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Peculiar: A Tale of the Great Transition
Peculiar: A Tale of the Great Transition

Chapter XL

Chapter 40 of Peculiar: A Tale of the Great Transition is here in full — 203 sentences across 41 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Peculiar: A Tale of the Great Transition
Context Illustration Reading 1/40 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
EYES TO THE BLIND.
“Farewell!
The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.
Tremendous issues, which must affect the people of the American continent through all coming time, were in the balance of Fate, and the capricious chances of war might turn the scale on either side.
Gettysburg, Vicksburg, Port Hudson, Helena!
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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.

Peculiar: A Tale of the Great Transition

Chapter XL

Chapter 40 of Peculiar: A Tale of the Great Transition is here in full — 203 sentences across 41 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/40 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
EYES TO THE BLIND.
/aɪz tuː ðə blaɪnd/
Line 2
“Farewell!
/ˌferˈwel/
Line 3
The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.
Line 4
Tremendous issues, which must affect the people of the American continent through all coming time, were in the balance of Fate, and the capricious chances of war might turn the scale on either side.
/trəˈmendəs ˈɪʃuːz wɪtʃ mʌst əˈfekt ðə ˈpiːpəl ʌv ðə əˈmerəkən ˈkɑːntənənt θruː ɔːl ˈkʌmɪŋ taɪm wɜːr ɪn ðə ˈbæləns ʌv feɪt ənd ðə kəˈprɪʃəs ˈtʃænsəz ʌv wɔːr maɪt tɜːrn ðə skeɪl ɑːn ˈiːðər saɪd/
Line 5
Gettysburg, Vicksburg, Port Hudson, Helena!
/ˈɡetizbərɡ ˈvɪksbərɡ pɔːrt ˈhʌdsən ˈhelənə/

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.

affect verb US /əˈfekt/

have an effect upon

From this reading “Tremendous issues, which must affect the people of the American continent through all coming time, were in the balance of Fate, and the capricious chances of war might turn the scale on either side.”

capricious adjective US /kəˈprɪʃəs/

changeable

From this reading “Tremendous issues, which must affect the people of the American continent through all coming time, were in the balance of Fate, and the capricious chances of war might turn the scale on either side.”

Gettysburg noun US /ˈɡetizbərɡ/

a small town in southern Pennsylvania; site of a national cemetery

From this reading “Gettysburg, Vicksburg, Port Hudson, Helena!”

Helena noun US /ˈhelənə/

capital of the state of Montana; located in western Montana

From this reading “Gettysburg, Vicksburg, Port Hudson, Helena!”

Hudson noun US /ˈhʌdsən/

a New York river; flows southward into New York Bay; explored by Henry Hudson early in the 17th century

From this reading “Gettysburg, Vicksburg, Port Hudson, Helena!”

hymen noun US /ˈhaɪmən/

(Greek mythology) the god of marriage

From this reading “The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.”

issues noun US /ˈɪʃuːz/

plural of “issue” — an important question that is in dispute and must be settled

From this reading “Tremendous issues, which must affect the people of the American continent through all coming time, were in the balance of Fate, and the capricious chances of war might turn the scale on either side.”

Vicksburg noun US /ˈvɪksbərɡ/

a town in western Mississippi on bluffs above the Mississippi River to the west of Jackson

From this reading “Gettysburg, Vicksburg, Port Hudson, Helena!”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

de la noun + noun

In this reading “The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.”

turn the scale verb + article + noun counted as “turn … scale”

In this reading “Tremendous issues, which must affect the people of the American continent through all coming time, were in the balance of Fate, and the capricious chances of war might turn the scale on either side.”

sincere friend adjective + noun

In this reading “The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.”

pour Into verb + particle

In this reading “The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.”

beat high verb + adjective

In this reading “The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.”

Great Republic adjective + noun

In this reading “The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.”

long years adjective + noun

In this reading “The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.”

balance of verb + particle

In this reading “Tremendous issues, which must affect the people of the American continent through all coming time, were in the balance of Fate, and the capricious chances of war might turn the scale on either side.”

All words in this reading · 87

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.

1863

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

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

affectverbUS /əˈfekt/

have an effect upon

From this reading Tremendous issues, which must affect the people of the American continent through all coming time, were in the balance of Fate, and the capricious chances of war might turn the scale on either side.

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 Tremendous issues, which must affect the people of the American continent through all coming time, were in the balance of Fate, and the capricious chances of war might turn the scale on either side.

