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The Last Man
The Last Man

Chapter XV · Chapter 15

Chapter 15 of The Last Man is here in full — 141 sentences across 29 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Last Man
Context Illustration Reading 1/28 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
I returned to my family estate in the autumn of the year 2092.
My heart had long been with them; and I felt sick with the hope and delight of seeing them again.
The district which contained them appeared the abode of every kindly spirit.
Happiness, love and peace, walked the forest paths, and tempered the atmosphere.
After all the agitation and sorrow I had endured in Greece, I sought Windsor, as the storm-driven bird does the nest in which it may fold its wings in tranquillity.
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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 Last Man

Chapter XV · Chapter 15

Chapter 15 of The Last Man is here in full — 141 sentences across 29 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/28 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
I returned to my family estate in the autumn of the year 2092.
Line 2
My heart had long been with them; and I felt sick with the hope and delight of seeing them again.
/maɪ hɑːrt hæd lɔːŋ bɪn wɪð ðem ənd aɪ felt sɪk wɪð ðə hoʊp ənd dɪˈlaɪt ʌv ˈsiːɪŋ ðem əˈɡen/
Line 3
The district which contained them appeared the abode of every kindly spirit.
/ðə ˈdɪstrɪkt wɪtʃ kənˈteɪnd ðem əˈpɪrd ðə əˈboʊd ʌv ˈevəri ˈkaɪndli ˈspɪrət/
Line 4
Happiness, love and peace, walked the forest paths, and tempered the atmosphere.
/ˈhæpinəs lʌv ənd piːs wɔːkt ðə ˈfɔːrəst pæðz ənd ˈtempərd ðə ˈætməsfɪr/
Line 5
After all the agitation and sorrow I had endured in Greece, I sought Windsor, as the storm-driven bird does the nest in which it may fold its wings in tranquillity.

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.

abode noun US /əˈboʊd/

any address at which you dwell more than temporarily

From this reading “The district which contained them appeared the abode of every kindly spirit.”

endured verb US /enˈdjʊrd/

past form of “endure” — put up with something or somebody unpleasant

From this reading “After all the agitation and sorrow I had endured in Greece, I sought Windsor, as the storm-driven bird does the nest in which it may fold its wings in tranquillity.”

fold noun US /foʊld/

an angular or rounded shape made by folding

From this reading “After all the agitation and sorrow I had endured in Greece, I sought Windsor, as the storm-driven bird does the nest in which it may fold its wings in tranquillity.”

Greece noun US /ɡriːs/

a republic in southeastern Europe on the southern part of the Balkan peninsula; known for grapes and olives and olive oil

From this reading “After all the agitation and sorrow I had endured in Greece, I sought Windsor, as the storm-driven bird does the nest in which it may fold its wings in tranquillity.”

paths noun US /pæðz/

plural of “path” — a course of conduct

From this reading “Happiness, love and peace, walked the forest paths, and tempered the atmosphere.”

tempered adjective US /ˈtempərd/

made hard or flexible or resilient especially by heat treatment

From this reading “Happiness, love and peace, walked the forest paths, and tempered the atmosphere.”

tranquillity noun US /træŋˈkwɪlɪti/

an untroubled state; free from disturbances

From this reading “After all the agitation and sorrow I had endured in Greece, I sought Windsor, as the storm-driven bird does the nest in which it may fold its wings in tranquillity.”

Windsor noun US /ˈwɪnzər/

a city in southeastern Ontario on the Detroit River opposite Detroit

From this reading “After all the agitation and sorrow I had endured in Greece, I sought Windsor, as the storm-driven bird does the nest in which it may fold its wings in tranquillity.”

All words in this reading · 60

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.

2092

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

From this reading I returned to my family estate in the autumn of the year 2092.

abodenounUS /əˈboʊd/

any address at which you dwell more than temporarily

From this reading The district which contained them appeared the abode of every kindly spirit.

AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading After all the agitation and sorrow I had endured in Greece, I sought Windsor, as the storm-driven bird does the nest in which it may fold its wings in tranquillity.

againadverbUS /əˈɡen/

anew

From this reading My heart had long been with them; and I felt sick with the hope and delight of seeing them again.

agitationnounUS /ˌædʒəˈteɪʃən/

a mental state of extreme emotional disturbance

From this reading After all the agitation and sorrow I had endured in Greece, I sought Windsor, as the storm-driven bird does the nest in which it may fold its wings in tranquillity.

