----That provision should be made for continuing the race of so great, so exalted and godlike a Being as man --I am far from denying--but philosophy speaks freely of everything; and therefore I still think and do maintain it to be a pity, that it should be done by means of a passion which bends down the faculties, and turns all the wisdom, contemplations, and operations of the soul backwards----a passion, my dear, continued my father, addressing himself to my mother, which couples and equals wise men with fools, and makes us come out of our caverns and hiding-places more like satyrs and four-footed beasts than men.
I know it will be said, continued my father (availing himself of the _Prolepsis_), that in itself, and simply taken----like hunger, or thirst, or sleep----'tis an affair neither good or bad--or shameful or otherwise. ----Why then did the delicacy of _Diogenes_ and _Plato_ so recalcitrate against it? and wherefore, when we go about to make and plant a man, do we put out the candle? and for what reason is it, that all the parts thereof--the congredients--the preparations--the instruments, and whatever serves thereto, are so held as to be conveyed to a cleanly mind by no language, translation, or periphrasis whatever?
----The act of killing and destroying a man, continued my father, raising his voice--and turning to my uncle _Toby_--you see, is glorious--and the weapons by which we do it are honourable ----We march with them upon our shoulders ----We strut with them by our sides ----We gild them ----We carve them ----We in-lay them ----We enrich them ----Nay, if it be but a _scoundrel_ cannon, we cast an ornament upon the breach of it.--
----My uncle _Toby_ laid down his pipe to intercede for a better epithet----and _Yorick_ was rising up to batter the whole hypothesis to pieces----
----When _Obadiah_ broke into the middle of the room with a complaint, which cried out for an immediate hearing.
The case was this:

'That the race of so great, so exalted and godlike a Being as man should be continued, I am far from denying; but I think it a pity, that it should be done by means of a passion which bends down the faculties, and turns all the wisdom of the soul backwards - a passion, my dear,' continued my father, addressing himself to my mother, 'which couples and equals wise men with fools, and makes us come out of our caverns and hiding-places more like satyrs and four-footed beasts than men.
'I know it will be said,' continued my father, 'that in itself, and simply taken - like hunger, or thirst, or sleep - 'tis neither good or bad - neither shameful or otherwise. Why then did the delicacy of Diogenes and Plato so revolt against it? and why, when we are about to plant a child, do we put out the candle? and why are all the parts thereof held to be impossible to convey cleanly by any language or translation?
'The act of killing and destroying a man,' continued my father, raising his voice and turning to my uncle Toby, 'you see, is glorious - and the weapons by which we do it are honourable. - We march with them upon our shoulders - We strut with them by our sides - We gild them - We carve them - We inlay them; even a scoundrel cannon has an ornament cast upon its breach.'
My uncle Toby laid down his pipe to intercede for a better epithet - and Yorick was rising up to batter the whole hypothesis to pieces-
- When Obadiah burst into the room with a complaint which cried out for an immediate hearing.
The case was this:
