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The Strange Schemes of Randolph Mason
The Strange Schemes of Randolph Mason

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Strange Schemes of Randolph Mason is here in full — 485 sentences across 97 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Melville Davisson Post • Curated US English Learning Edition
Cover illustration for The Strange Schemes of Randolph Mason
Context Illustration Reading 1/97 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Author Of "The Clients Of Randolph Mason" THE STRANGE SCHEMES OF RANDOLPH MASON.
INTRODUCTION.
THE teller of strange tales is not the least among benefactors of men.
His cup of Lethe is welcome at times even to the strongest, when the _tædium vito_ of the commonplace is in its meridian.
To the aching victim of evil fortune, it is ofttimes the divine anaesthetic.
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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 Strange Schemes of Randolph Mason

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Strange Schemes of Randolph Mason is here in full — 485 sentences across 97 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/97 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Author Of "The Clients Of Randolph Mason" THE STRANGE SCHEMES OF RANDOLPH MASON.
Line 2
INTRODUCTION.
/ˌɪntrəˈdʌkʃən/
Line 3
THE teller of strange tales is not the least among benefactors of men.
/ðə ˈtelər ʌv streɪndʒ teɪlz ɪz nɑːt ðə liːst əˈmʌŋ ˈbenəfæktərz ʌv men/
Line 4
His cup of Lethe is welcome at times even to the strongest, when the _tædium vito_ of the commonplace is in its meridian.
Line 5
To the aching victim of evil fortune, it is ofttimes the divine anaesthetic.

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.

aching adjective US /ˈeɪkɪŋ/

causing a dull and steady pain

From this reading “To the aching victim of evil fortune, it is ofttimes the divine anaesthetic.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
anaesthetic adjective US /ˌænəsˈθetɪk/

relating to or producing insensibility

From this reading “To the aching victim of evil fortune, it is ofttimes the divine anaesthetic.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
benefactors noun US /ˈbenəfæktərz/

plural of “benefactor” — a person who helps people or institutions (especially with financial help)

From this reading “THE teller of strange tales is not the least among benefactors of men.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Clients noun US /ˈklaɪənts/

plural of “client” — a person who seeks the advice of a lawyer

From this reading “Author Of "The Clients Of Randolph Mason" THE STRANGE SCHEMES OF RANDOLPH MASON.”

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

completely ordinary and unremarkable

From this reading “His cup of Lethe is welcome at times even to the strongest, when the _tædium vito_ of the commonplace is in its meridian.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
meridian noun US /mərˈɪdiən/

the highest level or degree attainable; the highest stage of development

From this reading “His cup of Lethe is welcome at times even to the strongest, when the _tædium vito_ of the commonplace is in its meridian.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
schemes noun US /skiːmz/

plural of “scheme” — an elaborate and systematic plan of action

From this reading “Author Of "The Clients Of Randolph Mason" THE STRANGE SCHEMES OF RANDOLPH MASON.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
teller noun US /ˈtelər/

United States physicist (born in Hungary) who worked on the first atom bomb and the first hydrogen bomb (1908-2003)

From this reading “THE teller of strange tales is not the least among benefactors of men.”

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

evil fortune noun + noun

In this reading “To the aching victim of evil fortune, it is ofttimes the divine anaesthetic.”

464 times in 426,211 chapters
strange tales adjective + noun counted as “strange tale”

In this reading “THE teller of strange tales is not the least among benefactors of men.”

689 times in 426,211 chapters
at times preposition + noun

sporadically and infrequently

In this reading “His cup of Lethe is welcome at times even to the strongest, when the _tædium vito_ of the commonplace is in its meridian.”

