The sequel of Eulogy of Planet Earth
Toby, Toby Shandy is a character from Thomas Stern’s novel, Tristram Shandy, of whom it is verbatim written:
‘My uncle Toby would never offer to answer this by any other kind of argument, than that of whistling half a dozen bars of ‘Lillabullero.’ You must know it was the usual channel through which his passions got vent, when anything shocked or surprised him, but especially when anything, which he deemed absurd, was offered.
As not one of our logical writers, nor any of the commentators upon them, that I remember, have thought proper to give a name to this particular species of argument, I here take the liberty to do it myself… that, in order to prevent all confusion in disputes, it may stand as much distinguished forever from every species of argument, … I therefore by these presents, strictly order and command that it be known and distinguished by the name and title of ‘Argumentum Fistulatorium (1) and no other. And that it rank hereafter with Argumentum Baculinum (2) and the Argumentum ad Crumenam (3) and forever hereafter be treated of in the same chapter.”
(1) Argumentum Fistulatorium: argument by shrieking, screeching and whistling.
(2) Argumentum Baculinum: argument by beating your opponent with a stick.
(3) Argumentum Crumenam: argument accepted based on the speaker’s financial status.
Click below to listen to the Lillabullero March.
The music was written by Henry Purcel, considered England’s greatest Baroque composer.