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Past and Present
Past and Present

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of Past and Present is here in full — 146 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/29 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.
He thinks that we have at once missed realising it, and come to need it so pressingly, by departing far from the inner eternal Laws and taking up with the temporary outer semblances of Laws.
He thinks that 'enlightened Egoism,' never so luminous, is not the rule by which man's life can be led.
That 'Laissez-faire,' 'Supply-and- demand,' 'Cash-payment for the sole nexus,' and so forth, were not, are not, and will never be, a practicable Law of Union for a Society of Men.
That Poor and Rich, that Governed and Governing, cannot long live together on any such Law of Union.
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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.

Past and Present

Chapter V · Chapter 5

Chapter 5 of Past and Present is here in full — 146 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/29 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.
Line 2
He thinks that we have at once missed realising it, and come to need it so pressingly, by departing far from the inner eternal Laws and taking up with the temporary outer semblances of Laws.
Line 3
He thinks that 'enlightened Egoism,' never so luminous, is not the rule by which man's life can be led.
/hiː θɪŋks ðæt ˌenˈlaɪtənd ˈiːɡoʊɪzəm ˈnevər soʊ ˈluːmənəs ɪz nɑːt ðə ruːl baɪ wɪtʃ mænz laɪf kæn biː led/
Line 4
That 'Laissez-faire,' 'Supply-and- demand,' 'Cash-payment for the sole nexus,' and so forth, were not, are not, and will never be, a practicable Law of Union for a Society of Men.
Line 5
That Poor and Rich, that Governed and Governing, cannot long live together on any such Law of Union.

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.

Egoism noun US /ˈiːɡoʊɪzəm/

(ethics) the theory that the pursuit of your own welfare in the basis of morality

From this reading “He thinks that 'enlightened Egoism,' never so luminous, is not the rule by which man's life can be led.”

Governed noun US /ˈɡʌvərnd/

the body of people who are citizens of a particular government

From this reading “That Poor and Rich, that Governed and Governing, cannot long live together on any such Law of Union.”

Governing adjective US /ˈɡʌvərnɪŋ/

responsible for making and enforcing rules and laws

From this reading “That Poor and Rich, that Governed and Governing, cannot long live together on any such Law of Union.”

healing noun US /ˈhiːlɪŋ/

the natural process by which the body repairs itself

From this reading “Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.”

nexus noun US /ˈneksəs/

the means of connection between things linked in series

From this reading “That 'Laissez-faire,' 'Supply-and- demand,' 'Cash-payment for the sole nexus,' and so forth, were not, are not, and will never be, a practicable Law of Union for a Society of Men.”

practicable adjective US /ˈpræktəkəbəl/

usable for a specific purpose

From this reading “That 'Laissez-faire,' 'Supply-and- demand,' 'Cash-payment for the sole nexus,' and so forth, were not, are not, and will never be, a practicable Law of Union for a Society of Men.”

realizing verb US /ˈriːəlaɪzɪŋ/

-ing form of “realize” — be fully aware or cognizant of

From this reading “Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.”

sanguine adjective US /ˈsæŋɡwɪn/

confidently optimistic and cheerful

From this reading “Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.”

All words in this reading · 95

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 Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading He thinks that we have at once missed realising it, and come to need it so pressingly, by departing far from the inner eternal Laws and taking up with the temporary outer semblances of Laws.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading That Poor and Rich, that Governed and Governing, cannot long live together on any such Law of Union.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading That 'Laissez-faire,' 'Supply-and- demand,' 'Cash-payment for the sole nexus,' and so forth, were not, are not, and will never be, a practicable Law of Union for a Society of Men.

AristocracynounUS /ˌerəˈstɑːkrəsi/

a privileged class holding hereditary titles

From this reading Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading He thinks that we have at once missed realising it, and come to need it so pressingly, by departing far from the inner eternal Laws and taking up with the temporary outer semblances of Laws.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading He thinks that 'enlightened Egoism,' never so luminous, is not the rule by which man's life can be led.

Bobus

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

From this reading Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading He thinks that we have at once missed realising it, and come to need it so pressingly, by departing far from the inner eternal Laws and taking up with the temporary outer semblances of Laws.

callsnounUS /kɔːlz/

plural of “call” — a telephone connection

From this reading Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading He thinks that 'enlightened Egoism,' never so luminous, is not the rule by which man's life can be led.

cannot

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

From this reading That Poor and Rich, that Governed and Governing, cannot long live together on any such Law of Union.

