plated the length of it furveying it
tranfverfely as he held it betwixt his
finger and his thumb then fore-
right then this way, and then that,
in all its polTible direflions and fore-
ihortenings he would have con-
cluded my uncle Toby had got hold of
the medius UrmmuSy and was fyllogizing
and meafuring with it the truth of each
-hypothefis of long nofes, in order, as my
father laid them before him. This, by-
the-bye, was more than my father wanted
his aim in all the pains he was at in
thefe philofophick leftures — vras to ena-
ble my uncle Tcby not to difcufs but
1^0 THE LIFE AND OPINIONS
comprehend to hold the grains and
fcruples of learning not to weigh
them. My uncle Tohyy as you will
read in the next chapter, did neither the
one or the other.
CHAP. XXXIV.
^T^IS a pity, cried my father one
JL winter's night, after a three hours
painful tranflation of Slawkenhergius
'tis a pity, cried my father, putting my
mother's threadpaper into the book for a
mark, as he fpoke that truth, brother
21?^^', jQiould fhut herfelf up in fuch im-
pregnable faftneffes, and be fo obftinate
as not to furrender herfelf fometimes up
upon the clofeft fiege.
Now it happened then, as indeed it
had often done before, that my uncle 'To-
by's fancyj during the time of my father's
explanation of Prignitz to him-
having nothing to ftay it there, had tak-
en a fhorc flight to the bowling-green;
* his body might as well have tak-
en a turn there too — fo that with alt
OF TRISTRAM SHANDY. I^l
the femblance of a deep fchool-man in-
tent upon the medius terminus my"
uncle J'oby v/as in fa6l as ignorant of the
M'hole ledlure, and all its pros and cons,
as if my father had been tranflating Ha^
fen Slawkenbergius from the Latin tongue
into the Cherokee. But the v/prd Jiegey
like a talifmanic power, in my father's
metaphor, wafting back my uncle 1'ohy\
fancy, quick as a note could follow the
touch — he open'd his ears and my
father obferving that he took his pipe
out of his mouth, and fliuffled his chair
nearer the table, as with a defire to profit
— my father with great pleafure began
his fentence again changing only the
plan, and dropping the metaphor of the
fiege of it, to keep clear of fome dangers
my father apprehended from it.
'Tis a pity, faid my father, that truth
can only be on one fide, brother 'J'oby
confidering what ingenuity thefe
learned men have all fhewn in their fo-
lutions of nofcs. Can nofes be dif-
folved ? replied my uncle Toby.
â– My father thrufl: back his chair
VOL. 11. K
1^2 THE LIFE AND OPINIONrS
■rofe up — put on Ills hat-
took four long ftrides to the door-
jerked it open thruft his head half
way out fhut the door again
took no notice of the bad hinge re-
turned to the table — pluck'd my mo-
ther's thread-paper out of Slawkenbergi-
â– us's book went haftily to his bu-
reau — walked flowly back — t willed my
mother's thread-paper about his thumb
— unbutton'd his waidcoat — threw my
mother's thread-paper into the fire
bit her fattin pin-culhion in two, fill'd
his mouth with bran: — confounded it j —
but mark !— the oath of confufion was
levell'd at my uncle 'Tohyh brain — which
was e'en confufed enough already
the curfe came charged only with the
bran — the bran, may it pleafe your ho-
nours, was no more than powder to the
ball.
"Twas well my father's paflions lafled
not long J for fo long as they did lafb,
they led him a bufy life on't ; and it is
one of the moft unaccountable problems
that ever I met with in my obfervations
OF TRISTRAM SHAND7. IJJ
of human nature, that nothing Ihould
prove my father's mettle lb much, or
make his paffions go off fo like gun-
powder, as the unexpefted flirokes his
fcience met with from the quaint fimpii-
city of my uncle 'Tohy^ queflions.
Had ten dozen of hornets ftung him be-
hind in {o inany different places all at
one time — he could not have exerted
more mechanical fundlions in fewer fe-
conds or ftarted half fo much, as
with one fingle qiiare of three words un-
feafonably popping in full upon him in
his hobby-horfical career.
'Twas all one to my uncle iCohy
he fmoked his pipe on v/ith unvaried
compofure his heart never intended
offence to his brother — and as his head
could feldom find out where the fting of
it lay he always gave my father the
credit of cooling by himfelf He was
five minutes and thirty-five feconds about
it in the prefent cafe.
