The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-11-30

man the solemn utilities of medieval
doctors, and the pedantic indecencies Of
casuist fathers" At the age of forty
seven he was ripe to compose a novel
giving full play to his humor, which was
bent on caricaturing any eccentric char
acter which might cross the line of his
vision. Tristan Shandy" is his central
figure. In the beginning of the year
l760 a notice appeared that the "Life
and Opinions of Tristan Shandy," had
been printed, and the book was for sale
by certain bookseller. The manuscript
had been offered to Dodsley, a more
prominent bookseller, and was declined
Sterne awoke one morning and found
himself famous. His lodgings were be
sieged by a fashionable crowd of visitors,
and he gained at once ''such social
triumph as might well have turned the
head of stronger man." He recounts
the honors paid him at great length.
His biographer has to say in extenu-
alton of his vanity: "He was by nature
neither dignifed nor self
contained man; he had head particu.
larly untitled to stand sudden elevation
and it must be allowed that few mems
power of resisting giddiness at previ-
ously unexpiored attitudes was ever so
severely tried. It was not only the
great in the sense of high in rank and
social distinction by whom he was
courted; he was welcomed also by the
eminent in genius and learning.
Much, at any rate, in the way OF undue
citation may be forgiven to country
clergyman who suddenly found himself
the center of court, which was regular.
~ attended by statesmen, wits and lead
ers of fashion, and with whom even
bishops condescended to open gracious
diplomatic communications" He was
presented to new curacy, that of Cox
world, the gift of Peter. At story
found currency that Bishop Warburton,
in order to protect himself "against the
satiric humor of other forthcoming
volumes of Tristan Shady had found
it expedient to send the author purse
of money It appears that Sterne did
actually receive purse from the
Bishop, but denied that it was sent for
any snch notice. At latter day this
Bishope applied to Sterne the epithet of
an irrevocable scoundrel."
Tristan Shandy" sold rapidly. Sterne
went on multiplying volumes. Before
his death, which occurred at the age of
fifty Eve, he had written and published
nine volumes of Tristan Shandy," and
had he lived q dozen years more he
would probably have multiplied as many
more volumes. The copy for the third
and fourth volumes was sold to Dodsley,
who had rejected the first, for 1850, The
books sold rapidly. The humorist had
tickled the midriff of the British public.
He was dined and wiped everywhere. A
consumptive by Inheritance Sterne took
little care OF his health. He lived fast,
accepted all offers of entertainment, and
kept on spinning like spider his yarns
of Tristan Shandy" at intervals during
the remainder Of his life. He had no
domestic life, although he married soon
after he took orders. He went to France
on leave of absence from his Bishop, be-
cause he was rapidly breaking down in
health. The result of his residence and
travels on the Continent was 1.-THE SEN
timental Journey" which further
augmented his fame. He did not outlive
his great reputation as q humorist.
Yet his last days were dreary ones.
He died in lodgings in London in
the spring of 1853, his old enemy, con-
sumption, having overtaken him. A
large dinner party had assembled, the
dining friends of Sterne. at no great dis
lance from the latter's lodgings. The
footman was sent to inquire how the
sick man was. He found HIM dying,
with only nurse and stranger in at
tendance.
Sterne has been classed, with Ger
vantes, smong the great humorists of the
world. His biographer makes this esti-
mate: '"There can be no denying that
Stcrne is of all writer's the most perme-
ated and penetrated with impurity Of
thought and suggestion; that in no other
writer is it's latent presence more con-
stantly felt, even If there be any in whom
it is more often openly intruded. His
unclean spirit pursues him everywhere;
disfguring his scenes Of humor, demon
alizing his passages Of serious reAec-
tions, debasiDg even his sentimental in
terludes. His coarseness is very often
as great blot on his art as on his NOR.
ality;" and then the biographer comes in
with these retrieving words: but when
all this has been said of Sterne's humor,
it still remains true that in another
sense of the words purity and deli
cacy, he possesses humor more pure and
delicate than, perhaps. any other writer
in the world can show"