Cash-payment

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

From this reading That 'Laissez-faire,' 'Supply-and- demand,' 'Cash-payment for the sole nexus,' and so forth, were not, are not, and will never be, a practicable Law of Union for a Society of Men.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading He thinks that we have at once missed realising it, and come to need it so pressingly, by departing far from the inner eternal Laws and taking up with the temporary outer semblances of Laws.

demandnounUS /dɪˈmænd/

an urgent or peremptory request

From this reading That 'Laissez-faire,' 'Supply-and- demand,' 'Cash-payment for the sole nexus,' and so forth, were not, are not, and will never be, a practicable Law of Union for a Society of Men.

departingverbUS /dɪˈpɑːrtɪŋ/

-ing form of “depart” — move away from a place into another direction

From this reading He thinks that we have at once missed realising it, and come to need it so pressingly, by departing far from the inner eternal Laws and taking up with the temporary outer semblances of Laws.

EditornounUS /ˈedətər/

a person responsible for the editorial aspects of publication; the person who determines the final content of a text (especially of a newspaper or magazine)

From this reading Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.

EgoismnounUS /ˈiːɡoʊɪzəm/

(ethics) the theory that the pursuit of your own welfare in the basis of morality

From this reading He thinks that 'enlightened Egoism,' never so luminous, is not the rule by which man's life can be led.

enlightenedadjectiveUS /ˌenˈlaɪtənd/

having knowledge and spiritual insight

From this reading He thinks that 'enlightened Egoism,' never so luminous, is not the rule by which man's life can be led.

eternaladjectiveUS /ɪˈtɜːrnəl/

continuing forever or indefinitely

From this reading He thinks that we have at once missed realising it, and come to need it so pressingly, by departing far from the inner eternal Laws and taking up with the temporary outer semblances of Laws.

faradverbUS /fɑːr/

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading He thinks that we have at once missed realising it, and come to need it so pressingly, by departing far from the inner eternal Laws and taking up with the temporary outer semblances of Laws.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading That 'Laissez-faire,' 'Supply-and- demand,' 'Cash-payment for the sole nexus,' and so forth, were not, are not, and will never be, a practicable Law of Union for a Society of Men.

forthadverbUS /fɔːrθ/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading That 'Laissez-faire,' 'Supply-and- demand,' 'Cash-payment for the sole nexus,' and so forth, were not, are not, and will never be, a practicable Law of Union for a Society of Men.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading He thinks that we have at once missed realising it, and come to need it so pressingly, by departing far from the inner eternal Laws and taking up with the temporary outer semblances of Laws.

GovernednounUS /ˈɡʌvərnd/

the body of people who are citizens of a particular government

From this reading That Poor and Rich, that Governed and Governing, cannot long live together on any such Law of Union.

GoverningadjectiveUS /ˈɡʌvərnɪŋ/

responsible for making and enforcing rules and laws

From this reading That Poor and Rich, that Governed and Governing, cannot long live together on any such Law of Union.

GovernmentnounUS /ˈɡʌvərmənt/

the organization that is the governing authority of a political unit

From this reading Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading He thinks that we have at once missed realising it, and come to need it so pressingly, by departing far from the inner eternal Laws and taking up with the temporary outer semblances of Laws.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.

healingnounUS /ˈhiːlɪŋ/

the natural process by which the body repairs itself

From this reading Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.

Hero-Worshipverb

love unquestioningly and uncritically or to excess; venerate as an idol

From this reading Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.

inneradjectiveUS /ˈɪnər/

located inward

From this reading He thinks that we have at once missed realising it, and come to need it so pressingly, by departing far from the inner eternal Laws and taking up with the temporary outer semblances of Laws.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.

Laissez-faireadjective

with minimally restricted freedom in commerce

From this reading That 'Laissez-faire,' 'Supply-and- demand,' 'Cash-payment for the sole nexus,' and so forth, were not, are not, and will never be, a practicable Law of Union for a Society of Men.

LawnounUS /lɔː/

the collection of rules imposed by authority

From this reading That 'Laissez-faire,' 'Supply-and- demand,' 'Cash-payment for the sole nexus,' and so forth, were not, are not, and will never be, a practicable Law of Union for a Society of Men.

