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Vailima Letters
Being Correspondence
Vailima Letters Being Correspondence

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Vailima Letters Being Correspondence is here in full — 196 sentences across 40 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Vailima Letters
Being Correspondence
Context Illustration Reading 1/39 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
_In the Mountain_, _Apia_, _Samoa_, _Monday_, _November_ 2_nd_, 1890 MY DEAR COLVIN,—This is a hard and interesting and beautiful life that we lead now.
Our place is in a deep cleft of Vaea Mountain, some six hundred feet above the sea, embowered in forest, which is our strangling enemy, and which we combat with axes and dollars.
I went crazy over outdoor work, and had at last to confine myself to the house, or literature must have gone by the board.
_Nothing_ is so interesting as weeding, clearing, and path-making; the oversight of labourers becomes a disease; it is quite an effort not to drop into the farmer; and it does make you feel so well.
To come down covered with mud and drenched with sweat and rain after some hours in the bush, change, rub down, and take a chair in the verandah, is to taste a quiet conscience.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Vailima Letters Being Correspondence

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Vailima Letters Being Correspondence is here in full — 196 sentences across 40 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/39 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
_In the Mountain_, _Apia_, _Samoa_, _Monday_, _November_ 2_nd_, 1890 MY DEAR COLVIN,—This is a hard and interesting and beautiful life that we lead now.
Line 2
Our place is in a deep cleft of Vaea Mountain, some six hundred feet above the sea, embowered in forest, which is our strangling enemy, and which we combat with axes and dollars.
Line 3
I went crazy over outdoor work, and had at last to confine myself to the house, or literature must have gone by the board.
Line 4
_Nothing_ is so interesting as weeding, clearing, and path-making; the oversight of labourers becomes a disease; it is quite an effort not to drop into the farmer; and it does make you feel so well.
Line 5
To come down covered with mud and drenched with sweat and rain after some hours in the bush, change, rub down, and take a chair in the verandah, is to taste a quiet conscience.

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.

Taste verb US /teɪst/

To perceive flavor through the mouth.

From this reading “To come down covered with mud and drenched with sweat and rain after some hours in the bush, change, rub down, and take a chair in the verandah, is to taste a quiet conscience.”

All words in this reading · 107

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.

1890

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

From this reading _In the Mountain_, _Apia_, _Samoa_, _Monday_, _November_ 2_nd_, 1890 MY DEAR COLVIN,—This is a hard and interesting and beautiful life that we lead now.

2

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

From this reading _In the Mountain_, _Apia_, _Samoa_, _Monday_, _November_ 2_nd_, 1890 MY DEAR COLVIN,—This is a hard and interesting and beautiful life that we lead now.

a

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

From this reading _In the Mountain_, _Apia_, _Samoa_, _Monday_, _November_ 2_nd_, 1890 MY DEAR COLVIN,—This is a hard and interesting and beautiful life that we lead now.

above

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

From this reading Our place is in a deep cleft of Vaea Mountain, some six hundred feet above the sea, embowered in forest, which is our strangling enemy, and which we combat with axes and dollars.

after

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

From this reading To come down covered with mud and drenched with sweat and rain after some hours in the bush, change, rub down, and take a chair in the verandah, is to taste a quiet conscience.

an

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

From this reading _Nothing_ is so interesting as weeding, clearing, and path-making; the oversight of labourers becomes a disease; it is quite an effort not to drop into the farmer; and it does make you feel so well.

and

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

From this reading _In the Mountain_, _Apia_, _Samoa_, _Monday_, _November_ 2_nd_, 1890 MY DEAR COLVIN,—This is a hard and interesting and beautiful life that we lead now.

Apia

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

From this reading _In the Mountain_, _Apia_, _Samoa_, _Monday_, _November_ 2_nd_, 1890 MY DEAR COLVIN,—This is a hard and interesting and beautiful life that we lead now.

as

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

From this reading _Nothing_ is so interesting as weeding, clearing, and path-making; the oversight of labourers becomes a disease; it is quite an effort not to drop into the farmer; and it does make you feel so well.

at

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

From this reading I went crazy over outdoor work, and had at last to confine myself to the house, or literature must have gone by the board.

axes

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

From this reading Our place is in a deep cleft of Vaea Mountain, some six hundred feet above the sea, embowered in forest, which is our strangling enemy, and which we combat with axes and dollars.

beautiful

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

From this reading _In the Mountain_, _Apia_, _Samoa_, _Monday_, _November_ 2_nd_, 1890 MY DEAR COLVIN,—This is a hard and interesting and beautiful life that we lead now.

