The Lesser of Two Weevils

In honor of Patrick O'Brian's birthday today, here is a quote from one of the volumes of Master and Commander series, The Fortune of War. This scene is one of my favorite from the Master and Commander movie.

Two weevils crept from the crumbs. “You see those weevils, Stephen?” said Jack solemnly.

“I do.”

“Which would you choose?”

“There is not a scrap of difference…. Theey are the same species of curculio, and there is nothing to choose between them.”

“But suppose you had to choose?”

“Then I should choose the right hand weevil; it has a perceptible advantage in both length and breadth.”

“There I have you,” cried Jack. “You are bit—you are completely dished. Don’t you know that in the Navy you must always choose the lesser of two weevils?”

For some reason this quote makes me think of the current Presidential race.