You see 'tis high time, said my father, addressing himself equally to my uncle _Toby_ and _Yorick_, to take this young creature out of these women's hands, and put him into those of a private governor. _Marcus Antoninus_ provided fourteen governors all at once to superintend his son _Commodus's_ education, --and in six weeks he cashiered five of them; --I know very well, continued my father, that _Commodus's_ mother was in love with a gladiator at the time of her conception, which accounts for a great many of _Commodus's_ cruelties when he became emperor; --but still I am of opinion, that those five whom _Antoninus_ dismissed, did _Commodus's_ temper, in that short time, more hurt than the other nine were able to rectify all their lives long.
Now as I consider the person who is to be about my son, as the mirror in which he is to view himself from morning to night, and by which he is to adjust his looks, his carriage, and perhaps the inmost sentiments of his heart; --I would have one, _Yorick_, if possible, polished at all points, fit for my child to look into. ----This is very good sense, quoth my uncle _Toby_ to himself.
----There is, continued my father, a certain mien and motion of the body and all its parts, both in acting and speaking, which argues a man _well within_; and I am not at all surprised that _Gregory_ of _Nazianzum_, upon observing the hasty and untoward gestures of _Julian_, should foretel he would one day become an apostate; ----or that St. _Ambrose_ should turn his _Amanuensis_ out of doors, because of an indecent motion of his head, which went backwards and forwards like a flail; ----or that _Democritus_ should conceive _Protagoras_ to be a scholar, from seeing him bind up a faggot, and thrusting, as he did it, the small twigs inwards. ----There are a thousand unnoticed openings, continued my father, which let a penetrating eye at once into a man's soul; and I maintain it, added he, that a man of sense does not lay down his hat in coming into a room, --or take it up in going out of it, but something escapes, which discovers him.
It is for these reasons, continued my father, that the governor I make choice of shall neither[6.3] lisp, or squint, or wink, or talk loud, or look fierce, or foolish; ----or bite his lips, or grind his teeth, or speak through his nose, or pick it, or blow it with his fingers.----
He shall neither walk fast, --or slow, or fold his arms, --for that is laziness; --or hang them down, --for that is folly; or hide them in his pocket, for that is nonsense.----
He shall neither strike, or pinch, or tickle, --or bite, or cut his nails, or hawk, or spit, or snift, or drum with his feet or fingers in company; ----nor (according to _Erasmus_) shall he speak to any one in making water, --nor shall he point to carrion or excrement. ----Now this is all nonsense again, quoth my uncle _Toby_ to himself.----

'You see 'tis high time,' said my father to my uncle Toby and Yorick, 'to take this young creature out of these women's hands, and put him into those of a private tutor. Marcus Antoninus had fourteen tutors at once to superintend his son Commodus's education, and in six weeks he dismissed five of them. I think that those five whom he dismissed did Commodus's temper, in that short time, more hurt than the other nine were able to rectify all their lives long.
'Now, when I consider the person who is to teach my son as the mirror in which my son will view himself from morning to night, and by which he is to adjust his looks, his demeanour, and perhaps the inmost sentiments of his heart; - I would like one, Yorick, polished at all points, fit for my child to look into.'
'This is very good sense,' quoth my uncle Toby to himself.
'There is,' continued my father, 'a certain mien and motion of the body, both in acting and speaking, which denotes a man is good within; and I am not surprised that Gregory of Nazianzum, upon observing the hasty gestures of Julian, should foretell he would one day become a heretic; or that St. Ambrose should turn his assistant out of doors, because of an indecent motion of his head, which went backwards and forwards like a flail. There are a thousand unnoticed openings which let a penetrating eye into a man's soul; and I maintain that a man does not so much as lay down his hat without revealing something of his nature.
'For these reasons, the tutor I choose shall neither lisp, squint, or wink, or talk loud, or look fierce, or foolish; - or bite his lips, or grind his teeth, or speak through his nose, or pick it, or blow it with his fingers.
'He shall neither walk fast, or slow, nor fold his arms, or hang them down, or hide them in his pocket.
'He shall neither strike, or pinch, or tickle; or bite, or cut his nails, or hawk, or spit, or sniff, or drum his feet or fingers in company; nor (according to Erasmus) shall he speak to any one in urinating, nor point to carrion or excrement.'
'Now this is all nonsense again,' quoth my uncle Toby to himself.
