pleafantnefs of their journey, and particularly of all they fee and meet with here. But in their journey from York to Paris nothing has given them a more fenfible and lafting pleasure, than the marks of kindness they received from you and Mrs. E.-The friendship, goodwill, and politenefs of my two friends I never doubted to me, or mine, and I return you both all a grateful man is capable of, which is merely my thanks. I have taken, however, the liberty of fending an Indian taffety, which Mrs. E. muft do me the honour to wear for my wife's fake, who would have got it made up, but that Mr. Stanhope, the Conful of Algiers, who fets off to-morrow morning for London, has been fo kind (I mean his lady) as to take charge of it; and we had but just time to procure it and had we miffed that opportunity, as we should have been obliged to have left it behind us at Paris, we knew not when or how to get it to our friend.-I with it had been better worth a paragraph. If there is any thing we can

buy or procure for you here (intelligence included), you have a right to command me-for I am yours, with my wife and girl's kind love to you and Mrs. E.

LAU. STERNE.

LETTER XXXI.

TO JHS, ESQ

Toulouse, August 12, 1762.

MY DEAR H.

y the time you have got to the end BY of this long letter, you will perceive that I have not been able to anfwer your last till now-I have had the, intention of doing it almost as often as my prayers in my head-'tis thus we ufe our best friends-What an infamous ftory is that you have told me !-After fome little remarks on it, the rest of my letter will go on, like filk. **** is a good-natured old eafy fool, and has been deceived by the most artful of her

fex, and fhe must have abundance of impudence and charlatanery, to have carried on fuch a farce. I pity the old man for being taken in for fo much money-a man of fenfe I fhould have laughed at-My wife faw her when in town, and fhe had not the appearance of poverty; but when he wants to melt ****'s heart, she puts her gold watch and diamond rings in her drawer.—But he might have been aware of her. I could not have been mistaken in her character-and 'tis odd fhe should talk of her wealth to one, and tell another the reverse-so good night to herAbout a week or ten days before my wife arrived at Paris, I had the fame accident I had at Cambridge, of breaking a veffel in my lungs. It happened in the night, and I bled the bed full, and finding in the morning I was likely to bleed to death, I fent immediately for a furgeon to bleed me at both arms-this faved me, and, with lying fpeechless three days, I recovered upon my back in bed; the breach healed, and, in a

week after, I got out-This, with my weakness and hurrying about, made me think it high time to hafte to Toulouse.We have had four months of fuch heats that the oldest Frenchman never remembers the like-'twas as hot as Nebuchadnezzar's oven, and never has relaxed one hour-in the height of this, 'twas our destiny (or rather destruction) to fset out by way of Lyons, Montpellier, &c. to fhorten, I trow, our fufferings-Good God!-but 'tis over-and here I am in my own houfe, quite fettled by M-'s aid, and good-natured offices, for which I owe him more than I can express or know how to pay at prefent.-'Tis in the prettiest fituation in Toulouse, with near two acres of garden-the house too good by half for us-well furnished, for which I pay thirty pounds a year.—I have got a good cook-my wife a decent femme de chambre, and a good looking laquais-The Abbé has planned our expences, and fet us in fuch a train, we cannot easily go wrong-though by the bye, the d-1 is feldom found fleeping

under a hedge. Mr. Trotter dined with me the day before I left Paris-I took care to fee all executed according to your directions-but Trotter, I dare fay, by this, has wrote to you-I made him happy beyond expreffion with your Crazy Tales, and more fo with its frontispiece. I am in fpirits, writing a crazy chapter-with my face turned towards thy turret-'Tis now I wish all warmer climates, countries, and every thing else, at that feparates me from our paternal feat-ce fera là où reposera ma cendre-et ce fera là où mon cousin viendra repondre les pleurs dues à notre amitié. -I am taking affes milk three times a day, and cows milk as often-I long to fee thy face again once more-Greet the Colonel kindly in my name, and thank him cordially from me for his many civilities to Madame and Mademoiselle Shandy at York, who fend all due acknowledgments. The humour is over for France, and Frenchmen, but that is not enough for your affectionate coufin,

L. S.