To understand Laurence Sterne is to step into a world where the clock does not tick in seconds, but in the erratic pulsations of the human heart. Born in Ireland in 1713 to an infantry ensign, Sterne lived a life defined by transience and the shadow of consumption, a disease that would eventually claim him but also fuel the frantic, brilliant urgency of his writing. He was an Anglican clergyman by trade, serving in the quiet parishes of Yorkshire, yet his mind was a chaotic whirlwind of bawdy humor, deep philosophical inquiry, and a profound sensitivity to the emotional undercurrents of existence. He was a man out of time, writing experimental meta-fiction in the 18th century that would not be fully appreciated until the advent of Modernism. His literary celebrity exploded late in life with the publication of *The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman*, a novel that defied every convention of the burgeoning genre. Instead of a linear narrative, Sterne offered a labyrinth of digressions, blank pages, and marbled leaves, arguing that the true story of a life is not in the events, but in the interruptions.
Sterne's essence lies in his duality; he was at once a satirist of the highest order, mocking the pedantry and stiffness of the learned elite, and a sentimentalist who believed that the finest human quality was the ability to feel deeply for another. His concept of the "Hobby-Horse"—the obsession or whim that every man rides through life—became a lens through which he analyzed human folly with a gentle, forgiving laughter. Unlike his contemporary Jonathan Swift, whose satire was often biting and misanthropic, Sterne’s humor was laced with a "Shandean" benevolence. He saw the absurdity of the human condition not as a reason for despair, but as a source of communal joy and necessary distraction from the grim inevitability of death. His later work, *A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy*, pivoted from the raucous complexity of *Tristram Shandy* to a refined study of emotional connection, establishing the vocabulary of sentimentalism that would dominate the late 18th century.
The genesis of his philosophy can be traced to his own frailty. Haunted by tuberculosis, Sterne wrote as if he were racing against the Reaper, famously describing his writing process as a way to "fence against the infirmities of ill health." This existential pressure stripped away the pretense of formal structure. He realized that the mind does not think in straight lines; it jumps, remembers, regrets, and laughs all in the same moment. By capturing this stream of consciousness long before the term existed, Laurence Sterne liberated the novel from the constraints of plot and placed the focus squarely on the eccentric, lovable, and infinitely complex nature of the individual soul.
50 Popular Quotes from Laurence Sterne
The Art of Digression and the Writer's Craft
"Digressions, incontestably, are the sunshine;—they are the life, the soul of reading."
Sterne here provides the central thesis of his literary style, defending his refusal to write a linear narrative. He argues that the straight path is merely a function of dry information, whereas the deviation is where the flavor and joy of literature reside. To strip a story of its digressions is to strip it of its humanity and its capacity to surprise. This quote serves as a manifesto for experimental writers who value the journey of the mind over the destination of the plot.
"I write a careless kind of a civil, nonsensical, good humoured Shandean book, which will do all your hearts good."
This statement captures the therapeutic intention behind Sterne's chaotic writing style. He positions his work not as a scholarly endeavor to be studied for moral instruction, but as a medicinal balm for the weary spirit. By labeling it "nonsensical," he disarms the critic, suggesting that the value lies in the humor and the benevolence rather than logical rigor. It is an invitation to relax into the absurdity of the text.
"Writing, when properly managed (as you may be sure I think mine is) is but a different name for conversation."
Sterne breaks down the fourth wall, treating the reader not as a passive observer but as an active participant in a dialogue. This philosophy dictates his intimate, chatty tone, where he frequently addresses the reader directly, asks questions, and anticipates objections. It transforms the act of reading from a solitary consumption of text into a dynamic social interaction between the author and the audience.
"Shall we for ever make new books, as apothecaries make new mixtures, by pouring only out of one vessel into another?"
Here, Sterne critiques the derivative nature of the literature of his time, lamenting the lack of true originality. He observes that most scholars and writers merely regurgitate existing ideas without adding new insight or creative spark. This quote is a call to arms for innovation, challenging writers to break the vessels of tradition and create something genuinely fresh and unprecedented.
"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."
Sterne harbored a deep disdain for professional critics who dissected art without understanding its spirit. He uses the word "cant" to describe the insincere, jargon-filled language used by critics to feign superiority. This quote reveals his frustration with those who apply rigid, mechanical rules to works of passion and imagination, viewing them as tormentors of the creative soul.
