Yorkshire Almanac Laurence Sterne, curate at Coxwold, is minded to sin at Scarborough

4 September 1764: Laurence Sterne, curate at Coxwold, is minded to sin at Scarborough

Mutual satirical portraits of the humourists and friends Thomas Bridges (left, a quack) and Lawrence Sterne (right, his harlequin assistant), combined in a later engraving (Smith 1838).

Laurence Sterne. 1788. The Works of Laurence Sterne in Ten Volumes Complete, Vol. 9/10. London: J. Rivington and Sons. Get it:

Unedited excerpt

If an excerpt is used in the book, it will be shorter, edited and, where applicable, translated.

Now, my dear, dear Anthony – I do not think a week or ten days playing the good fellow (at this very time) at Scarborough so abominable a thing – but if a man could get there cleverly, and every soul in his house in the mind to try what could be done in furtherance thereof, I have no one to consult in this affair – therefore as a man may do worse things, the English of all which is this, that I am going to leave a few poor sheep here in the wilderness for fourteen days – and from pride and naughtiness of heart to go see what is doing at Scarborough – steadfastly meaning afterwards to lead a new life and strengthen my faith.

Now some folk say there is much company there – and some say not – and I believe there is neither the one or the other – but will be both, if the world will have but a month’s patience or so.

[…]

There is no sitting, and cudgelling one’s brains whilst the sun shines bright – ‘t will be all over in six or seven weeks, and there are dismal months enow after to endure suffocation by a brimstone fireside. If you can get to Scarborough do. A man who makes six tons of alum a week, may do anything – Lord Granby is to be there – what a temptation!

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To facilitate reading, the spelling and punctuation of elderly excerpts have generally been modernised, and distracting excision scars concealed. My selections, translations, and editions are copyright.