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The Spirit of the Age
The Spirit of the Age

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of The Spirit of the Age is here in full — 444 sentences across 89 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Spirit of the Age
Context Illustration Reading 1/88 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Ah!
Bard tremendous in sublimity!
Could I behold thee in thy loftier mood, Wand'ring at eve, with finely frenzied eye, Beneath some vast old tempest-swinging wood!
Awhile, with mute awe gazing, I would brood, Then weep aloud in a wild ecstasy.
His Tragedy, entitled _Remorse_, is full of beautiful and striking passages, but it does not place the author in the first rank of dramatic writers.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Spirit of the Age

Chapter II · Chapter 2

Chapter 2 of The Spirit of the Age is here in full — 444 sentences across 89 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/88 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Ah!
Line 2
Bard tremendous in sublimity!
Line 3
Could I behold thee in thy loftier mood, Wand'ring at eve, with finely frenzied eye, Beneath some vast old tempest-swinging wood!
Line 4
Awhile, with mute awe gazing, I would brood, Then weep aloud in a wild ecstasy.
/əˈwaɪl wɪð mjuːt ɑː ˈɡeɪzɪŋ aɪ wʊd bruːd ðen wiːp əˈlaʊd ɪn ə waɪld ˈekstəsi/
Line 5
His Tragedy, entitled _Remorse_, is full of beautiful and striking passages, but it does not place the author in the first rank of dramatic writers.
/hɪz ˈtrædʒədi enˈtaɪtəld rɪˈmɔːrs ɪz fʊl ʌv ˈbjuːtəfəl ənd ˈstraɪkɪŋ ˈpæsədʒəz bʌt ɪt dʌz nɑːt pleɪs ðə ˈɔːθər ɪn ðə fɜːrst ræŋk ʌv drəˈmætɪk ˈraɪtərz/

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.

Bard noun US /bɑːrd/

a lyric poet

From this reading “Bard tremendous in sublimity!”

brood verb US /bruːd/

think moodily or anxiously about something

From this reading “Awhile, with mute awe gazing, I would brood, Then weep aloud in a wild ecstasy.”

dramatic adjective US /drəˈmætɪk/

suitable to or characteristic of drama

From this reading “His Tragedy, entitled _Remorse_, is full of beautiful and striking passages, but it does not place the author in the first rank of dramatic writers.”

ecstasy noun US /ˈekstəsi/

a state of being carried away by overwhelming emotion

From this reading “Awhile, with mute awe gazing, I would brood, Then weep aloud in a wild ecstasy.”

finely adverb US /ˈfaɪnli/

in tiny pieces

From this reading “Could I behold thee in thy loftier mood, Wand'ring at eve, with finely frenzied eye, Beneath some vast old tempest-swinging wood!”

frenzied adjective US /ˈfrenzid/

affected with or marked by frenzy or mania uncontrolled by reason

From this reading “Could I behold thee in thy loftier mood, Wand'ring at eve, with finely frenzied eye, Beneath some vast old tempest-swinging wood!”

loftier adjective US /ˈlɔːftiər/

comparative of “lofty” — of high moral or intellectual value; elevated in nature or style

From this reading “Could I behold thee in thy loftier mood, Wand'ring at eve, with finely frenzied eye, Beneath some vast old tempest-swinging wood!”

mute adjective US /mjuːt/

expressed without speech

From this reading “Awhile, with mute awe gazing, I would brood, Then weep aloud in a wild ecstasy.”

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 Awhile, with mute awe gazing, I would brood, Then weep aloud in a wild ecstasy.

Ah

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

From this reading Ah!

aloudadverbUS /əˈlaʊd/

using the voice; not silently

From this reading Awhile, with mute awe gazing, I would brood, Then weep aloud in a wild ecstasy.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading His Tragedy, entitled _Remorse_, is full of beautiful and striking passages, but it does not place the author in the first rank of dramatic writers.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Could I behold thee in thy loftier mood, Wand'ring at eve, with finely frenzied eye, Beneath some vast old tempest-swinging wood!

authornounUS /ˈɔːθər/

writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)

From this reading His Tragedy, entitled _Remorse_, is full of beautiful and striking passages, but it does not place the author in the first rank of dramatic writers.

awenounUS /ɑː/

an overwhelming feeling of wonder or admiration

From this reading Awhile, with mute awe gazing, I would brood, Then weep aloud in a wild ecstasy.

AwhileadverbUS /əˈwaɪl/

for a short time

From this reading Awhile, with mute awe gazing, I would brood, Then weep aloud in a wild ecstasy.

BardnounUS /bɑːrd/

a lyric poet

From this reading Bard tremendous in sublimity!

beautifuladjectiveUS /ˈbjuːtəfəl/

delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration

From this reading His Tragedy, entitled _Remorse_, is full of beautiful and striking passages, but it does not place the author in the first rank of dramatic writers.

beholdverbUS /bɪˈhoʊld/

see with attention

From this reading Could I behold thee in thy loftier mood, Wand'ring at eve, with finely frenzied eye, Beneath some vast old tempest-swinging wood!