By all that's good! faid my father,
fwearing, as he came to himfelf, and
taking the oath out ol Ermdphiis\ digell
K 1
134 THE LIFE AND OPmiONS
of Gurfes (though to do my father
juftice it, was a fault (as he told Dr. Slop
in the affair ofErmiphusJ which he as fel-
dom committed as any man upon earth)
. By all that's good and great I
brother T'okyy faid my father, if it was
not for the aids of philolbphy, which be-
friend on€ fo much as they do — you
would put a man befide all temper.
Why, by the Jolutmu of nofes, of which
I was telling you, I meant, as you might
have known, had you favoured me with
one grain of attention, the various ac-
counts which learned men of different
kinds of knowledge have given the
world of the caufes of fhort and long
nofes. There is no caufe but one, re-
plied my uncle ^Toby — — why one man's
nofe is longer than another's, but becaule
that God pleafes to have it fo. — —That
is Grangoufier\ folution, faid my father.
— 'Tis he, continued my uncle ^ohy,
looking up, and not regarding my fa-
ther's interruption, who makes us all,
and frames and puts us together in fuch
forms and proportions, and for fuch ends.
OF TRISTRAM SHANDY. IJ^
as is agreeable to his infinite wifdom.
'Tis a pious account, cried my fa-
ther, but not philofophical there is
more religion in it than found fcience.
'Twas no inconfiflent part of my uncle
^ohy\ chara^fler that he feared God,
and reverenced religion. So the
moment my father finifhed his remark
my uncle T^ohy fell a whiflling LiU
lahullero with more zeal (though more
out of tune) than ufual. —
What is become of my wife's thread-
paper ?
CHAP. XXXV.
NO matter — as an appendage to
feamitrelTy, the thread-paper might
be of fome confequence to my mother
— of none to my father, as a mark in
Slawkenbergius. Slawkenbergius in every
page of him was a rich treafure of inex-
hauftible knowledge to my father — he
could not open him amifs j and he would
often fay in clofing the book, that if all
the arts a;id fcicnces in the world, with
136 THE LIFE AND OPINIONS
the books which treated of them, were
loft — fhould the wifdom and poHcies of
governments, he would fay, through dif-
iife, ever happen to be forgot, and all
that ftatefmen had wrote or caufed to be
written, upon the ftrong or the weak
fides of courts and kingdoms, fhould
they be forgot aifo — and Slawkenbergius
only left there would be enough in
him in all confcience, he would fay, to
fet the world a-going again. A treafure
therefore was he indeed ! an inftitute
of all that was neceffary to be known of
nofes, and every thing elfe — at mating
noon, and vefpers was Hafen Slawkenber-
gius his recreadon and delight : 'twas for
ever in his hands you would have
fworn. Sir, it had been a canon's prayer-
book— fo worn, fo glazed, fo contrited
and attrited was it with fingers and with
thumbs in all its pares, from one end even
unto the other.
I am not fuch a bigot to Slawkenbergius
as my father -, there is a fund in him,
no doubt : but in my opinion, the bcft,
I don't fay the moft profitable, but the
OF TRISTRAM SHANDY. I37
mofl amufing part of Hnfen Slawkenler-
giuSy is his tales and, confidering
he was a Germany many of them told not
without fancy : thefe take up his
fecond book, containing nearly one half
of his folio, and are comprehended in ten
decads, each decad containing ten tales
Philofophy is not built upon
tales ; and therefore 'twas certainly wrong
in Slawkenhergius to fend them into the
world by that name ! there are a few
of them in his eighth, ninth, and tenth
decads, which I own feem rather playful
and fportive, than fpeculative — but in
general they are to be looked upon by
the learned as a detail of fo many inde-
pendent fa6ls, all of them turning round
fomehow or other upon the main hinges
of his fubjeft, and collefted by him with
great fidelity, and added to his work as
fo many illuftrations upon the doftrines
ofnofes.
As we have leifure enough upon our
hands if you give me leave, madam,
I'll tell you the ninth tale of his tenth
decad.
K 4
JjS THE LIFE AND OPINIONS
SLAWKENBERGII
Fabella. *
T^ESPERJ qiiddam frigiduld, pojie-
riori in -parte menfis Augufti, peregri-
nus, mulo fujco colore mcidem, mantled a
tergOy paucis indufiis^ binis calceis, hraccij-
que fericis coccineis repleta, Argento-
ratum ingrejfus eji.
