- The first thing Mr. Shandy does after the house settles down is begin writing a Tristra-paedia, an encyclopedia just for Tristram's education. In three years, he's finished about half of it—but it's much too long, exactly the same problem Tristram is running into. In Mr. Shandy's case, the slow progress comes from being afraid that the devil is guiding his writing.
- Unfortunately, while Mr. Shandy is writing this, Tristram is left entirely to his mother's care.