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Vailima Letters
Vailima Letters

Chapter VIII

Cover illustration for Vailima Letters
Context Illustration Reading 1/15 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
_June_, 1891.
SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.
Fanny wept when we unpacked it, and you know how little she is given to that mood; I was scarce Roman myself, but that does not count—I lift up my voice so readily.
These are good compliments to the artist.
I write in the midst of a wreck of books, which have just come up, and have for once defied my labours to get straight.
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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

Chapter VIII

Reading 1/15 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
_June_, 1891.
Line 2
SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.
Line 3
Fanny wept when we unpacked it, and you know how little she is given to that mood; I was scarce Roman myself, but that does not count—I lift up my voice so readily.
Line 4
These are good compliments to the artist.
Line 5
I write in the midst of a wreck of books, which have just come up, and have for once defied my labours to get straight.

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

Books noun US /bʊks/

Bound written or printed works.

From this reading “I write in the midst of a wreck of books, which have just come up, and have for once defied my labours to get straight.”

Come noun US /come/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “I write in the midst of a wreck of books, which have just come up, and have for once defied my labours to get straight.”

Good noun US /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “These are good compliments to the artist.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.”

Know noun US /know/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Fanny wept when we unpacked it, and you know how little she is given to that mood; I was scarce Roman myself, but that does not count—I lift up my voice so readily.”

Little noun US /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Fanny wept when we unpacked it, and you know how little she is given to that mood; I was scarce Roman myself, but that does not count—I lift up my voice so readily.”

Myself pronoun US /ˌmaɪˈself/

used when the speaker is also the object of the action

From this reading “Fanny wept when we unpacked it, and you know how little she is given to that mood; I was scarce Roman myself, but that does not count—I lift up my voice so readily.”

Once noun US /once/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “I write in the midst of a wreck of books, which have just come up, and have for once defied my labours to get straight.”

Readily noun US /readily/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Fanny wept when we unpacked it, and you know how little she is given to that mood; I was scarce Roman myself, but that does not count—I lift up my voice so readily.”

Scarce adjective US /skɛrs/

hard to find or in short supply

From this reading “Fanny wept when we unpacked it, and you know how little she is given to that mood; I was scarce Roman myself, but that does not count—I lift up my voice so readily.”

Shall modal verb US /ʃæl/

used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest

From this reading “SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.”

Soon noun US /soon/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.”

Still noun US /still/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.”

These determiner US /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading “These are good compliments to the artist.”

Time noun US /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.”

Under preposition US /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading “SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.”

All words in this reading · 78

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

1891

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

From this reading _June_, 1891.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.

absence

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

From this reading SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading These are good compliments to the artist.

artist

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

From this reading These are good compliments to the artist.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.

booksnounUS /bʊks/

Bound written or printed works.

From this reading I write in the midst of a wreck of books, which have just come up, and have for once defied my labours to get straight.

breathing

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

From this reading SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Fanny wept when we unpacked it, and you know how little she is given to that mood; I was scarce Roman myself, but that does not count—I lift up my voice so readily.

comenounUS /come/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading I write in the midst of a wreck of books, which have just come up, and have for once defied my labours to get straight.

compliments

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

From this reading These are good compliments to the artist.

count

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

From this reading Fanny wept when we unpacked it, and you know how little she is given to that mood; I was scarce Roman myself, but that does not count—I lift up my voice so readily.

defied

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

From this reading I write in the midst of a wreck of books, which have just come up, and have for once defied my labours to get straight.

doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/

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

From this reading Fanny wept when we unpacked it, and you know how little she is given to that mood; I was scarce Roman myself, but that does not count—I lift up my voice so readily.

expression

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

From this reading SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.

Fanny

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

From this reading Fanny wept when we unpacked it, and you know how little she is given to that mood; I was scarce Roman myself, but that does not count—I lift up my voice so readily.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading I write in the midst of a wreck of books, which have just come up, and have for once defied my labours to get straight.

get

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

From this reading I write in the midst of a wreck of books, which have just come up, and have for once defied my labours to get straight.

given

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

From this reading Fanny wept when we unpacked it, and you know how little she is given to that mood; I was scarce Roman myself, but that does not count—I lift up my voice so readily.

glad

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

From this reading SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.

goodnounUS /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading These are good compliments to the artist.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.

how

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

From this reading Fanny wept when we unpacked it, and you know how little she is given to that mood; I was scarce Roman myself, but that does not count—I lift up my voice so readily.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.

