Complete classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
Vice in Its Proper Shape
Vice in Its Proper Shape

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Vice in Its Proper Shape is here in full — 236 sentences across 48 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Vice in Its Proper Shape
Context Illustration Reading 1/47 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
VICE IN ITS PROPER SHAPE; OR, THE Wonderful and Melancholy TRANSFORMATION OF SEVERAL NAUGHTY MASTERS AND MISSES INTO THOSE Contemptible ANIMALS which they most resemble in Disposition.
THE FIRST _WORCESTER_ EDITION.
PRINTED at WORCESTER, _Massachusetts_, BY ISAIAH THOMAS, Sold at his BOOKSTORE, and by THOMAS and ANDREWS in BOSTON.
MDCCLXXXIX.
INTRODUCTION.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Vice in Its Proper Shape

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Vice in Its Proper Shape is here in full — 236 sentences across 48 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/47 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
VICE IN ITS PROPER SHAPE; OR, THE Wonderful and Melancholy TRANSFORMATION OF SEVERAL NAUGHTY MASTERS AND MISSES INTO THOSE Contemptible ANIMALS which they most resemble in Disposition.
/vaɪs ɪn ɪts ˈprɑːpər ʃeɪp ɔːr ðə ˈwʌndərfəl ənd ˈmelənkɑːli ˌtrænsfərˈmeɪʃən ʌv ˈsevrəl ˈnɔːti ˈmæstərz ənd ˈmɪsəz ˈɪntuː ðoʊz kənˈtemptəbəl ˈænəməlz wɪtʃ ðeɪ moʊst rɪˈzembəl ɪn ˌdɪspəˈzɪʃən/
Line 2
THE FIRST _WORCESTER_ EDITION.
/ðə fɜːrst ˈwʊstər əˈdɪʃən/
Line 3
PRINTED at WORCESTER, _Massachusetts_, BY ISAIAH THOMAS, Sold at his BOOKSTORE, and by THOMAS and ANDREWS in BOSTON.
/ˈprɪntɪd æt ˈwʊstər ˌmæsəˈtʃuːsəts baɪ ˌaɪˈzeɪə ˈtɑːməs soʊld æt hɪz ˈbʊkstɔːr ənd baɪ ˈtɑːməs ənd ˈændruːz ɪn ˈbɑːstən/
Line 4
MDCCLXXXIX.
Line 5
INTRODUCTION.
/ˌɪntrəˈdʌkʃən/

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.

andrews noun US /ˈændruːz/

United States naturalist who contributed to paleontology and geology (1884-1960)

From this reading “PRINTED at WORCESTER, _Massachusetts_, BY ISAIAH THOMAS, Sold at his BOOKSTORE, and by THOMAS and ANDREWS in BOSTON.”

bookstore noun US /ˈbʊkstɔːr/

a shop where books are sold

From this reading “PRINTED at WORCESTER, _Massachusetts_, BY ISAIAH THOMAS, Sold at his BOOKSTORE, and by THOMAS and ANDREWS in BOSTON.”

Contemptible adjective US /kənˈtemptəbəl/

deserving of contempt or scorn

From this reading “VICE IN ITS PROPER SHAPE; OR, THE Wonderful and Melancholy TRANSFORMATION OF SEVERAL NAUGHTY MASTERS AND MISSES INTO THOSE Contemptible ANIMALS which they most resemble in Disposition.”

isaiah noun US /ˌaɪˈzeɪə/

(Old Testament) the first of the major Hebrew prophets (8th century BC)

From this reading “PRINTED at WORCESTER, _Massachusetts_, BY ISAIAH THOMAS, Sold at his BOOKSTORE, and by THOMAS and ANDREWS in BOSTON.”

Massachusetts noun US /ˌmæsəˈtʃuːsəts/

a state in New England; one of the original 13 colonies

misses noun US /ˈmɪsəz/

plural of “miss” — a young female

From this reading “VICE IN ITS PROPER SHAPE; OR, THE Wonderful and Melancholy TRANSFORMATION OF SEVERAL NAUGHTY MASTERS AND MISSES INTO THOSE Contemptible ANIMALS which they most resemble in Disposition.”

transformation noun US /ˌtrænsfərˈmeɪʃən/

a qualitative change

From this reading “VICE IN ITS PROPER SHAPE; OR, THE Wonderful and Melancholy TRANSFORMATION OF SEVERAL NAUGHTY MASTERS AND MISSES INTO THOSE Contemptible ANIMALS which they most resemble in Disposition.”

