Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
The Gateless Barrier
The Gateless Barrier

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Gateless Barrier is here in full — 426 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Gateless Barrier
Context Illustration Reading 66/85 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.
As representative of the incumbent of this parish, I hold myself responsible for the spiritual welfare of all persons resident in it, whether of exalted or humble station.
I have, therefore, suffered much anxiety regarding your uncle's, Mr. Rivers, spiritual condition, in his present very serious state of health.
I know that his views are regrettably latitudinarian, and that his attitude is far from conciliatory towards the Church.
These sad facts, however, far from relieving me of responsibility, only increase it.
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 Gateless Barrier

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Gateless Barrier is here in full — 426 sentences across 86 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 66/85 · 5 reading units · Lines 326–330

Line 1
His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.
Line 2
As representative of the incumbent of this parish, I hold myself responsible for the spiritual welfare of all persons resident in it, whether of exalted or humble station.
/æz ˌreprəˈzentətɪv ʌv ðə ˌɪnˈkʌmbənt ʌv ðɪs ˈpærɪʃ aɪ hoʊld ˌmaɪˈself riˈspɑːnsəbəl fɔːr ðə ˈspɪrɪtʃuːəl ˈwelfer ʌv ɔːl ˈpɜːrsənz ˈrezɪdənt ɪn ɪt ˈweðər ʌv ɪɡˈzɔːltɪd ɔːr ˈhʌmbəl ˈsteɪʃən/
Line 3
I have, therefore, suffered much anxiety regarding your uncle's, Mr. Rivers, spiritual condition, in his present very serious state of health.
/aɪ hæv ˈðerfɔːr ˈsʌfərd mʌtʃ æŋˈzaɪəti rɪˈɡɑːrdɪŋ jɔːr ˈʌŋkəlz ˈmɪstər ˈrɪvərz ˈspɪrɪtʃuːəl kənˈdɪʃən ɪn hɪz ˈprezənt ˈveri ˈsɪriəs steɪt ʌv helθ/
Line 4
I know that his views are regrettably latitudinarian, and that his attitude is far from conciliatory towards the Church.
Line 5
These sad facts, however, far from relieving me of responsibility, only increase it.
/ðiːz sæd fækts ˌhaʊˈevər fɑːr frʌm rɪˈliːvɪŋ miː ʌv riˌspɑːnsəˈbɪləti ˈoʊnli ˌɪnˈkriːs ɪt/

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.

conciliatory adjective US /kənˈsɪliːətɔːri/

making or willing to make concessions

From this reading “I know that his views are regrettably latitudinarian, and that his attitude is far from conciliatory towards the Church.”

Courthouse noun US /ˈkɔːrthaʊs/

a government building that houses the offices of a county government

From this reading “His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.”

hastening verb US /ˈheɪsənɪŋ/

-ing form of “hasten” — act or move at high speed

From this reading “His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.”

incumbent adjective US /ˌɪnˈkʌmbənt/

lying or leaning on something else

From this reading “As representative of the incumbent of this parish, I hold myself responsible for the spiritual welfare of all persons resident in it, whether of exalted or humble station.”

presuming verb US /prɪˈzuːmɪŋ/

-ing form of “presume” — take to be the case or to be true; accept without verification or proof

From this reading “His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.”

regrettably adverb US /rɪˈɡretəbli/

by bad luck

From this reading “I know that his views are regrettably latitudinarian, and that his attitude is far from conciliatory towards the Church.”

relieving verb US /rɪˈliːvɪŋ/

-ing form of “relieve” — provide physical relief, as from pain

From this reading “These sad facts, however, far from relieving me of responsibility, only increase it.”

resident adjective US /ˈrezɪdənt/

living in a particular place

From this reading “As representative of the incumbent of this parish, I hold myself responsible for the spiritual welfare of all persons resident in it, whether of exalted or humble station.”

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.

spiritual welfare adjective + noun

In this reading “As representative of the incumbent of this parish, I hold myself responsible for the spiritual welfare of all persons resident in it, whether of exalted or humble station.”

spiritual condition adjective + noun

In this reading “I have, therefore, suffered much anxiety regarding your uncle's, Mr. Rivers, spiritual condition, in his present very serious state of health.”

arrived at verb + particle counted as “arrive at”

reach a destination, either real or abstract

In this reading “His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.”

