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The Emblems of Fidelity: A Comedy in Letters
The Emblems of Fidelity: A Comedy in Letters

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of The Emblems of Fidelity: A Comedy in Letters is here in full — 455 sentences across 91 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By James Lane Allen • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The Emblems of Fidelity: A Comedy in Letters
Context Illustration Reading 1/91 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
_December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.
We enclose our bill for these charges and ask your attention to it at your early convenience.
The ferns are ruined and worthless to us.
Very truly yours, JUDD & JUDD.
BEVERLEY SANDS TO JUDD & JUDD _December 30._ DEAR SIRS:
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 Emblems of Fidelity: A Comedy in Letters

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of The Emblems of Fidelity: A Comedy in Letters is here in full — 455 sentences across 91 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/91 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
_December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.
Line 2
We enclose our bill for these charges and ask your attention to it at your early convenience.
/wiː ɪnˈkloʊz ˈaʊər bɪl fɔːr ðiːz ˈtʃɑːrdʒəz ənd æsk jɔːr əˈtenʃən tuː ɪt æt jɔːr ˈɜːrli kənˈviːnjəns/
Line 3
The ferns are ruined and worthless to us.
/ðə fɜːrnz ɑːr ˈruːənd ənd ˈwɜːrθləs tuː ʌs/
Line 4
Very truly yours, JUDD & JUDD.
Line 5
BEVERLEY SANDS TO JUDD & JUDD _December 30._ DEAR SIRS:

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.

accordance noun US /əˈkɔːrdəns/

concurrence of opinion

From this reading “_December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
convenience noun US /kənˈviːnjəns/

the state of being suitable or opportune

From this reading “We enclose our bill for these charges and ask your attention to it at your early convenience.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
designated verb US /ˈdezɪɡneɪtɪd/

past form of “designate” — assign a name or title to

From this reading “_December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
enclose verb US /ɪnˈkloʊz/

enclose or enfold completely with or as if with a covering

From this reading “We enclose our bill for these charges and ask your attention to it at your early convenience.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ferns noun US /fɜːrnz/

plural of “fern” — any of numerous flowerless and seedless vascular plants having true roots from a rhizome and fronds that uncurl upward; reproduce by spores

From this reading “_December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shipment noun US /ˈʃɪpmənt/

goods carried by a large vehicle

From this reading “_December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shipped verb US /ʃɪpt/

inflected form of “ship” — transport commercially

From this reading “_December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sirs noun US /sɜːrrz/

plural of “sir” — term of address for a man

From this reading “BEVERLEY SANDS TO JUDD & JUDD _December 30._ DEAR SIRS:”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

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.

in accordance preposition + noun

In this reading “_December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.”

6,828 times in 426,212 chapters
DEAR SIR adjective + noun

In this reading “_December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.”

11,415 times in 426,212 chapters

All words in this reading · 54

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.

27

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

From this reading _December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.

Pending verification
30

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

From this reading BEVERLEY SANDS TO JUDD & JUDD _December 30._ DEAR SIRS:

Pending verification
adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading _December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
accordancenounUS /əˈkɔːrdəns/

concurrence of opinion

From this reading _December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
addressverbUS /ˈædres/

speak to

From this reading _December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading We enclose our bill for these charges and ask your attention to it at your early convenience.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading The ferns are ruined and worthless to us.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
askverbUS /æsk/

make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading We enclose our bill for these charges and ask your attention to it at your early convenience.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading _December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
attentionnounUS /əˈtenʃən/

the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others

From this reading We enclose our bill for these charges and ask your attention to it at your early convenience.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading _December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading _December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
BEVERLEY

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

From this reading BEVERLEY SANDS TO JUDD & JUDD _December 30._ DEAR SIRS:

