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The Cell of Self-Knowledge
The Cell of Self-Knowledge

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of The Cell of Self-Knowledge is here in full — 478 sentences across 96 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Cell of Self-Knowledge
Context Illustration Reading 1/95 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Edited with an introduction and notes by Edmund G. Gardner M.A.
The Frontispiece is taken from B.M. MS.
Faustina, B. VI.
"Stiamo nella cella del cognoscimento di noi; cognoscendo, noi per noi non essere, e la bonta di Dio in noi; ricognoscendo l'essere, e ogni grazia che e posta sopra l'essere, da lui."--St. Catherine of Siena.
"Tergat ergo speculum suum, mundet spiritum suum, quisquis sitit videre Deum suum.
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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 Cell of Self-Knowledge

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of The Cell of Self-Knowledge is here in full — 478 sentences across 96 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/95 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Edited with an introduction and notes by Edmund G. Gardner M.A.
Line 2
The Frontispiece is taken from B.M. MS.
Line 3
Faustina, B. VI.
Line 4
"Stiamo nella cella del cognoscimento di noi; cognoscendo, noi per noi non essere, e la bonta di Dio in noi; ricognoscendo l'essere, e ogni grazia che e posta sopra l'essere, da lui."--St. Catherine of Siena.
Line 5
"Tergat ergo speculum suum, mundet spiritum suum, quisquis sitit videre Deum suum.

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.

Catherine noun US /ˈkæθərən/

first wife of Henry VIII; Henry VIII's divorce from her was the initial step of the Reformation in England (1485-1536)

From this reading “"Stiamo nella cella del cognoscimento di noi; cognoscendo, noi per noi non essere, e la bonta di Dio in noi; ricognoscendo l'essere, e ogni grazia che e posta sopra l'essere, da lui."--St. Catherine of Siena.”

Edited adjective US /ˈedətəd/

improved or corrected by critical editing

From this reading “Edited with an introduction and notes by Edmund G. Gardner M.A.”

ergo adverb US /ˈɜːrɡoʊ/

(used as a sentence connector) therefore or consequently

From this reading “"Tergat ergo speculum suum, mundet spiritum suum, quisquis sitit videre Deum suum.”

Gardner noun US /ˈɡɑːrdnər/

United States collector and patron of art who built a museum in Boston to house her collection and opened it to the public in 1903 (1840-1924)

From this reading “Edited with an introduction and notes by Edmund G. Gardner M.A.”

introduction noun US /ˌɪntrəˈdʌkʃən/

the act of beginning something new

From this reading “Edited with an introduction and notes by Edmund G. Gardner M.A.”

non adverb US /nɑːn/

negation of a word or group of words

From this reading “"Stiamo nella cella del cognoscimento di noi; cognoscendo, noi per noi non essere, e la bonta di Dio in noi; ricognoscendo l'essere, e ogni grazia che e posta sopra l'essere, da lui."--St. Catherine of Siena.”

notes noun US /noʊts/

plural of “note” — a brief written record

From this reading “Edited with an introduction and notes by Edmund G. Gardner M.A.”

per preposition US /pɜːr/

for each

From this reading “"Stiamo nella cella del cognoscimento di noi; cognoscendo, noi per noi non essere, e la bonta di Dio in noi; ricognoscendo l'essere, e ogni grazia che e posta sopra l'essere, da lui."--St. Catherine of Siena.”

All words in this reading · 60

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 Edited with an introduction and notes by Edmund G. Gardner M.A.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading Edited with an introduction and notes by Edmund G. Gardner M.A.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Edited with an introduction and notes by Edmund G. Gardner M.A.

BnounUS /biː/

aerobic rod-shaped spore-producing bacterium; often occurring in chainlike formations; found primarily in soil

From this reading The Frontispiece is taken from B.M. MS.

bonta

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

From this reading "Stiamo nella cella del cognoscimento di noi; cognoscendo, noi per noi non essere, e la bonta di Dio in noi; ricognoscendo l'essere, e ogni grazia che e posta sopra l'essere, da lui."--St. Catherine of Siena.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Edited with an introduction and notes by Edmund G. Gardner M.A.

