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The Vanity of Human Wishes (1749) and Two
The Vanity of Human Wishes (1749) and Two

Chapter I · Chapter 1

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.

Cover illustration for The Vanity of Human Wishes (1749) and Two
Context Illustration Reading 56/57 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The editorial policy of the Society will continue unchanged.
As in the past, the editors will strive to furnish members inexpensive reprints of rare seventeenth and eighteenth century works.
All correspondence concerning subscriptions in the United States and Canada should be addressed to the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 2205 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles 7, California.
Correspondence concerning editorial matters may be addressed to any of the general editors.
Membership fee continues $2.50 per year ($2.75 in Great Britain and the continent).
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 Vanity of Human Wishes (1749) and Two

Chapter I · Chapter 1

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 56/57 · 5 reading units · Lines 276–280

Line 1
The editorial policy of the Society will continue unchanged.
/ðə ˌedəˈtɔːriəl ˈpɑːləsi ʌv ðə səˈsaɪəti wɪl kənˈtɪnjuː ənˈtʃeɪndʒd/
Line 2
As in the past, the editors will strive to furnish members inexpensive reprints of rare seventeenth and eighteenth century works.
/æz ɪn ðə pæst ðə ˈedɪtərz wɪl straɪv tuː ˈfɜːrnɪʃ ˈmembərz ˌɪnɪkˈspensɪv riˈprɪnts ʌv rer ˈsevənˈtiːnθ ənd eɪˈtiːnθ ˈsentʃəri wɜːrks/
Line 3
All correspondence concerning subscriptions in the United States and Canada should be addressed to the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 2205 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles 7, California.
Line 4
Correspondence concerning editorial matters may be addressed to any of the general editors.
/ˌkɔːrəˈspɑːndəns kənˈsɜːrnɪŋ ˌedəˈtɔːriəl ˈmætərz meɪ biː əˈdrest tuː ˈeni ʌv ðə ˈdʒenərəl ˈedɪtərz/
Line 5
Membership fee continues $2.50 per year ($2.75 in Great Britain and the continent).

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.

Andrews noun US /ˈændruːz/

United States naturalist who contributed to paleontology and geology (1884-1960)

From this reading “All correspondence concerning subscriptions in the United States and Canada should be addressed to the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 2205 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles 7, California.”

editorial adjective US /ˌedəˈtɔːriəl/

of or relating to an article stating opinions or giving perspectives

From this reading “The editorial policy of the Society will continue unchanged.”

editors noun US /ˈedɪtərz/

plural of “editor” — a person responsible for the editorial aspects of publication; the person who determines the final content of a text (especially of a newspaper or magazine)

From this reading “As in the past, the editors will strive to furnish members inexpensive reprints of rare seventeenth and eighteenth century works.”

inexpensive adjective US /ˌɪnɪkˈspensɪv/

relatively low in price or charging low prices

From this reading “As in the past, the editors will strive to furnish members inexpensive reprints of rare seventeenth and eighteenth century works.”

Membership noun US /ˈmembərʃɪp/

the body of members of an organization or group

From this reading “Membership fee continues $2.50 per year ($2.75 in Great Britain and the continent).”

reprints noun US /riˈprɪnts/

plural of “reprint” — a publication (such as a book) that is reprinted without changes or editing and offered again for sale

From this reading “As in the past, the editors will strive to furnish members inexpensive reprints of rare seventeenth and eighteenth century works.”

seventeenth adjective US /ˈsevənˈtiːnθ/

coming next after the sixteenth in position

From this reading “As in the past, the editors will strive to furnish members inexpensive reprints of rare seventeenth and eighteenth century works.”

subscriptions noun US /səbˈskrɪpʃənz/

plural of “subscription” — a payment for consecutive issues of a newspaper or magazine for a given period of time

From this reading “All correspondence concerning subscriptions in the United States and Canada should be addressed to the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 2205 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles 7, California.”

All words in this reading · 61

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.

2.50

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

From this reading Membership fee continues $2.50 per year ($2.75 in Great Britain and the continent).

2.75

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

From this reading Membership fee continues $2.50 per year ($2.75 in Great Britain and the continent).

2205

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

From this reading All correspondence concerning subscriptions in the United States and Canada should be addressed to the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 2205 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles 7, California.

7

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

From this reading All correspondence concerning subscriptions in the United States and Canada should be addressed to the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 2205 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles 7, California.

AdamsnounUS /ˈædəmz/

American Revolutionary leader and patriot; an organizer of the Boston Tea Party and signer of the Declaration of Independence (1722-1803)

From this reading All correspondence concerning subscriptions in the United States and Canada should be addressed to the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 2205 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles 7, California.

addressedadjectiveUS /əˈdrest/

(of mail) marked with a destination

From this reading All correspondence concerning subscriptions in the United States and Canada should be addressed to the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 2205 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles 7, California.

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 All correspondence concerning subscriptions in the United States and Canada should be addressed to the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 2205 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles 7, California.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading As in the past, the editors will strive to furnish members inexpensive reprints of rare seventeenth and eighteenth century works.

