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The Life of a Fox, Written by Himself
The Life of a Fox, Written by Himself

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Life of a Fox, Written by Himself is here in full — 458 sentences across 92 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Life of a Fox, Written by Himself
Context Illustration Reading 1/91 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have been preserved.
Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.
Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.
BY THOMAS SMITH, ESQ.
Late Master of the Craven Hounds, and at present of the Pytchley, Northamptonshire No Master of Foxhounds, alive or dead, has a greater right to be heard than Mr. Thomas Smith.
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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 Life of a Fox, Written by Himself

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Life of a Fox, Written by Himself is here in full — 458 sentences across 92 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/91 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have been preserved.
/ˌɪnkənˈsɪstənt ˌhaɪfəˈneɪʃən ənd ˈspelɪŋ ɪn ðə ərˈɪdʒənəl ˈdɑːkjəment hæv bɪn prəˈzɜːrvd/
Line 2
Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.
/ˈɑːbviəs ˌtaɪpəˈɡræfɪkəl ˈerərz hæv bɪn kərˈektəd/
Line 3
Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.
/aɪˈtælɪk tekst ɪz dɪˈnoʊtəd baɪ ˌʌndərˈskɔːrz/
Line 4
BY THOMAS SMITH, ESQ.
Line 5
Late Master of the Craven Hounds, and at present of the Pytchley, Northamptonshire No Master of Foxhounds, alive or dead, has a greater right to be heard than Mr. Thomas Smith.

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.

Craven adjective US /ˈkreɪvən/

lacking even the rudiments of courage; abjectly fearful

From this reading “Late Master of the Craven Hounds, and at present of the Pytchley, Northamptonshire No Master of Foxhounds, alive or dead, has a greater right to be heard than Mr. Thomas Smith.”

denoted verb US /dɪˈnoʊtəd/

past form of “denote” — be a sign or indication of

From this reading “Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.”

hyphenation noun US /ˌhaɪfəˈneɪʃən/

division of a word especially at the end of a line on a page

From this reading “Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have been preserved.”

Inconsistent adjective US /ˌɪnkənˈsɪstənt/

displaying a lack of consistency

From this reading “Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have been preserved.”

Italic noun US /aɪˈtælɪk/

a style of handwriting with the letters slanting to the right

From this reading “Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.”

spelling noun US /ˈspelɪŋ/

forming words with letters according to the principles underlying accepted usage

From this reading “Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have been preserved.”

typographical adjective US /ˌtaɪpəˈɡræfɪkəl/

relating to or occurring or used in typography

From this reading “Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.”

underscores noun US /ˌʌndərˈskɔːrz/

plural of “underscore” — a line drawn underneath (especially under written matter)

All words in this reading · 47

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 Late Master of the Craven Hounds, and at present of the Pytchley, Northamptonshire No Master of Foxhounds, alive or dead, has a greater right to be heard than Mr. Thomas Smith.

aliveadjectiveUS /əˈlaɪv/

possessing life

From this reading Late Master of the Craven Hounds, and at present of the Pytchley, Northamptonshire No Master of Foxhounds, alive or dead, has a greater right to be heard than Mr. Thomas Smith.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have been preserved.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Late Master of the Craven Hounds, and at present of the Pytchley, Northamptonshire No Master of Foxhounds, alive or dead, has a greater right to be heard than Mr. Thomas Smith.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Late Master of the Craven Hounds, and at present of the Pytchley, Northamptonshire No Master of Foxhounds, alive or dead, has a greater right to be heard than Mr. Thomas Smith.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have been preserved.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.

correctedadjectiveUS /kərˈektəd/

having something undesirable neutralized

From this reading Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.

CravenadjectiveUS /ˈkreɪvən/

lacking even the rudiments of courage; abjectly fearful

From this reading Late Master of the Craven Hounds, and at present of the Pytchley, Northamptonshire No Master of Foxhounds, alive or dead, has a greater right to be heard than Mr. Thomas Smith.

deadadjectiveUS /ded/

no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life

From this reading Late Master of the Craven Hounds, and at present of the Pytchley, Northamptonshire No Master of Foxhounds, alive or dead, has a greater right to be heard than Mr. Thomas Smith.

denotedverbUS /dɪˈnoʊtəd/

past form of “denote” — be a sign or indication of

From this reading Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.

documentnounUS /ˈdɑːkjəment/

writing that provides information (especially information of an official nature)

From this reading Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have been preserved.

errorsnounUS /ˈerərz/

plural of “error” — a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention

From this reading Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.

ESQnoun

a title of respect for a member of the English gentry ranking just below a knight; placed after the name

From this reading BY THOMAS SMITH, ESQ.

Foxhounds

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

From this reading Late Master of the Craven Hounds, and at present of the Pytchley, Northamptonshire No Master of Foxhounds, alive or dead, has a greater right to be heard than Mr. Thomas Smith.

greateradjectiveUS /ˈɡreɪtər/

greater in size or importance or degree

From this reading Late Master of the Craven Hounds, and at present of the Pytchley, Northamptonshire No Master of Foxhounds, alive or dead, has a greater right to be heard than Mr. Thomas Smith.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading Late Master of the Craven Hounds, and at present of the Pytchley, Northamptonshire No Master of Foxhounds, alive or dead, has a greater right to be heard than Mr. Thomas Smith.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have been preserved.

heardadjectiveUS /hɜːrd/

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading Late Master of the Craven Hounds, and at present of the Pytchley, Northamptonshire No Master of Foxhounds, alive or dead, has a greater right to be heard than Mr. Thomas Smith.

