On auroit toujours été très satisfait de l’industrie d’un pere si experimenté dans l’Art de la Generation, quand il n’auroit pû prolonger la vie à son fils que pour Puelques mois, ou pour peu d’années. Mais quand on se represente que l’Enfant a vecu près de quatre-vingts ans, & qu’il a composé quatre-vingts Ouvrages differents tous fruits d’une longue lecture—il faut convenir que tout ce qui est incroyable n’est pas toujours faux, & que la _Vraisemblance n’est pas toujours du côté la Verité._ Il n’avoit que dix neuf ans lorsqu’il composa Gonopsychanthropologia de Origine Animæ humanæ. (Les Enfans celebres, revûs & corrigés par M. de la Monnoye de l’Academie Françoise. C H A P. XLVI WE shall bring all things to rights, said my father, setting his foot upon the first step from the landing.—This _Trismegistus_, continued my father, drawing his leg back and turning to my uncle _Toby_——was the greatest (_Toby_) of all earthly beings—he was the greatest king——the greatest lawgiver——the greatest philosopher——and the greatest priest——and engineer—said my uncle _Toby_. ——In course, said my father. C H A P. XLVII —AND how does your mistress? cried my father, taking the same step over again from the landing, and calling to _Susannah_, whom he saw passing by the foot of the stairs with a huge pin-cushion in her hand—how does your mistress? As well, said _Susannah_, tripping by, but without looking up, as can be expected.—What a fool am I! said my father, drawing his leg back again—let things be as they will, brother _Toby_, ’tis ever the precise answer——And how is the child, pray?——No answer. And where is Dr. _Slop_? added my father, raising his voice aloud, and looking over the ballusters—_Susannah_ was out of hearing. Of all the riddles of a married life, said my father, crossing the landing in order to set his back against the wall, whilst he propounded it to my uncle _Toby_——of all the puzzling riddles, said he, in a marriage state,——of which you may trust me, brother _Toby_, there are more asses loads than all _Job_’s stock of asses could have carried——there is not one that has more intricacies in it than this—that from the very moment the mistress of the house is brought to bed, every female in it, from my lady’s gentlewoman down to the cinder-wench, becomes an inch taller for it; and give themselves more airs upon that single inch, than all their other inches put together. I think rather, replied my uncle _Toby_, that ’tis we who sink an inch lower.—If I meet but a woman with child—I do it.—’Tis a heavy tax upon that half of our fellow-creatures, brother _Shandy_, said my uncle _Toby_—’Tis a piteous burden upon ’em, continued he, shaking his head—Yes, yes, ’tis a painful thing—said my father, shaking his head too——but certainly since shaking of heads came into fashion, never did two heads shake together, in concert, from two such different springs. God bless / Deuce take ’em all—said my uncle _Toby_ and my father, each to himself.