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Percy Bysshe Shelley
Percy Bysshe Shelley

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Percy Bysshe Shelley is here in full — 104 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/20 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
BIRTH AND CHILDHOOD.
It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.
That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.
It is of no use to persuade ourselves, as some have done, that we possess the best work of men untimely slain.
Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Percy Bysshe Shelley

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Percy Bysshe Shelley is here in full — 104 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/20 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
BIRTH AND CHILDHOOD.
/bɜːrθ ənd ˈtʃaɪldhʊd/
Line 2
It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.
/ɪt ɪz wɜːrs ðæn ˈjuːsləs tuː dɪˈplɔːr ðə ˌɪrɪˈmiːdiəbəl jet noʊ mæn ˈprɑːbəbliː hæz feɪld tuː mɔːrn ðə feɪt ʌv ˈmaɪti ˈpoʊəts huːz ˈdɔːnɪŋ ɡeɪv ðə ˈprɑːməs ʌv ə ˈɡlɔːriəs deɪ bʌt huː pæst frʌm ɜːrθ waɪl jet ðə laɪt ðæt ʃoʊn ɪn ðem wɑːz ˈkresənt/
Line 3
That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.
Line 4
It is of no use to persuade ourselves, as some have done, that we possess the best work of men untimely slain.
/ɪt ɪz ʌv noʊ juːs tuː pərˈsweɪd aʊərˈselvz æz sʌm hæv dʌn ðæt wiː pəˈzes ðə best wɜːrk ʌv men ənˈtaɪmli sleɪn/
Line 5
Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.

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.

Bach noun US /bɑːk/

German baroque organist and contrapuntist; composed mostly keyboard music; one of the greatest creators of western music (1685-1750)

From this reading “That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.”

Handel noun US /ˈhændəl/

a prolific British baroque composer (born in Germany) remembered best for his oratorio Messiah (1685-1759)

From this reading “Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.”

irremediable adjective US /ˌɪrɪˈmiːdiəbəl/

impossible to remedy or correct or redress

From this reading “It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.”

Michelangelo noun US /ˌmaɪkəˈlændʒəloʊ/

Florentine sculptor and painter and architect; one of the outstanding figures of the Renaissance (1475-1564)

From this reading “That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.”

Mozart noun US /ˈmoʊzɑːrt/

prolific Austrian composer and child prodigy; master of the classical style in all its forms of his time (1756-1791)

From this reading “That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.”

Oedipus noun US /ˈedɪpəs/

(Greek mythology) a tragic king of Thebes who unknowingly killed his father Laius and married his mother Jocasta; the subject of the drama “Oedipus Rex” by Sophocles

From this reading “Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.”

plausibility noun US /ˌplɔːzɪˈbɪlɪti/

apparent validity

From this reading “Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.”

Sophocles noun US /ˈsɑːfəkliz/

one of the great tragedians of ancient Greece (496-406 BC)

From this reading “Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.”

All words in this reading · 119

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 It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

agenounUS /eɪdʒ/

how long something has existed

From this reading That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.

ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading BIRTH AND CHILDHOOD.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading It is of no use to persuade ourselves, as some have done, that we possess the best work of men untimely slain.

BachnounUS /bɑːk/

German baroque organist and contrapuntist; composed mostly keyboard music; one of the greatest creators of western music (1685-1750)

From this reading That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.

bestnounUS /best/

the supreme effort one can make

From this reading It is of no use to persuade ourselves, as some have done, that we possess the best work of men untimely slain.

BIRTHnounUS /bɜːrθ/

the time when something begins (especially life)

From this reading BIRTH AND CHILDHOOD.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.

causenounUS /kɑːz/

events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something

From this reading That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.

CHILDHOODnounUS /ˈtʃaɪldhʊd/

the time of person's life when they are a child

From this reading BIRTH AND CHILDHOOD.

compositionnounUS /ˌkɑːmpəˈzɪʃən/

the spatial property resulting from the arrangement of parts in relation to each other and to the whole

From this reading Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.

crescentnounUS /ˈkresənt/

any shape resembling the curved shape of the moon in its first or last quarters

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

cutverbUS /kʌt/

separate with or as if with an instrument

From this reading Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.

dawningnounUS /ˈdɔːnɪŋ/

the first light of day

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

deploreverbUS /dɪˈplɔːr/

express strong disapproval of

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

doneadjectiveUS /dʌn/

having finished or arrived at completion

From this reading It is of no use to persuade ourselves, as some have done, that we possess the best work of men untimely slain.

earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/

at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time

From this reading That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.

earthnounUS /ɜːrθ/

the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

equalverbUS /ˈiːkwəl/

be identical or equivalent to

From this reading Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.

failedverbUS /feɪld/

past form of “fail” — fail to do something; leave something undone

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

famenounUS /feɪm/

the state or quality of being widely honored and acclaimed

From this reading Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.

fatenounUS /feɪt/

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

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

flatteringadjectiveUS /ˈflætərɪŋ/

showing or representing to advantage

From this reading Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.

forgottenadjectiveUS /fərˈɡɑːt.n̩/

Not remembered; lapsed from memory.