LawsnounUS /lɔːz/

the first of three divisions of the Hebrew Scriptures comprising the first five books of the Hebrew Bible considered as a unit

From this reading He thinks that we have at once missed realising it, and come to need it so pressingly, by departing far from the inner eternal Laws and taking up with the temporary outer semblances of Laws.

lednounUS /led/

diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used

From this reading He thinks that 'enlightened Egoism,' never so luminous, is not the rule by which man's life can be led.

lessadverbUS /les/

used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs

From this reading Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading He thinks that 'enlightened Egoism,' never so luminous, is not the rule by which man's life can be led.

liveverbUS /laɪv/

be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading That Poor and Rich, that Governed and Governing, cannot long live together on any such Law of Union.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading That Poor and Rich, that Governed and Governing, cannot long live together on any such Law of Union.

luminousadjectiveUS /ˈluːmənəs/

softly bright or radiant

From this reading He thinks that 'enlightened Egoism,' never so luminous, is not the rule by which man's life can be led.

man'snounUS /mænz/

possessive form of “man” — an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading He thinks that 'enlightened Egoism,' never so luminous, is not the rule by which man's life can be led.

meansnounUS /miːnz/

thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end

From this reading Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.

MennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading That 'Laissez-faire,' 'Supply-and- demand,' 'Cash-payment for the sole nexus,' and so forth, were not, are not, and will never be, a practicable Law of Union for a Society of Men.

missedadjectiveUS /mɪst/

not caught with the senses or the mind

From this reading He thinks that we have at once missed realising it, and come to need it so pressingly, by departing far from the inner eternal Laws and taking up with the temporary outer semblances of Laws.

neednounUS /niːd/

a condition requiring relief

From this reading He thinks that we have at once missed realising it, and come to need it so pressingly, by departing far from the inner eternal Laws and taking up with the temporary outer semblances of Laws.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading He thinks that 'enlightened Egoism,' never so luminous, is not the rule by which man's life can be led.

nexusnounUS /ˈneksəs/

the means of connection between things linked in series

From this reading That 'Laissez-faire,' 'Supply-and- demand,' 'Cash-payment for the sole nexus,' and so forth, were not, are not, and will never be, a practicable Law of Union for a Society of Men.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading That Poor and Rich, that Governed and Governing, cannot long live together on any such Law of Union.

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading He thinks that we have at once missed realising it, and come to need it so pressingly, by departing far from the inner eternal Laws and taking up with the temporary outer semblances of Laws.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.

outeradjectiveUS /ˈaʊtər/

being on the outside or further from a center

From this reading He thinks that we have at once missed realising it, and come to need it so pressingly, by departing far from the inner eternal Laws and taking up with the temporary outer semblances of Laws.

PooradjectiveUS /puːr/

deserving or inciting pity

From this reading That Poor and Rich, that Governed and Governing, cannot long live together on any such Law of Union.

practicableadjectiveUS /ˈpræktəkəbəl/

usable for a specific purpose

From this reading That 'Laissez-faire,' 'Supply-and- demand,' 'Cash-payment for the sole nexus,' and so forth, were not, are not, and will never be, a practicable Law of Union for a Society of Men.

presentverbUS /ˈprezənt/

give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.

pressinglyadverb

in a pressing manner

From this reading He thinks that we have at once missed realising it, and come to need it so pressingly, by departing far from the inner eternal Laws and taking up with the temporary outer semblances of Laws.

realising

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

From this reading He thinks that we have at once missed realising it, and come to need it so pressingly, by departing far from the inner eternal Laws and taking up with the temporary outer semblances of Laws.

realizingverbUS /ˈriːəlaɪzɪŋ/

-ing form of “realize” — be fully aware or cognizant of

From this reading Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.

remedynounUS /ˈremədi/

act of correcting an error or a fault or an evil

From this reading Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.

respectnounUS /rɪˈspekt/

(usually preceded by “in”) a detail or point

From this reading Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.

RichadjectiveUS /rɪtʃ/

possessing material wealth

From this reading That Poor and Rich, that Governed and Governing, cannot long live together on any such Law of Union.

rulenounUS /ruːl/

a principle or condition that customarily governs behavior

From this reading He thinks that 'enlightened Egoism,' never so luminous, is not the rule by which man's life can be led.

sanguineadjectiveUS /ˈsæŋɡwɪn/

confidently optimistic and cheerful

From this reading Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.

seemsverbUS /siːmz/

third-person singular of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.

semblances

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

From this reading He thinks that we have at once missed realising it, and come to need it so pressingly, by departing far from the inner eternal Laws and taking up with the temporary outer semblances of Laws.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.

