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The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous
The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous is here in full — 107 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous
Context Illustration Reading 1/21 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
But what, then, can you say to him, or to them,” says he, when they find you positive against a match which would be apparently so much to your advantage?”
Why,” says I, should I be at a loss?
First of all, I am not obliged to give me any reason at all; on the other hand, I may tell them I am married already, and stop there, and that will be a full stop too to him, for he can have no reason to ask one question after it.”
Ay,” says he; but the whole house will tease you about that, even to father and mother, and if you deny them positively, they will be disobliged at you, and suspicious besides.”
Why,” says I, what can I do?
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
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A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous

Chapter IV · Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous is here in full — 107 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/21 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
But what, then, can you say to him, or to them,” says he, “when they find you positive against a match which would be apparently so much to your advantage?”
Line 2
Why,” says I, “should I be at a loss?
Line 3
First of all, I am not obliged to give me any reason at all; on the other hand, I may tell them I am married already, and stop there, and that will be a full stop too to him, for he can have no reason to ask one question after it.”
Line 4
Ay,” says he; “but the whole house will tease you about that, even to father and mother, and if you deny them positively, they will be disobliged at you, and suspicious besides.”
Line 5
Why,” says I, “what can I do?

All words in this reading · 80

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.

a

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

From this reading “But what, then, can you say to him, or to them,” says he, “when they find you positive against a match which would be apparently so much to your advantage?”

about

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

From this reading “Ay,” says he; “but the whole house will tease you about that, even to father and mother, and if you deny them positively, they will be disobliged at you, and suspicious besides.”

advantage

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

From this reading “But what, then, can you say to him, or to them,” says he, “when they find you positive against a match which would be apparently so much to your advantage?”

after

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

From this reading First of all, I am not obliged to give me any reason at all; on the other hand, I may tell them I am married already, and stop there, and that will be a full stop too to him, for he can have no reason to ask one question after it.”

against

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

From this reading “But what, then, can you say to him, or to them,” says he, “when they find you positive against a match which would be apparently so much to your advantage?”

all

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

From this reading First of all, I am not obliged to give me any reason at all; on the other hand, I may tell them I am married already, and stop there, and that will be a full stop too to him, for he can have no reason to ask one question after it.”

already

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

From this reading First of all, I am not obliged to give me any reason at all; on the other hand, I may tell them I am married already, and stop there, and that will be a full stop too to him, for he can have no reason to ask one question after it.”

am

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

From this reading First of all, I am not obliged to give me any reason at all; on the other hand, I may tell them I am married already, and stop there, and that will be a full stop too to him, for he can have no reason to ask one question after it.”

and

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

From this reading First of all, I am not obliged to give me any reason at all; on the other hand, I may tell them I am married already, and stop there, and that will be a full stop too to him, for he can have no reason to ask one question after it.”

any

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

From this reading First of all, I am not obliged to give me any reason at all; on the other hand, I may tell them I am married already, and stop there, and that will be a full stop too to him, for he can have no reason to ask one question after it.”

apparently

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

From this reading “But what, then, can you say to him, or to them,” says he, “when they find you positive against a match which would be apparently so much to your advantage?”

ask

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

From this reading First of all, I am not obliged to give me any reason at all; on the other hand, I may tell them I am married already, and stop there, and that will be a full stop too to him, for he can have no reason to ask one question after it.”

at

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

From this reading “Why,” says I, “should I be at a loss?

Ay

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

From this reading “Ay,” says he; “but the whole house will tease you about that, even to father and mother, and if you deny them positively, they will be disobliged at you, and suspicious besides.”

be

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

From this reading “But what, then, can you say to him, or to them,” says he, “when they find you positive against a match which would be apparently so much to your advantage?”

besides

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

From this reading “Ay,” says he; “but the whole house will tease you about that, even to father and mother, and if you deny them positively, they will be disobliged at you, and suspicious besides.”

But

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

From this reading “But what, then, can you say to him, or to them,” says he, “when they find you positive against a match which would be apparently so much to your advantage?”

can

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

From this reading “But what, then, can you say to him, or to them,” says he, “when they find you positive against a match which would be apparently so much to your advantage?”

deny

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

From this reading “Ay,” says he; “but the whole house will tease you about that, even to father and mother, and if you deny them positively, they will be disobliged at you, and suspicious besides.”

disobliged

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

From this reading “Ay,” says he; “but the whole house will tease you about that, even to father and mother, and if you deny them positively, they will be disobliged at you, and suspicious besides.”

do

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

From this reading “Why,” says I, “what can I do?

even

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

From this reading “Ay,” says he; “but the whole house will tease you about that, even to father and mother, and if you deny them positively, they will be disobliged at you, and suspicious besides.”

father

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

From this reading “Ay,” says he; “but the whole house will tease you about that, even to father and mother, and if you deny them positively, they will be disobliged at you, and suspicious besides.”

find

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

From this reading “But what, then, can you say to him, or to them,” says he, “when they find you positive against a match which would be apparently so much to your advantage?”

