A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy [Laurence Sterne]

$450.00

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Laurence Sterne’s A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy, published in 1768 just weeks before his death, is a landmark of 18th-century literature. Blending travelogue and fiction, the novel follows Yorick, an English clergyman, on his journey through France and Italy. Unlike conventional travel narratives, Sterne’s work prioritizes emotional depth and sentimental reflection over geographical detail, making it a defining text of the era’s culture of sensibility.

The first edition, issued in two volumes by T. Becket and P.A. De Hondt in London, was met with immediate enthusiasm and gained swift popularity. While some critics found its unconventional style challenging, Sterne’s masterful wit, digressive structure, and deep exploration of feeling set it apart from traditional travel literature.

Though A Sentimental Journey remains unfinished—Sterne died before completing the Italian section—it profoundly influenced the subsequent sentimental novel and literary traditions. The book was widely read in Britain and Europe, prompting multiple editions soon after publication. Its reception cemented Sterne’s reputation as a master of irony, humour, and emotional insight, securing its place in literary history.

DESCRIPTION
Octavo. 176 pp., set in Monotype Bell and printed on Century Laid cotton paper in an edition of 25 copies. Bound by hand in half leather with marbled boards, gilt titles, and decoration to the spine and marbled edges.

A finely bound, hand-crafted edition.

CONDITION
Brand new copy in a fine binding.

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