--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But this is neither here nor there why do…" description: "\"But this is neither here nor there why do I mention it? Ask my pen, it governs me, I govern not it.\" — Laurence Sterne" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c20/laurence-sterne-1405_politics_but-this-is-neither-here-nor-there-why-d_1386111.jpg" --- # But this is neither here nor there why do I mention it?… ![“But this is neither here nor there why do I mention it? Ask my pen, it governs me, I govern not it.” quote by Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c20/laurence-sterne-1405_politics_but-this-is-neither-here-nor-there-why-d_1386111.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c20/laurence-sterne-1405_politics_but-this-is-neither-here-nor-there-why-d_1386111.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c20/laurence-sterne-1405_politics_but-this-is-neither-here-nor-there-why-d_1386111.jpg) > “But this is neither here nor there why do I mention it? Ask my pen, it governs me, I govern not it.” [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The writer acknowledges that the pen controls his thoughts, yet he feels powerless over it, highlighting tension between creation and control. **In simple terms:** The pen guides me, but I cannot control it. Key Takeaway Accept the limits of control. Themes creativity control self-awareness Mood reflective introspective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - writing - artistic expression - personal reflection Key Concepts authorial voice determinism Questions to Reflect On - How does your tool shape your thoughts? - Can you reclaim agency? A Different Perspective The pen may be a metaphor, not literal. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Govern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/govern/) [Governs Govern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/governs-govern-4816306/) [Mention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mention/) [Mention Ask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mention-ask-3820466/) [Pen Governs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pen-governs-4816305/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [“Mention me when they ask you what happened. I am everywhere under your feet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-sante/mention-me-when-they-ask-you-what-happened-i-am-everywhere-under-your/) [Lucy Sante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-sante/) > [Working with Hirani sir is a big thing for me. At least in my resume, I'll have a mention of his name in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karishma-tanna/working-with-hirani-sir-is-a-big-thing-for-me-at-least-in-my-resume-i/) [Karishma Tanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karishma-tanna/) > [Just mention the idea of warrantless wiretaps and expect to get hit up with a congressional investigation. But give somebody an avatar and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ridley/just-mention-the-idea-of-warrantless-wiretaps-and-expect-to-get-hit/) [John Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ridley/) > [We have taken God out of our education system. We have taken Him out of government. You have lawyers that sue you every time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/we-have-taken-god-out-of-our-education-system-we-have-taken-him-out/) [Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/) > [How could I not talk about her? It's impossible not to mention my mum. She is, has been and will always be amazing -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorginho/how-could-i-not-talk-about-her-it-s-impossible-not-to-mention-my-mum/) [Jorginho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorginho/) > [“How can I say I'm like my father when we have never met? Not to mention he have never been there for me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilfred-bostwick/how-can-i-say-i-m-like-my-father-when-we-have-never-met-not-to/) [Wilfred Bostwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilfred-bostwick/) > [I don't care what they call me as long as they mention my name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-m-cohan/i-don-t-care-what-they-call-me-as-long-as-they-mention-my-name/) [George M. 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Just once did I go to Bulgaria with my wife for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-kalashnikov/for-years-i-had-a-top-secret-clearance-and-never-left-russia-just/) [Mikhail Kalashnikov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-kalashnikov/) ## More by Laurence Sterne > [The insolence of base minds in success is boundless; and would scarce admit of a comparison, did not they themselves furnish us with one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/the-insolence-of-base-minds-in-success-is-boundless-and-would-scarce/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [The world is ashamed of being virtuous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/the-world-is-ashamed-of-being-virtuous/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [Digressions incontestably are the sunshine; they are the life, the soul of reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/digressions-incontestably-are-the-sunshine-they-are-the-life-the-soul/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [I was acquainted once with a gallant soldier who assured me that his only measure of courage was this: upon the first fire, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/i-was-acquainted-once-with-a-gallant-soldier-who-assured-me-that-his/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [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;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/a-man-s-body-and-his-mind-with-the-utmost-reverence-to-both-i-speak/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [When the affections so kindly break loose, Joy, is another name for Religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/when-the-affections-so-kindly-break-loose-joy-is-another-name-for/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [Sweet pliability of man's spirit, that can at once surrender itself to illusions, which cheat expectation and sorrow of their weary moments! - long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/sweet-pliability-of-man-s-spirit-that-can-at-once-surrender-itself-to/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [Philosophy has a fine saying for everything.