First

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

From this reading First of all, I am not obliged to give me any reason at all; on the other hand, I may tell them I am married already, and stop there, and that will be a full stop too to him, for he can have no reason to ask one question after it.”

for

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

From this reading First of all, I am not obliged to give me any reason at all; on the other hand, I may tell them I am married already, and stop there, and that will be a full stop too to him, for he can have no reason to ask one question after it.”

full

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

From this reading First of all, I am not obliged to give me any reason at all; on the other hand, I may tell them I am married already, and stop there, and that will be a full stop too to him, for he can have no reason to ask one question after it.”

give

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

From this reading First of all, I am not obliged to give me any reason at all; on the other hand, I may tell them I am married already, and stop there, and that will be a full stop too to him, for he can have no reason to ask one question after it.”

hand

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

From this reading First of all, I am not obliged to give me any reason at all; on the other hand, I may tell them I am married already, and stop there, and that will be a full stop too to him, for he can have no reason to ask one question after it.”

have

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

From this reading First of all, I am not obliged to give me any reason at all; on the other hand, I may tell them I am married already, and stop there, and that will be a full stop too to him, for he can have no reason to ask one question after it.”

he

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

From this reading “But what, then, can you say to him, or to them,” says he, “when they find you positive against a match which would be apparently so much to your advantage?”

him

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

From this reading “But what, then, can you say to him, or to them,” says he, “when they find you positive against a match which would be apparently so much to your advantage?”

house

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

From this reading “Ay,” says he; “but the whole house will tease you about that, even to father and mother, and if you deny them positively, they will be disobliged at you, and suspicious besides.”

I

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

From this reading “Why,” says I, “should I be at a loss?

if

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

From this reading “Ay,” says he; “but the whole house will tease you about that, even to father and mother, and if you deny them positively, they will be disobliged at you, and suspicious besides.”

it

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

From this reading First of all, I am not obliged to give me any reason at all; on the other hand, I may tell them I am married already, and stop there, and that will be a full stop too to him, for he can have no reason to ask one question after it.”

loss

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

From this reading “Why,” says I, “should I be at a loss?

married

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

From this reading First of all, I am not obliged to give me any reason at all; on the other hand, I may tell them I am married already, and stop there, and that will be a full stop too to him, for he can have no reason to ask one question after it.”

match

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

From this reading “But what, then, can you say to him, or to them,” says he, “when they find you positive against a match which would be apparently so much to your advantage?”

may

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

From this reading First of all, I am not obliged to give me any reason at all; on the other hand, I may tell them I am married already, and stop there, and that will be a full stop too to him, for he can have no reason to ask one question after it.”

me

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

From this reading First of all, I am not obliged to give me any reason at all; on the other hand, I may tell them I am married already, and stop there, and that will be a full stop too to him, for he can have no reason to ask one question after it.”

mother

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

From this reading “Ay,” says he; “but the whole house will tease you about that, even to father and mother, and if you deny them positively, they will be disobliged at you, and suspicious besides.”

much

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

From this reading “But what, then, can you say to him, or to them,” says he, “when they find you positive against a match which would be apparently so much to your advantage?”

no

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

From this reading First of all, I am not obliged to give me any reason at all; on the other hand, I may tell them I am married already, and stop there, and that will be a full stop too to him, for he can have no reason to ask one question after it.”

not

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

From this reading First of all, I am not obliged to give me any reason at all; on the other hand, I may tell them I am married already, and stop there, and that will be a full stop too to him, for he can have no reason to ask one question after it.”

obliged

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

From this reading First of all, I am not obliged to give me any reason at all; on the other hand, I may tell them I am married already, and stop there, and that will be a full stop too to him, for he can have no reason to ask one question after it.”

of

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

From this reading First of all, I am not obliged to give me any reason at all; on the other hand, I may tell them I am married already, and stop there, and that will be a full stop too to him, for he can have no reason to ask one question after it.”

on

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

From this reading First of all, I am not obliged to give me any reason at all; on the other hand, I may tell them I am married already, and stop there, and that will be a full stop too to him, for he can have no reason to ask one question after it.”

one

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

From this reading First of all, I am not obliged to give me any reason at all; on the other hand, I may tell them I am married already, and stop there, and that will be a full stop too to him, for he can have no reason to ask one question after it.”

or

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

From this reading “But what, then, can you say to him, or to them,” says he, “when they find you positive against a match which would be apparently so much to your advantage?”

other

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

From this reading First of all, I am not obliged to give me any reason at all; on the other hand, I may tell them I am married already, and stop there, and that will be a full stop too to him, for he can have no reason to ask one question after it.”

positive

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

From this reading “But what, then, can you say to him, or to them,” says he, “when they find you positive against a match which would be apparently so much to your advantage?”

