Chapter 5 of Pelham — Volume 01 is here in full — 26 sentences across 6 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter V
Chapter 5 of Pelham — Volume 01 is here in full — 26 sentences across 6 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Be she fairer than the day, Or the flowery meads in May; If she be not so to me, What care I how fair she be? --George Withers. It was a great pity, so it was, That villanous saltpetre should be digged Out of the bowels of the harmless earth, Which many a good tall fellow had destroyed. --First Part of King Henry IV. Several days passed.
Chapter 5 of Pelham — Volume 01 is here in full — 26 sentences across 6 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/5 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
the center of the Earth
From this reading “It was a great pity, so it was, That villanous saltpetre should be digged Out of the bowels of the harmless earth, Which many a good tall fellow had destroyed.”
spoiled or ruined or demolished
From this reading “It was a great pity, so it was, That villanous saltpetre should be digged Out of the bowels of the harmless earth, Which many a good tall fellow had destroyed.”
comparative of “fair” — free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules
From this reading “Be she fairer than the day, Or the flowery meads in May; If she be not so to me, What care I how fair she be?”
of or relating to or suggestive of flowers
From this reading “Be she fairer than the day, Or the flowery meads in May; If she be not so to me, What care I how fair she be?”
not causing or capable of causing harm
From this reading “It was a great pity, so it was, That villanous saltpetre should be digged Out of the bowels of the harmless earth, Which many a good tall fellow had destroyed.”
a unit of inductance in which an induced electromotive force of one volt is produced when the current is varied at the rate of one ampere per second
From this reading “--First Part of King Henry IV.”
plural of “mead” — United States anthropologist noted for her claims about adolescence and sexual behavior in Polynesian cultures (1901-1978)
From this reading “Be she fairer than the day, Or the flowery meads in May; If she be not so to me, What care I how fair she be?”
the highest part of the back at the base of the neck of various animals especially draft animals
From this reading “--George Withers.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was a great pity, so it was, That villanous saltpetre should be digged Out of the bowels of the harmless earth, Which many a good tall fellow had destroyed.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Be she fairer than the day, Or the flowery meads in May; If she be not so to me, What care I how fair she be?
the center of the Earth
From this reading It was a great pity, so it was, That villanous saltpetre should be digged Out of the bowels of the harmless earth, Which many a good tall fellow had destroyed.
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading Be she fairer than the day, Or the flowery meads in May; If she be not so to me, What care I how fair she be?
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Be she fairer than the day, Or the flowery meads in May; If she be not so to me, What care I how fair she be?
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading Several days passed.
spoiled or ruined or demolished
From this reading It was a great pity, so it was, That villanous saltpetre should be digged Out of the bowels of the harmless earth, Which many a good tall fellow had destroyed.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a great pity, so it was, That villanous saltpetre should be digged Out of the bowels of the harmless earth, Which many a good tall fellow had destroyed.
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading It was a great pity, so it was, That villanous saltpetre should be digged Out of the bowels of the harmless earth, Which many a good tall fellow had destroyed.
free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules
From this reading Be she fairer than the day, Or the flowery meads in May; If she be not so to me, What care I how fair she be?
comparative of “fair” — free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules
From this reading Be she fairer than the day, Or the flowery meads in May; If she be not so to me, What care I how fair she be?
a boy or man
From this reading It was a great pity, so it was, That villanous saltpetre should be digged Out of the bowels of the harmless earth, Which many a good tall fellow had destroyed.
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading --First Part of King Henry IV.
of or relating to or suggestive of flowers
From this reading Be she fairer than the day, Or the flowery meads in May; If she be not so to me, What care I how fair she be?
Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)
From this reading --George Withers.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading It was a great pity, so it was, That villanous saltpetre should be digged Out of the bowels of the harmless earth, Which many a good tall fellow had destroyed.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading It was a great pity, so it was, That villanous saltpetre should be digged Out of the bowels of the harmless earth, Which many a good tall fellow had destroyed.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was a great pity, so it was, That villanous saltpetre should be digged Out of the bowels of the harmless earth, Which many a good tall fellow had destroyed.
not causing or capable of causing harm
From this reading It was a great pity, so it was, That villanous saltpetre should be digged Out of the bowels of the harmless earth, Which many a good tall fellow had destroyed.
a unit of inductance in which an induced electromotive force of one volt is produced when the current is varied at the rate of one ampere per second
From this reading --First Part of King Henry IV.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Be she fairer than the day, Or the flowery meads in May; If she be not so to me, What care I how fair she be?
