It has been a while since we have run a contest on Stogie Review. I’d like to change that. In fact, I’d love to get back to a monthly giveaway like we have done in the past. The first contest we have for you is the opportunity to win a Prometheus Retro Lighter with the Angelenos namesake.
I reviewed this lighter a few months back and was very happy with it. The cool factor alone was enough to win me over. Fortunately, the lighter has worked flawlessly and it isn’t just a show piece. To win this lighter, I want to revisit something I used to do on Walt In PA. I’m going to present to you a cigar quote and I would like you to break it down and tell us what it means to you.
For an example, see: They had no good cigars there, my lord; and I left the place in disgust or Do you collect cigars or buy to smoke?
Quote from an Unknown Englishman
Blessed be the man who invented smoking, the soother and comforter of a troubled spirit, allayer of angry passions, a comfort under loss of breakfast, and to the roamer of desolate places, the solitary wayfarer through life, serving for wife, children, and friends.
In the comment section, tell us what the above quote means to you. Your answer can be as long, or as short, as you like. Jerry, Brian, Mike, and I will put our heads together and select a winner. The winner will be announced in the first week of August, with their answer featured in the blog post. We will be limiting entries to one per person. Our winner must be at least eighteen years old and reside in the United States or Canada. All entries must be in by 11:59 PM EST on July 31, 2011
Simply put it means a good smoke will always be there for you like when you lose your egg Mcmuffin somewhere in the car, just have a smoke. Or when you wife, kids and friends leave, just have a smoke. Or your all pissed off at your neighbor because of his stupid dog, just have a smoke. Or is your are lost in the middle of nowhere, just have a smoke. Basically no matter what happens just have a smoke and all will be well.. Well at least until the smoke is done…………..
Add a little guitar to this entry and you’ve got one solid country western song. LOL
When beset with the negative aspects of life, a good smoke will serve to soothe your soul.
To me he’s saying he’s thankful for smoke, cause through the good times and the bad times Your cigar could always be your companion
To me this means the man who invented cigars (I know it says smoking but for the purpose of this interpretation I am limiting to cigars) is an absolute SAINT, as cigar smoking keeps us happy, healthy, and above all – SANE, for the sake and betterment of our family and friends.
If that’s how this gentleman regards smoke, just imagine how he feels about booze!
Most people who see me smoking a cigar show plainly that they have contempt, disgust, annoyance, all three, or worse, simply because I have the arrogance -the gall even!- to smoke a stick of cancer in their holier than thou bubble which seems to extend 100 yards in every direction. However, what this quote demonstrates is that cigar smokers (and pipe smokers) do not smoke because we have a nasty addictive habit, but because we find solace in enveloping our palate with the many varied flavors of tobacco which our world produces. What it means then is that cigars give us hope, because they can spark our imagination, they can allow us to reflect upon a day, they can allow us to concentrate on the task at hand, they allow us to simply unburden ourselves mentally and physically. To me, this quote means cigars put our souls at peace. While I may have only been smoking for two years now, I can easily say that cigars embody what it means to be happy.
At the end of the day, smoking cigars may be detrimental to my physical health. But you know what? I am completely fine with that, because I know, that the peace of mind, and the enjoyment in which I find in cigars will benefit me much more than popping an effexor, zoloft, prozac or paxil.
Smoking is his security blanket. Something you can snuggle up with and forget what’s happening in the rest of the world.
It means this guy is seriously addicted to tobacco…..particularly the cigar variety
To me this quote represents everything that a man (or woman) works for. Even though one is willing to wake up every morning to provide for their family, it does not mean that they cannot have the simple pleasures in life like having a fine cigar. After a day of backbreaking work, there’s nothing better than relaxing with your loved ones while enjoying a premium smoke.
The author is expressing deep gratitude towards the person who discovered that smoking tobacco has some mysterious, intrinsic and fundamental connection to humanity. With due acknowledgment to it’s discoverer, the author reflects on the long history of tobacco’s unselfish gift to us; its unique capacity to lift ones spirit in times of trouble or distress, help us relax, and even settle an upset stomach! It is a brilliant passage to also remind us that some anonymous pioneer, followed by uncountable generations since, began the legacy of human brotherhood found in the simple art of smoking tobacco.
