The Battle of the Books, and other Short

Chapter IX · Chapter 9

Chapter 9 of The Battle of the Books, and other Short is here in full — 101 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Jonathan Swift • Curated US English Learning Edition

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TO STELLA, _Visiting me in my sickness_, _October_, 1727.

Pallas, observing Stella's wit Was more than for her sex was fit; And that her beauty, soon or late, Might breed confusion in the state; In high concern for human kind, Fixed honour in her infant mind.

But (not in wranglings to engage With such a stupid vicious age), If honour I would here define, It answers faith in things divine.

As natural life the body warms, And, scholars teach, the soul informs; So honour animates the whole, And is the spirit of the soul.

Those numerous virtues which the tribe Of tedious moralists describe, And by such various titles call, True honour comprehends them all.

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Chapter IX Reading 1/20

The Battle of the Books, and other Short Jonathan Swift

Chapter IX

Chapter 9

Chapter 9 of The Battle of the Books, and other Short is here in full — 101 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

TO STELLA, _Visiting me in my sickness_, _October_, 1727. Pallas, observing Stella's wit Was more than for her sex was fit; And that her beauty, soon or late, Might breed confusion in the state; In high concern for human kind, Fixed honour in her infant mind. But (not in wranglings to engage With such a stupid vicious age), If honour I would here define, It answers faith in things divine. As natural life the body warms, And, scholars teach, the soul informs; So honour animates the whole, And is the spirit of the soul. Those numerous virtues which the tribe Of tedious moralists describe, And by such various titles call, True honour comprehends them all.

The Battle of the Books, and other Short

Chapter IX · Chapter 9

Chapter 9 of The Battle of the Books, and other Short is here in full — 101 sentences across 21 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/20 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

TO STELLA, _Visiting me in my sickness_, _October_, 1727.

Line 2

/ˈpæləs əbˈzɜːrvɪŋ ˈsteləz wɪt wɑːz mɔːr ðæn fɔːr hɜːr seks wɑːz fɪt ənd ðæt hɜːr ˈbjuːti suːn ɔːr leɪt maɪt briːd kənˈfjuːʒən ɪn ðə steɪt ɪn haɪ kənˈsɜːrn fɔːr ˈhjuːmən kaɪnd fɪkst ˈɑːnər ɪn hɜːr ˈɪnfənt maɪnd/

Line 3

But (not in wranglings to engage With such a stupid vicious age), If honour I would here define, It answers faith in things divine.

/bʌt nɑːt ɪn ˈræŋɡəlɪŋz tuː enˈɡeɪdʒ wɪð sʌtʃ ə ˈstuːpəd ˈvɪʃəs eɪdʒ ɪf ˈɑːnər aɪ wʊd hiːr dɪˈfaɪn ɪt ˈænsərz feɪθ ɪn θɪŋz dɪˈvaɪn/

Line 4

As natural life the body warms, And, scholars teach, the soul informs; So honour animates the whole, And is the spirit of the soul.

/æz ˈnætʃərəl laɪf ðə ˈbɑːdi wɔːrmz ənd ˈskɑːlərz tiːtʃ ðə soʊl ˌɪnˈfɔːrmz soʊ ˈɑːnər ˈænəməts ðə hoʊl ənd ɪz ðə ˈspɪrət ʌv ðə soʊl/

Line 5

Those numerous virtues which the tribe Of tedious moralists describe, And by such various titles call, True honour comprehends them all.

/ðoʊz ˈnuːmərəs ˈvɜːrtʃuːz wɪtʃ ðə traɪb ʌv ˈtiːdiəs ˈmɔːrəlɪsts dɪˈskraɪb ənd baɪ sʌtʃ ˈveriəs ˈtaɪtəlz kɔːl truː ˈɑːnər ˌkɑːmpriˈhendz ðem ɔːl/

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.

animates verb US /ˈænəməts/

third-person singular of “animate” — heighten or intensify

From this reading “As natural life the body warms, And, scholars teach, the soul informs; So honour animates the whole, And is the spirit of the soul.”

comprehends verb US /ˌkɑːmpriˈhendz/

third-person singular of “comprehend” — get the meaning of something

From this reading “Those numerous virtues which the tribe Of tedious moralists describe, And by such various titles call, True honour comprehends them all.”

informs verb US /ˌɪnˈfɔːrmz/

third-person singular of “inform” — impart knowledge of some fact, state of affairs, or event to

From this reading “As natural life the body warms, And, scholars teach, the soul informs; So honour animates the whole, And is the spirit of the soul.”

moralists noun US /ˈmɔːrəlɪsts/

plural of “moralist” — a philosopher who specializes in morals and moral problems

From this reading “Those numerous virtues which the tribe Of tedious moralists describe, And by such various titles call, True honour comprehends them all.”

