Chapter 40 of Perlycross: A Tale of the Western Hills is here in full — 451 sentences across 91 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XL
Chapter 40 of Perlycross: A Tale of the Western Hills is here in full — 451 sentences across 91 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
AND ONE STILL FINER. If it be sweet to watch at ease the troubles of another, how much sweeter to look back, from the vantage ground of happiness, upon one's own misfortunes! To be able to think--"well, it was too bad! Another week would have killed me. How I pulled through it, is more than I can tell; for everybody was against me!
Chapter 40 of Perlycross: A Tale of the Western Hills is here in full — 451 sentences across 91 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/90 · 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.
move gently or carefully
From this reading “If it be sweet to watch at ease the troubles of another, how much sweeter to look back, from the vantage ground of happiness, upon one's own misfortunes!”
every person
From this reading “How I pulled through it, is more than I can tell; for everybody was against me!”
(comparative of “fine”) greater in quality or excellence
From this reading “AND ONE STILL FINER.”
plural of “misfortune” — unnecessary and unforeseen trouble resulting from an unfortunate event
From this reading “If it be sweet to watch at ease the troubles of another, how much sweeter to look back, from the vantage ground of happiness, upon one's own misfortunes!”
past form of “pull” — cause to move by pulling
From this reading “How I pulled through it, is more than I can tell; for everybody was against me!”
comparative of “sweet” — having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading “If it be sweet to watch at ease the troubles of another, how much sweeter to look back, from the vantage ground of happiness, upon one's own misfortunes!”
plural of “trouble” — a source of difficulty
From this reading “If it be sweet to watch at ease the troubles of another, how much sweeter to look back, from the vantage ground of happiness, upon one's own misfortunes!”
place or situation affording some advantage (especially a comprehensive view or commanding perspective)
From this reading “If it be sweet to watch at ease the troubles of another, how much sweeter to look back, from the vantage ground of happiness, upon one's own misfortunes!”
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.
In this reading “If it be sweet to watch at ease the troubles of another, how much sweeter to look back, from the vantage ground of happiness, upon one's own misfortunes!”
deserving regret
In this reading “To be able to think--"well, it was too bad!”
continue in existence after (an adversity, etc.)
In this reading “How I pulled through it, is more than I can tell; for everybody was against me!”
look towards one's back
In this reading “If it be sweet to watch at ease the troubles of another, how much sweeter to look back, from the vantage ground of happiness, upon one's own misfortunes!”
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.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading To be able to think--"well, it was too bad!
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading How I pulled through it, is more than I can tell; for everybody was against me!
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading AND ONE STILL FINER.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading If it be sweet to watch at ease the troubles of another, how much sweeter to look back, from the vantage ground of happiness, upon one's own misfortunes!
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading If it be sweet to watch at ease the troubles of another, how much sweeter to look back, from the vantage ground of happiness, upon one's own misfortunes!
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading If it be sweet to watch at ease the troubles of another, how much sweeter to look back, from the vantage ground of happiness, upon one's own misfortunes!
having undesirable or negative qualities
From this reading To be able to think--"well, it was too bad!
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading If it be sweet to watch at ease the troubles of another, how much sweeter to look back, from the vantage ground of happiness, upon one's own misfortunes!
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading How I pulled through it, is more than I can tell; for everybody was against me!
move gently or carefully
From this reading If it be sweet to watch at ease the troubles of another, how much sweeter to look back, from the vantage ground of happiness, upon one's own misfortunes!
every person
From this reading How I pulled through it, is more than I can tell; for everybody was against me!
(comparative of “fine”) greater in quality or excellence
From this reading AND ONE STILL FINER.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading How I pulled through it, is more than I can tell; for everybody was against me!
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading If it be sweet to watch at ease the troubles of another, how much sweeter to look back, from the vantage ground of happiness, upon one's own misfortunes!
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading If it be sweet to watch at ease the troubles of another, how much sweeter to look back, from the vantage ground of happiness, upon one's own misfortunes!
state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy
From this reading If it be sweet to watch at ease the troubles of another, how much sweeter to look back, from the vantage ground of happiness, upon one's own misfortunes!
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Another week would have killed me.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If it be sweet to watch at ease the troubles of another, how much sweeter to look back, from the vantage ground of happiness, upon one's own misfortunes!