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Be she fairer than the day, Or the flowery meads in May; If she be not so to me, What care I how fair she be?
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Be she fairer than the day, Or the flowery meads in May; If she be not so to me, What care I how fair she be?
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Be she fairer than the day, Or the flowery meads in May; If she be not so to me, What care I how fair she be?
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a great pity, so it was, That villanous saltpetre should be digged Out of the bowels of the harmless earth, Which many a good tall fellow had destroyed.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading --First Part of King Henry IV.
a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom
From this reading --First Part of King Henry IV.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading It was a great pity, so it was, That villanous saltpetre should be digged Out of the bowels of the harmless earth, Which many a good tall fellow had destroyed.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading Be she fairer than the day, Or the flowery meads in May; If she be not so to me, What care I how fair she be?
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Be she fairer than the day, Or the flowery meads in May; If she be not so to me, What care I how fair she be?
plural of “mead” — United States anthropologist noted for her claims about adolescence and sexual behavior in Polynesian cultures (1901-1978)
From this reading Be she fairer than the day, Or the flowery meads in May; If she be not so to me, What care I how fair she be?
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Be she fairer than the day, Or the flowery meads in May; If she be not so to me, What care I how fair she be?
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was a great pity, so it was, That villanous saltpetre should be digged Out of the bowels of the harmless earth, Which many a good tall fellow had destroyed.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Be she fairer than the day, Or the flowery meads in May; If she be not so to me, What care I how fair she be?
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading It was a great pity, so it was, That villanous saltpetre should be digged Out of the bowels of the harmless earth, Which many a good tall fellow had destroyed.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading --First Part of King Henry IV.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading Several days passed.
a feeling of sympathy and sorrow for the misfortunes of others
From this reading It was a great pity, so it was, That villanous saltpetre should be digged Out of the bowels of the harmless earth, Which many a good tall fellow had destroyed.
(KNO3) used especially as a fertilizer and explosive
From this reading It was a great pity, so it was, That villanous saltpetre should be digged Out of the bowels of the harmless earth, Which many a good tall fellow had destroyed.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading Several days passed.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Be she fairer than the day, Or the flowery meads in May; If she be not so to me, What care I how fair she be?
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading It was a great pity, so it was, That villanous saltpetre should be digged Out of the bowels of the harmless earth, Which many a good tall fellow had destroyed.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Be she fairer than the day, Or the flowery meads in May; If she be not so to me, What care I how fair she be?
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading It was a great pity, so it was, That villanous saltpetre should be digged Out of the bowels of the harmless earth, Which many a good tall fellow had destroyed.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Be she fairer than the day, Or the flowery meads in May; If she be not so to me, What care I how fair she be?
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was a great pity, so it was, That villanous saltpetre should be digged Out of the bowels of the harmless earth, Which many a good tall fellow had destroyed.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Be she fairer than the day, Or the flowery meads in May; If she be not so to me, What care I how fair she be?
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Be she fairer than the day, Or the flowery meads in May; If she be not so to me, What care I how fair she be?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a great pity, so it was, That villanous saltpetre should be digged Out of the bowels of the harmless earth, Which many a good tall fellow had destroyed.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a great pity, so it was, That villanous saltpetre should be digged Out of the bowels of the harmless earth, Which many a good tall fellow had destroyed.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Be she fairer than the day, Or the flowery meads in May; If she be not so to me, What care I how fair she be?
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It was a great pity, so it was, That villanous saltpetre should be digged Out of the bowels of the harmless earth, Which many a good tall fellow had destroyed.
the highest part of the back at the base of the neck of various animals especially draft animals
From this reading --George Withers.
Chapter 5 of Pelham — Volume 01 by Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron Lytton holds 26 sentences, grouped into 6 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.
Chapter 5 holds 26 sentences of Pelham — Volume 01, unabridged, divided into 6 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 5 of Pelham — Volume 01 by Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron Lytton exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 26 sentences, grouped into 6 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.
Work through the 6 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 6 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.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 5 can be played aloud in United States English.
Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.
Common questions about reading Pelham — Volume 01 by Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron Lytton on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 958 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #7615 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #7615, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 79 minutes of reading across 192 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Pelham — Volume 01 section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 18 chapters of Pelham — Volume 01 to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Pelham — Volume 01, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
