--nor do I publish it with an intent to hurt his
character and advancement in the church;--I leave that to others;--but I
find myself impelled by two reasons, which I cannot withstand.

The first is, That in doing justice, I may give rest to Yorick's
ghost;--which--as the country-people, and some others believe,--still
walks.

The second reason is, That, by laying open this story to the world,
I gain an opportunity of informing it,--That in case the character of
parson Yorick, and this sample of his sermons, is liked,--there are now
in the possession of the Shandy family, as many as will make a handsome
volume, at the world's service,--and much good may they do it.

Chapter 1.XLIII.

Obadiah gained the two crowns without dispute;--for he came in jingling,
with all the instruments in the green baize bag we spoke of, flung
across his body, just as Corporal Trim went out of the room.

It is now proper, I think, quoth Dr. Slop, (clearing up his looks) as
we are in a condition to be of some service to Mrs. Shandy, to send up
stairs to know how she goes on.

I have ordered, answered my father, the old midwife to come down to us
upon the least difficulty;--for you must know, Dr. Slop, continued my
father, with a perplexed kind of a smile upon his countenance, that by
express treaty, solemnly ratified between me and my wife, you are no
more than an auxiliary in this affair,--and not so much as that,--unless
the lean old mother of a midwife above stairs cannot do without
you.--Women have their particular fancies, and in points of this nature,
continued my father, where they bear the whole burden, and suffer so
much acute pain for the advantage of our families, and the good of
the species,--they claim a right of deciding, en Souveraines, in whose
hands, and in what fashion, they choose to undergo it.

They are in the right of it,--quoth my uncle Toby. But Sir, replied Dr.
Slop, not taking notice of my uncle Toby's opinion, but turning to my
father,--they had better govern in other points;--and a father of a
family, who wishes its perpetuity, in my opinion, had better exchange
this prerogative with them, and give up some other rights in lieu of
it.--I know not, quoth my father, answering a letter too testily, to be
quite dispassionate in what he said,--I know not, quoth he, what we have
left to give up, in lieu of who shall bring our children into the world,
unless that,--of who shall beget them.--One would almost give