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The Scarlet Letter

Chapter VI · Chapter 6

Chapter 6 of The Scarlet Letter is here in full — 143 sentences across 29 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Nathaniel Hawthorne • Curated US English Learning Edition

Cover illustration for The Scarlet Letter

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

“I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

Drink it!

It may be less soothing than a sinless conscience.

That I cannot give thee.

But it will calm the swell and heaving of thy passion, like oil thrown on the waves of a tempestuous sea.”

Narrator

Speed 0.75x

AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English

LEARNER DICTIONARY

Archivist

/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/

Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Chapter VI Reading 1/28

The Scarlet Letter

Chapter VI · Chapter 6

Chapter 6 of The Scarlet Letter is here in full — 143 sentences across 29 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/28 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

“I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

Line 2

Drink it!

Line 3

It may be less soothing than a sinless conscience.

Line 4

That I cannot give thee.

Line 5

But it will calm the swell and heaving of thy passion, like oil thrown on the waves of a tempestuous sea.”

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.

Oil noun US /ɔɪl/

A viscous liquid derived from petroleum or plants, stored in large earthen jars.

From this reading “But it will calm the swell and heaving of thy passion, like oil thrown on the waves of a tempestuous sea.””

All words in this reading · 64

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.

a

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

an

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

and

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

as

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

be

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

From this reading It may be less soothing than a sinless conscience.

but

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

calm

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

From this reading But it will calm the swell and heaving of thy passion, like oil thrown on the waves of a tempestuous sea.”

cannot

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

From this reading That I cannot give thee.

conscience

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

From this reading It may be less soothing than a sinless conscience.

Drink

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

From this reading Drink it!

give

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

From this reading That I cannot give thee.

have

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

he

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

heaving

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

From this reading But it will calm the swell and heaving of thy passion, like oil thrown on the waves of a tempestuous sea.”

here

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

I

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

in

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

Indian

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

is

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

it

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

From this reading Drink it!

know

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

learned

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

less

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

From this reading It may be less soothing than a sinless conscience.

lessons

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

Lethe

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

like

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

From this reading But it will calm the swell and heaving of thy passion, like oil thrown on the waves of a tempestuous sea.”

many

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

may

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

From this reading It may be less soothing than a sinless conscience.

me

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

my

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

Nepenthe

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

new

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

nor

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

not

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

of

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

oilnounUS /ɔɪl/

A viscous liquid derived from petroleum or plants, stored in large earthen jars.

From this reading But it will calm the swell and heaving of thy passion, like oil thrown on the waves of a tempestuous sea.”

old

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

on

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

From this reading But it will calm the swell and heaving of thy passion, like oil thrown on the waves of a tempestuous sea.”

one

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

own

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

Paracelsus

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

passion

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

From this reading But it will calm the swell and heaving of thy passion, like oil thrown on the waves of a tempestuous sea.”

recipe

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

remarked

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

requital

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

sea

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

From this reading But it will calm the swell and heaving of thy passion, like oil thrown on the waves of a tempestuous sea.”

secrets

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

sinless

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

From this reading It may be less soothing than a sinless conscience.

some

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

soothing

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

From this reading It may be less soothing than a sinless conscience.

swell

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

From this reading But it will calm the swell and heaving of thy passion, like oil thrown on the waves of a tempestuous sea.”

taught

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

tempestuous

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

From this reading But it will calm the swell and heaving of thy passion, like oil thrown on the waves of a tempestuous sea.”

than

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

From this reading It may be less soothing than a sinless conscience.

that

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

the

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

thee

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

From this reading That I cannot give thee.

them

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

thrown

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

From this reading But it will calm the swell and heaving of thy passion, like oil thrown on the waves of a tempestuous sea.”

thy

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

From this reading But it will calm the swell and heaving of thy passion, like oil thrown on the waves of a tempestuous sea.”

waves

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

From this reading But it will calm the swell and heaving of thy passion, like oil thrown on the waves of a tempestuous sea.”

were

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

wilderness

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

From this reading “I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe,” remarked he; “but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness, and here is one of them—a recipe that an Indian taught me, in requital of some lessons of my own, that were as old as Paracelsus.

will

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

From this reading But it will calm the swell and heaving of thy passion, like oil thrown on the waves of a tempestuous sea.”

Chapter 6 of The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne holds 143 sentences, grouped into 29 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 6 of The Scarlet Letter contain?

Chapter 6 holds 143 sentences of The Scarlet Letter, unabridged, divided into 29 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 6 of The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 143 sentences, grouped into 29 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 6 of The Scarlet Letter?

Work through the 29 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 29 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 6 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 6 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 Scarlet Letter

Common questions about reading The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Scarlet Letter?

Yes. All 3286 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #33 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Scarlet Letter is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #33, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Scarlet Letter take to read?

About 273 minutes of reading across 658 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Scarlet Letter section by section

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

Open a chapter

Choose one of the 24 chapters of The Scarlet Letter to begin.
Read one section

Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Listen and tap

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

Vocabulary met early in The Scarlet Letter

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

Little: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Scarlet Letter; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Remarkable: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Scarlet Letter; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Though: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Scarlet Letter; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Disinclined: A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Scarlet Letter; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.