Laurence Sterne Quotes - Page 6

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I once asked a hermit in Italy how he could venture to live alone, in a single cottage, on the top of a mountain, a mile from any habitation? He replied, that Providence was his next-door neighbor.

Laurence Sterne

Doors, Mountain, Cottages

Laurence Sterne (1795). “The Works of Laurence Sterne”, p.175

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The mind should be accustomed to make wise reflections, and draw curious conclusions as it goes along; the habitude of which made Pliny the Younger affirm that he never read book so bad but he drew some profit from it.

Laurence Sterne

Wise, Book, Reading

Laurence Sterne (1849). “The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman”, p.43

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I hate set dissertations,--and above all things in the world, 'tis one of the silliest things in one of them, to darken your hypothesis by placing a number of tall, opake words, one before another, in a right line, betwixt your own and your readers conception.

Laurence Sterne

Hate, Numbers, Obscurity

Laurence Sterne (1849). “The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman”, p.151

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My father, whose way was to force every event in nature into an hypothesis, by which means never man crucified TRUTH at the rate he did.

Laurence Sterne

Truth, Father, Mean

Laurence Sterne (2013). “3 Books by Laurence Sterne”, p.523, eBookIt.com

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There is a plain distinction to be made betwixt pleasure and happiness. For tho' there can be no happiness without pleasure--yet the converse of the proposition will not hold true.--We are so made, that from the common gratifications of our appetites, and the impressions of a thousand objects, we snatch the one, like a transient gleam, without being suffered to taste the other.

Laurence Sterne

Happiness, Gleam, Taste

Laurence Sterne (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Laurence Sterne (Illustrated)”, Delphi Classics

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When a poor disconsolated drooping creature is terrified from all enjoyment,--prays without ceasing 'till his imagination is heated,--fasts and mortifies and mopes, till his body is in as bad a plight as his mind; is it a wonder, that the mechanical disturbancesof an empty belly, interpreted by an empty head, should be mistook for [the] workings [of God].

Laurence Sterne

Imagination, Mind, Plight

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When my way is too rough for my feet, or too steep for my strength, I get off it to some smooth velvet path which fancy has scattered over with rosebuds of delights; and, having taken a few turns in it, come back strengthened and refreshed.

Laurence Sterne

Taken, Feet, Way

Laurence Sterne (1800). “A sentimental journey through France and Italy: to which are added the letters to Eliza”, p.92

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Upon the present theological computation, ten souls must be lost for one that is saved. At which rate of reckoning, heaven can raise but its cohorts while hell commands its legions. From which sad account it would appear, that, though our Saviour had conquered death by the resurrection, he had not yet been able to overcome sin by the redemption.

Laurence Sterne

Heaven, Soul, Overcoming

Laurence Sterne (1814). “The Works of Laurence Sterne: With a Life of the Author”, p.271

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The proper education of poor children [is] the ground-work of almost every other kind of charity.... Without this foundation firstlaid, how much kindnessis unavoidably cast away?

Laurence Sterne

Education, Children, Charity

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I have undertaken, you see, to write not only my life, but my opinions also; hoping and expecting that your knowledge of my character, and of what kind of a mortal I am, by the one, would give you a better relish for the other: As you proceed further with me, the slight acquaintance which is now beginning betwixt us, will grow into familiarity; and that, unless one of us is in fault, will terminate in friendship.

Laurence Sterne

Writing, Character, Giving

Laurence Sterne, Sir Walter Scott (1832). “The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman”, p.7

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What is the life of man! Is it not to shift from side to side? From sorrow to sorrow? To button up one cause of vexation! And unbutton another!

Laurence Sterne

Life, Men, Sorrow

Laurence Sterne (1817). “The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman”, p.313

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The insolence of base minds in success is boundless; and would scarce admit of a comparison, did not they themselves furnish us with one in the degrees of their abjection when evil returns upon them.

Laurence Sterne

Success, Failure, Evil

Laurence Sterne (1872). “The Complete Works of Laurence Sterne: With a Life of the Author”, p.301

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Titles of honour are like the impressions on coin; — which add no value to gold and silver, but only render brass current.

