--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am excessively slothful, and…" description: "\"I am excessively slothful, and wonderfully industrious-by fits. There are epochs when any kind of mental exercise is torture, and when nothing yields m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/826/edgar-allan-poe-315_all-night_i-am-excessively-slothful-and-wonderfull_1014494.jpg" --- # I am excessively slothful, and wonderfully industrious-by… ![“I am excessively slothful, and wonderfully industrious-by fits. There are epochs when any kind of mental exercise is torture, and when nothing yields me pleasure but the solitary communion with the 'mountains & the woods'-the 'altars' of Byron. I have thus rambled and dreamed away whole months…” quote by Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/826/edgar-allan-poe-315_all-night_i-am-excessively-slothful-and-wonderfull_1014494.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/826/edgar-allan-poe-315_all-night_i-am-excessively-slothful-and-wonderfull_1014494.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/826/edgar-allan-poe-315_all-night_i-am-excessively-slothful-and-wonderfull_1014494.jpg) > “I am excessively slothful, and wonderfully industrious-by fits. There are epochs when any kind of mental exercise is torture, and when nothing yields me pleasure but the solitary communion with the 'mountains & the woods'-the 'altars' of Byron. I have thus rambled and dreamed away whole months, and awake, at last, to a sort of mania for composition. Then I scribble all day, and read all night, so long as the disease endures.” [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) ## 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 swings between deep laziness and bursts of intense creativity, finding solace in nature and then compulsively writing until the urge fades. **In simple terms:** Laziness and creativity coexist; nature inspires, then compulsion drives work. Key Takeaway Balance rest with focused creative bursts. Themes creativity dual nature nature inspiration Mood contemplative inspired Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - writing retreats - nature walks - creative blocks Key Concepts psychology artistic temperament flow state Questions to Reflect On - How can you harness natural inspiration without over‑exertion? - What rhythms support sustainable creativity? A Different Perspective Compulsive writing can lead to burnout if not managed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [All night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/all-night/) [Altars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/altars/) [Awake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awake/) [Byron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/byron/) [Byron Rambled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/byron-rambled-2223654/) [Communion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communion/) [Composition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/composition/) [Depression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depression/) [Disease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disease/) [Endure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/endure/) [Excessively Slothful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excessively-slothful-2223652/) [Exercise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exercise/) [Fit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fit/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Industrious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/industrious/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Lasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasts/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Mania](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mania/) [Months](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/months/) [Mountain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mountain/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Scribbles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scribbles/) [Slothful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slothful/) [Slothful Wonderfully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slothful-wonderfully-2223653/) [Solitary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solitary/) [Torture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/torture/) [Whole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole/) [Wonderfully Industrious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonderfully-industrious-2223655/) [Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/woods/) [Yield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yield/) ## Related quotes > [An unclean person is universally a slothful one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/an-unclean-person-is-universally-a-slothful-one/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A slothful man never has time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russyb/a-slothful-man-never-has-time/) [Russyb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russyb/) > [“(The way of the slothful man is as a hedge of thorns, but the path of the righteous is made plain. –”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/the-way-of-the-slothful-man-is-as-a-hedge-of-thorns-but-the-path-of/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [He who is slothful in his work is a brother to him who is a great destroyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/he-who-is-slothful-in-his-work-is-a-brother-to-him-who-is-a-great/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/) > [“Let me tell you that every man, whether he is born rich or poor, is obliged to do something in this world—to occupy himself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlo-collodi/let-me-tell-you-that-every-man-whether-he-is-born-rich-or-poor-is/) [Carlo Collodi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlo-collodi/) > [“In the West we are driven by an extreme form of guilt -- if you are not seen to be working like a dog,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahir-shah/in-the-west-we-are-driven-by-an-extreme-form-of-guilt-if-you-are-not/) [Tahir Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahir-shah/) > [The very soul of the slothful does effectually but lie drowsing in his body, and the whole man is totally given up to his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-l-estrange/the-very-soul-of-the-slothful-does-effectually-but-lie-drowsing-in/) [Roger L'Estrange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-l-estrange/) > [The slothful is the servant of the counters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/the-slothful-is-the-servant-of-the-counters/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [I hate, simply, to work. I just hate to work, period. I am profoundly slothful. Practically inert.