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The Beaux-Stratagem: A Comedy in Five Acts
The Beaux-Stratagem: A Comedy in Five Acts

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Beaux-Stratagem: A Comedy in Five Acts is here in full — 471 sentences across 95 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Beaux-Stratagem: A Comedy in Five Acts
Context Illustration Reading 1/94 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A COMEDY, IN FIVE ACTS; BY GEORGE FARQUHAR, ESQ.
AS PERFORMED AT THE THEATRES ROYAL, DRURY LANE AND COVENT GARDEN.
PRINTED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE MANAGERS FROM THE PROMPT BOOK.
WITH REMARKS BY MRS.
INCHBALD.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Beaux-Stratagem: A Comedy in Five Acts

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Beaux-Stratagem: A Comedy in Five Acts is here in full — 471 sentences across 95 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/94 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
A COMEDY, IN FIVE ACTS; BY GEORGE FARQUHAR, ESQ.
Line 2
AS PERFORMED AT THE THEATRES ROYAL, DRURY LANE AND COVENT GARDEN.
Line 3
PRINTED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE MANAGERS FROM THE PROMPT BOOK.
/ˈprɪntɪd ˈʌndər ðə əˈθɔːrəti ʌv ðə ˈmænədʒərz frʌm ðə prɑːmpt bʊk/
Line 4
WITH REMARKS BY MRS.
/wɪð rɪˈmɑːrks baɪ ˈmɪsɪz/
Line 5
INCHBALD.

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.

acts noun US /ækts/

a New Testament book describing the development of the early church from Christ's Ascension to Paul's sojourn at Rome

From this reading “A COMEDY, IN FIVE ACTS; BY GEORGE FARQUHAR, ESQ.”

comedy noun US /ˈkɑːmədi/

light and humorous drama with a happy ending

From this reading “A COMEDY, IN FIVE ACTS; BY GEORGE FARQUHAR, ESQ.”

managers noun US /ˈmænədʒərz/

plural of “manager” — someone who controls resources and expenditures

From this reading “PRINTED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE MANAGERS FROM THE PROMPT BOOK.”

performed verb US /pərˈfɔːrmd/

past form of “perform” — carry out or perform an action

From this reading “AS PERFORMED AT THE THEATRES ROYAL, DRURY LANE AND COVENT GARDEN.”

printed verb US /ˈprɪntɪd/

past form of “print” — put into print

From this reading “PRINTED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE MANAGERS FROM THE PROMPT BOOK.”

prompt verb US /prɑːmpt/

give an incentive for action

From this reading “PRINTED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE MANAGERS FROM THE PROMPT BOOK.”

remarks noun US /rɪˈmɑːrks/

plural of “remark” — a statement that expresses a personal opinion or belief or adds information

From this reading “WITH REMARKS BY MRS.”

theatres noun US /ˈθiːətərz/

plural of “theatre” — a building where theatrical performances or motion-picture shows can be presented

From this reading “AS PERFORMED AT THE THEATRES ROYAL, DRURY LANE AND COVENT GARDEN.”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

FIVE ACTS noun + noun

In this reading “A COMEDY, IN FIVE ACTS; BY GEORGE FARQUHAR, ESQ.”

AT THE THEATRES preposition + article + noun counted as “at … theatre”

In this reading “AS PERFORMED AT THE THEATRES ROYAL, DRURY LANE AND COVENT GARDEN.”

All words in this reading · 32

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 A COMEDY, IN FIVE ACTS; BY GEORGE FARQUHAR, ESQ.

ACTSnounUS /ækts/

a New Testament book describing the development of the early church from Christ's Ascension to Paul's sojourn at Rome

From this reading A COMEDY, IN FIVE ACTS; BY GEORGE FARQUHAR, ESQ.

ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading AS PERFORMED AT THE THEATRES ROYAL, DRURY LANE AND COVENT GARDEN.

ASconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading AS PERFORMED AT THE THEATRES ROYAL, DRURY LANE AND COVENT GARDEN.

ATprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading AS PERFORMED AT THE THEATRES ROYAL, DRURY LANE AND COVENT GARDEN.

AUTHORITYnounUS /əˈθɔːrəti/

the power or right to give orders or make decisions

From this reading PRINTED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE MANAGERS FROM THE PROMPT BOOK.

BOOKnounUS /bʊk/

a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)

From this reading PRINTED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE MANAGERS FROM THE PROMPT BOOK.

BYprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading A COMEDY, IN FIVE ACTS; BY GEORGE FARQUHAR, ESQ.

COMEDYnounUS /ˈkɑːmədi/

light and humorous drama with a happy ending

From this reading A COMEDY, IN FIVE ACTS; BY GEORGE FARQUHAR, ESQ.

