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The Ordeal of Richard Feverel
The Ordeal of Richard Feverel

Chapter XXV

Chapter 25 of The Ordeal of Richard Feverel is here in full — 438 sentences across 88 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By George Meredith • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The Ordeal of Richard Feverel
Context Illustration Reading 1/87 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
RELATES HOW PREPARATIONS FOR ACTION WERE CONDUCTED UNDER THE APRIL OF LOVERS Beauty, of course, is for the hero.
Nevertheless, it is not always he on whom beauty works its most conquering influence.
It is the dull commonplace man into whose slow brain she drops like a celestial light, and burns lastingly.
The poet, for instance, is a connoisseur of beauty: to the artist she is a model.
These gentlemen by much contemplation of her charms wax critical.
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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 Ordeal of Richard Feverel

Chapter XXV

Chapter 25 of The Ordeal of Richard Feverel is here in full — 438 sentences across 88 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/87 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
RELATES HOW PREPARATIONS FOR ACTION WERE CONDUCTED UNDER THE APRIL OF LOVERS Beauty, of course, is for the hero.
Line 2
Nevertheless, it is not always he on whom beauty works its most conquering influence.
/ˌnevərðəˈles ɪt ɪz nɑːt ˈɔːlweɪz hiː ɑːn huːm ˈbjuːti wɜːrks ɪts moʊst ˈkɑːŋkərɪŋ ˈɪnfluːəns/
Line 3
It is the dull commonplace man into whose slow brain she drops like a celestial light, and burns lastingly.
/ɪt ɪz ðə dʌl ˈkɑːmənpleɪs mæn ˈɪntuː huːz sloʊ breɪn ʃiː drɑːps laɪk ə səˈlestʃəl laɪt ənd bɜːrnz ˈlæstɪŋli/
Line 4
The poet, for instance, is a connoisseur of beauty: to the artist she is a model.
/ðə ˈpoʊət fɔːr ˈɪnstəns ɪz ə ˌkɑːnəˈsɜːr ʌv ˈbjuːti tuː ðə ˈɑːrtəst ʃiː ɪz ə ˈmɑːdəl/
Line 5
These gentlemen by much contemplation of her charms wax critical.
/ðiːz ˈdʒentəlmɪn baɪ mʌtʃ ˌkɑːntəmˈpleɪʃən ʌv hɜːr tʃɑːrmz wæks ˈkrɪtɪkəl/

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.

celestial adjective US /səˈlestʃəl/

of or relating to the sky

From this reading “It is the dull commonplace man into whose slow brain she drops like a celestial light, and burns lastingly.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
commonplace adjective US /ˈkɑːmənpleɪs/

completely ordinary and unremarkable

From this reading “It is the dull commonplace man into whose slow brain she drops like a celestial light, and burns lastingly.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
connoisseur noun US /ˌkɑːnəˈsɜːr/

an expert able to appreciate a field; especially in the fine arts

From this reading “The poet, for instance, is a connoisseur of beauty: to the artist she is a model.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
conquering noun US /ˈkɑːŋkərɪŋ/

the act of conquering

From this reading “Nevertheless, it is not always he on whom beauty works its most conquering influence.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
contemplation noun US /ˌkɑːntəmˈpleɪʃən/

a long and thoughtful observation

From this reading “These gentlemen by much contemplation of her charms wax critical.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lastingly adverb US /ˈlæstɪŋli/

in an enduring or permanent manner

From this reading “It is the dull commonplace man into whose slow brain she drops like a celestial light, and burns lastingly.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
relates verb US /rɪˈleɪts/

third-person singular of “relate” — make a logical or causal connection

From this reading “RELATES HOW PREPARATIONS FOR ACTION WERE CONDUCTED UNDER THE APRIL OF LOVERS Beauty, of course, is for the hero.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
wax verb US /wæks/

cover with wax

From this reading “These gentlemen by much contemplation of her charms wax critical.”

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.

for instance preposition + noun

as an example

In this reading “The poet, for instance, is a connoisseur of beauty: to the artist she is a model.”

26,812 times in 225,867 chapters
of course preposition + noun

as might be expected

In this reading “RELATES HOW PREPARATIONS FOR ACTION WERE CONDUCTED UNDER THE APRIL OF LOVERS Beauty, of course, is for the hero.”

307,822 times in 225,867 chapters
FOR ACTION preposition + noun

In this reading “RELATES HOW PREPARATIONS FOR ACTION WERE CONDUCTED UNDER THE APRIL OF LOVERS Beauty, of course, is for the hero.”

