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 de 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.)] CHAPTER XI 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 law-giver----the greatest philosopher----and the greatest priest----and engineer--said my uncle _Toby_. ------In course, said my father. CHAPTER XII --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 pincushion 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 } ’em all------said my uncle _Toby_ and my Deuce take } father, each to himself. CHAPTER XIII