_Gastripheres_, for example, continued _Kysarcius_, baptizes a child of _John Stradling’s_ in _Gomine_ gatris, &c., &c., instead of _in Nomine_ patris, &c. ----Is this a baptism? No--say the ablest canonists; in as much as the radix of each word is hereby torn up, and the sense and meaning of them removed and changed quite to another object; for _Gomine_ does not signify a name, nor _gatris_ a father. --What do they signify? said my uncle _Toby_. --Nothing at all------quoth _Yorick_. ----Ergo, such a baptism is null, said _Kysarcius_.---- In course, answered _Yorick_, in a tone two parts jest and one part earnest.---- But in the case cited, continued _Kysarcius_, where _patriæ_ is put for _patris_, _filia_ for _filii_, and so on----as it is a fault only in the declension, and the roots of the words continue untouch’d, the inflections of their branches either this way or that, does not in any sort hinder the baptism, inasmuch as the same sense continues in the words as before. ----But then, said _Didius_, the intention of the priest’s pronouncing them grammatically must have been proved to have gone along with it. ------------Right, answered _Kysarcius_; and of this, brother _Didius_, we have an instance in a decree of the decretals of Pope _Leo_ the IIId. ----But my brother’s child, cried my uncle _Toby_, has nothing to do with the Pope------’tis the plain child of a Protestant gentleman, christen’d _Tristram_ against the wills and wishes both of his father and mother, and all who are a-kin to it.---- If the wills and wishes, said _Kysarcius_, interrupting my uncle _Toby_, of those only who stand related to Mr. _Shandy’s_ child, were to have weight in this matter, Mrs. _Shandy_, of all people, has the least to do in it. ----My uncle _Toby_ lay’d down his pipe, and my father drew his chair still closer to the table, to hear the conclusion of so strange an introduction. ----It has not only been a question, Captain _Shandy_, amongst the[4.10] best lawyers and civilians in this land, continued _Kysarcius_, “_Whether the mother be of kin to her child_,” --but, after much dispassionate enquiry and jactitation of the arguments on all sides--it has been abjudged for the negative--namely, “_That the mother is not of kin to her child_.”[4.11] My father instantly clapp’d his hand upon my uncle _Toby’s_ mouth, under colour of whispering in his ear; --the truth was, he was alarmed for _Lillabullero_--and having a great desire to hear more of so curious an argument--he begg’d my uncle _Toby_, for Heaven’s sake, not to disappoint him in it. --My uncle _Toby_ gave a nod--resumed his pipe, and contenting himself with whistling _Lillabullero_ inwardly----_Kysarcius_, _Didius_, and _Triptolemus_ went on with the discourse as follows.