58 Comments on Sterne. 
literature, the fprings are commonly more copious 
than their derived {treams, and are therefore more 
highly honoured. But though this applies to 
Burton, and moft of his imitators, it fails in refpect 
of ‘Triftram Shandy, where, though much is directly 
drawn from our Author, there are many delightful 
windings, widely diftant from his influence. I 
would therefore beware of imitating the rafhnefs of 
a Traveller, who fhould fancy he had difcovered 
the fecret head of a mighty river, while, deceived 
by imperfect intelligence, he had only explored the 
fource of an auxiliary ftream. 
» The firft four chapters of Triftram Shandy, are 
founded on fome paffages in Burton, which I fhall 
tranfcribe. Sterne’s improvements I {hall leave to 
your recollection. 
‘ Filii ex fenibus nati raro funt firmi tempera- 
‘“ menti, &c. Nam fpiritus cerebri fi tum malé 
‘* afficiantur, tales procreant, & quales fuerint 
‘* affectus, tales filiorum, ex triftibus triftes, ex 
‘* jucundis jucundi nafcuntur [Cardan.] ‘ If fhe” 
(the mother) ‘ be over-dull, heavy, angry, peevith, 
‘* difcontented and melancholy, not only at the — 
‘** time of conception, but even all the while fhe. 
‘* carries the child in her womb (faith Fernelius) 
‘ her fon will be fo likewife, and worfe, as Lem- 
“ nius adds, &c. ----- So many ways are we 
‘** plagued and punifhed for our fathers defaults;* 
** infomuch, 
oe 
* This idea runs through Triftram Shandy. 
