To work with them in the best manner he could, was what my father was, however, perpetually forced upon; ----for he had a thousand little sceptical notions of the comick kind to defend----most of which notions, I verily believe, at first entered upon the footing of mere whims, and of a _vive la Bagatelle_; and as such he would make merry with them for half an hour or so, and having sharpened his wit upon them, dismiss them till another day.

My father had to work with them as best he could, because he had a thousand little sceptical notions of the comic kind to defend - most of which, I believe, started out as whims, mere Bagatelles; he would make merry with them for half an hour or so, and having sharpened his wit upon them, dismiss them till another day.