worcester noun US /ˈwʊstər/

United States lexicographer who was accused of plagiarism by Noah Webster (1784-1865)

From this reading “PRINTED at WORCESTER, _Massachusetts_, BY ISAIAH THOMAS, Sold at his BOOKSTORE, and by THOMAS and ANDREWS in BOSTON.”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

PROPER SHAPE adjective + noun

In this reading “VICE IN ITS PROPER SHAPE; OR, THE Wonderful and Melancholy TRANSFORMATION OF SEVERAL NAUGHTY MASTERS AND MISSES INTO THOSE Contemptible ANIMALS which they most resemble in Disposition.”

All words in this reading · 41

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.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading VICE IN ITS PROPER SHAPE; OR, THE Wonderful and Melancholy TRANSFORMATION OF SEVERAL NAUGHTY MASTERS AND MISSES INTO THOSE Contemptible ANIMALS which they most resemble in Disposition.

ANDREWSnounUS /ˈændruːz/

United States naturalist who contributed to paleontology and geology (1884-1960)

From this reading PRINTED at WORCESTER, _Massachusetts_, BY ISAIAH THOMAS, Sold at his BOOKSTORE, and by THOMAS and ANDREWS in BOSTON.

ANIMALSnounUS /ˈænəməlz/

plural of “animal” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement

From this reading VICE IN ITS PROPER SHAPE; OR, THE Wonderful and Melancholy TRANSFORMATION OF SEVERAL NAUGHTY MASTERS AND MISSES INTO THOSE Contemptible ANIMALS which they most resemble in Disposition.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading PRINTED at WORCESTER, _Massachusetts_, BY ISAIAH THOMAS, Sold at his BOOKSTORE, and by THOMAS and ANDREWS in BOSTON.

BOOKSTOREnounUS /ˈbʊkstɔːr/

a shop where books are sold

From this reading PRINTED at WORCESTER, _Massachusetts_, BY ISAIAH THOMAS, Sold at his BOOKSTORE, and by THOMAS and ANDREWS in BOSTON.

BOSTONnounUS /ˈbɑːstən/

state capital and largest city of Massachusetts; a major center for banking and financial services

From this reading PRINTED at WORCESTER, _Massachusetts_, BY ISAIAH THOMAS, Sold at his BOOKSTORE, and by THOMAS and ANDREWS in BOSTON.

BYprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading PRINTED at WORCESTER, _Massachusetts_, BY ISAIAH THOMAS, Sold at his BOOKSTORE, and by THOMAS and ANDREWS in BOSTON.

ContemptibleadjectiveUS /kənˈtemptəbəl/

deserving of contempt or scorn

From this reading VICE IN ITS PROPER SHAPE; OR, THE Wonderful and Melancholy TRANSFORMATION OF SEVERAL NAUGHTY MASTERS AND MISSES INTO THOSE Contemptible ANIMALS which they most resemble in Disposition.

DispositionnounUS /ˌdɪspəˈzɪʃən/

your usual mood

From this reading VICE IN ITS PROPER SHAPE; OR, THE Wonderful and Melancholy TRANSFORMATION OF SEVERAL NAUGHTY MASTERS AND MISSES INTO THOSE Contemptible ANIMALS which they most resemble in Disposition.

EDITIONnounUS /əˈdɪʃən/

the form in which a text (especially a printed book) is published

From this reading THE FIRST _WORCESTER_ EDITION.

FIRSTadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading THE FIRST _WORCESTER_ EDITION.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading PRINTED at WORCESTER, _Massachusetts_, BY ISAIAH THOMAS, Sold at his BOOKSTORE, and by THOMAS and ANDREWS in BOSTON.

INprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading VICE IN ITS PROPER SHAPE; OR, THE Wonderful and Melancholy TRANSFORMATION OF SEVERAL NAUGHTY MASTERS AND MISSES INTO THOSE Contemptible ANIMALS which they most resemble in Disposition.

INTOprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading VICE IN ITS PROPER SHAPE; OR, THE Wonderful and Melancholy TRANSFORMATION OF SEVERAL NAUGHTY MASTERS AND MISSES INTO THOSE Contemptible ANIMALS which they most resemble in Disposition.

INTRODUCTIONnounUS /ˌɪntrəˈdʌkʃən/

the act of beginning something new

From this reading INTRODUCTION.

