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The Pathfinder
The Pathfinder

Chapter XXVI · Chapter 26

Chapter 26 of The Pathfinder is here in full — 147 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/29 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
You saw but sorrow in its waning form; A working sea remaining from a storm, Where now the weary waves roll o'er the deep, And faintly murmur ere they fall asleep.
DRYDEN.
Men accustomed to a warfare like that we have been describing are not apt to be much under the influence of the tender feelings while still in the field.
Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.
As Pathfinder returned from the block, he was met by Muir, who led him aside in order to hold a private discourse.
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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 Pathfinder

Chapter XXVI · Chapter 26

Chapter 26 of The Pathfinder is here in full — 147 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/29 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
You saw but sorrow in its waning form; A working sea remaining from a storm, Where now the weary waves roll o'er the deep, And faintly murmur ere they fall asleep.
Line 2
DRYDEN.
/ˈdraɪdən/
Line 3
Men accustomed to a warfare like that we have been describing are not apt to be much under the influence of the tender feelings while still in the field.
/men əˈkʌstəmd tuː ə ˈwɔːrfer laɪk ðæt wiː hæv bɪn dɪˈskraɪbɪŋ ɑːr nɑːt æpt tuː biː mʌtʃ ˈʌndər ðə ˈɪnfluːəns ʌv ðə ˈtendər ˈfiːlɪŋz waɪl stɪl ɪn ðə fiːld/
Line 4
Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.
Line 5
As Pathfinder returned from the block, he was met by Muir, who led him aside in order to hold a private discourse.
/æz ˈpæθfaɪndər rɪˈtɜːrnd frʌm ðə blɑːk hiː wɑːz met baɪ mjʊr huː led hɪm əˈsaɪd ɪn ˈɔːrdər tuː hoʊld ə ˈpraɪvət ˈdɪskɔːrs/

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.

dryden noun US /ˈdraɪdən/

the outstanding poet and dramatist of the Restoration (1631-1700)

From this reading “DRYDEN.”

hardiest adjective US /ˈhɑːrdiəst/

superlative of “hardy” — having rugged physical strength; inured to fatigue or hardships

From this reading “Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.”

indispensable adjective US /ˌɪndɪˈspensəbəl/

not to be dispensed with; essential

From this reading “Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.”

Muir noun US /mjʊr/

United States naturalist (born in England) who advocated the creation of national parks (1838-1914)

From this reading “As Pathfinder returned from the block, he was met by Muir, who led him aside in order to hold a private discourse.”

Pathfinder noun US /ˈpæθfaɪndər/

someone who can find paths through unexplored territory

From this reading “As Pathfinder returned from the block, he was met by Muir, who led him aside in order to hold a private discourse.”

relished verb US /ˈrelɪʃt/

past form of “relish” — derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in

From this reading “Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.”

waning noun US /ˈweɪnɪŋ/

a gradual decrease in magnitude or extent

From this reading “You saw but sorrow in its waning form; A working sea remaining from a storm, Where now the weary waves roll o'er the deep, And faintly murmur ere they fall asleep.”

warfare noun US /ˈwɔːrfer/

the waging of armed conflict against an enemy

From this reading “Men accustomed to a warfare like that we have been describing are not apt to be much under the influence of the tender feelings while still in the field.”

All words in this reading · 101

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 You saw but sorrow in its waning form; A working sea remaining from a storm, Where now the weary waves roll o'er the deep, And faintly murmur ere they fall asleep.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.

accustomedadjectiveUS /əˈkʌstəmd/

commonly used or practiced; usual

From this reading Men accustomed to a warfare like that we have been describing are not apt to be much under the influence of the tender feelings while still in the field.

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading You saw but sorrow in its waning form; A working sea remaining from a storm, Where now the weary waves roll o'er the deep, And faintly murmur ere they fall asleep.

aptadjectiveUS /æpt/

(usually followed by “to”) naturally disposed toward

From this reading Men accustomed to a warfare like that we have been describing are not apt to be much under the influence of the tender feelings while still in the field.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading Men accustomed to a warfare like that we have been describing are not apt to be much under the influence of the tender feelings while still in the field.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading As Pathfinder returned from the block, he was met by Muir, who led him aside in order to hold a private discourse.

asideadverbUS /əˈsaɪd/

on or to one side

From this reading As Pathfinder returned from the block, he was met by Muir, who led him aside in order to hold a private discourse.

