 thee as thou falledst; - buried
ten days in the mire, - raised up out of it by a beggar, sold for a halfpenny to
a parish-clerk, - transferred to his parson, - lost for ever to thy own, the
remainder of his days, - nor restored to his restless MANES till this very
moment, that I tell the world the story.
    Can the reader believe, that this sermon of Yorick's was preached at an
assize, in the cathedral of York, before a thousand witnesses, ready to give
oath of it, by a certain prebendary of that church, and actually printed by him
when he had done, -- and within so short a space as two years and three months
after Yorick's death. - Yorick, indeed, was never better served in his life! --
but it was a little hard to male-treat him after and plunder him after he was
laid in his grave.
    However, as the gentleman who did it was in perfect charity with Yorick, -
and, in conscious justice, printed but a few copies to give away; - and that, I
am told, he could moreover have made as good a one himself, had he thought fit,
- I declare I would not have published this anecdote to the world; - nor do I
publish it with an intent to hurt his character and advancement in the church; -
I leave that to others; - but I find myself impell'd by two reasons, which I
cannot withstand.
    The first is, That, in doing justice, I may give rest to Yorick's ghost; -
which, as the country people, - and some others, believe, -- still walks.
    The second reason is, That, by laying open this story to the world, I gain
an opportunity of informing it, - That in case the character of parson Yorick,
and this sample of his sermons is liked, - that there are now in the possession
of the Shandy family, as many as will make a handsome volume, at the world's
service, -- and much good may they do it.
 

                                  Chap. XVIII.

Obadiah gain'd the two crowns without dispute; for he came in jingling, with all
the instruments in the green bays bag we spoke of, slung across his body, just
as Corporal Trim went out of the room.
    It is now proper, I think, quoth Dr. Slop, (clearing up his looks) as we are
in a condition to be of some service to Mrs.
