Page:The life and opinions of Tristram Shandy (Volume 4).pdf/179

 and governing our opinions, both of men and things,—that trifles light as air, shall waft a belief into the soul, and plant it so immoveably within it,—that Euclid's demonstrations, could they be brought to batter it in breach, should not all have power to overthrow it.

Yorick, I said, picked up the chesnut which Phutatoriuss wrath had flung down—the action was trifling—I am ashamed to account for it—he did it, for no reason, but that he thought the chesnut not a jot worse for the adventure—and that he held a good chesnut worth stooping for.—But this incident, trifling as it was, wrought differently in Phutatoriuss head: He considered this act of Yorick's, in getting off his chair, and picking up the chesnut, as a plain acknowledgment in him, that the ches-