ClassicNovels

A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy guide

Laurence Sterne, 1768 · Begin reading

Summary

Yorick travels through France toward Italy with his servant La Fleur, seeking human connection while contending with impatience, attraction, social hypocrisy, and the threat of imprisonment. His journey develops through encounters that test his sympathy rather than through a single sustained conflict.

After La Fleur’s horse throws him near a dead ass, Yorick hears the animal’s owner mourning and wishes people loved one another as deeply. Yet he soon loses his temper with the postilion for driving too fast. At Amiens, Madame de L— gives him a letter to deliver in Paris and invites him to Brussels. His attraction to her troubles his attachment to Eliza; neither relationship reaches a resolution in these chapters.

In Paris, police attention makes Yorick fear confinement in the Bastile. He initially persuades himself that imprisonment would be tolerable, but a caged starling’s repeated cry destroys that consolation. Unable to release the bird, he imagines a prisoner enduring decades in a dungeon and weeps. This is the emotional turning point: an immediate encounter overturns his comfortable reasoning. He sets off for Versailles to seek the Duc de Choiseul’s protection, although he despises the servility of his rehearsed appeals. The outcome of that appeal is not given. La Fleur buys the starling for him, and Yorick recounts its later passage through numerous owners in England.

Other encounters expose the uncertainty of appearances and Yorick’s own shifting feelings. He cannot discover what a beggar whispers to women to obtain money. A hotelkeeper condemns him for entertaining a young woman in his bedroom, then offers to send him a lace seller. Yorick intends to expose this hypocrisy but relinquishes his resentment when faced with the seller’s patience.

Near Moulines, Yorick sits with the grieving Maria and her dog Sylvio, sharing her tears. She tells him of an earlier visitor and her travels in Italy. He comforts her and accompanies her to Moulines, then takes leave; her grief receives no final resolution. Later, a rural family welcomes him to supper. Watching its children and grandchildren dance to the old man’s music, he finds religious feeling in their happiness.

The journey ends before Yorick reaches Turin. A blocked road and bad weather force him to stop at an inn in Savoy, where he shares the only bedroom with a lady and her maid under agreed rules of conduct. He and the lady dispute whether an exclamation violates their agreement. When the maid comes between the beds, Yorick stretches out his hand and catches hold of her. The narrative stops without identifying where he touches her or describing anyone’s response. Yorick, the lady, and the maid receive no further conclusion; La Fleur’s subsequent fate is also unstated.

The ending

Bad weather and a blocked road leave Yorick sharing an inn bedroom in Savoy with a lady and her maid under agreed rules of conduct. After he disputes an exclamation with the lady, the maid comes between their beds. Yorick reaches out and catches hold of her, and the narrative ends without saying where he touches her or what happens next.

Characters

Also appearing

  • Madame R—
  • Eliza
  • God
  • Captain Tobias Shandy
  • Mr. Shandy
  • Madame de Rambouliet
  • Monsieur le Duc de Choiseul
  • Lord A—
  • Lord B—
  • Lord C—
  • Lord D—
  • Lord E—
  • Bevoriskius
  • Rabelais
  • Monsieur P—, the farmer-general
  • Madame de Q—
  • Madame de V—
  • Abbé M—
  • Monsieur D—
  • Count de Faineant

Chapter by chapter

Section 1

Section 2

Section 3

Section 4

Section 5

Section 6

Section 7

La Fleur’s horse refuses to pass a dead ass, throws him, and runs back to Montreuil. Yorick hears the ass’s owner mourn its loss and regrets that people do not love one another as deeply. The postilion drives away at a gallop, ignoring Yorick’s pleas to slow down.

Yorick loses his temper with the postilion, falls asleep, and wakes at Amiens, where Madame de L— gives him a letter to deliver in Paris. Her invitation to visit her in Brussels excites his sympathy and attraction, which trouble him because of his attachment to Eliza. Later in Paris, Yorick learns of police attention and considers the possibility of imprisonment in the Bastile.