HoundsnounUS /haʊndz/

plural of “hound” — any of several breeds of dog used for hunting typically having large drooping ears

From this reading Late Master of the Craven Hounds, and at present of the Pytchley, Northamptonshire No Master of Foxhounds, alive or dead, has a greater right to be heard than Mr. Thomas Smith.

hyphenationnounUS /ˌhaɪfəˈneɪʃən/

division of a word especially at the end of a line on a page

From this reading Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have been preserved.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have been preserved.

InconsistentadjectiveUS /ˌɪnkənˈsɪstənt/

displaying a lack of consistency

From this reading Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have been preserved.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.

ItalicnounUS /aɪˈtælɪk/

a style of handwriting with the letters slanting to the right

From this reading Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.

LateadjectiveUS /leɪt/

being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time

From this reading Late Master of the Craven Hounds, and at present of the Pytchley, Northamptonshire No Master of Foxhounds, alive or dead, has a greater right to be heard than Mr. Thomas Smith.

MasternounUS /ˈmæstər/

an artist of consummate skill

From this reading Late Master of the Craven Hounds, and at present of the Pytchley, Northamptonshire No Master of Foxhounds, alive or dead, has a greater right to be heard than Mr. Thomas Smith.

MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading Late Master of the Craven Hounds, and at present of the Pytchley, Northamptonshire No Master of Foxhounds, alive or dead, has a greater right to be heard than Mr. Thomas Smith.

NodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Late Master of the Craven Hounds, and at present of the Pytchley, Northamptonshire No Master of Foxhounds, alive or dead, has a greater right to be heard than Mr. Thomas Smith.

Northamptonshirenoun

a county is central England

From this reading Late Master of the Craven Hounds, and at present of the Pytchley, Northamptonshire No Master of Foxhounds, alive or dead, has a greater right to be heard than Mr. Thomas Smith.

ObviousadjectiveUS /ˈɑːbviəs/

easily perceived by the senses or grasped by the mind

From this reading Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Late Master of the Craven Hounds, and at present of the Pytchley, Northamptonshire No Master of Foxhounds, alive or dead, has a greater right to be heard than Mr. Thomas Smith.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Late Master of the Craven Hounds, and at present of the Pytchley, Northamptonshire No Master of Foxhounds, alive or dead, has a greater right to be heard than Mr. Thomas Smith.

originaladjectiveUS /ərˈɪdʒənəl/

preceding all others in time or being as first made or performed

From this reading Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have been preserved.

presentverbUS /ˈprezənt/

give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading Late Master of the Craven Hounds, and at present of the Pytchley, Northamptonshire No Master of Foxhounds, alive or dead, has a greater right to be heard than Mr. Thomas Smith.

preservedadjectiveUS /prəˈzɜːrvd/

prevented from decaying or spoiling and prepared for future use

From this reading Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have been preserved.

Pytchley

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

From this reading Late Master of the Craven Hounds, and at present of the Pytchley, Northamptonshire No Master of Foxhounds, alive or dead, has a greater right to be heard than Mr. Thomas Smith.

rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading Late Master of the Craven Hounds, and at present of the Pytchley, Northamptonshire No Master of Foxhounds, alive or dead, has a greater right to be heard than Mr. Thomas Smith.

SMITHnounUS /smɪθ/

Rhodesian statesman who declared independence of Zimbabwe from Great Britain (born in 1919)

From this reading BY THOMAS SMITH, ESQ.

spellingnounUS /ˈspelɪŋ/

forming words with letters according to the principles underlying accepted usage

From this reading Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have been preserved.

textnounUS /tekst/

the words of something written

From this reading Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Late Master of the Craven Hounds, and at present of the Pytchley, Northamptonshire No Master of Foxhounds, alive or dead, has a greater right to be heard than Mr. Thomas Smith.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have been preserved.

THOMASnounUS /ˈtɑːməs/

United States clockmaker who introduced mass production (1785-1859)

From this reading BY THOMAS SMITH, ESQ.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Late Master of the Craven Hounds, and at present of the Pytchley, Northamptonshire No Master of Foxhounds, alive or dead, has a greater right to be heard than Mr. Thomas Smith.

typographicaladjectiveUS /ˌtaɪpəˈɡræfɪkəl/

relating to or occurring or used in typography

From this reading Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.

underscoresnounUS /ˌʌndərˈskɔːrz/

plural of “underscore” — a line drawn underneath (especially under written matter)

From this reading Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.

Chapter 1 of The Life of a Fox, Written by Himself by Thomas Smith holds 458 sentences, grouped into 92 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 1 of The Life of a Fox, Written by Himself contain?

Chapter 1 holds 458 sentences of The Life of a Fox, Written by Himself, unabridged, divided into 92 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The Life of a Fox, Written by Himself by Thomas Smith exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 458 sentences, grouped into 92 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 1 of The Life of a Fox, Written by Himself?

Work through the 92 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 92 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 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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 Life of a Fox, Written by Himself

Common questions about reading The Life of a Fox, Written by Himself by Thomas Smith on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Life of a Fox, Written by Himself?

Yes. All 905 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #58769 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Life of a Fox, Written by Himself is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #58769, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Life of a Fox, Written by Himself take to read?

About 75 minutes of reading across 181 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Life of a Fox, Written by Himself section by section

How to work through The Life of a Fox, Written by Himself section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

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  3. Listen and tap

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Vocabulary met early in The Life of a Fox, Written by Himself

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Life of a Fox, Written by Himself, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Inconsistent
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Life of a Fox, Written by Himself; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Hyphenation
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Life of a Fox, Written by Himself; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Spelling
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Life of a Fox, Written by Himself; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Original
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Life of a Fox, Written by Himself; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.