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The Last Days of Pompeii
The Last Days of Pompeii

Chapter XL · Chapter 40

Chapter 40 of The Last Days of Pompeii is here in full — 106 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/21 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE NEXT MORNING.
THE FATE OF NYDIA.
AND meekly, softly, beautifully, dawned at last the light over the trembling deep!--the winds were sinking into rest--the foam died from the glowing azure of that delicious sea.
Around the east, thin mists caught gradually the rosy hues that heralded the morning; Light was about to resume her reign.
Yet, still, dark and massive in the distance, lay the broken fragments of the destroying cloud, from which red streaks, burning dimlier and more dim, betrayed the yet rolling fires of the mountain of the 'Scorched Fields'.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Last Days of Pompeii

Chapter XL · Chapter 40

Chapter 40 of The Last Days of Pompeii is here in full — 106 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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

Line 1
THE NEXT MORNING.
/ðə nekst ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/
Line 2
THE FATE OF NYDIA.
Line 3
AND meekly, softly, beautifully, dawned at last the light over the trembling deep!--the winds were sinking into rest--the foam died from the glowing azure of that delicious sea.
Line 4
Around the east, thin mists caught gradually the rosy hues that heralded the morning; Light was about to resume her reign.
/ərˈaʊnd ðə iːst θɪn mɪsts kɑːt ˈɡrædʒuːəli ðə ˈroʊzi hjuːz ðæt ˈherəldɪd ðə ˈmɔːrnɪŋ laɪt wɑːz əˈbaʊt tuː rɪˈzuːm hɜːr reɪn/
Line 5
Yet, still, dark and massive in the distance, lay the broken fragments of the destroying cloud, from which red streaks, burning dimlier and more dim, betrayed the yet rolling fires of the mountain of the 'Scorched Fields'.

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.

azure noun US /ˈæʒər/

a light shade of blue

From this reading “AND meekly, softly, beautifully, dawned at last the light over the trembling deep!--the winds were sinking into rest--the foam died from the glowing azure of that delicious sea.”

destroying verb US /dɪˈstrɔɪɪŋ/

-ing form of “destroy” — do away with, cause the destruction or undoing of

From this reading “Yet, still, dark and massive in the distance, lay the broken fragments of the destroying cloud, from which red streaks, burning dimlier and more dim, betrayed the yet rolling fires of the mountain of the 'Scorched Fields'.”

heralded adjective US /ˈherəldɪd/

publicly announced

From this reading “Around the east, thin mists caught gradually the rosy hues that heralded the morning; Light was about to resume her reign.”

hues noun US /hjuːz/

plural of “hue” — the quality of a color as determined by its dominant wavelength

From this reading “Around the east, thin mists caught gradually the rosy hues that heralded the morning; Light was about to resume her reign.”

meekly adverb US /ˈmiːkli/

in a submissive or spiritless manner

From this reading “AND meekly, softly, beautifully, dawned at last the light over the trembling deep!--the winds were sinking into rest--the foam died from the glowing azure of that delicious sea.”

mists noun US /mɪsts/

plural of “mist” — a thin fog with condensation near the ground

From this reading “Around the east, thin mists caught gradually the rosy hues that heralded the morning; Light was about to resume her reign.”

Scorched adjective US /skɔːrtʃt/

Burned by flames or heat; blackened by intense magical or physical fire.

From this reading “Yet, still, dark and massive in the distance, lay the broken fragments of the destroying cloud, from which red streaks, burning dimlier and more dim, betrayed the yet rolling fires of the mountain of the 'Scorched Fields'.”

streaks noun US /striːks/

plural of “streak” — an unbroken series of events

From this reading “Yet, still, dark and massive in the distance, lay the broken fragments of the destroying cloud, from which red streaks, burning dimlier and more dim, betrayed the yet rolling fires of the mountain of the 'Scorched Fields'.”

All words in this reading · 69

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.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading Around the east, thin mists caught gradually the rosy hues that heralded the morning; Light was about to resume her reign.

ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading AND meekly, softly, beautifully, dawned at last the light over the trembling deep!--the winds were sinking into rest--the foam died from the glowing azure of that delicious sea.

AroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading Around the east, thin mists caught gradually the rosy hues that heralded the morning; Light was about to resume her reign.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading AND meekly, softly, beautifully, dawned at last the light over the trembling deep!--the winds were sinking into rest--the foam died from the glowing azure of that delicious sea.

azurenounUS /ˈæʒər/

a light shade of blue

From this reading AND meekly, softly, beautifully, dawned at last the light over the trembling deep!--the winds were sinking into rest--the foam died from the glowing azure of that delicious sea.

beautifullyadverbUS /ˈbjuːtəfli/

in a beautiful manner

From this reading AND meekly, softly, beautifully, dawned at last the light over the trembling deep!--the winds were sinking into rest--the foam died from the glowing azure of that delicious sea.

betrayedverbUS /bɪˈtreɪd/

past form of “betray” — reveal unintentionally

From this reading Yet, still, dark and massive in the distance, lay the broken fragments of the destroying cloud, from which red streaks, burning dimlier and more dim, betrayed the yet rolling fires of the mountain of the 'Scorched Fields'.

brokenadjectiveUS /ˈbroʊkən/

physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split

From this reading Yet, still, dark and massive in the distance, lay the broken fragments of the destroying cloud, from which red streaks, burning dimlier and more dim, betrayed the yet rolling fires of the mountain of the 'Scorched Fields'.

burningnounUS /ˈbɜːrnɪŋ/

the act of burning something

From this reading Yet, still, dark and massive in the distance, lay the broken fragments of the destroying cloud, from which red streaks, burning dimlier and more dim, betrayed the yet rolling fires of the mountain of the 'Scorched Fields'.

caughtverbUS /kɑːt/

inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state

From this reading Around the east, thin mists caught gradually the rosy hues that heralded the morning; Light was about to resume her reign.

cloudverbUS /klaʊd/

make overcast or cloudy

From this reading Yet, still, dark and massive in the distance, lay the broken fragments of the destroying cloud, from which red streaks, burning dimlier and more dim, betrayed the yet rolling fires of the mountain of the 'Scorched Fields'.

darknounUS /dɑːrk/

absence of light or illumination

From this reading Yet, still, dark and massive in the distance, lay the broken fragments of the destroying cloud, from which red streaks, burning dimlier and more dim, betrayed the yet rolling fires of the mountain of the 'Scorched Fields'.

dawnedverbUS /dɔːnd/

past form of “dawn” — become clear or enter one's consciousness or emotions

From this reading AND meekly, softly, beautifully, dawned at last the light over the trembling deep!--the winds were sinking into rest--the foam died from the glowing azure of that delicious sea.

deepadjectiveUS /diːp/

relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply

From this reading AND meekly, softly, beautifully, dawned at last the light over the trembling deep!--the winds were sinking into rest--the foam died from the glowing azure of that delicious sea.

deliciousadjectiveUS /dɪˈlɪʃəs/

greatly pleasing or entertaining

From this reading AND meekly, softly, beautifully, dawned at last the light over the trembling deep!--the winds were sinking into rest--the foam died from the glowing azure of that delicious sea.

destroyingverbUS /dɪˈstrɔɪɪŋ/

-ing form of “destroy” — do away with, cause the destruction or undoing of

From this reading Yet, still, dark and massive in the distance, lay the broken fragments of the destroying cloud, from which red streaks, burning dimlier and more dim, betrayed the yet rolling fires of the mountain of the 'Scorched Fields'.

diedverbUS /daɪd/

past form of “die” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life

From this reading AND meekly, softly, beautifully, dawned at last the light over the trembling deep!--the winds were sinking into rest--the foam died from the glowing azure of that delicious sea.

dimadjectiveUS /dɪm/

lacking in light; not bright or harsh

From this reading Yet, still, dark and massive in the distance, lay the broken fragments of the destroying cloud, from which red streaks, burning dimlier and more dim, betrayed the yet rolling fires of the mountain of the 'Scorched Fields'.

dimlier

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

From this reading Yet, still, dark and massive in the distance, lay the broken fragments of the destroying cloud, from which red streaks, burning dimlier and more dim, betrayed the yet rolling fires of the mountain of the 'Scorched Fields'.

distancenounUS /ˈdɪstəns/

the property created by the space between two objects or points

From this reading Yet, still, dark and massive in the distance, lay the broken fragments of the destroying cloud, from which red streaks, burning dimlier and more dim, betrayed the yet rolling fires of the mountain of the 'Scorched Fields'.

eastnounUS /iːst/

the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees

From this reading Around the east, thin mists caught gradually the rosy hues that heralded the morning; Light was about to resume her reign.

FATEnounUS /feɪt/

an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future

From this reading THE FATE OF NYDIA.

FieldsnounUS /fiːldz/

United States comedian and film actor (1880-1946)

From this reading Yet, still, dark and massive in the distance, lay the broken fragments of the destroying cloud, from which red streaks, burning dimlier and more dim, betrayed the yet rolling fires of the mountain of the 'Scorched Fields'.

firesnounUS /ˈfaɪərz/

plural of “fire” — the event of something burning (often destructive)

From this reading Yet, still, dark and massive in the distance, lay the broken fragments of the destroying cloud, from which red streaks, burning dimlier and more dim, betrayed the yet rolling fires of the mountain of the 'Scorched Fields'.

foamnounUS /foʊm/

a mass of small bubbles formed in or on a liquid

From this reading AND meekly, softly, beautifully, dawned at last the light over the trembling deep!--the winds were sinking into rest--the foam died from the glowing azure of that delicious sea.