Yorick tells himself that confinement in the Bastile would be bearable until a caged starling’s repeated cry moves him to try unsuccessfully to free it. The bird overturns his reasoning, and he imagines a prisoner worn down by decades in a dungeon. Yorick bursts into tears and orders a carriage so he can seek help from the Duc de Choiseul.

Yorick travels to Versailles with La Fleur and recounts how La Fleur bought the starling for him and how it later passed through many owners in England. As he approaches Versailles, Yorick rehearses ways to ask the Duc de Choiseul for protection and despises his own servility. Later, he watches a beggar obtain money by whispering only to women and cannot discover what the man tells them.

A Paris hotelkeeper tells Yorick to leave because he entertained a young woman in his bedroom, then offers to send him a lace seller. Yorick plans to expose the hotelkeeper’s hypocrisy, but abandons his resentment and softens toward the patient seller. Later, near Moulines, Yorick finds the grieving Maria with her dog Sylvio and sits beside her, sharing her tears.

Maria tells Yorick about an earlier visitor and her journeys through Italy, then walks with him to Moulines after he offers her comfort. Yorick takes leave of Maria and later accepts supper from a welcoming rural family. After supper, he watches the children and grandchildren dance to the old man’s music and senses religious feeling in their joy.

Yorick hires a driver to take him slowly through Savoy toward Turin, but a blocked road and bad weather force him to stop at an inn. Yorick shares the only bedroom with a lady and her maid under an agreement governing their conduct, then disputes with the lady over whether his exclamation breaks it. The maid comes between their beds, and the chapter ends with Yorick stretching out his hand and catching hold of her, without saying where.

Storylines

  • La Fleur tries to force his bidet past the dead ass; repeated throws and the mount's flight defeat the attempt.

  • Yorick accommodates La Fleur inside his chaise after the loss of his mount, enabling them to reach Nampont together.

  • Yorick resolves to endure misfortunes without exclamations.

    • Yorick becomes irritated with the postilion and then with himself, showing difficulty sustaining his intended composure.

  • The mourner's attachment to his ass persists through separation and reunion into grief at its death, complicated by doubt about his own treatment of it.

  • Fearing the loss of his youngest son, the mourner vows a pilgrimage to St. Iago if the boy survives; the boy survives and the mourner undertakes the pilgrimage.

  • During their pilgrimage, the mourner searches for his missing ass and recovers it after three days.

  • Yorick wants a quiet, slow departure to recover from the mourner's story, but the postilion's continuing gallop frustrates him and prompts a demand to slow down.

    • The conflict over a slow departure ends as Yorick reverses his preference, wants the postilion to accelerate, and subsequently reaches Amiens.

  • Madame de L— seeks to continue her acquaintance with Yorick; his attraction prompts self-reproach, but he answers her billet.

  • Yorick undertakes to deliver Madame de L—'s letter personally to Madame R—; an initial evening visit is deferred, then renewed for the following morning.

    • Yorick sets aside the promised visit. Madame R— enquires through her maid, but his subsequent intention to write a card produces no completed message or delivery of the entrusted letter.

  • Yorick plans to visit Madame de L— in Brussels, then abandons the visit and vows to go there only with Eliza.

  • Yorick's attraction to Madame de L— conflicts with his pledged fidelity to Eliza; her portrait renews his shame and commitment.

  • La Fleur seeks to honour Yorick through hospitality and sociability, gaining the Count's household's goodwill and Madame de L—'s attention.

  • La Fleur falsely assures Madame de L— that he has brought Yorick's reply, then tells Yorick of the fabrication; Madame de L— is not shown learning the truth.

  • Yorick's approval of La Fleur's conduct develops into affection and firm trust when La Fleur supports him over the passport difficulty; Yorick in turn tries to spare his servant distress.

    • Yorick entrusts La Fleur with arranging the carriage. La Fleur seeks to put him to bed, while Yorick intends to conceal his tears to spare his servant distress.
    • Yorick funds La Fleur's clothes and grants him leave to court his mistress; La Fleur's apparent tears at Maria's mother's account further show his capacity for sympathetic feeling.

  • Yorick and La Fleur work to supply the promised reply; Yorick's failed original drafts give way to an adaptation of a drummer's letter, sealed and entrusted to La Fleur for delivery.