June

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

From this reading _June_, 1891.

just

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

From this reading I write in the midst of a wreck of books, which have just come up, and have for once defied my labours to get straight.

knownounUS /know/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Fanny wept when we unpacked it, and you know how little she is given to that mood; I was scarce Roman myself, but that does not count—I lift up my voice so readily.

labours

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

From this reading I write in the midst of a wreck of books, which have just come up, and have for once defied my labours to get straight.

lift

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

From this reading Fanny wept when we unpacked it, and you know how little she is given to that mood; I was scarce Roman myself, but that does not count—I lift up my voice so readily.

littlenounUS /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Fanny wept when we unpacked it, and you know how little she is given to that mood; I was scarce Roman myself, but that does not count—I lift up my voice so readily.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.

midst

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

From this reading I write in the midst of a wreck of books, which have just come up, and have for once defied my labours to get straight.

mood

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

From this reading Fanny wept when we unpacked it, and you know how little she is given to that mood; I was scarce Roman myself, but that does not count—I lift up my voice so readily.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Fanny wept when we unpacked it, and you know how little she is given to that mood; I was scarce Roman myself, but that does not count—I lift up my voice so readily.

myselfpronounUS /ˌmaɪˈself/

used when the speaker is also the object of the action

From this reading Fanny wept when we unpacked it, and you know how little she is given to that mood; I was scarce Roman myself, but that does not count—I lift up my voice so readily.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Fanny wept when we unpacked it, and you know how little she is given to that mood; I was scarce Roman myself, but that does not count—I lift up my voice so readily.

now

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

From this reading SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.

once

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

From this reading I write in the midst of a wreck of books, which have just come up, and have for once defied my labours to get straight.

only

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

From this reading SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.

portrait

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

From this reading SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.

readilynounUS /readily/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Fanny wept when we unpacked it, and you know how little she is given to that mood; I was scarce Roman myself, but that does not count—I lift up my voice so readily.

reminder

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

From this reading SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.

Roman

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

From this reading Fanny wept when we unpacked it, and you know how little she is given to that mood; I was scarce Roman myself, but that does not count—I lift up my voice so readily.

saddens

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

From this reading SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.

scarceadjectiveUS /skɛrs/

hard to find or in short supply

From this reading Fanny wept when we unpacked it, and you know how little she is given to that mood; I was scarce Roman myself, but that does not count—I lift up my voice so readily.

self

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

From this reading SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.

shallmodal verbUS /ʃæl/

used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest

From this reading SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading Fanny wept when we unpacked it, and you know how little she is given to that mood; I was scarce Roman myself, but that does not count—I lift up my voice so readily.

SIR

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

From this reading SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Fanny wept when we unpacked it, and you know how little she is given to that mood; I was scarce Roman myself, but that does not count—I lift up my voice so readily.

soon

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

From this reading SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.

stillnounUS /still/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.

straight

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

From this reading I write in the midst of a wreck of books, which have just come up, and have for once defied my labours to get straight.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Fanny wept when we unpacked it, and you know how little she is given to that mood; I was scarce Roman myself, but that does not count—I lift up my voice so readily.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading These are good compliments to the artist.

there

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

From this reading SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.

ThesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading These are good compliments to the artist.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.

ToparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.

true

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

From this reading SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.

unpacked

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

From this reading Fanny wept when we unpacked it, and you know how little she is given to that mood; I was scarce Roman myself, but that does not count—I lift up my voice so readily.

up

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

From this reading SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.

voice

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

From this reading Fanny wept when we unpacked it, and you know how little she is given to that mood; I was scarce Roman myself, but that does not count—I lift up my voice so readily.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Fanny wept when we unpacked it, and you know how little she is given to that mood; I was scarce Roman myself, but that does not count—I lift up my voice so readily.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading Fanny wept when we unpacked it, and you know how little she is given to that mood; I was scarce Roman myself, but that does not count—I lift up my voice so readily.

wept

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

From this reading Fanny wept when we unpacked it, and you know how little she is given to that mood; I was scarce Roman myself, but that does not count—I lift up my voice so readily.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading Fanny wept when we unpacked it, and you know how little she is given to that mood; I was scarce Roman myself, but that does not count—I lift up my voice so readily.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.

wreck

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

From this reading I write in the midst of a wreck of books, which have just come up, and have for once defied my labours to get straight.

write

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

From this reading I write in the midst of a wreck of books, which have just come up, and have for once defied my labours to get straight.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading SIR,—To you, under your portrait, which is, in expression, your true, breathing self, and up to now saddens me; in time, and soon, I shall be glad to have it there; it is still only a reminder of your absence.