Chapter 1 of The Vanity of Human Wishes (1749) and Two is here in full — 285 sentences across 57 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Chapter 1 of The Vanity of Human Wishes (1749) and Two is here in full — 285 sentences across 57 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
The Guardians yield, by Force superior ply'd; By Int'rest, Prudence; and by Flatt'ry, Pride. Here Beauty falls betray'd, despis'd, distress'd, And hissing Infamy proclaims the rest. [Footnote m: Ver. 289-345.] Where[n] then shall Hope and Fear their Objects find? Must dull Suspence corrupt the stagnant Mind?
Chapter 1 of The Vanity of Human Wishes (1749) and Two is here in full — 285 sentences across 57 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 31/57 · 5 reading units · Lines 151–155
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.
corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality
From this reading “Must dull Suspence corrupt the stagnant Mind?”
a printed note placed below the text on a printed page
From this reading “[Footnote m: Ver.”
plural of “guardian” — a person who cares for persons or property
From this reading “The Guardians yield, by Force superior ply'd; By Int'rest, Prudence; and by Flatt'ry, Pride.”
a fricative sound (especially as an expression of disapproval)
From this reading “Here Beauty falls betray'd, despis'd, distress'd, And hissing Infamy proclaims the rest.”
a state of extreme dishonor
From this reading “Here Beauty falls betray'd, despis'd, distress'd, And hissing Infamy proclaims the rest.”
third-person singular of “proclaim” — declare formally; declare someone to be something; of titles
From this reading “Here Beauty falls betray'd, despis'd, distress'd, And hissing Infamy proclaims the rest.”
discretion in practical affairs
From this reading “The Guardians yield, by Force superior ply'd; By Int'rest, Prudence; and by Flatt'ry, Pride.”
not circulating or flowing
From this reading “Must dull Suspence corrupt the stagnant Mind?”
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 289-345.] Where[n] then shall Hope and Fear their Objects find?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 289-345.] Where[n] then shall Hope and Fear their Objects find?
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Guardians yield, by Force superior ply'd; By Int'rest, Prudence; and by Flatt'ry, Pride.
the qualities that give pleasure to the senses
From this reading Here Beauty falls betray'd, despis'd, distress'd, And hissing Infamy proclaims the rest.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here Beauty falls betray'd, despis'd, distress'd, And hissing Infamy proclaims the rest.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The Guardians yield, by Force superior ply'd; By Int'rest, Prudence; and by Flatt'ry, Pride.
corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality
From this reading Must dull Suspence corrupt the stagnant Mind?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here Beauty falls betray'd, despis'd, distress'd, And hissing Infamy proclaims the rest.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here Beauty falls betray'd, despis'd, distress'd, And hissing Infamy proclaims the rest.
lacking in liveliness or animation
From this reading Must dull Suspence corrupt the stagnant Mind?
the petals or sepals of a flower that bend downward (especially the outer perianth of an iris)
From this reading Here Beauty falls betray'd, despis'd, distress'd, And hissing Infamy proclaims the rest.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading 289-345.] Where[n] then shall Hope and Fear their Objects find?
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading 289-345.] Where[n] then shall Hope and Fear their Objects find?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Guardians yield, by Force superior ply'd; By Int'rest, Prudence; and by Flatt'ry, Pride.
a printed note placed below the text on a printed page
From this reading [Footnote m: Ver.
a powerful effect or influence
From this reading The Guardians yield, by Force superior ply'd; By Int'rest, Prudence; and by Flatt'ry, Pride.
plural of “guardian” — a person who cares for persons or property
From this reading The Guardians yield, by Force superior ply'd; By Int'rest, Prudence; and by Flatt'ry, Pride.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Here Beauty falls betray'd, despis'd, distress'd, And hissing Infamy proclaims the rest.
a fricative sound (especially as an expression of disapproval)
From this reading Here Beauty falls betray'd, despis'd, distress'd, And hissing Infamy proclaims the rest.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading 289-345.] Where[n] then shall Hope and Fear their Objects find?
a state of extreme dishonor
From this reading Here Beauty falls betray'd, despis'd, distress'd, And hissing Infamy proclaims the rest.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Guardians yield, by Force superior ply'd; By Int'rest, Prudence; and by Flatt'ry, Pride.
the basic unit of length adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites (approximately 1.094 yards)
From this reading [Footnote m: Ver.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading Must dull Suspence corrupt the stagnant Mind?
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading Must dull Suspence corrupt the stagnant Mind?
a common nonmetallic element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless inert diatomic gas; constitutes 78 percent of the atmosphere by volume; a constituent of all living tissues
From this reading 289-345.] Where[n] then shall Hope and Fear their Objects find?
plural of “object” — a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow
From this reading 289-345.] Where[n] then shall Hope and Fear their Objects find?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Guardians yield, by Force superior ply'd; By Int'rest, Prudence; and by Flatt'ry, Pride.
a feeling of self-respect and personal worth
From this reading The Guardians yield, by Force superior ply'd; By Int'rest, Prudence; and by Flatt'ry, Pride.
third-person singular of “proclaim” — declare formally; declare someone to be something; of titles
From this reading Here Beauty falls betray'd, despis'd, distress'd, And hissing Infamy proclaims the rest.
discretion in practical affairs
From this reading The Guardians yield, by Force superior ply'd; By Int'rest, Prudence; and by Flatt'ry, Pride.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading Here Beauty falls betray'd, despis'd, distress'd, And hissing Infamy proclaims the rest.
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading 289-345.] Where[n] then shall Hope and Fear their Objects find?
not circulating or flowing
From this reading Must dull Suspence corrupt the stagnant Mind?
of high or superior quality or performance
From this reading The Guardians yield, by Force superior ply'd; By Int'rest, Prudence; and by Flatt'ry, Pride.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Must dull Suspence corrupt the stagnant Mind?
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Guardians yield, by Force superior ply'd; By Int'rest, Prudence; and by Flatt'ry, Pride.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading 289-345.] Where[n] then shall Hope and Fear their Objects find?
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading 289-345.] Where[n] then shall Hope and Fear their Objects find?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [Footnote m: Ver.
in or at the place that
From this reading 289-345.] Where[n] then shall Hope and Fear their Objects find?
be the cause or source of
From this reading The Guardians yield, by Force superior ply'd; By Int'rest, Prudence; and by Flatt'ry, Pride.
Chapter 1 of The Vanity of Human Wishes (1749) and Two by Samuel Johnson holds 285 sentences, grouped into 57 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 285 sentences of The Vanity of Human Wishes (1749) and Two, unabridged, divided into 57 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of The Vanity of Human Wishes (1749) and Two by Samuel Johnson exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 285 sentences, grouped into 57 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 57 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 57 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.
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Yes. All 285 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #13350 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #13350, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 23 minutes of reading across 57 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Vanity of Human Wishes (1749) and Two section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 1 chapters of The Vanity of Human Wishes (1749) and Two 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 Vanity of Human Wishes (1749) and Two, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
