| Citation |
CC-H.783.018
11 Feb 1783:22 (942)
London, November 15. There cannot be a stronger proof of
the number of men which the American war has drained from
this country, than the considerable majority of women seen
in every public assembly; and as these cannot possibly be m[
]thed for some time, it is a consummation devoutly to be
wished, that the Legislature would, be an experimental ct,
try Doctor Madan's scheme; the ladies will allow that half a
loaf is better than no bread. . . [14 lines]
A late publication has the following Anecdote.
The whimsical and immortal author of Tristram Shandy, was
married to Mrs. Sterne on a Saturday morning. His
parishioners had timely information of this circumstance,
and knowing that he would preach the next morning at his
parish church, and desirous at the same time of seeing the
bride, they assembled in such crowds, that the church was
full before the bell had done tolling. The bride, as was
expected, made her appearance, and the country folks
indulged themselves with the usual observations, till Sterne
mounted the pulpit; Here every eye was directed to him, and
every ear ready to catch the words of his text, which turned
out, to their astonishment, to be the following, "We have
toiled all night, and caught no fish." The congregation
looked at each other, some smiled, others stopped their
mouths with their handkerchiefs, to prevent them from
laughing, while the old folks wore very serious faces, and
thought the humourist a very odd sort of man for a pulpit
lecturer: However, they attended to his discourse, which
turned as usual, very instructive, and all went home very
highly delighted with the text, but poor Mrs. Sterne, who
blushed down to her fingers ends every step of the way to
her house. . . [37 lines]
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