Laurence Sterne

Honor, Gold, Titles

"The Works of Laurence Sterne".

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So that the life of a writer, whatever he might fancy to the contrary, was not so much a state of composition, as a state of warfare; and his probation in it, precisely that of any other man militant upon earth,--both depending alike, not half so much upon the degrees of his WIT--as his RESISTANCE.

Laurence Sterne

Men, Half, Earth

Laurence Sterne (1849). “The Works of Laurence Sterne: Containing the Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gent., Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy, Sermons, Letters, &c. With a Life of the Author Written by Himself”, p.228

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[I have] been in love with one princess or another almost all my life, and I hope I shall go on so, till I die, being firmly persuaded, that if ever I do a mean action, it must be in some interval betwixt one passion and another.

Laurence Sterne

Motivation, Princess, Mean

'A Sentimental Journey' (1768) 'Montriul'

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Tis going, I own, like the Knight of the Woeful Countenance, in quest of melancholy adventures--but I know not how it is, but I am never so perfectly conscious of the existence of a soul within me, as when I am entangled in them.

Laurence Sterne

Adventure, Knights, Soul

Laurence Sterne, Melvyn New, Geoffrey Day (2006). “A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy: And, Continuation of the Bramine's Journal : with Related Texts”, p.156, Hackett Publishing

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There are few instances of the exercise of particular virtues which seem harder to attain to, or which appear more amiable and engaging in themselves, than those of moderation and the forgiveness of injuries.

Laurence Sterne

Forgiveness, Exercise, Virtue

Laurence Sterne (1849). “The Works of Laurence Sterne: Containing The Life and Opinions of Tristan Shandy ... [etc.] ; with a Life of the Author Written by Himself”, p.409

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To have the fear of God before our eyes, and, in our mutual dealings with each other, to govern our actions by the eternal measures of right and wrong:MThe first of these will comprehend the duties of religion;Mthe second, those of morality, which are so inseparably connected together, that you cannot divide these two tableswithout breaking and mutually destroying them both.

Laurence Sterne

Bible, Eye, Two

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Lessons of wisdom have the most power over us when they capture the heart through the groundwork of a story, which engages the passions.

Laurence Sterne

Wisdom, Passion, Heart

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The most accomplished way of using books is to serve them as some people do lords; learn their titles and then brag of their acquaintance.

Laurence Sterne

Book, People, Titles

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Look into the world--how often do you behold a sordid wretch, whose straight heart is open to no man's affliction, taking shelterbehind an appearance of piety, and putting on the garb of religion, which none but the merciful and compassionate have a title to wear.

Laurence Sterne

Heart, Men, Hypocrisy

Laurence Sterne, Melvyn New, Geoffrey Day (2006). “A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy: And, Continuation of the Bramine's Journal : with Related Texts”, p.234, Hackett Publishing

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There is not a greater paradox in nature,--than that so good a religion [as Christianity] should be no better recommended by its professors.

Laurence Sterne

Hypocrisy, Religion, Christianity

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But this is neither here nor there why do I mention it? Ask my pen, it governs me, I govern not it.

Laurence Sterne

Literature, Pens, Asks

Laurence Sterne (1817). “The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman”, p.386

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Solomon'sexcess became an insult upon the privileges of mankind; for by the same plan of luxury, which made it necessary to have forty thousand stalls of horses,--he had unfortunately miscalculated his other wants, and so had seven hundred wives....
Wise--deluded man!

Laurence Sterne

Wise, Horse, Men

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Certainly it was ordained as a scourge upon the pride of human wisdom, that the wisest of us all, should thus outwit ourselves, and eternally forego our purposes in the intemperate act of pursuing them.

Laurence Sterne

Ambition, Pride, Excess

Laurence Sterne, Thomas Stothard (1867). “The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman. And A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy ... With Life of the Author by Sir Walter Scott, Portrait, and Outline Wood Engravings After Thomas Stothard”, p.239

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Laurence Sterne

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Born: November 24, 1713
Died: March 18, 1768
Occupation: Novelist
Cite this Page: Citation

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