--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They order,\" said I, \"this matter better…" description: "\"They order,\" said I, \"this matter better in France.\" — Laurence Sterne" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e14/laurence-sterne-1405_better_they-order-said-i-this-matter-better-in_480156.jpg" --- # They order," said I, "this matter better in France. ![“They order," said I, "this matter better in France.” quote by Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e14/laurence-sterne-1405_better_they-order-said-i-this-matter-better-in_480156.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e14/laurence-sterne-1405_better_they-order-said-i-this-matter-better-in_480156.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e14/laurence-sterne-1405_better_they-order-said-i-this-matter-better-in_480156.jpg) > “They order," said I, "this matter better in France.” [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 narrator prefers French solutions, implying cultural preference or critique of domestic matters. **In simple terms:** French methods seem better. Key Takeaway Consider alternative perspectives. Themes culture choice humor Mood witty satirical Type literary humorous When to use this quote - travel planning - cross‑cultural negotiations - personal dilemmas Key Concepts national identity decision making Questions to Reflect On - Why favor foreign over local? - What criteria truly determine better solutions? A Different Perspective Preference may be biased or superficial. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better/) [Better France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-france-423662/) [France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/france/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Matter Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter-better-1513248/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Order Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order-said-4130589/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) ## Related quotes > [I like being an outsider. It is better in France on the outside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xavier-niel/i-like-being-an-outsider-it-is-better-in-france-on-the-outside/) [Xavier Niel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xavier-niel/) > [“Don't be afraid to go left when the world is going right. The French learned that the people have power to make change, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-r-lemieux/don-t-be-afraid-to-go-left-when-the-world-is-going-right-the-french/) [Martin R. Lemieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-r-lemieux/) > [The French always seemed to be so chic. The food was better, the clothes were better, the makeup was better, the hair was better.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/the-french-always-seemed-to-be-so-chic-the-food-was-better-the/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) > [I think the more you hone your voice, take risks and talk about things that matter, the better chance you have of getting into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-alexandro/i-think-the-more-you-hone-your-voice-take-risks-and-talk-about-things/) [Ted Alexandro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-alexandro/) > [“End of a matter is better than its beginning”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/end-of-a-matter-is-better-than-its-beginning/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It doesn’t matter what it is, it becomes better with love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickson-gracie/it-doesn-t-matter-what-it-is-it-becomes-better-with-love/) [Rickson Gracie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickson-gracie/) > [My family means everything to me & will always be 1st, no matter what I will be here for better or worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-family-means-everything-to-me-will-always-be-1st-no-matter-what-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Insulate yourself... from anonymous angry people Expose yourself to art you don't yet understand Precisely measure the results that are important to you Stay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/insulate-yourself-from-anonymous-angry-people-expose-yourself-to-art/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [“The end of a matter is better than its beginning”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-herrick/the-end-of-a-matter-is-better-than-its-beginning/) [John Herrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-herrick/) > [Strategy is about setting yourself apart from the competition. It's not a matter of being better at what you do - it's a matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-porter/strategy-is-about-setting-yourself-apart-from-the-competition-it-s/) [Michael Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-porter/) > [The lovely thing about writing is, well, two things. One, writing fiction allows us to bring an order to our lives that doesn't exist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-e-butler/the-lovely-thing-about-writing-is-well-two-things-one-writing-fiction/) [Octavia E. Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-e-butler/) > [The talk shows in the States want celebrities, not authors. In France, it is different; writers are called upon to comment on everything. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/the-talk-shows-in-the-states-want-celebrities-not-authors-in-france/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) > [“nor ground control was something of a step back for them. Furthermore, having reached France,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-holland/nor-ground-control-was-something-of-a-step-back-for-them-furthermore/) [James Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-holland/) > [I did not know that the planning for biological and chemical warfare was so widespread in England, and even in France before France fell.