Laurence Sterne Quotes - Page 9

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• When, to gratify a private appetite, it is once resolved upon that an ignorant and helpless creature shall be sacrificed, it is an easy matter to pick up sticks enough from any thicket where it has strayed, to make a fire to offer it up with.

  Laurence Sterne

  Fire, Ignorant, Matter

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• The best friends in the world may differ sometimes.

  Laurence Sterne

  Friends, World, May

  Laurence Sterne (1847). “Works, Containing the Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gent: A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy, Sermons, Letters and C”, p.93

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• That of all the several ways of beginning a book which are now in practice throughout the known world, I am confident my own way of doing it is the bst-- I'm sure it is the most religious-- for I begin with writing the first sentence-- and trusting to Almighty God for the second.

  Laurence Sterne

  Religious, Book, Writing

  Laurence Sterne (1808). “The works of Laurence Sterne”, p.158

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• But mark, madam, we live amongst riddles and mysteries--the most obvious things, which come in our way, have dark sides, which thequickest sight cannot penetrate into; and even the clearest and most exalted understandings amongst us find ourselves puzzled and at a loss in almost every cranny of nature's works.

  Laurence Sterne

  Knowledge, Loss, Dark

  Laurence Sterne (1847). “Works, Containing the Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gent: A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy, Sermons, Letters and C”, p.185

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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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• 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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• 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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• 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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• If ever I do a mean action, it must be in some interval betwixt one passion and another.

  Laurence Sterne

  Passion, Mean, Action

  'A Sentimental Journey' (1768) 'Montriul'

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• In all unmerciful actions, the worst of men pay this compliment at least to humanity, as to endeavour to wear as much of the appearance of it, as the case will well let them.

  Laurence Sterne

  Men, Humanity, Pay

  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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• I am sick as a horse.

  Laurence Sterne

  Horse, Sick

  Laurence Sterne (1819). “The life and opinions of Tristram Shandy. pt.6-9. A sentimental journey through France and Italy. pt.1-2”, p.84

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• I'll not hurt thee, says Uncle Toby, rising with the fly in his hand. Go, he says, opening the window to let it escape. Why should I hurt thee? This world is surely wide enough to hold both thee and me.

  Laurence Sterne

  Hurt, Uncles, Animal

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• Some people pass through life soberly and religiously enough, without knowing way, or reasoning about it, but, from force of habit merely, go to heaven like fools.

  Laurence Sterne

  Knowing, People, Heaven

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• Time wastes too fast : every letter I trace tells me with what rapidity Life follows my pen ; the days and hours of it, more precious, my dear Jenny! than the rubies about thy neck, are flying over our heads like light clouds of a windy day, never to return more -- every thing presses on -- whilst thou are twisting that lock, -- see! it grows grey ; and every time I kiss thy hand to bid adieu, and every absence which follows it, are preludes to that eternal separation which we are shortly to make!

  Laurence Sterne

  Kissing, Clouds, Light

  Laurence Sterne (1830). “The Works of Laurence Sterne: In One Volume, with a Life of the Author”, p.257

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• Disguise thyself as thou wilt, still, Slavery," said I, "still thou art a bitter draught.

  Laurence Sterne

  Art, Slavery, Bitterness

  Laurence Sterne, John Hall-Stevenson (1792). “A Sentimental Journey: Through France and Italy”, p.97

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• I would go fifty miles on foot to kiss the hand of that man whose generous heart will give up the reins of his imagination into his Author's hands; be pleased, he knows not why, and cares not wherefore.

  Laurence Sterne

  Sympathy, Giving Up, Heart

  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.82

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• Pain and pleasure, like light and darkness, succeed each other; and he that knows how to accommodate himself to their periodical returns, and can wisely extract the good from the evil, knows only how to live: this is true contentment, at least all that is to be had of it in this world; and for this every man must be indebted not to his fortune, but to himself.

  Laurence Sterne

  Gratitude, Pain, Light

  "The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy: Gentleman & A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy".

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