# To the Right Honourable John, Lord Viscount Spencer explained — The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman

> Chapter companion for The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman by Laurence Sterne.

## What happens

Laurence Sterne dedicates the two volumes to Lord Viscount Spencer, apologizing for their imperfection due to his poor health, and also inscribes the story of Le Fever to Lady Spencer, citing its humane nature as his only motive.

## Themes in this chapter

### Modesty and Obscenity

Sterne humbly downplays his talents and health, framing the work as an imperfect offering.

## Character check-ins

### Laurence Sterne

The author, who dedicates the work and signs as Laur. Sterne.

### Le Fever

The story of Le Fever is inscribed to Lady Spencer.

## Key lines

> I humbly beg leave to offer you these two Volumes; they are the best my talents, with such bad health as I have, could produce

Sterne presents the two volumes as the best he could create given his limited talents and poor health.

_The author's self-deprecating apology for the work's quality._

> I join Lady Spencer, in the liberty I take of inscribing the story of Le Fever to her name; for which I have no other motive, which my heart has informed me of, but that the story is a humane one.

Sterne dedicates the story of Le Fever to Lady Spencer, claiming his only reason is its humane nature.

_The dedication highlights the story's emotional and compassionate quality._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tristram_shandy_se/chapters/to-the-right-honourable-john-lord-viscount-spencer
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tristram_shandy_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tristram_shandy_se/chapters