Chapter 7 of Tales is here in full — 177 sentences across 36 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VII
Chapter 7 of Tales is here in full — 177 sentences across 36 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Such smiling rogues as these, Like rats, oft bite the holy cords in twain. Too intrinsicate t'unloose. SHAKESPEARE, King Lear. My other self, my counsel's consistory, My oracle, my prophet, I as a child will go by thy direction. Richard III.
Chapter 7 of Tales is here in full — 177 sentences across 36 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/35 · 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.
to grip, cut off, or tear with or as if with the teeth or jaws
From this reading “Such smiling rogues as these, Like rats, oft bite the holy cords in twain.”
cotton trousers made of corduroy cloth
From this reading “Such smiling rogues as these, Like rats, oft bite the holy cords in twain.”
possessive form of “counsel” — a lawyer who pleads cases in court
From this reading “My other self, my counsel's consistory, My oracle, my prophet, I as a child will go by thy direction.”
British artist and writer of nonsense verse (1812-1888)
From this reading “SHAKESPEARE, King Lear.”
many times at short intervals
From this reading “Such smiling rogues as these, Like rats, oft bite the holy cords in twain.”
an authoritative person who divines the future
From this reading “My other self, my counsel's consistory, My oracle, my prophet, I as a child will go by thy direction.”
plural of “rat” — any of various long-tailed rodents similar to but larger than a mouse
From this reading “Such smiling rogues as these, Like rats, oft bite the holy cords in twain.”
plural of “rogue” — a deceitful and unreliable scoundrel
From this reading “Such smiling rogues as these, Like rats, oft bite the holy cords in twain.”
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 My other self, my counsel's consistory, My oracle, my prophet, I as a child will go by thy direction.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Such smiling rogues as these, Like rats, oft bite the holy cords in twain.
to grip, cut off, or tear with or as if with the teeth or jaws
From this reading Such smiling rogues as these, Like rats, oft bite the holy cords in twain.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading My other self, my counsel's consistory, My oracle, my prophet, I as a child will go by thy direction.
a young person of either sex
From this reading My other self, my counsel's consistory, My oracle, my prophet, I as a child will go by thy direction.
a church tribunal or governing body
From this reading My other self, my counsel's consistory, My oracle, my prophet, I as a child will go by thy direction.
cotton trousers made of corduroy cloth
From this reading Such smiling rogues as these, Like rats, oft bite the holy cords in twain.
possessive form of “counsel” — a lawyer who pleads cases in court
From this reading My other self, my counsel's consistory, My oracle, my prophet, I as a child will go by thy direction.
a line leading to a place or point
From this reading My other self, my counsel's consistory, My oracle, my prophet, I as a child will go by thy direction.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading My other self, my counsel's consistory, My oracle, my prophet, I as a child will go by thy direction.
a sacred place of pilgrimage
From this reading Such smiling rogues as these, Like rats, oft bite the holy cords in twain.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading My other self, my counsel's consistory, My oracle, my prophet, I as a child will go by thy direction.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading Richard III.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Such smiling rogues as these, Like rats, oft bite the holy cords in twain.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Too intrinsicate t'unloose.
a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom
From this reading SHAKESPEARE, King Lear.
British artist and writer of nonsense verse (1812-1888)
From this reading SHAKESPEARE, King Lear.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Such smiling rogues as these, Like rats, oft bite the holy cords in twain.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading My other self, my counsel's consistory, My oracle, my prophet, I as a child will go by thy direction.
many times at short intervals
From this reading Such smiling rogues as these, Like rats, oft bite the holy cords in twain.
an authoritative person who divines the future
From this reading My other self, my counsel's consistory, My oracle, my prophet, I as a child will go by thy direction.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading My other self, my counsel's consistory, My oracle, my prophet, I as a child will go by thy direction.
an authoritative person who divines the future
From this reading My other self, my counsel's consistory, My oracle, my prophet, I as a child will go by thy direction.
plural of “rat” — any of various long-tailed rodents similar to but larger than a mouse
From this reading Such smiling rogues as these, Like rats, oft bite the holy cords in twain.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Richard III.
plural of “rogue” — a deceitful and unreliable scoundrel
From this reading Such smiling rogues as these, Like rats, oft bite the holy cords in twain.
your consciousness of your own identity
From this reading My other self, my counsel's consistory, My oracle, my prophet, I as a child will go by thy direction.
English poet and dramatist considered one of the greatest English writers (1564-1616)
From this reading SHAKESPEARE, King Lear.
a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement
From this reading Such smiling rogues as these, Like rats, oft bite the holy cords in twain.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Such smiling rogues as these, Like rats, oft bite the holy cords in twain.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Too intrinsicate t'unloose.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Such smiling rogues as these, Like rats, oft bite the holy cords in twain.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Such smiling rogues as these, Like rats, oft bite the holy cords in twain.
an old word for “your”, speaking to one person
From this reading My other self, my counsel's consistory, My oracle, my prophet, I as a child will go by thy direction.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading Too intrinsicate t'unloose.
two items of the same kind
From this reading Such smiling rogues as these, Like rats, oft bite the holy cords in twain.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading My other self, my counsel's consistory, My oracle, my prophet, I as a child will go by thy direction.
Chapter 7 of Tales by George Crabbe holds 177 sentences, grouped into 36 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 7 holds 177 sentences of Tales, unabridged, divided into 36 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 7 of Tales by George Crabbe exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 177 sentences, grouped into 36 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 36 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 36 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 7 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.