fragmentsnounUS /ˈfræɡmənts/

plural of “fragment” — a piece broken off or cut off of something else

From this reading Yet, still, dark and massive in the distance, lay the broken fragments of the destroying cloud, from which red streaks, burning dimlier and more dim, betrayed the yet rolling fires of the mountain of the 'Scorched Fields'.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading AND meekly, softly, beautifully, dawned at last the light over the trembling deep!--the winds were sinking into rest--the foam died from the glowing azure of that delicious sea.

glowingadjectiveUS /ˈɡloʊɪŋ/

highly enthusiastic

From this reading AND meekly, softly, beautifully, dawned at last the light over the trembling deep!--the winds were sinking into rest--the foam died from the glowing azure of that delicious sea.

graduallyadverbUS /ˈɡrædʒuːəli/

in a gradual manner

From this reading Around the east, thin mists caught gradually the rosy hues that heralded the morning; Light was about to resume her reign.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Around the east, thin mists caught gradually the rosy hues that heralded the morning; Light was about to resume her reign.

heraldedadjectiveUS /ˈherəldɪd/

publicly announced

From this reading Around the east, thin mists caught gradually the rosy hues that heralded the morning; Light was about to resume her reign.

huesnounUS /hjuːz/

plural of “hue” — the quality of a color as determined by its dominant wavelength

From this reading Around the east, thin mists caught gradually the rosy hues that heralded the morning; Light was about to resume her reign.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Yet, still, dark and massive in the distance, lay the broken fragments of the destroying cloud, from which red streaks, burning dimlier and more dim, betrayed the yet rolling fires of the mountain of the 'Scorched Fields'.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading AND meekly, softly, beautifully, dawned at last the light over the trembling deep!--the winds were sinking into rest--the foam died from the glowing azure of that delicious sea.

lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading AND meekly, softly, beautifully, dawned at last the light over the trembling deep!--the winds were sinking into rest--the foam died from the glowing azure of that delicious sea.

layverbUS /leɪ/

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading Yet, still, dark and massive in the distance, lay the broken fragments of the destroying cloud, from which red streaks, burning dimlier and more dim, betrayed the yet rolling fires of the mountain of the 'Scorched Fields'.

lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/

of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading AND meekly, softly, beautifully, dawned at last the light over the trembling deep!--the winds were sinking into rest--the foam died from the glowing azure of that delicious sea.

massiveadjectiveUS /ˈmæsɪv/

imposing in size or bulk or solidity

From this reading Yet, still, dark and massive in the distance, lay the broken fragments of the destroying cloud, from which red streaks, burning dimlier and more dim, betrayed the yet rolling fires of the mountain of the 'Scorched Fields'.

meeklyadverbUS /ˈmiːkli/

in a submissive or spiritless manner

From this reading AND meekly, softly, beautifully, dawned at last the light over the trembling deep!--the winds were sinking into rest--the foam died from the glowing azure of that delicious sea.

mistsnounUS /mɪsts/

plural of “mist” — a thin fog with condensation near the ground

From this reading Around the east, thin mists caught gradually the rosy hues that heralded the morning; Light was about to resume her reign.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading Yet, still, dark and massive in the distance, lay the broken fragments of the destroying cloud, from which red streaks, burning dimlier and more dim, betrayed the yet rolling fires of the mountain of the 'Scorched Fields'.

MORNINGnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading THE NEXT MORNING.

mountainnounUS /ˈmaʊntən/

a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill

From this reading Yet, still, dark and massive in the distance, lay the broken fragments of the destroying cloud, from which red streaks, burning dimlier and more dim, betrayed the yet rolling fires of the mountain of the 'Scorched Fields'.

NEXTadjectiveUS /nekst/

immediately following in time or order

From this reading THE NEXT MORNING.

NYDIA

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

From this reading THE FATE OF NYDIA.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE FATE OF NYDIA.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading AND meekly, softly, beautifully, dawned at last the light over the trembling deep!--the winds were sinking into rest--the foam died from the glowing azure of that delicious sea.

rednounUS /red/

red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood

From this reading Yet, still, dark and massive in the distance, lay the broken fragments of the destroying cloud, from which red streaks, burning dimlier and more dim, betrayed the yet rolling fires of the mountain of the 'Scorched Fields'.

reignverbUS /reɪn/

have sovereign power

From this reading Around the east, thin mists caught gradually the rosy hues that heralded the morning; Light was about to resume her reign.

restverbUS /rest/

not move; be in a resting position

From this reading AND meekly, softly, beautifully, dawned at last the light over the trembling deep!--the winds were sinking into rest--the foam died from the glowing azure of that delicious sea.

resumeverbUS /rɪˈzuːm/

take up or begin anew

From this reading Around the east, thin mists caught gradually the rosy hues that heralded the morning; Light was about to resume her reign.

rollingadjectiveUS /ˈroʊlɪŋ/

uttered with a trill

From this reading Yet, still, dark and massive in the distance, lay the broken fragments of the destroying cloud, from which red streaks, burning dimlier and more dim, betrayed the yet rolling fires of the mountain of the 'Scorched Fields'.

rosyadjectiveUS /ˈroʊzi/

reflecting optimism

From this reading Around the east, thin mists caught gradually the rosy hues that heralded the morning; Light was about to resume her reign.

