Chapter 1 of The Secret Dispatch is here in full — 42 sentences across 9 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of The Secret Dispatch is here in full — 42 sentences across 9 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN BALGONIE. AUTHOR OF "ROMANCE OF WAR," "SCOTTISH CAVALIERS," ETC. ETC. LONDON: CHAPMAN AND HALL, 193, PICCADILLY. THIS TALE, FROM RUSSIAN MILITARY HISTORY, IS INSCRIBED, AS A MEMORIAL OF ADMIRATION AND SINCERE REGARD.
Chapter 1 of The Secret Dispatch is here in full — 42 sentences across 9 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/8 · 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.
plural of “cavalier” — a gallant or courtly gentleman
From this reading “AUTHOR OF "ROMANCE OF WAR," "SCOTTISH CAVALIERS," ETC.”
United States pioneer who planted apple trees as he traveled (1774-1845)
From this reading “LONDON: CHAPMAN AND HALL, 193, PICCADILLY.”
written (by handwriting, printing, engraving, or carving) on or in a surface
From this reading “THIS TALE, FROM RUSSIAN MILITARY HISTORY, IS INSCRIBED, AS A MEMORIAL OF ADMIRATION AND SINCERE REGARD.”
a recognition of meritorious service
From this reading “THIS TALE, FROM RUSSIAN MILITARY HISTORY, IS INSCRIBED, AS A MEMORIAL OF ADMIRATION AND SINCERE REGARD.”
a relationship between two lovers
From this reading “AUTHOR OF "ROMANCE OF WAR," "SCOTTISH CAVALIERS," ETC.”
a native or inhabitant of Russia
From this reading “THIS TALE, FROM RUSSIAN MILITARY HISTORY, IS INSCRIBED, AS A MEMORIAL OF ADMIRATION AND SINCERE REGARD.”
the dialect of English used in Scotland
From this reading “AUTHOR OF "ROMANCE OF WAR," "SCOTTISH CAVALIERS," ETC.”
open and genuine; not deceitful
From this reading “THIS TALE, FROM RUSSIAN MILITARY HISTORY, IS INSCRIBED, AS A MEMORIAL OF ADMIRATION AND SINCERE REGARD.”
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 “THIS TALE, FROM RUSSIAN MILITARY HISTORY, IS INSCRIBED, AS A MEMORIAL OF ADMIRATION AND SINCERE REGARD.”
In this reading “THIS TALE, FROM RUSSIAN MILITARY HISTORY, IS INSCRIBED, AS A MEMORIAL OF ADMIRATION AND SINCERE REGARD.”
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 LONDON: CHAPMAN AND HALL, 193, PICCADILLY.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THIS TALE, FROM RUSSIAN MILITARY HISTORY, IS INSCRIBED, AS A MEMORIAL OF ADMIRATION AND SINCERE REGARD.
a feeling of delighted approval and liking
From this reading THIS TALE, FROM RUSSIAN MILITARY HISTORY, IS INSCRIBED, AS A MEMORIAL OF ADMIRATION AND SINCERE REGARD.
plural of “adventure” — a wild and exciting undertaking (not necessarily lawful)
From this reading THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN BALGONIE.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading LONDON: CHAPMAN AND HALL, 193, PICCADILLY.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading THIS TALE, FROM RUSSIAN MILITARY HISTORY, IS INSCRIBED, AS A MEMORIAL OF ADMIRATION AND SINCERE REGARD.
writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
From this reading AUTHOR OF "ROMANCE OF WAR," "SCOTTISH CAVALIERS," ETC.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN BALGONIE.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN BALGONIE.
plural of “cavalier” — a gallant or courtly gentleman
From this reading AUTHOR OF "ROMANCE OF WAR," "SCOTTISH CAVALIERS," ETC.
United States pioneer who planted apple trees as he traveled (1774-1845)
From this reading LONDON: CHAPMAN AND HALL, 193, PICCADILLY.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AUTHOR OF "ROMANCE OF WAR," "SCOTTISH CAVALIERS," ETC.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading THIS TALE, FROM RUSSIAN MILITARY HISTORY, IS INSCRIBED, AS A MEMORIAL OF ADMIRATION AND SINCERE REGARD.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading LONDON: CHAPMAN AND HALL, 193, PICCADILLY.
the aggregate of past events
From this reading THIS TALE, FROM RUSSIAN MILITARY HISTORY, IS INSCRIBED, AS A MEMORIAL OF ADMIRATION AND SINCERE REGARD.
written (by handwriting, printing, engraving, or carving) on or in a surface
From this reading THIS TALE, FROM RUSSIAN MILITARY HISTORY, IS INSCRIBED, AS A MEMORIAL OF ADMIRATION AND SINCERE REGARD.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THIS TALE, FROM RUSSIAN MILITARY HISTORY, IS INSCRIBED, AS A MEMORIAL OF ADMIRATION AND SINCERE REGARD.
the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center
From this reading LONDON: CHAPMAN AND HALL, 193, PICCADILLY.
a recognition of meritorious service
From this reading THIS TALE, FROM RUSSIAN MILITARY HISTORY, IS INSCRIBED, AS A MEMORIAL OF ADMIRATION AND SINCERE REGARD.
of or relating to the study of the principles of warfare
From this reading THIS TALE, FROM RUSSIAN MILITARY HISTORY, IS INSCRIBED, AS A MEMORIAL OF ADMIRATION AND SINCERE REGARD.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN BALGONIE.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading LONDON: CHAPMAN AND HALL, 193, PICCADILLY.
(usually preceded by “in”) a detail or point
From this reading THIS TALE, FROM RUSSIAN MILITARY HISTORY, IS INSCRIBED, AS A MEMORIAL OF ADMIRATION AND SINCERE REGARD.
a relationship between two lovers
From this reading AUTHOR OF "ROMANCE OF WAR," "SCOTTISH CAVALIERS," ETC.
a native or inhabitant of Russia
From this reading THIS TALE, FROM RUSSIAN MILITARY HISTORY, IS INSCRIBED, AS A MEMORIAL OF ADMIRATION AND SINCERE REGARD.
the dialect of English used in Scotland
From this reading AUTHOR OF "ROMANCE OF WAR," "SCOTTISH CAVALIERS," ETC.
open and genuine; not deceitful
From this reading THIS TALE, FROM RUSSIAN MILITARY HISTORY, IS INSCRIBED, AS A MEMORIAL OF ADMIRATION AND SINCERE REGARD.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading THIS TALE, FROM RUSSIAN MILITARY HISTORY, IS INSCRIBED, AS A MEMORIAL OF ADMIRATION AND SINCERE REGARD.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN BALGONIE.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading THIS TALE, FROM RUSSIAN MILITARY HISTORY, IS INSCRIBED, AS A MEMORIAL OF ADMIRATION AND SINCERE REGARD.
the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
From this reading AUTHOR OF "ROMANCE OF WAR," "SCOTTISH CAVALIERS," ETC.
Chapter 1 of The Secret Dispatch by James Grant holds 42 sentences, grouped into 9 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 42 sentences of The Secret Dispatch, unabridged, divided into 9 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of The Secret Dispatch by James Grant exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 42 sentences, grouped into 9 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 9 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 9 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 Secret Dispatch by James Grant on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 1651 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #64788 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #64788, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 137 minutes of reading across 331 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Secret Dispatch section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 24 chapters of The Secret Dispatch 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 Secret Dispatch, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
