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How did Jaques Sterne influence Laurence Sterne's church career?
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Laurence Sterne
Novelist Laurence Sterne, detail of an oil painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds, 1760; in the National Portrait Gallery, London.
Jaques Sterne, a powerful clergyman and the archdeacon of Cleveland, initially assisted his nephew, Laurence Sterne, in his early ecclesiastical career. Through his uncle's influence, Laurence became a prebendary of York Minster and secured the vicarage of Stillington. Additionally, Laurence wrote political articles supporting the administration of Sir Robert Walpole for a newspaper founded by his uncle.1
However, their relationship soured after Laurence withdrew from politics in disgust. Following this, Jaques Sterne became his archenemy, actively working to thwart Laurence's further clerical advancement whenever possible.1