"As I walked on, I felt a flush of blood in my face, which usually attends a man when he is about to do a generous thing."
This observation links the act of writing and creating with physical sensation and moral action. Sterne suggests that the creative impulse is tied to generosity, a physical manifestation of the spirit reaching out. It underscores his belief that true expression involves the body as much as the mind, bridging the gap between physiological reaction and ethical intent.
"The truest respect which you can pay to the reader's understanding, is to halve this matter amicably, and leave him something to imagine."
Sterne champions the collaborative nature of reading, arguing that an author should not explain everything explicitly. By leaving gaps and ambiguities, the writer respects the reader's intelligence and invites them to co-create the narrative. This principle of "halving the matter" is essential to his interactive style, where the reader's imagination is as crucial as the writer's pen.
"I have a strong propensity in me to begin this chapter very nonsensically, and I will not balk my fancy."
This quote celebrates the freedom of the author to follow their whims without apology or justification. Sterne rejects the tyranny of structure, asserting that if his imagination leans toward nonsense, he has a duty to follow it. It is a declaration of artistic independence, prioritizing the "fancy" or imagination over the demands of logic or convention.
"It is the nature of a hypothesis, when once a man has conceived it, that it assimilates every thing to itself, as proper nourishment; and, from the first moment of your begetting it, it generally grows the stronger by every thing you see, hear, read, or understand."
Sterne offers a brilliant psychological insight into confirmation bias and the writer's obsession. Once an idea takes root, the mind warps reality to fit that idea, feeding the hypothesis until it becomes an all-consuming worldview. For a writer, this describes the process of world-building, but it also serves as a warning about the blinding power of a fixed perspective.
"I wish either my father or my mother, or indeed both of them, as they were in duty both equally bound to it, had minded what they were about when they begot me."
The famous opening line of *Tristram Shandy* immediately sets the tone of biological determinism mixed with comic regret. Sterne suggests that the circumstances of one's conception dictate their entire life's trajectory. It establishes the novel's focus on the chaotic chain of cause and effect, where a moment's distraction can lead to a lifetime of misfortune for the progeny.
Human Folly and the Hobby-Horse
"Have not the wisest of men in all ages, not excepting Solomon himself, had their hobby-horses?"
Sterne democratizes the concept of obsession, arguing that no one, regardless of their wisdom or status, is immune to having a "Hobby-Horse." This term refers to a person's fixation, whim, or favorite pastime that they pursue with excessive zeal. By invoking Solomon, Sterne suggests that these eccentricities are a fundamental, perhaps even necessary, part of the human condition.
"A man’s body and his mind, with the utmost reverence to both I speak it, are exactly like a jerkin, and a jerkin’s lining;—rumple the one, you rumple the other."
This quote encapsulates the psychosomatic connection that pervades Sterne's work. He rejects the Cartesian dualism that separates mind and body, arguing instead that they are inextricably linked fabrics. It implies that to understand a man's foolishness or his philosophy, one must also look at his physical state, his health, and his humors.
"For my part, I am committed to the natural man, and will drive my hobby-horse where I please."
Sterne asserts the right to individuality and the pursuit of personal passion, however absurd it may appear to others. The "natural man" is one who follows his instincts and desires rather than social dictates. This is a proclamation of freedom, defending the right to be eccentric in a society that often demands conformity.
"So long as a man rides his HOBBY-HORSE peaceably and quietly along the King's highway, and neither compels you or me to get up behind him,—pray, Sir, what have either you or I to do with it?"
Here lies the core of Sterne's tolerance; he advocates for a "live and let live" philosophy regarding human eccentricities. As long as one's obsession does not harm or inconvenience others, it should be immune from judgment. This quote promotes a society of mutual acceptance, where diverse and strange behaviors are tolerated as long as they remain personal.
"It is a history-book, Sir, (which may possibly recommend it to the world) of what passes in a man’s own mind."
Sterne redefines the scope of history, moving it from the battlefield and the throne room to the internal landscape of the individual. He suggests that the true history of the world is the aggregate of these internal monologues and mental struggles. It elevates the common man's thoughts to the level of historical significance, validating the importance of subjective experience.