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 After all the agitation and sorrow I had endured in Greece, I sought Windsor, as the storm-driven bird does the nest in which it may fold its wings in tranquillity.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading My heart had long been with them; and I felt sick with the hope and delight of seeing them again.

appearedverbUS /əˈpɪrd/

past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading The district which contained them appeared the abode of every kindly spirit.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading After all the agitation and sorrow I had endured in Greece, I sought Windsor, as the storm-driven bird does the nest in which it may fold its wings in tranquillity.

atmospherenounUS /ˈætməsfɪr/

a particular environment or surrounding influence

From this reading Happiness, love and peace, walked the forest paths, and tempered the atmosphere.

autumnnounUS /ˈɔːtəm/

the season when the leaves fall from the trees

From this reading I returned to my family estate in the autumn of the year 2092.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading My heart had long been with them; and I felt sick with the hope and delight of seeing them again.

birdnounUS /bɜːrd/

warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings

From this reading After all the agitation and sorrow I had endured in Greece, I sought Windsor, as the storm-driven bird does the nest in which it may fold its wings in tranquillity.

containedadjectiveUS /kənˈteɪnd/

gotten under control

From this reading The district which contained them appeared the abode of every kindly spirit.

delightverbUS /dɪˈlaɪt/

give pleasure to or be pleasing to

From this reading My heart had long been with them; and I felt sick with the hope and delight of seeing them again.

districtnounUS /ˈdɪstrɪkt/

a region marked off for administrative or other purposes

From this reading The district which contained them appeared the abode of every kindly spirit.

doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/

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

From this reading After all the agitation and sorrow I had endured in Greece, I sought Windsor, as the storm-driven bird does the nest in which it may fold its wings in tranquillity.

enduredverbUS /enˈdjʊrd/

past form of “endure” — put up with something or somebody unpleasant

From this reading After all the agitation and sorrow I had endured in Greece, I sought Windsor, as the storm-driven bird does the nest in which it may fold its wings in tranquillity.

estatenounUS /ɪˈsteɪt/

everything you own; all of your assets (whether real property or personal property) and liabilities

From this reading I returned to my family estate in the autumn of the year 2092.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading The district which contained them appeared the abode of every kindly spirit.

familynounUS /ˈfæməli/

a social unit living together

From this reading I returned to my family estate in the autumn of the year 2092.

feltverbUS /felt/

mat together and make felt-like

From this reading My heart had long been with them; and I felt sick with the hope and delight of seeing them again.

foldnounUS /foʊld/

an angular or rounded shape made by folding

From this reading After all the agitation and sorrow I had endured in Greece, I sought Windsor, as the storm-driven bird does the nest in which it may fold its wings in tranquillity.

forestnounUS /ˈfɔːrəst/

the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area

From this reading Happiness, love and peace, walked the forest paths, and tempered the atmosphere.

GreecenounUS /ɡriːs/

a republic in southeastern Europe on the southern part of the Balkan peninsula; known for grapes and olives and olive oil

From this reading After all the agitation and sorrow I had endured in Greece, I sought Windsor, as the storm-driven bird does the nest in which it may fold its wings in tranquillity.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading My heart had long been with them; and I felt sick with the hope and delight of seeing them again.

HappinessnounUS /ˈhæpinəs/

state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy

From this reading Happiness, love and peace, walked the forest paths, and tempered the atmosphere.

heartnounUS /hɑːrt/

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading My heart had long been with them; and I felt sick with the hope and delight of seeing them again.

hopenounUS /hoʊp/

a specific instance of feeling hopeful

From this reading My heart had long been with them; and I felt sick with the hope and delight of seeing them again.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I returned to my family estate in the autumn of the year 2092.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading I returned to my family estate in the autumn of the year 2092.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading After all the agitation and sorrow I had endured in Greece, I sought Windsor, as the storm-driven bird does the nest in which it may fold its wings in tranquillity.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading After all the agitation and sorrow I had endured in Greece, I sought Windsor, as the storm-driven bird does the nest in which it may fold its wings in tranquillity.

kindlyadjectiveUS /ˈkaɪndli/

showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding and generosity

From this reading The district which contained them appeared the abode of every kindly spirit.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading My heart had long been with them; and I felt sick with the hope and delight of seeing them again.

