Forceps

"——And pray, good woman, after all, will you take upon you to say, it may not be the child’s hip, as well as the child’s head?———’Tis most certainly the head, replied the midwife. Because, continued Dr. Slop (turning to my father) as positive as these old ladies generally are—’tis a point very difficult to know—and yet of the greatest consequence to be known;——because, Sir, if the hip is mistaken for the head—there is a possibility (if it is a boy) that the forceps * * * * * * "

Berlin Leipzig

I an Berlinian antiquarian bookstore we found this edition of Das Leben und die Ansichten Tristram Shandy Neue Epikon Reihe, Paul List Verlag, Leipzig 1964. Printed at Veb Officin Andersen Nexö. — A very nice woodfilled edition. And not only at the frontcover, also on the spine, the titlepage, the colophon, through the foreword, throughout the whole book it says: Lawrence Sterne. 

"Pox take that Volkseigener—Betrieb—fellow!"
http://sterneetcetera.blogspot.dk/2015/07/small-curses-upon-great-occasions.html

What is obscured...

... in

"The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman

Sterne, Laurence

Published by T Cadell, London (1794)
Item Description: T Cadell, London, 1794. Full-Leather. Book Condition: Very Good. 3 volumes, (iv) 26-347: 299; 234pp, contemporary tree calf (slightly worn), joints cracked or starting, gilt ruled spines with black morocco labels, pp 327 & 328 in vol 1 (O8) have been pasted over with marbled paper (however chapter 36 ends on p326 and chapter 37 starts on p329 so it is not clear what is obscured), some light spotting and browning, 12mo (10.5x17.5cm). Bookseller Inventory # 10008"

we found out in the copy of the very same edition:

"Sterne, Lawrence: The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy Gentleman Volume I-III "T. Cadell. Published in London 1794. (4)+ pp25-347; (2)+299; (1)+234 s. Bound in 3 later (ca. 1860), defective calf spine bindings, spines gilt. Former owner's signatures removed by rubbing. Text blocks tight. Some foxing to contents. Vol 2 wateredged. ¶ Vol I lacking pp 1-24. So the book contains title, dedication leaf and then streight to Chapter 1. We are not shure that something is really missing ... !

allerede solgt · spørg Aabenhus Aarhus Antikvariat, Århus C (DK) · ABH143909 ·"

So, it seems that the printer of the 1794 Cadell edition left it to the bookbinder, to cover the pages with "the best marbled paper" in his stock. But in this, he did not. ———"Pox take the fellow!"*

*) http://sterneetcetera.blogspot.dk/2015/07/small-curses-upon-great-occasions.html

MacDonald

In York, in another Antiquarian bookstore — on our way to Coxwold —  we found this edition of The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy published in the MacDonald Illustrated Classics Series. 50 pee, only. With cover in red fablea binding, with title and decorations in 'gold leaf' — (Fablea: danish word for leatherine; artificial leather, created of the two english words 'fabric' and 'leather'.  The later discovery of the absent of the title page, explained somehow this a-little-bit-too-good bargain.

The Sentimental Journey

This 1897 edition of A Sentimental Journey, purchased from a Yorkian Antiquarian, announces on the publishers binding, that this is The Sentimental Journey by Laurence Sterne. Though, inside the book the title page states A Sentimental Journey. — "Pox take the fellow!": http://sterneetcetera.blogspot.dk/2015/07/tristam-tristram.html

Sternes stones 2

In 1893 a second stone was erected on Sternes assumed grave at St George’s Field Burial Ground, London. The stone corrects some factual errors on the first stone (the date of death) This photo shoving the first and the second stone at St George’s Field Burial Ground is found in Shelly, Henry C.: Untrodden English Ways. Boston, 1908. Shelly writes: "Although the grave of Laurence Sterne is within a stone's throw of one of the most crowded thoroughfares of London, there are few save Americans who turn aside from the stream of life in Bayswater Road to gaze upon his resting-place in the St. George's burial-ground. He had boasted in "Tristram Shandy" that his preference would be to die in an inn, untroubled by the presence and services of his friends; yet when, in his London lodgings, he began to realize that death might be near, he pined for his daughter Lydia to nurse him. Only a hired nurse and a footman stood by Sterne's deathbed. The latter had been sent to inquire after the health of the famous author, and, being told by the landlady of the house to go upstairs and see for himself, he reached the death-chamber just as Sterne was passing away. Putting up his hand as though to ward off a blow, he ejaculated, "Now it is come," and so died. The story goes that even as he was dying, the nurse was busy possessing herself of the gold sleeve-links from his wrists.

Despite the fame he had won, only two mourners followed Sterne to his grave. But other eyes, it seems, watched the burial; for it is affirmed that two days later the body was taken from the grave and sold to a professor of anatomy for dissection. Only an accident revealed the identity of the "subject." Happening to have some friends visiting him at the time, the professor invited them to witness a demonstration, and on their following him to his surgery one of them was horrified to recognize in the partially dissected corpse the features of his friend Laurence Sterne. Such is the story, and most authorities agree in thinking it likely to be true. Perhaps it was not unknown to the two masons who erected the first stone over the grave, for their inscription began with the significant words, "Near to this place lies the body," etc. How near, or how far away, the actual remains of Sterne at length found a resting-place will probably never be known."

Sternes stones

When Sterne died in London of consumption, he was buried at the St George’s Field Burial Ground. Two days after the burial, it is said, Sterne’s body was stolen from the grave, and sold to the anatomist at the Cambridge University for dissection. Someone recognised the corpse as being Sterne, in some versions of the story it was a student, in others a friend of the anatomist, in others a member of the public who was paying to see a public dissection. — Sterne’s corpse was discretely returned to St George’s Field, and two years later two freemasons erected this memorial stone near to his original burial place. The text says that although Sterne wasn't a member of their society, he might have been, if just he has lived a bit longer. The stone also states that Sterne died the 13. sep. 1768 — even that Sterne actual died 6 month earlier on the 18. march that year — The stone was in 1969, along with Sternes scull and the nearby found skeletal bones, moved to Coxwold and reburied. The epitaphstone was hanged in the porch at St. Michaels Church in Coxwold.

Coffee or tea

If this copy was seen in York — or for this sake in the whole Britain — we would — after our recent expedition to Coxwold — surely say that this stain would be a stain of tea (Earl Grey). But since it appears in the danish edition Tristram Shandys levned og meninger (Borgen, 1976) sold from Holbæk Library — we more believe it is coffee. Though — since the Borgen 1976 edition was printed by The Whitefriars Press in London — we are not absolutely sure. 

Tristam Tristram

Even that it has been standing on the shelf, this 3rd. danish ed. (Rosinante & Co., 2011) since its publishing date, it was not before here the other day, when G said: "Say, I thought it was called Tristram Shandy not Tristam Shandy" that this misspelling was realized.
"Pox take the fellow! […] —I wish all the devils in hell had him for a blockhead!"* Might the publisher have said, when the piles of misprinted books arrived from the printer. —Or maybe no one have noticed before G did.
____
* "Small curses, Dr. Slop, upon great occasions, quoth my father (condoling with him first upon the accident), are but so much waste of our strength and soul’s health to no manner of purpose". (TS: Book III, chap. X ) Se the great curse here: http://sterneetcetera.blogspot.dk/2015/07/small-curses-upon-great-occasions.html