AndrewsnounUS /ˈændruːz/

United States naturalist who contributed to paleontology and geology (1884-1960)

From this reading All correspondence concerning subscriptions in the United States and Canada should be addressed to the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 2205 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles 7, California.

Angeles

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

From this reading All correspondence concerning subscriptions in the United States and Canada should be addressed to the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 2205 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles 7, California.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading Correspondence concerning editorial matters may be addressed to any of the general editors.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading As in the past, the editors will strive to furnish members inexpensive reprints of rare seventeenth and eighteenth century works.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading All correspondence concerning subscriptions in the United States and Canada should be addressed to the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 2205 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles 7, California.

Blvd

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

From this reading All correspondence concerning subscriptions in the United States and Canada should be addressed to the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 2205 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles 7, California.

BritainnounUS /ˈbrɪtən/

a monarchy in northwestern Europe occupying most of the British Isles; divided into England and Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland; “Great Britain” is often used loosely to refer to the United Kingdom

From this reading Membership fee continues $2.50 per year ($2.75 in Great Britain and the continent).

CalifornianounUS /ˌkæləˈfɔːrnjə/

a state in the western United States on the Pacific; the 3rd largest state; known for earthquakes

From this reading All correspondence concerning subscriptions in the United States and Canada should be addressed to the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 2205 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles 7, California.

CanadanounUS /ˈkænədə/

a nation in northern North America; the French were the first Europeans to settle in mainland Canada

From this reading All correspondence concerning subscriptions in the United States and Canada should be addressed to the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 2205 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles 7, California.

centurynounUS /ˈsentʃəri/

a period of 100 years

From this reading As in the past, the editors will strive to furnish members inexpensive reprints of rare seventeenth and eighteenth century works.

ClarknounUS /klɑːrk/

United States explorer who (with Meriwether Lewis) led an expedition from St. Louis to the mouth of the Columbia River; Clark was responsible for making maps of the area (1770-1838)

From this reading All correspondence concerning subscriptions in the United States and Canada should be addressed to the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 2205 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles 7, California.

concerningverbUS /kənˈsɜːrnɪŋ/

-ing form of “concern” — be relevant to

From this reading All correspondence concerning subscriptions in the United States and Canada should be addressed to the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 2205 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles 7, California.

continentnounUS /ˈkɑːntənənt/

one of the large landmasses of the earth

From this reading Membership fee continues $2.50 per year ($2.75 in Great Britain and the continent).

continueverbUS /kənˈtɪnjuː/

continue a certain state, condition, or activity

From this reading The editorial policy of the Society will continue unchanged.

continuesverbUS /kənˈtɪnjuːz/

third-person singular of “continue” — continue a certain state, condition, or activity

From this reading Membership fee continues $2.50 per year ($2.75 in Great Britain and the continent).

correspondencenounUS /ˌkɔːrəˈspɑːndəns/

communication by the exchange of letters

From this reading All correspondence concerning subscriptions in the United States and Canada should be addressed to the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 2205 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles 7, California.

editorialadjectiveUS /ˌedəˈtɔːriəl/

of or relating to an article stating opinions or giving perspectives

From this reading The editorial policy of the Society will continue unchanged.

editorsnounUS /ˈedɪtərz/

plural of “editor” — a person responsible for the editorial aspects of publication; the person who determines the final content of a text (especially of a newspaper or magazine)

From this reading As in the past, the editors will strive to furnish members inexpensive reprints of rare seventeenth and eighteenth century works.

eighteenthadjectiveUS /eɪˈtiːnθ/

coming next after the seventeenth in position

From this reading As in the past, the editors will strive to furnish members inexpensive reprints of rare seventeenth and eighteenth century works.

feenounUS /fiː/

a fixed charge for a privilege or for professional services

From this reading Membership fee continues $2.50 per year ($2.75 in Great Britain and the continent).

furnishverbUS /ˈfɜːrnɪʃ/

give something useful or necessary to

From this reading As in the past, the editors will strive to furnish members inexpensive reprints of rare seventeenth and eighteenth century works.

generaladjectiveUS /ˈdʒenərəl/

applying to all or most members of a category or group

From this reading Correspondence concerning editorial matters may be addressed to any of the general editors.

GreatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading Membership fee continues $2.50 per year ($2.75 in Great Britain and the continent).

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading As in the past, the editors will strive to furnish members inexpensive reprints of rare seventeenth and eighteenth century works.

inexpensiveadjectiveUS /ˌɪnɪkˈspensɪv/

relatively low in price or charging low prices

From this reading As in the past, the editors will strive to furnish members inexpensive reprints of rare seventeenth and eighteenth century works.

LibrarynounUS /ˈlaɪbreriː/

a room where books are kept

From this reading All correspondence concerning subscriptions in the United States and Canada should be addressed to the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 2205 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles 7, California.

