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Self-Reliance and Spiritual Independence
Self-Reliance and Spiritual Independence

Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of Self-Reliance and Spiritual Independence is here in full — 439 sentences across 88 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Self-Reliance and Spiritual Independence
Context Illustration Reading 1/87 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Life is a series of surprises.
We do not guess to-day the mood, the pleasure, the power of to-morrow, when we are building up our being.
Of lower states, of acts of routine and sense, we can tell somewhat; but the masterpieces of God, the total growths and universal movements of the soul, he hideth; they are incalculable.
I can know that truth is divine and helpful; but how it shall help me I can have no guess, for _so to be_ is the sole inlet of _so to know_.
The new position of the advancing man has all the powers of the old, yet has them all new.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
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/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
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Self-Reliance and Spiritual Independence

Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

Chapter 8 of Self-Reliance and Spiritual Independence is here in full — 439 sentences across 88 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/87 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Life is a series of surprises.
/laɪf ɪz ə ˈsɪriz ʌv sərˈpraɪzɪz/
Line 2
We do not guess to-day the mood, the pleasure, the power of to-morrow, when we are building up our being.
Line 3
Of lower states, of acts of routine and sense, we can tell somewhat; but the masterpieces of God, the total growths and universal movements of the soul, he hideth; they are incalculable.
Line 4
I can know that truth is divine and helpful; but how it shall help me I can have no guess, for _so to be_ is the sole inlet of _so to know_.
Line 5
The new position of the advancing man has all the powers of the old, yet has them all new.
/ðə nuː pəˈzɪʃən ʌv ðə ədˈvænsɪŋ mæn hæz ɔːl ðə ˈpaʊərz ʌv ðə oʊld jet hæz ðem ɔːl nuː/

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.

growths noun US /ɡroʊθs/

plural of “growth” — (biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level

From this reading “Of lower states, of acts of routine and sense, we can tell somewhat; but the masterpieces of God, the total growths and universal movements of the soul, he hideth; they are incalculable.”

helpful adjective US /ˈhelpfəl/

providing assistance or serving a useful function

From this reading “I can know that truth is divine and helpful; but how it shall help me I can have no guess, for _so to be_ is the sole inlet of _so to know_.”

incalculable adjective US /ˌɪnˈkælkjələbəl/

not able to be computed or enumerated

From this reading “Of lower states, of acts of routine and sense, we can tell somewhat; but the masterpieces of God, the total growths and universal movements of the soul, he hideth; they are incalculable.”

inlet noun US /ˈɪnlet/

an arm off of a larger body of water (often between rocky headlands)

From this reading “I can know that truth is divine and helpful; but how it shall help me I can have no guess, for _so to be_ is the sole inlet of _so to know_.”

masterpieces noun US /ˈmæstərpiːsəz/

plural of “masterpiece” — the most outstanding work of a creative artist or craftsman

From this reading “Of lower states, of acts of routine and sense, we can tell somewhat; but the masterpieces of God, the total growths and universal movements of the soul, he hideth; they are incalculable.”

routine noun US /ruːˈtiːn/

an unvarying or habitual method or procedure

From this reading “Of lower states, of acts of routine and sense, we can tell somewhat; but the masterpieces of God, the total growths and universal movements of the soul, he hideth; they are incalculable.”

surprises noun US /sərˈpraɪzɪz/

plural of “surprise” — the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you

From this reading “Life is a series of surprises.”

total verb US /ˈtoʊtəl/

add up in number or quantity

From this reading “Of lower states, of acts of routine and sense, we can tell somewhat; but the masterpieces of God, the total growths and universal movements of the soul, he hideth; they are incalculable.”

All words in this reading · 72

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 Life is a series of surprises.

actsnounUS /ækts/

a New Testament book describing the development of the early church from Christ's Ascension to Paul's sojourn at Rome

From this reading Of lower states, of acts of routine and sense, we can tell somewhat; but the masterpieces of God, the total growths and universal movements of the soul, he hideth; they are incalculable.

advancingadjectiveUS /ədˈvænsɪŋ/

moving forward

From this reading The new position of the advancing man has all the powers of the old, yet has them all new.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading The new position of the advancing man has all the powers of the old, yet has them all new.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Of lower states, of acts of routine and sense, we can tell somewhat; but the masterpieces of God, the total growths and universal movements of the soul, he hideth; they are incalculable.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading We do not guess to-day the mood, the pleasure, the power of to-morrow, when we are building up our being.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading I can know that truth is divine and helpful; but how it shall help me I can have no guess, for _so to be_ is the sole inlet of _so to know_.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading We do not guess to-day the mood, the pleasure, the power of to-morrow, when we are building up our being.

buildingnounUS /ˈbɪldɪŋ/

a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place

From this reading We do not guess to-day the mood, the pleasure, the power of to-morrow, when we are building up our being.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Of lower states, of acts of routine and sense, we can tell somewhat; but the masterpieces of God, the total growths and universal movements of the soul, he hideth; they are incalculable.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading Of lower states, of acts of routine and sense, we can tell somewhat; but the masterpieces of God, the total growths and universal movements of the soul, he hideth; they are incalculable.

divineadjectiveUS /dɪˈvaɪn/

emanating from God

From this reading I can know that truth is divine and helpful; but how it shall help me I can have no guess, for _so to be_ is the sole inlet of _so to know_.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading We do not guess to-day the mood, the pleasure, the power of to-morrow, when we are building up our being.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading I can know that truth is divine and helpful; but how it shall help me I can have no guess, for _so to be_ is the sole inlet of _so to know_.