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/i-hate-simply-to-work-i-just-hate-to-work-period-i-am-profoundly/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [The Slothful do not have the time to become virtuous or despicable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-slothful-do-not-have-the-time-to-become-virtuous-or-despicable/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I know how deeply slothful I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-epstein/i-know-how-deeply-slothful-i-am/) [Joseph Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-epstein/) > [Heaven is not made for the slothful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-neri/heaven-is-not-made-for-the-slothful/) [Philip Neri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-neri/) > [“The intriguing placidity from the slothful pace of a snail is truly very peaceful. Our world is in need of this calmness to pacify…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munia-khan/the-intriguing-placidity-from-the-slothful-pace-of-a-snail-is-truly/) [Munia Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munia-khan/) > [A lot of times I'll doodle on something while I'm doing interviews, because sometimes I'm on the phone for three or four hours and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-coyne/a-lot-of-times-i-ll-doodle-on-something-while-i-m-doing-interviews/) [Wayne Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-coyne/) > [Songs, and songwriting keeps me inspired, moving forward. I tend to scribble down notes, lyrics or just random thoughts on pieces of paper, backs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waite/songs-and-songwriting-keeps-me-inspired-moving-forward-i-tend-to/) [John Waite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waite/) ## More by Edgar Allan Poe > [“From childhood’s hour I have not been As others were—I have not seen As others saw—I could not bring My passions from a common…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/from-childhood-s-hour-i-have-not-been-as-others-were-i-have-not-seen/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [There is no passion in nature so demoniacally impatient, as that of him who, shuddering upon the edge of a precipice, thus meditates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/there-is-no-passion-in-nature-so-demoniacally-impatient-as-that-of/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [To vilify a great man is the readiest way in which a little man can himself attain greatness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/to-vilify-a-great-man-is-the-readiest-way-in-which-a-little-man-can/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [“A skillful literary artist has constructed a tale. If wise, he has not fashioned his thoughts to accommodate his incidents; but having conceived, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/a-skillful-literary-artist-has-constructed-a-tale-if-wise-he-has-not/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [“For eyes we have no models in the remotely antique.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/for-eyes-we-have-no-models-in-the-remotely-antique/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [“During the whole of a dull, dark, and soundless day in the autumn of the year, when the clouds hung oppressively low in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/during-the-whole-of-a-dull-dark-and-soundless-day-in-the-autumn-of/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things that escape those who dream only at night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/those-who-dream-by-day-are-cognizant-of-many-things-that-escape-those/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [“I have said that the sole effect of my somewhat childish experiment—that of looking down within the tarn—had been to deepen the first singular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/i-have-said-that-the-sole-effect-of-my-somewhat-childish-experiment/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [And all my days are trances, And all my nightly dreams Are where thy dark eye glances, And where thy footstep gleams-- In what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/and-all-my-days-are-trances-and-all-my-nightly-dreams-are-where-thy/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [“Other friends have flown before — On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.” Quoth the raven, “Nevermore.