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/i-did-not-know-that-the-planning-for-biological-and-chemical-warfare/) [Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/) > [Vive les peuples, Vive la Republique! Vive la France!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marine-le-pen/vive-les-peuples-vive-la-republique-vive-la-france/) [Marine Le Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marine-le-pen/) ## 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 Better quotes > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [Everybody has their cliques, and I was very shy. I'm still very shy. Music opened up doors. I would get to my choir class,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-fonsi/everybody-has-their-cliques-and-i-was-very-shy-i-m-still-very-shy/) [Luis Fonsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-fonsi/) > [You can't force people to feel in a certain way, and the sooner you understand that,the better. I feel everything has its way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidharth-malhotra/you-can-t-force-people-to-feel-in-a-certain-way-and-the-sooner-you/) [Sidharth Malhotra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidharth-malhotra/) > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [The bigger the canvas, the better I do. I'm not so good at understated, kitchen-sink kinds of parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/the-bigger-the-canvas-the-better-i-do-i-m-not-so-good-at-understated/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [The Little you Give !! The Better it Gets !!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-stanyer/the-little-you-give-the-better-it-gets/) [Mario Stanyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-stanyer/) > [A strong, durable Puerto Rican economy will leave the island better prepared to handle future natural disasters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/a-strong-durable-puerto-rican-economy-will-leave-the-island-better/) [Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/) > [In my first 100 days as Ontario's Minister of Transportation, I found a willing municipal partner in the City of Toronto that shares our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-mulroney/in-my-first-100-days-as-ontario-s-minister-of-transportation-i-found/) [Caroline Mulroney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-mulroney/) > [It hasn't been a conscious thing, like, 'I don't want to listen to a bunch of dudes,' but I genuinely like music by women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soccer-mommy/it-hasn-t-been-a-conscious-thing-like-i-don-t-want-to-listen-to-a/) [Soccer Mommy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soccer-mommy/) > [Life is going to hit you some line drives, and sometimes you'll have to think fast. However, it's better to think first than to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/life-is-going-to-hit-you-some-line-drives-and-sometimes-you-ll-have/) [John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/) > [I like to collaborate with other people for studio recordings because I believe collaboration, in any form, makes music better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/i-like-to-collaborate-with-other-people-for-studio-recordings-because/) [Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) > [Absolutely, you can improve and become better at toughness. It's a talent, but it can be acquired, too. I think of it like building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harbaugh/absolutely-you-can-improve-and-become-better-at-toughness-it-s-a/) [Jim Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harbaugh/) > [Not having drops and not taking plays off, if I do that it will make everyone around me better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demaryius-thomas/not-having-drops-and-not-taking-plays-off-if-i-do-that-it-will-make/) [Demaryius Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demaryius-thomas/) > [Cara Delevingne and I took an eyebrow selfie. We both have prominent eyebrows, but hers are much better than mine. Maybe we should do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-poulter/cara-delevingne-and-i-took-an-eyebrow-selfie-we-both-have-prominent/) [Will Poulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-poulter/) > [I never really look at it past one year. I look at last year and my whole goal is to be a better player…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-williams/i-never-really-look-at-it-past-one-year-i-look-at-last-year-and-my/) [Trent Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-williams/) [Browse all 17,085 Better quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "They order,\" said I, \"this matter better in France.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Laurence Sterne" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/they-order-said-i-this-matter-better-in-france/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Better" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/they-order-said-i-this-matter-better-in-france/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e14/laurence-sterne-1405_better_they-order-said-i-this-matter-better-in_480156.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e14/laurence-sterne-1405_better_they-order-said-i-this-matter-better-in_480156.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e14/laurence-sterne-1405_better_they-order-said-i-this-matter-better-in_480156.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“They order,\" said I, \"this matter better in France.” — Laurence Sterne", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Laurence Sterne", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "They order,\" said I, \"this matter...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/they-order-said-i-this-matter-better-in-france/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/they-order-said-i-this-matter-better-in-france/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```