3,683 times in 225,867 chapters

All words in this reading · 59

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 It is the dull commonplace man into whose slow brain she drops like a celestial light, and burns lastingly.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ACTIONnounUS /ˈækʃən/

something done (usually as opposed to something said)

From this reading RELATES HOW PREPARATIONS FOR ACTION WERE CONDUCTED UNDER THE APRIL OF LOVERS Beauty, of course, is for the hero.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
alwaysadverbUS /ˈɔːlweɪz/

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading Nevertheless, it is not always he on whom beauty works its most conquering influence.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading It is the dull commonplace man into whose slow brain she drops like a celestial light, and burns lastingly.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
APRILnounUS /ˈeɪprəl/

the month following March and preceding May

From this reading RELATES HOW PREPARATIONS FOR ACTION WERE CONDUCTED UNDER THE APRIL OF LOVERS Beauty, of course, is for the hero.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
artistnounUS /ˈɑːrtəst/

a person whose creative work shows sensitivity and imagination

From this reading The poet, for instance, is a connoisseur of beauty: to the artist she is a model.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
BeautynounUS /ˈbjuːti/

the qualities that give pleasure to the senses

From this reading RELATES HOW PREPARATIONS FOR ACTION WERE CONDUCTED UNDER THE APRIL OF LOVERS Beauty, of course, is for the hero.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
brainnounUS /breɪn/

that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord

From this reading It is the dull commonplace man into whose slow brain she drops like a celestial light, and burns lastingly.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
burnsnounUS /bɜːrnz/

United States comedian and film actor (1896-1996)

From this reading It is the dull commonplace man into whose slow brain she drops like a celestial light, and burns lastingly.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading These gentlemen by much contemplation of her charms wax critical.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
celestialadjectiveUS /səˈlestʃəl/

of or relating to the sky

From this reading It is the dull commonplace man into whose slow brain she drops like a celestial light, and burns lastingly.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
charmsnounUS /tʃɑːrmz/

plural of “charm” — attractiveness that interests or pleases or stimulates

From this reading These gentlemen by much contemplation of her charms wax critical.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
commonplaceadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːmənpleɪs/

completely ordinary and unremarkable

From this reading It is the dull commonplace man into whose slow brain she drops like a celestial light, and burns lastingly.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
CONDUCTEDverbUS /kənˈdʌktəd/

past form of “conduct” — direct the course of; manage or control

From this reading RELATES HOW PREPARATIONS FOR ACTION WERE CONDUCTED UNDER THE APRIL OF LOVERS Beauty, of course, is for the hero.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
connoisseurnounUS /ˌkɑːnəˈsɜːr/

an expert able to appreciate a field; especially in the fine arts

From this reading The poet, for instance, is a connoisseur of beauty: to the artist she is a model.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
conqueringnounUS /ˈkɑːŋkərɪŋ/

the act of conquering

From this reading Nevertheless, it is not always he on whom beauty works its most conquering influence.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
contemplationnounUS /ˌkɑːntəmˈpleɪʃən/

a long and thoughtful observation

From this reading These gentlemen by much contemplation of her charms wax critical.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
coursenounUS /kɔːrs/

education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings

From this reading RELATES HOW PREPARATIONS FOR ACTION WERE CONDUCTED UNDER THE APRIL OF LOVERS Beauty, of course, is for the hero.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
criticaladjectiveUS /ˈkrɪtɪkəl/

marked by a tendency to find and call attention to errors and flaws

From this reading These gentlemen by much contemplation of her charms wax critical.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
dropsnounUS /drɑːps/

plural of “drop” — a shape that is spherical and small

From this reading It is the dull commonplace man into whose slow brain she drops like a celestial light, and burns lastingly.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
dulladjectiveUS /dʌl/

lacking in liveliness or animation

From this reading It is the dull commonplace man into whose slow brain she drops like a celestial light, and burns lastingly.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
FORprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading RELATES HOW PREPARATIONS FOR ACTION WERE CONDUCTED UNDER THE APRIL OF LOVERS Beauty, of course, is for the hero.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
gentlemennounUS /ˈdʒentəlmɪn/

plural of “gentleman” — a man of refinement

From this reading These gentlemen by much contemplation of her charms wax critical.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Nevertheless, it is not always he on whom beauty works its most conquering influence.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading These gentlemen by much contemplation of her charms wax critical.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
heronounUS /ˈhɪroʊ/

a man distinguished by exceptional courage and nobility and strength

From this reading RELATES HOW PREPARATIONS FOR ACTION WERE CONDUCTED UNDER THE APRIL OF LOVERS Beauty, of course, is for the hero.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
HOW

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

From this reading RELATES HOW PREPARATIONS FOR ACTION WERE CONDUCTED UNDER THE APRIL OF LOVERS Beauty, of course, is for the hero.

Pending verification
influencenounUS /ˈɪnfluːəns/

a power to affect persons or events especially power based on prestige etc

From this reading Nevertheless, it is not always he on whom beauty works its most conquering influence.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
instancenounUS /ˈɪnstəns/

an occurrence of something

From this reading The poet, for instance, is a connoisseur of beauty: to the artist she is a model.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading It is the dull commonplace man into whose slow brain she drops like a celestial light, and burns lastingly.