Los

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

From this reading All correspondence concerning subscriptions in the United States and Canada should be addressed to the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 2205 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles 7, California.

mattersnounUS /ˈmætərz/

plural of “matter” — a vaguely specified concern

From this reading Correspondence concerning editorial matters may be addressed to any of the general editors.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading Correspondence concerning editorial matters may be addressed to any of the general editors.

membersnounUS /ˈmembərz/

plural of “member” — one of the persons who compose a social group (especially individuals who have joined and participate in a group organization)

From this reading As in the past, the editors will strive to furnish members inexpensive reprints of rare seventeenth and eighteenth century works.

MembershipnounUS /ˈmembərʃɪp/

the body of members of an organization or group

From this reading Membership fee continues $2.50 per year ($2.75 in Great Britain and the continent).

MemorialnounUS /məˈmɔːriəl/

a recognition of meritorious service

From this reading All correspondence concerning subscriptions in the United States and Canada should be addressed to the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 2205 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles 7, California.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The editorial policy of the Society will continue unchanged.

pastnounUS /pæst/

the time that has elapsed

From this reading As in the past, the editors will strive to furnish members inexpensive reprints of rare seventeenth and eighteenth century works.

perprepositionUS /pɜːr/

for each

From this reading Membership fee continues $2.50 per year ($2.75 in Great Britain and the continent).

policynounUS /ˈpɑːləsi/

a plan of action adopted by an individual or social group

From this reading The editorial policy of the Society will continue unchanged.

rareadjectiveUS /rer/

not widely known; especially valued for its uncommonness

From this reading As in the past, the editors will strive to furnish members inexpensive reprints of rare seventeenth and eighteenth century works.

reprintsnounUS /riˈprɪnts/

plural of “reprint” — a publication (such as a book) that is reprinted without changes or editing and offered again for sale

From this reading As in the past, the editors will strive to furnish members inexpensive reprints of rare seventeenth and eighteenth century works.

seventeenthadjectiveUS /ˈsevənˈtiːnθ/

coming next after the sixteenth in position

From this reading As in the past, the editors will strive to furnish members inexpensive reprints of rare seventeenth and eighteenth century works.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading All correspondence concerning subscriptions in the United States and Canada should be addressed to the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 2205 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles 7, California.

SocietynounUS /səˈsaɪəti/

an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic organization

From this reading The editorial policy of the Society will continue unchanged.

StatesnounUS /steɪts/

plural of “state” — the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation

From this reading All correspondence concerning subscriptions in the United States and Canada should be addressed to the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 2205 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles 7, California.

striveverbUS /straɪv/

attempt by employing effort

From this reading As in the past, the editors will strive to furnish members inexpensive reprints of rare seventeenth and eighteenth century works.

subscriptionsnounUS /səbˈskrɪpʃənz/

plural of “subscription” — a payment for consecutive issues of a newspaper or magazine for a given period of time

From this reading All correspondence concerning subscriptions in the United States and Canada should be addressed to the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 2205 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles 7, California.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The editorial policy of the Society will continue unchanged.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading As in the past, the editors will strive to furnish members inexpensive reprints of rare seventeenth and eighteenth century works.

unchangedadjectiveUS /ənˈtʃeɪndʒd/

not made or become different

From this reading The editorial policy of the Society will continue unchanged.

UnitedadjectiveUS /juːˈnaɪtɪd/

characterized by unity; being or joined into a single entity

From this reading All correspondence concerning subscriptions in the United States and Canada should be addressed to the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 2205 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles 7, California.

WestnounUS /west/

the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America

From this reading All correspondence concerning subscriptions in the United States and Canada should be addressed to the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 2205 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles 7, California.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading The editorial policy of the Society will continue unchanged.

William

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

From this reading All correspondence concerning subscriptions in the United States and Canada should be addressed to the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 2205 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles 7, California.

worksnounUS /wɜːrks/

buildings for carrying on industrial labor

From this reading As in the past, the editors will strive to furnish members inexpensive reprints of rare seventeenth and eighteenth century works.

yearnounUS /jɪr/

a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days

From this reading Membership fee continues $2.50 per year ($2.75 in Great Britain and the continent).

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.

What does chapter 1 of The Vanity of Human Wishes (1749) and Two contain?

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.

How do I study chapter 1 of The Vanity of Human Wishes (1749) and Two?

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.

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 Vanity of Human Wishes (1749) and Two

Common questions about reading The Vanity of Human Wishes (1749) and Two by Samuel Johnson on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Vanity of Human Wishes (1749) and Two?

Yes. All 285 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #13350 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Vanity of Human Wishes (1749) and Two is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #13350, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Vanity of Human Wishes (1749) and Two take to read?

About 23 minutes of reading across 57 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Vanity of Human Wishes (1749) and Two section by section

How to work through The Vanity of Human Wishes (1749) and Two section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 1 chapters of The Vanity of Human Wishes (1749) and Two 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 Vanity of Human Wishes (1749) and Two

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Vanity of Human Wishes (1749) and Two, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Vanity
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Vanity of Human Wishes (1749) and Two; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Human
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Vanity of Human Wishes (1749) and Two; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Wishes
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Vanity of Human Wishes (1749) and Two; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Introduction
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Vanity of Human Wishes (1749) and Two; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.