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The Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson
The Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of The Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson is here in full — 174 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson
Context Illustration Reading 1/34 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
First, all your packet arrived: I have dipped into the Schumann already with great pleasure.
Surely, in what concerns us there is a sweet little chirrup; the _Good Words_ arrived in the morning just when I needed it, and the famous notes that I had lost were recovered also in the nick of time.
And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.
Here is my problem.
The Curtin women are still miserable prisoners; no one dare buy their farm of them, all the manhood of England and the world stands aghast before a threat of murder.
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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 Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson

Chapter III · Chapter 3

Chapter 3 of The Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson is here in full — 174 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/34 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
First, all your packet arrived: I have dipped into the Schumann already with great pleasure.
/fɜːrst ɔːl jɔːr ˈpækət ərˈaɪvd aɪ hæv dɪpt ˈɪntuː ðə ˈʃuːmən ɔːlˈredi wɪð ɡreɪt ˈpleʒər/
Line 2
Surely, in what concerns us there is a sweet little chirrup; the _Good Words_ arrived in the morning just when I needed it, and the famous notes that I had lost were recovered also in the nick of time.
Line 3
And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.
Line 4
Here is my problem.
/hiːr ɪz maɪ ˈprɑːbləm/
Line 5
The Curtin women are still miserable prisoners; no one dare buy their farm of them, all the manhood of England and the world stands aghast before a threat of murder.

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.

aghast adjective US /əˈɡæst/

struck with fear, dread, or consternation

From this reading “The Curtin women are still miserable prisoners; no one dare buy their farm of them, all the manhood of England and the world stands aghast before a threat of murder.”

concerns noun US /kənˈsɜːrnz/

plural of “concern” — something that interests you because it is important or affects you

From this reading “Surely, in what concerns us there is a sweet little chirrup; the _Good Words_ arrived in the morning just when I needed it, and the famous notes that I had lost were recovered also in the nick of time.”

dipped adjective US /dɪpt/

having abnormal sagging of the spine (especially in horses)

From this reading “First, all your packet arrived: I have dipped into the Schumann already with great pleasure.”

fairness noun US /ˈfernəs/

conformity with rules or standards

From this reading “And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.”

nick verb US /nɪk/

cut slightly, with a razor

From this reading “Surely, in what concerns us there is a sweet little chirrup; the _Good Words_ arrived in the morning just when I needed it, and the famous notes that I had lost were recovered also in the nick of time.”

packet noun US /ˈpækət/

a collection of things wrapped or boxed together

From this reading “First, all your packet arrived: I have dipped into the Schumann already with great pleasure.”

Schumann noun US /ˈʃuːmən/

German pianist and composer of piano music; renowned for her interpretation of music, especially the music of her husband Robert Schumann (1819-1896)

From this reading “First, all your packet arrived: I have dipped into the Schumann already with great pleasure.”

threat noun US /θret/

something that is a source of danger

From this reading “The Curtin women are still miserable prisoners; no one dare buy their farm of them, all the manhood of England and the world stands aghast before a threat of murder.”

All words in this reading · 102

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 Surely, in what concerns us there is a sweet little chirrup; the _Good Words_ arrived in the morning just when I needed it, and the famous notes that I had lost were recovered also in the nick of time.

affairsnounUS /əˈferz/

matters of personal concern

From this reading And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.

aghastadjectiveUS /əˈɡæst/

struck with fear, dread, or consternation

From this reading The Curtin women are still miserable prisoners; no one dare buy their farm of them, all the manhood of England and the world stands aghast before a threat of murder.

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 First, all your packet arrived: I have dipped into the Schumann already with great pleasure.

alreadyadverbUS /ɔːlˈredi/

prior to a specified or implied time

From this reading First, all your packet arrived: I have dipped into the Schumann already with great pleasure.

alsoadverbUS /ˈɔːlsoʊ/

in addition

From this reading Surely, in what concerns us there is a sweet little chirrup; the _Good Words_ arrived in the morning just when I needed it, and the famous notes that I had lost were recovered also in the nick of time.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Surely, in what concerns us there is a sweet little chirrup; the _Good Words_ arrived in the morning just when I needed it, and the famous notes that I had lost were recovered also in the nick of time.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading The Curtin women are still miserable prisoners; no one dare buy their farm of them, all the manhood of England and the world stands aghast before a threat of murder.

