Sterne, Laurence (1713-1768)

A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy.

London

Printed for T. Becket and P. A. De Hondt

1768

"No man cares to have his virtues the sport of contingencies--or one man may be generous, as another man is puissant--'sed non, quo ad banc'--or be it as it may--for there is no regular reasoning upon the ebbs and flows of our humours; they may depend upon the same causes, for ought I know, which influence the tides themselves--'twould oft be no discredit to us, to suppose it was so."

I had scarce utter'd the words, when a poor monk of the order of St. Francis came into the room to beg something for his convent. No man cares to have his virtues the sport of contingencies--or one man may be generous, as another man is puissant--sed non, quo ad banc--or be it as it may--for there is no regular reasoning upon the ebbs and flows of our humours; they may depend upon the same causes, for ought I know, which influence the tides themselves--'twould oft be no discredit to us, to suppose it was so: I'm sure at least for myself, that in many a case I should be more highly satisfied, to have it said by the world, "I had had an affair with the moon, in which there was neither sin nor shame," than have it pass altogether as my own act and deed, wherein there was so much of both.
(I, pp. 8-9)

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First edition published February 27, 1768, in two issues (standard paper and large "imperial" paper issue).

See A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy. By Mr. Yorick., 2 vols. 2nd ed. (London: Printed for T. Becket and P. A. De Hondt, 1768). <Link to ESTC>

Reading Laurence Sterne, A Sentimental Journey, ed. Paul Goring (New York and London: Penguin, 2001)

10/26/2013