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading How I pulled through it, is more than I can tell; for everybody was against me!
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If it be sweet to watch at ease the troubles of another, how much sweeter to look back, from the vantage ground of happiness, upon one's own misfortunes!
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading How I pulled through it, is more than I can tell; for everybody was against me!
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading If it be sweet to watch at ease the troubles of another, how much sweeter to look back, from the vantage ground of happiness, upon one's own misfortunes!
past form of “kill” — cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly
From this reading Another week would have killed me.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading If it be sweet to watch at ease the troubles of another, how much sweeter to look back, from the vantage ground of happiness, upon one's own misfortunes!
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Another week would have killed me.
plural of “misfortune” — unnecessary and unforeseen trouble resulting from an unfortunate event
From this reading If it be sweet to watch at ease the troubles of another, how much sweeter to look back, from the vantage ground of happiness, upon one's own misfortunes!
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading How I pulled through it, is more than I can tell; for everybody was against me!
to a great degree or extent
From this reading If it be sweet to watch at ease the troubles of another, how much sweeter to look back, from the vantage ground of happiness, upon one's own misfortunes!
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading If it be sweet to watch at ease the troubles of another, how much sweeter to look back, from the vantage ground of happiness, upon one's own misfortunes!
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading AND ONE STILL FINER.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If it be sweet to watch at ease the troubles of another, how much sweeter to look back, from the vantage ground of happiness, upon one's own misfortunes!
have ownership or possession of
From this reading If it be sweet to watch at ease the troubles of another, how much sweeter to look back, from the vantage ground of happiness, upon one's own misfortunes!
past form of “pull” — cause to move by pulling
From this reading How I pulled through it, is more than I can tell; for everybody was against me!
not in physical motion
From this reading AND ONE STILL FINER.
having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading If it be sweet to watch at ease the troubles of another, how much sweeter to look back, from the vantage ground of happiness, upon one's own misfortunes!
comparative of “sweet” — having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading If it be sweet to watch at ease the troubles of another, how much sweeter to look back, from the vantage ground of happiness, upon one's own misfortunes!
express in words
From this reading How I pulled through it, is more than I can tell; for everybody was against me!
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading How I pulled through it, is more than I can tell; for everybody was against me!
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading If it be sweet to watch at ease the troubles of another, how much sweeter to look back, from the vantage ground of happiness, upon one's own misfortunes!
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading To be able to think--"well, it was too bad!
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading How I pulled through it, is more than I can tell; for everybody was against me!
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading If it be sweet to watch at ease the troubles of another, how much sweeter to look back, from the vantage ground of happiness, upon one's own misfortunes!
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading To be able to think--"well, it was too bad!
plural of “trouble” — a source of difficulty
From this reading If it be sweet to watch at ease the troubles of another, how much sweeter to look back, from the vantage ground of happiness, upon one's own misfortunes!
a formal word for “on”
From this reading If it be sweet to watch at ease the troubles of another, how much sweeter to look back, from the vantage ground of happiness, upon one's own misfortunes!
place or situation affording some advantage (especially a comprehensive view or commanding perspective)
From this reading If it be sweet to watch at ease the troubles of another, how much sweeter to look back, from the vantage ground of happiness, upon one's own misfortunes!
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading To be able to think--"well, it was too bad!
look attentively
From this reading If it be sweet to watch at ease the troubles of another, how much sweeter to look back, from the vantage ground of happiness, upon one's own misfortunes!
any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading Another week would have killed me.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading To be able to think--"well, it was too bad!
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Another week would have killed me.
Chapter 40 of Perlycross: A Tale of the Western Hills by R. D. (Richard Doddridge) Blackmore holds 451 sentences, grouped into 91 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 40 holds 451 sentences of Perlycross: A Tale of the Western Hills, unabridged, divided into 91 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 40 of Perlycross: A Tale of the Western Hills by R. D. (Richard Doddridge) Blackmore exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 451 sentences, grouped into 91 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 91 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 91 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 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.
Common questions about reading Perlycross: A Tale of the Western Hills by R. D. (Richard Doddridge) Blackmore on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 9716 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #45038 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #45038, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 1944 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Perlycross: A Tale of the Western Hills section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 40 chapters of Perlycross: A Tale of the Western Hills 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 Perlycross: A Tale of the Western Hills, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
