In a fortnight's close and painful application, which, by the bye, did my uncle _Toby's_ wound, upon his groin, no good, --he was enabled, by the help of some marginal documents at the feet of the elephant, together with _Gobesius's_ military architecture and pyroballogy, translated from the _Flemish_, to form his discourse with passable perspicuity; and before he was two full months gone, --he was right eloquent upon it, and could make not only the attack of the advanced counterscarp with great order; ----but having, by that time, gone much deeper into the art, than what his first motive made necessary, my uncle _Toby_ was able to cross the _Maes_ and _Sambre_; make diversions as far as _Vauban's_ line, the abbey of _Salsines_, etc., and give his visitors as distinct a history of each of their attacks, as of that of the gate of _St. 
In a fortnight's close application, which, by the bye, did my uncle Toby's wound upon his groin no good, - he was able, with the help of Gobesius's military architecture and pyroballogy, translated from the Flemish, to form his discourse with passable clarity; and after two months, he was right eloquent upon it, and could not only attack the advanced counterscarp, but was able to cross the Maes and Sambre, make diversions as far as Vauban's line, and give his visitors as distinct a history of these attacks, as of that of the gate of