The Nose

On Joseph Nollekens Marble bust of Sterne (1766) we see that:

“Nihil me pœnitet hujus nasi,” quoth Pamphagus;——that is—“My nose has been the making of me.”—————“Nec est cur pœniteat,” replies Cocles; that is, “How the duce should such a nose fail?”

The scull

In Coxwold, in the porch at St. Michaels Church, next to the epitaphstone*, we found this framed facsimile clipping from The Times on Thursday June the 5th 1969, on the reburied scull — and nearby found skeletal bones — in Coxwold. One thing further — among many others — for us to ponder upon: Tristrams nose, as well as his fathers — and his great grandfathers, that was shaped like an ace of clubs — was quite diminutive. But what about Sterne? Was he just as flat-nosed?

*)http://sterneetcetera.blogspot.dk/2015/08/sternes-stones.html

The Straight Line

Straight line in: The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy MacDonald Illustrated Classics Series.
"This right line,—the path-way for Christians to walk in! say divines——

——The emblem of moral rectitude! says Cicero——

——The best line! say cabbage planters——is the shortest line, says Archimedes, which can be drawn from one given point to another.——

I wish your ladyships would lay this matter to heart, in your next birth-day suits!

——What a journey!

Pray can you tell me,—that is, without anger, before I write my chapter upon straight lines——by what mistake——who told them so——or how it has come to pass, that your men of wit and genius have all along confounded this line, with the line of gravitation?"

MacDonald

In York, in another Antiquarian bookstore — on our way to Coxwold —  we found this edition of The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy published in the MacDonald Illustrated Classics Series. 50 pee, only. With cover in red fablea binding, with title and decorations in 'gold leaf' — (Fablea: danish word for leatherine; artificial leather, created of the two english words 'fabric' and 'leather'.  The later discovery of the absent of the title page, explained somehow this a-little-bit-too-good bargain.

The Emblem of My Work

The marbled page in Tristram Shandy. Everyman’s Library no. 617. The Aldine Press. London, 1959. 

Smoking and reading

Burnmark in Laurence Sterne: Tristram Shandy. Everyman’s Library no. 617 (fiction) London J.M. Dent & Sons Ltd. New York E.P. Dutton & Co Inc. The Aldine Press. London, 1959. Purchased in Århus at Aabenhus Antikvariat.  

X

An X in The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, Leipzig 1849. 

Leipzig

Neatly foxed copy of The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman. By the Rev. Laurence Sterne, M.A. Printed in Leipzig 1849 by Bernh. Tauchnitz Jun. as "Vol. CLIII. in Collection of British Autors." apparently in original language. Purchased in Copenhagen at one of Vangsgaards "Dutch Sales" (50,- kr.).  — A very tight "rolled" edition; one volume, 502 pages, no black page, no marbled page. And not in nine books, but in CCCXII chapters. 

The Asses' Club

In the 1897 edition of A Sentimental Journey, that was purchased from a Antiquarian bookstore in York* — on the expeditions way to Coxwold — was found a clipping from a newspaper (1910?)— used as bookmark —  "Our Own Correspondent" reports on a curious dinnerparty in Paris. — The menu in itself: "Potage Cock and Bull; Saucissons de l’Ane Mort; Audouillettes de l’Abesse Dada (hobbyhorse) de l’Oncle Toby; Langue de Samsonnet; Haricots Lafleur; Bombe du Corporal Trim; fromage Sentimental; Marrons Phutatorius. As vines “Clos Yorick” and “Château du Roi de Bohème,” or, in other words, water, were served."  — made us certainly wish, that we could have been able to attend there. Instead we were in York presented for the full english breakfast — "Bless you", said the waitress while serving; fried eggs, bacon; fried sausages; fried portobello; fried tomatoes and — alas — the black sausage. 

*) http://sterneetcetera.blogspot.dk/2015/08/the-sentimental-journey.html.

The Great Grandfather

The expedition to Coxwold also lead us to the Minster of York where we had the the chance to revere Sterne's great grandfather the archbishop Richard Sterne (1596-1683). The memorial are located in the choiraisle and depicts the archbishop in a quite "trés chic" positura. Later that day we attended the evensong in the minster, but that is another — and longer —  story, that might follow.