Militi eum percontantiy quum partus
intraret dixit, Je apiid Naforum promonto-
rium fuijcj Francofurtum proficijci, et Ar-
gent or at um, tranfitu ad fines Sarmatia men-r
Jis inlervalloy reverfuru?n.
Miles peregrini in faciem fufpexit-^ — -»
Vi honij nova forma nafi I
At multum mibi profuit, tnqnit peregri-
pus, carpum amento extrahens, e quo pepen-
* As Hafen Slanvkenbergiu] de Nafis is extremely
fcarce, it may not be unacceptable to the learned
reader to fee the fpecimen of a few pages of his ori-
ginal ; I will make no refle6lion upon it, but that
his ftory-telling Latin is much more concife than
his philofcphic — and, I thiiik, has more of Launi;y
jn it.
OF TRISTRAM SHANDY. IJ^
SLAWKENBERGIUS's
Tale.
IT was one cool refrefhing evening, at
the clofe of a very fultry day, in the
latter end of the month of Juguft, when
a ftranger, mounted upon a dark mule,
with a fmall cloak- bag behind him, con-
taining a few fhirts, a pair of fhoes, and a
crimfon-fattin pair of breeches, entered
the town oiStraJhurg,
He told the ccntinel, who queflioned
him as he entered the gates, that he had
been at the Promontory of Noses— was
going on to Frankfort and fhould be
back again at Strajburg that day month,
in his way to the borders of Crim Tartary,
The centinel looked up into the flran -
ser's face he never faw fuch a Nofe in
his life !
—I have made a very good venture of
it, quoth the ftranger— lb flipping his
wrift out of the loop of a black ribbon^to
14® THE LIFE AND OPINIONS
St acinaces : Loculo manum injerult \ et
magna cum urhanitatey jpiki parte anteriore
'iacld manu finiftrd, ut exteitdit dextram,
snlliti Jlorinum dedit et procejftt.
Dolet mihii ait mileSy tympamflam nanum
et valgum alloquensj I'irum adeo urhanum
vaginam perdidijje: itinerari baud poterit
nudd acinaci ; neque vaginam toto Argen-
torato, hahilem inveniet. Nullam
unquam habui, rejpondit peregrinus rejpi-
ciens Jeque comiter inclinans — hoc
more gejlo, nudam acinacem elevans-^ mulo
lemo progrediente, ut nafum tueripojfira.
Non immeritOj loilgne peregrine, rejpon-
dit miles.
Nihili o'jiimoj ait ilk tympanijla, e per-
gamend faSlitius efi.
Trout chrifiianus Jtmis inquit miles, najus
OF TRISTRAM SHANDY. I>,^t
which a Ihort fcymetar was hung, he put
his hand into his pocket, and with great
courtefy touching the fore part of his cap
with his left hand, as he extended his
right he put a florin into the centi-
nel's hand, and pafled or.
It grieves me, faid the centinel, fpeak-
ing to a little dwarfifli bandy-legg'd
drummer, that fo courteous a foul fhould
have loft his fcabbard he cannot
travel without one to his fcymetar, and
will not be able to get a fcabbard to fit it
in all Strafburg. 1 never had one,
replied the ftranger, looking back to the
centinel, and putting his hand up to his
cap as he fpoke 1 carry it, continued
he, thus holding up his naked fcy-
metar, his mule moving on flowly all the
time — on purpofe to defend my nofe.
It is well worth it, gentle ftranger, re-
plied the centinel.
'Tis not worth a fingle ftiver, faid
the bandy-legg'd drummer 'tis a nofe
of parchment.
As I am a true catholic— except that
142 THE LII-E AND OPINIONS
ilki ni Jexties major fit^ meo ejjet confor^
mis.
Crepitare audivi ait tympanijla.
Mehercule ! Janguinem emifity 7-eJpondit
miles .
Mijeret me^ inquit tympanijla^ qui non
amho teiigimus !
Ecdem tempcris pun^fo, quo h^c res ar-
Yumentata fuit inter militem et tympanijlantj
dijceptahatur ibidem tuhicine et tixore fud
qui tunc accejferunty et peregrino pratereun-
te, rejliterunt.
^antus nafus ! aque longus ejiy ait tu-
hicinai ac tuba,
Et ex eodem metallOi ait tubicen^ velut
fiernutamento audias,
I'antum abejl^ rejpondit illa^ quod fijlulam
dulcedine vincit.
jEneus ejij ait tuhicen.
