---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: At my age, and in my circumstances, what…"
description: "\"At my age, and in my circumstances, what sinister object, or personal emolument had I to seek after, in this life? The growing infirmities of age and t..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a12/george-washington-257_age_at-my-age-and-in-my-circumstances-what-s_1615481.jpg"
---

#  At my age, and in my circumstances, what sinister object…

![“At my age, and in my circumstances, what sinister object, or personal emolument had I to seek after, in this life? The growing infirmities of age and the increasing love of retirement, daily confirm my decided predilection for domestic life: and the great Searcher of human hearts is my witness…” quote by George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a12/george-washington-257_age_at-my-age-and-in-my-circumstances-what-s_1615481.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a12/george-washington-257_age_at-my-age-and-in-my-circumstances-what-s_1615481.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a12/george-washington-257_age_at-my-age-and-in-my-circumstances-what-s_1615481.jpg)

> “At my age, and in my circumstances, what sinister object, or personal emolument had I to seek after, in this life? The growing infirmities of age and the increasing love of retirement, daily confirm my decided predilection for domestic life: and the great Searcher of human hearts is my witness, that I have no wish, which aspires beyond the humble and happy lot of living and dying a private citizen on my own farm.”

[George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He expresses contentment with a simple, private life, rejecting ambition for public or material gain.

**In simple terms:** He prefers a quiet, private life over fame or wealth.

Key Takeaway

Embrace modesty and personal fulfillment.

Themes

contentment humility private life aging retirement

Mood

reflective peaceful contemplative

Type

personal philosophical reflective

When to use this quote

- farm life
- late career
- retirement planning
- personal reflection

Key Concepts

personal fulfillment simplicity life purpose

Questions to Reflect On

- What does a simple life mean to you?
- How do you balance personal peace with societal duties?

A Different Perspective

May overlook opportunities for broader impact or societal contribution.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Domestic life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/domestic-life/) [Farms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/farms/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Human heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-heart/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Humble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humble/) [Infirmity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infirmity/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Retirement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retirement/) [This life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/this-life/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/)

## Related quotes

> [The great Searcher of human hearts is my witness, that I have no wish, which aspires beyond the humble and happy lot of living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-great-searcher-of-human-hearts-is-my-witness-that-i-have-no-wish/)

[George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/)

> [“The king died last. They made him watch and what he did to those princesses and his queen I will never repeat as long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/the-king-died-last-they-made-him-watch-and-what-he-did-to-those/)

[Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/)

> [“The search for a proper tempo is not confined to the world of music - one must seek it in life as well”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhu-xiao-mei/the-search-for-a-proper-tempo-is-not-confined-to-the-world-of-music/)

[Zhu Xiao-Mei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhu-xiao-mei/)

> [“To a certain degree, We all seek, life’s purpose and meaning, love, peace and joy, and knowledge, wealth and power…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-alan-appt/to-a-certain-degree-we-all-seek-life-s-purpose-and-meaning-love-peace/)

[I. Alan Appt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-alan-appt/)

> [Most often people seek in life occasions for persisting in their opinions rather than for educating themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/most-often-people-seek-in-life-occasions-for-persisting-in-their/)

[Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/)

> [He must not merely cling to life, for then he will be a coward, and will not escape. He must not merely wait for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-must-not-merely-cling-to-life-for-then-he-will-be-a-coward-and/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Entities have died, but what they seek is life again. They miss it. They want to experience food again, basic things. They are low…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/entities-have-died-but-what-they-seek-is-life-again-they-miss-it-they/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [An actor must interpret life, and in order to do so must be willing to accept all the experiences life has to offer. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dean/an-actor-must-interpret-life-and-in-order-to-do-so-must-be-willing-to/)

[James Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dean/)

> [“A man cut off by the sea may save his life if he will risk it on the precipice. He can only get away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/a-man-cut-off-by-the-sea-may-save-his-life-if-he-will-risk-it-on-the/)

[G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/)

> [“The case is very plain before me. In leaving England, I should leave a loved but empty land — Mr. Rochester is not there;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/the-case-is-very-plain-before-me-in-leaving-england-i-should-leave-a/)

[Charlotte Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/)

> [If happiness is the only prize we seek in life, then we will be guaranteed to spend a good part of our lives deep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-white/if-happiness-is-the-only-prize-we-seek-in-life-then-we-will-be/)

[Robert White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-white/)

> [There is a life-force within your soul, seek that life. There is a gem in the mountain of your body, seek that mine. O…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-a-life-force-within-your-soul-seek-that-life-there-is-a-gem/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“You that seek what life is in death, Now find it air that once was breath.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-brooke-fulke-greville/you-that-seek-what-life-is-in-death-now-find-it-air-that-once-was/)

Baron Brooke Fulke Greville

> [“Be careful for what you seek; once you find it life’s adventures may be dull afterward.” John A Miller”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-a-miller/be-careful-for-what-you-seek-once-you-find-it-life-s-adventures-may/)

[John A. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-a-miller/)

> [“I would tell you I hope you find what you seek in life, but your problem is you’re not looking. The only looking you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-would-tell-you-i-hope-you-find-what-you-seek-in-life-but-your/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

## More by George Washington

> [It is absolutely necessary... for me to have persons that can think for me, as well as execute orders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/it-is-absolutely-necessary-for-me-to-have-persons-that-can-think-for/)

[George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/)

