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Real Life In London, Volumes I. and II.
Real Life In London, Volumes I. and II.

Chapter XXXVIII · Chapter 38

Chapter 38 of Real Life In London, Volumes I. and II. is here in full — 254 sentences across 51 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Real Life In London, Volumes I. and II.
Context Illustration Reading 1/50 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
In London, blest with competence.
With temper, health, and common sense, None need repine or murmur--nay, All may be happy in their way.
E'en the lone dwelling of the poor And suffering, are at least obscure; And in obscurity--exempt From poverty's worst scourge--contempt.
Unmark'd the poor man seeks his den.
Unheeded issues forth again; Wherefore appears he, none inquires, Nor why--nor whither he retires.
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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.

Real Life In London, Volumes I. and II.

Chapter XXXVIII · Chapter 38

Chapter 38 of Real Life In London, Volumes I. and II. is here in full — 254 sentences across 51 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/50 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
In London, blest with competence.
/ɪn ˈlʌndən blest wɪð ˈkɑːmpətɪns/
Line 2
With temper, health, and common sense, None need repine or murmur--nay, All may be happy in their way.
Line 3
E'en the lone dwelling of the poor And suffering, are at least obscure; And in obscurity--exempt From poverty's worst scourge--contempt.
Line 4
Unmark'd the poor man seeks his den.
Line 5
Unheeded issues forth again; Wherefore appears he, none inquires, Nor why--nor whither he retires.

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.

blest adjective US /blest/

highly favored or fortunate (as e.g. by divine grace)

From this reading “In London, blest with competence.”

competence noun US /ˈkɑːmpətɪns/

the quality of being adequately or well qualified physically and intellectually

From this reading “In London, blest with competence.”

exempt verb US /ɪɡˈzempt/

grant relief or an exemption from a rule or requirement to

From this reading “E'en the lone dwelling of the poor And suffering, are at least obscure; And in obscurity--exempt From poverty's worst scourge--contempt.”

inquires verb US /ˌɪnˈkwaɪərz/

third-person singular of “inquire” — address a question to and expect an answer from

From this reading “Unheeded issues forth again; Wherefore appears he, none inquires, Nor why--nor whither he retires.”

issues noun US /ˈɪʃuːz/

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

From this reading “Unheeded issues forth again; Wherefore appears he, none inquires, Nor why--nor whither he retires.”

retires verb US /rɪˈtaɪrz/

third-person singular of “retire” — go into retirement; stop performing one's work or withdraw from one's position

From this reading “Unheeded issues forth again; Wherefore appears he, none inquires, Nor why--nor whither he retires.”

scourge noun US /skɜːrdʒ/

a whip used to inflict punishment (often used for pedantic humor)

From this reading “E'en the lone dwelling of the poor And suffering, are at least obscure; And in obscurity--exempt From poverty's worst scourge--contempt.”

Unheeded adjective US /ənˈhiːdɪd/

disregarded

From this reading “Unheeded issues forth again; Wherefore appears he, none inquires, Nor why--nor whither he retires.”

All words in this reading · 57

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.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading Unheeded issues forth again; Wherefore appears he, none inquires, Nor why--nor whither he retires.

AlladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading With temper, health, and common sense, None need repine or murmur--nay, All may be happy in their way.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading With temper, health, and common sense, None need repine or murmur--nay, All may be happy in their way.

appearsverbUS /əˈpɪrz/

third-person singular of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading Unheeded issues forth again; Wherefore appears he, none inquires, Nor why--nor whither he retires.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading E'en the lone dwelling of the poor And suffering, are at least obscure; And in obscurity--exempt From poverty's worst scourge--contempt.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading E'en the lone dwelling of the poor And suffering, are at least obscure; And in obscurity--exempt From poverty's worst scourge--contempt.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading With temper, health, and common sense, None need repine or murmur--nay, All may be happy in their way.

blestadjectiveUS /blest/

highly favored or fortunate (as e.g. by divine grace)

From this reading In London, blest with competence.

commonadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːmən/

belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public

From this reading With temper, health, and common sense, None need repine or murmur--nay, All may be happy in their way.

competencenounUS /ˈkɑːmpətɪns/

the quality of being adequately or well qualified physically and intellectually

From this reading In London, blest with competence.

contemptnounUS /kənˈtempt/

lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike

From this reading E'en the lone dwelling of the poor And suffering, are at least obscure; And in obscurity--exempt From poverty's worst scourge--contempt.

dennounUS /den/

the habitation of wild animals

From this reading Unmark'd the poor man seeks his den.

dwellingnounUS /ˈdwelɪŋ/

housing that someone is living in

From this reading E'en the lone dwelling of the poor And suffering, are at least obscure; And in obscurity--exempt From poverty's worst scourge--contempt.

