Menu

 Authors
A B C D E F
G H I J K L
M N O P Q R
S T U V W S
Y Z
Get Socialize
My Account
Make Free Wallpaper

"40 Laurence Sterne Quotes & Sayings

      Irish     /     View profile
Born: 24 November 1713. Died: 18 March 1768 | Novelist | Clergyman |
The desire of knowledge, like the thirst of riches, increases ever with the acquisition of it.
Acquisition Desire Ever Increases
  Favorite Make wallpaper

'Tis known by the name of perseverance in a good cause, and of obstinacy in a bad one.

Bad Bad One Cause Good
  Favorite Make wallpaper

Only the brave know how to forgive; it is the most refined and generous pitch of virtue human nature can arrive at.

Arrive Brave Forgive Generous
  Favorite Make wallpaper

Courtship consists in a number of quiet attentions, not so pointed as to alarm, nor so vague as not to be understood.

Alarm Consists Courtship Nor
  Favorite Make wallpaper

One may as well be asleep as to read for anything but to improve his mind and morals, and regulate his conduct.

Anything Asleep Conduct His
  Favorite Make wallpaper

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!

Cant Criticism Hypocrites May
  Favorite Make wallpaper
Nothing is so perfectly amusing as a total change of ideas.
Amusing Change Ideas Nothing
  Favorite Make wallpaper

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.

About Both Bound Duty
  Favorite Make wallpaper
Men tire themselves in pursuit of rest.
Men Pursuit Rest Themselves
  Favorite Make wallpaper

Our passion and principals are constantly in a frenzy, but begin to shift and waver, as we return to reason.

Begin Constantly Frenzy Our
  Favorite Make wallpaper

In solitude the mind gains strength and learns to lean upon itself.

Gains Itself Lean Learns
  Favorite Make wallpaper

Lessons of wisdom have the most power over us when they capture the heart through the groundwork of a story, which engages the passions.

Capture Groundwork Heart Lessons
  Favorite Make wallpaper
Pain and pleasure, like light and darkness, succeed each other.
Darkness Each Light Like
  Favorite Make wallpaper

Respect for ourselves guides our morals, respect for others guides our manners.

Guides Manners Morals Others
  Favorite Make wallpaper
For every ten jokes you acquire a hundred enemies.
Acquire Enemies Every Hundred
  Favorite Make wallpaper
God tempers the wind to the shorn lamb.
God Tempers Lamb Wind
  Favorite Make wallpaper

An actor should be able to create the universe in the palm of his hand.

Able Actor Create Hand
  Favorite Make wallpaper

I take a simple view of life. It is keep your eyes open and get on with it.

Eyes Get Keep Life
  Favorite Make wallpaper

People who overly take care of their health are like misers. They hoard up a treasure which they never enjoy.

Care Enjoy Health Hoard
  Favorite Make wallpaper

Writing, when properly managed, (as you may be sure I think mine is) is but a different name for conversation.

Conversation Different I Think May
  Favorite Make wallpaper

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

Add Brass Current Gold
  Favorite Make wallpaper

I am persuaded that every time a man smiles - but much more so when he laughs - it adds something to this fragment of life.

Adds Am Every Every Time
  Favorite Make wallpaper

The most accomplished way of using books is to serve them as some people do lords; learn their titles and then brag of their acquaintance.

Accomplished Acquaintance Books Brag
  Favorite Make wallpaper

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

Always Care Enjoy Enough
  Favorite Make wallpaper

When a man is discontented with himself, it has one advantage - that it puts him into an excellent frame of mind for making a bargain.

Advantage Bargain Discontented Excellent
  Favorite Make wallpaper

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.

Along Articles Brings Dwarf
  Favorite Make wallpaper

When the heart flies out before the understanding, it saves the judgment a world of pains.

Before Flies Heart Judgment
  Favorite Make wallpaper

But this is neither here nor there why do I mention it? Ask my pen, it governs me, I govern not it.

Ask Govern Governs Here
  Favorite Make wallpaper
Sciences may be learned by rote, but wisdom not.
Learned May Rote Sciences
  Favorite Make wallpaper

Keyholes are the occasions of more sin and wickedness, than all other holes in this world put together.

Holes More Occasions Other
  Favorite Make wallpaper

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

Absurd Argument Been Christian
  Favorite Make wallpaper

Of all duties, prayer certainly is the sweetest and most easy.

Certainly Duties Easy Most
  Favorite Make wallpaper
An English man does not travel to see English men.
Does English Man Men
  Favorite Make wallpaper

So much of motion, is so much of life, and so much of joy, and to stand still, or get on but slowly, is death and the devil.

Death Devil Get Joy
  Favorite Make wallpaper

Alas! if the principles of contentment are not within us, the height of station and worldly grandeur will as soon add a cubit to a man's stature as to his happiness.

Add Alas Contentment Grandeur
  Favorite Make wallpaper

Religion which lays so many restraints upon us, is a troublesome companion to those who will lay no restraints upon themselves.

Companion Lay Lays Many
  Favorite Make wallpaper

It is a great pity but tis certain from every day's observation of man, that he may be set on fire like a candle, at either end provided there is a sufficient wick standing out.

Candle Certain Day Either
  Favorite Make wallpaper

I once asked a hermit in Italy how he could venture to live alone, in a single cottage, on the top of a mountain, a mile from any habitation? He replied, that Providence was his next-door neighbor.

Alone Any Asked Cottage
  Favorite Make wallpaper

In all unmerciful actions, the worst of men pay this compliment at least to humanity, as to endeavour to wear as much of the appearance of it, as the case will well let them.

Actions Appearance Case Compliment
  Favorite Make wallpaper

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!

Another Button Cause Life
  Favorite Make wallpaper

Laurence Sterne Quotes & Sayings