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Thomas Wingfold, Curate
Thomas Wingfold, Curate

Chapter XXXVIII · Chapter 38

Chapter 38 of Thomas Wingfold, Curate is here in full — 173 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Thomas Wingfold, Curate
Context Illustration Reading 1/34 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE SUNSET.
How the terrible time, terrible for its very dulness and insensibility, passed until it brought the funeral, Helen could not have told.
It seemed to her, as she looked back upon it, a bare blank, yet was the blank full of a waste weariness of heart.
The days were all one, outside and inside.
Her heart was but a lonely narrow bay to the sea of cold immovable fog that filled the world.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Thomas Wingfold, Curate

Chapter XXXVIII · Chapter 38

Chapter 38 of Thomas Wingfold, Curate is here in full — 173 sentences across 35 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/34 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE SUNSET.
/ðə ˈsʌnset/
Line 2
How the terrible time, terrible for its very dulness and insensibility, passed until it brought the funeral, Helen could not have told.
Line 3
It seemed to her, as she looked back upon it, a bare blank, yet was the blank full of a waste weariness of heart.
/ɪt siːmd tuː hɜːr æz ʃiː lʊkt bæk əˈpɑːn ɪt ə ber blæŋk jet wɑːz ðə blæŋk fʊl ʌv ə weɪst ˈwɪrinəs ʌv hɑːrt/
Line 4
The days were all one, outside and inside.
/ðə deɪz wɜːr ɔːl wʌn ˈaʊtˈsaɪd ənd ˌɪnˈsaɪd/
Line 5
Her heart was but a lonely narrow bay to the sea of cold immovable fog that filled the world.
/hɜːr hɑːrt wɑːz bʌt ə ˈloʊnli ˈneroʊ beɪ tuː ðə siː ʌv koʊld ˌɪˈmuːvəbəl fɑːɡ ðæt fɪld ðə wɜːrld/

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.

bay noun US /beɪ/

an indentation of a shoreline larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf

From this reading “Her heart was but a lonely narrow bay to the sea of cold immovable fog that filled the world.”

blank adjective US /blæŋk/

(of a surface) not written or printed on

From this reading “It seemed to her, as she looked back upon it, a bare blank, yet was the blank full of a waste weariness of heart.”

fog noun US /fɑːɡ/

droplets of water vapor suspended in the air near the ground

From this reading “Her heart was but a lonely narrow bay to the sea of cold immovable fog that filled the world.”

funeral noun US /ˈfjuːnərəl/

a ceremony at which a dead person is buried or cremated

From this reading “How the terrible time, terrible for its very dulness and insensibility, passed until it brought the funeral, Helen could not have told.”

immovable noun US /ˌɪˈmuːvəbəl/

property consisting of houses and land

From this reading “Her heart was but a lonely narrow bay to the sea of cold immovable fog that filled the world.”

sunset noun US /ˈsʌnset/

the time in the evening at which the sun begins to fall below the horizon

From this reading “THE SUNSET.”

waste noun US /weɪst/

any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted

From this reading “It seemed to her, as she looked back upon it, a bare blank, yet was the blank full of a waste weariness of heart.”

weariness noun US /ˈwɪrinəs/

temporary loss of strength and energy resulting from hard physical or mental work

From this reading “It seemed to her, as she looked back upon it, a bare blank, yet was the blank full of a waste weariness of heart.”

All words in this reading · 56

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 It seemed to her, as she looked back upon it, a bare blank, yet was the blank full of a waste weariness of heart.

