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The Memoirs of a White Elephant
The Memoirs of a White Elephant

Chapter XXVI

Chapter 26 of The Memoirs of a White Elephant is here in full — 120 sentences across 24 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Judith Gautier • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The Memoirs of a White Elephant
Context Illustration Reading 1/24 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE GRAND CIRCUS OF THE TWO WORLDS In about an hour Moukounj returned, joyous, and as he came near me he embraced my trunk.
"Ah! my brave companion!
My faithful friend!
How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--How true are these sayings!
And equally so is this one: '_The life of mankind is as uncertain as the reflection of the Moon on water; for this reason we must practise Virtue!_' ...
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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 Memoirs of a White Elephant

Chapter XXVI

Chapter 26 of The Memoirs of a White Elephant is here in full — 120 sentences across 24 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/24 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE GRAND CIRCUS OF THE TWO WORLDS In about an hour Moukounj returned, joyous, and as he came near me he embraced my trunk.
Line 2
"Ah! my brave companion!
Line 3
My faithful friend!
/maɪ ˈfeɪθfəl frend/
Line 4
How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--How true are these sayings!
Line 5
And equally so is this one: '_The life of mankind is as uncertain as the reflection of the Moon on water; for this reason we must practise Virtue!_' ...
/ənd ˈiːkwəli soʊ ɪz ðɪs wʌn ðə laɪf ʌv ˈmænˈkaɪnd ɪz æz ənˈsɜːrtən æz ðə rɪˈflekʃən ʌv ðə muːn ɑːn ˈwɔːtər fɔːr ðɪs ˈriːzən wiː mʌst ˈpræktɪs ˈvɝː.tʃuː/

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.

circus noun US /ˈsɜːrkəs/

a travelling company of entertainers; including trained animals

From this reading “THE GRAND CIRCUS OF THE TWO WORLDS In about an hour Moukounj returned, joyous, and as he came near me he embraced my trunk.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
embraced verb US /emˈbreɪst/

past form of “embrace” — include in scope; include as part of something broader; have as one's sphere or territory

From this reading “THE GRAND CIRCUS OF THE TWO WORLDS In about an hour Moukounj returned, joyous, and as he came near me he embraced my trunk.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
joyous adjective US /ˈdʒɔɪəs/

full of or characterized by joy

From this reading “THE GRAND CIRCUS OF THE TWO WORLDS In about an hour Moukounj returned, joyous, and as he came near me he embraced my trunk.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
practise verb US /ˈpræktɪs/

engage in a rehearsal

From this reading “And equally so is this one: '_The life of mankind is as uncertain as the reflection of the Moon on water; for this reason we must practise Virtue!_' ...”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Sage noun US /seɪdʒ/

a mentor in spiritual and philosophical topics who is renowned for profound wisdom

From this reading “How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--How true are these sayings!”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sayings noun US /ˈseɪɪŋz/

plural of “saying” — a word or phrase that particular people use in particular situations

From this reading “How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--How true are these sayings!”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
surprises noun US /sərˈpraɪzɪz/

plural of “surprise” — the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you

From this reading “How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--How true are these sayings!”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
worlds noun US /wɜːrldz/

plural of “world” — everything that exists anywhere

From this reading “THE GRAND CIRCUS OF THE TWO WORLDS In about an hour Moukounj returned, joyous, and as he came near me he embraced my trunk.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

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.

faithful friend adjective + noun

In this reading “My faithful friend!”

2,147 times in 426,211 chapters
came near verb + particle counted as “come near”

almost do or experience something

In this reading “THE GRAND CIRCUS OF THE TWO WORLDS In about an hour Moukounj returned, joyous, and as he came near me he embraced my trunk.”

15,064 times in 426,211 chapters
of mankind preposition + noun

In this reading “And equally so is this one: '_The life of mankind is as uncertain as the reflection of the Moon on water; for this reason we must practise Virtue!_' ...”

