daily accounts you was leaving it this is the first time I knew well where my thanks would find you how they will find you I know well that is, the same I ever knew you. In three weeks I shall kiss your hand, and sooner, if I can finish my Sentimental Journey. The deuce take all sentiments! I wish there was not one in the world! My wife is come to pay me a sentimental visit as far as from Avignon and the politesse arising from such a proof of her urbanity has robbed me of a month's writing, or I had been in town now. I am going to lye-in; being at Christmas at my full reckoning and unless what I shall bring forth is not press'd to death by these devils of printers, I shall have the honour of presenting to you a couple of as clean brats as ever chaste brain conceived they are frolicksome too, mais cela n'empeche pas I put your name down with many wrong and right honourables, knowing you would take it not well if I did not make myself happy with it. Adieu, my dear friend. Believe me, yours, &c. L. STERNE. P. S. If you see Mr. Crawfurd, tell him I greet him kindly. I SAID I would not perhaps write any more, but it would be unkind not to reply to so interesting a letter as yours. I am certain you may depend upon Lord 's promises, he will take care of you in the best manner he can, and your knowledge of the world, and of languages in particular, will make you useful in any department. If his Lordship's scheme does not go to the east, or to succeed, leave the kingdom the west, for travelling would be of infinite service to both your body and mind we meet Ireland friends But more of this when now to my own affairs. I have had an offer of exchanging two pieces of preferment I hold here, for a living of three hundred and fifty pounds a-year in Surrey, about thirty miles from London, and retaining Coxwould, and my prebendaryship the country also is sweet but I will not, cannot, come to any determination, till I have consulted with you, and my other friends. I have great offers too in the Bishops of C― and R— are both my but I have rejected every proposal, unless Mrs. S and my Lydia could accompany me thither I live for the sake of my girl, and with her sweet light burthen in my arms, I could get up fast the hill of preferment, if I choose it but, without my Lydia, if a mitre was offered me, it would sit uneasy upon my brow. Mrs. S's health is insupportable in England. She must return to France, and justice and humanity forbid me to oppose it. I will allow her enough to live comfortably until she can rejoin me. My heart bleeds, L-e, when I think of parting with child my 'twill be like the separation of soul and body and equal to nothing but what passes at that tremendous moment; and like it in one respect, for she will be in one kingdom, whilst I am in another. You will laugh at my weakness but I cannot for she is a dear disinterested girl. help it proof of it - As a when she left Coxwould, and I bade her adieu, I pulled out my purse, and offered her ten guineas for her private pleasures her answer was pretty, and affected me too much: "No, my dear papa, our expenses of coming from France may have straitened you I would rather put a hundred guineas into your pocket than take ten out of it." I burst into tears but why do I practise upon your feelings by dwelling on a subject that will touch your heart? It is too much melted already by its own suffering, L-e, for me to add a pang, or cause a single sigh. God bless you I shall hope to greet you by New-year's day in perfect health. - Adieu, my dear friend I am most truly and cordially yours, -- [December, 1767.] LITERAS vestras lepidissimas, mi consobrine, consobrinis meis omnibus carior, accepi die Veneris; sed posta non rediebat versus Aquilonem eo die, aliter scripsissem prout desiderabas. Nescio quid est materia cum me, sed sum fatigatus & ægrotus de meâ uxore plus quam unquam & sum possessus cum diabolo qui pellet me in urbem & tu es possessus cum eodem malo spiritu qui te tenet in deserto esse tentatum ancillis tuis, et perturbatum uxore tuâ crede mihi, mi Antoni, quod isthæc non est via ad salutem sive hodiernam; sive eternam; num tu incipis cogitare de pecuniâ, quæ, ut ait Sanctus Paulus, est radix omnium malorum, & non satis dicis in corde tuo, ego Antonius de Castello Infirmo, sum jam quadraginta & plus annos natus, & explevi octavum meum lustrum, et tempus est me curare, & meipsum Antonium facere hominem felicem & liberum, et mihimet ipsi benefacere, ut exhortatur Solomon, qui dicit quòd nihil est melius in hâc vitâ quàm quòd homo vivat festivè & quòd edat et bibat, & bono fruatur quia hoc est sua portio & dos in hoc mundo. Nunc te scire vellemus, quòd non debeo esse reprehendi pro festinando eundo ad Londinum, quia Deus est testis, quòd non propero præ gloria, & pro me ostendere; nam diabolus iste qui me intravit, non est diabolus vanus, aut consobrinus suus Lucifer - sed est diabolus amabundus, qui non vult sinere me esse solum; nam cùm non cumbenbo cum uxore meâ, sum mentulatior quàm par est & sum mortaliter in amore & sum fatuus; ergo tu me, mi care Antoni, excusabis, quoniam tu fuisti in amore, & per mare & per terras ivisti & festinâsti sicut diabolus eodem te propellente diabolo. Habeo multa ad te scribere sed scribo hanc epistolam in domo coffeatariâ & plenâ sociorum strepitosorum, qui non permittent me cogitare unam cogitationem. Saluta amicum Panty meum, cujus literis respondebo saluta amicos in domo Gisbrosensi, & oro, credas me vinculo consobrinitatis & amoris ad te, mi Antoni, devinctissimum. L. STERNE. CXX. TO MR. AND MRS. J —. York, Dec. 23, 1767. I WAS afraid that either Mr. or Mrs. J little blossom, was drooping or that some of you were ill, by not having the pleasure of a line from you, and was thinking of writing again to inquire after you all when I was cast down myself with a fever, and bleeding at my lungs, which had confined me to my room near three weeks when I had the favour of yours, which till to-day I have not been able to thank you both kindly for, as I most cordially now do as well as for all your professions and proofs of good-will to me I will not say I have not balanced accounts with you in this All I know is that I honour and value you more than I do any good creatures upon earth and that I could not wish your happiness, and the success of whatever conduces to it, more than I do, was I your brother but, good God! are we not all brothers and sisters who are friendly, virtuous, and good? Surely, my dear friends, my illness has been a sort of sympathy for your afflictions upon the score of your dear little one. I am worn down to a shadow; but as my fever has left me, I set off the latter end of next week with my friend Mr. Hall for town I need not tell my friends in Gerrardstreet I shall do myself the honour to visit them, before either Lord &c. &c. I thank you, my dear friend, for what you say so kindly about my daughter it shews your good heart, for as she is a stranger, 'tis a free gift in you but when she is known to you, she shall win it fairly but, alas; when this event is to happen is in the clouds. Mrs. S― has hired a house ready-furnished at York, till she returns to France, and my Lydia must not leave her. or Lord What a sad scratch of a letter! but I am weak, my dear friends, both in body and mind so God you will see me enter like a ghost bless you - I am, I tell you before-hand not to be frightened. my dear friends, with the truest attachment and esteem, ever yours, L. STERNE. |