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The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson — Vol. 01
The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson — Vol. 01

Chapter VII · Chapter 7

Chapter 7 of The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson — Vol. 01 is here in full — 65 sentences across 13 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson — Vol. 01
Context Illustration Reading 1/13 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.
Much may be said, much indeed has been said, upon the text; but to the unsophisticated, who call anything pleasing if it only pleases them, the New Town of Edinburgh seems, in itself, not only gay and airy, but highly picturesque.
An old skipper, invincibly ignorant of all theories of the sublime and beautiful, once propounded as his most radiant notion for Paradise: "The new town of Edinburgh, with the wind the matter of a point free."
He has now gone to that sphere where all good tars are promised pleasant weather in the song, and perhaps his thoughts fly somewhat higher.
But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson — Vol. 01

Chapter VII · Chapter 7

Chapter 7 of The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson — Vol. 01 is here in full — 65 sentences across 13 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/13 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.
Line 2
Much may be said, much indeed has been said, upon the text; but to the unsophisticated, who call anything pleasing if it only pleases them, the New Town of Edinburgh seems, in itself, not only gay and airy, but highly picturesque.
/mʌtʃ meɪ biː sed mʌtʃ ˌɪnˈdiːd hæz bɪn sed əˈpɑːn ðə tekst bʌt tuː ðə ˌʌnsəˈfɪstɪkeɪtɪd huː kɔːl ˈeniθɪŋ ˈpliːzɪŋ ɪf ɪt ˈoʊnli ˈpliːzɪz ðem ðə nuː taʊn ʌv ˈedənbəroʊ siːmz ɪn ˌɪtˈself nɑːt ˈoʊnli ɡeɪ ənd ˈeri bʌt ˈhaɪli ˈpɪktʃərəsk/
Line 3
An old skipper, invincibly ignorant of all theories of the sublime and beautiful, once propounded as his most radiant notion for Paradise: "The new town of Edinburgh, with the wind the matter of a point free."
Line 4
He has now gone to that sphere where all good tars are promised pleasant weather in the song, and perhaps his thoughts fly somewhat higher.
Line 5
But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.

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.

architecture noun US /ˈɑːrkətektʃər/

an architectural product or work

From this reading “NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.”

decry verb US /dɪˈkraɪ/

express strong disapproval of

From this reading “NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.”

emblem noun US /ˈembləm/

special design or visual object representing a quality, type, group, etc.

From this reading “NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.”

exalt verb US /ɪɡˈzɔːlt/

praise, glorify, or honor

From this reading “NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.”

inland adjective US /ˈɪnlænd/

situated away from an area's coast or border

From this reading “But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.”

propounded verb US /prəˈpaʊndɪd/

past form of “propound” — put forward, as of an idea

From this reading “An old skipper, invincibly ignorant of all theories of the sublime and beautiful, once propounded as his most radiant notion for Paradise: "The new town of Edinburgh, with the wind the matter of a point free."”

temperate adjective US /ˈtemprət/

(of weather or climate) free from extremes; mild; or characteristic of such weather or climate

From this reading “But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.”

unsophisticated adjective US /ˌʌnsəˈfɪstɪkeɪtɪd/

not wise in the ways of the world

From this reading “Much may be said, much indeed has been said, upon the text; but to the unsophisticated, who call anything pleasing if it only pleases them, the New Town of Edinburgh seems, in itself, not only gay and airy, but highly picturesque.”

All words in this reading · 126

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.

airnounUS /er/

a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of

From this reading But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.

airyadjectiveUS /ˈeri/

open to or abounding in fresh air

From this reading Much may be said, much indeed has been said, upon the text; but to the unsophisticated, who call anything pleasing if it only pleases them, the New Town of Edinburgh seems, in itself, not only gay and airy, but highly picturesque.

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 An old skipper, invincibly ignorant of all theories of the sublime and beautiful, once propounded as his most radiant notion for Paradise: "The new town of Edinburgh, with the wind the matter of a point free."

AndeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading An old skipper, invincibly ignorant of all theories of the sublime and beautiful, once propounded as his most radiant notion for Paradise: "The new town of Edinburgh, with the wind the matter of a point free."

ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.

anythingpronounUS /ˈeniθɪŋ/

any thing at all

From this reading Much may be said, much indeed has been said, upon the text; but to the unsophisticated, who call anything pleasing if it only pleases them, the New Town of Edinburgh seems, in itself, not only gay and airy, but highly picturesque.

architecturenounUS /ˈɑːrkətektʃər/

an architectural product or work

From this reading NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading He has now gone to that sphere where all good tars are promised pleasant weather in the song, and perhaps his thoughts fly somewhat higher.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.

authoritiesnounUS /əˈθɔːrətiz/

the organization that is the governing authority of a political unit

From this reading NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Much may be said, much indeed has been said, upon the text; but to the unsophisticated, who call anything pleasing if it only pleases them, the New Town of Edinburgh seems, in itself, not only gay and airy, but highly picturesque.

beautifuladjectiveUS /ˈbjuːtəfəl/

delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration

From this reading An old skipper, invincibly ignorant of all theories of the sublime and beautiful, once propounded as his most radiant notion for Paradise: "The new town of Edinburgh, with the wind the matter of a point free."

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Much may be said, much indeed has been said, upon the text; but to the unsophisticated, who call anything pleasing if it only pleases them, the New Town of Edinburgh seems, in itself, not only gay and airy, but highly picturesque.

bravelyadverbUS /ˈbreɪvli/

in a courageous manner

From this reading But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.

brightadjectiveUS /braɪt/

emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts

From this reading But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Much may be said, much indeed has been said, upon the text; but to the unsophisticated, who call anything pleasing if it only pleases them, the New Town of Edinburgh seems, in itself, not only gay and airy, but highly picturesque.

callverbUS /kɔːl/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading Much may be said, much indeed has been said, upon the text; but to the unsophisticated, who call anything pleasing if it only pleases them, the New Town of Edinburgh seems, in itself, not only gay and airy, but highly picturesque.

celebratedadjectiveUS /ˈseləbreɪtɪd/

widely known and esteemed

From this reading NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.

comingnounUS /ˈkʌmɪŋ/

the act of drawing spatially closer to something

From this reading But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.

condemnableadjective

bringing or deserving severe rebuke or censure

From this reading NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.

COUNTRYnounUS /ˈkʌntri/

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.

coursenounUS /kɔːrs/

education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings

From this reading NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.

daysnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.

decryverbUS /dɪˈkraɪ/

express strong disapproval of

From this reading NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.

EdinburghnounUS /ˈedənbəroʊ/

the capital of Scotland; located in the Lothian Region on the south side of the Firth of Forth

From this reading Much may be said, much indeed has been said, upon the text; but to the unsophisticated, who call anything pleasing if it only pleases them, the New Town of Edinburgh seems, in itself, not only gay and airy, but highly picturesque.

emblemnounUS /ˈembləm/

special design or visual object representing a quality, type, group, etc.

From this reading NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.

exaltverbUS /ɪɡˈzɔːlt/

praise, glorify, or honor

From this reading NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.

flagsnounUS /flæɡz/

plural of “flag” — emblem usually consisting of a rectangular piece of cloth of distinctive design

From this reading But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.

flyverbUS /flaɪ/

travel through the air; be airborne

From this reading He has now gone to that sphere where all good tars are promised pleasant weather in the song, and perhaps his thoughts fly somewhat higher.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading An old skipper, invincibly ignorant of all theories of the sublime and beautiful, once propounded as his most radiant notion for Paradise: "The new town of Edinburgh, with the wind the matter of a point free."

freeverbUS /friː/

grant freedom to; free from confinement

From this reading An old skipper, invincibly ignorant of all theories of the sublime and beautiful, once propounded as his most radiant notion for Paradise: "The new town of Edinburgh, with the wind the matter of a point free."

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.

gardensnounUS /ˈɡɑːrdənz/

plural of “garden” — a plot of ground where plants are cultivated

From this reading But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.

gayadjectiveUS /ɡeɪ/

bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer

From this reading Much may be said, much indeed has been said, upon the text; but to the unsophisticated, who call anything pleasing if it only pleases them, the New Town of Edinburgh seems, in itself, not only gay and airy, but highly picturesque.

glorynounUS /ˈɡlɔːri/

a state of high honor

From this reading But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.

goneadjectiveUS /ɡɔːn/

destroyed or killed

From this reading He has now gone to that sphere where all good tars are promised pleasant weather in the song, and perhaps his thoughts fly somewhat higher.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading He has now gone to that sphere where all good tars are promised pleasant weather in the song, and perhaps his thoughts fly somewhat higher.

handsnounUS /hændz/

(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child

From this reading But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading Much may be said, much indeed has been said, upon the text; but to the unsophisticated, who call anything pleasing if it only pleases them, the New Town of Edinburgh seems, in itself, not only gay and airy, but highly picturesque.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.

HepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading He has now gone to that sphere where all good tars are promised pleasant weather in the song, and perhaps his thoughts fly somewhat higher.

higheradjectiveUS /ˈhaɪər/

advanced in complexity or elaboration

From this reading He has now gone to that sphere where all good tars are promised pleasant weather in the song, and perhaps his thoughts fly somewhat higher.

highlyadverbUS /ˈhaɪli/

to a high degree or extent; favorably or with much respect

From this reading Much may be said, much indeed has been said, upon the text; but to the unsophisticated, who call anything pleasing if it only pleases them, the New Town of Edinburgh seems, in itself, not only gay and airy, but highly picturesque.

hillsnounUS /hɪlz/

plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading An old skipper, invincibly ignorant of all theories of the sublime and beautiful, once propounded as his most radiant notion for Paradise: "The new town of Edinburgh, with the wind the matter of a point free."

hollowadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːloʊ/

not solid; having a space or gap or cavity

From this reading But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Much may be said, much indeed has been said, upon the text; but to the unsophisticated, who call anything pleasing if it only pleases them, the New Town of Edinburgh seems, in itself, not only gay and airy, but highly picturesque.

ignorantadjectiveUS /ˈɪɡnərənt/

uneducated in general; lacking knowledge or sophistication

From this reading An old skipper, invincibly ignorant of all theories of the sublime and beautiful, once propounded as his most radiant notion for Paradise: "The new town of Edinburgh, with the wind the matter of a point free."

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.

indeedadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdiːd/

in truth (often tends to intensify)

From this reading Much may be said, much indeed has been said, upon the text; but to the unsophisticated, who call anything pleasing if it only pleases them, the New Town of Edinburgh seems, in itself, not only gay and airy, but highly picturesque.

inlandadjectiveUS /ˈɪnlænd/

situated away from an area's coast or border

From this reading But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.

invinciblyadverb

in an invincible manner

From this reading An old skipper, invincibly ignorant of all theories of the sublime and beautiful, once propounded as his most radiant notion for Paradise: "The new town of Edinburgh, with the wind the matter of a point free."

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.

itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading Much may be said, much indeed has been said, upon the text; but to the unsophisticated, who call anything pleasing if it only pleases them, the New Town of Edinburgh seems, in itself, not only gay and airy, but highly picturesque.

matternounUS /ˈmætər/

a vaguely specified concern

From this reading NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading Much may be said, much indeed has been said, upon the text; but to the unsophisticated, who call anything pleasing if it only pleases them, the New Town of Edinburgh seems, in itself, not only gay and airy, but highly picturesque.

militaryadjectiveUS /ˈmɪləteri/

of or relating to the study of the principles of warfare

From this reading But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.

mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.

musicnounUS /ˈmjuːzɪk/

an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner

From this reading But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.

NEWadjectiveUS /nuː/

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

From this reading NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Much may be said, much indeed has been said, upon the text; but to the unsophisticated, who call anything pleasing if it only pleases them, the New Town of Edinburgh seems, in itself, not only gay and airy, but highly picturesque.

notionnounUS /ˈnoʊʃən/

a vague idea in which some confidence is placed

From this reading An old skipper, invincibly ignorant of all theories of the sublime and beautiful, once propounded as his most radiant notion for Paradise: "The new town of Edinburgh, with the wind the matter of a point free."

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading He has now gone to that sphere where all good tars are promised pleasant weather in the song, and perhaps his thoughts fly somewhat higher.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.

OldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

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

From this reading NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.

onceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading An old skipper, invincibly ignorant of all theories of the sublime and beautiful, once propounded as his most radiant notion for Paradise: "The new town of Edinburgh, with the wind the matter of a point free."

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading Much may be said, much indeed has been said, upon the text; but to the unsophisticated, who call anything pleasing if it only pleases them, the New Town of Edinburgh seems, in itself, not only gay and airy, but highly picturesque.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.

palacesnounUS /ˈpæləsəz/

plural of “palace” — a large and stately mansion

From this reading But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.

ParadisenounUS /ˈperədaɪs/

any place of complete bliss and delight and peace

From this reading An old skipper, invincibly ignorant of all theories of the sublime and beautiful, once propounded as his most radiant notion for Paradise: "The new town of Edinburgh, with the wind the matter of a point free."

perhapsadverbUS /pərˈhæps/

by chance

From this reading He has now gone to that sphere where all good tars are promised pleasant weather in the song, and perhaps his thoughts fly somewhat higher.

pickedverbUS /pɪkt/

past form of “pick” — select carefully from a group

From this reading NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.

picturesqueadjectiveUS /ˈpɪktʃərəsk/

suggesting or suitable for a picture; pretty as a picture

From this reading Much may be said, much indeed has been said, upon the text; but to the unsophisticated, who call anything pleasing if it only pleases them, the New Town of Edinburgh seems, in itself, not only gay and airy, but highly picturesque.