10,700 times in 426,211 chapters
about an hour preposition + article + noun counted as “about … hour”

In this reading “THE GRAND CIRCUS OF THE TWO WORLDS In about an hour Moukounj returned, joyous, and as he came near me he embraced my trunk.”

5,407 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 73

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 How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--How true are these sayings!

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading THE GRAND CIRCUS OF THE TWO WORLDS In about an hour Moukounj returned, joyous, and as he came near me he embraced my trunk.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
Ah

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

From this reading "Ah! my brave companion!

Pending verification
andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading THE GRAND CIRCUS OF THE TWO WORLDS In about an hour Moukounj returned, joyous, and as he came near me he embraced my trunk.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading THE GRAND CIRCUS OF THE TWO WORLDS In about an hour Moukounj returned, joyous, and as he came near me he embraced my trunk.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
anxietynounUS /æŋˈzaɪəti/

(psychiatry) a relatively permanent state of worry and nervousness occurring in a variety of mental disorders, usually accompanied by compulsive behavior or attacks of panic

From this reading How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--How true are these sayings!

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--How true are these sayings!

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading THE GRAND CIRCUS OF THE TWO WORLDS In about an hour Moukounj returned, joyous, and as he came near me he embraced my trunk.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--How true are these sayings!

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
braveadjectiveUS /breɪv/

possessing or displaying courage; able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching

From this reading "Ah! my brave companion!

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
cameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading THE GRAND CIRCUS OF THE TWO WORLDS In about an hour Moukounj returned, joyous, and as he came near me he embraced my trunk.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
CIRCUSnounUS /ˈsɜːrkəs/

a travelling company of entertainers; including trained animals

From this reading THE GRAND CIRCUS OF THE TWO WORLDS In about an hour Moukounj returned, joyous, and as he came near me he embraced my trunk.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
cleveradjectiveUS /ˈklevər/

showing self-interest and shrewdness in dealing with others

From this reading How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--How true are these sayings!

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
companionnounUS /kəmˈpænjən/

a friend who is frequently in the company of another

From this reading "Ah! my brave companion!

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
contentedadjectiveUS /kənˈtentəd/

satisfied or showing satisfaction with things as they are

From this reading How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--How true are these sayings!

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
countrynounUS /ˈkʌntri/

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--How true are these sayings!

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
determinedadjectiveUS /dɪˈtɜːrmənd/

characterized by great determination

From this reading How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--How true are these sayings!

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
embracedverbUS /emˈbreɪst/

past form of “embrace” — include in scope; include as part of something broader; have as one's sphere or territory

From this reading THE GRAND CIRCUS OF THE TWO WORLDS In about an hour Moukounj returned, joyous, and as he came near me he embraced my trunk.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
equallyadverbUS /ˈiːkwəli/

to the same degree (often followed by “as”)

From this reading And equally so is this one: '_The life of mankind is as uncertain as the reflection of the Moon on water; for this reason we must practise Virtue!_' ...

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
faithfuladjectiveUS /ˈfeɪθfəl/

steadfast in affection or allegiance

From this reading My faithful friend!

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--How true are these sayings!

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
friendnounUS /frend/

a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading My faithful friend!

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
GRANDadjectiveUS /ɡrænd/

of behavior that is impressive and ambitious in scale or scope

From this reading THE GRAND CIRCUS OF THE TWO WORLDS In about an hour Moukounj returned, joyous, and as he came near me he embraced my trunk.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

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

From this reading How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--How true are these sayings!

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading THE GRAND CIRCUS OF THE TWO WORLDS In about an hour Moukounj returned, joyous, and as he came near me he embraced my trunk.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--How true are these sayings!

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
hournounUS /ˈaʊər/

a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day

From this reading THE GRAND CIRCUS OF THE TWO WORLDS In about an hour Moukounj returned, joyous, and as he came near me he embraced my trunk.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
How

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

From this reading How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--How true are these sayings!

Pending verification
impossibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpɑːsəbəl/

not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with

From this reading How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--How true are these sayings!