For me, this quote goes well beyond cigars.
Though the author is expressing his love for a constant. For many of us this constant is different. Whether it be family, friends, or a vice in this case, this is the one constant in a world full of variables and uncertainties. Like a spider dangling from its web, this constant becomes the one string that keeps us from falling.
A beautiful, complex quote. Thank you for sharing it with us.
The pleasure of a good smoke has a way of burning away troubles brought on by bad days. It brings peace to a man’s spirit and makes him a joy to be around.
BTW, I found a similar Turkish proverb that goes: “Coffee and tobacco are complete repose.”
Your quote certainly thanks the discoverer of tobacco, and points to its many solaces. But for me personally, it speaks to the simplicity and simple pleasure that a cigar to bring to my life.
A friend and I were talking about this the other day. It boils down to the fact that you can’t hurry a cigar … a cigar forces me to slow down.
And in today’s harried, hurried life, that’s a needed thing! During that hour to an hour and a half of time with my cigar, I can relax. During that cigar, I can choose to mentally shut down, or I can think through problems and solutions; I can trully enjoy a few moments luxury of talking with my friends (or newly introduced friends), or I can sit quietly; I can sit and watch a movie or sports, or read a book; I can watch the sunset or close my eyes.
A cigar FORCES me to do things that I normally do not allow myself the time to do — things that today’s society frowns upon as “selfish” and “wasteful”. And yet, the greatest minds and innovators of our time have spoken of smoking cigars to help them think – Napoleon, Einstein, Churchill, Twain, Iaccocca, nearly every American President (http://www.cigarclubnews.com/?cat=7), and more.
While still a relatively new cigar smoker, I agree with your quote that a cigar is a soother and a comforter. A cigar provides a time for luxury when all else fails.
If you don’t want to have a wife, kids or friends…smoke and you will still be happy.
A cigar is a vacation, an hour or two at a time.
To me Smokeing is his mistress, its his get away. The one thing he finds comfort in, never argues, talkes back, is always there when he needs it. All to often in this fucked up world of Tech, information at your fingertips, got to know right now we need more quotes like this to remind us to take time for ourselves, unplug, detach, put the cell down and just smoke. Ask your self this when was the last time you just sat and smoked and did nothing else???
Good Quote.
Jerry, Brian, and I were unable to come to a consensus on a single winner so we opted for the “pick a random comment” approach. Congratulations, you were that lucky comment!
A good smoke is like a good dog. Man’s best friend.
This man is blessed because he made such a grand item for others to indulge their passions in. Giving an outlet to those who a bereft of the world. He opened a new world to those who needed one and gave them a new passion the love of the leaf. It is the one item that no matter what you mood is it will soothe the every need of the aching soul.
The Englishman is acknowledging the person who discovered the art of taking the tobacco in its various forms: filler, binder, and wrapper creating it into something beautiful. This product is a pleasure that the Englishman recognizes as it can help him get through hard times, whether lost or hurt, for a cigar is ultimately a way to get through a difficult time by contemplating the nature of the problem. I can relate to the Englishman as I have used cigars to serve such a purpose as to think through a problem.
Blessed be the man who invented smoking. Cigars allow us to relax, calm our bodies and spirit. It gives us an opportunity to reflect on our day and our situation, ponder our next step and resolve to put it into action. For those who are single, even those who are resolutely so, Cigars can go a long way to fill the spot a spouse, children and even friends would occupy in our lives.
He loves his family, but he loves his cigars. Thanks for the contest.
Who the hell knows!
When life sucks console yourself with a cigar.
I feel it’s a description of the personal enjoyment of smoking, and how that enjoyment relaxes, alleviates & romances oneself through the very personable smoking experience. Even if not with a fine cigar, but also a regular cigarette offers some peace and escape to the smoker while in this private, or rather self, time.
