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Thomas Wingfold, Curate V2
Thomas Wingfold, Curate V2

Chapter XV · Chapter 15

Chapter 15 of Thomas Wingfold, Curate V2 is here in full — 69 sentences across 14 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/13 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
CRITICISM.
"Extraordinary young man!" exclaimed Mrs. Ramshorn as they left the church, with a sigh that expressed despair.
"Is he an infidel or a fanatic? a Jesuit or a Socinian?"
"If he would pay a little more attention to his composition," said Bascombe indifferently, "he might in time make of himself a good speaker.
I am not at all sure there are not the elements of an orator in him, if he would only reflect a little on the fine relations between speech and passion, and learn of the best models how to play upon the feelings of a congregation.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Thomas Wingfold, Curate V2

Chapter XV · Chapter 15

Chapter 15 of Thomas Wingfold, Curate V2 is here in full — 69 sentences across 14 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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

Line 1
CRITICISM.
/ˈkrɪtɪsɪzəm/
Line 2
"Extraordinary young man!" exclaimed Mrs. Ramshorn as they left the church, with a sigh that expressed despair.
Line 3
"Is he an infidel or a fanatic? a Jesuit or a Socinian?"
Line 4
"If he would pay a little more attention to his composition," said Bascombe indifferently, "he might in time make of himself a good speaker.
Line 5
I am not at all sure there are not the elements of an orator in him, if he would only reflect a little on the fine relations between speech and passion, and learn of the best models how to play upon the feelings of a congregation.

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.

composition noun US /ˌkɑːmpəˈzɪʃən/

the spatial property resulting from the arrangement of parts in relation to each other and to the whole

From this reading “"If he would pay a little more attention to his composition," said Bascombe indifferently, "he might in time make of himself a good speaker.”

congregation noun US /ˌkɑːŋɡrəˈɡeɪʃən/

a group of people who adhere to a common faith and habitually attend a given church

From this reading “I am not at all sure there are not the elements of an orator in him, if he would only reflect a little on the fine relations between speech and passion, and learn of the best models how to play upon the feelings of a congregation.”

fanatic noun US /fəˈnætɪk/

a person motivated by irrational enthusiasm (as for a cause)

From this reading “"Is he an infidel or a fanatic? a Jesuit or a Socinian?"”

indifferently adverb US /ˌɪnˈdɪfrəntli/

with indifference; in an indifferent manner

From this reading “"If he would pay a little more attention to his composition," said Bascombe indifferently, "he might in time make of himself a good speaker.”

infidel noun US /ˈɪnfɪdel/

a person who does not acknowledge your god

From this reading “"Is he an infidel or a fanatic? a Jesuit or a Socinian?"”

Jesuit noun US /ˈdʒeʒuːɪt/

a member of the Jesuit order

From this reading “"Is he an infidel or a fanatic? a Jesuit or a Socinian?"”

models noun US /ˈmɑːdəlz/

plural of “model” — a hypothetical description of a complex entity or process

From this reading “I am not at all sure there are not the elements of an orator in him, if he would only reflect a little on the fine relations between speech and passion, and learn of the best models how to play upon the feelings of a congregation.”

orator noun US /ˈɔːrətər/

a person who delivers a speech or oration

From this reading “I am not at all sure there are not the elements of an orator in him, if he would only reflect a little on the fine relations between speech and passion, and learn of the best models how to play upon the feelings of a congregation.”

All words in this reading · 74

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 "Extraordinary young man!" exclaimed Mrs. Ramshorn as they left the church, with a sigh that expressed despair.

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 I am not at all sure there are not the elements of an orator in him, if he would only reflect a little on the fine relations between speech and passion, and learn of the best models how to play upon the feelings of a congregation.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading I am not at all sure there are not the elements of an orator in him, if he would only reflect a little on the fine relations between speech and passion, and learn of the best models how to play upon the feelings of a congregation.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading "Is he an infidel or a fanatic? a Jesuit or a Socinian?"

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading I am not at all sure there are not the elements of an orator in him, if he would only reflect a little on the fine relations between speech and passion, and learn of the best models how to play upon the feelings of a congregation.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading I am not at all sure there are not the elements of an orator in him, if he would only reflect a little on the fine relations between speech and passion, and learn of the best models how to play upon the feelings of a congregation.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading "Extraordinary young man!" exclaimed Mrs. Ramshorn as they left the church, with a sigh that expressed despair.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading I am not at all sure there are not the elements of an orator in him, if he would only reflect a little on the fine relations between speech and passion, and learn of the best models how to play upon the feelings of a congregation.

attentionnounUS /əˈtenʃən/

the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others

From this reading "If he would pay a little more attention to his composition," said Bascombe indifferently, "he might in time make of himself a good speaker.

