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The History of John Bull
The History of John Bull

Chapter XXVIII · Chapter 28

Chapter 28 of The History of John Bull is here in full — 57 sentences across 12 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/11 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Tavern, in the Conference between Bull, Frog, Esquire South, and Lewis Baboon.
* The Treaty of Utrecht: the difficulty to get them to meet.
When met, the Dutch would not speak their sentiments, nor the French deliver in their proposals.
The House of Austria talked very high.
Frog had given his word that he would meet the above-mentioned company at the "Salutation," to talk of this agreement.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The History of John Bull

Chapter XXVIII · Chapter 28

Chapter 28 of The History of John Bull is here in full — 57 sentences across 12 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/11 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Tavern, in the Conference between Bull, Frog, Esquire South, and Lewis Baboon.
/ˈtævərn ɪn ðə ˈkɑːnfərəns bɪˈtwiːn bʊl frɑːɡ ˈeskwaɪr saʊθ ənd ˈluːɪs bəˈbuːn/
Line 2
* The Treaty of Utrecht: the difficulty to get them to meet.
Line 3
When met, the Dutch would not speak their sentiments, nor the French deliver in their proposals.
/wen met ðə dʌtʃ wʊd nɑːt spiːk ðer ˈsentəmənts nɔːr ðə frentʃ dɪˈlɪvər ɪn ðer prəˈpoʊzəlz/
Line 4
The House of Austria talked very high.
/ðə haʊs ʌv ˈɔːstriə tɔːkt ˈveri haɪ/
Line 5
Frog had given his word that he would meet the above-mentioned company at the "Salutation," to talk of this agreement.

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.

agreement noun US /əˈɡriːmənt/

the statement (oral or written) of an exchange of promises

From this reading “Frog had given his word that he would meet the above-mentioned company at the "Salutation," to talk of this agreement.”

Baboon noun US /bəˈbuːn/

large terrestrial monkeys having doglike muzzles

From this reading “Tavern, in the Conference between Bull, Frog, Esquire South, and Lewis Baboon.”

Conference noun US /ˈkɑːnfərəns/

a prearranged meeting for consultation or exchange of information or discussion (especially one with a formal agenda)

From this reading “Tavern, in the Conference between Bull, Frog, Esquire South, and Lewis Baboon.”

Esquire noun US /ˈeskwaɪr/

(Middle Ages) an attendant and shield bearer to a knight; a candidate for knighthood

From this reading “Tavern, in the Conference between Bull, Frog, Esquire South, and Lewis Baboon.”

Frog noun US /frɑːɡ/

any of various tailless stout-bodied amphibians with long hind limbs for leaping; semiaquatic and terrestrial species

From this reading “Tavern, in the Conference between Bull, Frog, Esquire South, and Lewis Baboon.”

Lewis noun US /ˈluːɪs/

United States rock star singer and pianist (born in 1935)

From this reading “Tavern, in the Conference between Bull, Frog, Esquire South, and Lewis Baboon.”

proposals noun US /prəˈpoʊzəlz/

plural of “proposal” — something proposed (such as a plan or assumption)

From this reading “When met, the Dutch would not speak their sentiments, nor the French deliver in their proposals.”

Treaty noun US /ˈtriːti/

a written agreement between two states or sovereigns

From this reading “* The Treaty of Utrecht: the difficulty to get them to meet.”

All words in this reading · 50

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.

above-mentionedadjective

mentioned or named earlier in the same text

From this reading Frog had given his word that he would meet the above-mentioned company at the "Salutation," to talk of this agreement.

agreementnounUS /əˈɡriːmənt/

the statement (oral or written) of an exchange of promises

From this reading Frog had given his word that he would meet the above-mentioned company at the "Salutation," to talk of this agreement.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Tavern, in the Conference between Bull, Frog, Esquire South, and Lewis Baboon.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Frog had given his word that he would meet the above-mentioned company at the "Salutation," to talk of this agreement.

AustrianounUS /ˈɔːstriə/

a mountainous republic in central Europe; under the Habsburgs (1278-1918) Austria maintained control of the Holy Roman Empire and was a leader in European politics until the 19th century

From this reading The House of Austria talked very high.

BaboonnounUS /bəˈbuːn/

large terrestrial monkeys having doglike muzzles

From this reading Tavern, in the Conference between Bull, Frog, Esquire South, and Lewis Baboon.

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading Tavern, in the Conference between Bull, Frog, Esquire South, and Lewis Baboon.

BullnounUS /bʊl/

uncastrated adult male of domestic cattle

From this reading Tavern, in the Conference between Bull, Frog, Esquire South, and Lewis Baboon.

companynounUS /ˈkʌmpəniː/

an institution created to conduct business

From this reading Frog had given his word that he would meet the above-mentioned company at the "Salutation," to talk of this agreement.

ConferencenounUS /ˈkɑːnfərəns/

a prearranged meeting for consultation or exchange of information or discussion (especially one with a formal agenda)

From this reading Tavern, in the Conference between Bull, Frog, Esquire South, and Lewis Baboon.

deliververbUS /dɪˈlɪvər/

deliver (a speech, oration, or idea)

From this reading When met, the Dutch would not speak their sentiments, nor the French deliver in their proposals.

difficultynounUS /ˈdɪfəkəlti/

an effort that is inconvenient

From this reading * The Treaty of Utrecht: the difficulty to get them to meet.

DutchadjectiveUS /dʌtʃ/

of or relating to the Netherlands or its people or culture

From this reading When met, the Dutch would not speak their sentiments, nor the French deliver in their proposals.

