The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman

The ancient Goths of Germany, who (the learned Cluverius is positive) were first seated in the country between the Vistula and the Oder, and who afterwards incorporated the Herculi, the Bugians, and some other Vandallick clans to 'em -- had all of them a wise custom of debating everything of importance to their state, twice; that is, -- once drunk, and once sober: -- -- -Drunk, -- that their councils might not want vigour; -- -- -and sober -- that they might not want discretion.

These my father, humorously enough, called his beds of justice; -- -- -for from the two different counsels taken in these two different humours, a middle one was generally found out which touched the point of wisdom as well, as if he had got drunk and sober a hundred times.