BeneathprepositionUS /bɪˈniːθ/

Directly under; in or to a lower position than.

From this reading Could I behold thee in thy loftier mood, Wand'ring at eve, with finely frenzied eye, Beneath some vast old tempest-swinging wood!

broodverbUS /bruːd/

think moodily or anxiously about something

From this reading Awhile, with mute awe gazing, I would brood, Then weep aloud in a wild ecstasy.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading His Tragedy, entitled _Remorse_, is full of beautiful and striking passages, but it does not place the author in the first rank of dramatic writers.

Couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Could I behold thee in thy loftier mood, Wand'ring at eve, with finely frenzied eye, Beneath some vast old tempest-swinging wood!

doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/

the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading His Tragedy, entitled _Remorse_, is full of beautiful and striking passages, but it does not place the author in the first rank of dramatic writers.

dramaticadjectiveUS /drəˈmætɪk/

suitable to or characteristic of drama

From this reading His Tragedy, entitled _Remorse_, is full of beautiful and striking passages, but it does not place the author in the first rank of dramatic writers.

ecstasynounUS /ˈekstəsi/

a state of being carried away by overwhelming emotion

From this reading Awhile, with mute awe gazing, I would brood, Then weep aloud in a wild ecstasy.

entitledadjectiveUS /enˈtaɪtəld/

qualified for by right according to law

From this reading His Tragedy, entitled _Remorse_, is full of beautiful and striking passages, but it does not place the author in the first rank of dramatic writers.

evenounUS /iːv/

(Old Testament) Adam's wife in Judeo-Christian mythology: the first woman and mother of the human race; God created Eve from Adam's rib and placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden

From this reading Could I behold thee in thy loftier mood, Wand'ring at eve, with finely frenzied eye, Beneath some vast old tempest-swinging wood!

eyenounUS /aɪ/

the organ of sight

From this reading Could I behold thee in thy loftier mood, Wand'ring at eve, with finely frenzied eye, Beneath some vast old tempest-swinging wood!

finelyadverbUS /ˈfaɪnli/

in tiny pieces

From this reading Could I behold thee in thy loftier mood, Wand'ring at eve, with finely frenzied eye, Beneath some vast old tempest-swinging wood!

firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading His Tragedy, entitled _Remorse_, is full of beautiful and striking passages, but it does not place the author in the first rank of dramatic writers.

frenziedadjectiveUS /ˈfrenzid/

affected with or marked by frenzy or mania uncontrolled by reason

From this reading Could I behold thee in thy loftier mood, Wand'ring at eve, with finely frenzied eye, Beneath some vast old tempest-swinging wood!

fulladjectiveUS /fʊl/

containing as much or as many as is possible or normal

From this reading His Tragedy, entitled _Remorse_, is full of beautiful and striking passages, but it does not place the author in the first rank of dramatic writers.

gazingverbUS /ˈɡeɪzɪŋ/

-ing form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes

From this reading Awhile, with mute awe gazing, I would brood, Then weep aloud in a wild ecstasy.

HisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading His Tragedy, entitled _Remorse_, is full of beautiful and striking passages, but it does not place the author in the first rank of dramatic writers.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading Could I behold thee in thy loftier mood, Wand'ring at eve, with finely frenzied eye, Beneath some vast old tempest-swinging wood!

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Bard tremendous in sublimity!

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading His Tragedy, entitled _Remorse_, is full of beautiful and striking passages, but it does not place the author in the first rank of dramatic writers.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading His Tragedy, entitled _Remorse_, is full of beautiful and striking passages, but it does not place the author in the first rank of dramatic writers.

loftieradjectiveUS /ˈlɔːftiər/

comparative of “lofty” — of high moral or intellectual value; elevated in nature or style

From this reading Could I behold thee in thy loftier mood, Wand'ring at eve, with finely frenzied eye, Beneath some vast old tempest-swinging wood!

moodnounUS /muːd/

a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling

From this reading Could I behold thee in thy loftier mood, Wand'ring at eve, with finely frenzied eye, Beneath some vast old tempest-swinging wood!

muteadjectiveUS /mjuːt/

expressed without speech

From this reading Awhile, with mute awe gazing, I would brood, Then weep aloud in a wild ecstasy.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading His Tragedy, entitled _Remorse_, is full of beautiful and striking passages, but it does not place the author in the first rank of dramatic writers.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading His Tragedy, entitled _Remorse_, is full of beautiful and striking passages, but it does not place the author in the first rank of dramatic writers.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading Could I behold thee in thy loftier mood, Wand'ring at eve, with finely frenzied eye, Beneath some vast old tempest-swinging wood!

passagesnounUS /ˈpæsədʒəz/

plural of “passage” — the act of passing from one state or place to the next

From this reading His Tragedy, entitled _Remorse_, is full of beautiful and striking passages, but it does not place the author in the first rank of dramatic writers.