  • Jaques Roque plans an encounter with the corporal's wife during the corporal's Wednesday guard duty after his return obstructs an earlier meeting.

  • Feeling disappointed and insignificant in Paris, Yorick seeks entry into society through an immediate visit to Madame R— and preparations for his appearance.

    • Yorick again commits to visiting Madame R— but sets the visit aside.
    • Count de B's introductions and subsequent invitations give Yorick extensive access to Parisian society, fulfilling his broader wish for entry despite the lack of a confirmed visit to Madame R.

  • Yorick seeks the Opéra Comique; forgetting the grisette's directions brings him back, and she arranges for her lad to guide him.

  • The grisette's repeated courtesies develop into flirtatious familiarity with Yorick; his wish to reward her produces a misunderstanding about her prices before he pays and departs.

  • Yorick's opening toward conversation with the French officer develops through shared concern for the dwarf and the officer's explanations of French customs, eliciting Yorick's affection and approval.

  • An awkward collision with the Marquisina becomes mutual goodwill through apology, then an escort, a shared coach ride and a gratifying connection.

  • The German obstructs the dwarf's view and mocks his request for accommodation; the dwarf threatens retaliation, and the officer secures a sentinel's intervention that gives the dwarf a view.

  • Yorick's encounter with the fille de chambre develops through a gift, extended companionship and protective attentiveness into greater familiarity and felt kinship; she also connects him to Madame R—.

    • The maid's enquiry brings another private encounter, personal attentions and reciprocal assistance; Yorick ultimately escorts her safely to the gate.
    • Yorick directs La Fleur to convey that he will refuse future visits from the young woman and resolves to avoid further risks.

  • Yorick's travel without a passport becomes an immediate threat when police enquire for it and the hotel master warns of imprisonment the next morning; lacking helpful friends, Yorick initially asserts his intention to stay before seriously considering his predicament.

    • The starling's confinement overturns Yorick's reassuring dismissal of imprisonment. Imagining a captive's suffering intensifies his distress and prompts a concrete plan to seek help; the passport threat remains unresolved.
    • The Count obtains and gives Yorick a passport, removing the immediate threat arising from its absence, although its mistaken designation of him as the king's jester diminishes his satisfaction.

  • Yorick commits to freeing the caged starling, but wire securing the cage obstructs his attempt.

    • La Fleur buys the starling and cage for Yorick, but no release is recorded. Yorick brings it to England and gives it away, after which it passes through successive owners.

  • Moved by the prospect of confinement, Yorick plans to visit the Duc de Choiseul himself and instructs La Fleur to arrange a carriage for nine the next morning.

    • Yorick reaches the Duke's residence and prepares his approach, but an immediate audience is unavailable. He leaves and redirects his appeal to Count de B—.

  • The English groom's attachment to the captured starling leads him to house and teach it before giving it to the hotel master.

  • After leaving the Duke's residence, Yorick decides to seek Count de B—'s help with his passport.

  • Left without military employment or provision, the Chevalier supports himself by selling pastries; recognition of his service eventually brings a royal pension and ends the trade.

  • The Marquis seeks to restore his family's fortunes and support its nobility, entering commerce and depositing his sword until he can reclaim it.

  • After recovering his sword, the Marquis commits to finding a way to remove its rust.

  • Yorick's appeal to Count de B— develops into a helpful acquaintance: the Count secures his passport, hears his account of travelling, and receives a promise of dinner before Yorick leaves for Italy.

    • The Count's passport assistance is reaffirmed, and his help extends into introductions to people of rank.

  • Alone with the fille de chambre, Yorick struggles to reconcile erotic desire with virtuous conduct; repeated attempts to end the encounter meet renewed temptation.

    • Yorick ends the immediate struggle over renewed encounters by resolving not to receive the young woman again and professing no interest in the suggested sexual diversion.

  • Yorick seeks to discover why the beggar approaches only women and invariably receives money after whispering to them.

    • After renewing his enquiry and reporting a solution, Yorick observes the beggar obtain money from both ladies and explicitly identifies flattery as the basis of his success.

