The characters of the two brothers, in this view of them, reflected light upon each other, and appeared with great advantage in this affair which arose about Stevinus .
I need not tell the reader, if he keeps a Hobbyhorse ,⸺that a man’s Hobbyhorse is as tender a part as he has about him; and that these unprovoked strokes at my uncle Toby’s could not be unfelt by him.⸺No:⸻as I said above, my uncle Toby did feel them, and very sensibly too.
Pray, Sir, what said he?—How did he behave?—O, Sir!—it was great: For as soon as my father had done insulting his Hobbyhorse ,⸻he turned his head without the least emotion, from Dr. Slop , to whom he was addressing his discourse, and looking up into my father’s face, with a countenance spread over with so much good-nature;⸺so placid;⸺so fraternal;⸺so inexpressibly tender towards him:—it penetrated my father to his heart: He rose up hastily from his chair, and seizing hold of both my uncle Toby’s hands as he spoke:—Brother Toby , said he,—I beg thy pardon;⸺forgive, I pray thee, this rash humour which my mother gave me.⸺My dear, dear brother, answered my uncle Toby , rising up by my father’s help, say no more about it;—you are heartily welcome, had it been ten times as much, brother. But ’tis ungenerous, replied my father, to hurt any man;⸺a brother worse;⸺but to hurt a brother of such gentle manners,—so unprovoking,—and so unresenting;⸺’tis base:⸺By Heaven, ’tis cowardly.—You are heartily welcome, brother, quoth my uncle Toby ,⸻had it been fifty times as much.⸺Besides, what have I to do, my dear Toby , cried my father, either with your amusements or your pleasures, unless it was in my power (which it is not) to increase their measure?
⸺Brother Shandy , answered my uncle Toby , looking wistfully in his face,⸺you are much mistaken in this point:—for you do increase