"_Nihil me pnitet hujus nasi_," quoth _Pamphagus_; ----that is-- "My nose has been the making of me." ----------"_Nec est cur pniteat_," replies _Cocles_; that is, "How the duce should such a nose fail?"
The doctrine, you see, was laid down by _Erasmus_, as my father wished it, with the utmost plainness; but my father's disappointment was, in finding nothing more from so able a pen, but the bare fact itself; without any of that speculative subtilty or ambidexterity of argumentation upon it, which Heaven had bestow'd upon man on purpose to investigate truth, and fight for her on all sides. ----My father pish'd and pugh'd at first most terribly------'tis worth something to have a good name. As the dialogue was of _Erasmus_, my father soon came to himself, and read it over and over again with great application, studying every word and every syllable of it thro' and thro' in its most strict and literal interpretation--he could still make nothing of it, that way. Mayhap there is more meant, than is said in it, quoth my father. ----Learned men, brother _Toby_, don't write dialogues upon long noses for nothing. ------I'll study the mystick and the allegorick sense----here is some room to turn a man's self in, brother.
My father read on. ------Now I find it needful to inform your reverences and worships, that besides the many nautical uses of long noses enumerated by _Erasmus_, the dialogist affirmeth that a long nose is not without its domestic conveniencies also; for that in a case of distress--and for want of a pair of bellows, it will do excellently well, _ad ixcitandum focum_ (to stir up the fire).

'Nihil me poenitet hujus nasi,' quoth Pamphagus; that is, 'My nose has been the making of me.' 'Nec est cur poeniteat,' replies Cocles; that is, 'How the deuce should such a nose fail?'
This was laid down by Erasmus with great plainness; but my father was disappointed to find no subtler argument from so able a pen.
My father pished and pughed at first most terribly. But as the dialogue was by Erasmus, he soon read it over again with great application, studying every word through and through.
He could still make nothing of it. 'Mayhap more is meant than is said in it,' quoth he. 'Learned men don't write dialogues upon long noses for nothing. I'll study the mystic and allegoric sense.'
My father read on. Now I must inform your worships, that besides the many nautical uses of long noses listed by Erasmus, he writes that a long nose has its domestic conveniences also; for instance, in the want of a pair of bellows, it will do excellently well ad excitandum focum (to arouse the fire.)
