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Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia

Chapter XXXVI · Chapter 36

Chapter 36 of Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia is here in full — 26 sentences across 6 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Samuel Johnson • Curated US English Learning Edition

Cover illustration for Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

THE DANGEROUS PREVALENCE OF IMAGINATION.

“DISORDERS of intellect,” answered Imlac, “happen much more often than superficial observers will easily believe.

Perhaps if we speak with rigorous exactness, no human mind is in its right state.

There is no man whose imagination does not sometimes predominate over his reason who can regulate his attention wholly by his will, and whose ideas will come and go at his command.

No man will be found in whose mind airy notions do not sometimes tyrannise, and force him to hope or fear beyond the limits of sober probability.

Narrator

Speed 0.75x

AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English

LEARNER DICTIONARY

Archivist

/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/

Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Chapter XXXVI Reading 1/5

Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia Samuel Johnson

Cover illustration for Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia

Chapter XXXVI

Chapter 36

Chapter 36 of Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia is here in full — 26 sentences across 6 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

THE DANGEROUS PREVALENCE OF IMAGINATION. “DISORDERS of intellect,” answered Imlac, “happen much more often than superficial observers will easily believe. Perhaps if we speak with rigorous exactness, no human mind is in its right state. There is no man whose imagination does not sometimes predominate over his reason who can regulate his attention wholly by his will, and whose ideas will come and go at his command. No man will be found in whose mind airy notions do not sometimes tyrannise, and force him to hope or fear beyond the limits of sober probability.

Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia

Chapter XXXVI · Chapter 36

Chapter 36 of Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia 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

Line 1

THE DANGEROUS PREVALENCE OF IMAGINATION.

Line 2

“DISORDERS of intellect,” answered Imlac, “happen much more often than superficial observers will easily believe.

Line 3

Perhaps if we speak with rigorous exactness, no human mind is in its right state.

Line 4

There is no man whose imagination does not sometimes predominate over his reason who can regulate his attention wholly by his will, and whose ideas will come and go at his command.

Line 5

No man will be found in whose mind airy notions do not sometimes tyrannise, and force him to hope or fear beyond the limits of sober probability.

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.

Mind noun US /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading “Perhaps if we speak with rigorous exactness, no human mind is in its right state.”

All words in this reading · 72

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.

airy

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

From this reading No man will be found in whose mind airy notions do not sometimes tyrannise, and force him to hope or fear beyond the limits of sober probability.

and

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

From this reading There is no man whose imagination does not sometimes predominate over his reason who can regulate his attention wholly by his will, and whose ideas will come and go at his command.

answered

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

From this reading “DISORDERS of intellect,” answered Imlac, “happen much more often than superficial observers will easily believe.

at

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

From this reading There is no man whose imagination does not sometimes predominate over his reason who can regulate his attention wholly by his will, and whose ideas will come and go at his command.

attention

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

From this reading There is no man whose imagination does not sometimes predominate over his reason who can regulate his attention wholly by his will, and whose ideas will come and go at his command.

be

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

From this reading No man will be found in whose mind airy notions do not sometimes tyrannise, and force him to hope or fear beyond the limits of sober probability.

believe

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

From this reading “DISORDERS of intellect,” answered Imlac, “happen much more often than superficial observers will easily believe.

beyond

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

From this reading No man will be found in whose mind airy notions do not sometimes tyrannise, and force him to hope or fear beyond the limits of sober probability.

by

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

From this reading There is no man whose imagination does not sometimes predominate over his reason who can regulate his attention wholly by his will, and whose ideas will come and go at his command.

can

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

From this reading There is no man whose imagination does not sometimes predominate over his reason who can regulate his attention wholly by his will, and whose ideas will come and go at his command.

come

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

From this reading There is no man whose imagination does not sometimes predominate over his reason who can regulate his attention wholly by his will, and whose ideas will come and go at his command.

command

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

From this reading There is no man whose imagination does not sometimes predominate over his reason who can regulate his attention wholly by his will, and whose ideas will come and go at his command.