"We get forward in the world not so much by doing services, as receiving them."
This cynical yet acute observation on social climbing suggests that inducing others to invest in you is more powerful than serving them. It touches on the psychology of obligation and patronage. Sterne reveals a subtle understanding of human vanity; people love those they have helped because it validates their own power and generosity.
"Gravity: A mysterious carriage of the body to cover the defects of the mind."
Sterne pierces the veil of seriousness, defining gravity not as a sign of wisdom, but as a mask for stupidity. He suspects that those who maintain a solemn demeanor do so to hide their lack of wit or insight. This quote is a quintessential satire of the pompous academic or religious authority who uses silence and stern looks to command unearned respect.
"Our minds shine not through the body, but are wrapt up here in a dark covering of uncrystalized flesh and blood."
This somewhat somber reflection acknowledges the difficulty of true communication. The body is an obstacle, a dense medium that obscures the light of the intellect and soul. It explains the tragic comedy of human misunderstanding; we are isolated entities trying to signal to one another through the "dark covering" of our physical forms.
"There is nothing so foolish, when you are at the expense of making an entertainment of this kind, as to allow your temper to be soured by little accidents."
Sterne advises resilience in the face of life's minor chaotic interruptions. Whether referring to a dinner party or life itself, he argues that maintaining good humor is essential. To let small misfortunes ruin the greater performance is the height of folly, a lesson in stoicism wrapped in social etiquette.
"Every thing in this world is big with jest and has wit in it, and instruction too, if we can but find it out."
This optimistic worldview suggests that the universe is inherently comical and educational. The fault lies not in the world's dullness, but in our inability to perceive the humor and lessons hidden within it. It encourages a perspective of curiosity and amusement, transforming the mundane into a source of constant entertainment.
Love, Sentiment, and Sensibility
"I live in a constant endeavour to fence against the infirmities of ill health, and other evils of life, by mirth."
Mirth is presented here not just as an emotion, but as a survival mechanism. Sterne, plagued by illness, uses humor and sentiment as a shield against the darkness of mortality. It elevates laughter to a moral duty and a vital biological necessity for enduring the hardships of existence.
"The heart has its arguments, with which the understanding is not acquainted."
Echoing Pascal, Sterne prioritizes emotional intelligence over rational logic. He acknowledges that human behavior is often driven by deep-seated feelings that the rational mind cannot comprehend or articulate. This validates the impulses of love and charity which may seem illogical to the cold calculator but are essential to the human experience.
"Trust me, I have not sworn it; though I promise it to my own heart."
This quote distinguishes between public oaths and private commitments. Sterne values the internal promise—the one made to one's own conscience—far above the performative vow. It speaks to the integrity of the sentimental man, whose honor is bound by his feelings rather than external laws.
"It is a quiet journey of the heart in pursuit of NATURE, and those affections which rise out of it, which make us love each other—and the world, better than we do."
Defining the purpose of his *Sentimental Journey*, Sterne outlines a quest for emotional connection. The goal of travel and life is not to see sights, but to cultivate the affections that bind humanity together. It suggests that the ultimate wisdom is found in loving the world and its inhabitants more deeply.
"Hail ye small sweet courtesies of life, for smooth do ye make the road of it!"
Sterne celebrates the minor acts of politeness and kindness that grease the wheels of social interaction. He recognizes that while grand gestures are rare, it is the accumulation of small, sweet courtesies that makes daily life bearable. This elevates manners from mere rule-following to a form of essential social benevolence.
"I am convinced there is a North West passage to the intellectual world... through the senses."
Sterne rejects the idea that intellect is purely abstract; he believes knowledge comes through feeling and sensation. By finding a "North West passage," he suggests a shortcut to wisdom that bypasses dry logic and goes straight through the heart and the body. It is a defense of sensibility as a valid epistemological tool.
"When the heart flies out before the understanding, it saves the judgment a world of pains."
Here, Sterne argues that intuition and immediate emotional response are often superior to slow deliberation. By letting the heart lead, one avoids the agonizing paralysis of overthinking. It suggests that our first, instinctual emotional reactions are often the most morally correct ones.
"Peace be with his soul, seeing he had one."