lovenounUS /lʌv/

a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading Happiness, love and peace, walked the forest paths, and tempered the atmosphere.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading After all the agitation and sorrow I had endured in Greece, I sought Windsor, as the storm-driven bird does the nest in which it may fold its wings in tranquillity.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading I returned to my family estate in the autumn of the year 2092.

nestnounUS /nest/

a structure in which animals lay eggs or give birth to their young

From this reading After all the agitation and sorrow I had endured in Greece, I sought Windsor, as the storm-driven bird does the nest in which it may fold its wings in tranquillity.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading I returned to my family estate in the autumn of the year 2092.

pathsnounUS /pæðz/

plural of “path” — a course of conduct

From this reading Happiness, love and peace, walked the forest paths, and tempered the atmosphere.

peacenounUS /piːs/

the state prevailing during the absence of war

From this reading Happiness, love and peace, walked the forest paths, and tempered the atmosphere.

returnedverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrnd/

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

From this reading I returned to my family estate in the autumn of the year 2092.

seeingnounUS /ˈsiːɪŋ/

perception by means of the eyes

From this reading My heart had long been with them; and I felt sick with the hope and delight of seeing them again.

sickadjectiveUS /sɪk/

affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function

From this reading My heart had long been with them; and I felt sick with the hope and delight of seeing them again.

sorrownounUS /ˈsɑːroʊ/

an emotion of great sadness associated with loss or bereavement

From this reading After all the agitation and sorrow I had endured in Greece, I sought Windsor, as the storm-driven bird does the nest in which it may fold its wings in tranquillity.

soughtadjectiveUS /sɔːt/

that is looked for

From this reading After all the agitation and sorrow I had endured in Greece, I sought Windsor, as the storm-driven bird does the nest in which it may fold its wings in tranquillity.

spiritnounUS /ˈspɪrət/

the vital principle or animating force within living things

From this reading The district which contained them appeared the abode of every kindly spirit.

storm-driven

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

From this reading After all the agitation and sorrow I had endured in Greece, I sought Windsor, as the storm-driven bird does the nest in which it may fold its wings in tranquillity.

temperedadjectiveUS /ˈtempərd/

made hard or flexible or resilient especially by heat treatment

From this reading Happiness, love and peace, walked the forest paths, and tempered the atmosphere.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading I returned to my family estate in the autumn of the year 2092.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading My heart had long been with them; and I felt sick with the hope and delight of seeing them again.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading I returned to my family estate in the autumn of the year 2092.

tranquillitynounUS /træŋˈkwɪlɪti/

an untroubled state; free from disturbances

From this reading After all the agitation and sorrow I had endured in Greece, I sought Windsor, as the storm-driven bird does the nest in which it may fold its wings in tranquillity.

walkedverbUS /wɔːkt/

past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps

From this reading Happiness, love and peace, walked the forest paths, and tempered the atmosphere.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading The district which contained them appeared the abode of every kindly spirit.

WindsornounUS /ˈwɪnzər/

a city in southeastern Ontario on the Detroit River opposite Detroit

From this reading After all the agitation and sorrow I had endured in Greece, I sought Windsor, as the storm-driven bird does the nest in which it may fold its wings in tranquillity.

wingsnounUS /wɪŋz/

a means of flight or ascent

From this reading After all the agitation and sorrow I had endured in Greece, I sought Windsor, as the storm-driven bird does the nest in which it may fold its wings in tranquillity.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading My heart had long been with them; and I felt sick with the hope and delight of seeing them again.

yearnounUS /jɪr/

a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days

From this reading I returned to my family estate in the autumn of the year 2092.

Chapter 15 of The Last Man by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley holds 141 sentences, grouped into 29 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 15 of The Last Man contain?

Chapter 15 holds 141 sentences of The Last Man, unabridged, divided into 29 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 15 of The Last Man by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 141 sentences, grouped into 29 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 15 of The Last Man?

Work through the 29 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 29 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 15 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 15 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 Man

Common questions about reading The Last Man by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Last Man?

Yes. All 6659 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #18247 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Last Man is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #18247, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Last Man take to read?

About 554 minutes of reading across 1332 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Last Man section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 30 chapters of The Last Man 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 Man

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

Native
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Last Man; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Sea-surrounded
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Last Man; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Cloud-enshadowed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Last Man; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Surface
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Last Man; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.