asleepadjectiveUS /əˈsliːp/

in a state of sleep

From this reading You saw but sorrow in its waning form; A working sea remaining from a storm, Where now the weary waves roll o'er the deep, And faintly murmur ere they fall asleep.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Men accustomed to a warfare like that we have been describing are not apt to be much under the influence of the tender feelings while still in the field.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Men accustomed to a warfare like that we have been describing are not apt to be much under the influence of the tender feelings while still in the field.

blocknounUS /blɑːk/

a solid piece of something (usually having flat rectangular sides)

From this reading Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading You saw but sorrow in its waning form; A working sea remaining from a storm, Where now the weary waves roll o'er the deep, And faintly murmur ere they fall asleep.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.

coursenounUS /kɔːrs/

education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings

From this reading Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.

deepadjectiveUS /diːp/

relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply

From this reading You saw but sorrow in its waning form; A working sea remaining from a storm, Where now the weary waves roll o'er the deep, And faintly murmur ere they fall asleep.

describingverbUS /dɪˈskraɪbɪŋ/

-ing form of “describe” — give a description of

From this reading Men accustomed to a warfare like that we have been describing are not apt to be much under the influence of the tender feelings while still in the field.

discoursenounUS /ˈdɪskɔːrs/

extended verbal expression in speech or writing

From this reading As Pathfinder returned from the block, he was met by Muir, who led him aside in order to hold a private discourse.

DRYDENnounUS /ˈdraɪdən/

the outstanding poet and dramatist of the Restoration (1631-1700)

From this reading DRYDEN.

endnounUS /end/

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.

ereconjunctionUS /er/

an old word for “before”

From this reading You saw but sorrow in its waning form; A working sea remaining from a storm, Where now the weary waves roll o'er the deep, And faintly murmur ere they fall asleep.

evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.

faintlyadverbUS /ˈfeɪntli/

to a faint degree or weakly perceived

From this reading You saw but sorrow in its waning form; A working sea remaining from a storm, Where now the weary waves roll o'er the deep, And faintly murmur ere they fall asleep.

fallverbUS /fɔːl/

descend in free fall under the influence of gravity

From this reading You saw but sorrow in its waning form; A working sea remaining from a storm, Where now the weary waves roll o'er the deep, And faintly murmur ere they fall asleep.

feelingsnounUS /ˈfiːlɪŋz/

emotional or moral sensitivity (especially in relation to personal principles or dignity)

From this reading Men accustomed to a warfare like that we have been describing are not apt to be much under the influence of the tender feelings while still in the field.

fieldnounUS /fiːld/

a piece of land cleared of trees and usually enclosed

From this reading Men accustomed to a warfare like that we have been describing are not apt to be much under the influence of the tender feelings while still in the field.

formnounUS /fɔːrm/

the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something

From this reading You saw but sorrow in its waning form; A working sea remaining from a storm, Where now the weary waves roll o'er the deep, And faintly murmur ere they fall asleep.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading You saw but sorrow in its waning form; A working sea remaining from a storm, Where now the weary waves roll o'er the deep, And faintly murmur ere they fall asleep.

habitsnounUS /ˈhæbəts/

plural of “habit” — an established custom

From this reading Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.

hardiestadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːrdiəst/

superlative of “hardy” — having rugged physical strength; inured to fatigue or hardships

From this reading Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Men accustomed to a warfare like that we have been describing are not apt to be much under the influence of the tender feelings while still in the field.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading As Pathfinder returned from the block, he was met by Muir, who led him aside in order to hold a private discourse.

heartnounUS /hɑːrt/

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading As Pathfinder returned from the block, he was met by Muir, who led him aside in order to hold a private discourse.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.

holdverbUS /hoʊld/

cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”

From this reading As Pathfinder returned from the block, he was met by Muir, who led him aside in order to hold a private discourse.

howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading You saw but sorrow in its waning form; A working sea remaining from a storm, Where now the weary waves roll o'er the deep, And faintly murmur ere they fall asleep.

incidentsnounUS /ˈɪnsədənts/

plural of “incident” — a single distinct event

From this reading Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.

indispensableadjectiveUS /ˌɪndɪˈspensəbəl/

not to be dispensed with; essential

From this reading Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.

influencenounUS /ˈɪnfluːəns/

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

From this reading Men accustomed to a warfare like that we have been describing are not apt to be much under the influence of the tender feelings while still in the field.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading You saw but sorrow in its waning form; A working sea remaining from a storm, Where now the weary waves roll o'er the deep, And faintly murmur ere they fall asleep.

lednounUS /led/

diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used

From this reading As Pathfinder returned from the block, he was met by Muir, who led him aside in order to hold a private discourse.

lessadverbUS /les/

used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs

From this reading Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading Men accustomed to a warfare like that we have been describing are not apt to be much under the influence of the tender feelings while still in the field.

