I have no other passion to keep me in breath. What…
““I have no other passion to keep me in breath. What avarice, ambition, quarrels, law suits do for others who, like me, have no particular vocation, love would much more commodiously do; it would restore to me vigilance, sobriety, grace, and the care of my person; it would reassure my countenance, so that the grimaces of old age, those deformed and dismal looks, might not come to disgrace it; would again put me upon sound and wise studies, by which I might render myself more loved and esteemed, clearing my mind of the despair of itself and of its use, and redintegrating it to itself; would divert me from a thousand troublesome thoughts, a thousand melancholic humours that idleness and the ill posture of our health loads us withal at such an age; would warm again, in dreams at least, the blood that nature is abandoning; would hold up the chin, and a little stretch out the nerves, the vigour and gaiety of life of that poor man who is going full drive towards his ruin.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Love can revive vigilance, sobriety, and purpose, counteracting idleness and melancholy in old age.
In simple terms: Love restores energy and focus.
Key Takeaway
Seek love to regain vigor.
Themes
love
vigilance
aging
health
purpose
Mood
reflective
hopeful
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- late‑life health
- personal renewal
- mental clarity
- overcoming stagnation
Key Concepts
humanism
psychology
wellbeing
Questions to Reflect On
- How can love be cultivated in isolation?
- What practical steps support love’s benefits?
A Different Perspective
Love alone may not solve practical financial or social challenges.