name of the author: - the firft will ferve the bookfeller's purpose, as Yorick's name is poffibly of the two the more known; and the fecond

will ease the minds of those who see a jeft, and. the danger which lurks under it, where no jeft was meant.

I fuppofe it is needless to inform the publick, that the reafon of printing these fermons, arifes altogether from

the

;

the favourable reception, which the fermon given as a sample of them in TRISTRAM SHANDY, met with from the world That fermon was printed by itself fome years ago, but could find neither purchasers or readers, fo that I apprehended little hazard from a promise I made upon its republication, "That if the " fermon was liked, these "fhould be alfo at the world's "fervice;" which, to be as

good

good as my word, they here are, and I pray to GoD, they may do the fervice I wish it. I have little to say in their behalf, except this, that not one of them was compofed with any thoughts of being printed, they have been haftily wrote, and carry the marks of it along with them. may be no recommendation; I mean it however as fuch; for as the fermons turn chiefly upon philanthropy, and those

This

kin

kindred virtues to it, upon which hang all the law and the prophets, I trust they will be no less felt, or worfe 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, muft not look for many new thoughts, 'tis well if he has new language; in three or four paffages, where he has neither

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I

the

the one or the other, I have quoted the author I made free with there are fome other paffages, where I suspect I may have taken the fame liberty, but 'tis only fufpi

cion, for I do not remember it is fo, otherwife I fhould have reftored them to their proper owners, fo that I put it in here more as a general faving, than from a confcioufness of having much to answer for upon that score:

in