DEAR SIR adjective + noun

In this reading “His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.”

great relief adjective + noun

In this reading “His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.”

suffered much verb + particle counted as “suffer much”

In this reading “I have, therefore, suffered much anxiety regarding your uncle's, Mr. Rivers, spiritual condition, in his present very serious state of health.”

presuming upon verb + particle counted as “presume upon”

In this reading “His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.”

ran thus verb + particle counted as “run thus”

In this reading “His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.”

All words in this reading · 91

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.

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 As representative of the incumbent of this parish, I hold myself responsible for the spiritual welfare of all persons resident in it, whether of exalted or humble station.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading I know that his views are regrettably latitudinarian, and that his attitude is far from conciliatory towards the Church.

anxietynounUS /æŋˈzaɪəti/

(psychiatry) a relatively permanent state of worry and nervousness occurring in a variety of mental disorders, usually accompanied by compulsive behavior or attacks of panic

From this reading I have, therefore, suffered much anxiety regarding your uncle's, Mr. Rivers, spiritual condition, in his present very serious state of health.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading I know that his views are regrettably latitudinarian, and that his attitude is far from conciliatory towards the Church.

arrivedverbUS /ərˈaɪvd/

past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress

From this reading His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading As representative of the incumbent of this parish, I hold myself responsible for the spiritual welfare of all persons resident in it, whether of exalted or humble station.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.

attitudenounUS /ˈætətuːd/

a complex mental state involving beliefs and feelings and values and dispositions to act in certain ways

From this reading I know that his views are regrettably latitudinarian, and that his attitude is far from conciliatory towards the Church.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.

ChurchnounUS /tʃɜːrtʃ/

one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship

From this reading I know that his views are regrettably latitudinarian, and that his attitude is far from conciliatory towards the Church.

conciliatoryadjectiveUS /kənˈsɪliːətɔːri/

making or willing to make concessions

From this reading I know that his views are regrettably latitudinarian, and that his attitude is far from conciliatory towards the Church.

conditionnounUS /kənˈdɪʃən/

a state at a particular time

From this reading I have, therefore, suffered much anxiety regarding your uncle's, Mr. Rivers, spiritual condition, in his present very serious state of health.

connectionnounUS /kəˈnekʃən/

a relation between things or events (as in the case of one causing the other or sharing features with it)

From this reading His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.

CourthousenounUS /ˈkɔːrthaʊs/

a government building that houses the offices of a county government

From this reading His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.

DEARadjectiveUS /dɪr/

dearly loved

From this reading His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.

exaltedadjectiveUS /ɪɡˈzɔːltɪd/

of high moral or intellectual value; elevated in nature or style

From this reading As representative of the incumbent of this parish, I hold myself responsible for the spiritual welfare of all persons resident in it, whether of exalted or humble station.

expressverbUS /ɪkˈspres/

give expression to

From this reading His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.

factsnounUS /fækts/

plural of “fact” — a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred

From this reading These sad facts, however, far from relieving me of responsibility, only increase it.

faradverbUS /fɑːr/

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading I know that his views are regrettably latitudinarian, and that his attitude is far from conciliatory towards the Church.

feelverbUS /fiːl/

undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind

From this reading His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading As representative of the incumbent of this parish, I hold myself responsible for the spiritual welfare of all persons resident in it, whether of exalted or humble station.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading I know that his views are regrettably latitudinarian, and that his attitude is far from conciliatory towards the Church.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.

hasteningverbUS /ˈheɪsənɪŋ/

-ing form of “hasten” — act or move at high speed

From this reading His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.

healthnounUS /helθ/

a healthy state of wellbeing free from disease

From this reading I have, therefore, suffered much anxiety regarding your uncle's, Mr. Rivers, spiritual condition, in his present very serious state of health.

HisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.

holdverbUS /hoʊld/

cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”

From this reading As representative of the incumbent of this parish, I hold myself responsible for the spiritual welfare of all persons resident in it, whether of exalted or humble station.

howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading These sad facts, however, far from relieving me of responsibility, only increase it.

humbleadjectiveUS /ˈhʌmbəl/

low or inferior in station or quality

From this reading As representative of the incumbent of this parish, I hold myself responsible for the spiritual welfare of all persons resident in it, whether of exalted or humble station.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.

increasenounUS /ˌɪnˈkriːs/

a quantity that is added

From this reading These sad facts, however, far from relieving me of responsibility, only increase it.

incumbentadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkʌmbənt/

lying or leaning on something else

From this reading As representative of the incumbent of this parish, I hold myself responsible for the spiritual welfare of all persons resident in it, whether of exalted or humble station.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading I know that his views are regrettably latitudinarian, and that his attitude is far from conciliatory towards the Church.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading As representative of the incumbent of this parish, I hold myself responsible for the spiritual welfare of all persons resident in it, whether of exalted or humble station.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading I know that his views are regrettably latitudinarian, and that his attitude is far from conciliatory towards the Church.

latitudinariannoun

a person who is broad-minded and tolerant (especially in standards of religious belief and conduct)

From this reading I know that his views are regrettably latitudinarian, and that his attitude is far from conciliatory towards the Church.

learningnounUS /ˈlɜːrnɪŋ/

the cognitive process of acquiring skill or knowledge

From this reading His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.

letternounUS /ˈletər/

a written message addressed to a person or organization

From this reading His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading These sad facts, however, far from relieving me of responsibility, only increase it.

MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading I have, therefore, suffered much anxiety regarding your uncle's, Mr. Rivers, spiritual condition, in his present very serious state of health.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading I have, therefore, suffered much anxiety regarding your uncle's, Mr. Rivers, spiritual condition, in his present very serious state of health.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.

myselfpronounUS /ˌmaɪˈself/

used when the speaker is also the object of the action

From this reading As representative of the incumbent of this parish, I hold myself responsible for the spiritual welfare of all persons resident in it, whether of exalted or humble station.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading As representative of the incumbent of this parish, I hold myself responsible for the spiritual welfare of all persons resident in it, whether of exalted or humble station.

officialadjectiveUS /əˈfɪʃəl/

having official authority or sanction

From this reading His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading These sad facts, however, far from relieving me of responsibility, only increase it.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading As representative of the incumbent of this parish, I hold myself responsible for the spiritual welfare of all persons resident in it, whether of exalted or humble station.

parishnounUS /ˈpærɪʃ/

a local church community

From this reading His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.

personsnounUS /ˈpɜːrsənz/

plural of “person” — a human being

From this reading As representative of the incumbent of this parish, I hold myself responsible for the spiritual welfare of all persons resident in it, whether of exalted or humble station.

presentverbUS /ˈprezənt/

give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading I have, therefore, suffered much anxiety regarding your uncle's, Mr. Rivers, spiritual condition, in his present very serious state of health.

presumingverbUS /prɪˈzuːmɪŋ/

-ing form of “presume” — take to be the case or to be true; accept without verification or proof

From this reading His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.

ranverbUS /ræn/

inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time

From this reading His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.

regardingverbUS /rɪˈɡɑːrdɪŋ/

-ing form of “regard” — deem to be

From this reading I have, therefore, suffered much anxiety regarding your uncle's, Mr. Rivers, spiritual condition, in his present very serious state of health.

regrettablyadverbUS /rɪˈɡretəbli/

by bad luck

From this reading I know that his views are regrettably latitudinarian, and that his attitude is far from conciliatory towards the Church.

reliefnounUS /rɪˈliːf/

the feeling that comes when something burdensome is removed or reduced

From this reading His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.

relievingverbUS /rɪˈliːvɪŋ/

-ing form of “relieve” — provide physical relief, as from pain

From this reading These sad facts, however, far from relieving me of responsibility, only increase it.

representativenounUS /ˌreprəˈzentətɪv/

a person who represents others

From this reading As representative of the incumbent of this parish, I hold myself responsible for the spiritual welfare of all persons resident in it, whether of exalted or humble station.

residentadjectiveUS /ˈrezɪdənt/

living in a particular place

From this reading As representative of the incumbent of this parish, I hold myself responsible for the spiritual welfare of all persons resident in it, whether of exalted or humble station.

responsibilitynounUS /riˌspɑːnsəˈbɪləti/

the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force

From this reading These sad facts, however, far from relieving me of responsibility, only increase it.

responsibleadjectiveUS /riˈspɑːnsəbəl/

worthy of or requiring responsibility or trust; or held accountable

From this reading As representative of the incumbent of this parish, I hold myself responsible for the spiritual welfare of all persons resident in it, whether of exalted or humble station.