CatherinenounUS /ˈkæθərən/

first wife of Henry VIII; Henry VIII's divorce from her was the initial step of the Reformation in England (1485-1536)

From this reading "Stiamo nella cella del cognoscimento di noi; cognoscendo, noi per noi non essere, e la bonta di Dio in noi; ricognoscendo l'essere, e ogni grazia che e posta sopra l'essere, da lui."--St. Catherine of Siena.

cella

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

From this reading "Stiamo nella cella del cognoscimento di noi; cognoscendo, noi per noi non essere, e la bonta di Dio in noi; ricognoscendo l'essere, e ogni grazia che e posta sopra l'essere, da lui."--St. Catherine of Siena.

che

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

From this reading "Stiamo nella cella del cognoscimento di noi; cognoscendo, noi per noi non essere, e la bonta di Dio in noi; ricognoscendo l'essere, e ogni grazia che e posta sopra l'essere, da lui."--St. Catherine of Siena.

cognoscendo

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

From this reading "Stiamo nella cella del cognoscimento di noi; cognoscendo, noi per noi non essere, e la bonta di Dio in noi; ricognoscendo l'essere, e ogni grazia che e posta sopra l'essere, da lui."--St. Catherine of Siena.

cognoscimento

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

From this reading "Stiamo nella cella del cognoscimento di noi; cognoscendo, noi per noi non essere, e la bonta di Dio in noi; ricognoscendo l'essere, e ogni grazia che e posta sopra l'essere, da lui."--St. Catherine of Siena.

danounUS /dɑː/

an official prosecutor for a judicial district

From this reading "Stiamo nella cella del cognoscimento di noi; cognoscendo, noi per noi non essere, e la bonta di Dio in noi; ricognoscendo l'essere, e ogni grazia che e posta sopra l'essere, da lui."--St. Catherine of Siena.

del

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

From this reading "Stiamo nella cella del cognoscimento di noi; cognoscendo, noi per noi non essere, e la bonta di Dio in noi; ricognoscendo l'essere, e ogni grazia che e posta sopra l'essere, da lui."--St. Catherine of Siena.

Deum

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

From this reading "Tergat ergo speculum suum, mundet spiritum suum, quisquis sitit videre Deum suum.

di

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

From this reading "Stiamo nella cella del cognoscimento di noi; cognoscendo, noi per noi non essere, e la bonta di Dio in noi; ricognoscendo l'essere, e ogni grazia che e posta sopra l'essere, da lui."--St. Catherine of Siena.

Dio

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

From this reading "Stiamo nella cella del cognoscimento di noi; cognoscendo, noi per noi non essere, e la bonta di Dio in noi; ricognoscendo l'essere, e ogni grazia che e posta sopra l'essere, da lui."--St. Catherine of Siena.

enounUS /iː/

a fat-soluble vitamin that is essential for normal reproduction; an important antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals in the body

From this reading "Stiamo nella cella del cognoscimento di noi; cognoscendo, noi per noi non essere, e la bonta di Dio in noi; ricognoscendo l'essere, e ogni grazia che e posta sopra l'essere, da lui."--St. Catherine of Siena.

EditedadjectiveUS /ˈedətəd/

improved or corrected by critical editing

From this reading Edited with an introduction and notes by Edmund G. Gardner M.A.

Edmund

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

From this reading Edited with an introduction and notes by Edmund G. Gardner M.A.

ergoadverbUS /ˈɜːrɡoʊ/

(used as a sentence connector) therefore or consequently

From this reading "Tergat ergo speculum suum, mundet spiritum suum, quisquis sitit videre Deum suum.

essere

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

From this reading "Stiamo nella cella del cognoscimento di noi; cognoscendo, noi per noi non essere, e la bonta di Dio in noi; ricognoscendo l'essere, e ogni grazia che e posta sopra l'essere, da lui."--St. Catherine of Siena.

Faustina

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

From this reading Faustina, B. VI.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading The Frontispiece is taken from B.M. MS.

Frontispiecenoun

an ornamental facade

From this reading The Frontispiece is taken from B.M. MS.

GnounUS /dʒiː/

a metric unit of weight equal to one thousandth of a kilogram

From this reading Edited with an introduction and notes by Edmund G. Gardner M.A.

