Chapter 1 of The Mimic Stage is here in full — 392 sentences across 79 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of The Mimic Stage is here in full — 392 sentences across 79 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Non-standard contractions such as “have’nt”, “wont”, “must’nt” are as in the original THE MIMIC STAGE. A SERIES OF DRAMAS, COMEDIES, BURLESQUES, AND FARCES, FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS AND PRIVATE THEATRICALS. BY GEORGE M. BAKER, _Author of “Amateur Dramas,” “An Old Man’s Prayer,” &c._ BOSTON: LEE AND SHEPARD. 1869.
Chapter 1 of The Mimic Stage is here in full — 392 sentences across 79 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/78 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
someone who pursues a study or sport as a pastime
From this reading “BY GEORGE M. BAKER, _Author of “Amateur Dramas,” “An Old Man’s Prayer,” &c._ BOSTON: LEE AND SHEPARD.”
someone who bakes commercially
From this reading “BY GEORGE M. BAKER, _Author of “Amateur Dramas,” “An Old Man’s Prayer,” &c._ BOSTON: LEE AND SHEPARD.”
plural of “comedy” — light and humorous drama with a happy ending
From this reading “A SERIES OF DRAMAS, COMEDIES, BURLESQUES, AND FARCES, FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS AND PRIVATE THEATRICALS.”
plural of “contraction” — (physiology) a shortening or tensing of a part or organ (especially of a muscle or muscle fiber)
From this reading “Non-standard contractions such as “have’nt”, “wont”, “must’nt” are as in the original”
plural of “drama” — a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage
From this reading “A SERIES OF DRAMAS, COMEDIES, BURLESQUES, AND FARCES, FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS AND PRIVATE THEATRICALS.”
plural of “exhibition” — the act of exhibiting
From this reading “A SERIES OF DRAMAS, COMEDIES, BURLESQUES, AND FARCES, FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS AND PRIVATE THEATRICALS.”
someone who mimics (especially an actor or actress)
From this reading “THE MIMIC STAGE.”
United States author of surrealistic allegorical plays (born in 1943)
From this reading “BY GEORGE M. BAKER, _Author of “Amateur Dramas,” “An Old Man’s Prayer,” &c._ BOSTON: LEE AND SHEPARD.”
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.
In this reading “A SERIES OF DRAMAS, COMEDIES, BURLESQUES, AND FARCES, FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS AND PRIVATE THEATRICALS.”
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.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 1869.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A SERIES OF DRAMAS, COMEDIES, BURLESQUES, AND FARCES, FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS AND PRIVATE THEATRICALS.
someone who pursues a study or sport as a pastime
From this reading BY GEORGE M. BAKER, _Author of “Amateur Dramas,” “An Old Man’s Prayer,” &c._ BOSTON: LEE AND SHEPARD.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading BY GEORGE M. BAKER, _Author of “Amateur Dramas,” “An Old Man’s Prayer,” &c._ BOSTON: LEE AND SHEPARD.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A SERIES OF DRAMAS, COMEDIES, BURLESQUES, AND FARCES, FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS AND PRIVATE THEATRICALS.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Non-standard contractions such as “have’nt”, “wont”, “must’nt” are as in the original
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Non-standard contractions such as “have’nt”, “wont”, “must’nt” are as in the original
writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
From this reading BY GEORGE M. BAKER, _Author of “Amateur Dramas,” “An Old Man’s Prayer,” &c._ BOSTON: LEE AND SHEPARD.
someone who bakes commercially
From this reading BY GEORGE M. BAKER, _Author of “Amateur Dramas,” “An Old Man’s Prayer,” &c._ BOSTON: LEE AND SHEPARD.
state capital and largest city of Massachusetts; a major center for banking and financial services
From this reading BY GEORGE M. BAKER, _Author of “Amateur Dramas,” “An Old Man’s Prayer,” &c._ BOSTON: LEE AND SHEPARD.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A SERIES OF DRAMAS, COMEDIES, BURLESQUES, AND FARCES, FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS AND PRIVATE THEATRICALS.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading BY GEORGE M. BAKER, _Author of “Amateur Dramas,” “An Old Man’s Prayer,” &c._ BOSTON: LEE AND SHEPARD.
a degree on the centigrade scale of temperature
From this reading BY GEORGE M. BAKER, _Author of “Amateur Dramas,” “An Old Man’s Prayer,” &c._ BOSTON: LEE AND SHEPARD.
plural of “comedy” — light and humorous drama with a happy ending
From this reading A SERIES OF DRAMAS, COMEDIES, BURLESQUES, AND FARCES, FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS AND PRIVATE THEATRICALS.
