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The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 4
The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 4

Chapter X · Chapter 10

Chapter 10 of The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 4 is here in full — 399 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/79 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.
The manners of the age cannot be agreeable to those who have lived in something soberer times; nor do I think, except in France, where old people are never out of fashion, that it is reasonable to tire those whose youth and spirits may excuse some dissipation.
Above all things, it is my resolution never to profess retirement, lest, when I have lost all my real teeth, the imaginary one, called a colt's, should hurry me back and make me ridiculous.
But one never outlives all one's contemporaries; one may assort with them.
Few Englishmen, too, I have observed, can bear solitude without being hurt by it.
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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 4

Chapter X · Chapter 10

Chapter 10 of The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 4 is here in full — 399 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/79 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.
/ðoʊ ˌɪnkləˈneɪʃən ənd ˈkɑːnʃəsnəs ðæt ə mæn ʌv maɪ eɪdʒ huː ɪz ˈniːðər ɪn ˈpɑːrləmənt nɔːr ɪn ˈbɪznəs hæz ˈlɪtəl tuː duː ɪn ðə wɜːrld kiːp miː ə ɡʊd diːl aʊt ʌv ɪt jet aɪ wɪl nɑːt maɪ dɪr lɔːrd enˈkɜːrɪdʒ juː ɪn riˈtaɪərmənt tuː wɪtʃ fɔːr ðə ˈɪntrəst ʌv jɔːr frendz juː hæv bʌt tuː mʌtʃ prəˈpensɪti/
Line 2
The manners of the age cannot be agreeable to those who have lived in something soberer times; nor do I think, except in France, where old people are never out of fashion, that it is reasonable to tire those whose youth and spirits may excuse some dissipation.
Line 3
Above all things, it is my resolution never to profess retirement, lest, when I have lost all my real teeth, the imaginary one, called a colt's, should hurry me back and make me ridiculous.
/əˈbʌv ɔːl θɪŋz ɪt ɪz maɪ ˌrezəˈluːʃən ˈnevər tuː prəˈfes riˈtaɪərmənt lest wen aɪ hæv lɔːst ɔːl maɪ riːl tiːθ ðə ˌɪˈmædʒəneri wʌn kɔːld ə koʊlts ʃʊd ˈhɜːri miː bæk ənd meɪk miː rɪˈdɪkjələs/
Line 4
But one never outlives all one's contemporaries; one may assort with them.
Line 5
Few Englishmen, too, I have observed, can bear solitude without being hurt by it.
/fjuː ˌeŋˈlɪʃmən tuː aɪ hæv əbˈzɜːrvd kæn ber ˈsɑːlətuːd wɪˈθaʊt ˈbiːɪŋ hɜːrt baɪ ɪt/

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

assort verb US /əˈsɔːrt/

keep company with; hang out with

From this reading “But one never outlives all one's contemporaries; one may assort with them.”

colt's noun US /koʊlts/

possessive form of “colt” — a young male horse under the age of four

From this reading “Above all things, it is my resolution never to profess retirement, lest, when I have lost all my real teeth, the imaginary one, called a colt's, should hurry me back and make me ridiculous.”

contemporaries noun US /kənˈtempəreriz/

all the people living at the same time or of approximately the same age

From this reading “But one never outlives all one's contemporaries; one may assort with them.”

dissipation noun US /ˌdɪsɪˈpeɪʃən/

breaking up and scattering by dispersion

From this reading “The manners of the age cannot be agreeable to those who have lived in something soberer times; nor do I think, except in France, where old people are never out of fashion, that it is reasonable to tire those whose youth and spirits may excuse some dissipation.”

outlives verb US /ˌaʊtˈlɪvz/

third-person singular of “outlive” — live longer than

From this reading “But one never outlives all one's contemporaries; one may assort with them.”

profess verb US /prəˈfes/

practice as a profession, teach, or claim to be knowledgeable about

From this reading “Above all things, it is my resolution never to profess retirement, lest, when I have lost all my real teeth, the imaginary one, called a colt's, should hurry me back and make me ridiculous.”

propensity noun US /prəˈpensɪti/

an inclination to do something

From this reading “Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.”

retirement noun US /riˈtaɪərmənt/

the state of being retired from one's business or occupation

From this reading “Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.”

All words in this reading · 110

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.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

AboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/

higher than, or over, something

From this reading Above all things, it is my resolution never to profess retirement, lest, when I have lost all my real teeth, the imaginary one, called a colt's, should hurry me back and make me ridiculous.

agenounUS /eɪdʒ/

how long something has existed

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

agreeableadjectiveUS /əˈɡriːəbəl/

conforming to your own liking or feelings or nature

From this reading The manners of the age cannot be agreeable to those who have lived in something soberer times; nor do I think, except in France, where old people are never out of fashion, that it is reasonable to tire those whose youth and spirits may excuse some dissipation.