becomes

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

From this reading _Nothing_ is so interesting as weeding, clearing, and path-making; the oversight of labourers becomes a disease; it is quite an effort not to drop into the farmer; and it does make you feel so well.

board

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

From this reading I went crazy over outdoor work, and had at last to confine myself to the house, or literature must have gone by the board.

bush

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

From this reading To come down covered with mud and drenched with sweat and rain after some hours in the bush, change, rub down, and take a chair in the verandah, is to taste a quiet conscience.

by

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

From this reading I went crazy over outdoor work, and had at last to confine myself to the house, or literature must have gone by the board.

chair

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

From this reading To come down covered with mud and drenched with sweat and rain after some hours in the bush, change, rub down, and take a chair in the verandah, is to taste a quiet conscience.

change

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

From this reading To come down covered with mud and drenched with sweat and rain after some hours in the bush, change, rub down, and take a chair in the verandah, is to taste a quiet conscience.

clearing

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

From this reading _Nothing_ is so interesting as weeding, clearing, and path-making; the oversight of labourers becomes a disease; it is quite an effort not to drop into the farmer; and it does make you feel so well.

cleft

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

From this reading Our place is in a deep cleft of Vaea Mountain, some six hundred feet above the sea, embowered in forest, which is our strangling enemy, and which we combat with axes and dollars.

COLVIN

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

From this reading _In the Mountain_, _Apia_, _Samoa_, _Monday_, _November_ 2_nd_, 1890 MY DEAR COLVIN,—This is a hard and interesting and beautiful life that we lead now.

combat

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

From this reading Our place is in a deep cleft of Vaea Mountain, some six hundred feet above the sea, embowered in forest, which is our strangling enemy, and which we combat with axes and dollars.

come

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

From this reading To come down covered with mud and drenched with sweat and rain after some hours in the bush, change, rub down, and take a chair in the verandah, is to taste a quiet conscience.

confine

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

From this reading I went crazy over outdoor work, and had at last to confine myself to the house, or literature must have gone by the board.

conscience

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

From this reading To come down covered with mud and drenched with sweat and rain after some hours in the bush, change, rub down, and take a chair in the verandah, is to taste a quiet conscience.

covered

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

From this reading To come down covered with mud and drenched with sweat and rain after some hours in the bush, change, rub down, and take a chair in the verandah, is to taste a quiet conscience.

crazy

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

From this reading I went crazy over outdoor work, and had at last to confine myself to the house, or literature must have gone by the board.

DEAR

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

From this reading _In the Mountain_, _Apia_, _Samoa_, _Monday_, _November_ 2_nd_, 1890 MY DEAR COLVIN,—This is a hard and interesting and beautiful life that we lead now.

deep

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

From this reading Our place is in a deep cleft of Vaea Mountain, some six hundred feet above the sea, embowered in forest, which is our strangling enemy, and which we combat with axes and dollars.

disease

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

From this reading _Nothing_ is so interesting as weeding, clearing, and path-making; the oversight of labourers becomes a disease; it is quite an effort not to drop into the farmer; and it does make you feel so well.

does

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

From this reading _Nothing_ is so interesting as weeding, clearing, and path-making; the oversight of labourers becomes a disease; it is quite an effort not to drop into the farmer; and it does make you feel so well.

dollars

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

From this reading Our place is in a deep cleft of Vaea Mountain, some six hundred feet above the sea, embowered in forest, which is our strangling enemy, and which we combat with axes and dollars.

down

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

From this reading To come down covered with mud and drenched with sweat and rain after some hours in the bush, change, rub down, and take a chair in the verandah, is to taste a quiet conscience.

drenched

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

From this reading To come down covered with mud and drenched with sweat and rain after some hours in the bush, change, rub down, and take a chair in the verandah, is to taste a quiet conscience.

drop

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

From this reading _Nothing_ is so interesting as weeding, clearing, and path-making; the oversight of labourers becomes a disease; it is quite an effort not to drop into the farmer; and it does make you feel so well.

effort

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

From this reading _Nothing_ is so interesting as weeding, clearing, and path-making; the oversight of labourers becomes a disease; it is quite an effort not to drop into the farmer; and it does make you feel so well.

embowered

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

From this reading Our place is in a deep cleft of Vaea Mountain, some six hundred feet above the sea, embowered in forest, which is our strangling enemy, and which we combat with axes and dollars.

enemy

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

From this reading Our place is in a deep cleft of Vaea Mountain, some six hundred feet above the sea, embowered in forest, which is our strangling enemy, and which we combat with axes and dollars.

