The Lost Art of Thoughtful Living
Grace & Wisdom: The Art of Being a Gentleman Philosopher, Part 1
📚 A Life of Grace and Wisdom in an Age of Distraction 🎩
My dear friends and cherished readers,
Welcome to what I pray will be the beginning of a meaningful journey together through the art of becoming a gentleman philosopher. Before we embark, I must extend my heartfelt gratitude for joining me in these contemplative musings. Should you find wisdom or encouragement in these words, I hope you’ll share them with others who might benefit. And please, do send along your questions about life’s persistent puzzles - I rather enjoy pondering such matters over my afternoon tea, particularly those questions that require both intellectual rigor and pastoral sensitivity.
🪑 By the Fireside 📖
As I write these words, I’m settled into my beloved leather armchair beside the crackling fireplace in my study at Palmetto Cove. The evening shadows are lengthening across my collection of well-worn books, and my pipe rests comfortably in its stand, tendrils of aromatic smoke curling lazily upward like the questions that often drift through our minds. On my lap lies a well-worn volume of Richard Weaver’s Ideas Have Consequences - a reminder that how we think shapes not only who we become but the very fabric of our civilization.
The scene before me - books lining the walls, the gentle tick of the grandfather clock, the soft glow of my reading lamp - brings to mind Josef Pieper’s wisdom about leisure being the basis of culture. “Leisure,” he reminded us, “is not the absence of activity... it is activity itself.” Indeed, these quiet moments of contemplation often prove more productive than hours of frenetic busy-work.
My dear wife Savannah has just brought me a cup of Earl Grey (she insists the bergamot helps stimulate profound thoughts, though I suspect she simply enjoys seeing me try to look scholarly). As she arranges a plate of her famous lavender shortbread beside me, I’m reminded of what C.S. Lewis once wrote about friendship: “Is any pleasure on earth as great as a circle of Christian friends by a good fire?”
🎓 What Is a Gentleman Philosopher? 🤔
Now, you might be wondering, “Merri” (as my friends have insisted on calling me for decades), “what exactly is a gentleman philosopher?” Well, as my dear friend Russell Scruton has said, it’s rather like being a gardener of the mind - cultivating wisdom while maintaining civility, even when pulling intellectual weeds.
The concept traces back to the ideal of the Christian humanist scholars of the Renaissance - men like Thomas More and Erasmus - who believed that learning should elevate both mind and character. In our own time, we might think of it as the art of living thoughtfully in a thoughtless age, or as T.S. Eliot put it, “maintaining the permanent things” in a world obsessed with the temporary.
A gentleman philosopher isn’t merely someone who has read Plato (though that certainly doesn’t hurt). Rather, it’s one who seeks to combine the intellectual rigor of the academy with the practical wisdom of everyday life. Flannery O’Connor once noted, “The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it.” We must face life’s profound questions with both courage and grace.
This reminds me of a young man in my Sunday School class, who recently asked why God allows suffering. Instead of launching into a theological discourse on theodicy, I shared with him what Charles Spurgeon once wrote: “I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of Ages.” Sometimes the most profound philosophy comes wrapped in simple wisdom. And for such questions, a professor of mine once put it this way: “Sometimes we need a friend, not a philosopher.”
🌟 The Essential Virtues 📝
The gentleman philosopher cultivates three essential virtues, each rooted in both classical wisdom and biblical truth:
1. Wisdom with Humility: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10 and “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up” (1 Corinthians 8:1). True wisdom starts with recognizing how much we don’t know. Owen Barfield, that often-overlooked Inkling, observed that “the evolution of consciousness is the evolution of humility.”
2. Curiosity with Civility: G.K. Chesterton reminds us, “There are no uninteresting things, only uninterested people.” The gentleman philosopher maintains childlike wonder while engaging with others in mature dialogue.
3. Grace under Pressure: In our rapid-fire age of social media debates and instant opinions, maintaining composure is itself a philosophical act. Walker Percy once observed, we must be “pilgrims in a world of packaged answers.” The gentleman philosopher seeks what Richard Weaver called “the ceremony of innocence” - that dignity of discourse that elevates rather than degrades.