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading THE GRAND CIRCUS OF THE TWO WORLDS In about an hour Moukounj returned, joyous, and as he came near me he embraced my trunk.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--How true are these sayings!

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
joyousadjectiveUS /ˈdʒɔɪəs/

full of or characterized by joy

From this reading THE GRAND CIRCUS OF THE TWO WORLDS In about an hour Moukounj returned, joyous, and as he came near me he embraced my trunk.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading And equally so is this one: '_The life of mankind is as uncertain as the reflection of the Moon on water; for this reason we must practise Virtue!_' ...

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--How true are these sayings!

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mankindnounUS /ˈmænˈkaɪnd/

all of the living human inhabitants of the earth

From this reading And equally so is this one: '_The life of mankind is as uncertain as the reflection of the Moon on water; for this reason we must practise Virtue!_' ...

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading THE GRAND CIRCUS OF THE TWO WORLDS In about an hour Moukounj returned, joyous, and as he came near me he embraced my trunk.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
MoonnounUS /muːn/

the natural satellite of the Earth

From this reading And equally so is this one: '_The life of mankind is as uncertain as the reflection of the Moon on water; for this reason we must practise Virtue!_' ...

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Moukounj

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

From this reading THE GRAND CIRCUS OF THE TWO WORLDS In about an hour Moukounj returned, joyous, and as he came near me he embraced my trunk.

Pending verification
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading And equally so is this one: '_The life of mankind is as uncertain as the reflection of the Moon on water; for this reason we must practise Virtue!_' ...

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading THE GRAND CIRCUS OF THE TWO WORLDS In about an hour Moukounj returned, joyous, and as he came near me he embraced my trunk.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
nearadverbUS /nɪr/

near in time or place or relationship

From this reading THE GRAND CIRCUS OF THE TWO WORLDS In about an hour Moukounj returned, joyous, and as he came near me he embraced my trunk.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--How true are these sayings!

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--How true are these sayings!

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE GRAND CIRCUS OF THE TWO WORLDS In about an hour Moukounj returned, joyous, and as he came near me he embraced my trunk.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading And equally so is this one: '_The life of mankind is as uncertain as the reflection of the Moon on water; for this reason we must practise Virtue!_' ...

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading And equally so is this one: '_The life of mankind is as uncertain as the reflection of the Moon on water; for this reason we must practise Virtue!_' ...

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
practiseverbUS /ˈpræktɪs/

engage in a rehearsal

From this reading And equally so is this one: '_The life of mankind is as uncertain as the reflection of the Moon on water; for this reason we must practise Virtue!_' ...

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
reasonnounUS /ˈriːzən/

a rational motive for a belief or action

From this reading And equally so is this one: '_The life of mankind is as uncertain as the reflection of the Moon on water; for this reason we must practise Virtue!_' ...

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
reflectionnounUS /rɪˈflekʃən/

a calm, lengthy, intent consideration

From this reading And equally so is this one: '_The life of mankind is as uncertain as the reflection of the Moon on water; for this reason we must practise Virtue!_' ...

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
returnedverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrnd/

past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading THE GRAND CIRCUS OF THE TWO WORLDS In about an hour Moukounj returned, joyous, and as he came near me he embraced my trunk.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
SagenounUS /seɪdʒ/

a mentor in spiritual and philosophical topics who is renowned for profound wisdom

From this reading How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--How true are these sayings!

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
sayingsnounUS /ˈseɪɪŋz/

plural of “saying” — a word or phrase that particular people use in particular situations

From this reading How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--How true are these sayings!

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
saysnounUS /sez/

plural of “say” — the chance to speak

From this reading How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--How true are these sayings!

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading And equally so is this one: '_The life of mankind is as uncertain as the reflection of the Moon on water; for this reason we must practise Virtue!_' ...

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
strangernounUS /ˈstreɪndʒər/

anyone who does not belong in the environment in which they are found

From this reading How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--How true are these sayings!