arrivedverbUS /ərˈaɪvd/

past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress

From this reading First, all your packet arrived: I have dipped into the Schumann already with great pleasure.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading The Curtin women are still miserable prisoners; no one dare buy their farm of them, all the manhood of England and the world stands aghast before a threat of murder.

botherverbUS /ˈbɑːðər/

take the trouble to do something; concern oneself

From this reading And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.

buyverbUS /baɪ/

obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction

From this reading The Curtin women are still miserable prisoners; no one dare buy their farm of them, all the manhood of England and the world stands aghast before a threat of murder.

chirrupnoun

a series of chirps

From this reading Surely, in what concerns us there is a sweet little chirrup; the _Good Words_ arrived in the morning just when I needed it, and the famous notes that I had lost were recovered also in the nick of time.

concernsnounUS /kənˈsɜːrnz/

plural of “concern” — something that interests you because it is important or affects you

From this reading Surely, in what concerns us there is a sweet little chirrup; the _Good Words_ arrived in the morning just when I needed it, and the famous notes that I had lost were recovered also in the nick of time.

consultverbUS /kənˈsʌlt/

get or ask advice from

From this reading And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.

Curtin

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

From this reading The Curtin women are still miserable prisoners; no one dare buy their farm of them, all the manhood of England and the world stands aghast before a threat of murder.

dareverbUS /der/

take upon oneself; act presumptuously, without permission

From this reading The Curtin women are still miserable prisoners; no one dare buy their farm of them, all the manhood of England and the world stands aghast before a threat of murder.

dippedadjectiveUS /dɪpt/

having abnormal sagging of the spine (especially in horses)

From this reading First, all your packet arrived: I have dipped into the Schumann already with great pleasure.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.

doneadjectiveUS /dʌn/

having finished or arrived at completion

From this reading And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.

EnglandnounUS /ˈɪŋɡlənd/

a division of the United Kingdom

From this reading The Curtin women are still miserable prisoners; no one dare buy their farm of them, all the manhood of England and the world stands aghast before a threat of murder.

fairnessnounUS /ˈfernəs/

conformity with rules or standards

From this reading And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.

famousadjectiveUS /ˈfeɪməs/

widely known and esteemed

From this reading Surely, in what concerns us there is a sweet little chirrup; the _Good Words_ arrived in the morning just when I needed it, and the famous notes that I had lost were recovered also in the nick of time.

farmverbUS /fɑːrm/

be a farmer; work as a farmer

From this reading The Curtin women are still miserable prisoners; no one dare buy their farm of them, all the manhood of England and the world stands aghast before a threat of murder.

FirstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading First, all your packet arrived: I have dipped into the Schumann already with great pleasure.

gettingnounUS /ˈɡetɪŋ/

the act of acquiring something

From this reading And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.

goingnounUS /ˈɡoʊɪŋ/

the act of departing

From this reading And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.

GoodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

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

From this reading Surely, in what concerns us there is a sweet little chirrup; the _Good Words_ arrived in the morning just when I needed it, and the famous notes that I had lost were recovered also in the nick of time.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading First, all your packet arrived: I have dipped into the Schumann already with great pleasure.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Surely, in what concerns us there is a sweet little chirrup; the _Good Words_ arrived in the morning just when I needed it, and the famous notes that I had lost were recovered also in the nick of time.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading First, all your packet arrived: I have dipped into the Schumann already with great pleasure.

hearverbUS /hiːr/

perceive (sound) via the auditory sense

From this reading And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.

HereadverbUS /hiːr/

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

From this reading Here is my problem.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading First, all your packet arrived: I have dipped into the Schumann already with great pleasure.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Surely, in what concerns us there is a sweet little chirrup; the _Good Words_ arrived in the morning just when I needed it, and the famous notes that I had lost were recovered also in the nick of time.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading First, all your packet arrived: I have dipped into the Schumann already with great pleasure.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Surely, in what concerns us there is a sweet little chirrup; the _Good Words_ arrived in the morning just when I needed it, and the famous notes that I had lost were recovered also in the nick of time.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Surely, in what concerns us there is a sweet little chirrup; the _Good Words_ arrived in the morning just when I needed it, and the famous notes that I had lost were recovered also in the nick of time.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading Surely, in what concerns us there is a sweet little chirrup; the _Good Words_ arrived in the morning just when I needed it, and the famous notes that I had lost were recovered also in the nick of time.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.

LifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading Surely, in what concerns us there is a sweet little chirrup; the _Good Words_ arrived in the morning just when I needed it, and the famous notes that I had lost were recovered also in the nick of time.

lostadjectiveUS /lɔːst/

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

From this reading Surely, in what concerns us there is a sweet little chirrup; the _Good Words_ arrived in the morning just when I needed it, and the famous notes that I had lost were recovered also in the nick of time.

manhoodnounUS /ˈmænhʊd/

the state of being a man; manly qualities

From this reading The Curtin women are still miserable prisoners; no one dare buy their farm of them, all the manhood of England and the world stands aghast before a threat of murder.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.

miserableadjectiveUS /ˈmɪzərəbəl/

very unhappy; full of misery

From this reading The Curtin women are still miserable prisoners; no one dare buy their farm of them, all the manhood of England and the world stands aghast before a threat of murder.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading Surely, in what concerns us there is a sweet little chirrup; the _Good Words_ arrived in the morning just when I needed it, and the famous notes that I had lost were recovered also in the nick of time.

murderverbUS /ˈmɜːrdər/

kill intentionally and with premeditation

From this reading The Curtin women are still miserable prisoners; no one dare buy their farm of them, all the manhood of England and the world stands aghast before a threat of murder.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.

neededadjectiveUS /ˈniːdəd/

necessary for relief or supply

From this reading Surely, in what concerns us there is a sweet little chirrup; the _Good Words_ arrived in the morning just when I needed it, and the famous notes that I had lost were recovered also in the nick of time.

nickverbUS /nɪk/

cut slightly, with a razor

From this reading Surely, in what concerns us there is a sweet little chirrup; the _Good Words_ arrived in the morning just when I needed it, and the famous notes that I had lost were recovered also in the nick of time.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading The Curtin women are still miserable prisoners; no one dare buy their farm of them, all the manhood of England and the world stands aghast before a threat of murder.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.

notesnounUS /noʊts/

plural of “note” — a brief written record

From this reading Surely, in what concerns us there is a sweet little chirrup; the _Good Words_ arrived in the morning just when I needed it, and the famous notes that I had lost were recovered also in the nick of time.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Surely, in what concerns us there is a sweet little chirrup; the _Good Words_ arrived in the morning just when I needed it, and the famous notes that I had lost were recovered also in the nick of time.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading The Curtin women are still miserable prisoners; no one dare buy their farm of them, all the manhood of England and the world stands aghast before a threat of murder.

packetnounUS /ˈpækət/

a collection of things wrapped or boxed together

From this reading First, all your packet arrived: I have dipped into the Schumann already with great pleasure.

pleasurenounUS /ˈpleʒər/

a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience

From this reading First, all your packet arrived: I have dipped into the Schumann already with great pleasure.

premising

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

From this reading And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.

prisonersnounUS /ˈprɪzənərz/

plural of “prisoner” — a person who is confined; especially a prisoner of war

From this reading The Curtin women are still miserable prisoners; no one dare buy their farm of them, all the manhood of England and the world stands aghast before a threat of murder.

privateadjectiveUS /ˈpraɪvət/

confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy

From this reading And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.

problemnounUS /ˈprɑːbləm/

a state of difficulty that needs to be resolved

From this reading Here is my problem.

quiteadverbUS /kwaɪt/

to a degree (not used with a negative)

From this reading And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.

recoveredadjectiveUS /rəˈkʌvərd/

freed from illness or injury

From this reading Surely, in what concerns us there is a sweet little chirrup; the _Good Words_ arrived in the morning just when I needed it, and the famous notes that I had lost were recovered also in the nick of time.

SchumannnounUS /ˈʃuːmən/

German pianist and composer of piano music; renowned for her interpretation of music, especially the music of her husband Robert Schumann (1819-1896)

From this reading First, all your packet arrived: I have dipped into the Schumann already with great pleasure.

secondnounUS /ˈsekənd/

1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites

From this reading And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.

shallmodal verbUS /ʃæl/

used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest

From this reading And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.

somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.

standsnounUS /stændz/

plural of “stand” — a support or foundation

From this reading The Curtin women are still miserable prisoners; no one dare buy their farm of them, all the manhood of England and the world stands aghast before a threat of murder.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading The Curtin women are still miserable prisoners; no one dare buy their farm of them, all the manhood of England and the world stands aghast before a threat of murder.