RiversnounUS /ˈrɪvərz/

plural of “river” — a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)

From this reading I have, therefore, suffered much anxiety regarding your uncle's, Mr. Rivers, spiritual condition, in his present very serious state of health.

sadadjectiveUS /sæd/

experiencing or showing sorrow or unhappiness

From this reading These sad facts, however, far from relieving me of responsibility, only increase it.

seriousadjectiveUS /ˈsɪriəs/

concerned with work or important matters rather than play or trivialities

From this reading I have, therefore, suffered much anxiety regarding your uncle's, Mr. Rivers, spiritual condition, in his present very serious state of health.

SIRnounUS /sɜːr/

term of address for a man

From this reading His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.

spiritualadjectiveUS /ˈspɪrɪtʃuːəl/

concerned with sacred matters or religion or the church

From this reading As representative of the incumbent of this parish, I hold myself responsible for the spiritual welfare of all persons resident in it, whether of exalted or humble station.

statenounUS /steɪt/

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

From this reading I have, therefore, suffered much anxiety regarding your uncle's, Mr. Rivers, spiritual condition, in his present very serious state of health.

stationnounUS /ˈsteɪʃən/

a facility equipped with special equipment and personnel for a particular purpose

From this reading As representative of the incumbent of this parish, I hold myself responsible for the spiritual welfare of all persons resident in it, whether of exalted or humble station.

sufferedverbUS /ˈsʌfərd/

past form of “suffer” — undergo or be subjected to

From this reading I have, therefore, suffered much anxiety regarding your uncle's, Mr. Rivers, spiritual condition, in his present very serious state of health.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.

thereforeadverbUS /ˈðerfɔːr/

for that reason; as a result

From this reading I have, therefore, suffered much anxiety regarding your uncle's, Mr. Rivers, spiritual condition, in his present very serious state of health.

ThesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

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

From this reading These sad facts, however, far from relieving me of responsibility, only increase it.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.

thusadverbUS /ðʌs/

(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result

From this reading His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.

towardsprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrdz/

in the direction of

From this reading I know that his views are regrettably latitudinarian, and that his attitude is far from conciliatory towards the Church.

trustnounUS /trʌst/

something (as property) held by one party (the trustee) for the benefit of another (the beneficiary)

From this reading His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.

uncle'snounUS /ˈʌŋkəlz/

possessive form of “uncle” — the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt

From this reading I have, therefore, suffered much anxiety regarding your uncle's, Mr. Rivers, spiritual condition, in his present very serious state of health.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading I have, therefore, suffered much anxiety regarding your uncle's, Mr. Rivers, spiritual condition, in his present very serious state of health.

viewsnounUS /vjuːz/

plural of “view” — a way of regarding situations or topics etc.

From this reading I know that his views are regrettably latitudinarian, and that his attitude is far from conciliatory towards the Church.

welfarenounUS /ˈwelfer/

governmental provision of economic assistance to persons in need

From this reading As representative of the incumbent of this parish, I hold myself responsible for the spiritual welfare of all persons resident in it, whether of exalted or humble station.

whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/

used to introduce two or more possibilities

From this reading As representative of the incumbent of this parish, I hold myself responsible for the spiritual welfare of all persons resident in it, whether of exalted or humble station.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading His letter ran thus:-- "DEAR SIR,--I trust I am not presuming upon my official connection with this parish by hastening to express to you the great relief which I feel in learning that you have arrived at the Courthouse.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading I have, therefore, suffered much anxiety regarding your uncle's, Mr. Rivers, spiritual condition, in his present very serious state of health.

Chapter 1 of The Gateless Barrier by Lucas Malet holds 426 sentences, grouped into 86 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 Gateless Barrier contain?

Chapter 1 holds 426 sentences of The Gateless Barrier, unabridged, divided into 86 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The Gateless Barrier by Lucas Malet exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 426 sentences, grouped into 86 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 Gateless Barrier?

Work through the 86 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 86 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 Gateless Barrier

Common questions about reading The Gateless Barrier by Lucas Malet on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Gateless Barrier?

Yes. All 3353 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #34619 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Gateless Barrier is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #34619, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Gateless Barrier take to read?

About 279 minutes of reading across 671 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Gateless Barrier section by section

How to work through The Gateless Barrier section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 8 chapters of The Gateless Barrier 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 Gateless Barrier

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Gateless Barrier, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

University
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Gateless Barrier; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Press
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Gateless Barrier; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Wilson
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Gateless Barrier; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Cambridge
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Gateless Barrier; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.