positively

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

From this reading “Ay,” says he; “but the whole house will tease you about that, even to father and mother, and if you deny them positively, they will be disobliged at you, and suspicious besides.”

question

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

From this reading First of all, I am not obliged to give me any reason at all; on the other hand, I may tell them I am married already, and stop there, and that will be a full stop too to him, for he can have no reason to ask one question after it.”

reason

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

From this reading First of all, I am not obliged to give me any reason at all; on the other hand, I may tell them I am married already, and stop there, and that will be a full stop too to him, for he can have no reason to ask one question after it.”

say

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

From this reading “But what, then, can you say to him, or to them,” says he, “when they find you positive against a match which would be apparently so much to your advantage?”

says

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

From this reading “But what, then, can you say to him, or to them,” says he, “when they find you positive against a match which would be apparently so much to your advantage?”

should

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

From this reading “Why,” says I, “should I be at a loss?

so

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

From this reading “But what, then, can you say to him, or to them,” says he, “when they find you positive against a match which would be apparently so much to your advantage?”

stop

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

From this reading First of all, I am not obliged to give me any reason at all; on the other hand, I may tell them I am married already, and stop there, and that will be a full stop too to him, for he can have no reason to ask one question after it.”

suspicious

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

From this reading “Ay,” says he; “but the whole house will tease you about that, even to father and mother, and if you deny them positively, they will be disobliged at you, and suspicious besides.”

tease

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

From this reading “Ay,” says he; “but the whole house will tease you about that, even to father and mother, and if you deny them positively, they will be disobliged at you, and suspicious besides.”

tell

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

From this reading First of all, I am not obliged to give me any reason at all; on the other hand, I may tell them I am married already, and stop there, and that will be a full stop too to him, for he can have no reason to ask one question after it.”

that

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

From this reading First of all, I am not obliged to give me any reason at all; on the other hand, I may tell them I am married already, and stop there, and that will be a full stop too to him, for he can have no reason to ask one question after it.”

the

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

From this reading First of all, I am not obliged to give me any reason at all; on the other hand, I may tell them I am married already, and stop there, and that will be a full stop too to him, for he can have no reason to ask one question after it.”

them

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

From this reading “But what, then, can you say to him, or to them,” says he, “when they find you positive against a match which would be apparently so much to your advantage?”

then

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

From this reading “But what, then, can you say to him, or to them,” says he, “when they find you positive against a match which would be apparently so much to your advantage?”

there

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

From this reading First of all, I am not obliged to give me any reason at all; on the other hand, I may tell them I am married already, and stop there, and that will be a full stop too to him, for he can have no reason to ask one question after it.”

they

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

From this reading “But what, then, can you say to him, or to them,” says he, “when they find you positive against a match which would be apparently so much to your advantage?”

to

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

From this reading “But what, then, can you say to him, or to them,” says he, “when they find you positive against a match which would be apparently so much to your advantage?”

too

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

From this reading First of all, I am not obliged to give me any reason at all; on the other hand, I may tell them I am married already, and stop there, and that will be a full stop too to him, for he can have no reason to ask one question after it.”

what

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

From this reading “But what, then, can you say to him, or to them,” says he, “when they find you positive against a match which would be apparently so much to your advantage?”

when

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

From this reading “But what, then, can you say to him, or to them,” says he, “when they find you positive against a match which would be apparently so much to your advantage?”

which

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

From this reading “But what, then, can you say to him, or to them,” says he, “when they find you positive against a match which would be apparently so much to your advantage?”

whole

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

From this reading “Ay,” says he; “but the whole house will tease you about that, even to father and mother, and if you deny them positively, they will be disobliged at you, and suspicious besides.”

Why

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

From this reading “Why,” says I, “should I be at a loss?

will

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

From this reading First of all, I am not obliged to give me any reason at all; on the other hand, I may tell them I am married already, and stop there, and that will be a full stop too to him, for he can have no reason to ask one question after it.”

would

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

From this reading “But what, then, can you say to him, or to them,” says he, “when they find you positive against a match which would be apparently so much to your advantage?”

you

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

From this reading “But what, then, can you say to him, or to them,” says he, “when they find you positive against a match which would be apparently so much to your advantage?”

your

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

From this reading “But what, then, can you say to him, or to them,” says he, “when they find you positive against a match which would be apparently so much to your advantage?”

Chapter 4 of The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous by Daniel Defoe holds 107 sentences, grouped into 22 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 4 of The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous contain?

Chapter 4 holds 107 sentences of The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous, unabridged, divided into 22 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous by Daniel Defoe exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 107 sentences, grouped into 22 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 Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous?

Work through the 22 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 22 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.

Questions about reading The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous

Common questions about reading The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous by Daniel Defoe on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous?

Yes. All 3203 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #370 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #370, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous take to read?

About 266 minutes of reading across 641 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous section by section

How to work through The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 30 chapters of The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Fortunes
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Misfortunes
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Famous
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Flanders
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.