Chapter 3 of Tales is here in full — 134 sentences across 27 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
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Chapter III
Chapter 3 of Tales is here in full — 134 sentences across 27 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
TALE V. THE PATRON. It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere. SHAKESPEARE, All's Well that Ends Well. Poor wretches, that depend On greatness' favours, dream as I have done, Wake and find nothing.
Chapter 3 of Tales is here in full — 134 sentences across 27 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/26 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
descended from a common ancestor but through different lines
From this reading “It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.”
made comfortable or more comfortable in a time of distress
From this reading “It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.”
plural of “favour” — a feeling of favorable regard
From this reading “Poor wretches, that depend On greatness' favours, dream as I have done, Wake and find nothing.”
the property possessed by something or someone of outstanding importance or eminence
From this reading “Poor wretches, that depend On greatness' favours, dream as I have done, Wake and find nothing.”
a regular customer
From this reading “THE PATRON.”
the amount of electromagnetic radiation leaving or arriving at a point on a surface
From this reading “It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.”
a particular environment or walk of life
From this reading “It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.”
take in marriage
From this reading “It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.
higher than, or over, something
From this reading It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.
(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 It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SHAKESPEARE, All's Well that Ends Well.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Poor wretches, that depend On greatness' favours, dream as I have done, Wake and find nothing.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.
descended from a common ancestor but through different lines
From this reading It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.
made comfortable or more comfortable in a time of distress
From this reading It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.
be contingent upon (something that is elided)
From this reading Poor wretches, that depend On greatness' favours, dream as I have done, Wake and find nothing.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading Poor wretches, that depend On greatness' favours, dream as I have done, Wake and find nothing.
A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.
From this reading Poor wretches, that depend On greatness' favours, dream as I have done, Wake and find nothing.
plural of “end” — either extremity of something that has length
From this reading SHAKESPEARE, All's Well that Ends Well.
plural of “favour” — a feeling of favorable regard
From this reading Poor wretches, that depend On greatness' favours, dream as I have done, Wake and find nothing.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading Poor wretches, that depend On greatness' favours, dream as I have done, Wake and find nothing.
the property possessed by something or someone of outstanding importance or eminence
From this reading Poor wretches, that depend On greatness' favours, dream as I have done, Wake and find nothing.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Poor wretches, that depend On greatness' favours, dream as I have done, Wake and find nothing.
a form of energy that is transferred by a difference in temperature
From this reading It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Poor wretches, that depend On greatness' favours, dream as I have done, Wake and find nothing.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Poor wretches, that depend On greatness' favours, dream as I have done, Wake and find nothing.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.
a regular customer
From this reading THE PATRON.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading Poor wretches, that depend On greatness' favours, dream as I have done, Wake and find nothing.
the amount of electromagnetic radiation leaving or arriving at a point on a surface
From this reading It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.
English poet and dramatist considered one of the greatest English writers (1564-1616)
From this reading SHAKESPEARE, All's Well that Ends Well.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.
a particular environment or walk of life
From this reading It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.
(astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading TALE V.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE PATRON.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.
a unit of potential equal to the potential difference between two points on a conductor carrying a current of 1 ampere when the power dissipated between the two points is 1 watt
From this reading TALE V.
be awake, be alert, be there
From this reading Poor wretches, that depend On greatness' favours, dream as I have done, Wake and find nothing.
take in marriage
From this reading It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading SHAKESPEARE, All's Well that Ends Well.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading It were all one, That I should love a bright peculiar star, And think to wed it; she is so much above me: In her bright radiance and collateral heat Must I be comforted, not in her sphere.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Poor wretches, that depend On greatness' favours, dream as I have done, Wake and find nothing.
Chapter 3 of Tales by George Crabbe holds 134 sentences, grouped into 27 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.
Chapter 3 holds 134 sentences of Tales, unabridged, divided into 27 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 3 of Tales by George Crabbe exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 134 sentences, grouped into 27 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 27 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 27 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 3 can be played aloud in United States English.
Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.
Common questions about reading Tales by George Crabbe on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 1908 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #5217 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #5217, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 159 minutes of reading across 382 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Tales section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 12 chapters of Tales to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Tales, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
