THE WORK S OF LAURENCE STERNE; IN FOUR VOLUMES: CONTAINING THE LIFE AND OPINIONS OF TRISTRAM SHANDY, GENT.; A SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY THROUGH FRANCE AND ITALY; ભ SERMONS-LETTERS, &c. WITH A LIFE OF THE AUTHOR, WRITTEN BY HIMSELF. VOLUME THE THIRD. LONDON: PRINTED FOR J. JOHNSON; T. BECKET; R. BALDWIN; A. STRAHAN; 1808. PREFACE (TO THE FIRST EDITION.) THE Sermon which gave rife to the publication of thefe, having been offered to the world as a Sermon of Yorick's, I hope the moft ferious reader will find nothing to offend him, in my continuing thefe volumes under the fame title: left it fhould be otherwife, I have added a fecond title-page with the real name of the Author-the firft will ferve the bookfeller's purpofe, as Yorick's name is poffibly of the two the more known;-and the fecond will cafe the minds of those who see a jeft, and the danger which lurks under it, where no jeft was meant. I fuppofe it is needlefs to inform the Public, that the reafon of printing thefe Sermons arifes altogether from the favourable reception which the Sermon given as a fample of them in TRISTRAM SHANDY met with from the world;--That Sermon was printed by itself fome years ago, but could find neither purchafers nor readers; fo that I apprehended little hazard from a promife I made upon its republication, "That "if the Sermon was liked, thefe fnould be alfo at "the world's fervice;" which, to be as good as my word, they here are, and I pray to God, they may do it the fervice I wish. I have little to fay in their behalf, except this, that not one of them was compofed with any thoughts of being printed;—they have been haftily written, and carry the marks of it along with VOL. III. them. A 3 them.--This may be no recommendation;-I mean it however as fuch; for as the Sermons turn chiefly upon philanthropy, and those kindred virtues to it, upon which hang all the law and the prophets, I truft they will be no less felt, or worse received, for the evidence they bear, of proceeding more from the heart than the head. I have nothing to add, but that the reader, upon old and beaten fubjects, must not look for many new thoughts-'tis well if he has new language in three or four paffages; where he has neither the one nor the other, I have quoted the author I made free with.-There are fome other paffages where I fufpect I may have taken the fame liberty,— but 'tis only fufpicion, for I do not remember it is fo, otherwife I fhould have reftored them to their proper owners; so that I put in here more as a general faving than from à confcioufnefs of having much to anfwer for upon that fcore. In this however, and every thing else which I offer or fhall offer to the world, I reft, with a heart much at ease, upon the protection of the humane and candid, from whom I have received many favours, for which I beg leave to return them thanks-thanks. |