From this reading Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/

inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

Giorgione

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

From this reading That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.

gloriousadjectiveUS /ˈɡlɔːriəs/

having or deserving or conferring glory

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

GoethenounUS /ɡoʊθ/

German poet and novelist and dramatist who lived in Weimar (1749-1832)

From this reading That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.

Hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.

HandelnounUS /ˈhændəl/

a prolific British baroque composer (born in Germany) remembered best for his oratorio Messiah (1685-1759)

From this reading Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading It is of no use to persuade ourselves, as some have done, that we possess the best work of men untimely slain.

heartnounUS /hɑːrt/

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.

heldadjectiveUS /held/

occupied or in the control of; often used in combination

From this reading That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.

immortaladjUS /ɪˈmɔːr.t̬əl/

Living forever; never dying or decaying. (Bất tử, trường tồn vĩnh cửu.)

From this reading Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

indeedadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdiːd/

in truth (often tends to intensify)

From this reading That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.

irremediableadjectiveUS /ˌɪrɪˈmiːdiəbəl/

impossible to remedy or correct or redress

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.

knownadjectiveUS /noʊn/

apprehended with certainty

From this reading Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.

laidadjectiveUS /leɪd/

set down according to a plan

From this reading Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.

lamentationnoun

a cry of sorrow and grief

From this reading That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.

lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/

of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

livesnounUS /lɪvz/

plural of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

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

From this reading That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.

mannounUS /mæn/

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

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

manhoodnounUS /ˈmænhʊd/

the state of being a man; manly qualities

From this reading That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.

MarlowenounUS /ˈmɑːrloʊ/

English poet and playwright who introduced blank verse as a form of dramatic expression; was stabbed to death in a tavern brawl (1564-1593)

From this reading That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.

maturitynounUS /məˈtʃʊrəti/

the period of time in your life after your physical growth has stopped and you are fully developed

From this reading That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.

mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading It is of no use to persuade ourselves, as some have done, that we possess the best work of men untimely slain.

mergedadjectiveUS /mɜːrdʒd/

formed or united into a whole

From this reading Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.

MichelangelonounUS /ˌmaɪkəˈlændʒəloʊ/

Florentine sculptor and painter and architect; one of the outstanding figures of the Renaissance (1475-1564)

From this reading That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.

mightyadjectiveUS /ˈmaɪti/

having or showing great strength or force or intensity

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

MiltonnounUS /ˈmɪltən/

English poet; remembered primarily as the author of an epic poem describing humanity's fall from grace (1608-1674)

From this reading Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.

mournverbUS /mɔːrn/

feel sadness

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

MozartnounUS /ˈmoʊzɑːrt/

prolific Austrian composer and child prodigy; master of the classical style in all its forms of his time (1756-1791)

From this reading That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.

musicnounUS /ˈmjuːzɪk/

an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner

From this reading Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

OedipusnounUS /ˈedɪpəs/

(Greek mythology) a tragic king of Thebes who unknowingly killed his father Laius and married his mother Jocasta; the subject of the drama “Oedipus Rex” by Sophocles

From this reading Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

offadverbUS /ɔːf/

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

From this reading Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.

operasnounUS /ˈɑːprəz/

plural of “opera” — a drama set to music; consists of singing with orchestral accompaniment and an orchestral overture and interludes

From this reading Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.

oratorios

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

From this reading Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.

ourselvespronounUS /aʊərˈselvz/

used when we are both doing the action and receiving it

From this reading It is of no use to persuade ourselves, as some have done, that we possess the best work of men untimely slain.

passedverbUS /pæst/

past form of “pass” — go across or through

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

persuadeverbUS /pərˈsweɪd/

win approval or support for

From this reading It is of no use to persuade ourselves, as some have done, that we possess the best work of men untimely slain.

plausibilitynounUS /ˌplɔːzɪˈbɪlɪti/

apparent validity

From this reading Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.