Neqiiaquani, rejpondit uxor.
Rurjum affirmoj ait tubicen, quod aneus
ejt.
Rem penitus explorabo ; prius, enim di-
gito tangam, ait uxcr^ quam dormivero.
OF TRISTRAM SHANDV, I43
it is fix times as big — 'tis a nofe, faid the
centinel, like my own.
— I heard it crackle, faid the drummer.
By diinder, faid the centinel, I faw it
bleed.
What a pity, cried the bandy-legg'd
drummer, we did not both touch it !
At the very time that this diipute was
maintaining by the centinel and the
drummer — was the fame point debating
betwixt a trumpeter and a trumpeter's
wife, who were juft then coming up, and
had flopped to fee the flranger pafs by.
Benedicity ! What a nofe ! 'tis
as long, fiid the trumpeter's wife, as a
trumpet.
And of the fame metal, faid the trum-
peter, as you hear by its fneezing.
'Tis as foft as a flute, faid flie.
— 'Tis brafs, faid the trumpeter.
— 'Tis a pudding's end, faid his wife.
I tell thee again, faid tlie trumpeter,
'tis a brazen nofe.
I'll know the bottom of it, fiid the
trumpeter's wife, for I will touch it with
my finger before I fleep.
144 "^"^ ^^^^ ^"^'^ OPINIONS
Mulus peregrini gradu Unto â– progreffus
efti ut unumquodqiie verhum controverji^e,
Tion tantum inter militem et tympanijlmny
verum etiam inter tuhicinem et uxorem ejus,
audiret.
Nequaquam, ait ilkj in muli collum
fr£na demittens, et manihus amhahis in
peBus pofitis, (rnulo lent} progrediente ) ne-
quaquam, ait ilk refpiciensy non necejje ejl
ut res ijlhac dilucidata foret, Minime gen-
fium ! meus nafus nunquam tangetur, dum
fpiritus hos reget artus — Ad quid agen-
dum ? ait uxor burgomagijlri.
Teregrinus Hit non rejpondit. Votum
faciebat tunc temporis JanEio Nicolao ; quo
fa5f0y ftnimi dextrum injerensj e qua negli-
genter pependit acinaces, lento gradu pro-
cejfit per plateam Argentorati latam qu^ ad
diver/Griwn templo tx adverjum ducit.
OF TRISTRAM SHANDY. I45
The ftranger's mule moved on at lb
flow a rate, that he heard every word of
the dlfpute, not only betwixt the centi-
nei and the drumnner, but betwixt the
trumpeter and trumpeter's wife.
No ! faid he, dropping his reins upon
his mule's neck, and laying both his
hands upon his bread, the one over the
other in a faint-likj pofition (his mule
going on eafily all the time) No ! laid
he, looking up — I am not fuch a debtor
to the world flandered and difap-
pointed as I have been — as to give it
that convidion no ! faid he, my nofe
fliall never be touched whilft Heaven
gives me ftrength To do what ? faid
SI burgomafter's wife.
The Ilranger took no notice of the
burgomafter's wife he was making
a vow to Saint Nicolas ; which done;^
having uncrofled his arms with the famiC
folemnity with which he croifed them,
he took up the reins of his bridle with
his left-hand, and putting his right hand
into his bofom, with his fcymetar hang-
ing loofely to the wrift of ir, he rode on.
14^ THE LIFE AND OPINIONS
Peregrinus mulo defcendens Jlahulo in-
cludiy et manticam inferri jujfit : qua apertd
et coccineis Jericis femoralihus extra^iis
cum argenteo laciniato Tlipi^ofAxvTty his Jefe
induity Jlatimquey acinaci in manUy ad fo-
rum deamhulavit.
^od uVt peregrinus ejfdt ingreffuSj ux'o^'
rem tuhicinis obviam euntem ajpicit -, illico
curfum fle5iity metiiens m najusjuus explo-
raretur, atque ad diverjorium regrejfus eji
— exuit Je vejlibus y brace as coccineas Je-
ricas mantide impofuii mulumque educi
jujjit,
Francofurtum proficifcoVy ait ///?, et Ar~
gentoratum quatuor ahhinc kebdomadis re-
vertar.
