CHAPTER XXIII

--But can the thing be undone, _Yorick?_ said my father--for in my opinion, continued he, it cannot. I am a vile canonist, replied _Yorick_--but of all evils, holding suspense to be the most tormenting, we shall at least know the worst of this matter. I hate these great dinners----said my father --The size of the dinner is not the point, answered _Yorick_----we want, Mr. _Shandy_, to dive into the bottom of this doubt, whether the name can be changed or not--and as the beards of so many commissaries, officials, advocates, proctors, registers, and of the most eminent of our school-divines, and others, are all to meet in the middle of one table, and _Didius_ has so pressingly invited you--who in your distress would miss such an occasion? All that is requisite, continued _Yorick_, is to apprize _Didius_, and let him manage a conversation after dinner so as to introduce the subject. --Then my brother _Toby_, cried my father, clapping his two hands together, shall go with us.

----Let my old tye-wig, quoth my uncle _Toby_, and my laced regimentals, be hung to the fire all night, _Trim_.

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