The last bit about the roamer of desolate places and serving loved ones is interesting and may allude to some deeper philosophical romancing of this private time. The moments spent in this personal zone does help to calm oneself, collect thoughts, and bring a moment of enjoyment that wishfuly would benefit the acquaintences of a calmer, more mindful person when in the presence of.
yeah ok so I’m trying real hard, that lighter looks damn sexy though. 🙂
Smoke those seegars. I love cigars. What the quote means is simple–smoke the cigars and enjoy them. It doesn’t matter what you smoke, just enjoy your cigar with great company.
everyone has great answers.
i believe what the quotee is trying to convey is that he is giving thanks, thanks to whoever invited smoking, not literally that person but thanking everyone who makes smoking a wonderful cigar possible. He is thanking them because it helps us through life, it helps us during those hard times.
Maybe it’s like becoming one with the cigar. You lose yourself in it; everything fades away: your worries, your problems, your thoughts. They fade into the smoke, and the cigar and you are at peace.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I like cigars?
A cigar and the accompanying smoke is like the cone of silence from Get Smart. It gives you an isolation chamber from the never ending noise and distractions of the world.
The meaning that I get is that smoking encompasses a combination of roles. A friend, a companion or a confidant that is there for us when we need him, in good or bad times. He asks nothing in return, but that we enjoy his company.
In my own words; Thanks to the man who invented smoking because smoking is a hobby that allows someone to sit and quiet their mind, calm down from a frustrating day or put out of their mind the things they lack. To someone who feels lost or alone a cigar is a companion.
This is a heartfelt tribute to whoever came before us that may have introduced the simple pleasure of enjoying tobacco. The quote exemplifies the profound appreciation the writer exudes do to his experience being that of a deep emotional gratitude not limited to the act of smoking in and of itself. Though the author may enjoy the feel, flavor, aroma, and aesthetics of the cigar there is more to its benefit than the five senses may reveal. He finds that his emotional state has also been greatly affected for the better. He expresses that though the human experience may bring the discomfort of hunger, the bitterness of anger, the uneasiness of losing one’s way, and all that may discourage a man as he must toil upon this earth to provide for his family…
…the simple pleasure of enjoying a cigar can lay these maladies to waste and restore us to a peaceful state of mind, body and spirit.
Well, I commented once already and apparently it didn’t go thru. I will try to re-create what I wrote previously. No matter what century, social status, time zone, hemisphere, continent or country you are in, Tobacco and cigars has been the go-to object for relief, peace, comfort, and contentment. Quotes like this remind me of the tradition and history of cigars, as well as tobacco in general. It makes me slow down and appreciate what I DO have in life, not what I don’t have. Quotes like this remind me to always carry smokes with me, just to be prepared if I happen to run into someone that could surely use one. Anyway thats the basic idea. Thanks for posting the contest Walt!
What this means is that no matter how bad things are the LEAF will always give you that moment of peace!!
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If it weren’t for cigars, we would be pissed off, moody, fat(ter) men. Everyone should be glad we have a cigar to smoke.
What that quote tells me is that the author believes as I do. We go through life and take care of our responsibilities. Mostly we work and most of us play very little and when you have the opportunity why not indulge in a little selfishness and have a great cigar. Tomorrow is another day of responsibility for us to take care of, let’s just enjoy our smoke a little to face that new day.
July 5th, 2011 agenda:
1) Leaving the family again to go out on the road again…..not fun
2) 1pm appointment in Miami……pressure
3) 7am flight cancelled……worried
4) 10am flight delayed…..angry
5) On the 11am flight……way too close for my liking
6) Rental car…only one left was a big gas guzzler
7) Get to appointment with minutes to spare……shirt and pants all wrinkled
8) No lunch……what else is new
9) 3 hour presentation…….a lot of questions….all resolved (of course)
10) Internet connection dropped several times during presentation…..clients issue but frustrating
11) Dinner……to tired for sit down….grab a sandwich
12) Passing by Cuban Crafters…..feeling encouraged
13) Buy Padron 4000 Maduro……..can’t wait
14) Smoke Padron 4000 Maduro…..the day is forgotten
Not sure if I can define that quote any better than to lay out today’s experiences.
To me, this quote symbolizes what a cigar can do for your current situation. Whether you are trying to wind down from a hard day, find some peace and quiet to relax with, or celebrate an accomplishment or a moment that your want to remember. That a simple plant placed on the earth can mean so much to one person and so many at the same time. A natural product that can enhance pleasure and diminish grief or stress. The writer understands the relationship with a cigar and its consumer. Long Ashes.