AmericannounUS /əˈmerəkən/

a native or inhabitant of the United States

From this reading Tremendous issues, which must affect the people of the American continent through all coming time, were in the balance of Fate, and the capricious chances of war might turn the scale on either side.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

apprehensionnounUS /ˌæprɪˈhenʃən/

fearful expectation or anticipation

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

avec

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

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

balanceverbUS /ˈbæləns/

bring into balance or equilibrium

From this reading Tremendous issues, which must affect the people of the American continent through all coming time, were in the balance of Fate, and the capricious chances of war might turn the scale on either side.

beatverbUS /biːt/

come out better in a competition, race, or conflict

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

BLINDnounUS /blaɪnd/

people who have severe visual impairments, considered as a group

From this reading EYES TO THE BLIND.

capriciousadjectiveUS /kəˈprɪʃəs/

changeable

From this reading Tremendous issues, which must affect the people of the American continent through all coming time, were in the balance of Fate, and the capricious chances of war might turn the scale on either side.

chancesnounUS /ˈtʃænsəz/

plural of “chance” — a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances

From this reading Tremendous issues, which must affect the people of the American continent through all coming time, were in the balance of Fate, and the capricious chances of war might turn the scale on either side.

comingnounUS /ˈkʌmɪŋ/

the act of drawing spatially closer to something

From this reading Tremendous issues, which must affect the people of the American continent through all coming time, were in the balance of Fate, and the capricious chances of war might turn the scale on either side.

continentnounUS /ˈkɑːntənənt/

one of the large landmasses of the earth

From this reading Tremendous issues, which must affect the people of the American continent through all coming time, were in the balance of Fate, and the capricious chances of war might turn the scale on either side.

craindre

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

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

denounUS /diː/

a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

doux

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

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

eitherdeterminerUS /ˈiːðər/

one or the other of two

From this reading Tremendous issues, which must affect the people of the American continent through all coming time, were in the balance of Fate, and the capricious chances of war might turn the scale on either side.

elle

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

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

et

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

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

EYESnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

From this reading EYES TO THE BLIND.

FarewellnounUS /ˌferˈwel/

an acknowledgment or expression of goodwill at parting

From this reading “Farewell!

FatenounUS /feɪt/

an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future

From this reading Tremendous issues, which must affect the people of the American continent through all coming time, were in the balance of Fate, and the capricious chances of war might turn the scale on either side.

feltverbUS /felt/

mat together and make felt-like

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

Fenelon

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

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

FourthnounUS /fɔːrθ/

following the third position; number four in a countable series

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

friendnounUS /frend/

a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

GettysburgnounUS /ˈɡetizbərɡ/

a small town in southern Pennsylvania; site of a national cemetery

From this reading Gettysburg, Vicksburg, Port Hudson, Helena!

GreatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

heartnounUS /hɑːrt/

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

HelenanounUS /ˈhelənə/

capital of the state of Montana; located in western Montana

From this reading Gettysburg, Vicksburg, Port Hudson, Helena!

Hemans

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

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

Heureux

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

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

highadjectiveUS /haɪ/

greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

hopenounUS /hoʊp/

a specific instance of feeling hopeful

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

HudsonnounUS /ˈhʌdsən/

a New York river; flows southward into New York Bay; explored by Henry Hudson early in the 17th century

From this reading Gettysburg, Vicksburg, Port Hudson, Helena!

hymennounUS /ˈhaɪmən/

(Greek mythology) the god of marriage

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

ilnounUS /ɪl/

a midwestern state in north-central United States

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Tremendous issues, which must affect the people of the American continent through all coming time, were in the balance of Fate, and the capricious chances of war might turn the scale on either side.

IntoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

issuesnounUS /ˈɪʃuːz/

plural of “issue” — an important question that is in dispute and must be settled

From this reading Tremendous issues, which must affect the people of the American continent through all coming time, were in the balance of Fate, and the capricious chances of war might turn the scale on either side.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

JulynounUS /ˌdʒuːˈlaɪ/

the month following June and preceding August

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

l'homme

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

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

lanounUS /lɑː/

a white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily; occurs in rare earth minerals and is usually classified as a rare earth

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

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 The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

lui

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

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading Tremendous issues, which must affect the people of the American continent through all coming time, were in the balance of Fate, and the capricious chances of war might turn the scale on either side.

mingledverbUS /ˈmɪŋɡəld/

past form of “mingle” — to bring or combine together or with something else

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

MrsnounUS /ˈmɪsɪz/

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading Tremendous issues, which must affect the people of the American continent through all coming time, were in the balance of Fate, and the capricious chances of war might turn the scale on either side.

