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Past and Present
Past and Present

Chapter XXXIX · Chapter 39

Chapter 39 of Past and Present is here in full — 83 sentences across 17 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/16 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The Gifted Yes, in what tumultuous huge anarchy soever a Noble human Principle may dwell and strive, such tumult is in the way of being calmed into a fruitful sovereignty.
It is inevitable.
No Chaos can continue chaotic with a soul in it.
Besouled with earnest human Nobleness, did not slaughter, violence and fire- eyed fury, grow into a Chivalry; into a blessed Loyalty of Governor and Governed?
And in Work, which is of itself noble, and the only true fighting, there shall be no such possibility?
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Past and Present

Chapter XXXIX · Chapter 39

Chapter 39 of Past and Present is here in full — 83 sentences across 17 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/16 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The Gifted Yes, in what tumultuous huge anarchy soever a Noble human Principle may dwell and strive, such tumult is in the way of being calmed into a fruitful sovereignty.
Line 2
It is inevitable.
/ɪt ɪz ˌɪˈnevətəbəl/
Line 3
No Chaos can continue chaotic with a soul in it.
/noʊ ˈkeɪɑːs kæn kənˈtɪnjuː keɪˈɑːtɪk wɪð ə soʊl ɪn ɪt/
Line 4
Besouled with earnest human Nobleness, did not slaughter, violence and fire- eyed fury, grow into a Chivalry; into a blessed Loyalty of Governor and Governed?
Line 5
And in Work, which is of itself noble, and the only true fighting, there shall be no such possibility?
/ənd ɪn wɜːrk wɪtʃ ɪz ʌv ˌɪtˈself ˈnoʊbəl ənd ðə ˈoʊnli truː ˈfaɪtɪŋ ðer ʃæl biː noʊ sʌtʃ ˌpɑːsəˈbɪlətiː/

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.

anarchy noun US /ˈænərkiː/

a state of lawlessness and disorder (usually resulting from a failure of government)

From this reading “The Gifted Yes, in what tumultuous huge anarchy soever a Noble human Principle may dwell and strive, such tumult is in the way of being calmed into a fruitful sovereignty.”

calmed verb US /kɑːmd/

past form of “calm” — make calm or still

From this reading “The Gifted Yes, in what tumultuous huge anarchy soever a Noble human Principle may dwell and strive, such tumult is in the way of being calmed into a fruitful sovereignty.”

Chaos noun US /ˈkeɪɑːs/

a state of extreme confusion and disorder

From this reading “No Chaos can continue chaotic with a soul in it.”

chaotic adjective US /keɪˈɑːtɪk/

lacking a visible order or organization

From this reading “No Chaos can continue chaotic with a soul in it.”

fruitful adjective US /ˈfruːtfəl/

productive or conducive to producing in abundance

From this reading “The Gifted Yes, in what tumultuous huge anarchy soever a Noble human Principle may dwell and strive, such tumult is in the way of being calmed into a fruitful sovereignty.”

Governed noun US /ˈɡʌvərnd/

the body of people who are citizens of a particular government

From this reading “Besouled with earnest human Nobleness, did not slaughter, violence and fire- eyed fury, grow into a Chivalry; into a blessed Loyalty of Governor and Governed?”

sovereignty noun US /ˈsɑːvrənti/

government free from external control

From this reading “The Gifted Yes, in what tumultuous huge anarchy soever a Noble human Principle may dwell and strive, such tumult is in the way of being calmed into a fruitful sovereignty.”

tumultuous adjective US /ˌtuːˈmʌltʃuːəs/

characterized by unrest or disorder or insubordination

From this reading “The Gifted Yes, in what tumultuous huge anarchy soever a Noble human Principle may dwell and strive, such tumult is in the way of being calmed into a fruitful sovereignty.”

