text_original: Walpolb was now prime minister. The King wished to reward him for his services by conferring a peerage on him, but this honom* Walpole steadily declined. One of his biographers says that his refusal ^ at first appears extraordinary.' It ought not to appear extraordinary at first or at last.
text_transcription: WALPOLE WAS NOW PRIME MINISTER THE KING WISHED TO REWARD HIM FOR HIS SERVICES BY CONFERRING A PEERAGE ON HIM BUT THIS HONOR WALPOLE STEADILY DECLINED ONE OF HIS BIOGRAPHERS SAYS THAT HIS REFUSAL AT FIRST APPEARS EXTRAORDINARY IT OUGHT NOT TO APPEAR EXTRAORDINARY AT FIRST OR AT LAST
phonemes: wˈɔlpɑːlb wʌz nˈaʊ pɹˈaɪm mˈɪnɪstɚ. ðə kˈɪŋ wˈɪʃt tə ɹᵻwˈɔːɹd hˌɪm fɔːɹ hɪz sˈɜːvɪsᵻz baɪ kənfˈɜːɹɪŋ ɐ pˈɪɹɪdʒ ˈɔn hˌɪm, bˌʌt ðɪs hˈɑːnəm ˈæstɚɹˌɪsk wˈɔlpoʊl stˈɛdili dᵻklˈaɪnd. wˈʌn ʌv hɪz baɪˈɑːɡɹəfɚz sˈɛz ðæt hɪz ɹᵻfjˈuːzəl æt fˈɜːst ɐpˈɪɹz ɛkstɹˈɔːɹdɪnˌɛɹi.ɪɾ ˈɔːt nˌɑːt tʊ ɐpˈɪɹ ɛkstɹˈɔːɹdɪnˌɛɹi æt fˈɜːst ɔːɹ æt lˈæst.