SocietynounUS /səˈsaɪəti/

an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic organization

From this reading That 'Laissez-faire,' 'Supply-and- demand,' 'Cash-payment for the sole nexus,' and so forth, were not, are not, and will never be, a practicable Law of Union for a Society of Men.

solenounUS /soʊl/

the underside of footwear or a golf club

From this reading That 'Laissez-faire,' 'Supply-and- demand,' 'Cash-payment for the sole nexus,' and so forth, were not, are not, and will never be, a practicable Law of Union for a Society of Men.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading That Poor and Rich, that Governed and Governing, cannot long live together on any such Law of Union.

Supply-and

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

From this reading That 'Laissez-faire,' 'Supply-and- demand,' 'Cash-payment for the sole nexus,' and so forth, were not, are not, and will never be, a practicable Law of Union for a Society of Men.

takingnounUS /ˈteɪkɪŋ/

the act of someone who picks up or takes something

From this reading He thinks that we have at once missed realising it, and come to need it so pressingly, by departing far from the inner eternal Laws and taking up with the temporary outer semblances of Laws.

TalentnounUS /ˈtælənt/

natural abilities or qualities

From this reading Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.

temporaryadjectiveUS /ˈtempəreri/

not permanent; not lasting

From this reading He thinks that we have at once missed realising it, and come to need it so pressingly, by departing far from the inner eternal Laws and taking up with the temporary outer semblances of Laws.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading He thinks that we have at once missed realising it, and come to need it so pressingly, by departing far from the inner eternal Laws and taking up with the temporary outer semblances of Laws.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.

thinksnounUS /θɪŋks/

plural of “think” — an instance of deliberate thinking

From this reading He thinks that we have at once missed realising it, and come to need it so pressingly, by departing far from the inner eternal Laws and taking up with the temporary outer semblances of Laws.

ToparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.

togetheradverbUS /təˈɡeðər/

in contact with each other or in proximity

From this reading That Poor and Rich, that Governed and Governing, cannot long live together on any such Law of Union.

UnionnounUS /ˈjuːnjən/

an organization of employees formed to bargain with the employer

From this reading That 'Laissez-faire,' 'Supply-and- demand,' 'Cash-payment for the sole nexus,' and so forth, were not, are not, and will never be, a practicable Law of Union for a Society of Men.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading He thinks that we have at once missed realising it, and come to need it so pressingly, by departing far from the inner eternal Laws and taking up with the temporary outer semblances of Laws.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading He thinks that we have at once missed realising it, and come to need it so pressingly, by departing far from the inner eternal Laws and taking up with the temporary outer semblances of Laws.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading That 'Laissez-faire,' 'Supply-and- demand,' 'Cash-payment for the sole nexus,' and so forth, were not, are not, and will never be, a practicable Law of Union for a Society of Men.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading He thinks that 'enlightened Egoism,' never so luminous, is not the rule by which man's life can be led.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading That 'Laissez-faire,' 'Supply-and- demand,' 'Cash-payment for the sole nexus,' and so forth, were not, are not, and will never be, a practicable Law of Union for a Society of Men.

WisestadjectiveUS /ˈwaɪzəst/

superlative of “wise” — having or prompted by wisdom or discernment

From this reading Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Hero-Worship To the present Editor, not less than to Bobus, a Government of the Wisest, what Bobus calls an Aristocracy of Talent, seems the one healing remedy: but he is not so sanguine as Bobus with respect to the means of realizing it.

Chapter 5 of Past and Present by Thomas Carlyle holds 146 sentences, grouped into 30 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 5 of Past and Present contain?

Chapter 5 holds 146 sentences of Past and Present, unabridged, divided into 30 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 5 of Past and Present by Thomas Carlyle exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 146 sentences, grouped into 30 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 5 of Past and Present?

Work through the 30 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 30 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 5 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 5 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 Past and Present

Common questions about reading Past and Present by Thomas Carlyle on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Past and Present?

Yes. All 4084 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #13534 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Past and Present is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #13534, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Past and Present take to read?

About 340 minutes of reading across 817 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Past and Present section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of Past and Present 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 Past and Present

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

Example
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Past and Present; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Other
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Past and Present; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Fable
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Past and Present; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Sphinx
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Past and Present; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.