farmer

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

From this reading _Nothing_ is so interesting as weeding, clearing, and path-making; the oversight of labourers becomes a disease; it is quite an effort not to drop into the farmer; and it does make you feel so well.

feel

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

From this reading _Nothing_ is so interesting as weeding, clearing, and path-making; the oversight of labourers becomes a disease; it is quite an effort not to drop into the farmer; and it does make you feel so well.

feet

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

From this reading Our place is in a deep cleft of Vaea Mountain, some six hundred feet above the sea, embowered in forest, which is our strangling enemy, and which we combat with axes and dollars.

forest

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

From this reading Our place is in a deep cleft of Vaea Mountain, some six hundred feet above the sea, embowered in forest, which is our strangling enemy, and which we combat with axes and dollars.

gone

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

From this reading I went crazy over outdoor work, and had at last to confine myself to the house, or literature must have gone by the board.

had

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

From this reading I went crazy over outdoor work, and had at last to confine myself to the house, or literature must have gone by the board.

hard

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

From this reading _In the Mountain_, _Apia_, _Samoa_, _Monday_, _November_ 2_nd_, 1890 MY DEAR COLVIN,—This is a hard and interesting and beautiful life that we lead now.

have

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

From this reading I went crazy over outdoor work, and had at last to confine myself to the house, or literature must have gone by the board.

hours

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

From this reading To come down covered with mud and drenched with sweat and rain after some hours in the bush, change, rub down, and take a chair in the verandah, is to taste a quiet conscience.

house

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

From this reading I went crazy over outdoor work, and had at last to confine myself to the house, or literature must have gone by the board.

hundred

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

From this reading Our place is in a deep cleft of Vaea Mountain, some six hundred feet above the sea, embowered in forest, which is our strangling enemy, and which we combat with axes and dollars.

I

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

From this reading I went crazy over outdoor work, and had at last to confine myself to the house, or literature must have gone by the board.

In

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

From this reading _In the Mountain_, _Apia_, _Samoa_, _Monday_, _November_ 2_nd_, 1890 MY DEAR COLVIN,—This is a hard and interesting and beautiful life that we lead now.

interesting

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

From this reading _In the Mountain_, _Apia_, _Samoa_, _Monday_, _November_ 2_nd_, 1890 MY DEAR COLVIN,—This is a hard and interesting and beautiful life that we lead now.

into

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

From this reading _Nothing_ is so interesting as weeding, clearing, and path-making; the oversight of labourers becomes a disease; it is quite an effort not to drop into the farmer; and it does make you feel so well.

is

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

From this reading _In the Mountain_, _Apia_, _Samoa_, _Monday_, _November_ 2_nd_, 1890 MY DEAR COLVIN,—This is a hard and interesting and beautiful life that we lead now.

it

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

From this reading _Nothing_ is so interesting as weeding, clearing, and path-making; the oversight of labourers becomes a disease; it is quite an effort not to drop into the farmer; and it does make you feel so well.

labourers

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

From this reading _Nothing_ is so interesting as weeding, clearing, and path-making; the oversight of labourers becomes a disease; it is quite an effort not to drop into the farmer; and it does make you feel so well.

last

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

From this reading I went crazy over outdoor work, and had at last to confine myself to the house, or literature must have gone by the board.

lead

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

From this reading _In the Mountain_, _Apia_, _Samoa_, _Monday_, _November_ 2_nd_, 1890 MY DEAR COLVIN,—This is a hard and interesting and beautiful life that we lead now.

life

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

From this reading _In the Mountain_, _Apia_, _Samoa_, _Monday_, _November_ 2_nd_, 1890 MY DEAR COLVIN,—This is a hard and interesting and beautiful life that we lead now.

literature

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

From this reading I went crazy over outdoor work, and had at last to confine myself to the house, or literature must have gone by the board.

make

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

From this reading _Nothing_ is so interesting as weeding, clearing, and path-making; the oversight of labourers becomes a disease; it is quite an effort not to drop into the farmer; and it does make you feel so well.

Monday

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

From this reading _In the Mountain_, _Apia_, _Samoa_, _Monday_, _November_ 2_nd_, 1890 MY DEAR COLVIN,—This is a hard and interesting and beautiful life that we lead now.

Mountain

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

From this reading _In the Mountain_, _Apia_, _Samoa_, _Monday_, _November_ 2_nd_, 1890 MY DEAR COLVIN,—This is a hard and interesting and beautiful life that we lead now.

mud

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

From this reading To come down covered with mud and drenched with sweat and rain after some hours in the bush, change, rub down, and take a chair in the verandah, is to taste a quiet conscience.

must

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

From this reading I went crazy over outdoor work, and had at last to confine myself to the house, or literature must have gone by the board.

