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The Marquis de Villemer
The Marquis de Villemer

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of The Marquis de Villemer is here in full — 417 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/83 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
At another time Caroline reported to her sister the opinions of the Marchioness on country life.
"'My dear child,' said she to me not long since, 'in order to love the country one must love the earth stupidly, or nature unreasonably.
There is no mean between brutal stupidity and enthusiastic folly.
Now you know that if I have anything excitable or even sanguine in my composition, it is for the concerns of society rather than for what is governed by the laws of Nature, which are always the same.
Those laws are the work of God, so they are good and beautiful.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Marquis de Villemer

Chapter IV

Chapter 4 of The Marquis de Villemer is here in full — 417 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/83 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
At another time Caroline reported to her sister the opinions of the Marchioness on country life.
/æt əˈnʌðər taɪm ˈkerəlaɪn ˌriːˈpɔːrtɪd tuː hɜːr ˈsɪstər ðə əˈpɪnjənz ʌv ðə ˈmɑːrʃənɪs ɑːn ˈkʌntri laɪf/
Line 2
"'My dear child,' said she to me not long since, 'in order to love the country one must love the earth stupidly, or nature unreasonably.
/maɪ dɪr tʃaɪld sed ʃiː tuː miː nɑːt lɔːŋ sɪns ɪn ˈɔːrdər tuː lʌv ðə ˈkʌntri wʌn mʌst lʌv ðə ɜːrθ ˈstuːpədli ɔːr ˈneɪtʃər ənˈriːzənəbli/
Line 3
There is no mean between brutal stupidity and enthusiastic folly.
/ðer ɪz noʊ miːn bɪˈtwiːn ˈbruːtəl stuːˈpɪdɪtiː ənd ɪnˌθuːziˈæstɪk ˈfɑːli/
Line 4
Now you know that if I have anything excitable or even sanguine in my composition, it is for the concerns of society rather than for what is governed by the laws of Nature, which are always the same.
/naʊ juː noʊ ðæt ɪf aɪ hæv ˈeniθɪŋ ɪkˈsaɪtəbəl ɔːr ˈiːvɪn ˈsæŋɡwɪn ɪn maɪ ˌkɑːmpəˈzɪʃən ɪt ɪz fɔːr ðə kənˈsɜːrnz ʌv səˈsaɪəti ˈræðər ðæn fɔːr wʌt ɪz ˈɡʌvərnd baɪ ðə lɔːz ʌv ˈneɪtʃər wɪtʃ ɑːr ˈɔːlweɪz ðə seɪm/
Line 5
Those laws are the work of God, so they are good and beautiful.
/ðoʊz lɔːz ɑːr ðə wɜːrk ʌv ɡɑːd soʊ ðeɪ ɑːr ɡʊd ənd ˈbjuːtəfəl/

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.

concerns noun US /kənˈsɜːrnz/

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

From this reading “Now you know that if I have anything excitable or even sanguine in my composition, it is for the concerns of society rather than for what is governed by the laws of Nature, which are always the same.”

excitable adjective US /ɪkˈsaɪtəbəl/

easily excited

From this reading “Now you know that if I have anything excitable or even sanguine in my composition, it is for the concerns of society rather than for what is governed by the laws of Nature, which are always the same.”

governed noun US /ˈɡʌvərnd/

the body of people who are citizens of a particular government

From this reading “Now you know that if I have anything excitable or even sanguine in my composition, it is for the concerns of society rather than for what is governed by the laws of Nature, which are always the same.”

Marchioness noun US /ˈmɑːrʃənɪs/

the wife or widow of a marquis

From this reading “At another time Caroline reported to her sister the opinions of the Marchioness on country life.”

sanguine adjective US /ˈsæŋɡwɪn/

confidently optimistic and cheerful

From this reading “Now you know that if I have anything excitable or even sanguine in my composition, it is for the concerns of society rather than for what is governed by the laws of Nature, which are always the same.”

stupidity noun US /stuːˈpɪdɪtiː/

a poor ability to understand or to profit from experience

From this reading “There is no mean between brutal stupidity and enthusiastic folly.”

stupidly adverb US /ˈstuːpədli/

in a stupid manner

From this reading “"'My dear child,' said she to me not long since, 'in order to love the country one must love the earth stupidly, or nature unreasonably.”

unreasonably adverb US /ənˈriːzənəbli/

not in a reasonable or intelligent manner

From this reading “"'My dear child,' said she to me not long since, 'in order to love the country one must love the earth stupidly, or nature unreasonably.”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

dear child adjective + noun

In this reading “"'My dear child,' said she to me not long since, 'in order to love the country one must love the earth stupidly, or nature unreasonably.”

in order preposition + noun

in a state of proper readiness or preparation or arrangement

In this reading “"'My dear child,' said she to me not long since, 'in order to love the country one must love the earth stupidly, or nature unreasonably.”

