text_original: *~PHE author of this work, from the day he wrote its first page to the day when he placed the happy word " End " at the bottom of the last page, was a prey to the most absurd illusion. Fancying that a composition in four parts deserved some consideration, he wasted his time in seeking a fundamental idea, in working it out, well or ill, according to a plan good or bad, as the case may be, in arranging scenes, combining effects, studying manners and customs as best he might, — in a word, he took his work seriously.
text_transcription: THE AUTHOR OF THIS WORK FROM THE DAY HE WROTE ITS FIRST PAGE TO THE DAY WHEN HE PLACED THE HAPPY WORD AND AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LAST PAGE WAS A PREY TO THE MOST ABSURD ILLUSION FANCYING THAT A COMPOSITION IN FOUR PARTS DESERVED SOME CONSIDERATION HE WASTED HIS TIME IN SEEKING A FUNDAMENTAL IDEA IN WORKING IT OUT WELL OR ILL ACCORDING TO A PLAN GOOD OR BAD AS THE CASE MAY BE IN ARRANGING SCENES COMBINING EFFECTS STUDYING MANNERS AND CUSTOMS AS BEST HE MIGHT IN A WORD HE TOOK HIS WORK SERIOUSLY
phonemes: ˈæstɚɹˌɪsktɪldə pˌiːˌeɪtʃˈiː ˈɔːθɚɹ ʌv ðɪs wˈɜːk, fɹʌmðə dˈeɪ hiː ɹˈoʊt ɪts fˈɜːst pˈeɪdʒ tə ðə dˈeɪ wɛn hiː plˈeɪst ðə hˈæpi wˈɜːd " ˈɛnd " æt ðə bˈɑːɾəm ʌvðə lˈæst pˈeɪdʒ, wʌzɐ pɹˈeɪ tə ðə mˈoʊst ɐbsˈɜːd ɪlˈuːʒən. fˈænsiɪŋ ðˌæɾə kˌɑːmpəzˈɪʃən ɪn fˈɔːɹ pˈɑːɹts dɪzˈɜːvd sˌʌm kənsˌɪdɚɹˈeɪʃən, hiː wˈeɪstᵻd hɪz tˈaɪm ɪn sˈiːkɪŋ ɐ fˌʌndəmˈɛntəl aɪdˈiə, ɪn wˈɜːkɪŋ ɪɾ ˈaʊt, wˈɛl ɔːɹ ˈɪl, ɐkˈɔːɹdɪŋ tʊ ɐ plˈæn ɡˈʊd ɔːɹ bˈæd, æz ðə kˈeɪs mˈeɪ bˈiː, ɪn ɚɹˈeɪndʒɪŋ sˈiːnz, kəmbˈaɪnɪŋ ɪfˈɛkts, stˈʌdiɪŋ mˈænɚz ænd kˈʌstəmz æz bˈɛst hiː mˈaɪt, — ɪn ɐ wˈɜːd, hiː tˈʊk hɪz wˈɜːk sˈɪɹiəsli.