love and veneration he bore his master was such, and so fond was he
of imitating him in all he did, that had my uncle Toby employed his
time and genius in tagging of points--I am persuaded the honest corporal
would have laid down his arms, and followed his example with pleasure.
When therefore my uncle Toby sat down before the mistress--corporal Trim
incontinently took ground before the maid.

Now, my dear friend Garrick, whom I have so much cause to esteem
and honour--(why, or wherefore, 'tis no matter)--can it escape your
penetration--I defy it--that so many play-wrights, and opificers of
chit-chat have ever since been working upon Trim's and my uncle Toby's
pattern.--I care not what Aristotle, or Pacuvius, or Bossu, or
Ricaboni say--(though I never read one of them)--there is not a greater
difference between a single-horse chair and madam Pompadour's vis-a-vis;
than betwixt a single amour, and an amour thus nobly doubled, and going
upon all four, prancing throughout a grand drama--Sir, a simple, single,
silly affair of that kind--is quite lost in five acts--but that is
neither here nor there.

After a series of attacks and repulses in a course of nine months on my
uncle Toby's quarter, a most minute account of every particular of which
shall be given in its proper place, my uncle Toby, honest man! found
it necessary to draw off his forces and raise the siege somewhat
indignantly.

Corporal Trim, as I said, had made no such bargain either with
himself--or with any one else--the fidelity however of his heart not
suffering him to go into a house which his master had forsaken with
disgust--he contented himself with turning his part of the siege into a
blockade;--that is, he kept others off;--for though he never after went
to the house, yet he never met Bridget in the village, but he
would either nod or wink, or smile, or look kindly at her--or (as
circumstances directed) he would shake her by the hand--or ask her
lovingly how she did--or would give her a ribbon--and now-and-then,
though never but when it could be done with decorum, would give Bridget
a...--

Precisely in this situation, did these things stand for five years; that
is from the demolition of Dunkirk in the year 13, to the latter end of
my uncle Toby's campaign in the year 18, which was about six or seven
weeks before the time I'm speaking of.--When Trim, as his custom was,
after he had put my uncle Toby to bed, going down one moon-shiny night
to see th