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The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 3
The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 3

Chapter XXVII · Chapter 27

Chapter 27 of The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 3 is here in full — 401 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 3
Context Illustration Reading 1/80 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
I sent Lady Ailesbury the "Orpheline Legu`ee:" a poor performance; but the subject made me think she would like to see it.
I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.
Apropos, I promised you my but besides that there is nobody here that excels in painting skeletons, seriously, their painters are bitter bad, and as much inferior to Reynolds and Ramsay, as Hudson to Vandyck.
I had rather stay till my return.
Adieu!
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 Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 3

Chapter XXVII · Chapter 27

Chapter 27 of The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 3 is here in full — 401 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/80 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
I sent Lady Ailesbury the "Orpheline Legu`ee:" a poor performance; but the subject made me think she would like to see it.
Line 2
I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.
Line 3
Apropos, I promised you my but besides that there is nobody here that excels in painting skeletons, seriously, their painters are bitter bad, and as much inferior to Reynolds and Ramsay, as Hudson to Vandyck.
Line 4
I had rather stay till my return.
/aɪ hæd ˈræðər steɪ tɪl maɪ rɪˈtɜːrn/
Line 5
Adieu!
/əˈduː/

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.

Apropos adverb US /ˌæprəˈpoʊ/

at an opportune time

From this reading “Apropos, I promised you my but besides that there is nobody here that excels in painting skeletons, seriously, their painters are bitter bad, and as much inferior to Reynolds and Ramsay, as Hudson to Vandyck.”

auction noun US /ˈɑːkʃən/

a variety of bridge in which tricks made in excess of the contract are scored toward game; now generally superseded by contract bridge

From this reading “I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.”

excels verb US /ɪkˈselz/

third-person singular of “excel” — distinguish oneself

From this reading “Apropos, I promised you my but besides that there is nobody here that excels in painting skeletons, seriously, their painters are bitter bad, and as much inferior to Reynolds and Ramsay, as Hudson to Vandyck.”

felicity noun US /fɪˈlɪsəti/

pleasing and appropriate manner or style (especially manner or style of expression)

From this reading “I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.”

Hudson noun US /ˈhʌdsən/

a New York river; flows southward into New York Bay; explored by Henry Hudson early in the 17th century

From this reading “Apropos, I promised you my but besides that there is nobody here that excels in painting skeletons, seriously, their painters are bitter bad, and as much inferior to Reynolds and Ramsay, as Hudson to Vandyck.”

painters noun US /ˈpeɪntərz/

plural of “painter” — an artist who paints

From this reading “Apropos, I promised you my but besides that there is nobody here that excels in painting skeletons, seriously, their painters are bitter bad, and as much inferior to Reynolds and Ramsay, as Hudson to Vandyck.”

Reynolds noun US /ˈrenəldz/

English portrait painter and first president of the Royal Academy (1723-1792)

From this reading “Apropos, I promised you my but besides that there is nobody here that excels in painting skeletons, seriously, their painters are bitter bad, and as much inferior to Reynolds and Ramsay, as Hudson to Vandyck.”

skeletons noun US /ˈskelətənz/

plural of “skeleton” — something reduced to its minimal form

From this reading “Apropos, I promised you my but besides that there is nobody here that excels in painting skeletons, seriously, their painters are bitter bad, and as much inferior to Reynolds and Ramsay, as Hudson to Vandyck.”

All words in this reading · 94

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.

915

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

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading I sent Lady Ailesbury the "Orpheline Legu`ee:" a poor performance; but the subject made me think she would like to see it.

accidentnounUS /ˈæksədənt/

an unfortunate mishap; especially one causing damage or injury

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

AdieunounUS /əˈduː/

a farewell remark

From this reading Adieu!