All words in this reading · 62

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 Gifted Yes, in what tumultuous huge anarchy soever a Noble human Principle may dwell and strive, such tumult is in the way of being calmed into a fruitful sovereignty.

anarchynounUS /ˈænərkiː/

a state of lawlessness and disorder (usually resulting from a failure of government)

From this reading The Gifted Yes, in what tumultuous huge anarchy soever a Noble human Principle may dwell and strive, such tumult is in the way of being calmed into a fruitful sovereignty.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The Gifted Yes, in what tumultuous huge anarchy soever a Noble human Principle may dwell and strive, such tumult is in the way of being calmed into a fruitful sovereignty.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading And in Work, which is of itself noble, and the only true fighting, there shall be no such possibility?

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading The Gifted Yes, in what tumultuous huge anarchy soever a Noble human Principle may dwell and strive, such tumult is in the way of being calmed into a fruitful sovereignty.

Besouled

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

From this reading Besouled with earnest human Nobleness, did not slaughter, violence and fire- eyed fury, grow into a Chivalry; into a blessed Loyalty of Governor and Governed?

blessedadjectiveUS /blest/

highly favored or fortunate (as e.g. by divine grace)

From this reading Besouled with earnest human Nobleness, did not slaughter, violence and fire- eyed fury, grow into a Chivalry; into a blessed Loyalty of Governor and Governed?

calmedverbUS /kɑːmd/

past form of “calm” — make calm or still

From this reading The Gifted Yes, in what tumultuous huge anarchy soever a Noble human Principle may dwell and strive, such tumult is in the way of being calmed into a fruitful sovereignty.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading No Chaos can continue chaotic with a soul in it.

ChaosnounUS /ˈkeɪɑːs/

a state of extreme confusion and disorder

From this reading No Chaos can continue chaotic with a soul in it.

chaoticadjectiveUS /keɪˈɑːtɪk/

lacking a visible order or organization

From this reading No Chaos can continue chaotic with a soul in it.

ChivalrynounUS /ˈʃɪvəlri/

courtesy towards women

From this reading Besouled with earnest human Nobleness, did not slaughter, violence and fire- eyed fury, grow into a Chivalry; into a blessed Loyalty of Governor and Governed?

continueverbUS /kənˈtɪnjuː/

continue a certain state, condition, or activity

From this reading No Chaos can continue chaotic with a soul in it.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading Besouled with earnest human Nobleness, did not slaughter, violence and fire- eyed fury, grow into a Chivalry; into a blessed Loyalty of Governor and Governed?

dwellverbUS /dwel/

think moodily or anxiously about something

From this reading The Gifted Yes, in what tumultuous huge anarchy soever a Noble human Principle may dwell and strive, such tumult is in the way of being calmed into a fruitful sovereignty.

earnestadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrnɪst/

characterized by a firm and humorless belief in the validity of your opinions

From this reading Besouled with earnest human Nobleness, did not slaughter, violence and fire- eyed fury, grow into a Chivalry; into a blessed Loyalty of Governor and Governed?

eyedadjectiveUS /aɪd/

having an eye or eyes or eyelike feature especially as specified; often used in combination

From this reading Besouled with earnest human Nobleness, did not slaughter, violence and fire- eyed fury, grow into a Chivalry; into a blessed Loyalty of Governor and Governed?

fightingnounUS /ˈfaɪtɪŋ/

the act of fighting; any contest or struggle

From this reading And in Work, which is of itself noble, and the only true fighting, there shall be no such possibility?

fireverbUS /ˈfaɪər/

start firing a weapon

From this reading Besouled with earnest human Nobleness, did not slaughter, violence and fire- eyed fury, grow into a Chivalry; into a blessed Loyalty of Governor and Governed?

fruitfuladjectiveUS /ˈfruːtfəl/

productive or conducive to producing in abundance

From this reading The Gifted Yes, in what tumultuous huge anarchy soever a Noble human Principle may dwell and strive, such tumult is in the way of being calmed into a fruitful sovereignty.

furynounUS /ˈfjʊri/

a feeling of intense anger

From this reading Besouled with earnest human Nobleness, did not slaughter, violence and fire- eyed fury, grow into a Chivalry; into a blessed Loyalty of Governor and Governed?

GiftedadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪftəd/

endowed with talent or talents

From this reading The Gifted Yes, in what tumultuous huge anarchy soever a Noble human Principle may dwell and strive, such tumult is in the way of being calmed into a fruitful sovereignty.

GovernednounUS /ˈɡʌvərnd/

the body of people who are citizens of a particular government

From this reading Besouled with earnest human Nobleness, did not slaughter, violence and fire- eyed fury, grow into a Chivalry; into a blessed Loyalty of Governor and Governed?

GovernornounUS /ˈɡʌvərnər/

the head of a state government

From this reading Besouled with earnest human Nobleness, did not slaughter, violence and fire- eyed fury, grow into a Chivalry; into a blessed Loyalty of Governor and Governed?

growverbUS /ɡroʊ/

pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

From this reading Besouled with earnest human Nobleness, did not slaughter, violence and fire- eyed fury, grow into a Chivalry; into a blessed Loyalty of Governor and Governed?

hugeadjectiveUS /hjuːdʒ/

unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope

From this reading The Gifted Yes, in what tumultuous huge anarchy soever a Noble human Principle may dwell and strive, such tumult is in the way of being calmed into a fruitful sovereignty.

humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/

characteristic of humanity

From this reading The Gifted Yes, in what tumultuous huge anarchy soever a Noble human Principle may dwell and strive, such tumult is in the way of being calmed into a fruitful sovereignty.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The Gifted Yes, in what tumultuous huge anarchy soever a Noble human Principle may dwell and strive, such tumult is in the way of being calmed into a fruitful sovereignty.

inevitableadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈnevətəbəl/

incapable of being avoided or prevented

From this reading It is inevitable.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading The Gifted Yes, in what tumultuous huge anarchy soever a Noble human Principle may dwell and strive, such tumult is in the way of being calmed into a fruitful sovereignty.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading The Gifted Yes, in what tumultuous huge anarchy soever a Noble human Principle may dwell and strive, such tumult is in the way of being calmed into a fruitful sovereignty.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It is inevitable.

itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading And in Work, which is of itself noble, and the only true fighting, there shall be no such possibility?

LoyaltynounUS /ˈlɔɪəlti/

the quality of being loyal

From this reading Besouled with earnest human Nobleness, did not slaughter, violence and fire- eyed fury, grow into a Chivalry; into a blessed Loyalty of Governor and Governed?

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading The Gifted Yes, in what tumultuous huge anarchy soever a Noble human Principle may dwell and strive, such tumult is in the way of being calmed into a fruitful sovereignty.

NodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading No Chaos can continue chaotic with a soul in it.

NobleadjectiveUS /ˈnoʊbəl/

impressive in appearance

From this reading The Gifted Yes, in what tumultuous huge anarchy soever a Noble human Principle may dwell and strive, such tumult is in the way of being calmed into a fruitful sovereignty.

Noblenessnoun

the quality of elevation of mind and exaltation of character or ideals or conduct

From this reading Besouled with earnest human Nobleness, did not slaughter, violence and fire- eyed fury, grow into a Chivalry; into a blessed Loyalty of Governor and Governed?

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Besouled with earnest human Nobleness, did not slaughter, violence and fire- eyed fury, grow into a Chivalry; into a blessed Loyalty of Governor and Governed?

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The Gifted Yes, in what tumultuous huge anarchy soever a Noble human Principle may dwell and strive, such tumult is in the way of being calmed into a fruitful sovereignty.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading And in Work, which is of itself noble, and the only true fighting, there shall be no such possibility?

possibilitynounUS /ˌpɑːsəˈbɪlətiː/

a future prospect or potential

From this reading And in Work, which is of itself noble, and the only true fighting, there shall be no such possibility?

