on to it: These my uncle Toby
had in common with his species--and either of them had been sufficient
to account for his earnest desire to get well and out of doors;--but
I have told you before, that nothing wrought with our family after the
common way;--and from the time and manner in which this eager desire
shewed itself in the present case, the penetrating reader will suspect
there was some other cause or crotchet for it in my uncle Toby's
head:--There was so, and 'tis the subject of the next chapter to set
forth what that cause and crotchet was. I own, when that's done, 'twill
be time to return back to the parlour fire-side, where we left my uncle
Toby in the middle of his sentence.

Chapter 1.XXX.

When a man gives himself up to the government of a ruling passion,--or,
in other words, when his Hobby-Horse grows headstrong,--farewell cool
reason and fair discretion!

My uncle Toby's wound was near well, and as soon as the surgeon
recovered his surprize, and could get leave to say as much--he told
him, 'twas just beginning to incarnate; and that if no fresh exfoliation
happened, which there was no sign of,--it would be dried up in five or
six weeks. The sound of as many Olympiads, twelve hours before, would
have conveyed an idea of shorter duration to my uncle Toby's mind.--The
succession of his ideas was now rapid,--he broiled with impatience to
put his design in execution;--and so, without consulting farther with
any soul living,--which, by the bye, I think is right, when you are
predetermined to take no one soul's advice,--he privately ordered
Trim, his man, to pack up a bundle of lint and dressings, and hire a
chariot-and-four to be at the door exactly by twelve o'clock that day,
when he knew my father would be upon 'Change.--So leaving a bank-note
upon the table for the surgeon's care of him, and a letter of
tender thanks for his brother's--he packed up his maps, his books of
fortification, his instruments, &c. and by the help of a crutch on one
side, and Trim on the other,--my uncle Toby embarked for Shandy-Hall.

The reason, or rather the rise of this sudden demigration was as
follows:

The table in my uncle Toby's room, and at which, the night before this
change happened, he was sitting with his maps, &c. about him--being
somewhat of the smallest, for that infinity of great and small
instruments of knowledge which usually lay crowded upon it--he had
the accident, in reaching over for his tobacco-box,