The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman · Laurence Sterne

Dedication (to Mr. Pitt)

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Ταράσσει τοὺς Ἀνθρώπους οὐ τὰ Πράγματα, Ἀλλὰ τὰ περὶ τῶν Πραγμάτων Δόγματα.

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE M r. P I T T.

S I R,

NEVER poor Wight of a Dedicator had less hopes from his Dedication, than I have from this of mine; for it is written in a bye corner of the kingdom, and in a retir’d thatch’d house, where I live in a constant endeavour to fence against the infirmities of ill health, and other evils of life, by mirth; being firmly persuaded that every time a man smiles,----but much more so, when he laughs, it adds something to this Fragment of Life.

I humbly beg, Sir, that you will honour this book, by taking it--(not under your Protection,--it must protect itself, but)--into the country with you; where, if I am ever told, it has made you smile; or can conceive it has beguiled you of one moment’s pain--I shall think myself as happy as a minister of state;----perhaps much happier than any one (one only excepted) that I have read or heard of.

I am, GREAT SIR, (and, what is more to your Honour) I am, GOOD SIR, Your Well-wisher, and most humble Fellow-subject,

T H E A U T H O R.

THE

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End of part 1 of 315