ADVERTISEMENT.

In the preface prefixed to the first edition of these letters, which appeared in the year 1775, and were then dedicated to lord Apsley (the present earl Bathurst) the editor remarks, that he purposely waves all proofs which might be drawn concerning their authentici= ty, from the character of the gentleman who had the perusal of the originals, and, with Eliza's permission, faithfully copied them at Bombay in the East Indies; from the testi= mony of many reputable families in London, who knew and loved Eliza, caressed and admired Mr. Sterne, and were well acquainted with the tender friendship between them; and from many curious anecdotes in the letters themselves, any one of which were fully sufficient to authenticate them.

He then proceeds to observe, that as the publick is unquestionably entitled to every kind of information concerning the charac= ters contained in these letters which consists with the duties of humanity and a good citiz

zen; that is, a minute acquaintance with those of whom honourable mention is made, or the editor is furnished with authorities to vindi= cate from Mr. Sterne's censures, which, as a man of warm temper and lively imagination, he was perhaps sometimes hurried into with out due reflection; he persuades himself that no party concerned will or can be offended with this publication, especially if it is consi= dered that without such information it would be cold and unentertaining; that by publish ing their merits he cannot be understood to intend them any injury, and ut it, he would in himself fail in his duty to the pu blick.

་

Eliza, (the editor continues) the lady to whom these Letters are addressed, is Mrs. Elizabeth Draper, wife of Daniel Draper, es= quire, counsellor at Bombay, and at present chief of the English factory at Surat; a gentle= man very much respected in that quarter of the globe. She is by birth an East-Indian; but the circumstance of being born in the not proving sufficient to defend her delicate frame against the heats of that burning climate, she came to England for the recovery

country

ADVERTISEMENT.

141

of her health, when by accident she became acquainted with Mr. Sterne. He immediately discovered in her mind so congenial with

1

his own, so enlightened, so refined, and so tender, that their mutual attraction presently joined them in the closest union that purity could possibly admit of. He loved her as his friend, and prided in her as his pupil. All her concerns became presently his; her health her circumstances, her reputation, her children, were his; his fortune, his time, his coundisposal, so far as the sacrifice of all or any of these might, in his opi nion, contribute to her real happiness. It is very much to be lamented, that Eliza's modesty was invincible to all the editor's endeavours to obtain her answers to these Let= ters: her wit, penetration and judgement, her happiness in the epistolary style, so rapturous= ly commended by Mr. Sterne, could not fail

try,

were a

at h

furnish a rich entertainment for the pu= blick. He could not help telling her, that he wished to God she was really possessed of that vanity with which she was charged; to which she replied, that she was so far from acquitting herself of vanity, that she suspect

ed that to be the cause why she could y she could not prevail on herself to submit her letters to the hd ble letters to the pu blick eye; for although Mr. Sterne was kawas par= cial to every thing of her's, she could not hope that the world would be so too.

an=

swer the editor was obliged to be contented.

The reader will remark that these letters have various signatures; sometimes he signs Sterne, sometimes Yorick, and to one or two he signs her Bramin. Although it is pretty generally known who the Bramins

yet

lest any body should be at a loss, it may not be amiss to observe that the principal cast or tribe among the idolatrous Indians are the Bramins, and out of the chief class of this cast come the priests so famous for their austeri= ties, and the shocking torments, and frequent ly death, they volontarily expose themselves to, on a religious account. Now, as Mr. Sterne was a clergyman, and Eliza an Indian by birth, it was customary with her to call him her Braz

min, which he accordingly, in his pleasant moods, uses as a signature.

LETTERS

FROM YORICK

101 1004063

TO ELIZA.

ま

LETTER I.

ELIZA will receive my books with this the ser

mons came all hot from the heart; I wish that could give them any title to be offered to yours: the others from the head I am more indifferent about their reception=

came

I know not how it comes abont, but I am half in love with you I ought to be wholly so; for I never valued (or saw more good qualities to value) or thought more of one of your sex than of you so adieu.

Yours faithfully, if not affectionately,

L. STERNE.

LETTER II.

I CANNOT rest, Eliza, though I shall call on you at half past twelve, till I know how you do may thy dear face smile as thou risest, like the sun of this morning! I was much grieved to hear of your alarm=