Laurence Sterne quotes - page 4

Titles of honor are like the impressions on coins, which add no value to gold or silver, but only render brass current. (Laurence Sterne)
Only the brave know how to forgive; it is the most refined and generous pitch of virtue human nature can arrive at. View quote
Laurence Sterne
Go poor Devil, get thee gone, why should I hurt thee? View quote
Laurence Sterne
My father was as proud of his eloquence as MARCUS TULLIUS CICERO could be for his life, and and for aught I am convinced of to the contrary at present, with as much reason: it was indeed his strength - and his weakness, too. - His strength - for he was by nature eloquent - and his weakness - for he was hourly a dupe to it; and provided an occasion in life would but permit him to shew his talents, or say either a wise thing, a witty, or a shrewd one - (bating the case of a systematic misfortune)- he had all he wanted.- A blessing which tied up my father's tongue, and a misfortune which let it loose with a good grace, were pretty equal: sometimes, indeed, the misfortune was the better of the two; for instance, where the pleasure of the harangue was as ten, and the pain of the misfortune was as five. View quote
Laurence Sterne
I am positive I have a soul; nor can all the books with which materialists have pester'd the world ever convince me to the contrary. View quote
Laurence Sterne
Solitude is the best nurse of wisdom. View quote
Laurence Sterne
Positiveness is a most absurd foible. If you are in the right, it lessens your triumph if in the wrong, it adds shame to your defeat. View quote
Laurence Sterne
We lose the right of complaining sometimes, by denying something, but this often triples its force. View quote
Laurence Sterne
A man who values a good night's rest will not lie down with enmity in his heart, if he can help it. View quote
Laurence Sterne
Learning is the dictionary, but sense the grammar of science. View quote
Laurence Sterne
There is one sweet lenitive at least for evils, which nature holds out; so I took it kindly at her hands, and fell asleep. (Laurence Sterne)
I have undertaken, you see, to write not only my life, but my opinions also; hoping and expecting that your knowledge of my character, and of what kind of a mortal I am, by the one, would give you a better relish for the other: As you proceed further with me, the slight acquaintance which is now beginning betwixt us, will grow into familiarity; and that, unless one of us is in fault, will terminate in friendship. View quote
Laurence Sterne
There are worse occupations in this world than feeling a woman's pulse. View quote
Laurence Sterne
When ever a person talks loudly against religion, always suspect that it is not their reason, but their passions, which have got the better of their beliefs. A bad life and a good belief are disagreeable and troublesome neighbors and when they separate, depend on it that it is for the sake of peace and quiet. View quote
Laurence Sterne
All womankind, from the highest to the lowest love jokes the difficulty is to know how they choose to have them cut and there is no knowing that, but by trying, as we do with our artillery in the field, by raising or letting down their breeches, till we h. View quote
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. View quote
Laurence Sterne
Disguise thyself as thou wilt, still, Slavery,' said I, 'still thou art a bitter draught. View quote
Laurence Sterne
There are a thousand unnoticed openings, continued my father, which let a 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. View quote
Laurence Sterne
Heat is in proportion to the want of true knowledge. View quote
Laurence Sterne
'Tis no extravagant arithmetic to say, that for every ten jokes, thou hast got an hundred enemies and till thou hast gone on, and raised a swarm of wasps about thine ears, and art half stung to death by them, thou wilt never be convinced it is so. View quote
Laurence Sterne
My father was as proud of his eloquence as MARCUS TULLIUS CICERO could be for his life, and and for aught I am convinced of to the contrary at present, with as much reason: it was indeed his strength - and his weakness, too. - His strength - for he was by nature eloquent - and his weakness - for he was hourly a dupe to it; and provided an occasion in life would but permit him to shew his talents, or say either a wise thing, a witty, or a shrewd one - (bating the case of a systematic misfortune)- he had all he wanted.- A blessing which tied up my father's tongue, and a misfortune which let it loose with a good grace, were pretty equal: sometimes, indeed, the misfortune was the better of the two; for instance, where the pleasure of the harangue was as ten, and the pain of the misfortune was as five - my father gained half in half, and consequently was as well again off, as if it had never befallen him. (Laurence Sterne)
The heart, in spite of the understanding, will always say too much. View quote
Laurence Sterne
Man is false to himself and betrays his own succours ten times where nature does it once. View quote
Laurence Sterne
Friendship is the balm and cordial of life, and without it, 'tis a heavy load not worth sustaining. View quote
Laurence Sterne