pleasantadjectiveUS /ˈplezənt/

affording pleasure; being in harmony with your taste or likings

From this reading He has now gone to that sphere where all good tars are promised pleasant weather in the song, and perhaps his thoughts fly somewhat higher.

pleasesverbUS /ˈpliːzɪz/

third-person singular of “please” — give pleasure to or be pleasing to

From this reading Much may be said, much indeed has been said, upon the text; but to the unsophisticated, who call anything pleasing if it only pleases them, the New Town of Edinburgh seems, in itself, not only gay and airy, but highly picturesque.

pleasingadjectiveUS /ˈpliːzɪŋ/

giving pleasure and satisfaction

From this reading Much may be said, much indeed has been said, upon the text; but to the unsophisticated, who call anything pleasing if it only pleases them, the New Town of Edinburgh seems, in itself, not only gay and airy, but highly picturesque.

pointnounUS /pɔɪnt/

a geometric element that has position but no extension

From this reading An old skipper, invincibly ignorant of all theories of the sublime and beautiful, once propounded as his most radiant notion for Paradise: "The new town of Edinburgh, with the wind the matter of a point free."

PrincesnounUS /ˈprɪnsəz/

plural of “prince” — a male member of a royal family other than the sovereign (especially the son of a sovereign)

From this reading But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.

promisedverbUS /ˈprɑːməst/

past form of “promise” — make a promise or commitment

From this reading He has now gone to that sphere where all good tars are promised pleasant weather in the song, and perhaps his thoughts fly somewhat higher.

propoundedverbUS /prəˈpaʊndɪd/

past form of “propound” — put forward, as of an idea

From this reading An old skipper, invincibly ignorant of all theories of the sublime and beautiful, once propounded as his most radiant notion for Paradise: "The new town of Edinburgh, with the wind the matter of a point free."

quarternounUS /ˈkwɔːrtər/

one of four equal parts

From this reading NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.

radiantadjectiveUS /ˈreɪdiːənt/

radiating or as if radiating light

From this reading An old skipper, invincibly ignorant of all theories of the sublime and beautiful, once propounded as his most radiant notion for Paradise: "The new town of Edinburgh, with the wind the matter of a point free."

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading Much may be said, much indeed has been said, upon the text; but to the unsophisticated, who call anything pleasing if it only pleases them, the New Town of Edinburgh seems, in itself, not only gay and airy, but highly picturesque.

sailornounUS /ˈseɪlər/

any member of a ship's crew

From this reading But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.

seemsverbUS /siːmz/

third-person singular of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading Much may be said, much indeed has been said, upon the text; but to the unsophisticated, who call anything pleasing if it only pleases them, the New Town of Edinburgh seems, in itself, not only gay and airy, but highly picturesque.

seenverbUS /siːn/

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.

sentimentnounUS /ˈsentəmənt/

tender, romantic, or nostalgic feeling or emotion

From this reading But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.

shakenadjectiveUS /ˈʃeɪkən/

disturbed psychologically as if by a physical jolt or shock

From this reading But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.

skippernounUS /ˈskɪpər/

a student who fails to attend classes

From this reading An old skipper, invincibly ignorant of all theories of the sublime and beautiful, once propounded as his most radiant notion for Paradise: "The new town of Edinburgh, with the wind the matter of a point free."

softadjectiveUS /sɑːft/

yielding readily to pressure or weight

From this reading But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.

somewhatadverbUS /ˈsʌmˈwʌt/

to a small degree or extent

From this reading He has now gone to that sphere where all good tars are promised pleasant weather in the song, and perhaps his thoughts fly somewhat higher.

songnounUS /sɔːŋ/

a short musical composition with words

From this reading He has now gone to that sphere where all good tars are promised pleasant weather in the song, and perhaps his thoughts fly somewhat higher.

sortnounUS /sɔːrt/

a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality

From this reading But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.

soundingadjectiveUS /ˈsaʊndɪŋ/

appearing to be as specified; usually used as combining forms

From this reading But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.

spherenounUS /sfɪr/

a particular environment or walk of life

From this reading He has now gone to that sphere where all good tars are promised pleasant weather in the song, and perhaps his thoughts fly somewhat higher.