Here’s a quote from Raul Julia(may he rest in peace) with the same meaning, imo….
“Why pay $100 on a therapy session when you can spend $25 on a cigar? Whatever it is will come back; so what, smoke another one… Maybe it’s like becoming one with the cigar. You lose yourself in it; everything fades away: your worries, your problems, your thoughts. They fade into the smoke, and the cigar and you are at peace.
Let it all “fade into the smoke” I dig it.
Why see a therapist when instead, you could have a good cigar?
Regardless of what has happened, a good smoke will be there for you.
I think it means to be happy that some people created cigars and we have the abillity to smoke them all but the cubans!
The quote puts into words the heartfelt thanks and gratefulness of every person who truly, passionately loves and enjoys (not necessarily as an aficionado) the ancient and sacred art of tobacco created for the most appreciative smoker.
Cigars, are a stable. They will always be there and they are never changing. They can be used to celebrate success or to heal a pain. No matter what, take the time to sit down and enjoy a puff, because no matter what the occasion, you’ve earned it.
Quote from an Unknown Englishman
“Blessed be the man who invented smoking, the soother and comforter of a troubled spirit, allayer of angry passions, a comfort under loss of breakfast, and to the roamer of desolate places, the solitary wayfarer through life, serving for wife, children, and friends.”
I’ve met all manner of people while enjoying cigars in the parks and byways of my part of the world and on these travels have been met with a wide range of reactions to the cigar. Of course, not everyone enjoys the scent of a cigar but one particular incident came to mind as I read the above quote.
On this particular day I was sitting in a local park by a river soaking in the peace and quiet but perhaps more than anything, totally wrapped up in the cigar I was smoking. An elderly lady passed by and as I glanced up at her, I noticed she was smiling. We exchanged pleasantries and she commented on the pleasant aroma of my cigar. Just before she continued on her walk, she asked, “Why do you enjoy cigars?” Why indeed!
For me, the answer is as proposed by that ubiquitous unknown Englishman. As he so quaintly states in the prose of another century, a cigar provides a simple remedy for the stresses and challenges encountered throughout the day. Worries and annoyances simply drift away with the wisps of cigar smoke, eventually vanishing. The only thing left behind is a sweet fragrance vaguely reminiscent not of the problems or stresses that have dissipated, but of the wonderment that these things had just a few moments earlier been viewed as annoyances at all.
Comfort. That, in a word is what cigars represent to me. And so in the words of a bygone era and of an unknown Englishman, “blessed be the man who invented smoking”. Cigar smoking was inferred, of that I have no doubt!
A cigar is a man’s escape from a world that he is responsible for. When he smokes a cigar it takes him away from the troubles of the day and soothes him. To this man, a cigar is a way to step back and away from his responsibilities and stresses. Without cigars, what respite would he have from the world?
Sleep? No sleep gives no respite because he is haunted by the worries of tomorrow.
A soothing embrace? An embrace does not sooth while expecting food in the pantry.
A cigar is a sheltered island in a raging sea, a safe haven.
When life gives you lemons….smoke a cigar.
It seems to be that a cigar is whatever you need it to be. Often times, its just a way for me to relax and escape from the rigors of normal life…
What the quote means to me is that, despite whatever problems or troubles you may have going on in your life, or whatever stressors you may be under…at any given moment…you can take a break from it all and get lost in the wonder and escape that comes with the enjoyment of a cigar. Relax, escape, calm yourself…
To me this quote meaning that what ever you are doing or where you are at in your life, you always know that there is a great cigar waiting for you, that will let you unwind and forget about everthing. Just you and a great cigar, the good life.
1st I believe the writer is thanking the person responsible for cigar smoking. Then he is explaining to us his journey that he has experienced through his cigar smoking life.
To me….I lost everything in life from my wife to my kids and a cigar was the only thing that remained. I can silently light one up and temporarily forget it all….but reality soon returns. Only in that 45 minutes to 1.5 hours am I able to be free from it all.