This epitaph-like statement contains a sharp ambiguity. While seemingly a blessing, the clause "seeing he had one" casts doubt on the humanity of the subject. It reflects Sterne's belief that having a soul is demonstrated through sentiment and feeling; those who lack compassion may, in his view, effectively lack a soul.
"I think there is a fatality in it—I seldom go to the place I set out for."
On the surface, this refers to travel, but deeply it refers to the sentimental heart. The man of feeling is easily distracted by distress or beauty along the way, diverting his course. It frames this lack of direction not as a failure, but as a destiny ("fatality") of the sensitive soul to be guided by immediate encounters rather than rigid plans.
"Natures, like ours, were not made to be cribbed and cabined in by the cold forms of custom."
Sterne rebels against the rigid social structures that stifle emotional expression. He believes that passionate, sentimental natures require freedom to expand and express themselves. It is a plea for emotional liberty against the "cold forms" of societal expectation and repression.
Time, Death, and Endurance
"Time wastes too fast: every letter I trace tells me with what rapidity Life follows my pen."
This poignant meta-fictional quote reveals the anxiety of the dying author. As he writes the word, time has already consumed the moment. It creates a sense of frantic urgency, where the act of writing is a race against the inevitable cessation of consciousness.
"I will not argue the matter: 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—everything presses on—whilst thou art 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."
In this extended passage, Sterne juxtaposes the triviality of a romantic gesture with the crushing weight of mortality. The graying hair and the fleeting clouds serve as *memento mori*. It is one of literature's most beautiful and terrifying acknowledgments that every goodbye is a rehearsal for death.
"To this end, I am to beseech you... to let me tell my story my own way."
This plea for narrative control is also a plea for control over one's life and legacy. In the face of death and the chaos of time, the only power the individual retains is the power to narrate their existence. It asserts the dignity of the individual to define the structure of their own experience.
"Alas! poor Yorick!"
Sterne appropriates Shakespeare’s line for his own character (and alter-ego), Parson Yorick. In the novel, this is followed by a black page, symbolizing the absolute finality of death. It represents the limit of language; where words fail and humor ends, only the void remains.
"What is the life of man! Is it not to shift from side to side?—from sorrow to sorrow?—to button up one cause of vexation!—and unbutton another!"
Sterne uses the mundane metaphor of dressing and undressing to describe the cycle of human suffering. Life is portrayed as a restless, fidgety existence where solving one problem only reveals the next. It captures the weariness of the human condition in a way that is both domestic and deeply philosophical.
"I perceive I have got into a labyrinth of my own making."
This admission applies to both his complex novel structure and the complications of life. It acknowledges that many of our struggles with time and confusion are self-inflicted. However, there is a sense of pride in the complexity; the labyrinth is a testament to a mind that refuses to be simple.
"There is a shilling for thee, for the sake of the old man."
Charity in Sterne’s work is often a way to buy a moment of grace in a harsh world. Giving money to the poor or the old is an acknowledgment of shared mortality. It suggests that since we cannot stop time or death, the only comfort we can offer one another is material aid and recognition.
"Look at the picture... the picture of the world... it is a picture of the mind."
Sterne dissolves the boundary between objective time/reality and subjective perception. The world exists only as it is perceived by the mind. Therefore, time does not pass at a standard rate; it stretches and contracts based on our mental state, a precursor to the psychological time of Bergson and Proust.
"The Accusing Spirit, which flew up to heaven's chancery with the oath, blushed as he gave it in; and the Recording Angel, as he wrote it down, dropped a tear upon the word, and blotted it out for ever."
This famous passage deals with judgment and mercy. It suggests that the rigid accounting of sins (time's record) can be erased by divine empathy. It offers hope that the permanence of our errors is not absolute, and that mercy is a higher force than the strict chronology of our misdeeds.
"We are all of us, I believe, more or less, the victims of the seasons."
Sterne acknowledges our biological susceptibility to the passage of time and the environment. We are not independent spirits but creatures tethered to the cycles of the earth. It creates a sense of solidarity in suffering, as we are all buffeted by the same winds of time and change.
Wit, Humor, and Social Observation
"An Englishman does not travel to see Englishmen."
Sterne satirizes the insularity of travelers who go abroad only to seek the comforts of home. He argues that the purpose of travel is to encounter the "other." It critiques the tendency to carry one's own culture like a bubble, preventing any real engagement with the world.