E'enadverb

even

From this reading E'en the lone dwelling of the poor And suffering, are at least obscure; And in obscurity--exempt From poverty's worst scourge--contempt.

exemptverbUS /ɪɡˈzempt/

grant relief or an exemption from a rule or requirement to

From this reading E'en the lone dwelling of the poor And suffering, are at least obscure; And in obscurity--exempt From poverty's worst scourge--contempt.

forthadverbUS /fɔːrθ/

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

From this reading Unheeded issues forth again; Wherefore appears he, none inquires, Nor why--nor whither he retires.

FromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading E'en the lone dwelling of the poor And suffering, are at least obscure; And in obscurity--exempt From poverty's worst scourge--contempt.

happyadjectiveUS /ˈhæpi/

enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure

From this reading With temper, health, and common sense, None need repine or murmur--nay, All may be happy in their way.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Unheeded issues forth again; Wherefore appears he, none inquires, Nor why--nor whither he retires.

healthnounUS /helθ/

a healthy state of wellbeing free from disease

From this reading With temper, health, and common sense, None need repine or murmur--nay, All may be happy in their way.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Unmark'd the poor man seeks his den.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading In London, blest with competence.

inquiresverbUS /ˌɪnˈkwaɪərz/

third-person singular of “inquire” — address a question to and expect an answer from

From this reading Unheeded issues forth again; Wherefore appears he, none inquires, Nor why--nor whither he retires.

issuesnounUS /ˈɪʃuːz/

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

From this reading Unheeded issues forth again; Wherefore appears he, none inquires, Nor why--nor whither he retires.

leastadjectiveUS /liːst/

the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree

From this reading E'en the lone dwelling of the poor And suffering, are at least obscure; And in obscurity--exempt From poverty's worst scourge--contempt.

LondonnounUS /ˈlʌndən/

the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center

From this reading In London, blest with competence.

loneadjectiveUS /loʊn/

lacking companions or companionship

From this reading E'en the lone dwelling of the poor And suffering, are at least obscure; And in obscurity--exempt From poverty's worst scourge--contempt.

mannounUS /mæn/

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

From this reading Unmark'd the poor man seeks his den.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading With temper, health, and common sense, None need repine or murmur--nay, All may be happy in their way.

murmurnounUS /ˈmɜːrmər/

a low continuous indistinct sound; often accompanied by movement of the lips without the production of articulate speech

From this reading With temper, health, and common sense, None need repine or murmur--nay, All may be happy in their way.

nayexclamationUS /neɪ/

an old word for “no”

From this reading With temper, health, and common sense, None need repine or murmur--nay, All may be happy in their way.

neednounUS /niːd/

a condition requiring relief

From this reading With temper, health, and common sense, None need repine or murmur--nay, All may be happy in their way.

NonepronounUS /nʌn/

not one, and not any

From this reading With temper, health, and common sense, None need repine or murmur--nay, All may be happy in their way.

NorconjunctionUS /nɔːr/

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading Unheeded issues forth again; Wherefore appears he, none inquires, Nor why--nor whither he retires.

obscureverbUS /əbsˈkjʊr/

make less visible or unclear

From this reading E'en the lone dwelling of the poor And suffering, are at least obscure; And in obscurity--exempt From poverty's worst scourge--contempt.

obscuritynounUS /əbsˈkjʊrəti/

the quality of being unclear or abstruse and hard to understand

From this reading E'en the lone dwelling of the poor And suffering, are at least obscure; And in obscurity--exempt From poverty's worst scourge--contempt.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading E'en the lone dwelling of the poor And suffering, are at least obscure; And in obscurity--exempt From poverty's worst scourge--contempt.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading With temper, health, and common sense, None need repine or murmur--nay, All may be happy in their way.