StreetnounUS /striːt/

a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.

sublimeadjectiveUS /səˈblaɪm/

inspiring awe

From this reading An old skipper, invincibly ignorant of all theories of the sublime and beautiful, once propounded as his most radiant notion for Paradise: "The new town of Edinburgh, with the wind the matter of a point free."

tars

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

From this reading He has now gone to that sphere where all good tars are promised pleasant weather in the song, and perhaps his thoughts fly somewhat higher.

temperateadjectiveUS /ˈtemprət/

(of weather or climate) free from extremes; mild; or characteristic of such weather or climate

From this reading But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.

textnounUS /tekst/

the words of something written

From this reading Much may be said, much indeed has been said, upon the text; but to the unsophisticated, who call anything pleasing if it only pleases them, the New Town of Edinburgh seems, in itself, not only gay and airy, but highly picturesque.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading He has now gone to that sphere where all good tars are promised pleasant weather in the song, and perhaps his thoughts fly somewhat higher.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Much may be said, much indeed has been said, upon the text; but to the unsophisticated, who call anything pleasing if it only pleases them, the New Town of Edinburgh seems, in itself, not only gay and airy, but highly picturesque.

theoriesnounUS /ˈθɪriz/

plural of “theory” — a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena

From this reading An old skipper, invincibly ignorant of all theories of the sublime and beautiful, once propounded as his most radiant notion for Paradise: "The new town of Edinburgh, with the wind the matter of a point free."

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.

thoughtsnounUS /θɔːts/

plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading He has now gone to that sphere where all good tars are promised pleasant weather in the song, and perhaps his thoughts fly somewhat higher.

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.

TOWNnounUS /taʊn/

an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city

From this reading NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.

unsophisticatedadjectiveUS /ˌʌnsəˈfɪstɪkeɪtɪd/

not wise in the ways of the world

From this reading Much may be said, much indeed has been said, upon the text; but to the unsophisticated, who call anything pleasing if it only pleases them, the New Town of Edinburgh seems, in itself, not only gay and airy, but highly picturesque.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading Much may be said, much indeed has been said, upon the text; but to the unsophisticated, who call anything pleasing if it only pleases them, the New Town of Edinburgh seems, in itself, not only gay and airy, but highly picturesque.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.

wavingnounUS /ˈweɪvɪŋ/

the act of signaling by a movement of the hand

From this reading But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.

weathernounUS /ˈweðər/

the atmospheric conditions that comprise the state of the atmosphere in terms of temperature and wind and clouds and precipitation

From this reading He has now gone to that sphere where all good tars are promised pleasant weather in the song, and perhaps his thoughts fly somewhat higher.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading NEW TOWN: TOWN AND COUNTRY It is as much a matter of course to decry the New Town as to exalt the Old; and the most celebrated authorities have picked out this quarter as the very emblem of what is condemnable in architecture.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading But there are bright and temperate days--with soft air coming from the inland hills, military music sounding bravely from the hollow of the gardens, the flags all waving on the palaces of Princes Street--when I have seen the town through a sort of glory, and shaken hands in sentiment with the old sailor.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading He has now gone to that sphere where all good tars are promised pleasant weather in the song, and perhaps his thoughts fly somewhat higher.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Much may be said, much indeed has been said, upon the text; but to the unsophisticated, who call anything pleasing if it only pleases them, the New Town of Edinburgh seems, in itself, not only gay and airy, but highly picturesque.

windnounUS /waɪnd/

air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure

From this reading An old skipper, invincibly ignorant of all theories of the sublime and beautiful, once propounded as his most radiant notion for Paradise: "The new town of Edinburgh, with the wind the matter of a point free."

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading An old skipper, invincibly ignorant of all theories of the sublime and beautiful, once propounded as his most radiant notion for Paradise: "The new town of Edinburgh, with the wind the matter of a point free."

Chapter 7 of The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson — Vol. 01 by Robert Louis Stevenson holds 65 sentences, grouped into 13 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 7 of The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson — Vol. 01 contain?

Chapter 7 holds 65 sentences of The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson — Vol. 01, unabridged, divided into 13 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 7 of The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson — Vol. 01 by Robert Louis Stevenson exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 65 sentences, grouped into 13 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 7 of The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson — Vol. 01?

Work through the 13 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 13 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 7 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 7 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 Works of Robert Louis Stevenson — Vol. 01

Common questions about reading The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson — Vol. 01 by Robert Louis Stevenson on this page, its source edition and its audio.

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

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About 5 minutes of reading across 0 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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How to work through The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson — Vol. 01 section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

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    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 Works of Robert Louis Stevenson — Vol. 01

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson — Vol. 01, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Chapter 1
One of the 0 chapters of The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson — Vol. 01, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.
Chapter 2
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Chapter 3
One of the 0 chapters of The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson — Vol. 01, divided into 5-sentence reading sections.