The Journal to Eliza and Various letters by Laurence Sterne and Elizabeth DraperSterne, Laurence
General
The Journal to Eliza and Various letters by Laurence Sterne and Elizabeth Draper
Sterne, Laurence
Draper, Elizabeth, 1744-1778; Novelists, English -- 18th century -- Correspondence; Sterne, Laurence, 1713-1768 -- Correspondence
Ap: 21. The Loss of Eliza, and attention to that one Idea, brought on a
fever—a consequence, I have for some time, forseen—but had not a
sufficient Stock of cold philosophy to remedy—to satisfy my friends,
call’d in a Physician—Alas! alas! the only Physician, & who carries the
Balm of my Life along with her,—is Eliza.—why did I suffer thee to go
from me? surely thou hast more than once call’d thyself my Eliza, to the
same account—twil cost us both dear! but it could not be otherwise—We
have submitted—we shall be rewarded. ’Twas a prophetic spirit, w^{ch}.
dictated the acc^t. of Corp^l. Trim’s uneasy night when the fair Beguin
ran in his head,—for every night & almost every Slumber of mine, since
the day we parted, is a repe[ti]tion of the same description—dear Eliza!
I am very ill—very ill for thee—but I could still give thee greater
proofs of my affection, parted with 12 Ounces of blood, in order to
quiet what was left in me—’tis a vain experiment,—physicians cannot
understand this; ’tis enough for me that Eliza does—I am worn down my
dear Girl to a Shadow, & but that I’m certain thou wilt not read this,
till I’m restored—thy Yorick would not let the Winds hear his
Complaints——4 o’clock—sorrowful meal! for ’twas upon our old dish.—we
shall live to eat it, my dear Bramine, with comfort.
* * * * *
8 at night, our dear friend M^{rs}. James, from the forbodings of a good
heart, thinking I was ill; sent her maid to enquire after me—I had
alarm’d her on Saturday; & not being with her on Sunday,—her friendship
supposed the Condition I was in—She suffers most tenderly for Us, my
Eliza!—& we owe her more than all the Sex—or indeed both Sexes, if not,
all the world put together—adieu! my sweet Eliza! for this night—thy
Yorick is going to waste himself on a restless bed, where he will turn
from side to side a thousand times—& dream by Intervals of things
terrible & impossible—That Eliza is false to Yorick, or Yorick is false
to Eliza.
* * * * *
Ap: 22^d.—rose with utmost difficulty—my Physician order’d me back to
bed as soon as I had got a dish of Tea—was bled again; my arm broke
loose & I half bled to death in bed before I felt it. O! Eliza! how did
thy Bramine mourn the want of thee to tye up his wounds, & comfort his
dejected heart—still something bids me hope—and hope, I will—& it shall
be the last pleasurable sensation I part with.
* * * * *
4 o’clock. They are making my bed—how shall I be able to continue my
Journal in it?—If there remains a chasm here—think Eliza, how ill thy
Yorick must have been.—this moment rec^d. a Card from our dear friend,
beging me to take [care] of a Life so valuable to my friends—but most
so—she adds, to my poor dear Eliza.—not a word from the Newnhams! but
they had no such exhortations in their harts, to send thy Bramine—adieu
to em!
* * * * *
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