I am now beginning to get fairly into my work; and by the help of a vegetable diet, with a few of the cold seeds, I make no doubt but I shall be able to go on with my uncle _Toby's_ story, and my own, in a tolerable strait line. Now,
[Illustration:
_Inv. T. S._ _Scul. T. S._]
These were the four lines I moved in through my first, second, third, and fourth volumes.[6.4] --In the fifth volume I have been very good, ----the precise line I have described in it being this:
[Illustration]
By which it appears, that except at the curve, marked A, where I took a trip to _Navarre_, --and the indented curve _B_, which is the short airing when I was there with the Lady _Baussiere_ and her page, --I have not taken the least frisk of a digression, till _John de la Casse's_ devils led me the round you see marked D. --for as for _c c c c c_ they are nothing but parentheses, and the common _ins_ and _outs_ incident to the lives of the greatest ministers of state; and when compared with what men have done, --or with my own transgressions at the letters A B D--they vanish into nothing.
In this last volume I have done better still--for from the end of _Le Fever's_ episode, to the beginning of my uncle _Toby's_ campaigns, --I have scarce stepped a yard out of my way.
If I mend at this rate, it is not impossible----by the good leave of his grace of _Benevento's_ devils----but I may arrive hereafter at the excellency of going on even thus:
[Illustration (full-width line)]
which is a line drawn as straight as I could draw it, by a writing-master's ruler (borrowed for that purpose), turning neither to the right hand or to the left.
This _right line_, --the path-way for Christians to walk in! say divines----
----The emblem of moral rectitude! says _Cicero_----
----The _best line!_ say cabbage planters----is the shortest line, says _Archimedes_, which can be drawn from one given point to another.----
I wish your ladyships would lay this matter to heart, in your next birth-day suits!
----What a journey!
Pray can you tell me, --that is, without anger, before I write my chapter upon straight lines----by what mistake----who told them so----or how it has come to pass, that your men of wit and genius have all along confounded this line, with the line of GRAVITATION?
[Footnote 6.4: Alluding to the first edition.]
I am now beginning to get fairly into my work; and have no doubt that I shall be able to go on with my uncle Toby's story, and my own, in a tolerable straight line. Now,
These were the four lines I moved in through my first, second, third, and fourth volumes. In the fifth volume I have been very good, - the precise line I have described in it being this:
By which it appears, that except at the curve, marked A, where I took a trip to Navarre, and B, which is the short airing when I was there with the Lady Baussiere and her page, I have not taken the least frisk of a digression, till John de la Casse's devils led me the round you see marked D. As for c c c c c, they are nothing but parentheses, and the ins and outs common to the lives of the greatest ministers of state; and when compared with my transgressions at the letters A B D - they vanish into nothing.
In this last volume I have done better still - for from the end of Le Fever's episode, to the beginning of my uncle Toby's campaigns, I have scarce stepped a yard out of my way.
If I mend at this rate, it is not impossible that I may arrive at the excellency of going on even thus:
which is a line drawn as straight as I could draw it, with a ruler, turning neither to the right nor left.
This line - the path-way for Christians to walk in! say divines-
- The emblem of moral rectitude! says Cicero-
- The best line! say cabbage planters - is the shortest line, says Archimedes, which can be drawn from one point to another.
What a journey!
Pray can you tell me, without anger, before I write my chapter upon straight lines - by what mistake it has come to pass, that your men of genius have all along confounded this line with the line of Gravitation?
Book 6 - Chapter 40