"They order, said I, this matter better in France."
The opening line of *A Sentimental Journey*, this quote became a catchphrase for comparing cultures. Sterne uses it to set up a contrast between British stiffness and French fluidity. It reflects his cosmopolitan attitude and his willingness to admit that his own culture does not hold a monopoly on wisdom or pleasure.
"A man should know something of his own country too, before he goes to inspect those of his neighbours."
While he advocates for travel, Sterne also mocks the ignorant tourist who flees home without understanding it first. It suggests that self-knowledge and local knowledge are prerequisites for understanding the foreign. Without a baseline, comparison is impossible.
"Whatever is is, and I am an utter stranger to the niceties of the affair."
This is a dismissal of metaphysical speculation and gossip. Sterne often feigns ignorance to avoid getting bogged down in tedious debates. It represents a pragmatic acceptance of reality without the need to dissect every detail, a shrug of the shoulders in the face of the inexplicable.
"Heat is in proportion to the want of true knowledge."
Sterne observes that anger and passionate argument often arise from ignorance. The less a person knows about a subject, the more heated and dogmatic they become. It is a timeless critique of fanaticism and the loudness of the uninformed.
"The desire of knowledge, like the thirst of riches, increases ever with the acquisition of it."
This quote links intellectual curiosity with greed, suggesting they are both insatiable appetites. While usually seen as a virtue, Sterne warns that the pursuit of knowledge can become a consuming addiction. It implies that there is no final state of satisfaction for the inquisitive mind.
"Solitude is the best nurse of wisdom."
Despite his love for conversation, Sterne acknowledges the necessity of being alone. It is in silence and withdrawal from the social fray that true insight is cultivated. This balances his social philosophy with a contemplative requirement for the development of the soul.
"A dwarf who brings a standard along with him to measure his own size—take my word, is a dwarf in more articles than one."
Sterne mocks the insecure person who is constantly measuring themselves against others or establishing rules to validate their own stature. It suggests that true greatness does not require measurement. Those who are obsessed with status reveal their inner smallness.
"There is a long chapter of knots in my life."
Using the metaphor of a knot, Sterne describes the complications and entanglements of social and personal existence. A knot implies something difficult to untie, frustrating, but also binding. It suggests that life is not a smooth thread but a series of messy, interconnected problems that define our history.
"I am sick of the solemnity of the world."
A final declaration of exhaustion with pretension. Sterne champions the ridiculous and the lighthearted because the "solemnity" of the world is often a facade for cruelty or boredom. It is a reaffirmation of his commitment to wit as the only sane response to a heavy world.
The Legacy of the Shandean Mind
Laurence Sterne died in London in 1768, leaving behind a legacy that was initially misunderstood as mere indecency or incoherence. However, his refusal to adhere to the Aristotelian beginning, middle, and end paved the way for the stream-of-consciousness techniques of James Joyce and Virginia Woolf. He was a writer who understood that the human mind is a messy attic of memories, associations, and desires, not a tidy filing cabinet. His work remains a testament to the power of the individual voice—eccentric, broken, yet infinitely capable of connection. In a world that increasingly demands brevity and linearity, Sterne’s digressive genius reminds us that the scenic route is often the only one worth taking.
Recommended Similar Authors
Jonathan Swift
A contemporary of Sterne and a giant of satire, Swift offers a sharper, more cynical edge to the 18th-century critique of humanity. While Sterne laughs with benevolence, Swift scorns with brilliance. Readers who enjoy Sterne’s wit but crave a more biting political and social commentary will find Swift’s *Gulliver’s Travels* and *A Modest Proposal* essential reading.
Voltaire
The French Enlightenment writer shares Sterne’s disdain for dogma and his mastery of irony. Voltaire’s *Candide* is a spiritual cousin to Sterne’s work, dismantling philosophical optimism with humor and fast-paced narrative. Both authors champion reason and humanity against the forces of superstition and institutional rigidity.
Miguel de Cervantes
Sterne explicitly modeled much of his work on Cervantes, particularly the dynamic between the delusional idealist and the grounded realist. *Don Quixote* is the ultimate "Hobby-Horse" narrative. Readers who love the eccentricities of Uncle Toby and Tristram Shandy will find their literary ancestors in the windmills and dusty roads of Cervantes’ masterpiece.