Mabel

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

From this reading Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.

mealnounUS /miːl/

the food served and eaten at one time

From this reading Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.

MennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading Men accustomed to a warfare like that we have been describing are not apt to be much under the influence of the tender feelings while still in the field.

metverbUS /met/

inflected form of “meet” — come together

From this reading As Pathfinder returned from the block, he was met by Muir, who led him aside in order to hold a private discourse.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading Men accustomed to a warfare like that we have been describing are not apt to be much under the influence of the tender feelings while still in the field.

MuirnounUS /mjʊr/

United States naturalist (born in England) who advocated the creation of national parks (1838-1914)

From this reading As Pathfinder returned from the block, he was met by Muir, who led him aside in order to hold a private discourse.

murmurnounUS /ˈmɜːrmər/

a low continuous indistinct sound; often accompanied by movement of the lips without the production of articulate speech

From this reading You saw but sorrow in its waning form; A working sea remaining from a storm, Where now the weary waves roll o'er the deep, And faintly murmur ere they fall asleep.

nearadverbUS /nɪr/

near in time or place or relationship

From this reading Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Men accustomed to a warfare like that we have been describing are not apt to be much under the influence of the tender feelings while still in the field.

NotwithstandingadverbUS /ˌnɑːtwɪθˈstændɪŋ/

despite anything to the contrary (usually preceding a concession)

From this reading Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

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

From this reading You saw but sorrow in its waning form; A working sea remaining from a storm, Where now the weary waves roll o'er the deep, And faintly murmur ere they fall asleep.

o'eradverb

throughout a period of time

From this reading You saw but sorrow in its waning form; A working sea remaining from a storm, Where now the weary waves roll o'er the deep, And faintly murmur ere they fall asleep.

occurrencenounUS /əˈkɜːrəns/

an event that happens

From this reading Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Men accustomed to a warfare like that we have been describing are not apt to be much under the influence of the tender feelings while still in the field.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.

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 As Pathfinder returned from the block, he was met by Muir, who led him aside in order to hold a private discourse.

PathfindernounUS /ˈpæθfaɪndər/

someone who can find paths through unexplored territory

From this reading As Pathfinder returned from the block, he was met by Muir, who led him aside in order to hold a private discourse.

privateadjectiveUS /ˈpraɪvət/

confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy

From this reading As Pathfinder returned from the block, he was met by Muir, who led him aside in order to hold a private discourse.

relateverbUS /rɪˈleɪt/

make a logical or causal connection

From this reading Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.

relishedverbUS /ˈrelɪʃt/

past form of “relish” — derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in

From this reading Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.

remainingadjectiveUS /rɪˈmeɪnɪŋ/

not used up

From this reading You saw but sorrow in its waning form; A working sea remaining from a storm, Where now the weary waves roll o'er the deep, And faintly murmur ere they fall asleep.

returnedverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrnd/

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

From this reading As Pathfinder returned from the block, he was met by Muir, who led him aside in order to hold a private discourse.

rollverbUS /roʊl/

move by turning over or rotating

From this reading You saw but sorrow in its waning form; A working sea remaining from a storm, Where now the weary waves roll o'er the deep, And faintly murmur ere they fall asleep.

sawverbUS /sɔː/

cut with a saw

From this reading You saw but sorrow in its waning form; A working sea remaining from a storm, Where now the weary waves roll o'er the deep, And faintly murmur ere they fall asleep.

seanounUS /siː/

a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land

From this reading You saw but sorrow in its waning form; A working sea remaining from a storm, Where now the weary waves roll o'er the deep, And faintly murmur ere they fall asleep.

