The Two Towers by J.R.R Tolkien (Harper Collins 1991, 2007) pp. 730-734
Gandalf takes Théoden and Éomer around the walls of the flooded fortress of Isengard to find Treebeard and leaves Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli behind at the gatehouse with Merry and Pippin. So it is that the three hunters are reunited at last with the captives of the orcs in the very place in which Merry and Pippin were to have been held prisoner by Saruman. The young hobbits are able to provide their guests with a decent meal and a choice of wine or beer and then, when hunger is satisfied and a deep sense of contentment gently descends upon these friends Merry and Pippin are able to provide something that will deepen that feeling and that is Longbottom leaf, pipeweed of the very finest quality.
“Now let us take our ease here for a little!” said Ara Aragorn. “We will sit on the edge of ruin and talk, as Gandalf says, while he is busy elsewhere. I feel a weariness such as I have seldom felt before.” He wrapped his grey cloak about him, hiding his mail-shirt, and stretched out his long legs. Then he lay back and sent from his lips a thin stream of smoke.”
All pipe-smokers will know the particular pleasure that is achieved through the careful practice of their art. A really good pipe requires the right state of mind in order that it might be fully enjoyed. If one comes to a pipe in an agitated state then that feeling will be transmitted to the experience; but if one is able to achieve an inner quiet before lighting a well prepared pipe then both pipe and the state of mind can deepen one another. This is Aragorn’s experience now at the end of nine days endless activity since he decided to go in search of the young hobbits across the plains of Rohan.
With some sadness I have to describe myself as a former pipe-smoker and so I have had to draw upon memories of some years ago. I never smoked more than one or, at the most, two pipes in a day and I always did so when the tasks of the day were done and I had a quiet moment for thought or in the pleasant company of a fellow smoker. So for me the experience of pipe-smoking and inner quiet are intimately and delightfully linked.
My pipe-smoking career came to an end when my older daughter came back from school one day and put a screen-saver on my PC with the words, “Daddy, you will die!” It seemed that she had had a class that day in which the dangers of smoking to health were presented to the children. As she listened to the teacher anxiety grew within her about her own father and so she worked out a way of telling me about this. I love my daughter very much and as soon as I saw the message I knew that I could not be the deliberate cause of anxiety in her and so I gave up smoking my pipe on that very day.
If you want to learn a little about the pleasures of pipeweed then could I please recommend a talk by Malcolm Guite that you can find on his YouTube channel. If you search for him on pipe-smoking you will find a number of short videos there as well as much good material, especially the work that he is doing at present on the retelling of the Galahad tales from the Arthurian legends.
It is Pippin who realises that, as he watches Aragorn smoke his pipe, that he is back in the Prancing Pony with the stranger who will eventually introduce himself as Strider. And as he remembers he speaks.
“Strider the Ranger has come back!”
And Aragorn replies: “He has never been away… I am Strider and Dúnadan too, and I belong to Gondor and the North.”
Pippin belongs to the North and it is there that he first met the man who would be his king both there and in Gondor. it was Bilbo who first introduced us to Aragorn as Dúnadan, man of the West, of Númenor, making us realise his deep lineage, beginning with Eärendil and Elwing, and, before them, Beren and Lúthien. And it was Gandalf who told us that to call Aragorn only a Ranger was to misunderstand him completely. Later Pippin would hail Aragorn as Strider in the presence of the lords of that land which would prompt the Prince of Dol Amroth to ask, somewhat sardonically, whether it would be in terms of easy familiarity like this that kings would henceforth be addressed. Aragorn’s reply displayed his mastery of the moment as well as his mastery of himself.
“Strider shall be the name of my house, if that ever be established. In the high tongue it will not sound so ill, and Telcontar I will be and all the heirs of my body.”
Wisdom from The Lord of the Rings 
As a former pipe smoker, I recognise what you say about finding the right, quiet moment. There is a video on YouTube of Tolkien smoking. As one of the comments on the thread says, the most delightful part is when he lights the match; his eyebrows quiver with anticipation. The video is: Tolkien Smoking Jonathan Fruoco.
Oh dear, Chris, another ex pipe smoker! I hope that there will be room in heaven for the enjoyment of pipes. I tried to engage my daughter in conversation about this nearly 25 years on, telling her that I was writing about this but she was in a piritanical mood.
I look forward to watching the Tolkien video. Did you see the Malcolm Guite video, his short essay on pipe smoking?
I trust and believe there is a place in heaven even for us reprobates! Tolkien will be on hand to offer expert advice. Thanks for the link to Malcolm Guite, of whom I’d not previously heard. He looks an engaging chap, with his book-lined study, pipes and mugs of beer. And what a beard! I look forward to making further acquaintance of him.
Glad to have introduced you to him, Chris. I hope that you enjoy the time in his company.
Dear Stephen,
It is with deep sadness that I, too, have to describe myself as a former pipe-smoker. Many years ago, I became convicted that I should not do it. Being me, I fought it – more than once – but only ended up fighting my conscience and losing my peace.
I still miss my pipes and tend to avoid Malcolm Guite (whom I otherwise love!) because it is painful to watch him! For all I know, my conviction was wrong, but I am not at liberty to contest it, as Romans 14:23 (LB especially) says.
Having said all that, thank you for your blog, which I enjoyed. I had never made the connection between Strider, the pipe, and Pippin’s reaction. It is good to have these points made by others, who notice what I do not!
Ken
Oh, Ken, it sounds as if your farewell to the pipe was mire painful than mine. I simply felt that I had an obligation to my daughter. But you are right as you say that whether we smoke (or eat meat) or not, we do it unto God, and not ourselves. I hope that you enjoy other pleasures.
Other pleasures? Ah, indeed! I now find great fulfillment in hurling aubergines at little old ladies. But I still miss my pipes!
I once knew a French aristocrat who would wind down the car window and shout insults at old ladies who were not crossing the road quickly enough for him. Deeply upsetting for this English man schooled in the central importance of politeness at all times even, indeed especially when you are angry!
Oh dear! May neither of us ever behave in that way. I am glad I am not an aristocrat!
A terrible burden!
Pipe-smoking seems too slow-paced for modern life, so it was probably doomed to extinction before long. I wonder how many extra decades it persisted thanks to Tolkien. And Conan Doyle before him, I suppose.
I am sure that you are right about this. The cigarette is much more suited to modernity for that very reason. I have only smoked the occasional cigarette. It seemed appropriate to smoke Gauloise with the same French aristocrat to whom I referred in other comments (I wonder why he is coming to mind right now?).The slowing of the pace is very much what they was trying to get at. Aragorn only smokes his pipe when the pace drops. Gandalf smokes in order to think as in Moria when he is not sure which way to go. Harold Wilson when British prime minister used to light his pipe during media interviews when asked a tricky question. I smoked my pipe only when I had sufficient time and inner quiet.