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 The days were all one, outside and inside.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading How the terrible time, terrible for its very dulness and insensibility, passed until it brought the funeral, Helen could not have told.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading It seemed to her, as she looked back upon it, a bare blank, yet was the blank full of a waste weariness of heart.

backadverbUS /bæk/

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading It seemed to her, as she looked back upon it, a bare blank, yet was the blank full of a waste weariness of heart.

bareadjectiveUS /ber/

completely unclothed

From this reading It seemed to her, as she looked back upon it, a bare blank, yet was the blank full of a waste weariness of heart.

baynounUS /beɪ/

an indentation of a shoreline larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf

From this reading Her heart was but a lonely narrow bay to the sea of cold immovable fog that filled the world.

blankadjectiveUS /blæŋk/

(of a surface) not written or printed on

From this reading It seemed to her, as she looked back upon it, a bare blank, yet was the blank full of a waste weariness of heart.

broughtverbUS /brɔːt/

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading How the terrible time, terrible for its very dulness and insensibility, passed until it brought the funeral, Helen could not have told.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Her heart was but a lonely narrow bay to the sea of cold immovable fog that filled the world.

coldadjectiveUS /koʊld/

having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration

From this reading Her heart was but a lonely narrow bay to the sea of cold immovable fog that filled the world.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading How the terrible time, terrible for its very dulness and insensibility, passed until it brought the funeral, Helen could not have told.

daysnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading The days were all one, outside and inside.

dulness

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

From this reading How the terrible time, terrible for its very dulness and insensibility, passed until it brought the funeral, Helen could not have told.

filledadjectiveUS /fɪld/

(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with

From this reading Her heart was but a lonely narrow bay to the sea of cold immovable fog that filled the world.

fognounUS /fɑːɡ/

droplets of water vapor suspended in the air near the ground

From this reading Her heart was but a lonely narrow bay to the sea of cold immovable fog that filled the world.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading How the terrible time, terrible for its very dulness and insensibility, passed until it brought the funeral, Helen could not have told.

fulladjectiveUS /fʊl/

containing as much or as many as is possible or normal

From this reading It seemed to her, as she looked back upon it, a bare blank, yet was the blank full of a waste weariness of heart.

funeralnounUS /ˈfjuːnərəl/

a ceremony at which a dead person is buried or cremated

From this reading How the terrible time, terrible for its very dulness and insensibility, passed until it brought the funeral, Helen could not have told.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading How the terrible time, terrible for its very dulness and insensibility, passed until it brought the funeral, Helen could not have told.

heartnounUS /hɑːrt/

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading It seemed to her, as she looked back upon it, a bare blank, yet was the blank full of a waste weariness of heart.

HelennounUS /ˈhelən/

(Greek mythology) the beautiful daughter of Zeus and Leda who was abducted by Paris; the Greek army sailed to Troy to get her back which resulted in the Trojan War

From this reading How the terrible time, terrible for its very dulness and insensibility, passed until it brought the funeral, Helen could not have told.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading It seemed to her, as she looked back upon it, a bare blank, yet was the blank full of a waste weariness of heart.

How

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

From this reading How the terrible time, terrible for its very dulness and insensibility, passed until it brought the funeral, Helen could not have told.

immovablenounUS /ˌɪˈmuːvəbəl/

property consisting of houses and land

From this reading Her heart was but a lonely narrow bay to the sea of cold immovable fog that filled the world.

insensibilitynoun

a lack of sensibility

From this reading How the terrible time, terrible for its very dulness and insensibility, passed until it brought the funeral, Helen could not have told.

insideadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈsaɪd/

relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space

From this reading The days were all one, outside and inside.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading How the terrible time, terrible for its very dulness and insensibility, passed until it brought the funeral, Helen could not have told.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading How the terrible time, terrible for its very dulness and insensibility, passed until it brought the funeral, Helen could not have told.

lonelyadjectiveUS /ˈloʊnli/

lacking companions or companionship

From this reading Her heart was but a lonely narrow bay to the sea of cold immovable fog that filled the world.

lookedverbUS /lʊkt/

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading It seemed to her, as she looked back upon it, a bare blank, yet was the blank full of a waste weariness of heart.

narrowverbUS /ˈneroʊ/

make or become more narrow or restricted

From this reading Her heart was but a lonely narrow bay to the sea of cold immovable fog that filled the world.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading How the terrible time, terrible for its very dulness and insensibility, passed until it brought the funeral, Helen could not have told.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It seemed to her, as she looked back upon it, a bare blank, yet was the blank full of a waste weariness of heart.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading The days were all one, outside and inside.

