Tristram Shandy: Book 1: Chapters 21-25 Summary & Analysis

Chapter 21. While Tristram’s mother is in labor upstairs, Tristram’s father, sitting with Toby by the fire, wonders what all the noise is. Toby, who is smoking his pipe in silence, begins to respond. Just then, Tristram interrupts the narrative to return to the subject of British weather and its impact on the national character. Though it makes for fickle personalities, Tristram also believes this is the source of Britain’s superior humor, as the British must entertain themselves when foul weather makes outdoor activities impossible. Tristram, getting carried away, foresees the ever-increasing development of British arts and writing as eventually reaching a point where it abolishes itself, such knowledge having been attained that further study is no longer necessary.

Returning to the subject of Toby, Tristram explains that his uncle would be a first-rate example of British character if he were not even more so an exemplary Shandy, displaying an even more unique family disposition. Tristram clarifies that this disposition is exclusive to male members of the family, except for his great aunt Dinah, who scandalously married and was impregnated by her coachman, a series of events Tristram’s father blames on her name. Though that took place 60 years ago, the memory continues to cause strife between Walter and Toby. Toby, a true gentleman, is extremely modest, particularly around women. This modesty is not due to familiarity with women, however, but an old battle wound to his groin which he received from a broken piece of fortification at the siege of Namur, a story Tristram promises to return to.

Toby, being so modest, is extremely embarrassed by Dinah’s story. Walter, however, frequently brings it up with all kinds of guests as a perfect illustration of his theory of names, causing Toby great emotional distress. Though Walter loves his brother dearly and would do anything in his power to avoid upsetting him, he cannot help himself from developing his philosophy, which Tristram calls the “Shandean System,” leading to constant arguments with Toby. 

Toby cries out against Walter’s use of Dinah as an example, but Walter finds the honor of their family to be worth little compared to the demands of science. Unable to argue with Walter’s logic, Toby whistles Lillabullero in frustration, his go-to response in uncomfortable situations. Tristram then attempts to systematize his father and uncle’s philosophical disagreements, creating new and farcical Latin neologisms for the methods of argumentation they deploy against each other. 

Chapter 22. Referencing ecclesiastical writings, Tristram concedes that it is unattractive to compliment oneself. On the other hand, he argues, it is equally unfortunate to ignore one’s own masterfully executed work. Tristram explains that his latest digression displays great skill missed by the reader: that in digressing from his explanation of Uncle Toby’s character by discussing Aunt Dinah, he has in fact illustrated Toby’s character quite effectively. This, Tristram argues, is the method behind his book, which is simultaneously “digressive” and “progressive,” advancing the narrative while keeping it interesting and engaging. 

Chapter 23. Tristram is determined to begin the chapter with nonsense and launches into speculation on how society would respond to the ability to see into the human soul. He imagines this is what life might be like on Mercury, where the heat of the atmosphere would turn people into transparent glass. On Earth, however, the mind is hidden in the mystery of the body, and its subtleties must be teased out by other methods. Tristram praises the various methods that are used to examine human nature but finds that none of them quite manage to account for the complexities of the mind. To avoid repeating their failures, Tristram is determined not to attempt to understand Toby’s character through such methods, but through the examination of his hobby-horse.

Chapter 24. Tristram insists that the hobby-horse is a superior method for understanding a person. The more time a person spends with their hobby-horse, the more they are filled with “Hobby-Horsical matter,” Tristram argues, making a description of their character practically identical to a description of their hobby-horse. Though Toby’s hobby-horse is rather strange, Toby is so dedicated to it that it provides excellent insight into his personality. Before describing Toby’s hobby-horse, however, Tristram begs the reader to allow him to first narrate how Toby came to this particular hobby-horse.

Chapter 25. After being wounded at Namur, Toby returned to England to recover, spending four years receiving various surgeries. Walter was working in London at the time and stayed with Toby as he healed, bringing guests over to speak with and entertain him. These conversations sped along Toby’s recovery until they began to confront him with “unforeseen perplexities,” which suddenly worsened his health. Tristram, however, declines to say just what these “perplexities” were, and insists the reader will not be able to guess.