Electronic Enlightenment Scholarly Edition of Correspondence

Bath — Ap — 6 — 1765

I scalp You! — my dear Garrick! my dear friend! — foul befall the man who hurts a hair of y^r head! — and so full was I of that very Sentiment, — that my Letter had not been sent to the Office ten minutes, before I My heart smote me; & I sent to recall it — but fail'd. You are sadly to blame, Shandy! for this; quoth I, Leaning with my head on my hand, as I recriminated upon my false delicasy in the affair — Garricks nerves (if he has any left) are as fine and delicately spun, as thy own — his Sentiments as honest & friendly — thou knowest, Shandy, that he loves thee — why wilt thou hazard him a moment's pain? Puppy! Fool, Coxcomb, Jack Asse &c &c — & so I ballanced the acc^t to y^r favour, before I rec^d it drawn up in your Way — I say your way — for it is not stated so much to y^r honour & Credit, as I had pass'd the acc^t before — for twas a most lamented Truth, that I never rec^d one of the Letters, your friendship meant me — except at whilst in Paris — O! how I congratulate your for the Anxiety the world has & continues to be under, for y^r return — Return — return to the few who love you and the thousands who admire You — The moment you set y^r foot upon y^r Stage — Mark! I tell it You — by some magick, irresisted power, every Fibre ab^t y^r heart will vibrate afresh & as strong & feelingly as ever:1 Nature with Glory at her back, will . . . the light up the torch within you — & There is enough of it left, to heat and enlighten the World these many many, many Years.

God be praised! I utter it from my Soul, that y^r Lady, & my Minerva is [in] a condition to Walk to Windsor — full rapturously will I lead the graceful Pilgrim to the Temple, where I w^dll sacrifise with the purest Insense, to her — but you may worship with me — or not — twil make no difference either in the truth or Warmth of my Devotion — I still, (after all I have seen) — I still maintain her peerlesse.

Powel! — Lord God! — give me some one with less smoak & more fire — There are, who like the Pharisees, still think they shall be heard for much speaking — come — come away my dear Garrick,—& teach us another Lesson — 2

adieu! — I love you dearly — and Y^r Lady better. — not hobbihorsically — but most sentimentally & affectionately.

for I am Y^rs (that is, if you never say another word ab^t this scoundrel 20 p^ds)a
with al the Sentim^ts of Love & friendliness you deserve from me —
L— Sterne —

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