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Parodies of the works of English & American authors, vol. II
Parodies of the works of English & American authors, vol. II

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Parodies of the works of English & American authors, vol. II is here in full — 339 sentences across 68 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Parodies of the works of English & American authors, vol. II
Context Illustration Reading 1/67 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
_Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.
What do we parody but the absurdities of writers, who frequently make their heroes act against nature, common-sense, and truth?
After all, it is the public, not we, who are the authors of these Parodies.”
D’ISRAELI’S Curiosities of Literature.
VOLUME II.
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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.

Parodies of the works of English & American authors, vol. II

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Parodies of the works of English & American authors, vol. II is here in full — 339 sentences across 68 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/67 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
_Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.
Line 2
What do we parody but the absurdities of writers, who frequently make their heroes act against nature, common-sense, and truth?
Line 3
After all, it is the public, not we, who are the authors of these Parodies.”
/ˈæftər ɔːl ɪt ɪz ðə ˈpʌblɪk nɑːt wiː huː ɑːr ðə ˈɔːθərz ʌv ðiːz ˈperədiz/
Line 4
D’ISRAELI’S Curiosities of Literature.
Line 5
VOLUME II.

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.

absurdities noun US /əbˈsɜːrdətiz/

plural of “absurdity” — a message whose content is at variance with reason

From this reading “What do we parody but the absurdities of writers, who frequently make their heroes act against nature, common-sense, and truth?”

Anthems noun US /ˈænθəmz/

plural of “anthem” — a song of devotion or loyalty (as to a nation or school)

From this reading “_Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.”

chimerical adjective US /kɪˈmerəkəl/

being or relating to or like a chimera

From this reading “_Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.”

converting verb US /kənˈvɜːrtɪŋ/

-ing form of “convert” — change from one system to another or to a new plan or policy

From this reading “_Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.”

Laureate noun US /ˈlɔːriət/

someone honored for great achievements; figuratively someone crowned with a laurel wreath

From this reading “_Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.”

Memoir noun US /ˈmemwɑːr/

an account of the author's personal experiences

From this reading “_Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.”

paradox noun US /ˈperədɑːks/

(logic) a statement that contradicts itself

From this reading “_Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.”

Parodies noun US /ˈperədiz/

plural of “parody” — a composition that imitates or misrepresents somebody's style, usually in a humorous way

From this reading “After all, it is the public, not we, who are the authors of these Parodies.””

Word partnerships in these lines

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.

National Anthems adjective + noun counted as “national anthem”

a song formally adopted as the anthem for a nation

In this reading “_Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.”

All words in this reading · 81

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 _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

absurditiesnounUS /əbˈsɜːrdətiz/

plural of “absurdity” — a message whose content is at variance with reason

From this reading What do we parody but the absurdities of writers, who frequently make their heroes act against nature, common-sense, and truth?

actverbUS /ækt/

perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)

From this reading What do we parody but the absurdities of writers, who frequently make their heroes act against nature, common-sense, and truth?

AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading After all, it is the public, not we, who are the authors of these Parodies.”

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading What do we parody but the absurdities of writers, who frequently make their heroes act against nature, common-sense, and truth?

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 After all, it is the public, not we, who are the authors of these Parodies.”

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

AnthemsnounUS /ˈænθəmz/

plural of “anthem” — a song of devotion or loyalty (as to a nation or school)

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading After all, it is the public, not we, who are the authors of these Parodies.”

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

AuthornounUS /ˈɔːθər/

writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

authorsnounUS /ˈɔːθərz/

plural of “author” — writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)

From this reading After all, it is the public, not we, who are the authors of these Parodies.”

buffoonerynoun

acting like a clown or buffoon

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading What do we parody but the absurdities of writers, who frequently make their heroes act against nature, common-sense, and truth?

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

chimericaladjectiveUS /kɪˈmerəkəl/

being or relating to or like a chimera

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

common-sense

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

From this reading What do we parody but the absurdities of writers, who frequently make their heroes act against nature, common-sense, and truth?

convertingverbUS /kənˈvɜːrtɪŋ/

-ing form of “convert” — change from one system to another or to a new plan or policy

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

criticaladjectiveUS /ˈkrɪtɪkəl/

marked by a tendency to find and call attention to errors and flaws

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

Cruikshank

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

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

CuriositiesnounUS /ˌkjʊriˈɑːsətiz/

plural of “curiosity” — a state in which you want to learn more about something

From this reading D’ISRAELI’S Curiosities of Literature.

D'ISRAELI'S

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

From this reading D’ISRAELI’S Curiosities of Literature.

degradingadjectiveUS /dɪˈɡreɪdɪŋ/

harmful to the mind or morals

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading What do we parody but the absurdities of writers, who frequently make their heroes act against nature, common-sense, and truth?

EnglandnounUS /ˈɪŋɡlənd/

a division of the United Kingdom

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

etc

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

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

expositionnounUS /ˌekspəˈzɪʃən/

a systematic interpretation or explanation (usually written) of a specific topic

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

falseadjectiveUS /fɔːls/

not in accordance with the fact or reality or actuality

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

faradverbUS /fɑːr/

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

FellownounUS /ˈfeloʊ/

a boy or man

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

frequentlyadverbUS /ˈfriːkwəntli/

many times at short intervals

From this reading What do we parody but the absurdities of writers, who frequently make their heroes act against nature, common-sense, and truth?

