Laurence Sterne (1713–68) was an Irish-born British novelist and Anglican clergyman. Even though he produced only two works of fiction, he ranks as one of the foremost novelists of the 18th century on account of his experiments with the structure and organization of the novel.
Born in Clonmel in County Tipperary, Ireland, Sterne got educated at Jesus College, Cambridge, where he absorbed John Locke’s philosophy. Sterne subsequently worked as a clergyman in the north of England.
Sterne achieved instant notoriety and acclaim following the publication of the first two volumes of his nine-volume masterwork The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman (1759–67.) Heralding the development of modernism, this novel radically challenged the conventions of the novel form and provoked much applause and abuse for its sentimentality and its salaciousness.
Tristram Shandy narrates the birth of its protagonist in volume four, near the novel’s midpoint. Sterne typifies that life is not necessarily best represented in a linear progression of dramatic incidents rounded off to a delightful moral analysis. Life is rather fragmentary and ever-changing and consists of a web of associations and influences drawing attention to the past and the future.
Sterne’s health-related sojourn in France provided material for his Sentimental Journey (1767,) which he completed before his death of tuberculosis. Sterne also wrote many sermons, memoirs, and was involved in local politics.
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Most of us are aware of and pretend to detest the barefaced instances of that hypocrisy by which men deceive others, but few of us are upon our guard or see that more fatal hypocrisy by which we deceive and over-reach our own hearts.
—Laurence Sterne
Topics: Hypocrisy
The best hearts are ever the bravest.
—Laurence Sterne
Topics: Bravery
People who are always taking care of their health are like misers, who are hoarding up a treasure which they have never spirit enough to enjoy.
—Laurence Sterne
Positiveness is a most absurd foible. If you are in the right, it lessens your triumph; if in the wrong, it adds shame to your defeat.
—Laurence Sterne
Topics: Happiness, Certainty
Nothing is so perfectly amusing as a total change of ideas.
—Laurence Sterne
Topics: Pleasure
Lessons of wisdom have never such power over us as when they are wrought into the heart through the groundwork of a story which engages the passions. Is it that we are like iron, and must first be heated before we can be wrought upon? Or is the heart so in love with deceit, that where a true report will not reach it, we must cheat it with a fable in order to come at the truth?
—Laurence Sterne
Topics: Romance
In solitude the mind gains strength and learns to lean upon itself; in the world it seeks or accepts of a few treacherous supports — the feigned compassions of one, the flattery of a second, the civilities of a third, the friendship of a fourth; they all deceive, and bring the mind back to retirement, reflection, and books.
—Laurence Sterne
Topics: Solitude
To judge rightly of our own worth we should retire from the world so as to see both its pleasures and pains in their proper light and dimensions — thus taking the heart from off this world and its allurements, which so dishonor the understanding as to turn the wisest of men into fools and children.
—Laurence Sterne
Topics: Retirement
Trust that man in nothing who has not a conscience in everything.
—Laurence Sterne
Topics: Conscience
One may as well be asleep as to read for anything but to improve his mind and morals, and regulate his conduct.
—Laurence Sterne
Topics: Reading, Books
All womankind, from the highest to the lowest love jokes; the difficulty is to know how they choose to have them cut; and there is no knowing that, but by trying, as we do with our artillery in the field, by raising or letting down their breeches, till we hit the mark.
—Laurence Sterne
Topics: Jokes
The happiness of life may be greatly increased by small courtesies in which there is no parade, whose voice is too still to tease, and which manifest themselves by tender and affectionate looks, and little kind acts of attention.
—Laurence Sterne
Topics: Kindness
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