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Reminiscences of Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Reminiscences of Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Reminiscences of Samuel Taylor Coleridge is here in full — 320 sentences across 64 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/64 · 5 lines
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INTRODUCTION.
It is with a solemnized feeling that I enter on these Reminiscences.
Except one, I have survived all the associates of my earlier days.
The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.
The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Reminiscences of Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Reminiscences of Samuel Taylor Coleridge is here in full — 320 sentences across 64 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/64 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
INTRODUCTION.
/ˌɪntrəˈdʌkʃən/
Line 2
It is with a solemnized feeling that I enter on these Reminiscences.
Line 3
Except one, I have survived all the associates of my earlier days.
/ɪkˈsept wʌn aɪ hæv sərˈvaɪvd ɔːl ðə əˈsoʊsiəts ʌv maɪ ˈɜːrliər deɪz/
Line 4
The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.
Line 5
The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

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.

aspirant noun US /ˈæspərənt/

an ambitious and aspiring young person

From this reading “The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.”

complexities noun US /kəmˈpleksɪtiz/

plural of “complexity” — the quality of being intricate and compounded

From this reading “The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.”

perspective noun US /pərˈspektɪv/

a way of regarding situations or topics etc.

From this reading “The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.”

polemic noun US /pəˈlemɪk/

a writer who argues in opposition to others (especially in theology)

From this reading “The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.”

reasoner noun US /ˈriːzənər/

someone who reasons logically

From this reading “The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.”

Reminiscences noun US /ˌreməˈnɪsənsɪz/

plural of “reminiscence” — a mental impression retained and recalled from the past

From this reading “It is with a solemnized feeling that I enter on these Reminiscences.”

retrospective noun US /ˌretrəˈspektɪv/

an exhibition of a representative selection of an artist's life work

From this reading “The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.”

sown adjective US /soʊn/

sprinkled with seed

From this reading “The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.”

All words in this reading · 109

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 with a solemnized feeling that I enter on these Reminiscences.

acuteadjectiveUS /əˈkjuːt/

having or experiencing a rapid onset and short but severe course

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

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 Except one, I have survived all the associates of my earlier days.

aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

appearsverbUS /əˈpɪrz/

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

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

aspirantnounUS /ˈæspərənt/

an ambitious and aspiring young person

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

associatesnounUS /əˈsoʊsiəts/

plural of “associate” — a person who joins with others in some activity or endeavor

From this reading Except one, I have survived all the associates of my earlier days.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

briefadjectiveUS /briːf/

of short duration or distance

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

calledverbUS /kɔːld/

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

complexitiesnounUS /kəmˈpleksɪtiz/

plural of “complexity” — the quality of being intricate and compounded

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

cultivateverbUS /ˈkʌltəveɪt/

foster the growth of

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

daysnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading Except one, I have survived all the associates of my earlier days.

directedadjectiveUS /dərˈektəd/

(often used in combination) having a specified direction

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

dreamnounUS /driːm/

A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

eageradjectiveUS /ˈiːɡər/

having or showing keen interest or intense desire or impatient expectancy

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

earlieradverbUS /ˈɜːrliər/

earlier in time; previously

From this reading Except one, I have survived all the associates of my earlier days.

earthnounUS /ɜːrθ/

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

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

eightyadjectiveUS /ˈeɪti/

being ten more than seventy

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

emulousadjective

characterized by or arising from emulation or imitation

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

enterverbUS /ˈentər/

to come or go into

From this reading It is with a solemnized feeling that I enter on these Reminiscences.

eternitynounUS /ɪˈtɜːrnəti/

time without end

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

eveningnounUS /ˈiːvnɪŋ/

the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

ExceptprepositionUS /ɪkˈsept/

apart from; not including

From this reading Except one, I have survived all the associates of my earlier days.

existencenounUS /eɡˈzɪstəns/

the state or fact of existing

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

famenounUS /feɪm/

the state or quality of being widely honored and acclaimed

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

feelingnounUS /ˈfiːlɪŋ/

the experiencing of affective and emotional states

From this reading It is with a solemnized feeling that I enter on these Reminiscences.

fieldnounUS /fiːld/

a piece of land cleared of trees and usually enclosed

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

fieryadjectiveUS /ˈfaɪəri/

characterized by intense emotion

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

foundverbUS /faʊnd/

set up or found

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

gatheringnounUS /ˈɡæðərɪŋ/

a group of persons together in one place

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

glanceverbUS /ɡlæns/

throw a glance at; take a brief look at

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Except one, I have survived all the associates of my earlier days.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

how

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

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading It is with a solemnized feeling that I enter on these Reminiscences.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

impressionsnounUS /ˌɪmˈpreʃənz/

plural of “impression” — a vague idea in which some confidence is placed

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

indistinctadjectiveUS /ˌɪndɪˈstɪŋkt/

not clearly defined or easy to perceive or understand

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

INTRODUCTIONnounUS /ˌɪntrəˈdʌkʃən/

the act of beginning something new

From this reading INTRODUCTION.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading It is with a solemnized feeling that I enter on these Reminiscences.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It is with a solemnized feeling that I enter on these Reminiscences.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

knownadjectiveUS /noʊn/

apprehended with certainty

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

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 The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

mannounUS /mæn/

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

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

materialadjectiveUS /məˈtɪriəl/

concerned with worldly rather than spiritual interests

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

minesnounUS /maɪnz/

plural of “mine” — excavation in the earth from which ores and minerals are extracted