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

Ailesbury

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

From this reading I sent Lady Ailesbury the "Orpheline Legu`ee:" a poor performance; but the subject made me think she would like to see it.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

AproposadverbUS /ˌæprəˈpoʊ/

at an opportune time

From this reading Apropos, I promised you my but besides that there is nobody here that excels in painting skeletons, seriously, their painters are bitter bad, and as much inferior to Reynolds and Ramsay, as Hudson to Vandyck.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading Apropos, I promised you my but besides that there is nobody here that excels in painting skeletons, seriously, their painters are bitter bad, and as much inferior to Reynolds and Ramsay, as Hudson to Vandyck.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Apropos, I promised you my but besides that there is nobody here that excels in painting skeletons, seriously, their painters are bitter bad, and as much inferior to Reynolds and Ramsay, as Hudson to Vandyck.

assuredadjectiveUS /əˈʃʊrd/

marked by assurance; exhibiting confidence

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

auctionnounUS /ˈɑːkʃən/

a variety of bridge in which tricks made in excess of the contract are scored toward game; now generally superseded by contract bridge

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

badadjectiveUS /bæd/

having undesirable or negative qualities

From this reading Apropos, I promised you my but besides that there is nobody here that excels in painting skeletons, seriously, their painters are bitter bad, and as much inferior to Reynolds and Ramsay, as Hudson to Vandyck.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

besidesprepositionUS /bɪˈsaɪdz/

in addition to; as well as

From this reading Apropos, I promised you my but besides that there is nobody here that excels in painting skeletons, seriously, their painters are bitter bad, and as much inferior to Reynolds and Ramsay, as Hudson to Vandyck.

bitteradjectiveUS /ˈbɪtər/

marked by strong resentment or cynicism

From this reading Apropos, I promised you my but besides that there is nobody here that excels in painting skeletons, seriously, their painters are bitter bad, and as much inferior to Reynolds and Ramsay, as Hudson to Vandyck.

boughtverbUS /bɑːt/

inflected form of “buy” — obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading I sent Lady Ailesbury the "Orpheline Legu`ee:" a poor performance; but the subject made me think she would like to see it.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

Caylus's

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

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

CountverbUS /kaʊnt/

determine the number or amount of

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

discoveredadjectiveUS /dɪˈskʌvərd/

discovered or determined by scientific observation

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

earsnounUS /ɪrz/

plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

eenounUS /iː/

the branch of engineering science that studies the uses of electricity and the equipment for power generation and distribution and the control of machines and communication

From this reading I sent Lady Ailesbury the "Orpheline Legu`ee:" a poor performance; but the subject made me think she would like to see it.

excelsverbUS /ɪkˈselz/

third-person singular of “excel” — distinguish oneself

From this reading Apropos, I promised you my but besides that there is nobody here that excels in painting skeletons, seriously, their painters are bitter bad, and as much inferior to Reynolds and Ramsay, as Hudson to Vandyck.

felicitynounUS /fɪˈlɪsəti/

pleasing and appropriate manner or style (especially manner or style of expression)

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

fifteennounUS /fɪfˈtiːn/

the cardinal number that is the sum of fourteen and one

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

Grammont

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

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

greateradjectiveUS /ˈɡreɪtər/

greater in size or importance or degree

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading I had rather stay till my return.

halfadjectiveUS /hæf/

consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

headnounUS /hed/

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading Apropos, I promised you my but besides that there is nobody here that excels in painting skeletons, seriously, their painters are bitter bad, and as much inferior to Reynolds and Ramsay, as Hudson to Vandyck.

HudsonnounUS /ˈhʌdsən/

a New York river; flows southward into New York Bay; explored by Henry Hudson early in the 17th century

From this reading Apropos, I promised you my but besides that there is nobody here that excels in painting skeletons, seriously, their painters are bitter bad, and as much inferior to Reynolds and Ramsay, as Hudson to Vandyck.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I sent Lady Ailesbury the "Orpheline Legu`ee:" a poor performance; but the subject made me think she would like to see it.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

inferioradjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈfɪriər/

of or characteristic of low rank or importance

From this reading Apropos, I promised you my but besides that there is nobody here that excels in painting skeletons, seriously, their painters are bitter bad, and as much inferior to Reynolds and Ramsay, as Hudson to Vandyck.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Apropos, I promised you my but besides that there is nobody here that excels in painting skeletons, seriously, their painters are bitter bad, and as much inferior to Reynolds and Ramsay, as Hudson to Vandyck.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading I sent Lady Ailesbury the "Orpheline Legu`ee:" a poor performance; but the subject made me think she would like to see it.