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 Above all things, it is my resolution never to profess retirement, lest, when I have lost all my real teeth, the imaginary one, called a colt's, should hurry me back and make me ridiculous.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading The manners of the age cannot be agreeable to those who have lived in something soberer times; nor do I think, except in France, where old people are never out of fashion, that it is reasonable to tire those whose youth and spirits may excuse some dissipation.

assortverbUS /əˈsɔːrt/

keep company with; hang out with

From this reading But one never outlives all one's contemporaries; one may assort with them.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading Above all things, it is my resolution never to profess retirement, lest, when I have lost all my real teeth, the imaginary one, called a colt's, should hurry me back and make me ridiculous.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading The manners of the age cannot be agreeable to those who have lived in something soberer times; nor do I think, except in France, where old people are never out of fashion, that it is reasonable to tire those whose youth and spirits may excuse some dissipation.

bearverbUS /ber/

have

From this reading Few Englishmen, too, I have observed, can bear solitude without being hurt by it.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading Few Englishmen, too, I have observed, can bear solitude without being hurt by it.

businessnounUS /ˈbɪznəs/

a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Few Englishmen, too, I have observed, can bear solitude without being hurt by it.

calledverbUS /kɔːld/

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading Above all things, it is my resolution never to profess retirement, lest, when I have lost all my real teeth, the imaginary one, called a colt's, should hurry me back and make me ridiculous.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading Few Englishmen, too, I have observed, can bear solitude without being hurt by it.

cannot

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

From this reading The manners of the age cannot be agreeable to those who have lived in something soberer times; nor do I think, except in France, where old people are never out of fashion, that it is reasonable to tire those whose youth and spirits may excuse some dissipation.

colt'snounUS /koʊlts/

possessive form of “colt” — a young male horse under the age of four

From this reading Above all things, it is my resolution never to profess retirement, lest, when I have lost all my real teeth, the imaginary one, called a colt's, should hurry me back and make me ridiculous.

consciousnessnounUS /ˈkɑːnʃəsnəs/

an alert cognitive state in which you are aware of yourself and your situation

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

contemporariesnounUS /kənˈtempəreriz/

all the people living at the same time or of approximately the same age

From this reading But one never outlives all one's contemporaries; one may assort with them.

dealverbUS /diːl/

act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

dearadjectiveUS /dɪr/

dearly loved

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

dissipationnounUS /ˌdɪsɪˈpeɪʃən/

breaking up and scattering by dispersion

From this reading The manners of the age cannot be agreeable to those who have lived in something soberer times; nor do I think, except in France, where old people are never out of fashion, that it is reasonable to tire those whose youth and spirits may excuse some dissipation.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

encourageverbUS /enˈkɜːrɪdʒ/

contribute to the progress or growth of

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

EnglishmennounUS /ˌeŋˈlɪʃmən/

plural of “englishman” — a man who is a native or inhabitant of England

From this reading Few Englishmen, too, I have observed, can bear solitude without being hurt by it.

exceptprepositionUS /ɪkˈsept/

apart from; not including

From this reading The manners of the age cannot be agreeable to those who have lived in something soberer times; nor do I think, except in France, where old people are never out of fashion, that it is reasonable to tire those whose youth and spirits may excuse some dissipation.

excuseverbUS /ɪksˈkjuːs/

accept an excuse for

From this reading The manners of the age cannot be agreeable to those who have lived in something soberer times; nor do I think, except in France, where old people are never out of fashion, that it is reasonable to tire those whose youth and spirits may excuse some dissipation.

fashionnounUS /ˈfæʃən/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading The manners of the age cannot be agreeable to those who have lived in something soberer times; nor do I think, except in France, where old people are never out of fashion, that it is reasonable to tire those whose youth and spirits may excuse some dissipation.

FewadjectiveUS /fjuː/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading Few Englishmen, too, I have observed, can bear solitude without being hurt by it.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

FrancenounUS /fræns/

a republic in western Europe; the largest country wholly in Europe

From this reading The manners of the age cannot be agreeable to those who have lived in something soberer times; nor do I think, except in France, where old people are never out of fashion, that it is reasonable to tire those whose youth and spirits may excuse some dissipation.

friendsnounUS /frendz/

plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

hurrynounUS /ˈhɜːri/

a condition of urgency making it necessary to hurry

From this reading Above all things, it is my resolution never to profess retirement, lest, when I have lost all my real teeth, the imaginary one, called a colt's, should hurry me back and make me ridiculous.