outsideadjectiveUS /ˈaʊtˈsaɪd/

relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit

From this reading The days were all one, outside and inside.

passedverbUS /pæst/

past form of “pass” — go across or through

From this reading How the terrible time, terrible for its very dulness and insensibility, passed until it brought the funeral, Helen could not have told.

seanounUS /siː/

a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land

From this reading Her heart was but a lonely narrow bay to the sea of cold immovable fog that filled the world.

seemedverbUS /siːmd/

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading It seemed to her, as she looked back upon it, a bare blank, yet was the blank full of a waste weariness of heart.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading It seemed to her, as she looked back upon it, a bare blank, yet was the blank full of a waste weariness of heart.

SUNSETnounUS /ˈsʌnset/

the time in the evening at which the sun begins to fall below the horizon

From this reading THE SUNSET.

terribleadjectiveUS /ˈterəbəl/

causing fear or dread or terror

From this reading How the terrible time, terrible for its very dulness and insensibility, passed until it brought the funeral, Helen could not have told.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Her heart was but a lonely narrow bay to the sea of cold immovable fog that filled the world.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE SUNSET.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading How the terrible time, terrible for its very dulness and insensibility, passed until it brought the funeral, Helen could not have told.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It seemed to her, as she looked back upon it, a bare blank, yet was the blank full of a waste weariness of heart.

toldverbUS /toʊld/

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading How the terrible time, terrible for its very dulness and insensibility, passed until it brought the funeral, Helen could not have told.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading How the terrible time, terrible for its very dulness and insensibility, passed until it brought the funeral, Helen could not have told.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading It seemed to her, as she looked back upon it, a bare blank, yet was the blank full of a waste weariness of heart.

veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/

precisely as stated

From this reading How the terrible time, terrible for its very dulness and insensibility, passed until it brought the funeral, Helen could not have told.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It seemed to her, as she looked back upon it, a bare blank, yet was the blank full of a waste weariness of heart.

wastenounUS /weɪst/

any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted

From this reading It seemed to her, as she looked back upon it, a bare blank, yet was the blank full of a waste weariness of heart.

wearinessnounUS /ˈwɪrinəs/

temporary loss of strength and energy resulting from hard physical or mental work

From this reading It seemed to her, as she looked back upon it, a bare blank, yet was the blank full of a waste weariness of heart.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading The days were all one, outside and inside.

worldnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading Her heart was but a lonely narrow bay to the sea of cold immovable fog that filled the world.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading It seemed to her, as she looked back upon it, a bare blank, yet was the blank full of a waste weariness of heart.

Chapter 38 of Thomas Wingfold, Curate by George MacDonald holds 173 sentences, grouped into 35 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 38 of Thomas Wingfold, Curate contain?

Chapter 38 holds 173 sentences of Thomas Wingfold, Curate, unabridged, divided into 35 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 38 of Thomas Wingfold, Curate by George MacDonald exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 173 sentences, grouped into 35 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 38 of Thomas Wingfold, Curate?

Work through the 35 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 35 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 38 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 38 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 Thomas Wingfold, Curate

Common questions about reading Thomas Wingfold, Curate by George MacDonald on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Thomas Wingfold, Curate?

Yes. All 7326 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #5976 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Thomas Wingfold, Curate is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #5976, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Thomas Wingfold, Curate take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1466 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Thomas Wingfold, Curate section by section

How to work through Thomas Wingfold, Curate section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of Thomas Wingfold, Curate 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 Thomas Wingfold, Curate

Words and structures a reader meets early in Thomas Wingfold, Curate, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Helen
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Thomas Wingfold, Curate; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Lingard
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Thomas Wingfold, Curate; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Swift
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Thomas Wingfold, Curate; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
November
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Thomas Wingfold, Curate; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.