mother to return to England with me,—she and yourself are at length come and I have the inexpressible joy of seeing my girl every thing I wished her. I have set down these particulars relating to my family, and self, for my Lydia, in case hereafter she might have a curiosity, or kinder motive, to know them. As Mr. Sterne, in the foregoing narrative, hath brought down the account of himself until within a few months of his death, it remains only to mention that he left York about the end of the year 1767, and came to London in order to publish The Sentimental Journey, which he had written during the preceding summer at his favourite living at Coxwould. His health had been for some time declining, but he continued to visit his friends, and retained his usual flow of spirits. In February, 1768, he began to perceive the approaches of death, and with the concern of a good man, and the solicitude of an affectionate parent, devoted his attention to the future welfare of his daughter. His letters at this period reflect so much credit to his character, that it is to be lamented some others in the collection are not permitted to see the light. After a short struggle with his disorder, his debilitated and worn out frame submitted to fate on the 18th day of March, 1768, at his lodgings in Bond-street. He was buried at the new burying-ground, belonging to the parish of St. George, Hanover Square, on the 22d of the same month, in the most private manner; and hath since been indebted to strangers for monument very unworthy of his memory; on which the following lines are inscribed : "Near to this place The Reverend Laurence Sterne, A. M. 'Ah! molliter ossa quiescant.' If a sound Head, warm Heart, and Breast humane, If mental Powers could ever justly claim This monumental stone was erected by two brother masons; for, although he did not live to be a member of their society, yet as his all-incomparable performances evidently prove him to have acted by rule and square, they rejoice in this opportunity of perpetuating his high and irreproachable character to after ages. W. & S." BEAUTIES. 15 ON WRITING. WRITING, when properly managed, (as you may be sure I think mine is,) is but a different name for conversation. As no one, who knows what he is about in good company, would venture to talk all;-so no author, who understands the just boundaries of decorum and good-breeding, would presume to think all the truest respect which you can pay to the reader's understanding is, to halve this matter amicably, and leave him something to imagine, in his turn, as well as yourself. For my own part, I am eternally paying him compliments of this kind, and do all that lies in my power to keep his imaginataon as busy as my own. THE PRECEPTOR. You see 'tis high time, said my father, addressing himself equally to my uncle Toby and Yorick, to take this young crea ture out of these women's hands, and put him into those of a private governor. Now, as I consider the person, who is to be about my son, as the mirror in which he is to view himself from morning to night, and by which he is to adjust his looks, his carriage, and perhaps the inmost sentiments of his heart;-I would have one, Yorick, if possible, polished at all points, fit for my child to look into. There is, continued my father, a certain mien and motion of the body and all its parts, both in acting and speaking, which argues a man well within. There are a thousand unnoticed openings, continued my father, which let a penetrating eye at once into a man's soul; and I maintain it, added he, that a man of sense does not lay down his hat in coming into a room, or take it up in going out of it, but something escapes which discovers him. I will have him, continued my father, cheerful, faceté, jovial; at the same time. prudent, attentive to business, vigilant, acute, argute, inventive, quick in resolv ing doubts and speculative questions :-he shall be wise, and judicious, and learned. -And why not humble, and moderate, and gentle tempered, and good? said Yorick : -And why not, cried my uncle Toby, free, |