Page:The life and opinions of Tristram Shandy (Volume 3).pdf/86

 thinking,—and so according to that preconceived—You puzzle me to death, cried my uncle Toby.—

—'Tis owing to this replied my father, that in our computations of time, we are so used to minutes, hours, weeks, and months,—and of clocks (I wish there was not a clock in the kingdom) to measure out their several portions to us, and to those who belong to us,—that 'twill be well, if in time to come, the succession of our ideas be of any use or service to us at all.

Now, whether we observe it or no, continued my father, in every sound man's head, there is a regular succession of ideas of one sort or other, which follow each other in train just like—A train of artillery? said my uncle Toby.—A train