🌿 The Practice of Contemplation 📚
The gentleman philosopher’s life isn’t merely theoretical - it must be lived. Richard Baxter wisely counseled, “Practical knowledge is the end of all mere theoretical and scientific knowledge.” Let me suggest several foundational practices that have served me well in this pursuit:
1. Thoughtful Living Requires Intentional Space: “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10) speaks not just to spiritual practice but to intellectual life as well. In our hurried age, we must create what Josef Pieper called “zones of silence” - physical and temporal spaces dedicated to reflection.
My own study serves as such a sanctuary. Its walls, lined with books from floor to ceiling, remind me of what C.S. Lewis called “the clean sea breeze of the centuries” - that fresh perspective that comes from engaging with great minds across time. Even my beloved pipe, a faithful companion in contemplation, helps mark these moments as set apart from the day’s hustle.
2. True Wisdom Combines Knowledge with Character: John Henry Newman argued that the aim of a liberal education was to cultivate “a philosophical habit of mind.” This habit involves not just accumulating facts but developing wisdom.
I’m reminded of a conversation with my daughter during her college years. Struggling with reconciling her faith and her studies, she asked how I maintained both intellectual rigor and spiritual devotion. I shared with her Owen Barfield’s insight that “you don't look at things differently by traveling to new places, but by developing new eyes.” Cultivating an eternal perspective in this temporal world has served me well.
3. Community Enhances Individual Contemplation: As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another (Proverbs 27:17). The gentleman philosopher isn’t a solitary figure but one embedded in community. My monthly video meetings with Rev. Gabriel Shepherd and our small circle of friends have produced more wisdom than many formal lectures I’ve attended.
Action Steps for the Aspiring Gentleman Philosopher:
1. Create Your “Thinking Chair”: Designate a specific spot for daily reflection. Mine happens to be that leather armchair by the fire, but yours might be a garden bench or a corner of your local library. The key is consistency and comfort. The Philosopher, Roger Scruton noted, “The right atmosphere is as crucial to thinking as good soil is to growing.”
2. Establish a Daily Ritual of Reflection: Set aside at least 30 minutes each day for focused contemplation. I prefer the early morning hours, when, as George Herbert wrote, “the dew of sleep is not yet dried from the mind.” Keep a commonplace book nearby - I use a leather-bound journal given to me by Savannah - to capture insights and questions.
3. Practice the Art of Conversation: Seek out or create opportunities for meaningful dialogue. Host a monthly salon in your home, join a book club, or simply cultivate the habit of asking thoughtful questions in daily interactions.
🏡 A Personal Invitation 🤝
I must confess something rather personal: despite appearing quite sociable (particularly when discussing Handel’s Messiah or championing the superiority of SEC football), I’m actually quite introverted. Yet I’ve found that sharing our intellectual journeys enriches them immeasurably. As Christina Rossetti beautifully expressed, “Were there no God, we would be in this glorious world with grateful hearts and no one to thank.”
The gentleman philosopher’s path is not a solitary one, though it requires solitude. It’s rather like my favorite walk through Palmetto Cove’s historic district - while I may stroll alone, I’m surrounded by the architecture and stories of generations past, and often encounter fellow wanderers with whom to share observations.
Looking Ahead 🔮
In the coming weeks, we’ll explore various aspects of the gentleman philosopher’s life: from building a personal library to hosting meaningful conversations, from cultivating virtue to preserving cultural heritage. Think of it as a sort of intellectual garden party, where ideas bloom and wisdom grows.
We’ll delve into questions that have occupied great minds throughout history while maintaining our focus on practical application. As J.C. Ryle wisely noted, “The best practical theology is to preach the simple word of God.” Similarly, the best practical philosophy is that which helps us live more thoughtfully and graciously in our daily lives.
Until our paths cross again, may your thoughts be deep, your books be numerous, and your tea be properly steeped (though coffee is perfectly acceptable, particularly when contemplating knotty philosophical problems).
Yours in perpetual contemplation,
Augustus B. Merriweather III
Gentleman Philosopher, Tea Enthusiast, and Optimistic Dawgs Fan
P.S. Speaking of contemplation, I’ve noticed my walking stick has gone missing again. If anyone spots a distinguished-looking cane attempting to write poetry in the garden, do let me know. These philosophical tools sometimes develop minds of their own! As G.K. Chesterton might say, even ordinary objects can become extraordinary when viewed through the lens of wonder. 🎩✒️
Want to join more gentlemanly musings? You can find additional reflections at Walking Points. And do share these thoughts with others who might appreciate a touch of philosophical grace in their day. As John Donne reminds us, “No man is an island” - we grow in wisdom together.