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Past and Present
Past and Present

Chapter XXXIV · Chapter 34

Chapter 34 of Past and Present is here in full — 156 sentences across 32 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/31 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Aristocracies To predict the Future, to manage the Present, would not be so impossible, had not the Past been so sacrilegiously mishandled; effaced, and what is worse, defaced!
The Past cannot be seen; the Past, looked at through the medium of 'Philosophical History' in these times, cannot even be _not_ seen: it is misseen; affirmed to have existed,--and to have been a godless Impossibility.
Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!
"Enthusiasm," and even "honest Enthusiasm,"--yes, of course:
'The Dog, to gain his private ends, _Went_ mad, and bit the Man!'-- For in truth, the eye sees in all things 'what it brought with it the means of seeing.'
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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 XXXIV · Chapter 34

Chapter 34 of Past and Present is here in full — 156 sentences across 32 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/31 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Aristocracies To predict the Future, to manage the Present, would not be so impossible, had not the Past been so sacrilegiously mishandled; effaced, and what is worse, defaced!
Line 2
The Past cannot be seen; the Past, looked at through the medium of 'Philosophical History' in these times, cannot even be _not_ seen: it is misseen; affirmed to have existed,--and to have been a godless Impossibility.
Line 3
Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!
Line 4
"Enthusiasm," and even "honest Enthusiasm,"--yes, of course:
Line 5
'The Dog, to gain his private ends, _Went_ mad, and bit the Man!'-- For in truth, the eye sees in all things 'what it brought with it the means of seeing.'
/ðə dɔːɡ tuː ɡeɪn hɪz ˈpraɪvət endz went mæd ənd bɪt ðə mæn fɔːr ɪn truːθ ðə aɪ siːz ɪn ɔːl θɪŋz wʌt ɪt brɔːt wɪð ɪt ðə miːnz ʌv ˈsiːɪŋ/

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.

Becket noun US /ˈbekət/

(Roman Catholic Church) archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 to 1170; murdered following his opposition to Henry II's attempts to control the clergy (1118-1170)

From this reading “Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!”

Conquerors noun US /ˈkɑːŋkərərz/

plural of “conqueror” — someone who is victorious by force of arms

From this reading “Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!”

defaced verb US /dɪˈfeɪst/

past form of “deface” — mar or spoil the appearance of

From this reading “Aristocracies To predict the Future, to manage the Present, would not be so impossible, had not the Past been so sacrilegiously mishandled; effaced, and what is worse, defaced!”

godless adjective US /ˈɡɑːdləs/

not revering god

From this reading “The Past cannot be seen; the Past, looked at through the medium of 'Philosophical History' in these times, cannot even be _not_ seen: it is misseen; affirmed to have existed,--and to have been a godless Impossibility.”

irrational adjective US /ˌɪˈræʃənəl/

not consistent with or using reason

From this reading “Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!”

mishandled verb US /mɪsˈhændəld/

past form of “mishandle” — make a mess of, destroy or ruin

From this reading “Aristocracies To predict the Future, to manage the Present, would not be so impossible, had not the Past been so sacrilegiously mishandled; effaced, and what is worse, defaced!”

predict verb US /prɪˈdɪkt/

make a prediction about; tell in advance

From this reading “Aristocracies To predict the Future, to manage the Present, would not be so impossible, had not the Past been so sacrilegiously mishandled; effaced, and what is worse, defaced!”

spilt verb US /spɪlt/

inflected form of “spill” — cause or allow (a liquid substance) to run or flow from a container

From this reading “Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!”

All words in this reading · 99

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 The Past cannot be seen; the Past, looked at through the medium of 'Philosophical History' in these times, cannot even be _not_ seen: it is misseen; affirmed to have existed,--and to have been a godless Impossibility.

affirmednounUS /əˈfɜːrmd/

thoroughbred that won the triple crown in 1978

From this reading The Past cannot be seen; the Past, looked at through the medium of 'Philosophical History' in these times, cannot even be _not_ seen: it is misseen; affirmed to have existed,--and to have been a godless Impossibility.

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 'The Dog, to gain his private ends, _Went_ mad, and bit the Man!'-- For in truth, the eye sees in all things 'what it brought with it the means of seeing.'