plural of “contraction” — (physiology) a shortening or tensing of a part or organ (especially of a muscle or muscle fiber)
From this reading Non-standard contractions such as “have’nt”, “wont”, “must’nt” are as in the original
plural of “drama” — a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage
From this reading A SERIES OF DRAMAS, COMEDIES, BURLESQUES, AND FARCES, FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS AND PRIVATE THEATRICALS.
plural of “exhibition” — the act of exhibiting
From this reading A SERIES OF DRAMAS, COMEDIES, BURLESQUES, AND FARCES, FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS AND PRIVATE THEATRICALS.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A SERIES OF DRAMAS, COMEDIES, BURLESQUES, AND FARCES, FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS AND PRIVATE THEATRICALS.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading A SERIES OF DRAMAS, COMEDIES, BURLESQUES, AND FARCES, FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS AND PRIVATE THEATRICALS.
Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)
From this reading BY GEORGE M. BAKER, _Author of “Amateur Dramas,” “An Old Man’s Prayer,” &c._ BOSTON: LEE AND SHEPARD.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Non-standard contractions such as “have’nt”, “wont”, “must’nt” are as in the original
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Non-standard contractions such as “have’nt”, “wont”, “must’nt” are as in the original
United States filmmaker whose works explore the richness of black culture in America (born in 1957)
From this reading BY GEORGE M. BAKER, _Author of “Amateur Dramas,” “An Old Man’s Prayer,” &c._ BOSTON: LEE AND SHEPARD.
the basic unit of length adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites (approximately 1.094 yards)
From this reading BY GEORGE M. BAKER, _Author of “Amateur Dramas,” “An Old Man’s Prayer,” &c._ BOSTON: LEE AND SHEPARD.
possessive form of “man” — an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading BY GEORGE M. BAKER, _Author of “Amateur Dramas,” “An Old Man’s Prayer,” &c._ BOSTON: LEE AND SHEPARD.
someone who mimics (especially an actor or actress)
From this reading THE MIMIC STAGE.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Non-standard contractions such as “have’nt”, “wont”, “must’nt” are as in the original
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Non-standard contractions such as “have’nt”, “wont”, “must’nt” are as in the original
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A SERIES OF DRAMAS, COMEDIES, BURLESQUES, AND FARCES, FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS AND PRIVATE THEATRICALS.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading BY GEORGE M. BAKER, _Author of “Amateur Dramas,” “An Old Man’s Prayer,” &c._ BOSTON: LEE AND SHEPARD.
preceding all others in time or being as first made or performed
From this reading Non-standard contractions such as “have’nt”, “wont”, “must’nt” are as in the original
the act of communicating with a deity (especially as a petition or in adoration or contrition or thanksgiving)
From this reading BY GEORGE M. BAKER, _Author of “Amateur Dramas,” “An Old Man’s Prayer,” &c._ BOSTON: LEE AND SHEPARD.
confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy
From this reading A SERIES OF DRAMAS, COMEDIES, BURLESQUES, AND FARCES, FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS AND PRIVATE THEATRICALS.
people in general considered as a whole
From this reading A SERIES OF DRAMAS, COMEDIES, BURLESQUES, AND FARCES, FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS AND PRIVATE THEATRICALS.
similar things placed in order or happening one after another
From this reading A SERIES OF DRAMAS, COMEDIES, BURLESQUES, AND FARCES, FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS AND PRIVATE THEATRICALS.
United States author of surrealistic allegorical plays (born in 1943)
From this reading BY GEORGE M. BAKER, _Author of “Amateur Dramas,” “An Old Man’s Prayer,” &c._ BOSTON: LEE AND SHEPARD.
any distinct time period in a sequence of events
From this reading THE MIMIC STAGE.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Non-standard contractions such as “have’nt”, “wont”, “must’nt” are as in the original
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Non-standard contractions such as “have’nt”, “wont”, “must’nt” are as in the original
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A SERIES OF DRAMAS, COMEDIES, BURLESQUES, AND FARCES, FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS AND PRIVATE THEATRICALS.
an established custom
From this reading Non-standard contractions such as “have’nt”, “wont”, “must’nt” are as in the original
Chapter 1 of The Mimic Stage by George M. (George Melville) Baker holds 392 sentences, grouped into 79 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.
Chapter 1 holds 392 sentences of The Mimic Stage, unabridged, divided into 79 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of The Mimic Stage by George M. (George Melville) Baker exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 392 sentences, grouped into 79 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.
Work through the 79 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 79 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.
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.
Common questions about reading The Mimic Stage by George M. (George Melville) Baker on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 6894 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #54063 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #54063, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 574 minutes of reading across 1379 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Mimic Stage section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 17 chapters of The Mimic Stage to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in The Mimic Stage, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