n'aura

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

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Tremendous issues, which must affect the people of the American continent through all coming time, were in the balance of Fate, and the capricious chances of war might turn the scale on either side.

passionnounUS /ˈpæʃən/

a strong feeling or emotion

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading Tremendous issues, which must affect the people of the American continent through all coming time, were in the balance of Fate, and the capricious chances of war might turn the scale on either side.

perdre

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

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

PortnounUS /pɔːrt/

a place (seaport or airport) where people and merchandise can enter or leave a country

From this reading Gettysburg, Vicksburg, Port Hudson, Helena!

pourverbUS /pɔːr/

cause to run

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

qu'un

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

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

que

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

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

RepublicnounUS /riˈpʌblək/

a political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

scalenounUS /skeɪl/

an ordered reference standard

From this reading Tremendous issues, which must affect the people of the American continent through all coming time, were in the balance of Fate, and the capricious chances of war might turn the scale on either side.

sidenounUS /saɪd/

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading Tremendous issues, which must affect the people of the American continent through all coming time, were in the balance of Fate, and the capricious chances of war might turn the scale on either side.

sincereadjectiveUS /sɪnˈsɪr/

open and genuine; not deceitful

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

survivre

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

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading EYES TO THE BLIND.

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading Tremendous issues, which must affect the people of the American continent through all coming time, were in the balance of Fate, and the capricious chances of war might turn the scale on either side.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading Tremendous issues, which must affect the people of the American continent through all coming time, were in the balance of Fate, and the capricious chances of war might turn the scale on either side.

TOparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading EYES TO THE BLIND.

TremendousadjectiveUS /trəˈmendəs/

extraordinarily large in size or extent or amount or power or degree

From this reading Tremendous issues, which must affect the people of the American continent through all coming time, were in the balance of Fate, and the capricious chances of war might turn the scale on either side.

turnverbUS /tɜːrn/

change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense

From this reading Tremendous issues, which must affect the people of the American continent through all coming time, were in the balance of Fate, and the capricious chances of war might turn the scale on either side.

unira

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

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

VicksburgnounUS /ˈvɪksbərɡ/

a town in western Mississippi on bluffs above the Mississippi River to the west of Jackson

From this reading Gettysburg, Vicksburg, Port Hudson, Helena!

warnounUS /wɔːr/

the waging of armed conflict against an enemy

From this reading Tremendous issues, which must affect the people of the American continent through all coming time, were in the balance of Fate, and the capricious chances of war might turn the scale on either side.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Tremendous issues, which must affect the people of the American continent through all coming time, were in the balance of Fate, and the capricious chances of war might turn the scale on either side.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading Tremendous issues, which must affect the people of the American continent through all coming time, were in the balance of Fate, and the capricious chances of war might turn the scale on either side.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

wordnounUS /wɜːrd/

a unit of language that native speakers can identify

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

à

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

From this reading The passion of long years I pour Into that word!”—_Mrs. Hemans._ “Heureux l’homme qu’un doux hymen unira avec elle! il n’aura à craindre que de la perdre et de lui survivre.”—_Fenelon._ It was that Fourth of July, 1863, when every sincere friend of the Great Republic felt his heart beat high with mingled hope and apprehension.

Chapter 40 of Peculiar: A Tale of the Great Transition by Epes Sargent holds 203 sentences, grouped into 41 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 40 of Peculiar: A Tale of the Great Transition contain?

Chapter 40 holds 203 sentences of Peculiar: A Tale of the Great Transition, unabridged, divided into 41 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 40 of Peculiar: A Tale of the Great Transition by Epes Sargent exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 203 sentences, grouped into 41 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 40 of Peculiar: A Tale of the Great Transition?

Work through the 41 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 41 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 40 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 40 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 Peculiar: A Tale of the Great Transition

Common questions about reading Peculiar: A Tale of the Great Transition by Epes Sargent on this page, its source edition and its audio.

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Yes. All 12265 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #67872 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Peculiar: A Tale of the Great Transition is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #67872, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Peculiar: A Tale of the Great Transition take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 2453 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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How to work through Peculiar: A Tale of the Great Transition section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

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    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Peculiar: A Tale of the Great Transition

Words and structures a reader meets early in Peculiar: A Tale of the Great Transition, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Version
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Peculiar: A Tale of the Great Transition; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Cannot
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Peculiar: A Tale of the Great Transition; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Represent
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Peculiar: A Tale of the Great Transition; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Certain
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Peculiar: A Tale of the Great Transition; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.