# Chapter VIII explained — The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman

> Chapter companion for The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman by Laurence Sterne.

## What happens

Tristram defends hobbyhorses, asserting there is no disputing against them, and reflects on his own harmless indulgences. He contrasts the reckless riding of great lords with the noble conduct of his dedicatee, and concludes with a playful dedication to that lord.

## Themes in this chapter

### Obsession and Hobbyhorses

The chapter explicitly defends hobbyhorses as personal passions, with Tristram acknowledging his own and satirizing those of great lords.

## Character check-ins

### Tristram Shandy

Narrator and author of the dedication, who admits to being both fiddler and painter and rides his own hobbyhorses.

## Key lines

> De gustibus non est disputandum ;—that is, there is no disputing against Hobbyhorses

There is no arguing about personal tastes or obsessions.

_Tristram uses the Latin proverb to justify his tolerance of hobbyhorses._

> I keep a couple of pads myself, upon which, in their turns, (nor do I care who knows it) I frequently ride out and take the air

I have my own hobbyhorses that I indulge in regularly.

_Tristram admits to his own harmless obsessions._

> I am not a wise man;—and besides am a mortal of so little consequence in the world, it is not much matter what I do

I am not wise and my actions are unimportant.

_Tristram downplays his own significance to excuse his hobbyhorses._

> I wish the Hobbyhorse , with all his fraternity, at the Devil.

I wish the hobbyhorse and all its kind were damned.

_Tristram expresses frustration when a nobleman's hobbyhorse delays his service to the country._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tristram_shandy_se/chapters/viii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tristram_shandy_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tristram_shandy_se/chapters