Laurence Sterne

How many thousands of [lives] are there every year that comes cast away, (in all civilized countries at least)--and consider'd asnothing but…

— Laurence Sterne

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

— Laurence Sterne

People who are always taking care of their health are like misers, who are hoarding a treasure which they have never spirit…

— Laurence Sterne

“[O]f all the several ways of beginning a book which are now in practice throughout the known world, I am confident my…

— Laurence Sterne

...beauty, like truth, never is so glorious as when it goes the plainest.

— Laurence Sterne

Digressions, incontestably, are the sunshine, the life, the soul of reading! Take them out and one cold eternal winter would reign in…

— Laurence Sterne

For every ten jokes, thou hast got a hundred enemies.

— Laurence Sterne

“I wonder what's all that noise, and running backwards and forwards for, above stairs, quoth my father, addressing himself, after an hour…

— Laurence Sterne

There is such a torture, happily unknown to ancient tyranny, as talking a man to death. Marcus Aurelius advises to assent readily…

— Laurence Sterne

The happiness of life may be greatly increased by small courtesies in which there is no parade, whose voice is too still…

— Laurence Sterne

So fruitful is slander in variety of expedients to satiate as well as disguise itself. But if these smoother weapons cut so…

— Laurence Sterne

If time, like money, could be laid by while one was not using it, there might be some excuse for the idleness…

— Laurence Sterne

The proper education of poor children [is] the ground-work of almost every other kind of charity.... Without this foundation firstlaid, how much…

— Laurence Sterne

Vanity bids all her sons be brave, and all her daughters chaste and courteous.

— Laurence Sterne

Now or never was the time.

— Laurence Sterne

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

— Laurence Sterne

Shall we be destined to the days of eternity, on holy-days, as well as working-days, to be showing the relics of learning,…

— Laurence Sterne

Titles of honor are like the impressions on coins, which add no value to gold or silver, but only render brass current.

— Laurence Sterne

"They order," said I, "this matter better in France."

— Laurence Sterne

We get forwards in the world not so much by doing services, as receiving them: you take a withering twig, and put…

— Laurence Sterne

Injuries come only from the heart.

— Laurence Sterne

“...For every ten jokes - thou hast got an hundred enemies...”

— Laurence Sterne

Disguise thyself as thou wilt, still, Slavery," said I, "still thou art a bitter draught.

— Laurence Sterne

I pity the man who can travel from Dan to Beersheba, and cry, 'Tis all barren--and so it is; and so is…

— Laurence Sterne

The most affluent may be stripped of all, and find his worldly comforts, like so many withered leaves, dropping from him.

— Laurence Sterne