Enlightenment

Laurence Sterne: autograph letter

Laurence Sterne: autograph letter sent to one of his parishioners in Sutton (near York) , dated 14 March 1758
Queens' College MS 503

Queens’ College Library also holds a curious record of Stene’s life as a parish priest in the village of Sutton (near York) in the form of an autograph letter sent by him to a parishioner on 14 March 1758. This recounts Sterne’s response to a charge that he had accused one of his parishioners of seducing the wife of another. Addressed to the accused man, Sterne’s letter denies all, and in the process takes the opportunity to quell a further rumor concerning Sterne’s own infidelity with a third unfortunate parishioner. Nothing further is known relevant to this episode other than that Sterne’s reputed infidelities are known to have caused discord in his own marriage.