SergeantnounUS /ˈsɑːrdʒənt/

any of several noncommissioned officer ranks in the Army or Air Force or Marines ranking above a corporal

From this reading Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.

soldiersnounUS /ˈsoʊldʒərz/

plural of “soldier” — an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army

From this reading Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.

sorrownounUS /ˈsɑːroʊ/

an emotion of great sadness associated with loss or bereavement

From this reading You saw but sorrow in its waning form; A working sea remaining from a storm, Where now the weary waves roll o'er the deep, And faintly murmur ere they fall asleep.

stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/

not in physical motion

From this reading Men accustomed to a warfare like that we have been describing are not apt to be much under the influence of the tender feelings while still in the field.

stormverbUS /stɔːrm/

behave violently, as if in state of a great anger

From this reading You saw but sorrow in its waning form; A working sea remaining from a storm, Where now the weary waves roll o'er the deep, And faintly murmur ere they fall asleep.

tenderadjectiveUS /ˈtendər/

given to sympathy or gentleness or sentimentality

From this reading Men accustomed to a warfare like that we have been describing are not apt to be much under the influence of the tender feelings while still in the field.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Men accustomed to a warfare like that we have been describing are not apt to be much under the influence of the tender feelings while still in the field.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading You saw but sorrow in its waning form; A working sea remaining from a storm, Where now the weary waves roll o'er the deep, And faintly murmur ere they fall asleep.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading You saw but sorrow in its waning form; A working sea remaining from a storm, Where now the weary waves roll o'er the deep, And faintly murmur ere they fall asleep.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Men accustomed to a warfare like that we have been describing are not apt to be much under the influence of the tender feelings while still in the field.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading Men accustomed to a warfare like that we have been describing are not apt to be much under the influence of the tender feelings while still in the field.

waningnounUS /ˈweɪnɪŋ/

a gradual decrease in magnitude or extent

From this reading You saw but sorrow in its waning form; A working sea remaining from a storm, Where now the weary waves roll o'er the deep, And faintly murmur ere they fall asleep.

warfarenounUS /ˈwɔːrfer/

the waging of armed conflict against an enemy

From this reading Men accustomed to a warfare like that we have been describing are not apt to be much under the influence of the tender feelings while still in the field.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.

wavesnounUS /weɪvz/

plural of “wave” — one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)

From this reading You saw but sorrow in its waning form; A working sea remaining from a storm, Where now the weary waves roll o'er the deep, And faintly murmur ere they fall asleep.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading Men accustomed to a warfare like that we have been describing are not apt to be much under the influence of the tender feelings while still in the field.

wearyverbUS /ˈwɪri/

exhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress

From this reading You saw but sorrow in its waning form; A working sea remaining from a storm, Where now the weary waves roll o'er the deep, And faintly murmur ere they fall asleep.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.

WhereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading You saw but sorrow in its waning form; A working sea remaining from a storm, Where now the weary waves roll o'er the deep, And faintly murmur ere they fall asleep.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading Men accustomed to a warfare like that we have been describing are not apt to be much under the influence of the tender feelings while still in the field.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading As Pathfinder returned from the block, he was met by Muir, who led him aside in order to hold a private discourse.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Notwithstanding their habits, however, more than one heart was with Mabel in the block, while the incidents we are about to relate were in the course of occurrence; and even the indispensable meal was less relished by the hardiest of the soldiers than it might have been had not the Sergeant been so near his end.

workingadjectiveUS /ˈwɜːrkɪŋ/

actively engaged in paid work

From this reading You saw but sorrow in its waning form; A working sea remaining from a storm, Where now the weary waves roll o'er the deep, And faintly murmur ere they fall asleep.

YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading You saw but sorrow in its waning form; A working sea remaining from a storm, Where now the weary waves roll o'er the deep, And faintly murmur ere they fall asleep.

Chapter 26 of The Pathfinder by James Fenimore Cooper holds 147 sentences, grouped into 30 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 Pathfinder contain?

Chapter 26 holds 147 sentences of The Pathfinder, unabridged, divided into 30 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 26 of The Pathfinder by James Fenimore Cooper exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 147 sentences, grouped into 30 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 Pathfinder?

Work through the 30 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 30 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 Pathfinder

Common questions about reading The Pathfinder by James Fenimore Cooper on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Pathfinder?

Yes. All 6976 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #1880 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Pathfinder is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #1880, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Pathfinder take to read?

About 581 minutes of reading across 1396 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Pathfinder section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 30 chapters of The Pathfinder to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

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

Vocabulary met early in The Pathfinder

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

Shall
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Pathfinder; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Fragrant
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Pathfinder; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Shrine
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Pathfinder; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Temple
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Pathfinder; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.