LadynounUS /ˈleɪdi/

a polite name for any woman

From this reading I sent Lady Ailesbury the "Orpheline Legu`ee:" a poor performance; but the subject made me think she would like to see it.

Legu

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

From this reading I sent Lady Ailesbury the "Orpheline Legu`ee:" a poor performance; but the subject made me think she would like to see it.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading I sent Lady Ailesbury the "Orpheline Legu`ee:" a poor performance; but the subject made me think she would like to see it.

lucknounUS /lʌk/

your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading I sent Lady Ailesbury the "Orpheline Legu`ee:" a poor performance; but the subject made me think she would like to see it.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading I sent Lady Ailesbury the "Orpheline Legu`ee:" a poor performance; but the subject made me think she would like to see it.

mereadjectiveUS /mɪr/

being nothing more than specified

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading Apropos, I promised you my but besides that there is nobody here that excels in painting skeletons, seriously, their painters are bitter bad, and as much inferior to Reynolds and Ramsay, as Hudson to Vandyck.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Apropos, I promised you my but besides that there is nobody here that excels in painting skeletons, seriously, their painters are bitter bad, and as much inferior to Reynolds and Ramsay, as Hudson to Vandyck.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

nobodypronounUS /ˈnoʊbɑːdiː/

no person; not anyone

From this reading Apropos, I promised you my but besides that there is nobody here that excels in painting skeletons, seriously, their painters are bitter bad, and as much inferior to Reynolds and Ramsay, as Hudson to Vandyck.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

Orpheline

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

From this reading I sent Lady Ailesbury the "Orpheline Legu`ee:" a poor performance; but the subject made me think she would like to see it.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

paintersnounUS /ˈpeɪntərz/

plural of “painter” — an artist who paints

From this reading Apropos, I promised you my but besides that there is nobody here that excels in painting skeletons, seriously, their painters are bitter bad, and as much inferior to Reynolds and Ramsay, as Hudson to Vandyck.

paintingnounUS /ˈpeɪntɪŋ/

graphic art consisting of an artistic composition made by applying paints to a surface

From this reading Apropos, I promised you my but besides that there is nobody here that excels in painting skeletons, seriously, their painters are bitter bad, and as much inferior to Reynolds and Ramsay, as Hudson to Vandyck.

performancenounUS /pərˈfɔːrməns/

a dramatic or musical entertainment

From this reading I sent Lady Ailesbury the "Orpheline Legu`ee:" a poor performance; but the subject made me think she would like to see it.

pooradjectiveUS /puːr/

deserving or inciting pity

From this reading I sent Lady Ailesbury the "Orpheline Legu`ee:" a poor performance; but the subject made me think she would like to see it.

portraitnounUS /ˈpɔːrtrət/

a word picture of a person's appearance and character

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

promisedverbUS /ˈprɑːməst/

past form of “promise” — make a promise or commitment

From this reading Apropos, I promised you my but besides that there is nobody here that excels in painting skeletons, seriously, their painters are bitter bad, and as much inferior to Reynolds and Ramsay, as Hudson to Vandyck.

Ramsay

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

From this reading Apropos, I promised you my but besides that there is nobody here that excels in painting skeletons, seriously, their painters are bitter bad, and as much inferior to Reynolds and Ramsay, as Hudson to Vandyck.

ratheradverbUS /ˈræðər/

on the contrary

From this reading I had rather stay till my return.

returnverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrn/

go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading I had rather stay till my return.

