The more fool _Peireskius_, replied Dr. _Slop_. But mark, 'twas out of no contempt of _Peireskius_ at all; ----but that _Peireskius's_ indefatigable labour in trudging so far on foot, out of love for the sciences, reduced the exploit of Dr. _Slop_, in that affair, to nothing: --the more fool _Peireskius_, said he again. --Why so? --replied my father, taking his brother's part, not only to make reparation as fast as he could for the insult he had given him, which sat still upon my father's mind; ----but partly, that my father began really to interest himself in the discourse. ----Why so? ----said he. Why is _Peireskius_, or any man else, to be abused for an appetite for that, or any other morsel of sound knowledge: For notwithstanding I know nothing of the chariot in question, continued he, the inventor of it must have had a very mechanical head; and tho' I cannot guess upon what principles of philosophy he has atchieved it; --yet certainly his machine has been constructed upon solid ones, be they what they will, or it could not have answered at the rate my brother mentions.
It answered, replied my uncle _Toby_, as well, if not better; for, as _Peireskius_ elegantly expresses it, speaking of the velocity of its motion, _Tam citus erat, quam erat ventus_; which, unless I have forgot my Latin, is, _that it was as swift as the wind itself_.
But pray, Dr. _Slop_, quoth my father, interrupting my uncle (tho' not without begging pardon for it at the same time) upon what principles was this self-same chariot set a-going? --Upon very pretty principles to be sure, replied Dr. _Slop_: --And I have often wondered, continued he, evading the question, why none of our gentry, who live upon large plains like this of ours, --(especially they whose wives are not past child-bearing) attempt nothing of this kind; for it would not only be infinitely expeditious upon sudden calls, to which the sex is subject, --if the wind only served, --but would be excellent good husbandry to make use of the winds, which cost nothing, and which eat nothing, rather than horses, which (the devil take 'em) both cost and eat a great deal.

'The more fool Peireskius,' replied Dr. Slop.
'Why so?' replied my father, interested in the discussion. - 'Why is Peireskius to be abused for having an appetite for knowledge? For although I know nothing of the sailing chariot in question, and I cannot guess upon what principles it is made - yet certainly the machine was constructed upon solid ones, or it could not have worked as well as my brother says.'
'It worked,' replied my uncle Toby, 'as well, if not better; for, as Peireskius said, it was as swift as the wind itself.'
'Pray, Dr. Slop,' quoth my father, 'upon what principles was this chariot set a-going?'
'Upon very pretty principles to be sure,' replied Dr. Slop, evading the question: 'and I have often wondered why none of our gentry, who live upon plains, attempt nothing of this kind; for 'twould be excellent good husbandry to make use of the winds, which cost nothing, and which eat nothing, rather than horses, which (the devil take 'em) both cost and eat a great deal.'
