LETTER XXV

To Miss Catherine de Fourmantelle

[YORK,] Sunday.

MISS, I SHALL be out of all humour with you, & besides will not paint your Picture in black, which best becomes you, unless you accept of a few Bottles of Calcavillo, which I haue ordered my Man to leaue at the Dore in my Absence; the Reason of this trifleing Present, you shall know on Tuesday night, & I half insist upon it, that you invent some plausible Excuse to be home by 7.

Yrs. YORICK.

LETTER XXVI

To the Same

[YORK.]

MY DEAR KITTY, If this Billet catches you in Bed, you are a lazy sleepy little slut, and I am a giddy, foolish, unthinking fellow for keeping you so late up; but this Sabbath is a day of sorrow for I shall not see my dear creature, unless you meet me at Taylor's half

an hour after twelue- but in this, do as you like. I haue ordered Matthew to turn thief and steal you a quart of Honey. What is Honey to the sweetness of thee, who are sweeter than all the Flowers it comes from. I loue you to distraction, Kitty, & will loue you to Eternity. So adieu! & believe what time only will prove me, that I am Yrs.

LETTER XXVII

To the Same

[YORK,] Thursday.

MY DEAR KITTY, I HAUE sent you a Pot of Sweetmeats, and a Pot of Honey, neither of them half so sweet as yourself; but don't be vain upon this, or presume to grow sour upon this character of sweetness I giue you; for if you do, I shall send you a Pot of Pickles (by way of contrarys) to sweeten you up & bring you to yourself again. Whateuer changes happen to you, belieue me that I am unalterably yours, & according to y! motto, such a one, my dear Kitty, Qui ne changera pas, que

en mourant

L. S.

LETTER XXVIII

To the Same

[YORK.]

MY DEAR KITTY, I BEG you will accept of the inclosed Sermon, which I do not make you a present of merely because it was wrote by myself, but because there is a beautiful Character in it, of a tender and compassionate mind in the picture giuen of* Elijah. Read dear Kitty, and believe me when I assure you that I see something of the same kind & gentle disposition in your heart which I haue painted in the Prophet's, which has attach'd me so much to you & your Interests that I shall liue and dye your affectionate & faithful

it,

my

LAURENCE STERNE.

P. S.- If possible I will see you this afternoon, before I go to Mr. Fothirgils. Adieu, dear Friend! I had the pleasure to drink y health last night.

*This Sermon was preached by Sterne in 1747.

LETTER XXIX

An Enclosure to the Same

YORK, Jan 1, [1760.]

I DARE say you will wonder to receiue an Epistle from me, and the Subject of it will surprise you still more, because it is to tell you something about Books.

There are two Volumes just published here, which haue made a great noise, & haue had a prodigious run; for, in two days after they came out, the Bookseller sold two hundred, & continues selling them very fast. It is the Life & Opinions of Tristram Shandy, which the Author told me last night at our Concert he had sent up to London, so perhaps you have seen it; If you haue not seen it, pray get it & read it, because it has a great character as a witty smart Book, and if you think so, your good word in Town will do the Author, I am sure, great service. You must understand he is a kind & generous friend of mine, whom Providence has attach'd to me in this part of the World, where I came a stranger - & I could not think how I could make a better return, than by endeavouring to make you a Friend

to him & his performance; this is all my excuse for this Liberty, which I hope you will excuse. His name is Sterne, a Gentleman of great Preferment, & a Prebendary of the Church of York, & has a great character, in these parts, as a man of Learning & Wit; the Graver people, however, say 'tis not fit for young Ladies to read his Book, so perhaps you'l think it not fit for a young Lady to recommend it; howeuer the Nobility & Great Folks stand up mightily for it, & say 'tis a good Book, tho' a little tawdry in some places. I am, dear Sir, y most obdt and humble Servant.

LETTER XXX

To the Same

LONDON, Mar.* 8th, 176[0].

MY DEAR KITTY, -- I HAUE arrived here safe & sound, except for the Hole in my Heart,

[According to Murray the autograph has May instead of Mar. He adds this note :

May

"This date is puzzling, unless it be a slip of Sterne's pen for March. It is evident, from the opening sentence, that the letter was written immediately on his arrival in town. Moreover, Horace Walpole, in a letter dated April 4, 1760, states that the bargain with the booksellers, to which reference is made below, was already completed."]