PrinciplenounUS /ˈprɪnsəpəl/

a basic generalization that is accepted as true and that can be used as a basis for reasoning or conduct

From this reading The Gifted Yes, in what tumultuous huge anarchy soever a Noble human Principle may dwell and strive, such tumult is in the way of being calmed into a fruitful sovereignty.

shallmodal verbUS /ʃæl/

used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest

From this reading And in Work, which is of itself noble, and the only true fighting, there shall be no such possibility?

slaughternounUS /ˈslɔːtər/

the killing of animals (as for food)

From this reading Besouled with earnest human Nobleness, did not slaughter, violence and fire- eyed fury, grow into a Chivalry; into a blessed Loyalty of Governor and Governed?

soever

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

From this reading The Gifted Yes, in what tumultuous huge anarchy soever a Noble human Principle may dwell and strive, such tumult is in the way of being calmed into a fruitful sovereignty.

soulnounUS /soʊl/

the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life

From this reading No Chaos can continue chaotic with a soul in it.

sovereigntynounUS /ˈsɑːvrənti/

government free from external control

From this reading The Gifted Yes, in what tumultuous huge anarchy soever a Noble human Principle may dwell and strive, such tumult is in the way of being calmed into a fruitful sovereignty.

striveverbUS /straɪv/

attempt by employing effort

From this reading The Gifted Yes, in what tumultuous huge anarchy soever a Noble human Principle may dwell and strive, such tumult is in the way of being calmed into a fruitful sovereignty.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading The Gifted Yes, in what tumultuous huge anarchy soever a Noble human Principle may dwell and strive, such tumult is in the way of being calmed into a fruitful sovereignty.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The Gifted Yes, in what tumultuous huge anarchy soever a Noble human Principle may dwell and strive, such tumult is in the way of being calmed into a fruitful sovereignty.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading And in Work, which is of itself noble, and the only true fighting, there shall be no such possibility?

trueadjectiveUS /truː/

consistent with fact or reality; not false

From this reading And in Work, which is of itself noble, and the only true fighting, there shall be no such possibility?

tumultnounUS /ˈtuːməlt/

a state of commotion and noise and confusion

From this reading The Gifted Yes, in what tumultuous huge anarchy soever a Noble human Principle may dwell and strive, such tumult is in the way of being calmed into a fruitful sovereignty.

tumultuousadjectiveUS /ˌtuːˈmʌltʃuːəs/

characterized by unrest or disorder or insubordination

From this reading The Gifted Yes, in what tumultuous huge anarchy soever a Noble human Principle may dwell and strive, such tumult is in the way of being calmed into a fruitful sovereignty.

violencenounUS /ˈvaɪələns/

an act of aggression (as one against a person who resists)

From this reading Besouled with earnest human Nobleness, did not slaughter, violence and fire- eyed fury, grow into a Chivalry; into a blessed Loyalty of Governor and Governed?

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading The Gifted Yes, in what tumultuous huge anarchy soever a Noble human Principle may dwell and strive, such tumult is in the way of being calmed into a fruitful sovereignty.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading The Gifted Yes, in what tumultuous huge anarchy soever a Noble human Principle may dwell and strive, such tumult is in the way of being calmed into a fruitful sovereignty.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading And in Work, which is of itself noble, and the only true fighting, there shall be no such possibility?

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading No Chaos can continue chaotic with a soul in it.

WorkverbUS /wɜːrk/

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading And in Work, which is of itself noble, and the only true fighting, there shall be no such possibility?

YesnounUS /jes/

an affirmative

From this reading The Gifted Yes, in what tumultuous huge anarchy soever a Noble human Principle may dwell and strive, such tumult is in the way of being calmed into a fruitful sovereignty.

Chapter 39 of Past and Present by Thomas Carlyle holds 83 sentences, grouped into 17 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 39 of Past and Present contain?

Chapter 39 holds 83 sentences of Past and Present, unabridged, divided into 17 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 39 of Past and Present by Thomas Carlyle exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 83 sentences, grouped into 17 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 39 of Past and Present?

Work through the 17 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 17 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 39 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 39 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.