text_original: But the substance of power and independence had passed away from it for ever. Matters of great moment Priry were debated first, not in the Senate House, Council, but in a sort of Privy Council formed by the trusted advisers of the Emperor, while the discussions of the larger body served chiefly to mask the forms of abso  lutism, to feel the pulse of popular sentiment, and to re  gister decisions formed elsewhere.
text_transcription: BUT THE SUBSTANCE OF POWER AND INDEPENDENCE HAD PASSED AWAY FROM IT FOREVER MATTERS OF GREAT MOMENT WERE DEBATED FIRST NOT IN THE SENATE HOUSE BUT IN A SORT OF PRIVY COUNCIL FORMED BY THE TRUSTED ADVISERS OF THE EMPEROR WHILE THE DISCUSSIONS OF THE LARGER BODY SERVED CHIEFLY TO MASK THE FORMS OF ABSOLUTISM TO FEEL THE PULSE OF POPULAR SENTIMENT AND TO REGISTER DECISIONS FORMED ELSEWHERE
phonemes: bˌʌt ðə sˈʌbstəns ʌv pˈaʊɚ ænd ˌɪndᵻpˈɛndəns hæd pˈæst ɐwˈeɪ fɹʌm ɪt fɔːɹ ˈɛvɚ. mˈæɾɚz ʌv ɡɹˈeɪt mˈoʊmənt pɹˈaɪɚɹi wɜː dᵻbˈeɪɾᵻd fˈɜːst, nˌɑːt ɪnðə sˈɛnət hˈaʊs, kˈaʊnsəl, bˌʌt ɪn ɐ sˈɔːɹt ʌv pɹˈɪvi kˈaʊnsəl fˈɔːɹmd baɪ ðə tɹˈʌstᵻd ɐdvˈaɪzɚz ʌvðɪ ˈɛmpɚɹɚ, wˌaɪl ðə dɪskˈʌʃənz ʌvðə lˈɑːɹdʒɚ bˈɑːdi sˈɜːvd tʃˈiːfli tə mˈæsk ðə fˈɔːɹmz ʌv ɐbsˈoʊ lˈuːɾɪzəm, tə fˈiːl ðə pˈʌls ʌv pˈɑːpjʊlɚ sˈɛntɪmənt, ænd tə ɹˌiː dʒˈɪstɚ dᵻsˈɪʒənz fˈɔːɹmd ˈɛlswɛɹ.