Chapter 12 of Of High Descent is here in full — 412 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XII
Chapter 12 of Of High Descent is here in full — 412 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
"I do not," said Louise, smiling. "Why should you wish to be less learned than you are?" "Had we not better go again to Van Heldre's now?" "I think I would leave it till quite the last thing." "Ye-es," said Vine, hesitating, "perhaps so; but I don't like it, my child.
Chapter 12 of Of High Descent is here in full — 412 sentences across 83 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/82 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
a young person of either sex
From this reading “"Ye-es," said Vine, hesitating, "perhaps so; but I don't like it, my child.”
lacking decisiveness of character; unable to act or decide quickly or firmly
From this reading “"Ye-es," said Vine, hesitating, "perhaps so; but I don't like it, my child.”
having or showing profound knowledge
From this reading “"Why should you wish to be less learned than you are?"”
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading “"Why should you wish to be less learned than you are?"”
a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement
From this reading “"I do not," said Louise, smiling.”
any creative group active in the innovation and application of new concepts and techniques in a given field (especially in the arts)
From this reading “"Had we not better go again to Van Heldre's now?"”
a plant with a weak stem that derives support from climbing, twining, or creeping along a surface
From this reading “"Ye-es," said Vine, hesitating, "perhaps so; but I don't like it, my child.”
hope for; have a wish
From this reading “"Why should you wish to be less learned than you are?"”
English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.
Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.
In this reading “"I think I would leave it till quite the last thing."”
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.
anew
From this reading "Had we not better go again to Van Heldre's now?"
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "Why should you wish to be less learned than you are?"
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "Why should you wish to be less learned than you are?"
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading "Had we not better go again to Van Heldre's now?"
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "Ye-es," said Vine, hesitating, "perhaps so; but I don't like it, my child.
a young person of either sex
From this reading "Ye-es," said Vine, hesitating, "perhaps so; but I don't like it, my child.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "I do not," said Louise, smiling.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Ye-es," said Vine, hesitating, "perhaps so; but I don't like it, my child.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading "Had we not better go again to Van Heldre's now?"
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "Had we not better go again to Van Heldre's now?"
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Had we not better go again to Van Heldre's now?"
lacking decisiveness of character; unable to act or decide quickly or firmly
From this reading "Ye-es," said Vine, hesitating, "perhaps so; but I don't like it, my child.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I do not," said Louise, smiling.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "I think I would leave it till quite the last thing."
immediately past
From this reading "I think I would leave it till quite the last thing."
having or showing profound knowledge
From this reading "Why should you wish to be less learned than you are?"
go away from a place
From this reading "I think I would leave it till quite the last thing."
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading "Why should you wish to be less learned than you are?"
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading "Ye-es," said Vine, hesitating, "perhaps so; but I don't like it, my child.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I do not," said Louise, smiling.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "Ye-es," said Vine, hesitating, "perhaps so; but I don't like it, my child.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "I do not," said Louise, smiling.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading "Had we not better go again to Van Heldre's now?"
by chance
From this reading "Ye-es," said Vine, hesitating, "perhaps so; but I don't like it, my child.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading "I think I would leave it till quite the last thing."
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "I do not," said Louise, smiling.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading "Why should you wish to be less learned than you are?"
a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement
From this reading "I do not," said Louise, smiling.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading "Ye-es," said Vine, hesitating, "perhaps so; but I don't like it, my child.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading "Why should you wish to be less learned than you are?"
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "I think I would leave it till quite the last thing."
a special situation
From this reading "I think I would leave it till quite the last thing."
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading "I think I would leave it till quite the last thing."
up to a particular time
From this reading "I think I would leave it till quite the last thing."
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Why should you wish to be less learned than you are?"
any creative group active in the innovation and application of new concepts and techniques in a given field (especially in the arts)
From this reading "Had we not better go again to Van Heldre's now?"
a plant with a weak stem that derives support from climbing, twining, or creeping along a surface
From this reading "Ye-es," said Vine, hesitating, "perhaps so; but I don't like it, my child.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "Had we not better go again to Van Heldre's now?"
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading "Why should you wish to be less learned than you are?"
hope for; have a wish
From this reading "Why should you wish to be less learned than you are?"
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading "I think I would leave it till quite the last thing."
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Ye-es," said Vine, hesitating, "perhaps so; but I don't like it, my child.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Why should you wish to be less learned than you are?"
Chapter 12 of Of High Descent by George Manville Fenn holds 412 sentences, grouped into 83 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.
Chapter 12 holds 412 sentences of Of High Descent, unabridged, divided into 83 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 12 of Of High Descent by George Manville Fenn exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 412 sentences, grouped into 83 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.
Work through the 83 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 83 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 12 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.
Common questions about reading Of High Descent by George Manville Fenn on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 10632 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #34246 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #34246, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 2127 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Of High Descent section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 26 chapters of Of High Descent to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Of High Descent, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