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
surprisesnounUS /sərˈpraɪzɪz/

plural of “surprise” — the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you

From this reading How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--How true are these sayings!

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE GRAND CIRCUS OF THE TWO WORLDS In about an hour Moukounj returned, joyous, and as he came near me he embraced my trunk.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--How true are these sayings!

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

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

From this reading How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--How true are these sayings!

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading And equally so is this one: '_The life of mankind is as uncertain as the reflection of the Moon on water; for this reason we must practise Virtue!_' ...

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
trueadjectiveUS /truː/

consistent with fact or reality; not false

From this reading How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--How true are these sayings!

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
trunknounUS /trʌŋk/

the main stem of a tree; usually covered with bark; the bole is usually the part that is commercially useful for lumber

From this reading THE GRAND CIRCUS OF THE TWO WORLDS In about an hour Moukounj returned, joyous, and as he came near me he embraced my trunk.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
TWOnounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading THE GRAND CIRCUS OF THE TWO WORLDS In about an hour Moukounj returned, joyous, and as he came near me he embraced my trunk.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
uncertainadjectiveUS /ənˈsɜːrtən/

lacking or indicating lack of confidence or assurance

From this reading And equally so is this one: '_The life of mankind is as uncertain as the reflection of the Moon on water; for this reason we must practise Virtue!_' ...

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
VirtuenounUS /ˈvɝː.tʃuː/

Moral excellence and goodness of character; the highest human attainment in Stoic philosophy.

From this reading And equally so is this one: '_The life of mankind is as uncertain as the reflection of the Moon on water; for this reason we must practise Virtue!_' ...

Velmora curated lexicon
waternounUS /ˈwɔːtər/

binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent

From this reading And equally so is this one: '_The life of mankind is as uncertain as the reflection of the Moon on water; for this reason we must practise Virtue!_' ...

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading And equally so is this one: '_The life of mankind is as uncertain as the reflection of the Moon on water; for this reason we must practise Virtue!_' ...

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--How true are these sayings!

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--How true are these sayings!

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
wisdomnounUS /ˈwɪzdəm/

accumulated knowledge or erudition or enlightenment

From this reading How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--How true are these sayings!

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wiseadjectiveUS /waɪz/

having or prompted by wisdom or discernment

From this reading How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--How true are these sayings!

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading How great is the wisdom of the Sage who says: '_He who is clever will be a stranger in no country; for him who is contented with little, there is no anxiety; for him who is wise, there are no surprises; for him who is determined, nothing is impossible!_'--How true are these sayings!

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
WORLDSnounUS /wɜːrldz/

plural of “world” — everything that exists anywhere

From this reading THE GRAND CIRCUS OF THE TWO WORLDS In about an hour Moukounj returned, joyous, and as he came near me he embraced my trunk.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Chapter 26 of The Memoirs of a White Elephant by Judith Gautier holds 120 sentences, grouped into 24 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 26 of The Memoirs of a White Elephant contain?

Chapter 26 holds 120 sentences of The Memoirs of a White Elephant, unabridged, divided into 24 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 26 of The Memoirs of a White Elephant by Judith Gautier exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 120 sentences, grouped into 24 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 26 of The Memoirs of a White Elephant?

Work through the 24 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 24 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 26 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 26 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 Memoirs of a White Elephant

Common questions about reading The Memoirs of a White Elephant by Judith Gautier on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Memoirs of a White Elephant?

Yes. All 1896 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #46983 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Memoirs of a White Elephant is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #46983, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Memoirs of a White Elephant take to read?

About 158 minutes of reading across 380 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Memoirs of a White Elephant section by section

How to work through The Memoirs of a White Elephant section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  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 Memoirs of a White Elephant

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Memoirs of a White Elephant, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Translated
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Memoirs of a White Elephant; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
French
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Memoirs of a White Elephant; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Harvey
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Memoirs of a White Elephant; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Illustrated
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Memoirs of a White Elephant; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.