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Aristocracies To predict the Future, to manage the Present, would not be so impossible, had not the Past been so sacrilegiously mishandled; effaced, and what is worse, defaced!

Aristocracies

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

From this reading Aristocracies To predict the Future, to manage the Present, would not be so impossible, had not the Past been so sacrilegiously mishandled; effaced, and what is worse, defaced!

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The Past cannot be seen; the Past, looked at through the medium of 'Philosophical History' in these times, cannot even be _not_ seen: it is misseen; affirmed to have existed,--and to have been a godless Impossibility.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Aristocracies To predict the Future, to manage the Present, would not be so impossible, had not the Past been so sacrilegiously mishandled; effaced, and what is worse, defaced!

BecketnounUS /ˈbekət/

(Roman Catholic Church) archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 to 1170; murdered following his opposition to Henry II's attempts to control the clergy (1118-1170)

From this reading Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Aristocracies To predict the Future, to manage the Present, would not be so impossible, had not the Past been so sacrilegiously mishandled; effaced, and what is worse, defaced!

bitnounUS /bɪt/

a small piece or quantity of something

From this reading 'The Dog, to gain his private ends, _Went_ mad, and bit the Man!'-- For in truth, the eye sees in all things 'what it brought with it the means of seeing.'

brainsnounUS /breɪnz/

plural of “brain” — that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord

From this reading Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!

broughtverbUS /brɔːt/

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading 'The Dog, to gain his private ends, _Went_ mad, and bit the Man!'-- For in truth, the eye sees in all things 'what it brought with it the means of seeing.'

cannot

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

From this reading The Past cannot be seen; the Past, looked at through the medium of 'Philosophical History' in these times, cannot even be _not_ seen: it is misseen; affirmed to have existed,--and to have been a godless Impossibility.

CanterburynounUS /ˈkæntərberi/

a town in Kent in southeastern England; site of the cathedral where Thomas a Becket was martyred in 1170; seat of the archbishop and primate of the Anglican Church

From this reading Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!

CathedralnounUS /kəˈθiːdrəl/

any large and important church

From this reading Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!

chancenounUS /tʃæns/

a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances

From this reading Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!

ConquerorsnounUS /ˈkɑːŋkərərz/

plural of “conqueror” — someone who is victorious by force of arms

From this reading Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!

coursenounUS /kɔːrs/

education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings

From this reading "Enthusiasm," and even "honest Enthusiasm,"--yes, of course:

crownedadjectiveUS /kraʊnd/

having an (artificial) crown on a tooth

From this reading Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!

defacedverbUS /dɪˈfeɪst/

past form of “deface” — mar or spoil the appearance of

From this reading Aristocracies To predict the Future, to manage the Present, would not be so impossible, had not the Past been so sacrilegiously mishandled; effaced, and what is worse, defaced!

DognounUS /dɔːɡ/

a member of the genus Canis (probably descended from the common wolf) that has been domesticated by man since prehistoric times; occurs in many breeds

From this reading 'The Dog, to gain his private ends, _Went_ mad, and bit the Man!'-- For in truth, the eye sees in all things 'what it brought with it the means of seeing.'

effaced

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

From this reading Aristocracies To predict the Future, to manage the Present, would not be so impossible, had not the Past been so sacrilegiously mishandled; effaced, and what is worse, defaced!

egoistnoun

a conceited and self-centered person

From this reading Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!

endsnounUS /endz/

plural of “end” — either extremity of something that has length

From this reading 'The Dog, to gain his private ends, _Went_ mad, and bit the Man!'-- For in truth, the eye sees in all things 'what it brought with it the means of seeing.'

EnthusiasmnounUS /ɪnˈθuːziæzəm/

a feeling of excitement

From this reading "Enthusiasm," and even "honest Enthusiasm,"--yes, of course:

evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading The Past cannot be seen; the Past, looked at through the medium of 'Philosophical History' in these times, cannot even be _not_ seen: it is misseen; affirmed to have existed,--and to have been a godless Impossibility.

existedverbUS /ɪɡˈzɪstəd/

past form of “exist” — have an existence, be extant

From this reading The Past cannot be seen; the Past, looked at through the medium of 'Philosophical History' in these times, cannot even be _not_ seen: it is misseen; affirmed to have existed,--and to have been a godless Impossibility.

eyenounUS /aɪ/

the organ of sight

From this reading 'The Dog, to gain his private ends, _Went_ mad, and bit the Man!'-- For in truth, the eye sees in all things 'what it brought with it the means of seeing.'

floornounUS /flɔːr/

the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)

From this reading Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!

ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading 'The Dog, to gain his private ends, _Went_ mad, and bit the Man!'-- For in truth, the eye sees in all things 'what it brought with it the means of seeing.'

FutureadjectiveUS /ˈfjuːtʃər/

yet to be or coming

From this reading Aristocracies To predict the Future, to manage the Present, would not be so impossible, had not the Past been so sacrilegiously mishandled; effaced, and what is worse, defaced!

gainverbUS /ɡeɪn/

obtain

From this reading 'The Dog, to gain his private ends, _Went_ mad, and bit the Man!'-- For in truth, the eye sees in all things 'what it brought with it the means of seeing.'

gettingnounUS /ˈɡetɪŋ/

the act of acquiring something

From this reading Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!

godlessadjectiveUS /ˈɡɑːdləs/

not revering god

From this reading The Past cannot be seen; the Past, looked at through the medium of 'Philosophical History' in these times, cannot even be _not_ seen: it is misseen; affirmed to have existed,--and to have been a godless Impossibility.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Aristocracies To predict the Future, to manage the Present, would not be so impossible, had not the Past been so sacrilegiously mishandled; effaced, and what is worse, defaced!

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading The Past cannot be seen; the Past, looked at through the medium of 'Philosophical History' in these times, cannot even be _not_ seen: it is misseen; affirmed to have existed,--and to have been a godless Impossibility.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!

HistorynounUS /ˈhɪstəri/

the aggregate of past events

From this reading The Past cannot be seen; the Past, looked at through the medium of 'Philosophical History' in these times, cannot even be _not_ seen: it is misseen; affirmed to have existed,--and to have been a godless Impossibility.

honestadjectiveUS /ˈɑːnəst/

not disposed to cheat or defraud; not deceptive or fraudulent

From this reading "Enthusiasm," and even "honest Enthusiasm,"--yes, of course:

how

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

From this reading Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!

hypocritenounUS /ˈhɪpəkrɪt/

a person who professes beliefs and opinions that he or she does not hold in order to conceal his or her real feelings or motives

From this reading Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!

ImpossibilitynounUS /ˌɪmpɔːsɪˈbɪlɪti/

incapability of existing or occurring

From this reading The Past cannot be seen; the Past, looked at through the medium of 'Philosophical History' in these times, cannot even be _not_ seen: it is misseen; affirmed to have existed,--and to have been a godless Impossibility.

impossibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpɑːsəbəl/

not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with

From this reading Aristocracies To predict the Future, to manage the Present, would not be so impossible, had not the Past been so sacrilegiously mishandled; effaced, and what is worse, defaced!

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The Past cannot be seen; the Past, looked at through the medium of 'Philosophical History' in these times, cannot even be _not_ seen: it is misseen; affirmed to have existed,--and to have been a godless Impossibility.

irrationaladjectiveUS /ˌɪˈræʃənəl/

not consistent with or using reason

From this reading Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Aristocracies To predict the Future, to manage the Present, would not be so impossible, had not the Past been so sacrilegiously mishandled; effaced, and what is worse, defaced!

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading The Past cannot be seen; the Past, looked at through the medium of 'Philosophical History' in these times, cannot even be _not_ seen: it is misseen; affirmed to have existed,--and to have been a godless Impossibility.

kingsnounUS /kɪŋz/

plural of “king” — a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom

From this reading Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!

lookedverbUS /lʊkt/

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading The Past cannot be seen; the Past, looked at through the medium of 'Philosophical History' in these times, cannot even be _not_ seen: it is misseen; affirmed to have existed,--and to have been a godless Impossibility.

madadjectiveUS /mæd/

roused to anger

From this reading 'The Dog, to gain his private ends, _Went_ mad, and bit the Man!'-- For in truth, the eye sees in all things 'what it brought with it the means of seeing.'

mainadjectiveUS /meɪn/

most important element

From this reading Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!