30,289 times in 426,211 chapters

All words in this reading · 41

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.

achingadjectiveUS /ˈeɪkɪŋ/

causing a dull and steady pain

From this reading To the aching victim of evil fortune, it is ofttimes the divine anaesthetic.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/

surrounded by; in the middle of a group

From this reading THE teller of strange tales is not the least among benefactors of men.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
anaestheticadjectiveUS /ˌænəsˈθetɪk/

relating to or producing insensibility

From this reading To the aching victim of evil fortune, it is ofttimes the divine anaesthetic.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading His cup of Lethe is welcome at times even to the strongest, when the _tædium vito_ of the commonplace is in its meridian.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
AuthornounUS /ˈɔːθər/

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

From this reading Author Of "The Clients Of Randolph Mason" THE STRANGE SCHEMES OF RANDOLPH MASON.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
benefactorsnounUS /ˈbenəfæktərz/

plural of “benefactor” — a person who helps people or institutions (especially with financial help)

From this reading THE teller of strange tales is not the least among benefactors of men.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ClientsnounUS /ˈklaɪənts/

plural of “client” — a person who seeks the advice of a lawyer

From this reading Author Of "The Clients Of Randolph Mason" THE STRANGE SCHEMES OF RANDOLPH MASON.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
commonplaceadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːmənpleɪs/

completely ordinary and unremarkable

From this reading His cup of Lethe is welcome at times even to the strongest, when the _tædium vito_ of the commonplace is in its meridian.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
cupnounUS /kʌp/

a small open container usually used for drinking; usually has a handle

From this reading His cup of Lethe is welcome at times even to the strongest, when the _tædium vito_ of the commonplace is in its meridian.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
divineadjectiveUS /dɪˈvaɪn/

emanating from God

From this reading To the aching victim of evil fortune, it is ofttimes the divine anaesthetic.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/

divisible by two

From this reading His cup of Lethe is welcome at times even to the strongest, when the _tædium vito_ of the commonplace is in its meridian.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
evilnounUS /ˈiːvəl/

morally objectionable behavior

From this reading To the aching victim of evil fortune, it is ofttimes the divine anaesthetic.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
fortunenounUS /ˈfɔːrtʃən/

an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another

From this reading To the aching victim of evil fortune, it is ofttimes the divine anaesthetic.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
HisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading His cup of Lethe is welcome at times even to the strongest, when the _tædium vito_ of the commonplace is in its meridian.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading His cup of Lethe is welcome at times even to the strongest, when the _tædium vito_ of the commonplace is in its meridian.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
INTRODUCTIONnounUS /ˌɪntrəˈdʌkʃən/

the act of beginning something new

From this reading INTRODUCTION.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading THE teller of strange tales is not the least among benefactors of men.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading To the aching victim of evil fortune, it is ofttimes the divine anaesthetic.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading His cup of Lethe is welcome at times even to the strongest, when the _tædium vito_ of the commonplace is in its meridian.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
leastadjectiveUS /liːst/

the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree

From this reading THE teller of strange tales is not the least among benefactors of men.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Lethenoun

(Greek mythology) a river in Hades; the souls of the dead had to drink from it, which made them forget all they had done and suffered when they were alive

From this reading His cup of Lethe is welcome at times even to the strongest, when the _tædium vito_ of the commonplace is in its meridian.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
MasonnounUS /ˈmeɪsən/

American Revolutionary leader from Virginia whose objections led to the drafting of the Bill of Rights (1725-1792)

From this reading Author Of "The Clients Of Randolph Mason" THE STRANGE SCHEMES OF RANDOLPH MASON.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading THE teller of strange tales is not the least among benefactors of men.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
meridiannounUS /mərˈɪdiən/

the highest level or degree attainable; the highest stage of development

From this reading His cup of Lethe is welcome at times even to the strongest, when the _tædium vito_ of the commonplace is in its meridian.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading THE teller of strange tales is not the least among benefactors of men.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
OfprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Author Of "The Clients Of Randolph Mason" THE STRANGE SCHEMES OF RANDOLPH MASON.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
ofttimesadverb

many times at short intervals

From this reading To the aching victim of evil fortune, it is ofttimes the divine anaesthetic.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
Randolph

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

From this reading Author Of "The Clients Of Randolph Mason" THE STRANGE SCHEMES OF RANDOLPH MASON.