pooradjectiveUS /puːr/

deserving or inciting pity

From this reading E'en the lone dwelling of the poor And suffering, are at least obscure; And in obscurity--exempt From poverty's worst scourge--contempt.

poverty's

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

From this reading E'en the lone dwelling of the poor And suffering, are at least obscure; And in obscurity--exempt From poverty's worst scourge--contempt.

repineverb

express discontent

From this reading With temper, health, and common sense, None need repine or murmur--nay, All may be happy in their way.

retiresverbUS /rɪˈtaɪrz/

third-person singular of “retire” — go into retirement; stop performing one's work or withdraw from one's position

From this reading Unheeded issues forth again; Wherefore appears he, none inquires, Nor why--nor whither he retires.

scourgenounUS /skɜːrdʒ/

a whip used to inflict punishment (often used for pedantic humor)

From this reading E'en the lone dwelling of the poor And suffering, are at least obscure; And in obscurity--exempt From poverty's worst scourge--contempt.

seeksnounUS /siːks/

plural of “seek” — the movement of a read/write head to a specific data track on a disk

From this reading Unmark'd the poor man seeks his den.

sensenounUS /sens/

a general conscious awareness

From this reading With temper, health, and common sense, None need repine or murmur--nay, All may be happy in their way.

sufferingnounUS /ˈsʌfərɪŋ/

a state of acute pain

From this reading E'en the lone dwelling of the poor And suffering, are at least obscure; And in obscurity--exempt From poverty's worst scourge--contempt.

tempernounUS /ˈtempər/

a sudden outburst of anger

From this reading With temper, health, and common sense, None need repine or murmur--nay, All may be happy in their way.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading E'en the lone dwelling of the poor And suffering, are at least obscure; And in obscurity--exempt From poverty's worst scourge--contempt.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading With temper, health, and common sense, None need repine or murmur--nay, All may be happy in their way.

UnheededadjectiveUS /ənˈhiːdɪd/

disregarded

From this reading Unheeded issues forth again; Wherefore appears he, none inquires, Nor why--nor whither he retires.

Unmark'd

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

From this reading Unmark'd the poor man seeks his den.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading With temper, health, and common sense, None need repine or murmur--nay, All may be happy in their way.

WhereforeadverbUS /werˈfɔːr/

an old word meaning “why” or “for that reason”

From this reading Unheeded issues forth again; Wherefore appears he, none inquires, Nor why--nor whither he retires.

whitheradverbUS /ˈwɪðər/

an old word meaning “to where”

From this reading Unheeded issues forth again; Wherefore appears he, none inquires, Nor why--nor whither he retires.

whynounUS /waɪ/

the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”

From this reading Unheeded issues forth again; Wherefore appears he, none inquires, Nor why--nor whither he retires.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading In London, blest with competence.

worstnounUS /wɜːrst/

the least favorable outcome

From this reading E'en the lone dwelling of the poor And suffering, are at least obscure; And in obscurity--exempt From poverty's worst scourge--contempt.

Chapter 38 of Real Life In London, Volumes I. and II. by John, active Badcock holds 254 sentences, grouped into 51 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 38 of Real Life In London, Volumes I. and II. contain?

Chapter 38 holds 254 sentences of Real Life In London, Volumes I. and II., unabridged, divided into 51 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 38 of Real Life In London, Volumes I. and II. by John, active Badcock exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 254 sentences, grouped into 51 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 38 of Real Life In London, Volumes I. and II.?

Work through the 51 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 51 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 38 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 38 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 Real Life In London, Volumes I. and II.

Common questions about reading Real Life In London, Volumes I. and II. by John, active Badcock on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Real Life In London, Volumes I. and II.?

Yes. All 10163 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #20484 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Real Life In London, Volumes I. and II. is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #20484, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Real Life In London, Volumes I. and II. take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 2033 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Real Life In London, Volumes I. and II. section by section

How to work through Real Life In London, Volumes I. and II. section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 38 chapters of Real Life In London, Volumes I. and II. 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 Real Life In London, Volumes I. and II.

Words and structures a reader meets early in Real Life In London, Volumes I. and II., each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Public
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Real Life In London, Volumes I. and II.; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Office
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Real Life In London, Volumes I. and II.; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Street
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Real Life In London, Volumes I. and II.; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Irish
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Real Life In London, Volumes I. and II.; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.