hurtverbUS /hɜːrt/

be the source of pain

From this reading Few Englishmen, too, I have observed, can bear solitude without being hurt by it.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

imaginaryadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈmædʒəneri/

not based on fact; existing only in the imagination

From this reading Above all things, it is my resolution never to profess retirement, lest, when I have lost all my real teeth, the imaginary one, called a colt's, should hurry me back and make me ridiculous.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

inclinationnounUS /ˌɪnkləˈneɪʃən/

an attitude of mind especially one that favors one alternative over others

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

interestnounUS /ˈɪntrəst/

a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

keepverbUS /kiːp/

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

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

lestconjunctionUS /lest/

in order that something should not happen

From this reading Above all things, it is my resolution never to profess retirement, lest, when I have lost all my real teeth, the imaginary one, called a colt's, should hurry me back and make me ridiculous.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

livedverbUS /lɪvd/

past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading The manners of the age cannot be agreeable to those who have lived in something soberer times; nor do I think, except in France, where old people are never out of fashion, that it is reasonable to tire those whose youth and spirits may excuse some dissipation.

lordnounUS /lɔːrd/

terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

lostadjectiveUS /lɔːst/

no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered

From this reading Above all things, it is my resolution never to profess retirement, lest, when I have lost all my real teeth, the imaginary one, called a colt's, should hurry me back and make me ridiculous.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading Above all things, it is my resolution never to profess retirement, lest, when I have lost all my real teeth, the imaginary one, called a colt's, should hurry me back and make me ridiculous.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

mannersnounUS /ˈmænərz/

social deportment

From this reading The manners of the age cannot be agreeable to those who have lived in something soberer times; nor do I think, except in France, where old people are never out of fashion, that it is reasonable to tire those whose youth and spirits may excuse some dissipation.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading The manners of the age cannot be agreeable to those who have lived in something soberer times; nor do I think, except in France, where old people are never out of fashion, that it is reasonable to tire those whose youth and spirits may excuse some dissipation.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

neitherdeterminerUS /ˈniːðər/

not one and not the other of two

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading The manners of the age cannot be agreeable to those who have lived in something soberer times; nor do I think, except in France, where old people are never out of fashion, that it is reasonable to tire those whose youth and spirits may excuse some dissipation.

norconjunctionUS /nɔːr/

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

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

observedadjectiveUS /əbˈzɜːrvd/

discovered or determined by scientific observation

From this reading Few Englishmen, too, I have observed, can bear solitude without being hurt by it.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading The manners of the age cannot be agreeable to those who have lived in something soberer times; nor do I think, except in France, where old people are never out of fashion, that it is reasonable to tire those whose youth and spirits may excuse some dissipation.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Above all things, it is my resolution never to profess retirement, lest, when I have lost all my real teeth, the imaginary one, called a colt's, should hurry me back and make me ridiculous.

one's

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

From this reading But one never outlives all one's contemporaries; one may assort with them.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

outlivesverbUS /ˌaʊtˈlɪvz/

third-person singular of “outlive” — live longer than

From this reading But one never outlives all one's contemporaries; one may assort with them.

parliamentnounUS /ˈpɑːrləmənt/

a legislative assembly in certain countries

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading The manners of the age cannot be agreeable to those who have lived in something soberer times; nor do I think, except in France, where old people are never out of fashion, that it is reasonable to tire those whose youth and spirits may excuse some dissipation.

professverbUS /prəˈfes/

practice as a profession, teach, or claim to be knowledgeable about

From this reading Above all things, it is my resolution never to profess retirement, lest, when I have lost all my real teeth, the imaginary one, called a colt's, should hurry me back and make me ridiculous.

propensitynounUS /prəˈpensɪti/

an inclination to do something

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

realadjectiveUS /riːl/

being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory

From this reading Above all things, it is my resolution never to profess retirement, lest, when I have lost all my real teeth, the imaginary one, called a colt's, should hurry me back and make me ridiculous.

reasonableadjectiveUS /ˈriːzənəbəl/

showing reason or sound judgment

From this reading The manners of the age cannot be agreeable to those who have lived in something soberer times; nor do I think, except in France, where old people are never out of fashion, that it is reasonable to tire those whose youth and spirits may excuse some dissipation.

resolutionnounUS /ˌrezəˈluːʃən/

a formal expression by a meeting; agreed to by a vote

From this reading Above all things, it is my resolution never to profess retirement, lest, when I have lost all my real teeth, the imaginary one, called a colt's, should hurry me back and make me ridiculous.

retirementnounUS /riˈtaɪərmənt/

the state of being retired from one's business or occupation

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

ridiculousadjectiveUS /rɪˈdɪkjələs/

inspiring scornful pity

From this reading Above all things, it is my resolution never to profess retirement, lest, when I have lost all my real teeth, the imaginary one, called a colt's, should hurry me back and make me ridiculous.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading Above all things, it is my resolution never to profess retirement, lest, when I have lost all my real teeth, the imaginary one, called a colt's, should hurry me back and make me ridiculous.