poemsnounUS /ˈpoʊəmz/

plural of “poem” — a composition written in metrical feet forming rhythmical lines

From this reading Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.

poetsnounUS /ˈpoʊəts/

plural of “poet” — a writer of poems (the term is usually reserved for writers of good poetry)

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

possessverbUS /pəˈzes/

have as an attribute, knowledge, or skill

From this reading It is of no use to persuade ourselves, as some have done, that we possess the best work of men untimely slain.

primeadjectiveUS /praɪm/

first in rank or degree

From this reading Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.

probablyadverbUS /ˈprɑːbəbliː/

with considerable certainty; without much doubt

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

productsnounUS /ˈprɑːdəkts/

plural of “product” — commodities offered for sale

From this reading That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.

promiseverbUS /ˈprɑːməs/

make a promise or commitment

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

RaphaelnounUS /ˌrɑːfaɪˈel/

Italian painter whose many paintings exemplify the ideals of the High Renaissance (1483-1520)

From this reading That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.

rememberverbUS /rɪˈmɛm.bər/

To recall to mind.

From this reading That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.

reservenounUS /rɪˈzɜːrv/

formality and propriety of manner

From this reading That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.

shoneverbUS /ʃoʊn/

inflected form of “shine” — be bright by reflecting or casting light

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.

slainnounUS /sleɪn/

people who have been slain (as in battle)

From this reading It is of no use to persuade ourselves, as some have done, that we possess the best work of men untimely slain.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading It is of no use to persuade ourselves, as some have done, that we possess the best work of men untimely slain.

SophoclesnounUS /ˈsɑːfəkliz/

one of the great tragedians of ancient Greece (496-406 BC)

From this reading Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

TitiannounUS /ˈtɪʃən/

old master of the Venetian school (1490-1576)

From this reading That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

unctionnoun

excessive but superficial compliments given with affected charm

From this reading Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.

untimelyadjectiveUS /ənˈtaɪmli/

badly timed

From this reading It is of no use to persuade ourselves, as some have done, that we possess the best work of men untimely slain.

usenounUS /juːs/

the act of using

From this reading It is of no use to persuade ourselves, as some have done, that we possess the best work of men untimely slain.

uselessadjectiveUS /ˈjuːsləs/

having no beneficial use or incapable of functioning usefully

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.

workverbUS /wɜːrk/

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

From this reading It is of no use to persuade ourselves, as some have done, that we possess the best work of men untimely slain.

worldnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading That the world should know Marlowe and Giorgione, Raphael and Mozart, only by the products of their early manhood, is indeed a cause for lamentation, when we remember what the long lives of a Bach and Titian, a Michelangelo and Goethe, held in reserve for their maturity and age.

worseadjectiveUS /wɜːrs/

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

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading It is worse than useless to deplore the irremediable; yet no man, probably, has failed to mourn the fate of mighty poets, whose dawning gave the promise of a glorious day, but who passed from earth while yet the light that shone in them was crescent.

youthnounUS /juːθ/

a young person (especially a young man or boy)

From this reading Had Sophocles been cut off in his prime, before the composition of "Oedipus"; had Handel never merged the fame of his forgotten operas in the immortal music of his oratorios; had Milton been known only by the poems of his youth, we might with equal plausibility have laid that flattering unction to our heart.

Chapter 1 of Percy Bysshe Shelley by John Addington Symonds holds 104 sentences, grouped into 21 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 1 of Percy Bysshe Shelley contain?

Chapter 1 holds 104 sentences of Percy Bysshe Shelley, unabridged, divided into 21 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Percy Bysshe Shelley by John Addington Symonds exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 104 sentences, grouped into 21 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 1 of Percy Bysshe Shelley?

Work through the 21 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 21 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 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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 Percy Bysshe Shelley

Common questions about reading Percy Bysshe Shelley by John Addington Symonds on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Percy Bysshe Shelley?

Yes. All 1987 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #4555 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Percy Bysshe Shelley is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #4555, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Percy Bysshe Shelley take to read?

About 165 minutes of reading across 398 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Percy Bysshe Shelley section by section

How to work through Percy Bysshe Shelley section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 8 chapters of Percy Bysshe Shelley 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 Percy Bysshe Shelley

Words and structures a reader meets early in Percy Bysshe Shelley, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Birth
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Percy Bysshe Shelley; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Childhood
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Percy Bysshe Shelley; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Worse
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Percy Bysshe Shelley; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Useless
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Percy Bysshe Shelley; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.