I just know they’re really good!
A good smoke is like a good friend; a constant companion that can be called upon when comfort is needed. It does not judge, does not brag or boast; it is simple, reliable, and unassuming. The warm, familiar ritual of selecting, preparing, and smoking the perfect stick forces you to take a break from the frantic world around you – giving you time to escape your troubles and reflect upon your graces.
A good smoke can do this and more… if you give yourself to the moment. Don’t be afraid to let go of the world. Take a step back from the hustle and noise; let the stresses of life pass you by – just for a while – and enjoy.
No matter what is happening or troubling you a good smoke will relax and help you through it. This is how I view cigars, they allow me to think, reflect and make the decisions that need to be made.
The way I see this quote is basically that it can be divided into 2 halves:
First, the writer is indicating what smoking has meant to him. He finds that smoking balances him and keeps the things that make him tense in check. It creates a balance within and helps one to forget their troubles. And he finds this to be so significant to him that he wishes blessings upon whoever it was that came up with it.
The second half is what he imagines smoking can accomplish. To him, being lonely and wandering the earth without a friend is a terrible condition to be in (maybe the most terrible). However, it doesnt have to be nearly as terrible because even something as simple as smoking can be the kind of friend that helps a lonely wayfarer carry on. Smoking is a support system that someone can lean on.
This man has a crazy, savage soul. That soul finds no rest during any part of the day except for those minutes when he can inhale and forget his misguided thoughts. Those inhales and exhales release his inner demons and give him a peace that only a true smoker can feel. That moment when you’ve ached for the feeling of that stick between your finger. That anticipation when you spark that flame. That, whole feeling when you inhale and that relief when you exhale. All his problems are gone for that split second.
The cigar,as intended by those who invented it and refined it,can be an oft needed source of inspiration,reflection,insight and satisfying contentment in the maelstrom of life’s daily challenges.
This captures the meaning.
They’re saying that anytime is a good time to have a cigar.
That smoking a cigar can take you away from those troubling things in life
Life happens, but through the thick and thin…the ups and downs…and the chaos of the unpredictable there can always be one constant…the pleasure of a good cigar.
Even from the first line of the quote Blessed be the man who invented smoking to the end of the quote; its settles an sets me to that moment when I am exhuasted an life is just another passing day; I can always trust on a good cigar to clear my thoughts an put me in that state of mind; floating me away from it all an enjoying a great smoke.
This quote reminds me of when I was sailing, and I would sit on the deck in the evening staring out into the endless blue nothing that stretched out before me. The sea has a way, in those quiet moments, of reminding you of all you left behind, those that are eagerly awaiting your return. And in those moments, a good smoke brings you enough comfort to relieve some of your anxieties and find joy in the memory of your loved ones. The most beautiful night at sea without my favorite smoke seemed dismal in comparison.
Thank you person who first used a dry tobacco leaf, perhaps to start a fire or maybe to add to a existing flame, who noticed that he got a pleasant buzz from breathing the smoke from this leaf. Who then had the idea that if he wrapped the leaves or perhaps just let them smolder in a pile and breathed the smoke from the smoldering leaves, it would be a very relaxing experience and then informed his friends about his discovery.
Give everyone a good cigar and it will be the end of road rage.
A good smoke facilitates what my brother and I refer to as a “life combo”. Those times when the stars align (100% literally, of course), and life is broken down into its simplest components. This can happen amidst two very different circumstances though, as follows…
Scenario 1 – The smoke appears to be the only thing you have going in your life at that moment…
The act of smoking allows the complexities of your problems to fall away and those brief moments of clarity bring you back to a state of not feeling like absolute hell about losing your job, girlfriend, or just having a day at work that sucks in literally every imaginable way. If lonely, smoking may not get you new friends, but those few moments let you reflect on those relationships you haven’t already destroyed by being a belligerently drunk asshole.
Scenario 2 – Life is treating you like a spoiled rich kid…
If loneliness isn’t your problem and you’ve got it made, throw in some solid brew, friends, fire, good music and conversation, and you’ve got yourself a “life combo”, my boy!
Who won?
winner please
I commented on the winning entry above. It was czerbe