Chapter 4 of The Alchemist is here in full — 392 sentences across 79 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter IV
Chapter 4 of The Alchemist is here in full — 392 sentences across 79 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
FACE. Sir, I'll go look A little, how it heightens. [EXIT.] MAM. Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.
Chapter 4 of The Alchemist is here in full — 392 sentences across 79 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/78 · 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.
again but in a new or different way
From this reading “Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.”
plural of “cobweb” — a fabric so delicate and transparent as to resemble a web of a spider
From this reading “Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.”
third-person singular of “heighten” — become more extreme
From this reading “Sir, I'll go look A little, how it heightens.”
a member of a Mayan people of southwestern Guatemala
From this reading “MAM.”
a native or inhabitant of Iran
From this reading “Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.”
call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses)
From this reading “Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.”
a public act of violence by an unruly mob
From this reading “Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.”
plural of “shirt” — a garment worn on the upper half of the body
From this reading “Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.”
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 Sir, I'll go look A little, how it heightens.
(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 Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.
again but in a new or different way
From this reading Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.
plural of “cobweb” — a fabric so delicate and transparent as to resemble a web of a spider
From this reading Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.
an opening that permits escape or release
From this reading [EXIT.]
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading FACE.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Sir, I'll go look A little, how it heightens.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.
third-person singular of “heighten” — become more extreme
From this reading Sir, I'll go look A little, how it heightens.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sir, I'll go look A little, how it heightens.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sir, I'll go look A little, how it heightens.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Sir, I'll go look A little, how it heightens.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Sir, I'll go look A little, how it heightens.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Sir, I'll go look A little, how it heightens.
a member of a Mayan people of southwestern Guatemala
From this reading MAM.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.
a native or inhabitant of Iran
From this reading Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.
call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses)
From this reading Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.
especially fine or decorative clothing
From this reading Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.
a public act of violence by an unruly mob
From this reading Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.
plural of “shirt” — a garment worn on the upper half of the body
From this reading Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.
term of address for a man
From this reading Sir, I'll go look A little, how it heightens.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.
impart skills or knowledge to
From this reading Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading Do.--My shirts I'll have of taffeta-sarsnet, soft and light As cobwebs; and for all my other raiment, It shall be such as might provoke the Persian, Were he to teach the world riot anew.
Chapter 4 of The Alchemist by Ben Jonson holds 392 sentences, grouped into 79 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 4 holds 392 sentences of The Alchemist, unabridged, divided into 79 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 4 of The Alchemist by Ben Jonson exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 392 sentences, grouped into 79 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 79 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 79 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 4 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 The Alchemist by Ben Jonson on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 5517 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #4081 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #4081, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 459 minutes of reading across 1104 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Alchemist section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 14 chapters of The Alchemist 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 The Alchemist, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