Bascombe

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

From this reading "If he would pay a little more attention to his composition," said Bascombe indifferently, "he might in time make of himself a good speaker.

bestnounUS /best/

the supreme effort one can make

From this reading I am not at all sure there are not the elements of an orator in him, if he would only reflect a little on the fine relations between speech and passion, and learn of the best models how to play upon the feelings of a congregation.

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading I am not at all sure there are not the elements of an orator in him, if he would only reflect a little on the fine relations between speech and passion, and learn of the best models how to play upon the feelings of a congregation.

churchnounUS /tʃɜːrtʃ/

one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship

From this reading "Extraordinary young man!" exclaimed Mrs. Ramshorn as they left the church, with a sigh that expressed despair.

compositionnounUS /ˌkɑːmpəˈzɪʃən/

the spatial property resulting from the arrangement of parts in relation to each other and to the whole

From this reading "If he would pay a little more attention to his composition," said Bascombe indifferently, "he might in time make of himself a good speaker.

congregationnounUS /ˌkɑːŋɡrəˈɡeɪʃən/

a group of people who adhere to a common faith and habitually attend a given church

From this reading I am not at all sure there are not the elements of an orator in him, if he would only reflect a little on the fine relations between speech and passion, and learn of the best models how to play upon the feelings of a congregation.

CRITICISMnounUS /ˈkrɪtɪsɪzəm/

disapproval expressed by pointing out faults or shortcomings

From this reading CRITICISM.

despairnounUS /dɪˈsper/

a state in which all hope is lost or absent

From this reading "Extraordinary young man!" exclaimed Mrs. Ramshorn as they left the church, with a sigh that expressed despair.

elementsnounUS /ˈeləmənts/

violent or severe weather (viewed as caused by the action of the four elements)

From this reading I am not at all sure there are not the elements of an orator in him, if he would only reflect a little on the fine relations between speech and passion, and learn of the best models how to play upon the feelings of a congregation.

exclaimedverbUS /ɪkˈskleɪmd/

past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy

From this reading "Extraordinary young man!" exclaimed Mrs. Ramshorn as they left the church, with a sigh that expressed despair.

expressedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈsprest/

communicated in words

From this reading "Extraordinary young man!" exclaimed Mrs. Ramshorn as they left the church, with a sigh that expressed despair.

ExtraordinaryadjectiveUS /ˌekstrəˈɔːrdəneri/

beyond what is ordinary or usual; highly unusual or exceptional or remarkable

From this reading "Extraordinary young man!" exclaimed Mrs. Ramshorn as they left the church, with a sigh that expressed despair.

fanaticnounUS /fəˈnætɪk/

a person motivated by irrational enthusiasm (as for a cause)

From this reading "Is he an infidel or a fanatic? a Jesuit or a Socinian?"

feelingsnounUS /ˈfiːlɪŋz/

emotional or moral sensitivity (especially in relation to personal principles or dignity)

From this reading I am not at all sure there are not the elements of an orator in him, if he would only reflect a little on the fine relations between speech and passion, and learn of the best models how to play upon the feelings of a congregation.

fineadjectiveUS /faɪn/

being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition

From this reading I am not at all sure there are not the elements of an orator in him, if he would only reflect a little on the fine relations between speech and passion, and learn of the best models how to play upon the feelings of a congregation.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

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

From this reading "If he would pay a little more attention to his composition," said Bascombe indifferently, "he might in time make of himself a good speaker.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading "Is he an infidel or a fanatic? a Jesuit or a Socinian?"

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading I am not at all sure there are not the elements of an orator in him, if he would only reflect a little on the fine relations between speech and passion, and learn of the best models how to play upon the feelings of a congregation.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading "If he would pay a little more attention to his composition," said Bascombe indifferently, "he might in time make of himself a good speaker.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading "If he would pay a little more attention to his composition," said Bascombe indifferently, "he might in time make of himself a good speaker.

how

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

From this reading I am not at all sure there are not the elements of an orator in him, if he would only reflect a little on the fine relations between speech and passion, and learn of the best models how to play upon the feelings of a congregation.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I am not at all sure there are not the elements of an orator in him, if he would only reflect a little on the fine relations between speech and passion, and learn of the best models how to play upon the feelings of a congregation.

IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading "If he would pay a little more attention to his composition," said Bascombe indifferently, "he might in time make of himself a good speaker.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading "If he would pay a little more attention to his composition," said Bascombe indifferently, "he might in time make of himself a good speaker.

indifferentlyadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdɪfrəntli/

with indifference; in an indifferent manner

From this reading "If he would pay a little more attention to his composition," said Bascombe indifferently, "he might in time make of himself a good speaker.

infidelnounUS /ˈɪnfɪdel/

a person who does not acknowledge your god

From this reading "Is he an infidel or a fanatic? a Jesuit or a Socinian?"

Isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading "Is he an infidel or a fanatic? a Jesuit or a Socinian?"

JesuitnounUS /ˈdʒeʒuːɪt/

a member of the Jesuit order

From this reading "Is he an infidel or a fanatic? a Jesuit or a Socinian?"

learnverbUS /lɜːrn/

gain knowledge or skills

From this reading I am not at all sure there are not the elements of an orator in him, if he would only reflect a little on the fine relations between speech and passion, and learn of the best models how to play upon the feelings of a congregation.

leftnounUS /left/

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading "Extraordinary young man!" exclaimed Mrs. Ramshorn as they left the church, with a sigh that expressed despair.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading "If he would pay a little more attention to his composition," said Bascombe indifferently, "he might in time make of himself a good speaker.

makeverbUS /meɪk/

engage in

From this reading "If he would pay a little more attention to his composition," said Bascombe indifferently, "he might in time make of himself a good speaker.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading "Extraordinary young man!" exclaimed Mrs. Ramshorn as they left the church, with a sigh that expressed despair.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading "If he would pay a little more attention to his composition," said Bascombe indifferently, "he might in time make of himself a good speaker.

modelsnounUS /ˈmɑːdəlz/

plural of “model” — a hypothetical description of a complex entity or process

From this reading I am not at all sure there are not the elements of an orator in him, if he would only reflect a little on the fine relations between speech and passion, and learn of the best models how to play upon the feelings of a congregation.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading "If he would pay a little more attention to his composition," said Bascombe indifferently, "he might in time make of himself a good speaker.

MrsnounUS /ˈmɪsɪz/

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading "Extraordinary young man!" exclaimed Mrs. Ramshorn as they left the church, with a sigh that expressed despair.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading I am not at all sure there are not the elements of an orator in him, if he would only reflect a little on the fine relations between speech and passion, and learn of the best models how to play upon the feelings of a congregation.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading "If he would pay a little more attention to his composition," said Bascombe indifferently, "he might in time make of himself a good speaker.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading I am not at all sure there are not the elements of an orator in him, if he would only reflect a little on the fine relations between speech and passion, and learn of the best models how to play upon the feelings of a congregation.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading I am not at all sure there are not the elements of an orator in him, if he would only reflect a little on the fine relations between speech and passion, and learn of the best models how to play upon the feelings of a congregation.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading "Is he an infidel or a fanatic? a Jesuit or a Socinian?"

oratornounUS /ˈɔːrətər/

a person who delivers a speech or oration

From this reading I am not at all sure there are not the elements of an orator in him, if he would only reflect a little on the fine relations between speech and passion, and learn of the best models how to play upon the feelings of a congregation.

passionnounUS /ˈpæʃən/

a strong feeling or emotion

From this reading I am not at all sure there are not the elements of an orator in him, if he would only reflect a little on the fine relations between speech and passion, and learn of the best models how to play upon the feelings of a congregation.

payverbUS /peɪ/

give money, usually in exchange for goods or services

From this reading "If he would pay a little more attention to his composition," said Bascombe indifferently, "he might in time make of himself a good speaker.

playverbUS /pleɪ/

participate in games or sport

From this reading I am not at all sure there are not the elements of an orator in him, if he would only reflect a little on the fine relations between speech and passion, and learn of the best models how to play upon the feelings of a congregation.