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading His Tragedy, entitled _Remorse_, is full of beautiful and striking passages, but it does not place the author in the first rank of dramatic writers.

ranknounUS /ræŋk/

a row or line of people (especially soldiers or police) standing abreast of one another

From this reading His Tragedy, entitled _Remorse_, is full of beautiful and striking passages, but it does not place the author in the first rank of dramatic writers.

RemorsenounUS /rɪˈmɔːrs/

a feeling of deep regret (usually for some misdeed)

From this reading His Tragedy, entitled _Remorse_, is full of beautiful and striking passages, but it does not place the author in the first rank of dramatic writers.

someadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading Could I behold thee in thy loftier mood, Wand'ring at eve, with finely frenzied eye, Beneath some vast old tempest-swinging wood!

strikingadjectiveUS /ˈstraɪkɪŋ/

sensational in appearance or thrilling in effect

From this reading His Tragedy, entitled _Remorse_, is full of beautiful and striking passages, but it does not place the author in the first rank of dramatic writers.

sublimitynoun

nobility in thought or feeling or style

From this reading Bard tremendous in sublimity!

tempest-swinging

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

From this reading Could I behold thee in thy loftier mood, Wand'ring at eve, with finely frenzied eye, Beneath some vast old tempest-swinging wood!

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading His Tragedy, entitled _Remorse_, is full of beautiful and striking passages, but it does not place the author in the first rank of dramatic writers.

theepronounUS /ðiː/

an old word for “you”, as the object, speaking to one person

From this reading Could I behold thee in thy loftier mood, Wand'ring at eve, with finely frenzied eye, Beneath some vast old tempest-swinging wood!

ThenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Awhile, with mute awe gazing, I would brood, Then weep aloud in a wild ecstasy.

thydeterminerUS /ðaɪ/

an old word for “your”, speaking to one person

From this reading Could I behold thee in thy loftier mood, Wand'ring at eve, with finely frenzied eye, Beneath some vast old tempest-swinging wood!

TragedynounUS /ˈtrædʒədi/

an event resulting in great loss and misfortune

From this reading His Tragedy, entitled _Remorse_, is full of beautiful and striking passages, but it does not place the author in the first rank of dramatic writers.

tremendousadjectiveUS /trəˈmendəs/

extraordinarily large in size or extent or amount or power or degree

From this reading Bard tremendous in sublimity!

vastadjectiveUS /væst/

unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope

From this reading Could I behold thee in thy loftier mood, Wand'ring at eve, with finely frenzied eye, Beneath some vast old tempest-swinging wood!

Wand'ring

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

From this reading Could I behold thee in thy loftier mood, Wand'ring at eve, with finely frenzied eye, Beneath some vast old tempest-swinging wood!

weepverbUS /wiːp/

shed tears because of sadness, rage, or pain

From this reading Awhile, with mute awe gazing, I would brood, Then weep aloud in a wild ecstasy.

wildadjectiveUS /waɪld/

marked by extreme lack of restraint or control

From this reading Awhile, with mute awe gazing, I would brood, Then weep aloud in a wild ecstasy.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Could I behold thee in thy loftier mood, Wand'ring at eve, with finely frenzied eye, Beneath some vast old tempest-swinging wood!

woodnounUS /wʊd/

the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees

From this reading Could I behold thee in thy loftier mood, Wand'ring at eve, with finely frenzied eye, Beneath some vast old tempest-swinging wood!

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading Awhile, with mute awe gazing, I would brood, Then weep aloud in a wild ecstasy.

writersnounUS /ˈraɪtərz/

plural of “writer” — writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)

From this reading His Tragedy, entitled _Remorse_, is full of beautiful and striking passages, but it does not place the author in the first rank of dramatic writers.

Chapter 2 of The Spirit of the Age by William Hazlitt holds 444 sentences, grouped into 89 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 2 of The Spirit of the Age contain?

Chapter 2 holds 444 sentences of The Spirit of the Age, unabridged, divided into 89 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 2 of The Spirit of the Age by William Hazlitt exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 444 sentences, grouped into 89 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 2 of The Spirit of the Age?

Work through the 89 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 89 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 2 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 2 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 Spirit of the Age

Common questions about reading The Spirit of the Age by William Hazlitt on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Spirit of the Age?

Yes. All 2637 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #11068 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Spirit of the Age is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #11068, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Spirit of the Age take to read?

About 219 minutes of reading across 528 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Spirit of the Age section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 6 chapters of The Spirit of the Age 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 Spirit of the Age

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Spirit of the Age, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Contemporary
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Spirit of the Age; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Portraits
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Spirit of the Age; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Another
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Spirit of the Age; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
One's
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Spirit of the Age; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.