EsquirenounUS /ˈeskwaɪr/

(Middle Ages) an attendant and shield bearer to a knight; a candidate for knighthood

From this reading Tavern, in the Conference between Bull, Frog, Esquire South, and Lewis Baboon.

FrenchnounUS /frentʃ/

the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France

From this reading When met, the Dutch would not speak their sentiments, nor the French deliver in their proposals.

FrognounUS /frɑːɡ/

any of various tailless stout-bodied amphibians with long hind limbs for leaping; semiaquatic and terrestrial species

From this reading Tavern, in the Conference between Bull, Frog, Esquire South, and Lewis Baboon.

getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading * The Treaty of Utrecht: the difficulty to get them to meet.

givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/

acknowledged as a supposition

From this reading Frog had given his word that he would meet the above-mentioned company at the "Salutation," to talk of this agreement.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Frog had given his word that he would meet the above-mentioned company at the "Salutation," to talk of this agreement.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Frog had given his word that he would meet the above-mentioned company at the "Salutation," to talk of this agreement.

highadjectiveUS /haɪ/

greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading The House of Austria talked very high.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Frog had given his word that he would meet the above-mentioned company at the "Salutation," to talk of this agreement.

HousenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading The House of Austria talked very high.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Tavern, in the Conference between Bull, Frog, Esquire South, and Lewis Baboon.

LewisnounUS /ˈluːɪs/

United States rock star singer and pianist (born in 1935)

From this reading Tavern, in the Conference between Bull, Frog, Esquire South, and Lewis Baboon.

meetverbUS /miːt/

come together

From this reading * The Treaty of Utrecht: the difficulty to get them to meet.

metverbUS /met/

inflected form of “meet” — come together

From this reading When met, the Dutch would not speak their sentiments, nor the French deliver in their proposals.

norconjunctionUS /nɔːr/

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading When met, the Dutch would not speak their sentiments, nor the French deliver in their proposals.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading When met, the Dutch would not speak their sentiments, nor the French deliver in their proposals.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading * The Treaty of Utrecht: the difficulty to get them to meet.

proposalsnounUS /prəˈpoʊzəlz/

plural of “proposal” — something proposed (such as a plan or assumption)

From this reading When met, the Dutch would not speak their sentiments, nor the French deliver in their proposals.

Salutationnoun

an act of honor or courteous recognition

From this reading Frog had given his word that he would meet the above-mentioned company at the "Salutation," to talk of this agreement.

sentimentsnounUS /ˈsentəmənts/

plural of “sentiment” — tender, romantic, or nostalgic feeling or emotion

From this reading When met, the Dutch would not speak their sentiments, nor the French deliver in their proposals.

SouthnounUS /saʊθ/

the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading Tavern, in the Conference between Bull, Frog, Esquire South, and Lewis Baboon.

speakverbUS /spiːk/

express in speech

From this reading When met, the Dutch would not speak their sentiments, nor the French deliver in their proposals.

talkverbUS /tɔːk/

exchange thoughts; talk with

From this reading Frog had given his word that he would meet the above-mentioned company at the "Salutation," to talk of this agreement.

talkedverbUS /tɔːkt/

past form of “talk” — exchange thoughts; talk with

From this reading The House of Austria talked very high.

TavernnounUS /ˈtævərn/

a building with a bar that is licensed to sell alcoholic drinks

From this reading Tavern, in the Conference between Bull, Frog, Esquire South, and Lewis Baboon.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Frog had given his word that he would meet the above-mentioned company at the "Salutation," to talk of this agreement.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Tavern, in the Conference between Bull, Frog, Esquire South, and Lewis Baboon.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading When met, the Dutch would not speak their sentiments, nor the French deliver in their proposals.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading * The Treaty of Utrecht: the difficulty to get them to meet.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading Frog had given his word that he would meet the above-mentioned company at the "Salutation," to talk of this agreement.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading * The Treaty of Utrecht: the difficulty to get them to meet.

TreatynounUS /ˈtriːti/

a written agreement between two states or sovereigns

From this reading * The Treaty of Utrecht: the difficulty to get them to meet.

Utrechtnoun

a city in the central Netherlands

From this reading * The Treaty of Utrecht: the difficulty to get them to meet.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading The House of Austria talked very high.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When met, the Dutch would not speak their sentiments, nor the French deliver in their proposals.

wordnounUS /wɜːrd/

a unit of language that native speakers can identify

From this reading Frog had given his word that he would meet the above-mentioned company at the "Salutation," to talk of this agreement.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading When met, the Dutch would not speak their sentiments, nor the French deliver in their proposals.

Chapter 28 of The History of John Bull by John Arbuthnot holds 57 sentences, grouped into 12 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 28 of The History of John Bull contain?

Chapter 28 holds 57 sentences of The History of John Bull, unabridged, divided into 12 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 28 of The History of John Bull by John Arbuthnot exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 57 sentences, grouped into 12 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 28 of The History of John Bull?

Work through the 12 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 12 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 28 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 28 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 History of John Bull

Common questions about reading The History of John Bull by John Arbuthnot on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The History of John Bull?

Yes. All 1582 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2643 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The History of John Bull is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #2643, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The History of John Bull take to read?

About 131 minutes of reading across 317 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The History of John Bull section by section

How to work through The History of John Bull section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  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 History of John Bull

Words and structures a reader meets early in The History of John Bull, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Great
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The History of John Bull; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Quarrels
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The History of John Bull; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Happened
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The History of John Bull; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Neighbourhood
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The History of John Bull; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.