All words in this reading · 77

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.

alwaysadverbUS /ˈɔːlweɪz/

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading Now you know that if I have anything excitable or even sanguine in my composition, it is for the concerns of society rather than for what is governed by the laws of Nature, which are always the same.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading There is no mean between brutal stupidity and enthusiastic folly.

anotherdeterminerUS /əˈnʌðər/

one more of the same kind, or a different one

From this reading At another time Caroline reported to her sister the opinions of the Marchioness on country life.

anythingpronounUS /ˈeniθɪŋ/

any thing at all

From this reading Now you know that if I have anything excitable or even sanguine in my composition, it is for the concerns of society rather than for what is governed by the laws of Nature, which are always the same.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading Now you know that if I have anything excitable or even sanguine in my composition, it is for the concerns of society rather than for what is governed by the laws of Nature, which are always the same.

AtprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading At another time Caroline reported to her sister the opinions of the Marchioness on country life.

beautifuladjectiveUS /ˈbjuːtəfəl/

delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration

From this reading Those laws are the work of God, so they are good and beautiful.

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading There is no mean between brutal stupidity and enthusiastic folly.

brutaladjectiveUS /ˈbruːtəl/

(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering

From this reading There is no mean between brutal stupidity and enthusiastic folly.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Now you know that if I have anything excitable or even sanguine in my composition, it is for the concerns of society rather than for what is governed by the laws of Nature, which are always the same.

CarolineadjectiveUS /ˈkerəlaɪn/

of or relating to the life and times of kings Charles I or Charles II of England

From this reading At another time Caroline reported to her sister the opinions of the Marchioness on country life.

childnounUS /tʃaɪld/

a young person of either sex

From this reading "'My dear child,' said she to me not long since, 'in order to love the country one must love the earth stupidly, or nature unreasonably.

compositionnounUS /ˌkɑːmpəˈzɪʃən/

the spatial property resulting from the arrangement of parts in relation to each other and to the whole

From this reading Now you know that if I have anything excitable or even sanguine in my composition, it is for the concerns of society rather than for what is governed by the laws of Nature, which are always the same.

concernsnounUS /kənˈsɜːrnz/

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

From this reading Now you know that if I have anything excitable or even sanguine in my composition, it is for the concerns of society rather than for what is governed by the laws of Nature, which are always the same.

countrynounUS /ˈkʌntri/

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading At another time Caroline reported to her sister the opinions of the Marchioness on country life.

dearadjectiveUS /dɪr/

dearly loved

From this reading "'My dear child,' said she to me not long since, 'in order to love the country one must love the earth stupidly, or nature unreasonably.

earthnounUS /ɜːrθ/

the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on

From this reading "'My dear child,' said she to me not long since, 'in order to love the country one must love the earth stupidly, or nature unreasonably.

enthusiasticadjectiveUS /ɪnˌθuːziˈæstɪk/

having or showing great excitement and interest

From this reading There is no mean between brutal stupidity and enthusiastic folly.

evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading Now you know that if I have anything excitable or even sanguine in my composition, it is for the concerns of society rather than for what is governed by the laws of Nature, which are always the same.

excitableadjectiveUS /ɪkˈsaɪtəbəl/

easily excited

From this reading Now you know that if I have anything excitable or even sanguine in my composition, it is for the concerns of society rather than for what is governed by the laws of Nature, which are always the same.

follynounUS /ˈfɑːli/

the trait of acting stupidly or rashly

From this reading There is no mean between brutal stupidity and enthusiastic folly.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Now you know that if I have anything excitable or even sanguine in my composition, it is for the concerns of society rather than for what is governed by the laws of Nature, which are always the same.

