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pursue the ends we proposed, and let nothing rob thee of those powers heaven as given thee for thy well being =

What can I add more in the agitation of mind I am in, and within five minutes of the last post-man's bell, but recommend thee to heaven, and recom= mend myself to heaven with thee, in the same fer= vent ejaculation : « That we may be happy and meet again = if not in this world, in the next. >>>

Adieu; I am thine, Eliza, affectionately, and ever= lastingly.

I

LETTER IX.

YORICK.

WISH to God, Eliza, it was possible to postpone the voyage to India for another year; for I am firmly persuaded within my own heart, that thy husband could never limit thee with regard to time. =

I fear that Mr. B- has exaggerated matters = I like not his countenance; it is absolutely killing. Should evil befall thee, what will he not have to an= swer for? I know not the being that will be deserving of so much pity, or that I shall hate more: he will be an outcast, alien. In which case I will be a father to thy children, my good girl; therefore take no thought about them. =

But, Eliza, if thou art so very ill, still put off all thoughts of returning to India this year. = Write to your husband = tell him the truth of your case = If he is the generous, humane man you describe him to be, he cannot but applaud your conduct = I am credibly informed, that his repugnance to your living in England arises only from the dread which has entered his brain, that thou mayest run him in debt, beyond thy appointments, and that he must dis=

charge them =That such a creature should be sacri= ficed for the paltry consideration of a few hundreds, is too, too hard! Oh! my child, that I could, with propriety indemnify him for every charge, even to the last mite, that thou hast been of to him! with joy would I give him my whole substance! nay, se= quester my livings, and trust the treasures heaven has furnished my head with, for a future sub=

sistence =

You owe much, I allow, to your husband; you owe something to appearances, and the opinion of the world; but trust me, my dear, you owe much likewise to yourself. Return therefore from Deal, if you continue ill: I will prescribe for you gratis = you are not the first woman, by many, I have done so for with success =

I will send for my wife and daughter, and they shall carry you in pursuit of health to Montpellier, the wells of Bareges, the Spa, or whither thou wilt. Thou shalt direct them, and make parties of pleasure in what corner of the world fancy points out to thee = We shall fish upon the banks of Arno, and lose ourselves in the sweet labyrinths of its vallies : and then thou shouldst warble to us, as I have once or twice heard thee = « I'm lost, I'm lost; but we would find thee again, my Eliza =

Of a similar nature to this was your physician's prescription : « Use gentle exercise, the pure southern air of France, or milder Naples, with the society of friendly gentle beings. » Sensible man! he certainly entered into your feelings: he knew the fallacy of medicine to a creature whose illness has arisen from the affliction of her mind. = Time only, my dear, I fear you must trust to, and have your reliance on; may it give you the health so enthusiastick a votary to the charming goddess deserves!

I honour you, Eliza, for keeping secret some

things, which, if explained, had been a panegyrick on yourself. There is a dignity in venerable affliction which will not allow it to appeal to the world for pity or redress. = Well have you supported that character, my amiable, philosophick friend! and indeed, I begin to think you have as many virtues as my uncle Toby's widow = I don't mean to insinuate, hussey, that my opinion is no better founded than his was of Mrs. Wadman; nor do I conceive it pos= sible for any Trim to convince me it is equally fal= lacious; I am sure, while I have my reason, it is not.

Talking of widows=pray, Eliza, if ever you are such, do not think of giving yourself to some wealthy Nabob; because I design to marry you myself = My wife cannot live long = she has sold all the provinces in France already; and I know not the woman I should like so well for her substitute as yourself = 'Tis true, I am ninety-five in constitution, and you but twen= ty-five; rather too great a disparity this! but what I want in youth, I will make up in wit and good hu= mour. Nor Swift so loved his Stella, Scarron his Maintenon, or Waller his Sacharissa, as I will love and sing thee, my wife elect! = All those names, eminent as they were, shall give place to thine, Eliza. Tell me in answer to this, that you approve and ho= nour the proposal; and that you would, like the Spectator's mistress, have more joy in putting on an old man's slipper, than in associating with the gay, the voluptuous and the young Adieu, my Sim= plicia!

Yours, TRISTRAM.

1

LETTER X.

MY DEAR ELIZA,

I HAVE been within the verge of the gates of death: I was ill the last time I wrote to you, and apprehen= sive of what would be the consequence = My fears were but too well founded; for in ten minutes after I dispatched my letter, this poor, fine spun frame of Yorick's gave way, and I broke a vessel in my breast, and could not stop the loss of blood till four this morning = I have filled all thy India handker= chiefs with it: it came, I think, from my heart. I fell asleep, thro' weakness. At six I awoke, with the bosom of my shirt steeped in tears = I dreamed I was sitting under the canopy of indolence, and that thou camest into the room with a shawl in thy hand, and told me : « My spirit had flown to thee in the downs, with tidings of my fate; and that you were come to administer what consolation filial affection could bes= tow, and to receive my parting breath and blessing. >>> =With that, you folded the shawl about my waist, and, kneeling, supplicated my attention = I awoke; but in what a frame, O my God!= << But thou wilt number my tears, and put them all into thy bottle >>>

Dear girl, I see thee: thou art for ever present to my fancy, embracing my feeble knees, and raising thy fine eyes to bid me be of comfort: and when I talk to Lydia, the words of Esau, as uttered by thee, perpetually ring in my ears. =<< Bless me even also, my father >> Blessing attend thee, thou child of my heart! =

My bleeding is quite stopped, and I feel the prin= ciple of life strong within me; so be not alarmed, Eliza: I know I shall do well. I have eat my break= fast with hunger; and I write to thee with a pleasure arising from that prophetick impression in my ima gination, that « all will terminate to our heart's con=

tent. >>

Comfort thyself eternally with this persuasion, <<<That the best of beings, as thou hast sweetly ex= pressed it, could not, by a combination of accidents, produce such a chain of events, merely to be the source of misery to the leading person engaged in them. » = The observation was very applicable, very good, and very elegantly expressed: I wish my me= mory did justice to the wording of it.

Who taught you the art of writing so sweetly, Eliza? You have absolutely exalted it to a science= When I am in want of ready cash, and ill health will not permit my genius to exert itself, I shall print your letters as finished Essays, by an unfortunate In= dian Lady. The stile is new, and would almost be a sufficient recommendation for their selling well, without merit; but their sense, natural ease and spi= rit, is not to be equalled, I believe, in this section of the globe; nor, I will answer for it, by any of your country=women in yours. =

I have shewed your letter to Mrs. B-, and to half the literati in town: you shall not be angry with me for it, because I meant to do you honour by it. = You cannot imagine how many admirers your epis= tolary productions have gained you, that never view= ed your external merits. I only wonder where thou couldest acquire thy graces, thy goodness, thy accom= plishments! so connected! so educated! Nature has surely studyed to make thee her peculiar care; for thou art, and not in my eyes alone, the best and fair= est of all her works. =

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