The Story of the King of Bohemia and His Seven Castles, Continued
There was a certain king of Bohemia , but in whose reign, except his own, I am not able to inform your honour⸺
I do not desire it of thee, Trim , by any means, cried my uncle Toby .
⸺It was a little before the time, an’ please your honour, when giants were beginning to leave off breeding:—but in what year of our Lord that was⸺
I would not give a halfpenny to know, said my uncle Toby .
⸺Only, an’ please your honour, it makes a story look the better in the face⸺
⸺’Tis thy own, Trim , so ornament it after thy own fashion; and take any date, continued my uncle Toby , looking pleasantly upon him—take any date in the whole world thou choosest, and put it to—thou art heartily welcome⸺
The corporal bowed; for of every century, and of every year of that century, from the first creation of the world down to Noah’s flood; and from Noah’s flood to the birth of Abraham ; through all the pilgrimages of the patriarchs, to the departure of the Israelites out of Egypt ⸺and throughout all the Dynasties, Olympiads, Urbeconditas, and other memorable epochas of the different nations of the world, down to the coming of Christ, and from thence to the very moment in which the corporal was telling his story⸺had my uncle Toby subjected this vast empire of time and all its abysses at his feet; but as modesty scarce touches with a finger what liberality offers her with both hands open—the corporal contented himself with the very worst year of the whole bunch; which, to prevent your honours of the Majority and Minority