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The Theatrocrat
The Theatrocrat

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Theatrocrat is here in full — 416 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Theatrocrat
Context Illustration Reading 1/83 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.
The mystery and the power enshrined in you Are old as time and as the moment new: And none but you can tell what part you play, Nor can you tell until you make assay, For this alone, this always, will succeed, The miracle and magic of the deed.
John Davidson.
Poetry is immoral.
It will state any and every morality.
0:00 / 0:00
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.

The Theatrocrat

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Theatrocrat is here in full — 416 sentences across 84 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/83 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.
Line 2
The mystery and the power enshrined in you Are old as time and as the moment new: And none but you can tell what part you play, Nor can you tell until you make assay, For this alone, this always, will succeed, The miracle and magic of the deed.
/ðə ˈmɪstəri ənd ðə ˈpaʊər enˈʃraɪnd ɪn juː ɑːr oʊld æz taɪm ənd æz ðə ˈmoʊmənt nuː ənd nʌn bʌt juː kæn tel wʌt pɑːrt juː pleɪ nɔːr kæn juː tel ənˈtɪl juː meɪk ˈæsi fɔːr ðɪs əˈloʊn ðɪs ˈɔːlweɪz wɪl səkˈsiːd ðə ˈmɪrəkəl ənd ˈmædʒɪk ʌv ðə diːd/
Line 3
John Davidson.
Line 4
Poetry is immoral.
/ˈpoʊətri ɪz ˌɪˈmɔːrəl/
Line 5
It will state any and every morality.
/ɪt wɪl steɪt ˈeni ənd ˈevəri mərˈæləti/

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.

assay noun US /ˈæsi/

an appraisal of the state of affairs

From this reading “The mystery and the power enshrined in you Are old as time and as the moment new: And none but you can tell what part you play, Nor can you tell until you make assay, For this alone, this always, will succeed, The miracle and magic of the deed.”

enshrined verb US /enˈʃraɪnd/

past form of “enshrine” — enclose in a shrine

From this reading “The mystery and the power enshrined in you Are old as time and as the moment new: And none but you can tell what part you play, Nor can you tell until you make assay, For this alone, this always, will succeed, The miracle and magic of the deed.”

hardiest adjective US /ˈhɑːrdiəst/

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

From this reading “Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.”

immoral adjective US /ˌɪˈmɔːrəl/

deliberately violating accepted principles of right and wrong

From this reading “Poetry is immoral.”

morality noun US /mərˈæləti/

concern with the distinction between good and evil or right and wrong; right or good conduct

From this reading “It will state any and every morality.”

proudest adjective US /ˈpraʊdəst/

superlative of “proud” — feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride

From this reading “Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.”

rebuff verb US /rɪˈbʌf/

reject outright and bluntly

From this reading “Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.”

rust verb US /rʌst/

become destroyed by water, air, or a corrosive such as an acid

From this reading “Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.”

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.

balance of verb + particle

In this reading “Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.”

All words in this reading · 86

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.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/

Having no one else present.

From this reading The mystery and the power enshrined in you Are old as time and as the moment new: And none but you can tell what part you play, Nor can you tell until you make assay, For this alone, this always, will succeed, The miracle and magic of the deed.

alwaysadverbUS /ˈɔːlweɪz/

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading The mystery and the power enshrined in you Are old as time and as the moment new: And none but you can tell what part you play, Nor can you tell until you make assay, For this alone, this always, will succeed, The miracle and magic of the deed.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading It will state any and every morality.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading The mystery and the power enshrined in you Are old as time and as the moment new: And none but you can tell what part you play, Nor can you tell until you make assay, For this alone, this always, will succeed, The miracle and magic of the deed.

asideadverbUS /əˈsaɪd/

on or to one side

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

assaynounUS /ˈæsi/

an appraisal of the state of affairs

From this reading The mystery and the power enshrined in you Are old as time and as the moment new: And none but you can tell what part you play, Nor can you tell until you make assay, For this alone, this always, will succeed, The miracle and magic of the deed.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

AwaitverbUS /əˈweɪt/

look forward to the probable occurrence of

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

balanceverbUS /ˈbæləns/

bring into balance or equilibrium

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

beamnounUS /biːm/

a signal transmitted along a narrow path; guides airplane pilots in darkness or bad weather

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

BreakverbUS /breɪk/

terminate

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The mystery and the power enshrined in you Are old as time and as the moment new: And none but you can tell what part you play, Nor can you tell until you make assay, For this alone, this always, will succeed, The miracle and magic of the deed.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading The mystery and the power enshrined in you Are old as time and as the moment new: And none but you can tell what part you play, Nor can you tell until you make assay, For this alone, this always, will succeed, The miracle and magic of the deed.