COVENT

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

From this reading AS PERFORMED AT THE THEATRES ROYAL, DRURY LANE AND COVENT GARDEN.

DRURY

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

From this reading AS PERFORMED AT THE THEATRES ROYAL, DRURY LANE AND COVENT GARDEN.

ESQnoun

a title of respect for a member of the English gentry ranking just below a knight; placed after the name

From this reading A COMEDY, IN FIVE ACTS; BY GEORGE FARQUHAR, ESQ.

FARQUHAR

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

From this reading A COMEDY, IN FIVE ACTS; BY GEORGE FARQUHAR, ESQ.

FIVEnounUS /faɪv/

the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one

From this reading A COMEDY, IN FIVE ACTS; BY GEORGE FARQUHAR, ESQ.

FROMprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading PRINTED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE MANAGERS FROM THE PROMPT BOOK.

GARDENnounUS /ˈɡɑːrdən/

a plot of ground where plants are cultivated

From this reading AS PERFORMED AT THE THEATRES ROYAL, DRURY LANE AND COVENT GARDEN.

GEORGEnounUS /dʒɔːrdʒ/

Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)

From this reading A COMEDY, IN FIVE ACTS; BY GEORGE FARQUHAR, ESQ.

INprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading A COMEDY, IN FIVE ACTS; BY GEORGE FARQUHAR, ESQ.

INCHBALD

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

From this reading INCHBALD.

LANEnounUS /leɪn/

a narrow way or road

From this reading AS PERFORMED AT THE THEATRES ROYAL, DRURY LANE AND COVENT GARDEN.

MANAGERSnounUS /ˈmænədʒərz/

plural of “manager” — someone who controls resources and expenditures

From this reading PRINTED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE MANAGERS FROM THE PROMPT BOOK.

MRSnounUS /ˈmɪsɪz/

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading WITH REMARKS BY MRS.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading PRINTED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE MANAGERS FROM THE PROMPT BOOK.

PERFORMEDverbUS /pərˈfɔːrmd/

past form of “perform” — carry out or perform an action

From this reading AS PERFORMED AT THE THEATRES ROYAL, DRURY LANE AND COVENT GARDEN.

PRINTEDverbUS /ˈprɪntɪd/

past form of “print” — put into print

From this reading PRINTED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE MANAGERS FROM THE PROMPT BOOK.

PROMPTverbUS /prɑːmpt/

give an incentive for action

From this reading PRINTED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE MANAGERS FROM THE PROMPT BOOK.

REMARKSnounUS /rɪˈmɑːrks/

plural of “remark” — a statement that expresses a personal opinion or belief or adds information

From this reading WITH REMARKS BY MRS.

ROYALadjectiveUS /ˈrɔɪəl/

of or relating to or indicative of or issued or performed by a king or queen or other monarch

From this reading AS PERFORMED AT THE THEATRES ROYAL, DRURY LANE AND COVENT GARDEN.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading AS PERFORMED AT THE THEATRES ROYAL, DRURY LANE AND COVENT GARDEN.

THEATRESnounUS /ˈθiːətərz/

plural of “theatre” — a building where theatrical performances or motion-picture shows can be presented

From this reading AS PERFORMED AT THE THEATRES ROYAL, DRURY LANE AND COVENT GARDEN.

UNDERprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading PRINTED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE MANAGERS FROM THE PROMPT BOOK.

WITHprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading WITH REMARKS BY MRS.

Chapter 1 of The Beaux-Stratagem: A Comedy in Five Acts by George Farquhar holds 471 sentences, grouped into 95 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 The Beaux-Stratagem: A Comedy in Five Acts contain?

Chapter 1 holds 471 sentences of The Beaux-Stratagem: A Comedy in Five Acts, unabridged, divided into 95 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The Beaux-Stratagem: A Comedy in Five Acts by George Farquhar exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 471 sentences, grouped into 95 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 The Beaux-Stratagem: A Comedy in Five Acts?

Work through the 95 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 95 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.

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Is this the complete text of The Beaux-Stratagem: A Comedy in Five Acts?

Yes. All 1397 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #37195 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Beaux-Stratagem: A Comedy in Five Acts is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #37195, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Beaux-Stratagem: A Comedy in Five Acts take to read?

About 116 minutes of reading across 280 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in The Beaux-Stratagem: A Comedy in Five Acts

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Beaux-Stratagem: A Comedy in Five Acts, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Comedy
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Beaux-Stratagem: A Comedy in Five Acts; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
George
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Beaux-Stratagem: A Comedy in Five Acts; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Farquhar
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Beaux-Stratagem: A Comedy in Five Acts; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Performed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Beaux-Stratagem: A Comedy in Five Acts; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.