There are others again, who will draw a man’s character from no other helps in the world, but merely from his evacuations;—but this often gives a very incorrect outline,—unless, indeed, you take a sketch of his repletions too; and by correcting one drawing from the other, compound one good figure out of them both. I should have no objection to this method, but that I think it must smell too strong of the lamp,—and be render’d still more operose, by forcing you to have an eye to the rest of his _Non-naturals._—Why the most natural actions of a man’s life should be called his Non-naturals,—is another question. There are others, fourthly, who disdain every one of these expedients;—not from any fertility of their own, but from the various ways of doing it, which they have borrowed from the honourable devices which the Pentagraphic Brethren[3] of the brush have shewn in taking copies.—These, you must know, are your great historians. One of these you will see drawing a full length character _against the light_;—that’s illiberal,—dishonest,—and hard upon the character of the man who sits. Others, to mend the matter, will make a drawing of you in the _Camera_;—that is most unfair of all, because, _there_ you are sure to be represented in some of your most ridiculous attitudes. To avoid all and every one of these errors in giving you my uncle _Toby_’s character, I am determined to draw it by no mechanical help whatever;—nor shall my pencil be guided by any one wind-instrument which ever was blown upon, either on this, or on the other side of the _Alps_;—nor will I consider either his repletions or his discharges,—or touch upon his Non-naturals; but, in a word, I will draw my uncle _Toby_’s character from his HOBBY-HORSE. [3] Pentagraph, an instrument to copy Prints and Pictures mechanically, and in any proportion. C H A P. XXIV IF I was not morally sure that the reader must be out of all patience for my uncle _Toby_’s character,——I would here previously have convinced him that there is no instrument so fit to draw such a thing with, as that which I have pitch’d upon. A man and his HOBBY-HORSE, tho’ I cannot say that they act and re-act exactly after the same manner in which the soul and body do upon each other: Yet doubtless there is a communication between them of some kind; and my opinion rather is, that there is something in it more of the manner of electrified bodies,—and that, by means of the heated parts of the rider, which come immediately into contact with the back of the HOBBY-HORSE,—by long journies and much friction, it so happens, that the body of the rider is at length fill’d as full of HOBBY-HORSICAL matter as it can hold;—so that if you are able to give but a clear description of the nature of the one, you may form a pretty exact notion of the genius and character of the other.