When I reflect, brother _Toby_, upon MAN; and take a view of that dark side of him which represents his life as open to so many causes of trouble--when I consider, brother _Toby_, how oft we eat the bread of affliction, and that we are born to it, as to the portion of our inheritance ------I was born to nothing, quoth my uncle _Toby_, interrupting my father--but my commission. Zooks! said my father, did not my uncle leave you a hundred and twenty pounds a year? ------What could I have done without it? replied my uncle _Toby_ ------That's another concern, said my father testily --But I say, _Toby_, when one runs over the catalogue of all the cross-reckonings and sorrowful _Items_ with which the heart of man is overcharged, 'tis wonderful by what hidden resources the mind is enabled to stand out, and bear itself up, as it does, against the impositions laid upon our nature. ------'Tis by the assistance of Almighty God, cried my uncle _Toby_, looking up, and pressing the palms of his hands close together----'tis not from our own strength, brother _Shandy_----a centinel in a wooden centry-box might as well pretend to stand it out against a detachment of fifty men. ----We are upheld by the grace and the assistance of the best of Beings.

'When I reflect, brother Toby, upon Man, and the many troubles he is open to - when I consider how oft we eat the bread of affliction, and that we are born to it, as to our inheritance-'
'I was born to nothing,' quoth my uncle, interrupting, 'but my commission.'
'Zooks!' said my father; 'did not my uncle leave you a hundred and twenty pounds a year?'
'What could I have done without it?' replied my uncle Toby.
'That's another matter,' said my father testily. 'But I say, Toby, when one runs over the catalogue of all the sorrows with which the heart of man is overcharged, 'tis wonderful how the mind can bear itself up, as it does.'
''Tis by the assistance of Almighty God,' cried my uncle Toby. ''Tis not from our own strength, brother Shandy - a sentinel might as well pretend to stand against fifty men. We are upheld by the grace of the best of Beings.'