GardnernounUS /ˈɡɑːrdnər/

United States collector and patron of art who built a museum in Boston to house her collection and opened it to the public in 1903 (1840-1924)

From this reading Edited with an introduction and notes by Edmund G. Gardner M.A.

grazia

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

From this reading "Stiamo nella cella del cognoscimento di noi; cognoscendo, noi per noi non essere, e la bonta di Dio in noi; ricognoscendo l'essere, e ogni grazia che e posta sopra l'essere, da lui."--St. Catherine of Siena.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading "Stiamo nella cella del cognoscimento di noi; cognoscendo, noi per noi non essere, e la bonta di Dio in noi; ricognoscendo l'essere, e ogni grazia che e posta sopra l'essere, da lui."--St. Catherine of Siena.

introductionnounUS /ˌɪntrəˈdʌkʃən/

the act of beginning something new

From this reading Edited with an introduction and notes by Edmund G. Gardner M.A.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading The Frontispiece is taken from B.M. MS.

l'essere

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

From this reading "Stiamo nella cella del cognoscimento di noi; cognoscendo, noi per noi non essere, e la bonta di Dio in noi; ricognoscendo l'essere, e ogni grazia che e posta sopra l'essere, da lui."--St. Catherine of Siena.

lanounUS /lɑː/

a white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily; occurs in rare earth minerals and is usually classified as a rare earth

From this reading "Stiamo nella cella del cognoscimento di noi; cognoscendo, noi per noi non essere, e la bonta di Dio in noi; ricognoscendo l'essere, e ogni grazia che e posta sopra l'essere, da lui."--St. Catherine of Siena.

lui

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

From this reading "Stiamo nella cella del cognoscimento di noi; cognoscendo, noi per noi non essere, e la bonta di Dio in noi; ricognoscendo l'essere, e ogni grazia che e posta sopra l'essere, da lui."--St. Catherine of Siena.

MnounUS /em/

the basic unit of length adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites (approximately 1.094 yards)

From this reading Edited with an introduction and notes by Edmund G. Gardner M.A.

MSnounUS /mɪz/

a chronic progressive nervous disorder involving loss of myelin sheath around certain nerve fibers

From this reading The Frontispiece is taken from B.M. MS.

mundet

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

From this reading "Tergat ergo speculum suum, mundet spiritum suum, quisquis sitit videre Deum suum.

nella

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

From this reading "Stiamo nella cella del cognoscimento di noi; cognoscendo, noi per noi non essere, e la bonta di Dio in noi; ricognoscendo l'essere, e ogni grazia che e posta sopra l'essere, da lui."--St. Catherine of Siena.

noi

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

From this reading "Stiamo nella cella del cognoscimento di noi; cognoscendo, noi per noi non essere, e la bonta di Dio in noi; ricognoscendo l'essere, e ogni grazia che e posta sopra l'essere, da lui."--St. Catherine of Siena.

nonadverbUS /nɑːn/

negation of a word or group of words

From this reading "Stiamo nella cella del cognoscimento di noi; cognoscendo, noi per noi non essere, e la bonta di Dio in noi; ricognoscendo l'essere, e ogni grazia che e posta sopra l'essere, da lui."--St. Catherine of Siena.

notesnounUS /noʊts/

plural of “note” — a brief written record

From this reading Edited with an introduction and notes by Edmund G. Gardner M.A.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading "Stiamo nella cella del cognoscimento di noi; cognoscendo, noi per noi non essere, e la bonta di Dio in noi; ricognoscendo l'essere, e ogni grazia che e posta sopra l'essere, da lui."--St. Catherine of Siena.

ogni

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

From this reading "Stiamo nella cella del cognoscimento di noi; cognoscendo, noi per noi non essere, e la bonta di Dio in noi; ricognoscendo l'essere, e ogni grazia che e posta sopra l'essere, da lui."--St. Catherine of Siena.

perprepositionUS /pɜːr/

for each

From this reading "Stiamo nella cella del cognoscimento di noi; cognoscendo, noi per noi non essere, e la bonta di Dio in noi; ricognoscendo l'essere, e ogni grazia che e posta sopra l'essere, da lui."--St. Catherine of Siena.

