——No,—I think I have advanced nothing, replied my father, making answer to a question which _Yorick_ had taken the liberty to put to him,—I have advanced nothing in the _Tristra-pædia_, but what is as clear as any one proposition in _Euclid._—Reach me, _Trim_, that book from off the scrutoir:—it has oft-times been in my mind, continued my father, to have read it over both to you, _Yorick_, and to my brother _Toby_, and I think it a little unfriendly in myself, in not having done it long ago:——shall we have a short chapter or two now,—and a chapter or two hereafter, as occasions serve; and so on, till we get through the whole? My uncle _Toby_ and _Yorick_ made the obeisance which was proper; and the corporal, though he was not included in the compliment, laid his hand upon his breast, and made his bow at the same time.——The company smiled. _Trim_, quoth my father, has paid the full price for staying out the _entertainment._——He did not seem to relish the play, replied _Yorick._——’Twas a Tom-fool-battle, an’ please your reverence, of captain _Tripet_ ’s and that other officer, making so many summersets, as they advanced;——the _French_ come on capering now and then in that way,—but not quite so much. My uncle _Toby_ never felt the consciousness of his existence with more complacency than what the corporal’s, and his own reflections, made him do at that moment;——he lighted his pipe,——_Yorick_ drew his chair closer to the table,—_Trim_ snuff’d the candle,—my father stirr’d up the fire,—took up the book,—cough’d twice, and begun. C H A P. XXXI THE first thirty pages, said my father, turning over the leaves,—are a little dry; and as they are not closely connected with the subject,——for the present we’ll pass them by: ’tis a prefatory introduction, continued my father, or an introductory preface (for I am not determined which name to give it) upon political or civil government; the foundation of which being laid in the first conjunction betwixt male and female, for procreation of the species——I was insensibly led into it.——’Twas natural, said _Yorick._