MY

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

From this reading _In the Mountain_, _Apia_, _Samoa_, _Monday_, _November_ 2_nd_, 1890 MY DEAR COLVIN,—This is a hard and interesting and beautiful life that we lead now.

myself

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

From this reading I went crazy over outdoor work, and had at last to confine myself to the house, or literature must have gone by the board.

nd

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

From this reading _In the Mountain_, _Apia_, _Samoa_, _Monday_, _November_ 2_nd_, 1890 MY DEAR COLVIN,—This is a hard and interesting and beautiful life that we lead now.

not

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

From this reading _Nothing_ is so interesting as weeding, clearing, and path-making; the oversight of labourers becomes a disease; it is quite an effort not to drop into the farmer; and it does make you feel so well.

Nothing

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

From this reading _Nothing_ is so interesting as weeding, clearing, and path-making; the oversight of labourers becomes a disease; it is quite an effort not to drop into the farmer; and it does make you feel so well.

November

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

From this reading _In the Mountain_, _Apia_, _Samoa_, _Monday_, _November_ 2_nd_, 1890 MY DEAR COLVIN,—This is a hard and interesting and beautiful life that we lead now.

now

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

From this reading _In the Mountain_, _Apia_, _Samoa_, _Monday_, _November_ 2_nd_, 1890 MY DEAR COLVIN,—This is a hard and interesting and beautiful life that we lead now.

of

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

From this reading Our place is in a deep cleft of Vaea Mountain, some six hundred feet above the sea, embowered in forest, which is our strangling enemy, and which we combat with axes and dollars.

or

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

From this reading I went crazy over outdoor work, and had at last to confine myself to the house, or literature must have gone by the board.

Our

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

From this reading Our place is in a deep cleft of Vaea Mountain, some six hundred feet above the sea, embowered in forest, which is our strangling enemy, and which we combat with axes and dollars.

outdoor

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

From this reading I went crazy over outdoor work, and had at last to confine myself to the house, or literature must have gone by the board.

over

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

From this reading I went crazy over outdoor work, and had at last to confine myself to the house, or literature must have gone by the board.

oversight

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

From this reading _Nothing_ is so interesting as weeding, clearing, and path-making; the oversight of labourers becomes a disease; it is quite an effort not to drop into the farmer; and it does make you feel so well.

path-making

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

From this reading _Nothing_ is so interesting as weeding, clearing, and path-making; the oversight of labourers becomes a disease; it is quite an effort not to drop into the farmer; and it does make you feel so well.

place

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

From this reading Our place is in a deep cleft of Vaea Mountain, some six hundred feet above the sea, embowered in forest, which is our strangling enemy, and which we combat with axes and dollars.

quiet

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

From this reading To come down covered with mud and drenched with sweat and rain after some hours in the bush, change, rub down, and take a chair in the verandah, is to taste a quiet conscience.

quite

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

From this reading _Nothing_ is so interesting as weeding, clearing, and path-making; the oversight of labourers becomes a disease; it is quite an effort not to drop into the farmer; and it does make you feel so well.

rain

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

From this reading To come down covered with mud and drenched with sweat and rain after some hours in the bush, change, rub down, and take a chair in the verandah, is to taste a quiet conscience.

rub

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

From this reading To come down covered with mud and drenched with sweat and rain after some hours in the bush, change, rub down, and take a chair in the verandah, is to taste a quiet conscience.

Samoa

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

From this reading _In the Mountain_, _Apia_, _Samoa_, _Monday_, _November_ 2_nd_, 1890 MY DEAR COLVIN,—This is a hard and interesting and beautiful life that we lead now.

sea

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

From this reading Our place is in a deep cleft of Vaea Mountain, some six hundred feet above the sea, embowered in forest, which is our strangling enemy, and which we combat with axes and dollars.

six

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

From this reading Our place is in a deep cleft of Vaea Mountain, some six hundred feet above the sea, embowered in forest, which is our strangling enemy, and which we combat with axes and dollars.

so

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

From this reading _Nothing_ is so interesting as weeding, clearing, and path-making; the oversight of labourers becomes a disease; it is quite an effort not to drop into the farmer; and it does make you feel so well.

some

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

From this reading Our place is in a deep cleft of Vaea Mountain, some six hundred feet above the sea, embowered in forest, which is our strangling enemy, and which we combat with axes and dollars.

strangling

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

From this reading Our place is in a deep cleft of Vaea Mountain, some six hundred feet above the sea, embowered in forest, which is our strangling enemy, and which we combat with axes and dollars.

sweat

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

From this reading To come down covered with mud and drenched with sweat and rain after some hours in the bush, change, rub down, and take a chair in the verandah, is to taste a quiet conscience.

take

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

From this reading To come down covered with mud and drenched with sweat and rain after some hours in the bush, change, rub down, and take a chair in the verandah, is to taste a quiet conscience.

tasteverbUS /teɪst/

To perceive flavor through the mouth.