GodnounUS /ɡɑːd/

the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions

From this reading Those laws are the work of God, so they are good and beautiful.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

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

From this reading Those laws are the work of God, so they are good and beautiful.

governednounUS /ˈɡʌvərnd/

the body of people who are citizens of a particular government

From this reading Now you know that if I have anything excitable or even sanguine in my composition, it is for the concerns of society rather than for what is governed by the laws of Nature, which are always the same.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Now you know that if I have anything excitable or even sanguine in my composition, it is for the concerns of society rather than for what is governed by the laws of Nature, which are always the same.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading At another time Caroline reported to her sister the opinions of the Marchioness on country life.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading Now you know that if I have anything excitable or even sanguine in my composition, it is for the concerns of society rather than for what is governed by the laws of Nature, which are always the same.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Now you know that if I have anything excitable or even sanguine in my composition, it is for the concerns of society rather than for what is governed by the laws of Nature, which are always the same.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading "'My dear child,' said she to me not long since, 'in order to love the country one must love the earth stupidly, or nature unreasonably.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading There is no mean between brutal stupidity and enthusiastic folly.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Now you know that if I have anything excitable or even sanguine in my composition, it is for the concerns of society rather than for what is governed by the laws of Nature, which are always the same.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

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

From this reading Now you know that if I have anything excitable or even sanguine in my composition, it is for the concerns of society rather than for what is governed by the laws of Nature, which are always the same.

lawsnounUS /lɔːz/

the first of three divisions of the Hebrew Scriptures comprising the first five books of the Hebrew Bible considered as a unit

From this reading Now you know that if I have anything excitable or even sanguine in my composition, it is for the concerns of society rather than for what is governed by the laws of Nature, which are always the same.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading At another time Caroline reported to her sister the opinions of the Marchioness on country life.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

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

From this reading "'My dear child,' said she to me not long since, 'in order to love the country one must love the earth stupidly, or nature unreasonably.

lovenounUS /lʌv/

a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading "'My dear child,' said she to me not long since, 'in order to love the country one must love the earth stupidly, or nature unreasonably.

MarchionessnounUS /ˈmɑːrʃənɪs/

the wife or widow of a marquis

From this reading At another time Caroline reported to her sister the opinions of the Marchioness on country life.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading "'My dear child,' said she to me not long since, 'in order to love the country one must love the earth stupidly, or nature unreasonably.

meanverbUS /miːn/

mean or intend to express or convey

From this reading There is no mean between brutal stupidity and enthusiastic folly.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading "'My dear child,' said she to me not long since, 'in order to love the country one must love the earth stupidly, or nature unreasonably.

MydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading "'My dear child,' said she to me not long since, 'in order to love the country one must love the earth stupidly, or nature unreasonably.

naturenounUS /ˈneɪtʃər/

the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized

From this reading "'My dear child,' said she to me not long since, 'in order to love the country one must love the earth stupidly, or nature unreasonably.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading There is no mean between brutal stupidity and enthusiastic folly.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading "'My dear child,' said she to me not long since, 'in order to love the country one must love the earth stupidly, or nature unreasonably.

NowadverbUS /naʊ/

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

From this reading Now you know that if I have anything excitable or even sanguine in my composition, it is for the concerns of society rather than for what is governed by the laws of Nature, which are always the same.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading At another time Caroline reported to her sister the opinions of the Marchioness on country life.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading At another time Caroline reported to her sister the opinions of the Marchioness on country life.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading "'My dear child,' said she to me not long since, 'in order to love the country one must love the earth stupidly, or nature unreasonably.

opinionsnounUS /əˈpɪnjənz/

plural of “opinion” — a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty

From this reading At another time Caroline reported to her sister the opinions of the Marchioness on country life.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading "'My dear child,' said she to me not long since, 'in order to love the country one must love the earth stupidly, or nature unreasonably.

ordernounUS /ˈɔːrdər/

(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed

From this reading "'My dear child,' said she to me not long since, 'in order to love the country one must love the earth stupidly, or nature unreasonably.

ratheradverbUS /ˈræðər/

on the contrary

From this reading Now you know that if I have anything excitable or even sanguine in my composition, it is for the concerns of society rather than for what is governed by the laws of Nature, which are always the same.

reportedadjectiveUS /ˌriːˈpɔːrtɪd/

made known or told about; especially presented in a formal account

From this reading At another time Caroline reported to her sister the opinions of the Marchioness on country life.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "'My dear child,' said she to me not long since, 'in order to love the country one must love the earth stupidly, or nature unreasonably.

sameadjectiveUS /seɪm/

Identical; not different.