Pallas noun US /ˈpæləs/

(Greek mythology) goddess of wisdom and useful arts and prudent warfare; guardian of Athens; identified with Roman Minerva

From this reading “Pallas, observing Stella's wit Was more than for her sex was fit; And that her beauty, soon or late, Might breed confusion in the state; In high concern for human kind, Fixed honour in her infant mind.”

Stella's noun US /ˈsteləz/

possessive form of “stella” — United States minimalist painter (born in 1936)

warms verb US /wɔːrmz/

third-person singular of “warm” — get warm or warmer

From this reading “As natural life the body warms, And, scholars teach, the soul informs; So honour animates the whole, And is the spirit of the soul.”

wranglings noun US /ˈræŋɡəlɪŋz/

plural of “wrangling” — an instance of intense argument (as in bargaining)

From this reading “But (not in wranglings to engage With such a stupid vicious age), If honour I would here define, It answers faith in things divine.”

All words in this reading · 90

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.

1727

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

From this reading TO STELLA, _Visiting me in my sickness_, _October_, 1727.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading But (not in wranglings to engage With such a stupid vicious age), If honour I would here define, It answers faith in things divine.

agenounUS /eɪdʒ/

how long something has existed

From this reading But (not in wranglings to engage With such a stupid vicious age), If honour I would here define, It answers faith in things divine.

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 Those numerous virtues which the tribe Of tedious moralists describe, And by such various titles call, True honour comprehends them all.

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Pallas, observing Stella's wit Was more than for her sex was fit; And that her beauty, soon or late, Might breed confusion in the state; In high concern for human kind, Fixed honour in her infant mind.

animatesverbUS /ˈænəməts/

third-person singular of “animate” — heighten or intensify

From this reading As natural life the body warms, And, scholars teach, the soul informs; So honour animates the whole, And is the spirit of the soul.

answersnounUS /ˈænsərz/

plural of “answer” — a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation

From this reading But (not in wranglings to engage With such a stupid vicious age), If honour I would here define, It answers faith in things divine.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading As natural life the body warms, And, scholars teach, the soul informs; So honour animates the whole, And is the spirit of the soul.

beautynounUS /ˈbjuːti/

the qualities that give pleasure to the senses

bodynounUS /ˈbɑːdi/

the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)

From this reading As natural life the body warms, And, scholars teach, the soul informs; So honour animates the whole, And is the spirit of the soul.

breedverbUS /briːd/

call forth

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But (not in wranglings to engage With such a stupid vicious age), If honour I would here define, It answers faith in things divine.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Those numerous virtues which the tribe Of tedious moralists describe, And by such various titles call, True honour comprehends them all.

callverbUS /kɔːl/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading Those numerous virtues which the tribe Of tedious moralists describe, And by such various titles call, True honour comprehends them all.

comprehendsverbUS /ˌkɑːmpriˈhendz/

third-person singular of “comprehend” — get the meaning of something

From this reading Those numerous virtues which the tribe Of tedious moralists describe, And by such various titles call, True honour comprehends them all.

concernnounUS /kənˈsɜːrn/

something that interests you because it is important or affects you

confusionnounUS /kənˈfjuːʒən/

disorder resulting from a failure to behave predictably

defineverbUS /dɪˈfaɪn/

determine the essential quality of

From this reading But (not in wranglings to engage With such a stupid vicious age), If honour I would here define, It answers faith in things divine.

describeverbUS /dɪˈskraɪb/

give a description of

From this reading Those numerous virtues which the tribe Of tedious moralists describe, And by such various titles call, True honour comprehends them all.

divineadjectiveUS /dɪˈvaɪn/

emanating from God

From this reading But (not in wranglings to engage With such a stupid vicious age), If honour I would here define, It answers faith in things divine.

engageverbUS /enˈɡeɪdʒ/

carry out or participate in an activity; be involved in

From this reading But (not in wranglings to engage With such a stupid vicious age), If honour I would here define, It answers faith in things divine.

faithnounUS /feɪθ/

a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny

From this reading But (not in wranglings to engage With such a stupid vicious age), If honour I would here define, It answers faith in things divine.

fitverbUS /fɪt/

be agreeable or acceptable to

FixedadjectiveUS /fɪkst/

(of a number) having a fixed and unchanging value

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading But (not in wranglings to engage With such a stupid vicious age), If honour I would here define, It answers faith in things divine.

highadjectiveUS /haɪ/

greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount

honournounUS /ˈɑːnər/

the state of being honored

humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/

characteristic of humanity

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading But (not in wranglings to engage With such a stupid vicious age), If honour I would here define, It answers faith in things divine.

IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading But (not in wranglings to engage With such a stupid vicious age), If honour I would here define, It answers faith in things divine.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading TO STELLA, _Visiting me in my sickness_, _October_, 1727.

infantnounUS /ˈɪnfənt/

a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk

informsverbUS /ˌɪnˈfɔːrmz/

third-person singular of “inform” — impart knowledge of some fact, state of affairs, or event to

From this reading As natural life the body warms, And, scholars teach, the soul informs; So honour animates the whole, And is the spirit of the soul.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading As natural life the body warms, And, scholars teach, the soul informs; So honour animates the whole, And is the spirit of the soul.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading But (not in wranglings to engage With such a stupid vicious age), If honour I would here define, It answers faith in things divine.

kindadjectiveUS /kaɪnd/

having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior

lateadjectiveUS /leɪt/

being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading As natural life the body warms, And, scholars teach, the soul informs; So honour animates the whole, And is the spirit of the soul.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading TO STELLA, _Visiting me in my sickness_, _October_, 1727.

Mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

moralistsnounUS /ˈmɔːrəlɪsts/

plural of “moralist” — a philosopher who specializes in morals and moral problems

From this reading Those numerous virtues which the tribe Of tedious moralists describe, And by such various titles call, True honour comprehends them all.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading TO STELLA, _Visiting me in my sickness_, _October_, 1727.

naturaladjectiveUS /ˈnætʃərəl/

in accordance with nature; relating to or concerning nature

From this reading As natural life the body warms, And, scholars teach, the soul informs; So honour animates the whole, And is the spirit of the soul.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading But (not in wranglings to engage With such a stupid vicious age), If honour I would here define, It answers faith in things divine.

numerousadjectiveUS /ˈnuːmərəs/

amounting to a large indefinite number

From this reading Those numerous virtues which the tribe Of tedious moralists describe, And by such various titles call, True honour comprehends them all.

observingadjectiveUS /əbˈzɜːrvɪŋ/

quick to notice; showing quick and keen perception

OctobernounUS /ɑːkˈtoʊbər/

the month following September and preceding November

From this reading TO STELLA, _Visiting me in my sickness_, _October_, 1727.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading As natural life the body warms, And, scholars teach, the soul informs; So honour animates the whole, And is the spirit of the soul.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

PallasnounUS /ˈpæləs/

(Greek mythology) goddess of wisdom and useful arts and prudent warfare; guardian of Athens; identified with Roman Minerva

scholarsnounUS /ˈskɑːlərz/

plural of “scholar” — a learned person (especially in the humanities); someone who by long study has gained mastery in one or more disciplines

From this reading As natural life the body warms, And, scholars teach, the soul informs; So honour animates the whole, And is the spirit of the soul.

sexnounUS /seks/

activities associated with sexual intercourse

sicknessnounUS /ˈsɪknəs/

impairment of normal physiological function affecting part or all of an organism

From this reading TO STELLA, _Visiting me in my sickness_, _October_, 1727.

SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading As natural life the body warms, And, scholars teach, the soul informs; So honour animates the whole, And is the spirit of the soul.

soonadverbUS /suːn/

in the near future

soulnounUS /soʊl/

the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life

From this reading As natural life the body warms, And, scholars teach, the soul informs; So honour animates the whole, And is the spirit of the soul.

spiritnounUS /ˈspɪrət/

the vital principle or animating force within living things

From this reading As natural life the body warms, And, scholars teach, the soul informs; So honour animates the whole, And is the spirit of the soul.

statenounUS /steɪt/

the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation

STELLAnounUS /ˈstelə/

United States minimalist painter (born in 1936)

From this reading TO STELLA, _Visiting me in my sickness_, _October_, 1727.