Pending verification
billnounUS /bɪl/

a statute in draft before it becomes law

From this reading We enclose our bill for these charges and ask your attention to it at your early convenience.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
chargesnounUS /ˈtʃɑːrdʒəz/

plural of “charge” — an impetuous rush toward someone or something

From this reading _December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
collectedadjectiveUS /kəˈlektəd/

brought together in one place

From this reading _December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
conveniencenounUS /kənˈviːnjəns/

the state of being suitable or opportune

From this reading We enclose our bill for these charges and ask your attention to it at your early convenience.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
DEARadjectiveUS /dɪr/

dearly loved

From this reading _December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
DecembernounUS /dɪˈsembər/

the last (12th) month of the year

From this reading _December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
designatedverbUS /ˈdezɪɡneɪtɪd/

past form of “designate” — assign a name or title to

From this reading _December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/

at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time

From this reading We enclose our bill for these charges and ask your attention to it at your early convenience.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
encloseverbUS /ɪnˈkloʊz/

enclose or enfold completely with or as if with a covering

From this reading We enclose our bill for these charges and ask your attention to it at your early convenience.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
EnglandnounUS /ˈɪŋɡlənd/

a division of the United Kingdom

From this reading _December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fernsnounUS /fɜːrnz/

plural of “fern” — any of numerous flowerless and seedless vascular plants having true roots from a rhizome and fronds that uncurl upward; reproduce by spores

From this reading _December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading _December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading _December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading _December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
instructionsnounUS /ˌɪnˈstrʌkʃənz/

a manual usually accompanying a technical device and explaining how to install or operate it

From this reading _December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading We enclose our bill for these charges and ask your attention to it at your early convenience.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
JUDD

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

From this reading Very truly yours, JUDD & JUDD.

Pending verification
officenounUS /ˈɔːfɪs/

place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed

From this reading _December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading _December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
recentlyadverbUS /ˈriːsəntli/

in the recent past

From this reading _December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
reportverbUS /riˈpɔːrt/

to give an account or representation of in words

From this reading _December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
returnverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrn/

go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading _December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
returnedverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrnd/

past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading _December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ruinedadjectiveUS /ˈruːənd/

destroyed physically or morally

From this reading The ferns are ruined and worthless to us.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SANDSnounUS /sændz/

the region of the shore of a lake or sea or ocean

From this reading BEVERLEY SANDS TO JUDD & JUDD _December 30._ DEAR SIRS:

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shipmentnounUS /ˈʃɪpmənt/

goods carried by a large vehicle

From this reading _December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shippedverbUS /ʃɪpt/

inflected form of “ship” — transport commercially

From this reading _December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SIRnounUS /sɜːr/

term of address for a man

From this reading _December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SIRSnounUS /sɜːrrz/

plural of “sir” — term of address for a man

From this reading BEVERLEY SANDS TO JUDD & JUDD _December 30._ DEAR SIRS:

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading _December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading _December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading We enclose our bill for these charges and ask your attention to it at your early convenience.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading _December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
trulyadverbUS /ˈtruːli/

in accordance with truth or fact or reality

From this reading Very truly yours, JUDD & JUDD.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading The ferns are ruined and worthless to us.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
VeryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading Very truly yours, JUDD & JUDD.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
WepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading _December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading _December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
worthlessadjectiveUS /ˈwɜːrθləs/

lacking in usefulness or value

From this reading The ferns are ruined and worthless to us.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading _December 27._ DEAR SIR: We have to report that the ferns recently shipped to a designated address in England in accordance with your instructions have been returned with charges for return shipment to be collected at our office.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
yourspronounUS /jʊrz/

the one or ones belonging to the person spoken to

From this reading Very truly yours, JUDD & JUDD.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 4 of The Emblems of Fidelity: A Comedy in Letters by James Lane Allen holds 455 sentences, grouped into 91 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 4 of The Emblems of Fidelity: A Comedy in Letters contain?

Chapter 4 holds 455 sentences of The Emblems of Fidelity: A Comedy in Letters, unabridged, divided into 91 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of The Emblems of Fidelity: A Comedy in Letters by James Lane Allen exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 455 sentences, grouped into 91 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 4 of The Emblems of Fidelity: A Comedy in Letters?

Work through the 91 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 91 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 4 be read aloud to me?

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.

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Project Gutenberg eBook #60435, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

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About 191 minutes of reading across 459 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in The Emblems of Fidelity: A Comedy in Letters

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Emblems of Fidelity: A Comedy in Letters, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Emblems of Fidelity: A Comedy in Letters; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Kentucky
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Emblems of Fidelity: A Comedy in Letters; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Cardinal
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Emblems of Fidelity: A Comedy in Letters; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Warbler
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Emblems of Fidelity: A Comedy in Letters; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.