MannounUS /mæn/

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

From this reading 'The Dog, to gain his private ends, _Went_ mad, and bit the Man!'-- For in truth, the eye sees in all things 'what it brought with it the means of seeing.'

manageverbUS /ˈmænədʒ/

be successful; achieve a goal

From this reading Aristocracies To predict the Future, to manage the Present, would not be so impossible, had not the Past been so sacrilegiously mishandled; effaced, and what is worse, defaced!

meansnounUS /miːnz/

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

From this reading 'The Dog, to gain his private ends, _Went_ mad, and bit the Man!'-- For in truth, the eye sees in all things 'what it brought with it the means of seeing.'

mediumnounUS /ˈmiːdiəm/

a means or instrumentality for storing or communicating information

From this reading The Past cannot be seen; the Past, looked at through the medium of 'Philosophical History' in these times, cannot even be _not_ seen: it is misseen; affirmed to have existed,--and to have been a godless Impossibility.

mishandledverbUS /mɪsˈhændəld/

past form of “mishandle” — make a mess of, destroy or ruin

From this reading Aristocracies To predict the Future, to manage the Present, would not be so impossible, had not the Past been so sacrilegiously mishandled; effaced, and what is worse, defaced!

misseen

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

From this reading The Past cannot be seen; the Past, looked at through the medium of 'Philosophical History' in these times, cannot even be _not_ seen: it is misseen; affirmed to have existed,--and to have been a godless Impossibility.

noisyadjectiveUS /ˈnɔɪzi/

full of or characterized by loud and nonmusical sounds

From this reading Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!

NormannounUS /ˈnɔːrmən/

United States operatic soprano (born in 1945)

From this reading Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Aristocracies To predict the Future, to manage the Present, would not be so impossible, had not the Past been so sacrilegiously mishandled; effaced, and what is worse, defaced!

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The Past cannot be seen; the Past, looked at through the medium of 'Philosophical History' in these times, cannot even be _not_ seen: it is misseen; affirmed to have existed,--and to have been a godless Impossibility.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!

PastnounUS /pæst/

the time that has elapsed

From this reading Aristocracies To predict the Future, to manage the Present, would not be so impossible, had not the Past been so sacrilegiously mishandled; effaced, and what is worse, defaced!

PhilosophicaladjectiveUS /ˌfɪləˈsɑːfɪkəl/

of or relating to philosophy or philosophers

From this reading The Past cannot be seen; the Past, looked at through the medium of 'Philosophical History' in these times, cannot even be _not_ seen: it is misseen; affirmed to have existed,--and to have been a godless Impossibility.

predictverbUS /prɪˈdɪkt/

make a prediction about; tell in advance

From this reading Aristocracies To predict the Future, to manage the Present, would not be so impossible, had not the Past been so sacrilegiously mishandled; effaced, and what is worse, defaced!

PresentverbUS /ˈprezənt/

give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading Aristocracies To predict the Future, to manage the Present, would not be so impossible, had not the Past been so sacrilegiously mishandled; effaced, and what is worse, defaced!

privateadjectiveUS /ˈpraɪvət/

confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy

From this reading 'The Dog, to gain his private ends, _Went_ mad, and bit the Man!'-- For in truth, the eye sees in all things 'what it brought with it the means of seeing.'

royaladjectiveUS /ˈrɔɪəl/

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

From this reading Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!

sacrilegiouslyadverb

in a sacrilegious manner

From this reading Aristocracies To predict the Future, to manage the Present, would not be so impossible, had not the Past been so sacrilegiously mishandled; effaced, and what is worse, defaced!

secureverbUS /sɪˈkjʊr/

get by special effort

From this reading Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!

seeingnounUS /ˈsiːɪŋ/

perception by means of the eyes

From this reading 'The Dog, to gain his private ends, _Went_ mad, and bit the Man!'-- For in truth, the eye sees in all things 'what it brought with it the means of seeing.'

seenverbUS /siːn/

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading The Past cannot be seen; the Past, looked at through the medium of 'Philosophical History' in these times, cannot even be _not_ seen: it is misseen; affirmed to have existed,--and to have been a godless Impossibility.

seesnounUS /siːz/

plural of “see” — the seat within a bishop's diocese where his cathedral is located

From this reading 'The Dog, to gain his private ends, _Went_ mad, and bit the Man!'-- For in truth, the eye sees in all things 'what it brought with it the means of seeing.'

