Page:The life and opinions of Tristram Shandy (Volume 6).pdf/130

 have another war break out again some of these days; and when it does,—the belligerent powers, if they would hang themselves, cannot keep us out of play.—I defy 'em, my dear Toby, he would add, to take countries without taking towns,—or towns without sieges.

My uncle Toby never took this backstroke of my father's at his hobby horse kindly.—He thought the stroke ungenerous; and the more so, because in striking the horse, he hit the rider too, and in the most dishonourable part of a blow could fall; so that upon these occasions, he always laid down his pipe upon the table with more fire to defend himself than common.

I told the reader, this time two years, that my uncle Toby was not eloquent; and in the very same page gave an instance to the contrary:—I repeat the observation, and a fact which contradicts