Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

quit this agreeable circle, and post it night and day to Paris, where I shall arrive in two days, and just wind myself up when I am there, enough to roll on to Calais so I hope to sup with you the King's birthday, according to a plan of sixteen days' standing. Never man has been such a wildgoose chace after a Iwife as I have been after having sought her in five or six different towns, I found her at last in Franche Compté Poor woman! she was very cordial, &c. and begs to stay another year or so - my Lydia pleases me much I found her greatly improved in every thing I wished her I am most unaccountably well, and most unaccountably nonsensical 'tis at least a proof of good spirits, which is a sign and token given me, in these latter days, that I must take up again the pen In faith, I think I shall die with it in my hand, but I shall live these ten years, my Antony, notwithstanding the fears of my wife, whom I left most melancholy on that account. This is a delicious part of the world; most celestial weather, and we lie all day, without damps, upon the grass and that is the whole of it, except the inner man (for her ladyship is not stingy of her wine) is inspired twice a day with the best Burgundy that grows upon the mountains which terminate our lands here. Surely you will not have decamped to Crazy Castle before I reach town The summer here is set in in good earnest 'tis more than we can say for Yorkshire I hope to hear a good tale of your alum-works have you no other works in hand? I do not expect to hear from you, so God prosper you and all your undertakings. I am, my dear cousin, Most affectionately yours,

[ocr errors]

L. STERNE.

Remember me to Mr. G-, Cardinal S--, the Co

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]
[ocr errors]

DEAR SIR,

---

I WROTE last week to Mr. Becket to discharge the balance due to you and I have received a letter from him, telling me that, if you will draw upon him for one hundred and sixty pounds, he will punctually pay it to your order so send the draughts when you please. Mrs. Sterne writes me word she wants fifty pounds which I desire you will let her have. I will take care to remit it to your correspondent I have such an entire confidence in my wife, that she spends as little as she can, though she is confined to no particular sum her expenses will not exceed three hundred pounds a year, unless by ill health or a journey and I am very willing she should have it you may rely in case it ever happens that she should draw for fifty or a hundred pounds extraordinary, that it and every demand shall be punctually paid and with proper thanks; and for this the whole Shandean family are ready to stand security. "Tis impossible to tell you how sorry I was that my affairs hurried me so quick through Paris as to deprive me of seeing my friend Mr. Foley, and of the pleasure I proposed in being made known to his better half but I have a probability of seeing him this winter. Adieu, dear Sir, and believe me,

Most cordially yours,

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

and

old

L. STERNE

P. S. Mrs. Sterne is going to Chalons, but your letter will find her, I believe, at Avignon She is very poorly and my daughter writes to sad grief of heart, that she is worse.

[ocr errors]

LXXI. TO MR. S.

DEAR SIR,

[ocr errors]

[ocr errors]

me, with

Coxwould, July 23, 1766.

[ocr errors]

ONE might be led to think that there is a fatality regarding us we make appointments to meet, and for these two years have not seen each other's face but twice we must try and do better for the future Having sought you with more zeal than C- sought the Lord, in order to deliver you the books you bade me purchase for you at Paris I was forced to pay carriage for them from London down to York but as I shall neither charge you the books nor the carriage 'tis not worth talking about. Never man, my dear Sir, has had a more agreeable tour than your Yorick and at present I am in my peaceful retreat, writing the ninth volume of Tristram. I shall publish but one this year, and the next I shall begin a new work of four volumes, which, when finished, I shall continue Tristram with fresh spirit. What a difference of scene here! But, with a disposition to be happy, 'tis neither this place nor t'other that renders us the In short, each man's happiness depends he is a fool if he does not enjoy it. What are you about, dear S-? Give me some had better come to

reverse.

[ocr errors]

upon himself

account of your pleasures

[ocr errors]

you

me for a fortnight, and I will shew, or give you (if needful), a practical dose of my philosophy: but I hope

you do not want it

[ocr errors]

if you did

[blocks in formation]
[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

IF Mrs. Sterne should draw upon you for fifty louis d'ors, be so kind as to remit her the money and pray be so good as not to draw upon Mr. Becket for it (as he owes me nothing), but favour me with the draft, which I will pay to Mr. Selwin. A young nobleman is now negociating a jaunt with me for six weeks, about Christmas, to the Fauxbourg de St. Germain I should like much to be with you for so long if my wife should grow worse (having had a very poor account of her in my daughter's last), I cannot think of her being without me and, however expensive the journey would be, I would fly to Avignon to administer consolation to both her and my poor girl. Wherever I am, believe me, dear Sir,

Yours,

and

L. STERNE.

[ocr errors]

My kind compliments to Mr. Foley: though I have not the honour of knowing his rib, I see no reason why I may not present all due respects to the better half of so old a friend, which I do by these presents with my friendliest wishes to Miss P.

[ocr errors]

LXXIII.

-

TO MR. FOLEY, AT PARIS.

MY DEAR FOLEY,

[ocr errors]

Coxwould, Oct. 25, 1766.

I DESIRED you would be so good as to remit to Mrs. Sterne fifty louis, a month ago I dare say you have done it but her illness must have cost her a good deal therefore having paid the last fifty pounds into Mr. Selwin's hands, I beg you to send her thirty guineas more for which I send a bank bill to Mr. Becket by this post but surely had I not done so, you would not stick at it for be assured, my dear Foley, that the First Lord of the Treasury is neither more able or more willing (nor perhaps half so punctual) in repaying with honour all I ever can be in your books. My daughter says her mother is very ill and I fear going fast down, by all accounts 'tis melancholy in her situation to want any aid that is in my power to I do write to her and believe me, with all

--

give
compliments to your Hotel,

Yours very truly,

L. STERNE.

[blocks in formation]

York, Nov. 25, 1766.

[ocr errors]

I JUST received yours and am glad that the balance of accounts is now paid to you Thus far all goes well. I have received a letter from my daughter, with the pleasing tidings that she thinks her mother out of danger and that the air of the country is delightful (excepting the winds); but the description of the Chateau my wife has hired is really pretty on the side of the Fountain of Vaucluse with seven

« ZurückWeiter »