day, but possibly on Wednesday in the afternoon. I am quite well, but exhausted with a room full of company every morning till dinner. How do I Iament I cannot eat my morsel (which is always sweet) with such kind friends! The Sunday following I will assuredly wait upon you both and will come a quarter before four, that I may have both a little time and a little day-light, to see Mrs. J's picture — I beg leave to assure my friends of my gratitude for all their favours, with my sentimental thanks for every token of their good-will. — Adieu, my dear friends — I am truly yours, CXXIV. L. STERNE. FROM DR. EUSTACE, IN AMERICA, TO THE REV. MR. STERNE, WITH A WALKING-STICK. SIR, WHEN I assure you that I am a great admirer of Tristram Shandy, and have, ever since his introduction into the world, been one of his most zealous defenders against the repeated assaults of prejudice and misapprehension, I hope you will not treat this unexpected appearance in his company as an intrusion. - You know it is an observation, as remarkable for its truth as for its antiquity, that a similitude of sentiments is the general parent of friendship. It cannot be wondered at that I should conceive an esteem for a person whom nature had most indulgently enabled to frisk and curvet with ease through all these intricacies of sentiments, which, from irresistible propensity, she had impelled me to trudge through without merit or distinction. The only reason that gave rise to this address to you is my accidentally having met with a piece of true Shandean statuary, I mean, according to vulgar opinion, for to such judges both appear equally destitute of regularity or design it was made by a very ingenious gentleman of this province, and presented to the late governor Dobbs; after his death Mrs. D. gave it me: its singularity made many desirous of procuring it; but I had resolved at first not to part with it, till, upon reflection, I thought it would be a very proper, and probably not an unacceptable, compliment to my favourite author, and in his hands might prove as ample a field for meditation as a buttonhole, or a broom-stick. I have the honour to be, &c. &c. I THIS moment received your obliging letter, and Shandean piece of sculpture along with it, of both which testimonies of your regard I have the justest sense, and return you, dear Sir, my best thanks and acknowledgment. Your walking-stick is in no sense more Shandaick than in that of its having more handles than one: the parallel breaks, only in this, that, in using the stick, every one will take the handle which suits his convenience. In Tristram Shandy, the handle is taken which suits their passions, their ignorance, or their sensibility. There is so little true feeling in the herd of the world that I wish I could have got an act of parliament, when the books first appeared, that none but wise men should look into them. It is too much to write books, and find heads to understand them; the world, however, seems to come into a better temper about them, the people of genius here being to a man on its side; and the reception it has met with in France, Italy, and Germany, has engaged one part of the world to give it a second reading. The other, in order to be on the strongest side, has at length agreed to speak well of it too. A few hypocrites and Tartuffes, whose approbation could do it nothing but dishonour, remain unconverted. I am very proud, Sir, to have had a man like you on my side from the beginning; but it is not in the power of every one to taste humour, however he may wish it; it is the gift of God; and besides, a true feeler always brings half the entertainment along with him; his own ideas are only called forth by what he reads, and the vibrations within him entirely correspond with those excited 'Tis like reading himself and not the book. In a week's time I shall be delivered of two volumes of the Sentimental Travels of Mr. Yorick through France and Italy; but alas! the ship sails three days too soon, and I have but to lament it deprives me of the pleasure of presenting them to you. Believe me, dear Sir, with great thanks for the honour you have done me, with true esteem, Your obliged humble servant, LAURENCE STERNE. CXXVI. TO L. S-N, ESQ. DEAR SIR, Old Bond-street, Wednesday. YOUR commendations are very flattering. I know no one whose judgment I think more highly of, but your partiality for me is the only instance in which I can call it in question. Thanks, my good Sir, for the prints I am much debtor for them if I your recover from my ill state of health, and live to revisit Coxwould this summer, I will decorate my study with, them, along with six beautiful pictures I have already' of the sculptures on poor Ovid's tomb, which were executed on marble at Rome. It grieves one to think such a man should have died in exile, who wrote so Iwell on the art of love. Do not think me encroach You - I ing if I solicit a favour 'tis either to borrow, or beg (to beg if you please) some of those touched with chalk which you brought from Italy I believe you have three sets, and if you can spare the imperfect one of cattle on coloured paper, 'twill answer my purpose, which is namely this, to give a friend of ours. may be ignorant she has a genius for drawing, and whatever she excels in she conceals, and her humility adds lustre to her accomplishments - I presented her last year with colours, and an apparatus for painting, and gave her several lessons before I left town. wish her to follow this art, to be a complete mistress of it and it is singular enough, but not more singular than true, that she does not know how to make a cow or a sheep, though she draws figures and landscapes perfectly well; which makes me wish her to copy from good prints. If you come to town next week, and dine where I am engaged next Sunday, call upon me and take me with you I breakfast with Mr. Beauclerc, and am engaged for an hour afterwards with Lord O-; so let our meeting be either at your house or my lodgings do not be late, for we will go, half an hour before dinner, to see a picture executed by West, most admirably - he has caught the character of our friend such goodness is painted in that face that when one looks at it, let the soul be ever so much unharmonized, it is impossible it should remain so. I will send you a set of my books they will take with the generality the women will read this book in the parlour, and Tristram in the bed-chamber. Good night, dear Sir to take my whey, and then to bed. Believe me Yours most truly, I am going L. STERNE. CXXVII. TO MISS STERNE. MY DEAREST LYDIA, Feb. 20, Old Bond-street. My Sentimental Journey, you say, is admired in York by every one and 'tis not vanity in me to tell you that it is no less admired here but what is the gratification of my feelings on this occasion? - The want of health bows me down, and vanity harbours not in thy father's breast this vile influenza be not alarmed, I think I shall get the better of it and shall be with you both the first of May; and if I escape, 'twill not be for a long period, my child unless a quiet retreat and peace of mind can restore me. The subject of letter has astonished me. my She could but know little of my feelings to tell thee that, under the supposition I should survive thy mother, I should bequeath thee as a legacy to. No, my Lydia! 'tis a lady, whose virtues I wish thee to imitate that I shall entrust my girl to I mean that friend whom I have so often talked and wrote about from her you will learn to be an affectionate wife, a tender mother, and |