A frazzled scribbler, though he labors by the grace of God, cultivating stony ground far afield of Eden, would rather find a a quiet place in a solitary wood, where he is able to rest with a pipe and a copy of Bede's commentary on St. Peter's first epistle. Pipe smoking does me the great service of slowing down my hasty and thoughtless prayers, and reminds me that after a conversation with my wife, many of my anxieties will also fade like smoke.