PREFACE.

vii

experience the candour of the Public, and as I may have future ones to hope its indulgence, I cannot refift this opportunity to fay, that could I ever, either as Author, or Editor, let a fingle page go out of my hands, that might difturb, or give pain to any good heart,—if I know any thing of myself, I will venture to affirm,—that I should be the perfon who would fuffer the most.

GEO. KEATE.

POST SCRIPT.

I cannot fend this little work a fourth time to the prefs, without faying, that whatever anxiety I might

have felt at first ushering it into the world, the very favourable reception it hath met with, and. which it ftill continues to experience, hath far more than gratified the warmest wishes I could entertain for its fuccess.

London, October 1790.

SKETCHES

SKETCHES

FROM

NATURE.

A

THE TETE A TÊTE.

CAN eafily explain that to you, faid I.

You may full as well fpare yourself the trouble, replied Madame La TOUCHE - YOU have spent a great deal of breath already to prove the neceffity of introductory chapters in matters either of Love or Literature, you may poffibly be right in the one; and as to the other, it never VOL. I. B

came

came under my confideration.-'Tis a foolish argument, and you had better amuse yourself with looking at this fine profpect.

I have had a much finer one before me, Madam, ever fince we fet down the two fleepy brutes at DARTFORD we were at this time in the CANTERBURY machine) and as my eyes are fo foon to lofe fight of you, they are jus tified in fixing where they do.-Seize pleasure when you can, has been laid down as a maxim by the wife, both in profe and verfe.-You and I must part presently; but the preliminary discourse we have held together in the coach, may make us meet on amicable terms, fhould fortune ever throw us into the fame chapter.-Thofe features of yours form fo admirable an index, that I fhall be able to turn immediately

immediately to the page where I left

off.

-You are exceedingly ridiculous, Sir, and a jumble of agreeable contradictions. I hope however that preach a little better than you talk.

you

The world, Madam, in balancing my accounts, after all its divifions and fubtractions, has been pleased to throw me in that allowance-but as men rarely preach themselves into bifhoprics, I can fafely affert, that I never added the eighth of an inch to my fhoe-heel on the credit of it.

-Literary men are in general as eagerly followed, and as fuddenly dropped, as the fashions, Madam, over which you prefide.-The bulk of mankind never think at all; and the greater part of those who do, think by proxy,

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