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THE

WORKS

OF

LAURENCE STERNE;

IN FOUR VOLUMES:

CONTAINING

THE LIFE AND OPINIONS

OF TRISTRAM SHANDY, GENT.;

A SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY

THROUGH FRANCE AND ITALY;

SERMONS,-LETTERS, &c.

WITH

A LIFE OF THE AUTHOR,

WRITTEN BY HIMSELF.

VOLUME THE FIRST.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR J. JOHNSON; T. BECKET; R. BALDWIN; A. STRAHAN;
W. LOWNDES; WILKIE & ROBINSON; G. ROBINSON; VERNOR,
HOOD, & SHARPE; J. WALKER; CUTHELL & MARTIN; LACKINGTON,
ALLEN & Co.; LONGMAN, HURST, REES, & ORME; CADELL &
DAVIES; J. NUNN; R. LEA; SCATCHERD & LETTERMAN; JOHN
RICHARDSON; J. M. RICHARDSON; BLACK, PARRY, & KINGSBURY;
J. CARPENTER; S. BAGSTER; AND, J. ASPERNE.

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ADVERTISEMENT.

THE Works of Mr. Sterne, after contending with the prejudices of fome, and the ignorance of others, have at length obtained that general approbation which they are entitled to by their various, original, and intrinfic merits. No writer of the present times can lay claim to fo many unborrowed excellencies. In none have wit, humour, fancy, pathos, an unbounded knowledge of mankind, and a correct and elegant style, been fo happily united. These properties, which render him the delight of every reader of tafte, have furmounted all oppofition:-even Envy, Prudery, and Hypocrify are filent.

Time, which allots to each author his due portion of fame, and admits a free difcuffion of his beauties and faults, without favour and without partiality, hath done ample juftice to the fuperior genius of Mr. Sterne. It hath fixed his reputation as one of the firft writers in the English language, on the firmeft bafis, and advanced him to the rank of a claffic. As fuch, it becomes a debt of gratitude to collect his fcattered performances into a complete edition, with thofe embellishments ufually beftowed on our most diftinguished authors.

This hath been attempted in the prefent edition, which comprehends all the Works of Mr. Sterne, either made. public in his lifetime or fince his death. They are printed from the best and most correct copies, with no other alterations than what became neceffary from the correction of literal errors. The Letters are arranged according to their feveral dates, as far as they can be difcovered; and a few illustrations added, to explain fome temporary circumstances mentioned or alluded to in them. Thofe which are confeffedly fpurious, are rejected; and, that no credit may be given to fuch as are of doubtful authority, it will be proper to obferve, that the Letters numbered 129, 130, 131, have not thofe proofs of authenticity which the others

VOL. I.

b

poffefs

poffefs. They cannot however be pronounced forgeries with fo much confidence as fome* which are difcarded from the prefent edition may be, and therefore are retained in it.

That no part of the genuine works of Mr. Sterne might be omitted, his own account of himfelf and family is inferted without variation. But as this appears to have been a hafty compofition, intended only for the information of his daughter,a fmall number of facts and dates, by way of notes, are added to it. Thefe, it is prefumed, will not be confidered as improper additions.

It would be trefpaffing on the reader's patience, to detain him any longer from the pleasure which thefe volumes will afford, by beipeaking his favour either for the author or his works: the former is out of the reach of cenfure or praife; and the reputation of the latter is too well established to be either fupported or fhook by panegyric or criticism. To the tafte, therefore, the feelings, the good fenfe, and the candour of the public, the prefent-collection of Mr. Sterne's Works may be fubmitted, without the leaft apprehenfion that the perufal of any part of them will be followed by confequences unfavourable to the interefts of fociety. The oftener they are read, the ftronger will a fenfe of univerfal benevolence be impreffed on the mind; and the attentive reader will subscribe to the character of the author given by a comic writer, who declares he held him to be “a mora"lift in the noblest sense; he plays indeed with the fancy, " and fometimes, perhaps, too wantonly; but while he thus "defignedly masks his main attack, he comes at once upon the heart; refines, amends it, foftens it; beats down "each felfish barrier from about it, and opens every fluice "of pity and benevolence."

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* See the Preface to a Work published in 1779, intituled, "Letters fupposed to have been written by YORICK to ELIZA.”

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