Stella'snounUS /ˈsteləz/

possessive form of “stella” — United States minimalist painter (born in 1936)

stupidadjectiveUS /ˈstuːpəd/

lacking or marked by lack of intellectual acuity

From this reading But (not in wranglings to engage With such a stupid vicious age), If honour I would here define, It answers faith in things divine.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading But (not in wranglings to engage With such a stupid vicious age), If honour I would here define, It answers faith in things divine.

teachverbUS /tiːtʃ/

impart skills or knowledge to

From this reading As natural life the body warms, And, scholars teach, the soul informs; So honour animates the whole, And is the spirit of the soul.

tediousadjectiveUS /ˈtiːdiəs/

so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness

From this reading Those numerous virtues which the tribe Of tedious moralists describe, And by such various titles call, True honour comprehends them all.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Those numerous virtues which the tribe Of tedious moralists describe, And by such various titles call, True honour comprehends them all.

thingsnounUS /θɪŋz/

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading But (not in wranglings to engage With such a stupid vicious age), If honour I would here define, It answers faith in things divine.

ThosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading Those numerous virtues which the tribe Of tedious moralists describe, And by such various titles call, True honour comprehends them all.

titlesnounUS /ˈtaɪtəlz/

plural of “title” — a heading that names a statute or legislative bill; may give a brief summary of the matters it deals with

From this reading Those numerous virtues which the tribe Of tedious moralists describe, And by such various titles call, True honour comprehends them all.

TOparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading TO STELLA, _Visiting me in my sickness_, _October_, 1727.

tribenounUS /traɪb/

a social division of (usually preliterate) people

From this reading Those numerous virtues which the tribe Of tedious moralists describe, And by such various titles call, True honour comprehends them all.

TrueadjectiveUS /truː/

consistent with fact or reality; not false

From this reading Those numerous virtues which the tribe Of tedious moralists describe, And by such various titles call, True honour comprehends them all.

variousadjectiveUS /ˈveriəs/

of many different kinds purposefully arranged but lacking any uniformity

From this reading Those numerous virtues which the tribe Of tedious moralists describe, And by such various titles call, True honour comprehends them all.

viciousadjectiveUS /ˈvɪʃəs/

(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering

From this reading But (not in wranglings to engage With such a stupid vicious age), If honour I would here define, It answers faith in things divine.

virtuesnounUS /ˈvɜːrtʃuːz/

plural of “virtue” — the quality of doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong

From this reading Those numerous virtues which the tribe Of tedious moralists describe, And by such various titles call, True honour comprehends them all.

VisitingnounUS /ˈvɪzɪtɪŋ/

the activity of making visits

From this reading TO STELLA, _Visiting me in my sickness_, _October_, 1727.

warmsverbUS /wɔːrmz/

third-person singular of “warm” — get warm or warmer

From this reading As natural life the body warms, And, scholars teach, the soul informs; So honour animates the whole, And is the spirit of the soul.

Wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading Those numerous virtues which the tribe Of tedious moralists describe, And by such various titles call, True honour comprehends them all.

wholeadjectiveUS /hoʊl/

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

From this reading As natural life the body warms, And, scholars teach, the soul informs; So honour animates the whole, And is the spirit of the soul.

witnounUS /wɪt/

a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter

WithprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading But (not in wranglings to engage With such a stupid vicious age), If honour I would here define, It answers faith in things divine.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading But (not in wranglings to engage With such a stupid vicious age), If honour I would here define, It answers faith in things divine.

wranglingsnounUS /ˈræŋɡəlɪŋz/

plural of “wrangling” — an instance of intense argument (as in bargaining)

From this reading But (not in wranglings to engage With such a stupid vicious age), If honour I would here define, It answers faith in things divine.

Chapter 9 of The Battle of the Books, and other Short by Jonathan Swift holds 101 sentences, grouped into 21 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.

What does chapter 9 of The Battle of the Books, and other Short contain?

Chapter 9 holds 101 sentences of The Battle of the Books, and other Short, unabridged, divided into 21 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 9 of The Battle of the Books, and other Short by Jonathan Swift exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 101 sentences, grouped into 21 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 9 of The Battle of the Books, and other Short?

Work through the 21 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 21 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 9 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 9 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.

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Yes. All 1237 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #623 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

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Project Gutenberg eBook #623, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

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About 103 minutes of reading across 248 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in The Battle of the Books, and other Short

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Battle of the Books, and other Short, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Battle: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Battle of the Books, and other Short; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
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Chapter IX · Chapter 9

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Vocabulary met early in The Battle of the Books, and other Short