ConsiderverbUS /kənˈsɪdər/

deem to be

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

creednounUS /kriːd/

any system of principles or beliefs

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

customnounUS /ˈkʌstəm/

accepted or habitual practice

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

Davidson

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

From this reading John Davidson.

DeclareverbUS /dɪˈkler/

state emphatically and authoritatively

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

deednounUS /diːd/

a legal document signed and sealed and delivered to effect a transfer of property and to show the legal right to possess it

From this reading The mystery and the power enshrined in you Are old as time and as the moment new: And none but you can tell what part you play, Nor can you tell until you make assay, For this alone, this always, will succeed, The miracle and magic of the deed.

destinynounUS /ˈdestəni/

an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

dreamnounUS /driːm/

A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

enoughnounUS /ɪˈnʌf/

an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

enshrinedverbUS /enˈʃraɪnd/

past form of “enshrine” — enclose in a shrine

From this reading The mystery and the power enshrined in you Are old as time and as the moment new: And none but you can tell what part you play, Nor can you tell until you make assay, For this alone, this always, will succeed, The miracle and magic of the deed.

enteredverbUS /ˈentərd/

past form of “enter” — to come or go into

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading It will state any and every morality.

ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The mystery and the power enshrined in you Are old as time and as the moment new: And none but you can tell what part you play, Nor can you tell until you make assay, For this alone, this always, will succeed, The miracle and magic of the deed.

hardiestadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːrdiəst/

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

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

heartsnounUS /hɑːrts/

a form of whist in which players avoid winning tricks containing hearts or the queen of spades

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

HighadjectiveUS /haɪ/

greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

huckster's

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

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

immoraladjectiveUS /ˌɪˈmɔːrəl/

deliberately violating accepted principles of right and wrong

From this reading Poetry is immoral.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The mystery and the power enshrined in you Are old as time and as the moment new: And none but you can tell what part you play, Nor can you tell until you make assay, For this alone, this always, will succeed, The miracle and magic of the deed.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Poetry is immoral.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

JohnnounUS /dʒɑːn/

a room or building equipped with one or more toilets

From this reading John Davidson.

knockernoun

(Yiddish) a big shot who knows it and acts that way; a boastful immoderate person

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

laughnounUS /læf/

the sound of laughing

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

leadverbUS /led/

take somebody somewhere

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

letauxiliary verbUS /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

magicnounUS /ˈmædʒɪk/

any art that invokes supernatural powers

From this reading The mystery and the power enshrined in you Are old as time and as the moment new: And none but you can tell what part you play, Nor can you tell until you make assay, For this alone, this always, will succeed, The miracle and magic of the deed.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading The mystery and the power enshrined in you Are old as time and as the moment new: And none but you can tell what part you play, Nor can you tell until you make assay, For this alone, this always, will succeed, The miracle and magic of the deed.

man'snounUS /mænz/

possessive form of “man” — an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

miraclenounUS /ˈmɪrəkəl/

any amazing or wonderful occurrence

From this reading The mystery and the power enshrined in you Are old as time and as the moment new: And none but you can tell what part you play, Nor can you tell until you make assay, For this alone, this always, will succeed, The miracle and magic of the deed.

momentnounUS /ˈmoʊmənt/

a particular point in time

From this reading The mystery and the power enshrined in you Are old as time and as the moment new: And none but you can tell what part you play, Nor can you tell until you make assay, For this alone, this always, will succeed, The miracle and magic of the deed.

moralitynounUS /mərˈæləti/

concern with the distinction between good and evil or right and wrong; right or good conduct

From this reading It will state any and every morality.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

mysterynounUS /ˈmɪstəri/

something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained

From this reading The mystery and the power enshrined in you Are old as time and as the moment new: And none but you can tell what part you play, Nor can you tell until you make assay, For this alone, this always, will succeed, The miracle and magic of the deed.

newadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading The mystery and the power enshrined in you Are old as time and as the moment new: And none but you can tell what part you play, Nor can you tell until you make assay, For this alone, this always, will succeed, The miracle and magic of the deed.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

nonepronounUS /nʌn/

not one, and not any

From this reading The mystery and the power enshrined in you Are old as time and as the moment new: And none but you can tell what part you play, Nor can you tell until you make assay, For this alone, this always, will succeed, The miracle and magic of the deed.

