context: < < `` I have told you , friend , `` said the curate , `` that this is done to divert our idle thoughts ; and as in well - ordered states games of CHESS , fives , and billiards are allowed for the diversion of those who do not care , or are not obliged , or are unable to work , so books of this kind are allowed to be printed , on the supposition that , what indeed is the truth , there can be nobody so ignorant as to take any of them for true stories ; > >
hypothesis: The saying happened