From this reading To come down covered with mud and drenched with sweat and rain after some hours in the bush, change, rub down, and take a chair in the verandah, is to taste a quiet conscience.

that

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

From this reading _In the Mountain_, _Apia_, _Samoa_, _Monday_, _November_ 2_nd_, 1890 MY DEAR COLVIN,—This is a hard and interesting and beautiful life that we lead now.

the

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

From this reading _In the Mountain_, _Apia_, _Samoa_, _Monday_, _November_ 2_nd_, 1890 MY DEAR COLVIN,—This is a hard and interesting and beautiful life that we lead now.

This

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

From this reading _In the Mountain_, _Apia_, _Samoa_, _Monday_, _November_ 2_nd_, 1890 MY DEAR COLVIN,—This is a hard and interesting and beautiful life that we lead now.

to

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

From this reading I went crazy over outdoor work, and had at last to confine myself to the house, or literature must have gone by the board.

Vaea

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

From this reading Our place is in a deep cleft of Vaea Mountain, some six hundred feet above the sea, embowered in forest, which is our strangling enemy, and which we combat with axes and dollars.

verandah

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

From this reading To come down covered with mud and drenched with sweat and rain after some hours in the bush, change, rub down, and take a chair in the verandah, is to taste a quiet conscience.

we

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

From this reading _In the Mountain_, _Apia_, _Samoa_, _Monday_, _November_ 2_nd_, 1890 MY DEAR COLVIN,—This is a hard and interesting and beautiful life that we lead now.

weeding

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

From this reading _Nothing_ is so interesting as weeding, clearing, and path-making; the oversight of labourers becomes a disease; it is quite an effort not to drop into the farmer; and it does make you feel so well.

well

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

From this reading _Nothing_ is so interesting as weeding, clearing, and path-making; the oversight of labourers becomes a disease; it is quite an effort not to drop into the farmer; and it does make you feel so well.

went

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

From this reading I went crazy over outdoor work, and had at last to confine myself to the house, or literature must have gone by the board.

which

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

From this reading Our place is in a deep cleft of Vaea Mountain, some six hundred feet above the sea, embowered in forest, which is our strangling enemy, and which we combat with axes and dollars.

with

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

From this reading Our place is in a deep cleft of Vaea Mountain, some six hundred feet above the sea, embowered in forest, which is our strangling enemy, and which we combat with axes and dollars.

work

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

From this reading I went crazy over outdoor work, and had at last to confine myself to the house, or literature must have gone by the board.

you

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

From this reading _Nothing_ is so interesting as weeding, clearing, and path-making; the oversight of labourers becomes a disease; it is quite an effort not to drop into the farmer; and it does make you feel so well.

Chapter 1 of Vailima Letters Being Correspondence by Robert Louis Stevenson holds 196 sentences, grouped into 40 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 1 of Vailima Letters Being Correspondence contain?

Chapter 1 holds 196 sentences of Vailima Letters Being Correspondence, unabridged, divided into 40 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Vailima Letters Being Correspondence by Robert Louis Stevenson exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 196 sentences, grouped into 40 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 1 of Vailima Letters Being Correspondence?

Work through the 40 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 40 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading Vailima Letters Being Correspondence

Common questions about reading Vailima Letters Being Correspondence by Robert Louis Stevenson on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Vailima Letters Being Correspondence?

Yes. All 4155 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #387 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Vailima Letters Being Correspondence is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #387, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Vailima Letters Being Correspondence take to read?

About 346 minutes of reading across 831 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Vailima Letters Being Correspondence section by section

How to work through Vailima Letters Being Correspondence section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of Vailima Letters Being Correspondence 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 Vailima Letters Being Correspondence

Words and structures a reader meets early in Vailima Letters Being Correspondence, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Mountain
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Vailima Letters Being Correspondence; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Samoa
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Vailima Letters Being Correspondence; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Monday
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Vailima Letters Being Correspondence; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
November
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Vailima Letters Being Correspondence; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.