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good will, and good opinion "Tis all affectation to say a man is not gratified with being praised

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only want it to be sincere and then it will be taken, Sancho, as kindly as yours. I left town very poorly

and with an idea I was taking leave of it for ever

but good air, a quiet retreat, and quiet reflections along with it, with an ass to milk, and another to ride upon (if I chuse it), all together do wonders. I shall live this year at least, I hope, be it but to give the world, before I quit it, as good impressions of me as you have, Sancho. I would only covenant for just so much health and spirits as are sufficient to carry my pen through the task I have set it this summer. But I am a resigned being, Sancho, and take health and sickness, as I do light and darkness, or the vicissitudes of seasons that is, just as it pleases GOD to send them and accommodate myself to their periodical returns as well as I can only taking care, whatever befals me in this silly world not to lose my temper at it. This I believe, friend Sancho, to be the truest philosophy for this we must be indebted to ourselves, but not to our fortunes. Farewell I hope you will not forget your custom of giving me a call at my lodgings next winter in the mean time, I am very cordially,

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My honest friend Sancho,

Yours

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CI. TO MR. AND MRS. J.

L. STERNE.

Coxwould, July 6, 1767.

Ir is with as much true gratitude as ever heart felt, that I sit down to thank my dear friends Mr. and Mrs. J for the continuation of their attention to me;

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but for this last instance of their humanity and politeness to me, I must ever be their debtor I never can thank you enough, my dear friends, and yet I thank you from my soul and for the single day's happiness your goodness would have sent me, I wish I could send you back thousands I cannot, but they will come of themselves and so GOD bless you. have had twenty times my pen in my hand since I came down, to write a letter to you both in Gerrardstreet but I am a shy kind of a soul at the bottom, and have a jealousy about troubling my friends, especially about myself I am now got perfectly well, but was, a month after my arrival in the country, in but a poor state my body has got the start, and is at present more at ease than my mind but this world is a school of trials, and so Heaven's will be done! I hope you have both enjoyed all that I have wanted and, to complete your joy, that your little lady flourishes like a vine at your table, to which I hope to see her preferred by next winter. I am now beginning to be truly busy at my Sentimental Journey the pains and sorrows of this life having retarded its progress but I shall make up my lee-way, and overtake every body in a very short time.

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What can I send you that Yorkshire produces? tell I want to be of use to you, for I am, my dear friends, with the truest value and esteem,

me

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Your ever obliged

L. STERNE.

TO MR. PANCHAUD, AT PARIS.

MY DEAR PANCHAUD,

York, July 20, 1767.

BE so kind as to forward what letters are arrived

from Mrs. Sterne at your office by to-day's post, or the

Sentimental Journey, etc.

20

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next, and she will receive them before she quits Avignon, for England she wants to lay out a little money in an annuity for her daughter advise her to get her own life insured in London, lest my Lydia should die before her. - If there are any packets, send them with the ninth volume* of Shandy, which she has failed of getting she says she has drawn for fifty louis when she leaves Paris send by her my acHave you got me any French subscriptions, Present my kindest service to Miss P. I know her politeness and good-nature will incline her to give Mrs. J. her advice about what she may venture to bring over. I hope every thing goes on well, though never half so well as I wish God prosper you, my dear friend

count.

or subscriptions in France?

me most warmly

Yours

Believe

L. STERNE.

The sooner you send me the gold snuff-box, the 'tis a present from my best friend.

better

CIII. TO MR. AND MRS. J.

Coxwould, August 2, 1767.

My dear friends Mr. and Mrs. J- are infinitely kind to me, in sending now and then a letter to inquire after me and to acquaint me how they are.

You cannot conceive, my dear lady, how truly I bear a part in your illness. I wish Mr. J- would carry you to the South of France in pursuit of health; but why need I wish it, when I know his affection will make him do that and ten times as much to prevent a return of those symptoms which alarmed him so much

* Alluding to the first edition.

in the spring -your politeness and humanity are always contriving to treat me agreeably, and what you promise next winter will be perfectly so but you must get well and your little dear girl must be of the party, with her parents and friends, to give it a relish - I am sure you shew no partiality but what is natural and praise-worthy, in behalf of your daughter, but I wonder my friends will not find her a play-fellow; and I both hope and advise them not to venture along through this warfare of life without two strings at least to their bow. I had letters from France by last night's post, by which (by some fatality) I find not one of my letters has reached Mrs. Sterne. This gives me concern, as it wears the aspect of unkindness, which she by no means merits from me. My wife and dear girl are coming to pay me a visit for a few months; wish I may prevail with them to tarry longer. You must permit me, dear Mrs. J., to make my Lydia known to you, if I can prevail with my wife to come and spend a little time in London, as she returns to France. I expect a small parcel may I trouble you, before you write next, to send to my lodgings to ask if there is any thing directed to me that you can inclose under cover? I have but one excuse for this freedom, which I am prompted to use, from a persuasion that it is doing you pleasure to give you an opportunity of doing an obliging thing and as to myself, I rest satisfied, for 'tis only scoring up another debt of thanks to the millions I owe you both already

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Receive a thousand and a thousand thanks, yes, and with them ten thousand friendly wishes for all you I wish in this world May my friend Mr. J. continue blessed with good health, and may his good lady get

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P. S. In Eliza's last letter, dated from St. Jago, she tells me, as she does you, that she is extremely ill God protect her! By this time surely she has set foot upon dry land at Madras

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I heartily wish her well, and if Yorick was with her he would tell her but he is cut off from this, by bodily absence I am present with her in spirit, however but what is that? you will say.

SO

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I AM glad all has passed with so much amity inter te & filium Marcum tuum, and that Madame has found grace in thy sight All is well that ends well and so much for moralizing upon it. I wish you could, or would, take up your parable, and prophesy as much good concerning me and my affairs. Not one of my letters has got to Mrs. Sterne since the notification of her intentions, which has a pitiful air on my side, though I have wrote her six or seven I imagine she will be here the latter end of September; though I have no date for it, but her impatience, which, having suffered by my supposed silence, I am persuaded will make her fear the worst If that is the case, she will fly to England a most natural conclusion. You did well to discontinue all commerce with James's powders as you are so well, rejoice therefore, and

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