--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I toiled after it, sir, as some men toil…" description: "\"I toiled after it, sir, as some men toil after virtue.\" — Charles Lamb" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1cb/charles-lamb-1144_men_i-toiled-after-it-sir-as-some-men-toil-a_179956.jpg" --- # I toiled after it, sir, as some men toil after virtue. ![“I toiled after it, sir, as some men toil after virtue.” quote by Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1cb/charles-lamb-1144_men_i-toiled-after-it-sir-as-some-men-toil-a_179956.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1cb/charles-lamb-1144_men_i-toiled-after-it-sir-as-some-men-toil-a_179956.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1cb/charles-lamb-1144_men_i-toiled-after-it-sir-as-some-men-toil-a_179956.jpg) > “I toiled after it, sir, as some men toil after virtue.” [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker compares his relentless pursuit of a goal to others' endless chase of moral excellence, highlighting futility and obsession. **In simple terms:** Chasing something can become an endless, unfulfilling effort. Key Takeaway Recognize when pursuit becomes obsession. Themes obsession purpose fulfillment Mood reflective melancholic Type aphilosophical literary When to use this quote - career ambition - personal goals - spiritual quests Key Concepts existentialism moral philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What are you chasing that may be unproductive? - How can you balance ambition with contentment? A Different Perspective May neglect other important aspects of life. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men Toil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-toil-1928530/) [Smoking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smoking/) [Tobacco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tobacco/) [Toil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/toil/) [Toil Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/toil-virtue-254275/) [Toiled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/toiled-1928531/) [Toiled Sir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/toiled-sir-254274/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) ## Related quotes > [Dr Parr...asked him, how he had acquired his power of smoking at such a rate? Lamb replied, 'I toiled after it, sir, as some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/dr-parr-asked-him-how-he-had-acquired-his-power-of-smoking-at-such-a/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [For thy sake, tobacco, I would do anything but die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/for-thy-sake-tobacco-i-would-do-anything-but-die/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [This very night I am going to leave off tobacco! Surely there must be some other world in which this unconquerable purpose shall be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/this-very-night-i-am-going-to-leave-off-tobacco-surely-there-must-be/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [My grandparents back in Kentucky owned a tobacco farm. So, to make money in the summer, we could cut and chop and top and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/my-grandparents-back-in-kentucky-owned-a-tobacco-farm-so-to-make/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [If you can't sent money, send tobacco.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/if-you-can-t-sent-money-send-tobacco/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [The fossil fuel industry has taken control of, and powered up, architecture and methods originally built by the tobacco industry and others to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/the-fossil-fuel-industry-has-taken-control-of-and-powered-up/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [To be clear, I don't know whether the fossil fuel industry and its allies engaged in the same kind of racketeering activity as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/to-be-clear-i-don-t-know-whether-the-fossil-fuel-industry-and-its/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [In order to increase his pleasures, man has intentionally added to the number and pressure of his needs, which in their original state were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/in-order-to-increase-his-pleasures-man-has-intentionally-added-to-the/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [I checked out all types of tobacco trying to find one that would be easiest to live with, I ended up using pipe tobacco.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-strathairn/i-checked-out-all-types-of-tobacco-trying-to-find-one-that-would-be/) [David Strathairn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-strathairn/) > [I take really good care of myself. I promised myself long ago that I would never miss a hunting season, never poison my sacred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/i-take-really-good-care-of-myself-i-promised-myself-long-ago-that-i/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) > [Since I don't smoke, I decided to grow a mustache - it is better for the health. However, I always carried a jewel-studded cigarette…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salvador-dali/since-i-don-t-smoke-i-decided-to-grow-a-mustache-it-is-better-for-the/) [Salvador Dali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salvador-dali/) > [The increased use of cigarettes and tobacco products among youth is worrying. Starting with cigarettes and tobacco, youngsters are soon lured into use of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-jayachandran/the-increased-use-of-cigarettes-and-tobacco-products-among-youth-is/) [M. Jayachandran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-jayachandran/) > [It's disgraceful that year after year, Congress has bowed to the tobacco lobby and refused to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/it-s-disgraceful-that-year-after-year-congress-has-bowed-to-the/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [Coffee and tobacco are complete repose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/coffee-and-tobacco-are-complete-repose/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Tobacco is the passion of honest men and he who lives without tobacco is not worthy of living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/tobacco-is-the-passion-of-honest-men-and-he-who-lives-without-tobacco/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) ## More by Charles Lamb > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [In the indications of female poverty there can be no disguise. No woman dresses below herself from caprice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/in-the-indications-of-female-poverty-there-can-be-no-disguise-no/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [To sigh, yet feel no pain; To weep, yet scarce know why; To sport an hour with Beauty's chain, Then throw it idly by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/to-sigh-yet-feel-no-pain-to-weep-yet-scarce-know-why-to-sport-an-hour/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [“I love to lose myself in other men's minds. When I am not walking, I am reading.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/i-love-to-lose-myself-in-other-men-s-minds-when-i-am-not-walking-i-am/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [While childhood, and while dreams, producing childhood, shall be left, imagination shall not have spread her holy wings totally to fly the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/while-childhood-and-while-dreams-producing-childhood-shall-be-left/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [Man, while he loves, is never quite depraved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/man-while-he-loves-is-never-quite-depraved/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [Summer, as my friend Coleridge waggishly writes, has set in with its usual severity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/summer-as-my-friend-coleridge-waggishly-writes-has-set-in-with-its/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [Here cometh April again, and as far as I can see the world hath more fools in it than ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/here-cometh-april-again-and-as-far-as-i-can-see-the-world-hath-more/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [A presentation copy...is a copy of a book whoch does not sell, sent you by the author, with his foolish autograph at the beginning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/a-presentation-copy-is-a-copy-of-a-book-whoch-does-not-sell-sent-you/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I counsel thee, shut not thy heart, nor thy library.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/i-counsel-thee-shut-not-thy-heart-nor-thy-library/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [Nothing to me is more distasteful than that entire complacency and satisfaction which beam in the countenances of a new married couple; in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/nothing-to-me-is-more-distasteful-than-that-entire-complacency-and/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [My theory is to enjoy life, but the practice is against it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/my-theory-is-to-enjoy-life-but-the-practice-is-against-it/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [All, all are gone, the old familiar faces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/all-all-are-gone-the-old-familiar-faces/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [Those evening bells! those evening bells! How many a tale their music tells Of youth and home, and that sweet time When last I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/those-evening-bells-those-evening-bells-how-many-a-tale-their-music/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [Beholding heaven, and feeling hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/beholding-heaven-and-feeling-hell/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) [Explore all 283 Charles Lamb quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) ## More Men quotes > [When I passed the Chancellor he arose, waved his hand at me, and I waved back at him. 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