Sermons of Laurence Sterne
The Works of Laurence Sterne of 1851, containing his sermons


Laurence Sterne as an Anglican clergyman gave many sermons. Early in his career, he decided to publish his sermons. At first, only two were published. Sterne later parodied sermon writing in his The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman along with adding semi-serious sermons directly into the text. Throughout his career, Sterne continued to preach and collect his own sermons.

There are 45 recorded sermons, 3 of which are extensions of a previously spoke topic.[1] Two editions of his sermons were published during his life, and these works outsold all other works by Sterne and were the source for much of Sterne's fame.[2] These editions were published under Sterne's pseudonym, "Mr. Yorick".[3]



Notable Sermons

Case of Hezekiah and the Messengers

On March 25, 1764, Sterne gave a sermon in Paris that was important to Anglo-French relations.[4] The sermon was first printed in Sermons of Mr Yorick Vol. III (1766) with edits and changes to various parts of the text, but was miss-attributed to the year 1763.[4] This sermon was not notable for its content, per se, but its being given on the opening of the English embassy in Paris at the end of the Seven Years' War.[4]
The opening of the sermon, a summation of 2 Kings 20:13-17, surprised and shocked many guests, because the passage was viewed as an insult to the embassy's hosts, Lord and Lady Hertford.[5] However, Lord Hertford reacted kindly and thanked Sterne for the sermon.[5] Laurence later rewrote passages of the sermon.[6]
The sermon was written in order to appeal to an audience of mixed religious beliefs.[6] Those like David Hume and Diderot were in attendance, and Sterne had joked that the sermon would convert the French from "deism to Shandeism".[6] Regardless, the basis of the sermon was to promote the idea that humans are basically good.[6]


Sermons





"The Sermon" from Tristram Shandy

According to the 1851 collection of sermons[1], the complete existing sermons are:



Composition

Each of the sermons begins with a scripture quotation that deals with the theme of the sermon.

Reception

Thomas Gray wrote: "Have you read his 'Sermons,' with his own comic figure, from a painting by Reynolds, at the head of them? They are in the style I think most proper for the pulpit, and show a strong imagination and a sensible heart; but you see him often tottering on the verge of laughter, and ready to throw his periwig in the face of the audience." June 22, 1760[2]

William Makepeace Thackery claimed that Sterne, as a writer of comedy and sermons, was "more than rival of the Dead of St. Patrick's", referring to Jonathan Swift.[7]

© "Sermons of Laurence Sterne." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 26 Sep 2008, 12:53 UTC. 1 Nov 2008

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sermons_of_Laurence_Sterne



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