Pending verification
SCHEMESnounUS /skiːmz/

plural of “scheme” — an elaborate and systematic plan of action

From this reading Author Of "The Clients Of Randolph Mason" THE STRANGE SCHEMES OF RANDOLPH MASON.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
STRANGEadjectiveUS /streɪndʒ/

being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird

From this reading Author Of "The Clients Of Randolph Mason" THE STRANGE SCHEMES OF RANDOLPH MASON.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
strongestadjectiveUS /ˈstrɔːŋɡəst/

superlative of “strong” — having strength or power greater than average or expected

From this reading His cup of Lethe is welcome at times even to the strongest, when the _tædium vito_ of the commonplace is in its meridian.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
talesnounUS /teɪlz/

plural of “tale” — 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 THE teller of strange tales is not the least among benefactors of men.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
tellernounUS /ˈtelər/

United States physicist (born in Hungary) who worked on the first atom bomb and the first hydrogen bomb (1908-2003)

From this reading THE teller of strange tales is not the least among benefactors of men.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Author Of "The Clients Of Randolph Mason" THE STRANGE SCHEMES OF RANDOLPH MASON.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
timesnounUS /taɪmz/

a more or less definite period of time now or previously present

From this reading His cup of Lethe is welcome at times even to the strongest, when the _tædium vito_ of the commonplace is in its meridian.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading His cup of Lethe is welcome at times even to the strongest, when the _tædium vito_ of the commonplace is in its meridian.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary
tædium

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

From this reading His cup of Lethe is welcome at times even to the strongest, when the _tædium vito_ of the commonplace is in its meridian.

Pending verification
victimnounUS /ˈvɪktəm/

an unfortunate person who suffers from some adverse circumstance

From this reading To the aching victim of evil fortune, it is ofttimes the divine anaesthetic.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
vito

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

From this reading His cup of Lethe is welcome at times even to the strongest, when the _tædium vito_ of the commonplace is in its meridian.

Pending verification
welcomeverbUS /ˈwelkəm/

accept gladly

From this reading His cup of Lethe is welcome at times even to the strongest, when the _tædium vito_ of the commonplace is in its meridian.

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1
whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading His cup of Lethe is welcome at times even to the strongest, when the _tædium vito_ of the commonplace is in its meridian.

Velmora grammar entry · CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Chapter 1 of The Strange Schemes of Randolph Mason by Melville Davisson Post holds 485 sentences, grouped into 97 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 1 of The Strange Schemes of Randolph Mason contain?

Chapter 1 holds 485 sentences of The Strange Schemes of Randolph Mason, unabridged, divided into 97 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The Strange Schemes of Randolph Mason by Melville Davisson Post exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 485 sentences, grouped into 97 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 1 of The Strange Schemes of Randolph Mason?

Work through the 97 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 97 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 1 be read aloud to me?

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.

Questions about reading The Strange Schemes of Randolph Mason

Common questions about reading The Strange Schemes of Randolph Mason by Melville Davisson Post on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Strange Schemes of Randolph Mason?

Yes. All 2755 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #51956 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Strange Schemes of Randolph Mason is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #51956, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Strange Schemes of Randolph Mason take to read?

About 229 minutes of reading across 551 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Strange Schemes of Randolph Mason section by section

How to work through The Strange Schemes of Randolph Mason section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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  3. Listen and tap

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Vocabulary met early in The Strange Schemes of Randolph Mason

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Strange Schemes of Randolph Mason, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Strange Schemes of Randolph Mason; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Clients
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Strange Schemes of Randolph Mason; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Randolph
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Strange Schemes of Randolph Mason; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Mason
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Strange Schemes of Randolph Mason; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.