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

mournfuladjectiveUS /ˈmɔːrnfəl/

expressing sorrow

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Except one, I have survived all the associates of my earlier days.

neareradverbUS /ˈnɪrər/

(comparative of “near” or “close”) within a shorter distance

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

neglectedadjectiveUS /nəˈɡlektəd/

disregarded

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

objectsnounUS /ˈɑːbdʒekts/

plural of “object” — a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Except one, I have survived all the associates of my earlier days.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading It is with a solemnized feeling that I enter on these Reminiscences.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Except one, I have survived all the associates of my earlier days.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

pastnounUS /pæst/

the time that has elapsed

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

perspectivenounUS /pərˈspektɪv/

a way of regarding situations or topics etc.

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

plotnounUS /plɑːt/

a secret scheme to do something (especially something underhand or illegal)

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

polemicnounUS /pəˈlemɪk/

a writer who argues in opposition to others (especially in theology)

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

politiciannounUS /ˌpɑːləˈtɪʃən/

a leader engaged in civil administration

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

realizeverbUS /ˈriːəlaɪz/

be fully aware or cognizant of

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

reasonernounUS /ˈriːzənər/

someone who reasons logically

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

ReminiscencesnounUS /ˌreməˈnɪsənsɪz/

plural of “reminiscence” — a mental impression retained and recalled from the past

From this reading It is with a solemnized feeling that I enter on these Reminiscences.

retrospectivenounUS /ˌretrəˈspektɪv/

an exhibition of a representative selection of an artist's life work

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

seedsnounUS /siːdz/

plural of “seed” — a small hard fruit

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

seventyadjectiveUS /ˈsevənti/

being ten more than sixty

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

shadowsnounUS /ˈʃædoʊz/

plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

solemnized

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

From this reading It is with a solemnized feeling that I enter on these Reminiscences.

solicitudes

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

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

sownadjectiveUS /soʊn/

sprinkled with seed

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

survivedverbUS /sərˈvaɪvd/

past form of “survive” — continue to live and avoid dying

From this reading Except one, I have survived all the associates of my earlier days.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It is with a solemnized feeling that I enter on these Reminiscences.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Except one, I have survived all the associates of my earlier days.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading It is with a solemnized feeling that I enter on these Reminiscences.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

tumults

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

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

unableadjectiveUS /əˈneɪbəl/

(usually followed by “to”) not having the necessary means or skill or know-how

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

valuableadjectiveUS /ˈvæljəbəl/

having great material or monetary value especially for use or exchange

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

visionnounUS /ˈvɪʒən/

a vivid mental image

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading The acute reasoner--the fiery politician--the eager polemic--the emulous aspirant after fame; and many such have I known, where are they? and how mournful, if any one of them should be found, at last, to have directed his solicitudes, alone, to material objects;--should have neglected to cultivate his own little plot of earth, more valuable than mines! and have sown no seeds for eternity.

wholeadjectiveUS /hoʊl/

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading It is with a solemnized feeling that I enter on these Reminiscences.

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading The young, with a long life in perspective, (if any life can be called long, in so brief an existence) are unable to realize the impressions of a man, nearer eighty than seventy, when the shadows of evening are gathering around, and, in a retrospective glance, the whole field of past vision appears, in all its complexities, like the indistinct tumults of a dream.

Chapter 1 of Reminiscences of Samuel Taylor Coleridge by Joseph Cottle holds 320 sentences, grouped into 64 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 1 of Reminiscences of Samuel Taylor Coleridge contain?

Chapter 1 holds 320 sentences of Reminiscences of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, unabridged, divided into 64 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Reminiscences of Samuel Taylor Coleridge by Joseph Cottle exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 320 sentences, grouped into 64 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 Reminiscences of Samuel Taylor Coleridge?

Work through the 64 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 64 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 Reminiscences of Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Common questions about reading Reminiscences of Samuel Taylor Coleridge by Joseph Cottle on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Reminiscences of Samuel Taylor Coleridge?

Yes. All 6182 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #8580 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Reminiscences of Samuel Taylor Coleridge is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #8580, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Reminiscences of Samuel Taylor Coleridge take to read?

About 515 minutes of reading across 1237 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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How to work through Reminiscences of Samuel Taylor Coleridge section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

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Vocabulary met early in Reminiscences of Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Words and structures a reader meets early in Reminiscences of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Introduction
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Reminiscences of Samuel Taylor Coleridge; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Solemnized
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Reminiscences of Samuel Taylor Coleridge; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Feeling
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Reminiscences of Samuel Taylor Coleridge; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Enter
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Reminiscences of Samuel Taylor Coleridge; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.