Quotessence
Home / Books / The life and opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman

The life and opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman

Book by Laurence Sterne · 30 quotes · Classic Literature, Tristam Shandy, Literature

Filter quotes by topic

AllClassic LiteratureTristam ShandyLiteratureLifeBookHumorMayMenAdventureHeartInterestLittlesPassionsReaderReadingSorrowVolumeWriting18th Century LiteratureAccustomed

The life and opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman Quotes

“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.”

WorldHateLanguageLinesNumbersReaderAll ThingsI HateTallConceptionHypothesisObscurityDissertation
Book:The life and opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman
Create image

“What a large volume of adventures may be grasped within this little span of life by him who interests his heart in every thing, and who, having eyes to see, what time and chance are perpetually holding out to him as he journeyeth on his way, misses nothing he can fairly lay his hands on.”

WayHeartMayLittlesHandsEyeInterestChanceMissingAdventurePerceptionLaysVolumeChances Are
Book:The life and opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman
Create image

“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.”

GivingWritingKindCharacterGrowsOpinionFaultsMortalsExpectingAcquaintanceFamiliarityRelish
Book:The life and opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman
Create image

“I am this month one whole year older than I was this time twelve-month; and having got, as you perceive, almost into the middle of my fourth volume—and no farther than to my first day's life—'tis demonstrative that I have three hundred and sixty-four days more life to write just now, than when I first set out; so that instead of advancing, as a common writer, in my work with what I have been doing at it—on the contrary, I am just thrown so many volumes back—”

WritingWorkFailure
Book:The life and opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman
Create image

“—So much motion, continues he, (for he was very corpulent)—is so much unquietness; and so much of rest, by the same analogy, is so much of heaven. Now, I (being very thin) think differently; and that so much of motion, is so much of life, and so much of joy—and that to stand still, or get on but slowly, is death and the devil—”

LifeMotionFatThinCorpulent
Book:The life and opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman
Create image

“Read, read, read, read, my unlearned reader! read- or by the knowledge of the great saint Paraleipomenon- I tell you before-hand, you had better throw down the book at once; for without much reading, by which your reverence knows I mean much knowledge, you will no more be able to penetrate the moral of the next marbled page (motley emblem of my work!) than the world with all its sagacity has been able to unravel the many opinions, transactions, and truths which still lie mystically hid under the dark veil of the black one.”

ReaderReadClassic LiteratureTristam Shandy
Book:The life and opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman
Create image