soberer

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

From this reading The manners of the age cannot be agreeable to those who have lived in something soberer times; nor do I think, except in France, where old people are never out of fashion, that it is reasonable to tire those whose youth and spirits may excuse some dissipation.

solitudenounUS /ˈsɑːlətuːd/

a state of social isolation

From this reading Few Englishmen, too, I have observed, can bear solitude without being hurt by it.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading The manners of the age cannot be agreeable to those who have lived in something soberer times; nor do I think, except in France, where old people are never out of fashion, that it is reasonable to tire those whose youth and spirits may excuse some dissipation.

somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading The manners of the age cannot be agreeable to those who have lived in something soberer times; nor do I think, except in France, where old people are never out of fashion, that it is reasonable to tire those whose youth and spirits may excuse some dissipation.

spiritsnounUS /ˈspɪrɪts/

an alcoholic beverage that is distilled rather than fermented

From this reading The manners of the age cannot be agreeable to those who have lived in something soberer times; nor do I think, except in France, where old people are never out of fashion, that it is reasonable to tire those whose youth and spirits may excuse some dissipation.

teethnounUS /tiːθ/

the kind and number and arrangement of teeth (collectively) in a person or animal

From this reading Above all things, it is my resolution never to profess retirement, lest, when I have lost all my real teeth, the imaginary one, called a colt's, should hurry me back and make me ridiculous.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading But one never outlives all one's contemporaries; one may assort with them.

thingsnounUS /θɪŋz/

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading Above all things, it is my resolution never to profess retirement, lest, when I have lost all my real teeth, the imaginary one, called a colt's, should hurry me back and make me ridiculous.

thinkverbUS /θɪŋk/

judge or regard; look upon; judge

From this reading The manners of the age cannot be agreeable to those who have lived in something soberer times; nor do I think, except in France, where old people are never out of fashion, that it is reasonable to tire those whose youth and spirits may excuse some dissipation.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading The manners of the age cannot be agreeable to those who have lived in something soberer times; nor do I think, except in France, where old people are never out of fashion, that it is reasonable to tire those whose youth and spirits may excuse some dissipation.

ThoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

timesnounUS /taɪmz/

a more or less definite period of time now or previously present

From this reading The manners of the age cannot be agreeable to those who have lived in something soberer times; nor do I think, except in France, where old people are never out of fashion, that it is reasonable to tire those whose youth and spirits may excuse some dissipation.

tireverbUS /ˈtaɪər/

lose interest or become bored with something or somebody

From this reading The manners of the age cannot be agreeable to those who have lived in something soberer times; nor do I think, except in France, where old people are never out of fashion, that it is reasonable to tire those whose youth and spirits may excuse some dissipation.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading Above all things, it is my resolution never to profess retirement, lest, when I have lost all my real teeth, the imaginary one, called a colt's, should hurry me back and make me ridiculous.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading The manners of the age cannot be agreeable to those who have lived in something soberer times; nor do I think, except in France, where old people are never out of fashion, that it is reasonable to tire those whose youth and spirits may excuse some dissipation.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading The manners of the age cannot be agreeable to those who have lived in something soberer times; nor do I think, except in France, where old people are never out of fashion, that it is reasonable to tire those whose youth and spirits may excuse some dissipation.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading But one never outlives all one's contemporaries; one may assort with them.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading Few Englishmen, too, I have observed, can bear solitude without being hurt by it.

worldnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Though inclination, and consciousness that a man of my age, who is neither in parliament nor in business, has little to do in the world, keep me a good deal out of it, yet I will not, my dear lord, encourage you in retirement; to which, for the interest of your friends, you have but too much propensity.

youthnounUS /juːθ/

a young person (especially a young man or boy)

From this reading The manners of the age cannot be agreeable to those who have lived in something soberer times; nor do I think, except in France, where old people are never out of fashion, that it is reasonable to tire those whose youth and spirits may excuse some dissipation.

Chapter 10 of The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 4 by Horace Walpole holds 399 sentences, grouped into 80 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 10 of The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 4 contain?

Chapter 10 holds 399 sentences of The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 4, unabridged, divided into 80 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 10 of The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 4 by Horace Walpole exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 399 sentences, grouped into 80 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 10 of The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 4?

Work through the 80 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 80 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.

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Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 10 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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About 600 minutes of reading across 2448 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 4

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 4, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Hannah
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 4; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Congratulation
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 4; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Demolition
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 4; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Functions
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