SurelyadverbUS /ˈʃʊrli/

definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)

From this reading Surely, in what concerns us there is a sweet little chirrup; the _Good Words_ arrived in the morning just when I needed it, and the famous notes that I had lost were recovered also in the nick of time.

sweetadjectiveUS /swiːt/

having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar

From this reading Surely, in what concerns us there is a sweet little chirrup; the _Good Words_ arrived in the morning just when I needed it, and the famous notes that I had lost were recovered also in the nick of time.

tellsnounUS /telz/

plural of “tell” — a Swiss patriot who lived in the early 14th century and who was renowned for his skill as an archer

From this reading And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Surely, in what concerns us there is a sweet little chirrup; the _Good Words_ arrived in the morning just when I needed it, and the famous notes that I had lost were recovered also in the nick of time.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading First, all your packet arrived: I have dipped into the Schumann already with great pleasure.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading The Curtin women are still miserable prisoners; no one dare buy their farm of them, all the manhood of England and the world stands aghast before a threat of murder.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading The Curtin women are still miserable prisoners; no one dare buy their farm of them, all the manhood of England and the world stands aghast before a threat of murder.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading Surely, in what concerns us there is a sweet little chirrup; the _Good Words_ arrived in the morning just when I needed it, and the famous notes that I had lost were recovered also in the nick of time.

thirdnounUS /θɜːrd/

one of three equal parts of a divisible whole

From this reading And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.

threatnounUS /θret/

something that is a source of danger

From this reading The Curtin women are still miserable prisoners; no one dare buy their farm of them, all the manhood of England and the world stands aghast before a threat of murder.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading Surely, in what concerns us there is a sweet little chirrup; the _Good Words_ arrived in the morning just when I needed it, and the famous notes that I had lost were recovered also in the nick of time.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Surely, in what concerns us there is a sweet little chirrup; the _Good Words_ arrived in the morning just when I needed it, and the famous notes that I had lost were recovered also in the nick of time.

welladverbUS /wel/

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Surely, in what concerns us there is a sweet little chirrup; the _Good Words_ arrived in the morning just when I needed it, and the famous notes that I had lost were recovered also in the nick of time.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading Surely, in what concerns us there is a sweet little chirrup; the _Good Words_ arrived in the morning just when I needed it, and the famous notes that I had lost were recovered also in the nick of time.

whateverdeterminerUS /ˌwʌˈtevər/

any or all of a kind, it does not matter which

From this reading And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading Surely, in what concerns us there is a sweet little chirrup; the _Good Words_ arrived in the morning just when I needed it, and the famous notes that I had lost were recovered also in the nick of time.

whynounUS /waɪ/

the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”

From this reading And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading First, all your packet arrived: I have dipped into the Schumann already with great pleasure.

womennounUS /ˈwɪmən/

plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading The Curtin women are still miserable prisoners; no one dare buy their farm of them, all the manhood of England and the world stands aghast before a threat of murder.

WordsnounUS /wɜːrdz/

the words that are spoken

From this reading Surely, in what concerns us there is a sweet little chirrup; the _Good Words_ arrived in the morning just when I needed it, and the famous notes that I had lost were recovered also in the nick of time.

worldnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading The Curtin women are still miserable prisoners; no one dare buy their farm of them, all the manhood of England and the world stands aghast before a threat of murder.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading And now I am going to bother you with my affairs: premising, first, that this is _private_; second, that whatever I do the _Life_ shall be done first, and I am getting on with it well; and third, that I do not quite know why I consult you, but something tells me you will hear with fairness.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading First, all your packet arrived: I have dipped into the Schumann already with great pleasure.

Chapter 3 of The Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson by Robert Louis Stevenson holds 174 sentences, grouped into 35 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 3 of The Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson contain?

Chapter 3 holds 174 sentences of The Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson, unabridged, divided into 35 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 3 of The Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson by Robert Louis Stevenson exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 174 sentences, grouped into 35 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 3 of The Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson?

Work through the 35 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 35 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 3 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 3 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 Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson

Common questions about reading The Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson by Robert Louis Stevenson on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson?

Yes. All 5116 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #637 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #637, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson take to read?

About 426 minutes of reading across 1024 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in The Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Seventh
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Edition
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
First
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Published
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.