Ramshorn

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

From this reading "Extraordinary young man!" exclaimed Mrs. Ramshorn as they left the church, with a sigh that expressed despair.

reflectverbUS /rɪˈflekt/

manifest or bring back

From this reading I am not at all sure there are not the elements of an orator in him, if he would only reflect a little on the fine relations between speech and passion, and learn of the best models how to play upon the feelings of a congregation.

relationsnounUS /riˈleɪʃənz/

mutual dealings or connections or communications among persons or groups

From this reading I am not at all sure there are not the elements of an orator in him, if he would only reflect a little on the fine relations between speech and passion, and learn of the best models how to play upon the feelings of a congregation.

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "If he would pay a little more attention to his composition," said Bascombe indifferently, "he might in time make of himself a good speaker.

sighverbUS /saɪ/

heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily

From this reading "Extraordinary young man!" exclaimed Mrs. Ramshorn as they left the church, with a sigh that expressed despair.

Sociniannoun

an adherent of the teachings of Socinus; a Christian who rejects the divinity of Christ and the Trinity and original sin; influenced the development of Unitarian theology

From this reading "Is he an infidel or a fanatic? a Jesuit or a Socinian?"

speakernounUS /ˈspiːkər/

someone who expresses in language; someone who talks (especially someone who delivers a public speech or someone especially garrulous)

From this reading "If he would pay a little more attention to his composition," said Bascombe indifferently, "he might in time make of himself a good speaker.

speechnounUS /spiːtʃ/

the act of delivering a formal spoken communication to an audience

From this reading I am not at all sure there are not the elements of an orator in him, if he would only reflect a little on the fine relations between speech and passion, and learn of the best models how to play upon the feelings of a congregation.

sureadjectiveUS /ʃʊr/

having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured

From this reading I am not at all sure there are not the elements of an orator in him, if he would only reflect a little on the fine relations between speech and passion, and learn of the best models how to play upon the feelings of a congregation.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading "Extraordinary young man!" exclaimed Mrs. Ramshorn as they left the church, with a sigh that expressed despair.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading "Extraordinary young man!" exclaimed Mrs. Ramshorn as they left the church, with a sigh that expressed despair.

thereadverbUS /ðer/

in or at that place or location

From this reading I am not at all sure there are not the elements of an orator in him, if he would only reflect a little on the fine relations between speech and passion, and learn of the best models how to play upon the feelings of a congregation.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading "Extraordinary young man!" exclaimed Mrs. Ramshorn as they left the church, with a sigh that expressed despair.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading "If he would pay a little more attention to his composition," said Bascombe indifferently, "he might in time make of himself a good speaker.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading "If he would pay a little more attention to his composition," said Bascombe indifferently, "he might in time make of himself a good speaker.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading I am not at all sure there are not the elements of an orator in him, if he would only reflect a little on the fine relations between speech and passion, and learn of the best models how to play upon the feelings of a congregation.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading "Extraordinary young man!" exclaimed Mrs. Ramshorn as they left the church, with a sigh that expressed despair.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading "If he would pay a little more attention to his composition," said Bascombe indifferently, "he might in time make of himself a good speaker.

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading "Extraordinary young man!" exclaimed Mrs. Ramshorn as they left the church, with a sigh that expressed despair.

Chapter 15 of Thomas Wingfold, Curate V2 by George MacDonald holds 69 sentences, grouped into 14 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 15 of Thomas Wingfold, Curate V2 contain?

Chapter 15 holds 69 sentences of Thomas Wingfold, Curate V2, unabridged, divided into 14 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 15 of Thomas Wingfold, Curate V2 by George MacDonald exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 69 sentences, grouped into 14 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 15 of Thomas Wingfold, Curate V2?

Work through the 14 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 14 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 15 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 15 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 V2

Common questions about reading Thomas Wingfold, Curate V2 by George MacDonald on this page, its source edition and its audio.

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Yes. All 2698 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #5974 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

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Project Gutenberg eBook #5974, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Thomas Wingfold, Curate V2 take to read?

About 224 minutes of reading across 540 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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  3. Listen and tap

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Vocabulary met early in Thomas Wingfold, Curate V2

Words and structures a reader meets early in Thomas Wingfold, Curate V2, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Rachel
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Thomas Wingfold, Curate V2; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Uncle
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Thomas Wingfold, Curate V2; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Nearly
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Thomas Wingfold, Curate V2; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Arrived
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Thomas Wingfold, Curate V2; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.