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Laurence Sterne Quotes

Novelist

Laurence Sterne, born on November 24, 1713, and died on March 18, 1768, was a prominent English novelist of the 18th century. He is best known for his novel 'Tristram Shandy', which is considered a pioneer of modern fiction and is renowned for its unique narrative style and profound insights into human nature.

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All Men World May Literature Ifs Heart Way Mind Book Knows Should Soul Thinking Firsts Passion Said Writing Hands This World Wells

Famous Laurence Sterne Quotes

“Beauty has so many charms, one knows not how to speak against it; and when it happens that a graceful figure is the habitation of a virtuous soul, when the beauty of the face speaks out the modesty and humility of the mind, and the justness of the proportion raises our thoughts up to the heart and wisdom of the great Creator, something may be allowed it,--and something to the embellishments which set it off; and yet, when the whole apology is read, it will be found at last that beauty, like truth, never is so glorious as when it goes the plainest.”

Source: The Works of Laurence Sterne: With a Life of the Author

“O blessed Health! thou art above all gold and treasure; 'tis thou who enlargest the soul, and openest all its powers to receive instruction, and to relish virtue. He that has thee has little more to wish for, and he that is so wretched as to want thee, wants everything with thee.”

Want Littles Art Soul Wish Virtue Health Gold Blessed Treasure Thee Instruction Wretched Relish

Book:The Works ...: With a Life of the Author

Source: The Works ...: With a Life of the Author

“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.”

Source: The Works of Laurence Sterne: With a Life of the Author

“I am positive I have a soul; nor can all the books with which materialists have pestered the world ever convince me to the contrary.”

World Book Soul Contrary Convince

Book:A sentimental journey through France and Italy, by mr. Yorick

Source: A sentimental journey through France and Italy, by mr. Yorick

“It is curious to observe the triumph of slight incidents over the mind; and what incredible weight they have in forming and governing our opinions, both of men and things, that trifles light as air shall waft a belief into the soul, and plant it so immovable within it, that Euclid's demonstrations, could they be brought to batter it in breach, should not all have power to overthrow it!”

Men Should Mind Soul Light Belief Opinion Air Weight Plant Incredibles Curious Triumph Incidents Demonstration Governing Trifles Breach Euclid

Author:Laurence Sterne

“The soul and body are joint-sharers in every thing they get: A man cannot dress, but his ideas get cloath'd at the same time; andif he dresses like a gentleman, every one of them stands presented to his imagination, genteelized along with him.”

Men Ideas Soul Body Imagination Dresses Gentleman Joints Soul And Body

Book:The life and opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman

Source: The life and opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman

“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.”

Knows Soul Existence Adventure Sorrow Conscious Melancholy Quests Knights Countenance Sentimentality

Book:A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy: And, Continuation of the Bramine's Journal : with Related Texts

Source: A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy: And, Continuation of the Bramine's Journal : with Related Texts

“Digressions incontestably are the sunshine; they are the life, the soul of reading.”

Soul Reading Sunshine

Author:Laurence Sterne

“Digressions, incontestably, are the sunshine, the life, the soul of reading! Take them out and one cold eternal winter would reign in every page. Restore them to the writer - he steps forth like a bridegroom, bids them all-hail, brings in variety and forbids the appetite to fail.”

Soul Reading Steps Failing Cold Eternal Pages Winter Variety Sunshine Appetite Reign Hail Bridegroom

Author:Laurence Sterne

“If death, said my father, reasoning with himself, is nothing but the separation of the soul from the body;--and if it is true that people can walk about and do their business without brains,--then certes the soul does not inhabit there.”

People Ifs Doe Said Soul Body Father Walks Brain Separation Reasoning

Book:3 Books by Laurence Sterne

Source: 3 Books by Laurence Sterne

“There are a thousand unnoticed openings, continued my father, which let penetrating eye at once into a man's soul; and I maintain it, added he, that a man of sense does not lay down his hat in coming into a room, --or take it up in going out of it, but something escapes, which discovers him.”

Men Doe Soul Eye Father Rooms Thousand Lays Opening Hats Going Out Unnoticed

Book:The Works of Laurence Sterne: Containing The Life and Opinions of Tristam Shandy, Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy, Sermons, Letters, Etc

Source: The Works of Laurence Sterne: Containing The Life and Opinions of Tristam Shandy, Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy, Sermons, Letters, Etc

“If thou art rich, then show the greatness of thy fortune; or what is better, the greatness of thy soul, in the meekness of thy conversation; condescend to men of low estate, support the distressed, and patronize the neglected. Be great.”

Ifs Men Art Soul Shows Support Rich Greatness Conversation Lows Fortune Estates Neglected Meekness

Book:Sermons

Source: Sermons