maintain it, added he, that a man of sense does not lay down his hat in coming into a room,—or take it up in going out of it, but something escapes, which discovers him.
It is for these reasons, continued my father, that the governor I make choice of shall neither lisp, or squint, or wink, or talk loud, or look fierce, or foolish;⸺or bite his lips, or grind his teeth, or speak through his nose, or pick it, or blow it with his fingers.⸺
He shall neither walk fast,—or slow, or fold his arms,—for that is laziness;—or hang them down,—for that is folly; or hide them in his pocket, for that is nonsense.⸺
He shall neither strike, or pinch, or tickle,—or bite, or cut his nails, or hawk, or spit, or snift, or drum with his feet or fingers in company;⸺nor (according to Erasmus ) shall he speak to anyone in making water,—nor shall he point to carrion or excrement.⸺Now this is all nonsense again, quoth my uncle Toby to himself.⸺
I will have him, continued my father, cheerful, faceté, jovial; at the same time, prudent, attentive to business, vigilant, acute, argute, inventive, quick in resolving doubts and speculative questions;⸺he shall be wise, and judicious, and learned:⸺And why not humble, and moderate, and gentle-tempered, and good? said Yorick :⸺And why not, cried my uncle Toby , free, and generous, and bountiful, and brave?⸺He shall, my dear Toby , replied my father, getting up and shaking him by the hand.—Then, brother Shandy , answered my uncle Toby , raising himself off the chair, and laying down his pipe to take hold of my father’s other hand,—I humbly beg I may recommend poor Le Fever’s son to you;⸺a tear of joy of the first water sparkled in my uncle Toby’s eye, and another, the fellow to it, in the corporal’s, as the proposition was made;⸺you will see why when you read Le Fever’s story:⸺fool that I was! nor can I recollect (nor perhaps you) without