From this reading Now you know that if I have anything excitable or even sanguine in my composition, it is for the concerns of society rather than for what is governed by the laws of Nature, which are always the same.

sanguineadjectiveUS /ˈsæŋɡwɪn/

confidently optimistic and cheerful

From this reading Now you know that if I have anything excitable or even sanguine in my composition, it is for the concerns of society rather than for what is governed by the laws of Nature, which are always the same.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading "'My dear child,' said she to me not long since, 'in order to love the country one must love the earth stupidly, or nature unreasonably.

sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading "'My dear child,' said she to me not long since, 'in order to love the country one must love the earth stupidly, or nature unreasonably.

sisternounUS /ˈsɪstər/

a female person who has the same parents as another person

From this reading At another time Caroline reported to her sister the opinions of the Marchioness on country life.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Those laws are the work of God, so they are good and beautiful.

societynounUS /səˈsaɪəti/

an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic organization

From this reading Now you know that if I have anything excitable or even sanguine in my composition, it is for the concerns of society rather than for what is governed by the laws of Nature, which are always the same.

stupiditynounUS /stuːˈpɪdɪtiː/

a poor ability to understand or to profit from experience

From this reading There is no mean between brutal stupidity and enthusiastic folly.

stupidlyadverbUS /ˈstuːpədli/

in a stupid manner

From this reading "'My dear child,' said she to me not long since, 'in order to love the country one must love the earth stupidly, or nature unreasonably.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Now you know that if I have anything excitable or even sanguine in my composition, it is for the concerns of society rather than for what is governed by the laws of Nature, which are always the same.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Now you know that if I have anything excitable or even sanguine in my composition, it is for the concerns of society rather than for what is governed by the laws of Nature, which are always the same.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading At another time Caroline reported to her sister the opinions of the Marchioness on country life.

ThereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading There is no mean between brutal stupidity and enthusiastic folly.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Those laws are the work of God, so they are good and beautiful.

ThosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

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

From this reading Those laws are the work of God, so they are good and beautiful.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading At another time Caroline reported to her sister the opinions of the Marchioness on country life.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading At another time Caroline reported to her sister the opinions of the Marchioness on country life.

unreasonablyadverbUS /ənˈriːzənəbli/

not in a reasonable or intelligent manner

From this reading "'My dear child,' said she to me not long since, 'in order to love the country one must love the earth stupidly, or nature unreasonably.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading Now you know that if I have anything excitable or even sanguine in my composition, it is for the concerns of society rather than for what is governed by the laws of Nature, which are always the same.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading Now you know that if I have anything excitable or even sanguine in my composition, it is for the concerns of society rather than for what is governed by the laws of Nature, which are always the same.

workverbUS /wɜːrk/

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading Those laws are the work of God, so they are good and beautiful.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Now you know that if I have anything excitable or even sanguine in my composition, it is for the concerns of society rather than for what is governed by the laws of Nature, which are always the same.

Chapter 4 of The Marquis de Villemer by George Sand holds 417 sentences, grouped into 84 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 4 of The Marquis de Villemer contain?

Chapter 4 holds 417 sentences of The Marquis de Villemer, unabridged, divided into 84 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 4 of The Marquis de Villemer by George Sand exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 417 sentences, grouped into 84 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 4 of The Marquis de Villemer?

Work through the 84 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 84 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 4 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 4 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 Marquis de Villemer

Common questions about reading The Marquis de Villemer by George Sand on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Marquis de Villemer?

Yes. All 4563 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #63083 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Marquis de Villemer is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #63083, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Marquis de Villemer take to read?

About 380 minutes of reading across 913 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Marquis de Villemer section by section

How to work through The Marquis de Villemer section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 11 chapters of The Marquis de Villemer to begin.

  2. Read one section

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  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in The Marquis de Villemer

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Marquis de Villemer, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Ticknor
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Marquis de Villemer; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Fields
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Marquis de Villemer; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Osgood
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Marquis de Villemer; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Letter
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Marquis de Villemer; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.