posta

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

From this reading "Stiamo nella cella del cognoscimento di noi; cognoscendo, noi per noi non essere, e la bonta di Dio in noi; ricognoscendo l'essere, e ogni grazia che e posta sopra l'essere, da lui."--St. Catherine of Siena.

quisquis

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

From this reading "Tergat ergo speculum suum, mundet spiritum suum, quisquis sitit videre Deum suum.

ricognoscendo

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

From this reading "Stiamo nella cella del cognoscimento di noi; cognoscendo, noi per noi non essere, e la bonta di Dio in noi; ricognoscendo l'essere, e ogni grazia che e posta sopra l'essere, da lui."--St. Catherine of Siena.

Siena

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

From this reading "Stiamo nella cella del cognoscimento di noi; cognoscendo, noi per noi non essere, e la bonta di Dio in noi; ricognoscendo l'essere, e ogni grazia che e posta sopra l'essere, da lui."--St. Catherine of Siena.

sitit

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

From this reading "Tergat ergo speculum suum, mundet spiritum suum, quisquis sitit videre Deum suum.

sopra

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

From this reading "Stiamo nella cella del cognoscimento di noi; cognoscendo, noi per noi non essere, e la bonta di Dio in noi; ricognoscendo l'essere, e ogni grazia che e posta sopra l'essere, da lui."--St. Catherine of Siena.

speculumnoun

a mirror (especially one made of polished metal) for use in an optical instrument

From this reading "Tergat ergo speculum suum, mundet spiritum suum, quisquis sitit videre Deum suum.

spiritum

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

From this reading "Tergat ergo speculum suum, mundet spiritum suum, quisquis sitit videre Deum suum.

St

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

From this reading "Stiamo nella cella del cognoscimento di noi; cognoscendo, noi per noi non essere, e la bonta di Dio in noi; ricognoscendo l'essere, e ogni grazia che e posta sopra l'essere, da lui."--St. Catherine of Siena.

Stiamo

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

From this reading "Stiamo nella cella del cognoscimento di noi; cognoscendo, noi per noi non essere, e la bonta di Dio in noi; ricognoscendo l'essere, e ogni grazia che e posta sopra l'essere, da lui."--St. Catherine of Siena.

suum

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

From this reading "Tergat ergo speculum suum, mundet spiritum suum, quisquis sitit videre Deum suum.

takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/

understood in a certain way; made sense of

From this reading The Frontispiece is taken from B.M. MS.

Tergat

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

From this reading "Tergat ergo speculum suum, mundet spiritum suum, quisquis sitit videre Deum suum.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The Frontispiece is taken from B.M. MS.

VInounUS /vaɪ/

the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one

From this reading Faustina, B. VI.

videre

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

From this reading "Tergat ergo speculum suum, mundet spiritum suum, quisquis sitit videre Deum suum.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Edited with an introduction and notes by Edmund G. Gardner M.A.

Chapter 1 of The Cell of Self-Knowledge by Henry, -1540? [Compiler] Pepwell holds 478 sentences, grouped into 96 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 1 of The Cell of Self-Knowledge contain?

Chapter 1 holds 478 sentences of The Cell of Self-Knowledge, unabridged, divided into 96 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The Cell of Self-Knowledge by Henry, -1540? [Compiler] Pepwell exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 478 sentences, grouped into 96 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 Cell of Self-Knowledge?

Work through the 96 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 96 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.

Questions about reading The Cell of Self-Knowledge

Common questions about reading The Cell of Self-Knowledge by Henry, -1540? [Compiler] Pepwell on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Cell of Self-Knowledge?

Yes. All 887 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #4544 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Cell of Self-Knowledge is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #4544, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Cell of Self-Knowledge take to read?

About 73 minutes of reading across 178 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Cell of Self-Knowledge section by section

How to work through The Cell of Self-Knowledge section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  2. Read one section

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  3. Listen and tap

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Vocabulary met early in The Cell of Self-Knowledge

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Cell of Self-Knowledge, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Edited
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Cell of Self-Knowledge; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Introduction
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Cell of Self-Knowledge; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Notes
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Cell of Self-Knowledge; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Edmund
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Cell of Self-Knowledge; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.