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/other-friends-have-flown-before-on-the-morrow-he-will-leave-me-as-my/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [“To the right and left, as far as the eye could reach, there lay outstretched, like ramparts of the world, lines of horridly black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/to-the-right-and-left-as-far-as-the-eye-could-reach-there-lay/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [Men die nightly in their beds, wringing the hands of ghostly confessors ... on account of the hideousness of mysteries which will not suffer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/men-die-nightly-in-their-beds-wringing-the-hands-of-ghostly/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [And the Raven, never flitting, Still is sitting, still is sitting On the pallid bust of Pallas Just above my chamber door; And his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/and-the-raven-never-flitting-still-is-sitting-still-is-sitting-on-the/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [I was forced to fall back upon the unsatisfactory conclusion, that while, beyond doubt, there are combinations of very simple natural objects which have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/i-was-forced-to-fall-back-upon-the-unsatisfactory-conclusion-that/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [“For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams Of the beautiful Annabel Lee; And the stars never rise but i feel the bright…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/for-the-moon-never-beams-without-bringing-me-dreams-of-the-beautiful/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) [Explore all 615 Edgar Allan Poe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) ## More All night quotes > [Every wife ought to answer for her man. If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [I'm neurotic in the sense that I can have a crowd of 300 people cheering you, applauding you, standing O, but one guy come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-white/i-m-neurotic-in-the-sense-that-i-can-have-a-crowd-of-300-people/) [Wayne White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-white/) > [ Senator \[Tom\] Cotton has campaigned on wanting to kill Obamacare. He voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act back in January, but he now… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/senator-tom-cotton-has-campaigned-on-wanting-to-kill-obamacare-he/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [Teenagers complain there's nothing to do, then stay out all night doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-phillips/teenagers-complain-there-s-nothing-to-do-then-stay-out-all-night/) [Bob Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-phillips/) > [Few, if any, creatures are equally active all night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/few-if-any-creatures-are-equally-active-all-night/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Everyone has seen people dancing all night. But take a man and make him dance for a quarter of an hour without music and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-de-saxe/everyone-has-seen-people-dancing-all-night-but-take-a-man-and-make/) [Maurice de Saxe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-de-saxe/) > [Never walk near the bed; to a ghost your ankle is your most vulnerable part-once in bed, you're safe; he may lie around under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/never-walk-near-the-bed-to-a-ghost-your-ankle-is-your-most-vulnerable/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [I think I fully commit myself to any role to the extent to which I can. In other words there's some roles that maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-think-i-fully-commit-myself-to-any-role-to-the-extent-to-which-i/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [I memorize my lines and I show up. I think it's just instinctual, and sometimes it's wrong and the director says, "No, do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lawrence/i-memorize-my-lines-and-i-show-up-i-think-it-s-just-instinctual-and/) [Jennifer Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lawrence/) > [I feel like a midget with muddy feet had been walking over my tongue all night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-fields/i-feel-like-a-midget-with-muddy-feet-had-been-walking-over-my-tongue/) [W. C. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields/) > [If I walk into a place, a party, say, and there's a bookshelf, I immediately gravitate toward it. Unless there's a bar. But even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-evison/if-i-walk-into-a-place-a-party-say-and-there-s-a-bookshelf-i/) [Jonathan Evison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-evison/) > [When you're doing a play you get to go full speed ahead, all night, in front of an audience. It's a roller-coaster ride, responding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-patrick-thomas/when-you-re-doing-a-play-you-get-to-go-full-speed-ahead-all-night-in/) [Sean Patrick Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-patrick-thomas/) > [I'm kinda tired. I was up all night trying to round off infinity. Then I got bored and went out and painted passing lines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-m-kinda-tired-i-was-up-all-night-trying-to-round-off-infinity-then/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I've been thinking of a story from the Old Testament: Moses stood all day and all night with outstretched arms, praying to God for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-scholl/i-ve-been-thinking-of-a-story-from-the-old-testament-moses-stood-all/) [Sophie Scholl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-scholl/) > [Basically Ken is a very gentle, home-loving person. I remember when one of his stick insects had a knee infection. He stayed up all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/basically-ken-is-a-very-gentle-home-loving-person-i-remember-when-one/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) [Browse all 335 All night quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/all-night/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I am excessively slothful, and wonderfully industrious-by fits. There are epochs when any kind of mental exercise is torture, and when nothing yields me pleasure but the solitary communion with the 'mountains & the woods'-the 'altars' of Byron. I have thus rambled and dreamed away whole months, and awake, at last, to a sort of mania for composition. 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