I HAVE never been a moment at rest since I wrote I have been at a have been upon one I yesterday about this Soho ticket Secretary of State to get one knee to my friend Sir G-M-, Mr. Lascelles and Mr. Fitzmaurice without mentioning five more believe I could as soon get you a place at Court, for every body is going but I will go out and try a new circle and if you do not hear from me by a quarter after three, you may conclude I have been unfortunate in my supplications I send you this state of the affair, lest my silence should make you think I had neglected what I promised but no Mrs. Jknows me better, and would never suppose it would be out of the head of one who is with so much truth Her faithful friend, L. STERNE. CXXIII. TO THE SAME. - Thursday, Old Bond-street. A THOUSAND thanks, and as many excuses, my dear friends, for the trouble my blunder has given you. By a second note I am astonished I could read Saturday for Sunday, or make any mistake in a card wrote by Mrs. J-8, in which my friend is as unrivalled, as in a hundred greater excellencies. I am now tied down neck and heels (twice over) by engagements every day this week, or most joyfully would have trod the old pleasing road from Bond to Gerrard-street. My books will be to be had on Thurs day, but possibly on Wednesday in the afternoon. I am quite well, but exhausted with a room full of company every morning till dinner. How do I la ment I cannot eat my morsel (which is always sweet) with such kind friends! The Sunday following I will assuredly wait upon you both and will come a quarter before four, that I may have both a little time and a little day-light, to see Mrs. J -'s picture I beg leave to assure my friends of my gratitude for all their favours, with my sentimental thanks for every token of their good-will. Adieu, my dear friends I am truly yours, CXXIV. L. STERNE. FROM DR. EUSTACE, IN AMERICA, TO THE REV. MR. STERNE, WITH A WALKING-STICK. SIR, WHEN I assure you that I am a great admirer of Tristram Shandy, and have, ever since his introduction into the world, been one of his most zealous defenders against the repeated assaults of prejudice and misapprehension, I hope you will not treat this unexpected appearance in his company as an intrusion. You know it is an observation, as remarkable for its truth as for its antiquity, that a similitude of sentiments is the general parent of friendship. It cannot be wondered at that I should conceive an esteem for a person whom nature had most indulgently enabled to frisk and curvet with ease through all these intricacies of sentiments, which, from irresistible propensity, she had impelled me to trudge through without merit or distinction. The only reason that gave rise to this address to you is my accidentally having met with a piece of true Shandean statuary, I mean, according to vulgar opinion, for to such judges both appear equally destitute of regularity or design it was made by a very ingenious gentleman of this province, and presented to the late governor Dobbs; after his death Mrs. D. gave it me: its singularity made many desirous of procuring it; but I had resolved at first not to part with it, till, upon reflection, I thought it would be a very proper, and probably not an unacceptable, compliment to my favourite author, and in his hands might prove as ample a field for meditation as a buttonhole, or a broom-stick. I have the honour to be, &c. &c. CXXV. MR. STERNE'S ANSWER. SIR, - London, February 9, 1768. I THIS moment received your obliging letter, and Shandean piece of sculpture along with it, of both which testimonies of your regard I have the justest sense, and return you, dear Sir, my best thanks and acknowledgment. Your walking-stick is in no sense more Shandaick than in that of its having more handles than one: the parallel breaks, only in this, that, in using the stick, every one will take the handle which suits his convenience. In Tristram Shandy, the handle is taken which suits their passions, their ignorance, or their sensibility. There is so little true feeling in the herd of the world that I wish I could have got an act of parliament, when the books first appeared, that none but wise men should look into them. It is too much to write books, and find heads to understand them; the world, however, seems to come into a better temper about them, the people of genius here being to a man on its side; and the reception it has met with in France, Italy, and Germany, has engaged one part of the world to give it a second reading. The other, in order to be on the strongest side, has at length agreed to speak well of it too. A few hypocrites and Tartuffes, whose approbation could do it nothing but dishonour, remain unconverted. I am very proud, Sir, to have had a man like you on my side from the beginning; but it is not in the power of every one to taste humour, however he may wish it; it is the gift of God; and besides, a true feeler always brings half the entertainment along with him; his own ideas are only called forth by what he reads, and the vibrations within him entirely correspond with those excited 'Tis like reading himself and not the book. In a week's time I shall be delivered of two volumes of the Sentimental Travels of Mr. Yorick through France and Italy; but alas! the ship sails three days too soon, and I have but to lament it deprives me of the pleasure of presenting them to you. Believe me, dear Sir, with great thanks for the honour you have done me, with true esteem, Your obliged humble servant, LAURENCE STERNE. CXXVI. TO L. S-N, ESQ. DEAR SIR, Old Bond-street, Wednesday. YOUR commendations are very flattering. I know no one whose judgment I think more highly of, but You your partiality for me is the only instance in which I can call it in question. Thanks, my good Sir, for the prints if I I am much your debtor for them recover from my ill state of health, and live to revisit Coxwould this summer, I will decorate my study with them, along with six beautiful pictures I have already of the sculptures on poor Ovid's tomb, which were executed on marble at Rome. It grieves one to think such a man should have died in exile, who wrote so well on the art of love. Do not think me encroaching if I solicit a favour 'tis either to borrow, or beg (to beg if you please) some of those touched with chalk which you brought from Italy I believe you have three sets, and if you can spare the imperfect one of cattle on coloured paper, 'twill answer my purpose, which is namely this, to give a friend of ours. may be ignorant she has a genius for drawing, and whatever she excels in she conceals, and her humility adds lustre to her accomplishments - I presented her last year with colours, and an apparatus for painting, and gave her several lessons before I left town. I wish her to follow this art, to be a complete mistress of it and it is singular enough, but not more singular than true, that she does not know how to make a cow or a sheep, though she draws figures and landscapes perfectly well; which makes me wish her to copy from good prints. If you come to town next week, and dine where I am engaged next Sunday, call upon me and take me with you I breakfast with Mr. Beauclerc, and am engaged for an hour afterwards with Lord O-; so let our meeting be either at your house or my lodgings do not be late, for we will go, half an hour before dinner, to see a picture |