Gf TRISTRAM SHANDV, I47
as flowly as one foot of the mule could
follow another, thro* the principal ftreets
of Strajhurg^ till chance brought him to
the great inn in the market-place over-
againfl the church.
The moment the ftranger alighted, he
ordered his mule to be led into the lia-
ble, and his cloak-bag to be brought inj
then opening, and taking out of it his
crimfon-fattin breeches, with a filver-
fringed — (appendage to them, which I
dare not tranflate)— he put his breeches,
with his fringed cod-piece on, and forth-
with, with his fhoit fcymetai' in his hand^
walked out to the grand parade;
The ftranger had juft taken three turns
upon the parade, when he perceived the
trumpeter's wife at the oppofite fide of
it— fo turning Hiort, in pain left his nofe
fhould be attempted, he inftantly went
back to his inn— -iindreiTed himfelf, pack-
ed up his crimfon-fattin breeches, i^c. in
his cloak-bag, and called for his mule.
I am going forwards, faid the ftranger,
for Frankfort and ftiall be back at
Strajhiirg this day month.
VOL.ir. L
148 THE LIFE AND OPINIONS
Bene curajii hoc jumentum ? (ait) mult
faciem manu demukens — me, manticamque
meant, plus Jexcentis milk pajfibus portavit.
Longa via efi ! rejpondet hofpeSj nift plu'
rimum ejfet negoti, — Enimvero, ait peregri-
nusy a Nqforum promontorio redii, et najum
Jpecioftjfimumj egregiojijftmumque quern uH"
^uam quijquam Jortitus ejl, acquijivi .<*
Dum peregrinus banc miram rationem de
Jeipjo reddity hcfpes et uxor ejus, oculis in*
tentisy peregrini naJum co7ttemplantu r
Per Jan^os Jan5lafque omnes, ait hcjpitis
uxor, najis duodecim maximis in toto Argen^
tor at major efi I — efine, ait ilia mariti in
aurem infufurrans, nonne eft najus pragran-
OF TRISTRAM SHANDY. I4J
1 hope, continued the flranger, flrok-
ing down the face of his mule with his
left hand as he was going to mount it,
that you have been kind to this faithful
flave of mine — it has carried me and my
cloak-bag, continued he, tapping the
mule's back, above fix hundred leagues.
— 'Tis a long journey. Sir, replied
the mafter of the inn unlefs a man
has great bufinefs. Tut! tut! faid
the flranger, I have been at the Promon-
tory of Nofes ; and have got me one of
the goodlieft, thank Heaven, that ever
fell to a fingle man's lot.
Whilll the flranger was giving this
odd account of himfelf, the mailer of the
inn and his wife kept both their eyes
fixed full upon the flranger's nofe
By (dAnx. Radagunddj faid the inn-keeper's
wife to herfelf, there is more of it than
in any dozen of the largeft nofes put to-
gether in all Strajhurg! is it not, faid
fhe, whifpering her hufband in his ear, k
it not a noble nofe ?
L 2
150 THB LIFE AND OPIKIOKS
Bolus inejiy aninte ml, ait hofpes — najus
eji faljus.
Veriis eft J refpondit uxor
Ex ahiete fa5lus eftj ait ille, terehinihi-
num olet
Carhunculus inejiy ait uxor.
Mortuus eft nafusy rejpondit hojpes.
Vivus eji ait illay — et ft ipja vivam tan-
gam*
Votum feci fan^lo NicolaOj aitperegrinuSj
nnjum meum intaBum fore ufque ad — ^od~
num tempus ? illico refpondit ilia.
Minimo tangetur, inquit ilk (manihus in
peSlus compofitis) ufque ad illam horam
^am horam ? ait ilia Nul-
lamy refpondit peregrinuSy donee pervenia
nd—^em Iccuwy — obfecro? ait ilia
Peregrinus nil refpondens mulo confcenft
dijceffit.
OF TRISTRAM SHANDY. I5I
'Tis an impoftiire, my dear, faici the
mafter of the inn 'tis a falfe nofe.
'Tis a true nofe, faid his wife.
'Tis made of fir-tree, faid he, I fmell
the turpentine.
There's a pimple on it, faid fhe.
'Tis a dead nofe, rephed the inn-
keeper.
'Tis a live nofe, and if I am alive my-
idfy faid the inn-keeper's wife, I will
touch it.
I have made a vow to faint Nicolas this
day, faid the ftranger, that my nofe fhall
not be touched till — Here the Itranger,
fufpending his voice, looked up.
