The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-06-20

salvation In the affairs Of practical life;
but 'Sterne, q mere bundle Of sensations,
was overmaatered by his humor. De-
lightful as he always was among friends
who understood him, his jests and gibes
were q source Of annoyance to many
people who were hard hit by them
Thus a clash came early between Sterne
and the Squire Of Sutton, but it must
not be inferred that he lived In perpetual
quarrels with his neighbors.
III.
One Of the most interesting chapters
10 the sixth, which treats Of @The Parson
in His Library To Sterne's reading In
his formative period We have q trust
worthy though an incomplete index in
"Tristram Shandy.' First in the catalogue
Of books treasured by the Vicar Of Sutton
were three Of the worlds greatest humor-
lists, Luoian, Rabelais and Cervantes.
With Luoian he was less familiar than
with the two others, but he could when in
the mood for it fall into Lucian's tone
Of gay mockery. The presence Of Ger
vantes, whom he know through Skel-
toms TRANSLATION Of Don Quixote.' Is
felt In one place or another in every one
Of Tristram Shandy's nine volumes.
Prof. Cross thinks, however, that Rabelais
was really first In Sterne's affections.
Sterne indeed had little acquaintance
with the original French; he knew Rabelais
through an English version made by a
London scribbler.
Rabelais, without whose jests, whims
and splendid extravagances there never
would have been a Tristram Shandy.
drew Sterne on into the faoetious tales
and verses Of the later Pantagruellists.
French and English. for example, Bou-
ohet-Beroalde and Bruscambille; Arbuth-
not's Memoirs Of Martin S%oribblerus'
and Dunton's Voyage Round the World
books written with the deliberate purpose
that people should miss what they ex-
pected and find what they neve looked
for. -Sterne wal aoquainte also with
Blount's translation Of Philostratus's
life Of Apollonius Tyaneus. On Erasmus
he spent some time, especially on the
~'Colloquies' and the praise Of Folly
1t is well known, however. that the scholar
who most fascinated Sterne was Robert
Burton, the Oxford reoluse who wrote
the Anatomy OF Melancholy This
~storehouse of curious wit and learning was
the most useful book In Sterne's library.
II Sterne wished a Latin phrase to point
a sentence, II he wished a good story,
never stale IL rightly retold, for an episode
in 'Tristram Shandy,' he had butte open
Burton, and there it lay before him.
Besides the Anatomy Sterne read all
sorts Of books on physiology and medicine,
and he managed 10 extract humor from
mechanics and military engineering.
The books that have been enumerated
by no means comprise all that were read
by Sterne at Sutton. They are rather
only the ouriosities. He continued to
quote from the Greek and Latin classics.
He read Lord Rochester. Dryden and
Others Of the Restoration. while with the
wits OF the next half century he was still
more familiar. Voltaire's -Candide.'
Johnson's -Rasselas- and other notable
books he read as they came out. As a
preacher Stsrne knew we'll the religious
literature that was expected OF him. In
him may be discovered traces Of Sir Thomas
Brownies -Reegio Medici' and Of Jeremy
Taylor's Holy Living and holy Dying
LAG tJSiipsllA 90 Ito IO1u dlu edu uuIlIK
the long winter evenings at Sutton. with
the result that his style became saturated
with the words and phrases OF the English
authorized version. Many a clergyman
since his time has run through concor-
dances to the Bible in search Of Sterne's
saying: God tempers the wind to the
shorn lamb
w.
We pass over Sterne's earlier ventures
in literary composition. lone Of which
attracted mor than local attention, and
come directly to the publication Of the
first two volumes OF -Tristram Shandy,"
in 175s-eo. when he had about eight years
to live. Even at home the volumes made
a stir, though for York. OF course,
.Tristram Shandy" was only a local book.
Yet even there two hundred copies were
sold in two days. 1t was London's re-
oeption Of his work to which Sterne
looked forward and he was not to be dis
appointed. -Tristram Shandy.' indeed,
caused a terrible fermentation among
London prudes. but Garriok. who at
the time was the regulator OF the public
taste, read, admired and passed the book
on to his friends. Garrick's world, as
Sterne we'll knew. covered the whole
world OF fashion. Fine ladies' and fine
gentlemen who we're bored by books
would read. be was aware, anything to
which Garrick gave the cue. The story
OF Sterne's visit to London-a friend had
to pay his expenses 'thither-reads like
a romance. On the morrow OF his arrival
he inquired Of the publisher for the works
OF Mr.. Tristram Shandy and was informed
that they could not be had in London
for love or money" Later in the day
Sterne saw the publisher and arranged
for a second edition Of shandy. which was
forthwith announced. and also for two
volumes Of sermons. 1t was understood
that the poor parson received foO0 for
his book-more money than he had ever
dreamed Of possessing. Sterne felt and
said that he was -the richest man in
Europe
The patronage OF warburton. Bishop
OF Gloucester. the friend and editor OF
Pope. as we'll as the champion OF ortho-
doxy. made a brilliant reception for
sterne doubly sure. The news conveyed
by his two friends that the author Of
"Tristram Shsndy' was really in London
ran like a flame through society. From
morning to night" Sterne wrote, my
lodgings, which are the ~genteelest in town.