Laurence Sterne Quotes About Literature

Quotes about: Literature

• I take a simple view of life. It is keep your eyes open and get on with it.

  Laurence Sterne

  Life, Eye, Simple

• Only the brave know how to forgive... a coward never forgave; it is not in his nature.

  Laurence Sterne

  Forgiveness, Brave, Forgiving

  "Sermons" by Laurence Sterne, vol. I, No. 12, 1760.

• Nothing is so perfectly amusing as a total change of ideas.

  Laurence Sterne

  Change, Ideas, Literature

• Religion which lays so many restraints upon us, is a troublesome companion to those who will lay no restraints upon themselves.

  Laurence Sterne

  Religion, Literature, Companion

  Laurence Sterne (1853). “Works ...”, p.595

• Of all the cants which are canted in this canting world - though the cant of hypocrites may be the worst - the cant of criticism is the most tormenting!

  Laurence Sterne

  Hypocrite, Hypocrisy, Criticism

  'Tristram Shandy' (1759-67) bk. 3, ch. 12

• To write a book is for all the world like humming a song.

  Laurence Sterne

  Song, Book, Writing

  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.137

• Men tire themselves in the pursuit of sleep.

  Laurence Sterne

  Sleep, Men, Literature

• 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

• Keyholes are the occasions of more sin and wickedness, than all other holes in this world put together.

  Laurence Sterne

  Together, Wickedness, Literature

  Laurence Sterne, Oliver Goldsmith, Samuel Johnson, Henry Mackenzie, Horace Walpole (1823). ““The” Novels Of Sterne, Goldsmith, Dr. Johnson, Mackenzie, Horace Walpole, And Clara Reeve: 5”, p.200

• Courtship consists in a number of quiet attentions, not so pointed as to alarm, nor so vague as not to be understood.

  Laurence Sterne

  Marriage, Numbers, Alarms

• Our passion and principals are constantly in a frenzy, but begin to shift and waver, as we return to reason.

  Laurence Sterne

  Passion, Literature, Return

• When a man is discontented with himself, it has one advantage - that it puts him into an excellent frame of mind for making a bargain.

  Laurence Sterne

  Men, Mind, Literature

  Laurence Sterne (1834). “The Works of Laurence Sterne, in One Volume”, p.275

• When the heart flies out before the understanding, it saves the judgment a world of pains.

  Laurence Sterne

  Pain, Heart, Judging

  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.22, Hackett Publishing

• 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

• 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

• It is a great pity but tis certain from every day's observation of man, that he may be set on fire like a candle, at either end provided there is a sufficient wick standing out.

  Laurence Sterne

  Men, Fire, Great Day

  Laurence Sterne (1817). “The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman”, p.515

• There have been no sects in the Christian world, however absurd, which have not endeavoured to support their opinions by arguments drawn from Scripture.

  Laurence Sterne

  Christian, Support, World

  Laurence Sterne (1860). “The Works of Laurence Sterne: Containing The Life and Opinions of Tristam Shandy, Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy, Sermons, Letters, Etc”, p.705

• 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

• So much of motion, is so much of life, and so much of joy, and to stand still, or get on but slowly, is death and the devil.

  Laurence Sterne

  Joy, Devil, Literature

  Laurence Sterne (1996). “Tristram Shandy”, p.345, Wordsworth Editions

• 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".

• God tempers the wind to the shorn lamb.

  Laurence Sterne

  Sheep, Wind, Literature

  Laurence Sterne, Wilbur Lucius Cross, Elizabeth Draper, Percy Hetherington Fitzgerald (1904). “Life of Lawrence Sterne by Percy Fitzgerald”

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