsequent to Shelley's death, many valuable papers have been placed at my service, and I have made no new statement which there are not existing documents to vouch for.

surroundingadjectiveUS /sərˈaʊndɪŋ/

closely encircling

From this reading I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.

thankverbUS /θæŋk/

express gratitude or show appreciation to

From this reading I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading Concerning facts subsequent to Shelley's death, many valuable papers have been placed at my service, and I have made no new statement which there are not existing documents to vouch for.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.

truthfuladjectiveUS /ˈtruːθfəl/

expressing or given to expressing the truth

From this reading I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.

usenounUS /juːs/

the act of using

From this reading Every aspect has been presented, and of known material it only remained to compare, sift, and use with judgment.

valuableadjectiveUS /ˈvæljəbəl/

having great material or monetary value especially for use or exchange

From this reading Concerning facts subsequent to Shelley's death, many valuable papers have been placed at my service, and I have made no new statement which there are not existing documents to vouch for.

vouchverbUS /vaʊtʃ/

give personal assurance; guarantee

From this reading Concerning facts subsequent to Shelley's death, many valuable papers have been placed at my service, and I have made no new statement which there are not existing documents to vouch for.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading Concerning facts subsequent to Shelley's death, many valuable papers have been placed at my service, and I have made no new statement which there are not existing documents to vouch for.

whompronounUS /huːm/

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading I have to thank all the previous students of Shelley as poet and man--not last nor least among whom is my husband--for their loving and truthful research on all the subjects surrounding the life of Mrs. Shelley.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Every aspect has been presented, and of known material it only remained to compare, sift, and use with judgment.

Chapter 1 of Mrs. Shelley by Lucy Madox Brown Rossetti holds 167 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 1 of Mrs. Shelley contain?

Chapter 1 holds 167 sentences of Mrs. Shelley, unabridged, divided into 34 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Mrs. Shelley by Lucy Madox Brown Rossetti exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 167 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 1 of Mrs. Shelley?

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 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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 Mrs. Shelley

Common questions about reading Mrs. Shelley by Lucy Madox Brown Rossetti on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Mrs. Shelley?

Yes. All 0 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #? are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Mrs. Shelley is used?

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

How long does Mrs. Shelley take to read?

About 5 minutes of reading across 0 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Mrs. Shelley section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

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  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 Mrs. Shelley

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

Chapter 1
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Chapter 2
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Chapter 3
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