DANGEROUS

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From this reading THE DANGEROUS PREVALENCE OF IMAGINATION.

DISORDERS

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From this reading “DISORDERS of intellect,” answered Imlac, “happen much more often than superficial observers will easily believe.

do

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

From this reading No man will be found in whose mind airy notions do not sometimes tyrannise, and force him to hope or fear beyond the limits of sober probability.

does

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

From this reading There is no man whose imagination does not sometimes predominate over his reason who can regulate his attention wholly by his will, and whose ideas will come and go at his command.

easily

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

From this reading “DISORDERS of intellect,” answered Imlac, “happen much more often than superficial observers will easily believe.

exactness

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

From this reading Perhaps if we speak with rigorous exactness, no human mind is in its right state.

fear

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

From this reading No man will be found in whose mind airy notions do not sometimes tyrannise, and force him to hope or fear beyond the limits of sober probability.

force

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

From this reading No man will be found in whose mind airy notions do not sometimes tyrannise, and force him to hope or fear beyond the limits of sober probability.

found

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

From this reading No man will be found in whose mind airy notions do not sometimes tyrannise, and force him to hope or fear beyond the limits of sober probability.

go

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

From this reading There is no man whose imagination does not sometimes predominate over his reason who can regulate his attention wholly by his will, and whose ideas will come and go at his command.

happen

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

From this reading “DISORDERS of intellect,” answered Imlac, “happen much more often than superficial observers will easily believe.

him

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

From this reading No man will be found in whose mind airy notions do not sometimes tyrannise, and force him to hope or fear beyond the limits of sober probability.

his

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

From this reading There is no man whose imagination does not sometimes predominate over his reason who can regulate his attention wholly by his will, and whose ideas will come and go at his command.

hope

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

From this reading No man will be found in whose mind airy notions do not sometimes tyrannise, and force him to hope or fear beyond the limits of sober probability.

human

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

From this reading Perhaps if we speak with rigorous exactness, no human mind is in its right state.

ideas

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

From this reading There is no man whose imagination does not sometimes predominate over his reason who can regulate his attention wholly by his will, and whose ideas will come and go at his command.

if

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

From this reading Perhaps if we speak with rigorous exactness, no human mind is in its right state.

IMAGINATION

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

From this reading THE DANGEROUS PREVALENCE OF IMAGINATION.

Imlac

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

From this reading “DISORDERS of intellect,” answered Imlac, “happen much more often than superficial observers will easily believe.

in

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

From this reading Perhaps if we speak with rigorous exactness, no human mind is in its right state.

intellect

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

From this reading “DISORDERS of intellect,” answered Imlac, “happen much more often than superficial observers will easily believe.

is

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

From this reading Perhaps if we speak with rigorous exactness, no human mind is in its right state.

its

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

From this reading Perhaps if we speak with rigorous exactness, no human mind is in its right state.

limits

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

From this reading No man will be found in whose mind airy notions do not sometimes tyrannise, and force him to hope or fear beyond the limits of sober probability.

man

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

From this reading There is no man whose imagination does not sometimes predominate over his reason who can regulate his attention wholly by his will, and whose ideas will come and go at his command.

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading Perhaps if we speak with rigorous exactness, no human mind is in its right state.

more

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

From this reading “DISORDERS of intellect,” answered Imlac, “happen much more often than superficial observers will easily believe.

much

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

From this reading “DISORDERS of intellect,” answered Imlac, “happen much more often than superficial observers will easily believe.

no

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

From this reading Perhaps if we speak with rigorous exactness, no human mind is in its right state.

not

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

From this reading There is no man whose imagination does not sometimes predominate over his reason who can regulate his attention wholly by his will, and whose ideas will come and go at his command.

notions

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

From this reading No man will be found in whose mind airy notions do not sometimes tyrannise, and force him to hope or fear beyond the limits of sober probability.

observers

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

From this reading “DISORDERS of intellect,” answered Imlac, “happen much more often than superficial observers will easily believe.