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

GeographicaladjectiveUS /ˌdʒiːəˈɡræfɪkəl/

of or relating to the science of geography

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

GeorgenounUS /dʒɔːrdʒ/

Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

heroesnounUS /ˈhɪroʊz/

plural of “hero” — a man distinguished by exceptional courage and nobility and strength

From this reading What do we parody but the absurdities of writers, who frequently make their heroes act against nature, common-sense, and truth?

HistoricaladjectiveUS /hɪˈstɔːrɪkəl/

of or relating to the study of history

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

HistorynounUS /ˈhɪstəri/

the aggregate of past events

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

IInoun

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading VOLUME II.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

LaureatenounUS /ˈlɔːriət/

someone honored for great achievements; figuratively someone crowned with a laurel wreath

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

LiteraturenounUS /ˈlɪtərətʃər/

creative writing of recognized artistic value

From this reading D’ISRAELI’S Curiosities of Literature.

maintainverbUS /meɪnˈteɪn/

cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading What do we parody but the absurdities of writers, who frequently make their heroes act against nature, common-sense, and truth?

MemoirnounUS /ˈmemwɑːr/

an account of the author's personal experiences

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

MovementnounUS /ˈmuːvmənt/

a change of position that does not entail a change of location

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

NationaladjectiveUS /ˈnæʃənəl/

of or relating to or belonging to a nation or country

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

naturenounUS /ˈneɪtʃər/

the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized

From this reading What do we parody but the absurdities of writers, who frequently make their heroes act against nature, common-sense, and truth?

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

paradoxnounUS /ˈperədɑːks/

(logic) a statement that contradicts itself

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

ParodiesnounUS /ˈperədiz/

plural of “parody” — a composition that imitates or misrepresents somebody's style, usually in a humorous way

From this reading After all, it is the public, not we, who are the authors of these Parodies.”

ParodynounUS /ˈperədi/

a composition that imitates or misrepresents somebody's style, usually in a humorous way

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

PatrioticadjectiveUS /ˌpeɪtriˈɑːtɪk/

inspired by love for your country

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

piecenounUS /piːs/

a separate part of a whole

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

PoetsnounUS /ˈpoʊəts/

plural of “poet” — a writer of poems (the term is usually reserved for writers of good poetry)

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

publicnounUS /ˈpʌblɪk/

people in general considered as a whole

From this reading After all, it is the public, not we, who are the authors of these Parodies.”

ridiculenounUS /ˈrɪdəkjuːl/

language or behavior intended to mock or humiliate

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

RoyaladjectiveUS /ˈrɔɪəl/

of or relating to or indicative of or issued or performed by a king or queen or other monarch

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

SocietiesnounUS /səˈsaɪətiz/

plural of “society” — an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic organization

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

SongsnounUS /sɔːŋz/

plural of “song” — a short musical composition with words

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

strikeverbUS /straɪk/

deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading What do we parody but the absurdities of writers, who frequently make their heroes act against nature, common-sense, and truth?

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading After all, it is the public, not we, who are the authors of these Parodies.”

truthnounUS /truːθ/

a fact that has been verified

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

virtuenounUS /ˈvɝː.tʃuː/

Moral excellence and goodness of character; the highest human attainment in Stoic philosophy.

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

VOLUMEnounUS /ˈvɑːljuːm/

the amount of 3-dimensional space occupied by an object

From this reading VOLUME II.

WepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading What do we parody but the absurdities of writers, who frequently make their heroes act against nature, common-sense, and truth?

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

writersnounUS /ˈraɪtərz/

plural of “writer” — writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)

From this reading What do we parody but the absurdities of writers, who frequently make their heroes act against nature, common-sense, and truth?

Æsthetic

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

From this reading _Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Royal Historical Societies; Author of “A History of National Anthems and Patriotic Songs,” “A Memoir of George Cruikshank” “The Poets Laureate of England,” “The Æsthetic Movement in England,” etc._ “We maintain that, far from converting virtue into a paradox, and degrading truth by ridicule, Parody will only strike at what is chimerical and false; it is not a piece of buffoonery so much as a critical exposition.

Chapter 1 of Parodies of the works of English & American authors, vol. II by Walter [Compiler] Hamilton holds 339 sentences, grouped into 68 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 Parodies of the works of English & American authors, vol. II contain?

Chapter 1 holds 339 sentences of Parodies of the works of English & American authors, vol. II, unabridged, divided into 68 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Parodies of the works of English & American authors, vol. II by Walter [Compiler] Hamilton exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 339 sentences, grouped into 68 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 Parodies of the works of English & American authors, vol. II?

Work through the 68 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 68 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 Parodies of the works of English & American authors, vol. II

Common questions about reading Parodies of the works of English & American authors, vol. II by Walter [Compiler] Hamilton on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Parodies of the works of English & American authors, vol. II?

Yes. All 10851 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #70544 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Parodies of the works of English & American authors, vol. II is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #70544, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Parodies of the works of English & American authors, vol. II take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 2171 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Parodies of the works of English & American authors, vol. II section by section

How to work through Parodies of the works of English & American authors, vol. II section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 27 chapters of Parodies of the works of English & American authors, vol. II 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 Parodies of the works of English & American authors, vol. II

Words and structures a reader meets early in Parodies of the works of English & American authors, vol. II, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Fellow
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Parodies of the works of English & American authors, vol. II; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Royal
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Parodies of the works of English & American authors, vol. II; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Geographical
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Parodies of the works of English & American authors, vol. II; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Historical
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Parodies of the works of English & American authors, vol. II; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.