Till when ? faid flie hadily.
It never fhall be touched, faid he,
clafping his hands and bringing them
clofe to his bread, till that hour — What
hour ? cried the inn-keeper's wife. — Ne-
ver ! — never ! faid the ftranger, never
till I am got — For Heaven's fake, into
what place .'' faid flie The ftranger
rode away without faying a word.
^ 3
1^1 THE LIFE AND OPINIONS
The ftranger had not got half a league
pn his way towards Frarikfori before all
the city of Strajhurg was in an uproar
about his nofe. The Compline bells were
juft ringing to call the Strajhurgers to
their devotions, and fhut up the duties
of the day in prayer: — no foul in all
Strajburg heard 'em — the city was like a
fwarm of bees men, women, and
children (the Compline bells tinkling all
the time) flying here and there— in at one
door, out at another this way and
that way — long ways and crofs ways —
vpone ftreet, down another fbree t
in at this alley, out of that did
you fee it ? did you fee it ? did you fee
it ? O ! did you fee it ? who faw
it ? who did fee it ? for mercy's fake,
who faw it ?
Alack o'day ! I was at vefpers !— I
"was wafhing, I was ftarching, I was
fcouring, 1 was quilting God help
me ! 1 never faw it 1 never touch'd
it ! would I had been a centinel, a
bandy-legg'd drummer, a trumpeter, a
trumpeter's wife, was the general cry and
OF TRISTRAM SHANDY. I ^^
lamentation in every ftreet and corner of
Strafhurg.
Whilft all this confufion and diforder
triumphed throughout the great city of
Strajburgj was the courteous ftranger
going on as gendy upon his mule in his
way to Frankfort, as if he had no con-
cern at all in the affair talking all
the way he rode in broken fentences,
fomedmes to his mule— fometimes to
himfelf— fometimes to his Julia.
• O Julia, my lovely Julia ! — nay I can-
not ftop to let thee bite that thiftle
that ever the fufpefted tongue of a rival
Ihould have robbed me of enjoyment
wh^n I was upon the point of tailing
— -Pugh !— 'ns nothing but a 'thiflle
— never mind it thou fhalt have a
better fupper at night.
Banilh'd from my country •
my friends from thee.
Poor devil, thou'rt fadly tired with
thy journey ! come— get on a litde
fafter— there's nothing in my cloak-bag
but two Ihirts a crimlbn-fatcin pair
L 4
154 THE LIFE AND OPINIONS
of breeches, and a fringed ^ Dear
Julia !
But why to Frankfort ? — is it that
there is a hand unfelt, which fecretly is
conducting me through thefe meanders
and unfufpeded tradls ?
StumbHng ! by faint Nicolas !
every flep — why at this rate we fhall be
all night in getting in
To happinefs or am I to be
the fport of fortune and flander — deflin-
cd to be driven forth unconvided
unheard untouch'd— - — if fo, why
did I not ftay at Strajburg, where juftice
— but I had fworn ! Come, thou fhalt
•Irink — to St, Nicolas — O Julia 1
What doft thou prick up thy ears at ?
r— — -'tis nothing but a man, i^c.
The ftranger rode on communing In
this manner with his mule and Julia —
till he arrived at his inn, where, as foon
as he arrived, he alighted — faw his
mule, as he had promifed it, taken good
care of -took off his cloak-bag, with
his crimfon-fatdn breeches, ^c. in it —
failed for an omelet to his fupper, went
OF TRISTRAM SHANDY. I55
to his bed about twelve o'clock, and in
five minutes fell faft afleep.
It was about the fame hour when the
tumult in Strajhurg being abated for that
night, — the Strajlmrgers had all got
quiedy into their beds— but not like die
ftranp-er, for the reft either of their minds
or bodies ; queen Mah, like an elf as flie
was, had taken die ftranger's nofe, and
without reduction of its bulk, had diac
night been at the pains of flitdng and
dividing it into as many nofcs of differ-
ent cuts and falhions, as there were
heads in Strajbiirg to hold them. The
abbefs of ^ledlingberg, who with the
four great dignitaries of her chapter, the
priorefs, the deanefs, the fub-chantrefs,
and fenior canonefs, had that week come
to StraJImrg to confult the univerfity
upon a cafe of confcience relating to
their placket-holes was ill ail the
night.
The courteous ftranger's nofe had got