GodnounUS /ɡɑːd/

the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions

From this reading Of lower states, of acts of routine and sense, we can tell somewhat; but the masterpieces of God, the total growths and universal movements of the soul, he hideth; they are incalculable.

growthsnounUS /ɡroʊθs/

plural of “growth” — (biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level

From this reading Of lower states, of acts of routine and sense, we can tell somewhat; but the masterpieces of God, the total growths and universal movements of the soul, he hideth; they are incalculable.

guessverbUS /ɡes/

expect, believe, or suppose

From this reading We do not guess to-day the mood, the pleasure, the power of to-morrow, when we are building up our being.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading The new position of the advancing man has all the powers of the old, yet has them all new.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading I can know that truth is divine and helpful; but how it shall help me I can have no guess, for _so to be_ is the sole inlet of _so to know_.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Of lower states, of acts of routine and sense, we can tell somewhat; but the masterpieces of God, the total growths and universal movements of the soul, he hideth; they are incalculable.

helpverbUS /help/

give help or assistance; be of service

From this reading I can know that truth is divine and helpful; but how it shall help me I can have no guess, for _so to be_ is the sole inlet of _so to know_.

helpfuladjectiveUS /ˈhelpfəl/

providing assistance or serving a useful function

From this reading I can know that truth is divine and helpful; but how it shall help me I can have no guess, for _so to be_ is the sole inlet of _so to know_.

hideth

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

From this reading Of lower states, of acts of routine and sense, we can tell somewhat; but the masterpieces of God, the total growths and universal movements of the soul, he hideth; they are incalculable.

how

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

From this reading I can know that truth is divine and helpful; but how it shall help me I can have no guess, for _so to be_ is the sole inlet of _so to know_.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I can know that truth is divine and helpful; but how it shall help me I can have no guess, for _so to be_ is the sole inlet of _so to know_.

incalculableadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkælkjələbəl/

not able to be computed or enumerated

From this reading Of lower states, of acts of routine and sense, we can tell somewhat; but the masterpieces of God, the total growths and universal movements of the soul, he hideth; they are incalculable.

inletnounUS /ˈɪnlet/

an arm off of a larger body of water (often between rocky headlands)

From this reading I can know that truth is divine and helpful; but how it shall help me I can have no guess, for _so to be_ is the sole inlet of _so to know_.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Life is a series of surprises.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading I can know that truth is divine and helpful; but how it shall help me I can have no guess, for _so to be_ is the sole inlet of _so to know_.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading I can know that truth is divine and helpful; but how it shall help me I can have no guess, for _so to be_ is the sole inlet of _so to know_.

LifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading Life is a series of surprises.

lowerverbUS /ˈloʊər/

move something or somebody to a lower position

From this reading Of lower states, of acts of routine and sense, we can tell somewhat; but the masterpieces of God, the total growths and universal movements of the soul, he hideth; they are incalculable.

mannounUS /mæn/

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

From this reading The new position of the advancing man has all the powers of the old, yet has them all new.

masterpiecesnounUS /ˈmæstərpiːsəz/

plural of “masterpiece” — the most outstanding work of a creative artist or craftsman

From this reading Of lower states, of acts of routine and sense, we can tell somewhat; but the masterpieces of God, the total growths and universal movements of the soul, he hideth; they are incalculable.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading I can know that truth is divine and helpful; but how it shall help me I can have no guess, for _so to be_ is the sole inlet of _so to know_.

moodnounUS /muːd/

a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling

From this reading We do not guess to-day the mood, the pleasure, the power of to-morrow, when we are building up our being.

movementsnounUS /ˈmuːvmənts/

plural of “movement” — a change of position that does not entail a change of location

From this reading Of lower states, of acts of routine and sense, we can tell somewhat; but the masterpieces of God, the total growths and universal movements of the soul, he hideth; they are incalculable.

newadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading The new position of the advancing man has all the powers of the old, yet has them all new.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading I can know that truth is divine and helpful; but how it shall help me I can have no guess, for _so to be_ is the sole inlet of _so to know_.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading We do not guess to-day the mood, the pleasure, the power of to-morrow, when we are building up our being.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Life is a series of surprises.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading The new position of the advancing man has all the powers of the old, yet has them all new.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading We do not guess to-day the mood, the pleasure, the power of to-morrow, when we are building up our being.

pleasurenounUS /ˈpleʒər/

a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience

From this reading We do not guess to-day the mood, the pleasure, the power of to-morrow, when we are building up our being.

positionnounUS /pəˈzɪʃən/

the particular portion of space occupied by something

From this reading The new position of the advancing man has all the powers of the old, yet has them all new.