ISAIAHnounUS /ˌaɪˈzeɪə/

(Old Testament) the first of the major Hebrew prophets (8th century BC)

From this reading PRINTED at WORCESTER, _Massachusetts_, BY ISAIAH THOMAS, Sold at his BOOKSTORE, and by THOMAS and ANDREWS in BOSTON.

ITSdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading VICE IN ITS PROPER SHAPE; OR, THE Wonderful and Melancholy TRANSFORMATION OF SEVERAL NAUGHTY MASTERS AND MISSES INTO THOSE Contemptible ANIMALS which they most resemble in Disposition.

MassachusettsnounUS /ˌmæsəˈtʃuːsəts/

a state in New England; one of the original 13 colonies

From this reading PRINTED at WORCESTER, _Massachusetts_, BY ISAIAH THOMAS, Sold at his BOOKSTORE, and by THOMAS and ANDREWS in BOSTON.

MASTERSnounUS /ˈmæstərz/

United States poet (1869-1950)

From this reading VICE IN ITS PROPER SHAPE; OR, THE Wonderful and Melancholy TRANSFORMATION OF SEVERAL NAUGHTY MASTERS AND MISSES INTO THOSE Contemptible ANIMALS which they most resemble in Disposition.

MDCCLXXXIX

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

From this reading MDCCLXXXIX.

MelancholynounUS /ˈmelənkɑːli/

a feeling of thoughtful sadness

From this reading VICE IN ITS PROPER SHAPE; OR, THE Wonderful and Melancholy TRANSFORMATION OF SEVERAL NAUGHTY MASTERS AND MISSES INTO THOSE Contemptible ANIMALS which they most resemble in Disposition.

MISSESnounUS /ˈmɪsəz/

plural of “miss” — a young female

From this reading VICE IN ITS PROPER SHAPE; OR, THE Wonderful and Melancholy TRANSFORMATION OF SEVERAL NAUGHTY MASTERS AND MISSES INTO THOSE Contemptible ANIMALS which they most resemble in Disposition.

mostadverbUS /moʊst/

used to form the superlative

From this reading VICE IN ITS PROPER SHAPE; OR, THE Wonderful and Melancholy TRANSFORMATION OF SEVERAL NAUGHTY MASTERS AND MISSES INTO THOSE Contemptible ANIMALS which they most resemble in Disposition.

NAUGHTYadjectiveUS /ˈnɔːti/

suggestive of sexual impropriety

From this reading VICE IN ITS PROPER SHAPE; OR, THE Wonderful and Melancholy TRANSFORMATION OF SEVERAL NAUGHTY MASTERS AND MISSES INTO THOSE Contemptible ANIMALS which they most resemble in Disposition.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading VICE IN ITS PROPER SHAPE; OR, THE Wonderful and Melancholy TRANSFORMATION OF SEVERAL NAUGHTY MASTERS AND MISSES INTO THOSE Contemptible ANIMALS which they most resemble in Disposition.

ORconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading VICE IN ITS PROPER SHAPE; OR, THE Wonderful and Melancholy TRANSFORMATION OF SEVERAL NAUGHTY MASTERS AND MISSES INTO THOSE Contemptible ANIMALS which they most resemble in Disposition.

PRINTEDverbUS /ˈprɪntɪd/

past form of “print” — put into print

From this reading PRINTED at WORCESTER, _Massachusetts_, BY ISAIAH THOMAS, Sold at his BOOKSTORE, and by THOMAS and ANDREWS in BOSTON.

PROPERadjectiveUS /ˈprɑːpər/

marked by suitability or rightness or appropriateness

From this reading VICE IN ITS PROPER SHAPE; OR, THE Wonderful and Melancholy TRANSFORMATION OF SEVERAL NAUGHTY MASTERS AND MISSES INTO THOSE Contemptible ANIMALS which they most resemble in Disposition.

resembleverbUS /rɪˈzembəl/

appear like; be similar or bear a likeness to

From this reading VICE IN ITS PROPER SHAPE; OR, THE Wonderful and Melancholy TRANSFORMATION OF SEVERAL NAUGHTY MASTERS AND MISSES INTO THOSE Contemptible ANIMALS which they most resemble in Disposition.

SEVERALadjectiveUS /ˈsevrəl/

(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many

From this reading VICE IN ITS PROPER SHAPE; OR, THE Wonderful and Melancholy TRANSFORMATION OF SEVERAL NAUGHTY MASTERS AND MISSES INTO THOSE Contemptible ANIMALS which they most resemble in Disposition.