NorconjunctionUS /nɔːr/

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

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

From this reading The mystery and the power enshrined in you Are old as time and as the moment new: And none but you can tell what part you play, Nor can you tell until you make assay, For this alone, this always, will succeed, The miracle and magic of the deed.

openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

partnounUS /pɑːrt/

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading The mystery and the power enshrined in you Are old as time and as the moment new: And none but you can tell what part you play, Nor can you tell until you make assay, For this alone, this always, will succeed, The miracle and magic of the deed.

playverbUS /pleɪ/

participate in games or sport

From this reading The mystery and the power enshrined in you Are old as time and as the moment new: And none but you can tell what part you play, Nor can you tell until you make assay, For this alone, this always, will succeed, The miracle and magic of the deed.

PoetrynounUS /ˈpoʊətri/

literature in metrical form

From this reading Poetry is immoral.

powernounUS /ˈpaʊər/

possession of controlling influence

From this reading The mystery and the power enshrined in you Are old as time and as the moment new: And none but you can tell what part you play, Nor can you tell until you make assay, For this alone, this always, will succeed, The miracle and magic of the deed.

promptlyadverbUS /ˈprɑːmptli/

with little or no delay

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

proudestadjectiveUS /ˈpraʊdəst/

superlative of “proud” — feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

rebuffverbUS /rɪˈbʌf/

reject outright and bluntly

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

rustverbUS /rʌst/

become destroyed by water, air, or a corrosive such as an acid

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

SettingnounUS /ˈsetɪŋ/

the context and environment in which something is set

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

shaltmodal verbUS /ʃælt/

an old form of “shall”, used with “thou”

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

statenounUS /steɪt/

the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation

From this reading It will state any and every morality.

succeedverbUS /səkˈsiːd/

attain success or reach a desired goal

From this reading The mystery and the power enshrined in you Are old as time and as the moment new: And none but you can tell what part you play, Nor can you tell until you make assay, For this alone, this always, will succeed, The miracle and magic of the deed.

summonsnounUS /ˈsʌmənz/

a request to be present

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

takeverbUS /teɪk/

carry out

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading The mystery and the power enshrined in you Are old as time and as the moment new: And none but you can tell what part you play, Nor can you tell until you make assay, For this alone, this always, will succeed, The miracle and magic of the deed.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading The mystery and the power enshrined in you Are old as time and as the moment new: And none but you can tell what part you play, Nor can you tell until you make assay, For this alone, this always, will succeed, The miracle and magic of the deed.

thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading The mystery and the power enshrined in you Are old as time and as the moment new: And none but you can tell what part you play, Nor can you tell until you make assay, For this alone, this always, will succeed, The miracle and magic of the deed.

traditionnounUS /trəˈdɪʃən/

an inherited pattern of thought or action

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading The mystery and the power enshrined in you Are old as time and as the moment new: And none but you can tell what part you play, Nor can you tell until you make assay, For this alone, this always, will succeed, The miracle and magic of the deed.

watchverbUS /wɑːtʃ/

look attentively

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading The mystery and the power enshrined in you Are old as time and as the moment new: And none but you can tell what part you play, Nor can you tell until you make assay, For this alone, this always, will succeed, The miracle and magic of the deed.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading The mystery and the power enshrined in you Are old as time and as the moment new: And none but you can tell what part you play, Nor can you tell until you make assay, For this alone, this always, will succeed, The miracle and magic of the deed.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading The mystery and the power enshrined in you Are old as time and as the moment new: And none but you can tell what part you play, Nor can you tell until you make assay, For this alone, this always, will succeed, The miracle and magic of the deed.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

youthnounUS /juːθ/

a young person (especially a young man or boy)

From this reading Break--break it open; let the knocker rust: Consider no "shalt not", and no man's "must": And, being entered, promptly take the lead, Setting aside tradition, custom, creed; Nor watch the balance of the huckster's beam; Declare your hardiest thought, your proudest dream: Await no summons; laugh at all rebuff; High hearts and youth are destiny enough.

Chapter 1 of The Theatrocrat by John Davidson holds 416 sentences, grouped into 84 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 Theatrocrat contain?

Chapter 1 holds 416 sentences of The Theatrocrat, unabridged, divided into 84 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The Theatrocrat by John Davidson exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 416 sentences, grouped into 84 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 Theatrocrat?

Work through the 84 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 84 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 Theatrocrat

Common questions about reading The Theatrocrat by John Davidson on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Theatrocrat?

Yes. All 2882 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #53941 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Theatrocrat is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #53941, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Theatrocrat take to read?

About 240 minutes of reading across 577 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Theatrocrat section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 7 chapters of The Theatrocrat 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 Theatrocrat

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

Break--break
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Theatrocrat; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Knocker
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Theatrocrat; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Consider
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Theatrocrat; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Shalt
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Theatrocrat; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.