> [The whole duty of man is summed up in obedience to God's will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-whole-duty-of-man-is-summed-up-in-obedience-to-god-s-will/)

[George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/)

> [The turning points of lives are not the great moments. The real crises are often concealed in occurrences so trivial in appearance that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-turning-points-of-lives-are-not-the-great-moments-the-real-crises/)

[George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/)

> [The propitious smiles of Heaven, can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right, which Heaven itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-propitious-smiles-of-heaven-can-never-be-expected-on-a-nation/)

[George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/)

> [Interwoven as is the love of liberty with every ligament of your hearts, no recommendation of mine is necessary to fortify or confirm the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/interwoven-as-is-the-love-of-liberty-with-every-ligament-of-your/)

[George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/)

> [In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/in-vain-would-that-man-claim-the-tribute-of-patriotism-who-should/)

[George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/)

> [The blessed Religion revealed in the word of God will remain an eternal and awful monument to prove that the best Institution may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-blessed-religion-revealed-in-the-word-of-god-will-remain-an/)

[George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/)

> [While we are contending for our own liberty, we should be very cautious not to violate the conscience of others, ever considering that God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/while-we-are-contending-for-our-own-liberty-we-should-be-very/)

[George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/)

> [Among many other weighty objections to the Measure, it has been suggested, that it has a tendency to introduce religious disputes into the Army,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/among-many-other-weighty-objections-to-the-measure-it-has-been/)

[George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/)

> [Democratical States must always feel before they can see: it is this that makes their Governments slow, but the people will be right at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/democratical-states-must-always-feel-before-they-can-see-it-is-this/)

[George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/)

> [If, in the opinion of the people, the distribution or modification of the constitutional powers be in any particular wrong, let it be corrected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/if-in-the-opinion-of-the-people-the-distribution-or-modification-of/)

[George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/)

> [A man's intentions should be allowed in some respects to plead for his actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/a-man-s-intentions-should-be-allowed-in-some-respects-to-plead-for/)

[George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/)

> [It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible. Do not ever let anyone claim to be a true American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/it-is-impossible-to-rightly-govern-the-world-without-god-and-the/)

[George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/)

> [My first wish is to see this plague of mankind banished from the earth, and the sons and daughters of this world employed in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/my-first-wish-is-to-see-this-plague-of-mankind-banished-from-the/)

[George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/)

> [Lenity will operate with greater force, in some instances, than rigor. It is, therefore, my first wish, to have my whole conduct distinguished by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/lenity-will-operate-with-greater-force-in-some-instances-than-rigor/)

[George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/)

[Explore all 801 George Washington quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/)

## More Age quotes

> [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/)

[Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/)

> [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/)

[Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/)

> [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/)

[Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/)

> [When I first started writing, when I was 15, I would go to work with people and they would tell me my lyrics were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-claudio/when-i-first-started-writing-when-i-was-15-i-would-go-to-work-with/)

[Sabrina Claudio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-claudio/)

> [Real people speak in my books about the main events of the age, such as the war, the Chernobyl disaster, and the downfall of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/svetlana-alexievich/real-people-speak-in-my-books-about-the-main-events-of-the-age-such/)

[Svetlana Alexievich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/svetlana-alexievich/)

> [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/)

[Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/)

> [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/)

[Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/)

> [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/)

[Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/)

> [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/)

[Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/)

> [Age is an accumulation of life and loss. Adulthood is a series of lines crossed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-goodman/age-is-an-accumulation-of-life-and-loss-adulthood-is-a-series-of/)

[Ellen Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-goodman/)

> [I calculated that if I live up to the age of 80, then I end up using 450 toothbrushes in my life. All that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dia-mirza/i-calculated-that-if-i-live-up-to-the-age-of-80-then-i-end-up-using/)

[Dia Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dia-mirza/)

> [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? Because all else is temporary, while beauty and wisdom are the only real and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/why-is-wisdom-so-fair-why-is-beauty-so-wise-because-all-else-is/)

[Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/)

> [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/)

[Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/)

> [That old man dies prematurely whose memory records no benefits conferred. They only have lived long who have lived virtuously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/that-old-man-dies-prematurely-whose-memory-records-no-benefits/)

[Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/)

> [We have started to make music at age seven. That was a hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kaulitz/we-have-started-to-make-music-at-age-seven-that-was-a-hard-work/)

[Bill Kaulitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kaulitz/)

[Browse all 18,948 Age quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "At my age, and in my circumstances, what sinister object, or personal emolument had I to seek after, in this life? The growing infirmities of age and the increasing love of retirement, daily confirm my decided predilection for domestic life: and the great Searcher of human hearts is my witness, that I have no wish, which aspires beyond the humble and happy lot of living and dying a private citizen on my own farm.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "George Washington"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/at-my-age-and-in-my-circumstances-what-sinister-object-or-personal/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Age"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/at-my-age-and-in-my-circumstances-what-sinister-object-or-personal/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a12/george-washington-257_age_at-my-age-and-in-my-circumstances-what-s_1615481.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a12/george-washington-257_age_at-my-age-and-in-my-circumstances-what-s_1615481.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a12/george-washington-257_age_at-my-age-and-in-my-circumstances-what-s_1615481.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“At my age, and in my circumstances, what sinister object, or personal emolument had I to seek after, in this…” — George Washington",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "George Washington",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "At my age, and in my...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/at-my-age-and-in-my-circumstances-what-sinister-object-or-personal/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/at-my-age-and-in-my-circumstances-what-sinister-object-or-personal/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