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 RELATES HOW PREPARATIONS FOR ACTION WERE CONDUCTED UNDER THE APRIL OF LOVERS Beauty, of course, is for the hero.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Nevertheless, it is not always he on whom beauty works its most conquering influence.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Nevertheless, it is not always he on whom beauty works its most conquering influence.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
lastinglyadverbUS /ˈlæstɪŋli/

in an enduring or permanent manner

From this reading It is the dull commonplace man into whose slow brain she drops like a celestial light, and burns lastingly.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/

of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading It is the dull commonplace man into whose slow brain she drops like a celestial light, and burns lastingly.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading It is the dull commonplace man into whose slow brain she drops like a celestial light, and burns lastingly.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
LOVERSnounUS /ˈlʌvərz/

plural of “lover” — a person who loves someone or is loved by someone

From this reading RELATES HOW PREPARATIONS FOR ACTION WERE CONDUCTED UNDER THE APRIL OF LOVERS Beauty, of course, is for the hero.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading It is the dull commonplace man into whose slow brain she drops like a celestial light, and burns lastingly.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
modelnounUS /ˈmɑːdəl/

a hypothetical description of a complex entity or process

From this reading The poet, for instance, is a connoisseur of beauty: to the artist she is a model.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading Nevertheless, it is not always he on whom beauty works its most conquering influence.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading These gentlemen by much contemplation of her charms wax critical.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
NeverthelessadverbUS /ˌnevərðəˈles/

in spite of what has just been said

From this reading Nevertheless, it is not always he on whom beauty works its most conquering influence.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Nevertheless, it is not always he on whom beauty works its most conquering influence.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading RELATES HOW PREPARATIONS FOR ACTION WERE CONDUCTED UNDER THE APRIL OF LOVERS Beauty, of course, is for the hero.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Nevertheless, it is not always he on whom beauty works its most conquering influence.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
poetnounUS /ˈpoʊət/

a writer of poems (the term is usually reserved for writers of good poetry)

From this reading The poet, for instance, is a connoisseur of beauty: to the artist she is a model.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
PREPARATIONSnounUS /ˌprepərˈeɪʃənz/

plural of “preparation” — the activity of putting or setting in order in advance of some act or purpose

From this reading RELATES HOW PREPARATIONS FOR ACTION WERE CONDUCTED UNDER THE APRIL OF LOVERS Beauty, of course, is for the hero.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
RELATESverbUS /rɪˈleɪts/

third-person singular of “relate” — make a logical or causal connection

From this reading RELATES HOW PREPARATIONS FOR ACTION WERE CONDUCTED UNDER THE APRIL OF LOVERS Beauty, of course, is for the hero.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading It is the dull commonplace man into whose slow brain she drops like a celestial light, and burns lastingly.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
slowadjectiveUS /sloʊ/

not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time

From this reading It is the dull commonplace man into whose slow brain she drops like a celestial light, and burns lastingly.

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 RELATES HOW PREPARATIONS FOR ACTION WERE CONDUCTED UNDER THE APRIL OF LOVERS Beauty, of course, is for the hero.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ThesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

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

From this reading These gentlemen by much contemplation of her charms wax critical.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The poet, for instance, is a connoisseur of beauty: to the artist she is a model.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
UNDERprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading RELATES HOW PREPARATIONS FOR ACTION WERE CONDUCTED UNDER THE APRIL OF LOVERS Beauty, of course, is for the hero.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
waxverbUS /wæks/

cover with wax

From this reading These gentlemen by much contemplation of her charms wax critical.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
WEREauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading RELATES HOW PREPARATIONS FOR ACTION WERE CONDUCTED UNDER THE APRIL OF LOVERS Beauty, of course, is for the hero.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whompronounUS /huːm/

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Nevertheless, it is not always he on whom beauty works its most conquering influence.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading It is the dull commonplace man into whose slow brain she drops like a celestial light, and burns lastingly.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
worksnounUS /wɜːrks/

buildings for carrying on industrial labor

From this reading Nevertheless, it is not always he on whom beauty works its most conquering influence.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Chapter 25 of The Ordeal of Richard Feverel by George Meredith holds 438 sentences, grouped into 88 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 25 of The Ordeal of Richard Feverel contain?

Chapter 25 holds 438 sentences of The Ordeal of Richard Feverel, unabridged, divided into 88 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 25 of The Ordeal of Richard Feverel by George Meredith exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 438 sentences, grouped into 88 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 25 of The Ordeal of Richard Feverel?

Work through the 88 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 88 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 25 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 25 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 Ordeal of Richard Feverel

Common questions about reading The Ordeal of Richard Feverel by George Meredith on this page, its source edition and its audio.

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Yes. All 12292 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #34858 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Ordeal of Richard Feverel is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #34858, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

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About 600 minutes of reading across 2459 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in The Ordeal of Richard Feverel

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Ordeal of Richard Feverel, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Series
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Ordeal of Richard Feverel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Composed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Ordeal of Richard Feverel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Works
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Ordeal of Richard Feverel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Conspicuous
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Ordeal of Richard Feverel; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.