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Aristocracies To predict the Future, to manage the Present, would not be so impossible, had not the Past been so sacrilegiously mishandled; effaced, and what is worse, defaced!

somewhatadverbUS /ˈsʌmˈwʌt/

to a small degree or extent

From this reading Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!

soulsnounUS /soʊlz/

plural of “soul” — the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life

From this reading Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!

spiltverbUS /spɪlt/

inflected form of “spill” — cause or allow (a liquid substance) to run or flow from a container

From this reading Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Aristocracies To predict the Future, to manage the Present, would not be so impossible, had not the Past been so sacrilegiously mishandled; effaced, and what is worse, defaced!

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

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

From this reading The Past cannot be seen; the Past, looked at through the medium of 'Philosophical History' in these times, cannot even be _not_ seen: it is misseen; affirmed to have existed,--and to have been a godless Impossibility.

thingsnounUS /θɪŋz/

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading 'The Dog, to gain his private ends, _Went_ mad, and bit the Man!'-- For in truth, the eye sees in all things 'what it brought with it the means of seeing.'

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading The Past cannot be seen; the Past, looked at through the medium of 'Philosophical History' in these times, cannot even be _not_ seen: it is misseen; affirmed to have existed,--and to have been a godless Impossibility.

timesnounUS /taɪmz/

a more or less definite period of time now or previously present

From this reading The Past cannot be seen; the Past, looked at through the medium of 'Philosophical History' in these times, cannot even be _not_ seen: it is misseen; affirmed to have existed,--and to have been a godless Impossibility.

ToparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Aristocracies To predict the Future, to manage the Present, would not be so impossible, had not the Past been so sacrilegiously mishandled; effaced, and what is worse, defaced!

trueadjectiveUS /truː/

consistent with fact or reality; not false

From this reading Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!

truthnounUS /truːθ/

a fact that has been verified

From this reading 'The Dog, to gain his private ends, _Went_ mad, and bit the Man!'-- For in truth, the eye sees in all things 'what it brought with it the means of seeing.'

tyrantsnounUS /ˈtaɪrənts/

plural of “tyrant” — a cruel and oppressive dictator

From this reading Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!

uncertainadjectiveUS /ənˈsɜːrtən/

lacking or indicating lack of confidence or assurance

From this reading Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!

vulturousadjective

living by preying on other animals especially by catching living prey

From this reading Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!

WentverbUS /went/

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading 'The Dog, to gain his private ends, _Went_ mad, and bit the Man!'-- For in truth, the eye sees in all things 'what it brought with it the means of seeing.'

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading Aristocracies To predict the Future, to manage the Present, would not be so impossible, had not the Past been so sacrilegiously mishandled; effaced, and what is worse, defaced!

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading 'The Dog, to gain his private ends, _Went_ mad, and bit the Man!'-- For in truth, the eye sees in all things 'what it brought with it the means of seeing.'

worseadjectiveUS /wɜːrs/

(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability

From this reading Aristocracies To predict the Future, to manage the Present, would not be so impossible, had not the Past been so sacrilegiously mishandled; effaced, and what is worse, defaced!

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading Aristocracies To predict the Future, to manage the Present, would not be so impossible, had not the Past been so sacrilegiously mishandled; effaced, and what is worse, defaced!

yesnounUS /jes/

an affirmative

From this reading "Enthusiasm," and even "honest Enthusiasm,"--yes, of course:

YourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Your Norman Conquerors, true royal souls, crowned kings as such, were vulturous irrational tyrants: your Becket was a noisy egoist and hypocrite; getting his brains spilt on the floor of Canterbury Cathedral, to secure the main chance,-- somewhat uncertain how!

Chapter 34 of Past and Present by Thomas Carlyle holds 156 sentences, grouped into 32 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 34 of Past and Present contain?

Chapter 34 holds 156 sentences of Past and Present, unabridged, divided into 32 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 34 of Past and Present by Thomas Carlyle exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 156 sentences, grouped into 32 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 34 of Past and Present?

Work through the 32 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 32 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 34 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 34 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.