576 STERNE. Infirmorum,” for the use of the junior clergy, printed at Dublin in 1697, 12mo. Dean Swift appears to have cor responded with bishop Sterne for many years on the most intimate and friendly terms; but at length, in 1733, the dean sent him a letter full of bitter sarcasm and reproach, to which the bishop returned an answer that marks a supe rior command of temper; but it appears from the life of the Rev. Philip Skelton, that h i s lordship deserved much o f what Swift had imputed t o him. LAURENCE STERNE, ON e o f the most popular writers o f modern times, and the founder of a numerous class, t o whom the term senti mental has been given, was born a t Clonmell, i n the south o f Ireland, November 24th, 1713. He was the son o f Roger Sterne, a lieutenant i n the army; and i t has been conjectured, that his affecting story o f L e Fevre, was founded o n the circumstances o f his father's family, which had long t o struggle with poverty and hardships o n the slender pay o f a lieutenant. As soon a s Laurence was able t o travel, his father and family quitted Ireland, and went t o Elvington, near York, where his father's mother resided; but i n less than a year, they returned t o Ireland, and afterwards moved from place t o place with the regi ment, until Laurence was placed a t a school near Halifax, i n Yorkshire. I n 1731, his father died. The subject o f our memoir remained a t Halifax till towards the conclusion o f the above year, and i n the fol lowing, was admitted o f Jesus college, Cambridge, where h e took his bachelor's degree i n January 1786, and that o f master i n 1740. During this time h e was ordained, and his uncle, Jaques Sterne, then LL.D. procured him the living o f Sutton, and afterwards a prebend o f York, and b y his wife's means (whom h e married i n 1741) h e got the living o f Stillington. He resided, however, principally, and about twenty years, a t Sutton, where, a s h e informs us, his chief amusements were painting, fiddling, and 1