ReynoldsnounUS /ˈrenəldz/

English portrait painter and first president of the Royal Academy (1723-1792)

From this reading Apropos, I promised you my but besides that there is nobody here that excels in painting skeletons, seriously, their painters are bitter bad, and as much inferior to Reynolds and Ramsay, as Hudson to Vandyck.

searchverbUS /sɜːrtʃ/

try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading I sent Lady Ailesbury the "Orpheline Legu`ee:" a poor performance; but the subject made me think she would like to see it.

sentnounUS /sent/

100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia

From this reading I sent Lady Ailesbury the "Orpheline Legu`ee:" a poor performance; but the subject made me think she would like to see it.

seriouslyadverbUS /ˈsɪriəsli/

in a serious manner

From this reading Apropos, I promised you my but besides that there is nobody here that excels in painting skeletons, seriously, their painters are bitter bad, and as much inferior to Reynolds and Ramsay, as Hudson to Vandyck.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading I sent Lady Ailesbury the "Orpheline Legu`ee:" a poor performance; but the subject made me think she would like to see it.

skeletonsnounUS /ˈskelətənz/

plural of “skeleton” — something reduced to its minimal form

From this reading Apropos, I promised you my but besides that there is nobody here that excels in painting skeletons, seriously, their painters are bitter bad, and as much inferior to Reynolds and Ramsay, as Hudson to Vandyck.

songnounUS /sɔːŋ/

a short musical composition with words

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

stayverbUS /steɪ/

stay the same; remain in a certain state

From this reading I had rather stay till my return.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

subjectnounUS /səbˈdʒekt/

the subject matter of a conversation or discussion

From this reading I sent Lady Ailesbury the "Orpheline Legu`ee:" a poor performance; but the subject made me think she would like to see it.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Apropos, I promised you my but besides that there is nobody here that excels in painting skeletons, seriously, their painters are bitter bad, and as much inferior to Reynolds and Ramsay, as Hudson to Vandyck.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading I sent Lady Ailesbury the "Orpheline Legu`ee:" a poor performance; but the subject made me think she would like to see it.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Apropos, I promised you my but besides that there is nobody here that excels in painting skeletons, seriously, their painters are bitter bad, and as much inferior to Reynolds and Ramsay, as Hudson to Vandyck.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

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

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

thingnounUS /θɪŋ/

a special situation

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

thinkverbUS /θɪŋk/

judge or regard; look upon; judge

From this reading I sent Lady Ailesbury the "Orpheline Legu`ee:" a poor performance; but the subject made me think she would like to see it.

tillprepositionUS /tɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading I had rather stay till my return.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading I sent Lady Ailesbury the "Orpheline Legu`ee:" a poor performance; but the subject made me think she would like to see it.

Vandyck

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

From this reading Apropos, I promised you my but besides that there is nobody here that excels in painting skeletons, seriously, their painters are bitter bad, and as much inferior to Reynolds and Ramsay, as Hudson to Vandyck.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading I sent Lady Ailesbury the "Orpheline Legu`ee:" a poor performance; but the subject made me think she would like to see it.

yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading I am over head and ears at Count Caylus's(915) auction, and have bought half of it for a song--but I am still in greater felicity and luck, having discovered, by mere accident, a portrait of Count Grammont, after having been in search of' one these fifteen years, and assured there was no such thing.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Apropos, I promised you my but besides that there is nobody here that excels in painting skeletons, seriously, their painters are bitter bad, and as much inferior to Reynolds and Ramsay, as Hudson to Vandyck.

Chapter 27 of The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 3 by Horace Walpole holds 401 sentences, grouped into 81 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 27 of The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 3 contain?

Chapter 27 holds 401 sentences of The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 3, unabridged, divided into 81 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 27 of The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 3 by Horace Walpole exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 401 sentences, grouped into 81 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 27 of The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 3?

Work through the 81 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 81 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 27 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 27 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.

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Project Gutenberg eBook #4773, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 3 take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 2597 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 3 section by section

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Vocabulary met early in The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 3

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 3, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

April
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 3; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
King's
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 3; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Recovery
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 3; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Proceedings
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 3; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.