A white bear! Very well. Have I ever seen one? Might I ever have seen one? Am I ever to have seen one? Ought I ever to have seen one? Or can I ever s… - Laurence Sterne

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A white bear! Very well. Have I ever seen one? Might I ever have seen one? Am I ever to have seen one?
Ought I ever to have seen one? Or can I ever see one?

Would I have seen a white bear! (for how can I imagine it?)

If I should see a white bear, what should I say?
If I should never see a white bear, what then?

If I never have, can, must, or shall see a white bear alive; have I ever seen the skin of one?
Did I ever see one painted? -Described?

Have I never dreamed of one?

Did my father, mother, uncle, aunt, brothers or sisters, ever see a white bear?
What would they give?
How would they behave?
How would the white bear have behaved?

Is he wild? Tame? Terrible? Rough? Smooth?

- Is the white bear worth seeing? -

- Is there no sin in it? -

Is it better than a Black One?

English
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About Laurence Sterne

Laurence Sterne (24 November 1713 – 18 March 1768) was an Anglo-Irish novelist and an Anglican clergyman. He is best known for his novels The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, and A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy; but he also published sermons, wrote memoirs, and was involved in local politics.

Biography information from Wikiquote

Also Known As

Pen Names: Yorick
Alternative Names: Lorens Stern
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Additional quotes by Laurence Sterne

"Babam bir hastalığın teşhisini her zaman tedavisiyle birlikte koyardı.
"Eğer ben mutlak hükümdar olsaydım... metropolümün her caddesine ortalıkta dolaşanlara oraya ne halt etmeye geldiklerini soracak bir yargıç tayin ederdim - ve eğer, adil ve birtaraf bir dava sonunda, evlerini bırakıp da çanta-çıkın, çoluk-çocuk, buralara gelmelerinin nedenini makul bir biçimde açıklayamıyorlarsa, kolculara teslim edip, tıpkı serseriler gibi, yasal yerleşim bölgelerine geri gönderirdim. Böylelikle de metropolün kendi ağırlığı altında ezilmesini önlemiş olurdum...

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Si un historiógrafo pudiera conducir su historia como un mulero conduce a su mula, — en línea recta y siempre hacia adelante: — por ejemplo, desde Roma hasta Loreto sin volver la cabeza ni una sola vez en todo el trayecto, ni a derecha ni a izquierda, — podría aventurarse a predecirles a ustedes, con un margen de error de una hora, cuándo iba a llegar al término de su viaje; — pero eso, moralmente hablando, es imposible. Porque si es un hombre con un mínimo de espíritu, se encontrará en la obligación, durante su marcha, de desviarse cincuenta veces de la línea recta para unirse a este o a aquel grupo, y de ninguna manera lo podrá evitar. Se le ofrecerán vistas y perspectivas que perpetuamente reclamarán su atención; y le será tan imposible no detenerse a mirarlas como volar; tendrá, además, diversos:
Relatos que compaginar:
Anécdotas que recopilar:
Inscripciones que descifrar:
Historias que trenzar:
Tradiciones que investigar:
Personajes que visitar.

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