expedition from Bristol to Hampshire we loft poor Joram-a pretty boy, four years old, of the small-pox), my mother, fifter, and myself, remained at the Isle of Wight during the Vigo expedition, and until the regiment had got back to Wicklow in Ireland, from whence my father fent for us. - We had poor Joram's loss supplied during our stay in the Isle of Wight, by the birth of a girl, Anne, born September the twenty-third, one thoufand seven hundred and nineteen. - This pretty blossom fell at the age of three years, in the barracs of Dublin - she was, as I well remember, of a fine delicate frame, not made to last long, as were most of my father's babes. We embarked for Dublin, and had all been caft away by a most violent storm, but through the interceffions of my mother, the captain was prevailed upon to turn back into Wales, where we stayed a month, and at length got into Dublin, and travelled by land to Wicklow, where my father had for fome weeks given us over for loft. - We lived in the barracs at Wicklow, one year, (one thousand seven hundred and twenty) when Devijeher (fo called after Colonel Devijeher,) was born; from thence we decamped to stay half a year

the

From

with Mr. Fetherston, a clergyman, about seven miles from Wicklow, who being a relation of my mother's, invited us to his parsonage at Animo. It was in this parish, during our stay, that I had that wonderful escape in falling through a mill-race whilst the mill was going, and of being taken up unhurt story is incredible, but known for truth in all that part of Ireland - where hundreds of the common people flocked to fee me. hence we followed the regiment to Dublin, where we lay in the barracs a year. - In this year, one thousand seven hundred and twentyone, I learned to write, &c. The regiment, ordered in twenty-two, to Carrickfergus in the north of Ireland; we all decamped, but got no further than Drogheda, thence ordered to Mullengar, forty miles west, where by Providence we stumbled upon a kind relation, a collateral defcendant from Archbishop Sterne, who took us all to his castle and kindly entertained us for a year--and fent us to the regiment at Carrickfergus, loaded with kindnesses, &c. - a most rueful and tedious journey had we all, in March, to Carrickfergus, where we arrived in fix or seven days little Devijeher here died, he was three years old - He had been left behind at nurse at a farm-house near Wicklow,

but was fetch'd to us by my father the summer after another child fent to fill his place, Susan; this babe too left us behind in this weary journey - The autumn of that year, or the spring afterwards, (I forget which) my father got leave of his colonel to fix me at school which he did near Halifax, with an able master; with whom I staid some time, 'till by God's care of me my cousin Sterne, of Elvington, became a father to me, and fent me to the university, &c. &c. To pursue the thread of our story, my father's regiment was the year after ordered to Londonderry, where another fifter was brought forth, Catherine, still living, but most unhappily estranged from me by my uncle's wickedness, and her own folly - from this station the regiment was fent to defend Gibraltar, at the fiege, where my father was run through the body by Captain Phillips, in a duel, (the quarrel begun about a goose) with much difficulty he furvived tho' with an impaired constitution, which was not able to withstand the hardships it was put to-for he was fent to Jamaica, where he foon fell by the country fever, which took away his senses first, and made a child of him, and then, in a month or two, walking about continually without complaining, till the moment he fat down in an arm chair, and breathed his laft which was at Port Antonio, on the north of the ifland. - My father was a little smart man active to the last degree, in all exercises - moft patient of fatigue and disappointments, of which it pleased God to give him full measure was in his temper fomewhat rapid, and hafty

he

but of a kindly, fweet difpofition, void of all design; and fo innocent in his own intentions, that he suspected no one; fo that you might have cheated him ten times in a day, if nine had not been fufficient for your purposemy poor father died in March, 1731 I remained at Halifax 'till about the latter end of that year, and cannot omit mentioning this anecdote of myself, and fchool-mafter - He had had the cieling of the school-room new whitewashed the ladder remained there I one unlucky day mounted it, and wrote with a brush in large capital letters LAUR. STERNE, for which the usher severely whipped me. My master was very much hurt at this, and faid, before me, that never should that name be effaced, for I was a boy of genius, and he was fure I should come to preferment this expreffion made me forget the stripes I had In the year thirty-two my coufin fent me to the university, where I ftaid fome

received

time. 'Twas there that I commenced a friendship with. Mr. H... which has been most lasting on both fides -I then came to York, and my uncle got me the living of Sutton and at York I became acquainted with your mother; and courted her for two years she owned she liked me, but thought herself not rich enough, or me too poor, to be joined together-she went to her fister's in S-, and I wrote to her often I believe then she was partly determined to have me, but would not say fo at her return she fell into a confumption - and one evening that I was fitting by her with an almost broken heart to fee her so ill, she faid, my dear Laurey, I can never be yours, for I verily believe I have not long to live but I have left you every shilling of my fortune;" - upon that she showed me her will this generofity overpowered me. It pleased God that she recovered, and I married her in the year 1741. My uncle and myself were then upon very good terms, for he foon got me the Prebendary of York but he quarrelled with me afterwards, because I would not write paragraphs in the news-papersthough he was a partyman, I was not, and detested such dirty work: thinking it beneath me-from that period, he became my bitterest

66