-For Death it has an entire set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/philosophy-has-a-fine-saying-for-everything-for-death-it-has-an/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [Dear sensibility! Source inexhausted of all that's precious in our joys, or costly in our sorrows! Eternal fountain of our feelings! 'tis here I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/dear-sensibility-source-inexhausted-of-all-that-s-precious-in-our/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [The best friends in the world may differ sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/the-best-friends-in-the-world-may-differ-sometimes/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [Beauty has so many charms, one knows not how to speak against it; and when it happens that a graceful figure is the habitation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/beauty-has-so-many-charms-one-knows-not-how-to-speak-against-it-and/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [The best hearts are ever the bravest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/the-best-hearts-are-ever-the-bravest/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [Hail! the small courtesies of life, for smooth do ye make the road of it, like grace and beauty, which beget inclinations to love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/hail-the-small-courtesies-of-life-for-smooth-do-ye-make-the-road-of/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/there-are-a-thousand-unnoticed-openings-continued-my-father-which-let/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [“Button-holes! there is something lively in the very idea of 'em - and trust me, when I get amongst 'em - you gentry with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/button-holes-there-is-something-lively-in-the-very-idea-of-em-and/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) [Explore all 244 Laurence Sterne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) ## More Govern quotes > [The only legitimate right to govern is an express grant of power from the governed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-henry-harrison/the-only-legitimate-right-to-govern-is-an-express-grant-of-power-from/) [William Henry Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-henry-harrison/) > [All power corrupts but some must govern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/all-power-corrupts-but-some-must-govern/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [You should govern not by partisanship, but by leadership.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-faulconer/you-should-govern-not-by-partisanship-but-by-leadership/) [Kevin Faulconer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-faulconer/) > [“An anarchist government somehow creates an impression in the hearts of citizens that no one cares.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/an-anarchist-government-somehow-creates-an-impression-in-the-hearts/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [They that govern the most make the least noise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/they-that-govern-the-most-make-the-least-noise/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [It is the stars, The stars above us, govern our conditions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/it-is-the-stars-the-stars-above-us-govern-our-conditions/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible. Do not ever let anyone claim to be a true American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/it-is-impossible-to-rightly-govern-the-world-without-god-and-the/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [If Rob Ford decided he wanted to run for the Liberal Party in 2015, we'd say, 'No, sorry, the way you approach things, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-trudeau/if-rob-ford-decided-he-wanted-to-run-for-the-liberal-party-in-2015-we/) [Justin Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-trudeau/) > [In the White House, you can be on the pitcher's mound or you can be in the catcher's position. Put points on the board.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahm-emanuel/in-the-white-house-you-can-be-on-the-pitcher-s-mound-or-you-can-be-in/) [Rahm Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahm-emanuel/) > [Those that govern most make least noise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/those-that-govern-most-make-least-noise/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [The simple truth is that unless you can control immigration you cannot govern because you cannot set a budget or plan public services.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-mordaunt/the-simple-truth-is-that-unless-you-can-control-immigration-you/) [Penny Mordaunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-mordaunt/) > [Every class is unfit to govern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/every-class-is-unfit-to-govern/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [In Washington and Moscow they are saying, 'Man has finally come of age; he doesn't need paternalistic help.' Which is another way of saying,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/in-washington-and-moscow-they-are-saying-man-has-finally-come-of-age/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [The only people who should suffer financial hardship when elected leaders can't govern are the elected leaders themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-phillips/the-only-people-who-should-suffer-financial-hardship-when-elected/) [Dean Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-phillips/) > [To govern mankind, one must not overrate them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-govern-mankind-one-must-not-overrate-them/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 331 Govern quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/govern/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "But this is neither here nor there why do I mention it? 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