powernounUS /ˈpaʊər/

possession of controlling influence

From this reading We do not guess to-day the mood, the pleasure, the power of to-morrow, when we are building up our being.

powersnounUS /ˈpaʊərz/

plural of “power” — possession of controlling influence

From this reading The new position of the advancing man has all the powers of the old, yet has them all new.

routinenounUS /ruːˈtiːn/

an unvarying or habitual method or procedure

From this reading Of lower states, of acts of routine and sense, we can tell somewhat; but the masterpieces of God, the total growths and universal movements of the soul, he hideth; they are incalculable.

sensenounUS /sens/

a general conscious awareness

From this reading Of lower states, of acts of routine and sense, we can tell somewhat; but the masterpieces of God, the total growths and universal movements of the soul, he hideth; they are incalculable.

seriesnounUS /ˈsɪriz/

similar things placed in order or happening one after another

From this reading Life is a series of surprises.

shallmodal verbUS /ʃæl/

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

From this reading I can know that truth is divine and helpful; but how it shall help me I can have no guess, for _so to be_ is the sole inlet of _so to know_.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading I can know that truth is divine and helpful; but how it shall help me I can have no guess, for _so to be_ is the sole inlet of _so to know_.

solenounUS /soʊl/

the underside of footwear or a golf club

From this reading I can know that truth is divine and helpful; but how it shall help me I can have no guess, for _so to be_ is the sole inlet of _so to know_.

somewhatadverbUS /ˈsʌmˈwʌt/

to a small degree or extent

From this reading Of lower states, of acts of routine and sense, we can tell somewhat; but the masterpieces of God, the total growths and universal movements of the soul, he hideth; they are incalculable.

soulnounUS /soʊl/

the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life

From this reading Of lower states, of acts of routine and sense, we can tell somewhat; but the masterpieces of God, the total growths and universal movements of the soul, he hideth; they are incalculable.

statesnounUS /steɪts/

plural of “state” — the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation

From this reading Of lower states, of acts of routine and sense, we can tell somewhat; but the masterpieces of God, the total growths and universal movements of the soul, he hideth; they are incalculable.

surprisesnounUS /sərˈpraɪzɪz/

plural of “surprise” — the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you

From this reading Life is a series of surprises.

tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading Of lower states, of acts of routine and sense, we can tell somewhat; but the masterpieces of God, the total growths and universal movements of the soul, he hideth; they are incalculable.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading I can know that truth is divine and helpful; but how it shall help me I can have no guess, for _so to be_ is the sole inlet of _so to know_.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading We do not guess to-day the mood, the pleasure, the power of to-morrow, when we are building up our being.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading The new position of the advancing man has all the powers of the old, yet has them all new.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading Of lower states, of acts of routine and sense, we can tell somewhat; but the masterpieces of God, the total growths and universal movements of the soul, he hideth; they are incalculable.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading I can know that truth is divine and helpful; but how it shall help me I can have no guess, for _so to be_ is the sole inlet of _so to know_.

to-day

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

From this reading We do not guess to-day the mood, the pleasure, the power of to-morrow, when we are building up our being.

to-morrow

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

From this reading We do not guess to-day the mood, the pleasure, the power of to-morrow, when we are building up our being.

totalverbUS /ˈtoʊtəl/

add up in number or quantity

From this reading Of lower states, of acts of routine and sense, we can tell somewhat; but the masterpieces of God, the total growths and universal movements of the soul, he hideth; they are incalculable.

truthnounUS /truːθ/

a fact that has been verified

From this reading I can know that truth is divine and helpful; but how it shall help me I can have no guess, for _so to be_ is the sole inlet of _so to know_.

universaladjectiveUS /ˌjuːnəˈvɜːrsəl/

of worldwide scope or applicability

From this reading Of lower states, of acts of routine and sense, we can tell somewhat; but the masterpieces of God, the total growths and universal movements of the soul, he hideth; they are incalculable.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading We do not guess to-day the mood, the pleasure, the power of to-morrow, when we are building up our being.

WepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading We do not guess to-day the mood, the pleasure, the power of to-morrow, when we are building up our being.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading We do not guess to-day the mood, the pleasure, the power of to-morrow, when we are building up our being.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading The new position of the advancing man has all the powers of the old, yet has them all new.

Chapter 8 of Self-Reliance and Spiritual Independence by Ralph Waldo Emerson holds 439 sentences, grouped into 88 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 8 of Self-Reliance and Spiritual Independence contain?

Chapter 8 holds 439 sentences of Self-Reliance and Spiritual Independence, unabridged, divided into 88 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 8 of Self-Reliance and Spiritual Independence by Ralph Waldo Emerson exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 439 sentences, grouped into 88 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 8 of Self-Reliance and Spiritual Independence?

Work through the 88 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 88 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 8 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 8 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 Self-Reliance and Spiritual Independence

Common questions about reading Self-Reliance and Spiritual Independence by Ralph Waldo Emerson on this page, its source edition and its audio.

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Vocabulary met early in Self-Reliance and Spiritual Independence

Words and structures a reader meets early in Self-Reliance and Spiritual Independence, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Chapter 1
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Chapter 2
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Chapter 3
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