ScorchedadjectiveUS /skɔːrtʃt/

Burned by flames or heat; blackened by intense magical or physical fire.

From this reading Yet, still, dark and massive in the distance, lay the broken fragments of the destroying cloud, from which red streaks, burning dimlier and more dim, betrayed the yet rolling fires of the mountain of the 'Scorched Fields'.

seanounUS /siː/

a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land

From this reading AND meekly, softly, beautifully, dawned at last the light over the trembling deep!--the winds were sinking into rest--the foam died from the glowing azure of that delicious sea.

sinkingnounUS /ˈsɪŋkɪŋ/

a descent as through liquid (especially through water)

From this reading AND meekly, softly, beautifully, dawned at last the light over the trembling deep!--the winds were sinking into rest--the foam died from the glowing azure of that delicious sea.

softlyadverbUS /ˈsɔːftli/

with low volume

From this reading AND meekly, softly, beautifully, dawned at last the light over the trembling deep!--the winds were sinking into rest--the foam died from the glowing azure of that delicious sea.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading Yet, still, dark and massive in the distance, lay the broken fragments of the destroying cloud, from which red streaks, burning dimlier and more dim, betrayed the yet rolling fires of the mountain of the 'Scorched Fields'.

streaksnounUS /striːks/

plural of “streak” — an unbroken series of events

From this reading Yet, still, dark and massive in the distance, lay the broken fragments of the destroying cloud, from which red streaks, burning dimlier and more dim, betrayed the yet rolling fires of the mountain of the 'Scorched Fields'.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading AND meekly, softly, beautifully, dawned at last the light over the trembling deep!--the winds were sinking into rest--the foam died from the glowing azure of that delicious sea.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE NEXT MORNING.

thinadjectiveUS /θɪn/

Having little thickness or extent.

From this reading Around the east, thin mists caught gradually the rosy hues that heralded the morning; Light was about to resume her reign.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Around the east, thin mists caught gradually the rosy hues that heralded the morning; Light was about to resume her reign.

tremblingnounUS /ˈtrembəlɪŋ/

a shaky motion

From this reading AND meekly, softly, beautifully, dawned at last the light over the trembling deep!--the winds were sinking into rest--the foam died from the glowing azure of that delicious sea.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Around the east, thin mists caught gradually the rosy hues that heralded the morning; Light was about to resume her reign.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading AND meekly, softly, beautifully, dawned at last the light over the trembling deep!--the winds were sinking into rest--the foam died from the glowing azure of that delicious sea.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading Yet, still, dark and massive in the distance, lay the broken fragments of the destroying cloud, from which red streaks, burning dimlier and more dim, betrayed the yet rolling fires of the mountain of the 'Scorched Fields'.

windsnounUS /wɪndz/

plural of “wind” — air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure

From this reading AND meekly, softly, beautifully, dawned at last the light over the trembling deep!--the winds were sinking into rest--the foam died from the glowing azure of that delicious sea.

YetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading Yet, still, dark and massive in the distance, lay the broken fragments of the destroying cloud, from which red streaks, burning dimlier and more dim, betrayed the yet rolling fires of the mountain of the 'Scorched Fields'.

Chapter 40 of The Last Days of Pompeii by Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron Lytton holds 106 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 40 of The Last Days of Pompeii contain?

Chapter 40 holds 106 sentences of The Last Days of Pompeii, unabridged, divided into 22 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 40 of The Last Days of Pompeii by Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron Lytton exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 106 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 40 of The Last Days of Pompeii?

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 40 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 40 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 Last Days of Pompeii

Common questions about reading The Last Days of Pompeii by Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron Lytton on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Last Days of Pompeii?

Yes. All 7117 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1565 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Last Days of Pompeii is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1565, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Last Days of Pompeii take to read?

About 593 minutes of reading across 1424 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Last Days of Pompeii section by section

How to work through The Last Days of Pompeii section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of The Last Days of Pompeii 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 Last Days of Pompeii

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Last Days of Pompeii, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Gentlemen
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Last Days of Pompeii; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Pompeii
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Last Days of Pompeii; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Diomed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Last Days of Pompeii; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Glaucus
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Last Days of Pompeii; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.