London. Free Fauconberg. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ TO MR. AND MRS. JAMES. York, Dec. 28, 1767. I WAS afraid that either my friend M^r. James, or M^{rs}. James, or their little Blossome was drooping, or that some of you were ill by not having the pleasure of a line from you, & was thinking of writing again to enquire after you all—when I was cast down myself with a fever, & bleeding at my lungs, which had confined me to my room three weeks, when I had the favour of y^{rs}. which till to day I have not been able to thank you both kindly for, as I most cordially now do,—as well as for all y^r. proofs & professions of good will to me—I will not say, I have not ballanced Acc^{ts}. with you in this—all I know, is, That I honour and value you more than I do any good creature upon earth—& that I could not wish y^r. happiness and the Success of whatever conduces to it, more than I do, was I your Brother—but good god! are we not all brothers and sisters, who are friendly & virtuous & good?— Surely my dear friends, my Illness has made a sort of sympathy for y^r. Afflictions upon the Score of y^r. dear little one—and I make no doubt when I see Eliza’s Journal, I shall find she has been ill herself at that time—I am rent to pieces with uncertainty ab^t. this dear friend of ours—I think too much—& interest my self so deeply by my friendship for her, that I am worn down to a Shadow—to this I owe my decay of health—but I can’t help it—— As my fever has left me, I set off the latter end of the week with my friend M^r. Hall for Town—I need not tell my friends in Gerard Street, I shall do myself the Honour to visit them before either Lord Shelburn or Lord Spencer &c. &c.— I thank you my dear friend, for what you say so kindly ab^t. my Daughter—it shews y^r. good heart, as she is a stranger, ’tis a free Gift in you—but when she is known to you—she shall win _it fairly_—but Alas! when this event is to happen, is in the clouds—M[rs.] Sterne has hired a house ready fur[nished] at York, till she returns to france & my Lydia must not leave her— What a sad scratch of a Letter—but I am weak my dear friends both in body & mind—so God bless you—Youl see me enter like a Ghost—so I tell you before hand, not to be frighten’d. I am, my dear friends with truest attachment & end esteem Y^{rs}. L. STERNE. _Endorsed_:— To M^r. or M^{rs}. James Gerrard Street Soho London.