  • The hotel master orders Yorick to leave over the young woman's evening visit; reported regret and Yorick's apology soften the dispute, but his continued lodging is not confirmed.

  • Yorick resolves to avoid further temptation and leave Paris with his virtue intact.

  • La Fleur courts Count de B's maid and obtains leave for their arranged outing; learning that she passed his bouquet to another man makes him regard her as faithless.

  • Yorick seeks to decipher the old French fragment and completes an English translation of the sheet he possesses.

  • Within the translated fragment, a domestic quarrel drives the notary from home in distress despite his attempt to avoid escalation.

  • Within the translated fragment, the notary accidentally knocks the sentry's hat into the Seine; the sentry threatens him and takes his hat in compensation.

  • Within the translated fragment, the impoverished gentleman proposes leaving his life history to the world and its prospective profits to the notary, who prepares to record it.

  • Yorick seeks the fragment's remaining sheets through La Fleur, but their circulation with the bouquet defeats the recovery attempt.

  • The beggar persists in seeking twelve sous from each of two ladies and obtains both payments.

  • Yorick gains fashionable acceptance through flattering agreement, but shame at his insincerity and longing for natural company turn that success into revulsion and illness.

  • Yorick's acquaintance with Madame de V develops into public religious credit and membership in her coterie after she praises his defense of revealed religion and postpones adopting deism.

  • Yorick resolves to depart for Italy the following morning and orders La Fleur to obtain horses.

    • Yorick's onward journey reaches almost to Lyons, then encounters a horse-shoe mishap that diverts him to a farm-house; arrival in Italy is not established.
    • Yorick has proceeded with his departure toward Italy and arranged onward travel to Turin through Savoy, although the obstructed road delays him.

  • Moved by Shandy's account, Yorick seeks Maria, enquires at her parents' home and finds her beside the road.

  • Maria's mother fears that her husband's death will worsen Maria's mental disorder, although Maria has since partly recovered her clarity.

  • Yorick stays behind to comfort Maria, sits beside her and shares her tears, forming an intensely sympathetic connection.

    • Learning of Maria's hardships deepens Yorick's compassion, while her offer to wash his handkerchief makes their care reciprocal. His question briefly renews her distress; after she regains composure, he accompanies her to Moulines. Her sorrow continues to affect him after their impending farewell, easing only as he approaches Lyons.

  • Maria remembers the pale visitor's pity and preserves his stolen handkerchief to return if he comes again; he has tentatively promised another visit.

  • Yorick and Maria agree to travel together to Moulines and enter the town together before Yorick prepares to bid her farewell.

  • Yorick seeks to have the horse's loose shoe refastened, but the discarded nails prevent repair; continuing without it leads to another lost shoe and a diversion to a nearby farm-house.

  • The old farmer and his family welcome Yorick into their supper and evening gathering, and Yorick responds with acceptance and sympathetic interest in their dancing.

  • Yorick contracts for a slow, safe journey to Turin through Savoy; a fallen rock interrupts the journey and forces an earlier overnight stop.

  • The road peasants work to remove the fallen rock and reopen the road.

  • Yorick and the Piedmontese lady negotiate sharing the bedchamber with her maid while preserving privacy and decorum through a secured curtain, agreed night clothing and silence except for prayers.

  • The lady treats Yorick's exclamation as a breach of their silence agreement, while he invokes the prayer exception; falling curtain pins weaken her privacy, and the maid's attempt to forestall hostilities places her between the beds, where Yorick catches an unspecified part of her body while intending to assure the lady of his decorum.

Places

France, Nampont, Franconia, Spain, Germany, The Pyrenean mountains, Amiens, Paris, Brussels, Italy, Pont Neuf, London, Milan, The Carousal, Palais Royal, England, Versailles, Quai de Conti, Rue de Nevers, Rue de Gueneguault, Boulogne, Dover, Calais, Bastile, Rennes, Brittany, Martinico, Hôtel de Modene, Montreuil, Seine, Rue de Dauphine, Moulines, Bourbonnois, Lombardy, Rome, Savoy, St. Peter's, Lyons, Mount Taurira, Turin, Madane, St. Michael