SHAPEnounUS /ʃeɪp/

any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline)

From this reading VICE IN ITS PROPER SHAPE; OR, THE Wonderful and Melancholy TRANSFORMATION OF SEVERAL NAUGHTY MASTERS AND MISSES INTO THOSE Contemptible ANIMALS which they most resemble in Disposition.

SoldadjectiveUS /soʊld/

disposed of to a purchaser

From this reading PRINTED at WORCESTER, _Massachusetts_, BY ISAIAH THOMAS, Sold at his BOOKSTORE, and by THOMAS and ANDREWS in BOSTON.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading VICE IN ITS PROPER SHAPE; OR, THE Wonderful and Melancholy TRANSFORMATION OF SEVERAL NAUGHTY MASTERS AND MISSES INTO THOSE Contemptible ANIMALS which they most resemble in Disposition.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading VICE IN ITS PROPER SHAPE; OR, THE Wonderful and Melancholy TRANSFORMATION OF SEVERAL NAUGHTY MASTERS AND MISSES INTO THOSE Contemptible ANIMALS which they most resemble in Disposition.

THOMASnounUS /ˈtɑːməs/

United States clockmaker who introduced mass production (1785-1859)

From this reading PRINTED at WORCESTER, _Massachusetts_, BY ISAIAH THOMAS, Sold at his BOOKSTORE, and by THOMAS and ANDREWS in BOSTON.

THOSEdeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading VICE IN ITS PROPER SHAPE; OR, THE Wonderful and Melancholy TRANSFORMATION OF SEVERAL NAUGHTY MASTERS AND MISSES INTO THOSE Contemptible ANIMALS which they most resemble in Disposition.

TRANSFORMATIONnounUS /ˌtrænsfərˈmeɪʃən/

a qualitative change

From this reading VICE IN ITS PROPER SHAPE; OR, THE Wonderful and Melancholy TRANSFORMATION OF SEVERAL NAUGHTY MASTERS AND MISSES INTO THOSE Contemptible ANIMALS which they most resemble in Disposition.

VICEnounUS /vaɪs/

moral weakness

From this reading VICE IN ITS PROPER SHAPE; OR, THE Wonderful and Melancholy TRANSFORMATION OF SEVERAL NAUGHTY MASTERS AND MISSES INTO THOSE Contemptible ANIMALS which they most resemble in Disposition.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading VICE IN ITS PROPER SHAPE; OR, THE Wonderful and Melancholy TRANSFORMATION OF SEVERAL NAUGHTY MASTERS AND MISSES INTO THOSE Contemptible ANIMALS which they most resemble in Disposition.

WonderfuladjectiveUS /ˈwʌndərfəl/

extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers

From this reading VICE IN ITS PROPER SHAPE; OR, THE Wonderful and Melancholy TRANSFORMATION OF SEVERAL NAUGHTY MASTERS AND MISSES INTO THOSE Contemptible ANIMALS which they most resemble in Disposition.

WORCESTERnounUS /ˈwʊstər/

United States lexicographer who was accused of plagiarism by Noah Webster (1784-1865)

From this reading THE FIRST _WORCESTER_ EDITION.

Chapter 1 of Vice in Its Proper Shape by Anonymous holds 236 sentences, grouped into 48 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 1 of Vice in Its Proper Shape contain?

Chapter 1 holds 236 sentences of Vice in Its Proper Shape, unabridged, divided into 48 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Vice in Its Proper Shape by Anonymous exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 236 sentences, grouped into 48 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 Vice in Its Proper Shape?

Work through the 48 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 48 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 Vice in Its Proper Shape

Common questions about reading Vice in Its Proper Shape by Anonymous on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Vice in Its Proper Shape?

Yes. All 236 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #26379 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Vice in Its Proper Shape is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #26379, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Vice in Its Proper Shape take to read?

About 19 minutes of reading across 48 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Vice in Its Proper Shape section by section

How to work through Vice in Its Proper Shape section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 1 chapters of Vice in Its Proper Shape 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 Vice in Its Proper Shape

Words and structures a reader meets early in Vice in Its Proper Shape, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Proper
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Vice in Its Proper Shape; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Shape
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Vice in Its Proper Shape; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Wonderful
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Vice in Its Proper Shape; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Melancholy
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Vice in Its Proper Shape; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.