OF

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

From this reading THE DANGEROUS PREVALENCE OF IMAGINATION.

often

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

From this reading “DISORDERS of intellect,” answered Imlac, “happen much more often than superficial observers will easily believe.

or

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

From this reading No man will be found in whose mind airy notions do not sometimes tyrannise, and force him to hope or fear beyond the limits of sober probability.

over

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

From this reading There is no man whose imagination does not sometimes predominate over his reason who can regulate his attention wholly by his will, and whose ideas will come and go at his command.

Perhaps

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

From this reading Perhaps if we speak with rigorous exactness, no human mind is in its right state.

predominate

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

From this reading There is no man whose imagination does not sometimes predominate over his reason who can regulate his attention wholly by his will, and whose ideas will come and go at his command.

PREVALENCE

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

From this reading THE DANGEROUS PREVALENCE OF IMAGINATION.

probability

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

From this reading No man will be found in whose mind airy notions do not sometimes tyrannise, and force him to hope or fear beyond the limits of sober probability.

reason

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

From this reading There is no man whose imagination does not sometimes predominate over his reason who can regulate his attention wholly by his will, and whose ideas will come and go at his command.

regulate

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

From this reading There is no man whose imagination does not sometimes predominate over his reason who can regulate his attention wholly by his will, and whose ideas will come and go at his command.

right

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

From this reading Perhaps if we speak with rigorous exactness, no human mind is in its right state.

rigorous

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

From this reading Perhaps if we speak with rigorous exactness, no human mind is in its right state.

sober

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

From this reading No man will be found in whose mind airy notions do not sometimes tyrannise, and force him to hope or fear beyond the limits of sober probability.

sometimes

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

From this reading There is no man whose imagination does not sometimes predominate over his reason who can regulate his attention wholly by his will, and whose ideas will come and go at his command.

speak

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

From this reading Perhaps if we speak with rigorous exactness, no human mind is in its right state.

state

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

From this reading Perhaps if we speak with rigorous exactness, no human mind is in its right state.

superficial

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

From this reading “DISORDERS of intellect,” answered Imlac, “happen much more often than superficial observers will easily believe.

than

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

From this reading “DISORDERS of intellect,” answered Imlac, “happen much more often than superficial observers will easily believe.

THE

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

From this reading THE DANGEROUS PREVALENCE OF IMAGINATION.

There

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

From this reading There is no man whose imagination does not sometimes predominate over his reason who can regulate his attention wholly by his will, and whose ideas will come and go at his command.

to

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

From this reading No man will be found in whose mind airy notions do not sometimes tyrannise, and force him to hope or fear beyond the limits of sober probability.

tyrannise

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

From this reading No man will be found in whose mind airy notions do not sometimes tyrannise, and force him to hope or fear beyond the limits of sober probability.

we

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

From this reading Perhaps if we speak with rigorous exactness, no human mind is in its right state.

who

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

From this reading There is no man whose imagination does not sometimes predominate over his reason who can regulate his attention wholly by his will, and whose ideas will come and go at his command.

wholly

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

From this reading There is no man whose imagination does not sometimes predominate over his reason who can regulate his attention wholly by his will, and whose ideas will come and go at his command.

whose

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

From this reading There is no man whose imagination does not sometimes predominate over his reason who can regulate his attention wholly by his will, and whose ideas will come and go at his command.

will

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

From this reading “DISORDERS of intellect,” answered Imlac, “happen much more often than superficial observers will easily believe.

with

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

From this reading Perhaps if we speak with rigorous exactness, no human mind is in its right state.

Chapter 36 of Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia by Samuel Johnson holds 26 sentences, grouped into 6 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 36 of Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia contain?

Chapter 36 holds 26 sentences of Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia, unabridged, divided into 6 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 36 of Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia by Samuel Johnson exactly as it stands in the public-domain 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.

How do I study chapter 36 of Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia?

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.

Can chapter 36 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 36 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.

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Yes. All 1438 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #652 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

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Project Gutenberg eBook #652, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

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About 119 minutes of reading across 288 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia

Words and structures a reader meets early in Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Description: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Palace: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Valley: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Listen: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.