The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1888-08-01
Five Gents.
On Solitude.

On solitude.
Editor Mirror:
Thrice happy he, who by shady grove,
Far from the clamorous world. doth live his own;
Thou solitary who is not alone
Both doth converse with that eternal loved"
Yet few are they who would respond to
that solution of ''thrice happy" or even
feel nodcum of content in such secluSiOn.
And how opinion is divide upon this state,
which Drummond. poet of more than two
centuries ago, so earnestly advocates in
these lines.
Very sensibly says Hannah More: I'm
complete seclusion the eve wants objects;
the heart, attachments; the understanding,
tenderness when it has nothing to love; it's
tirmness when it has nothing to strengthen
it; its sweetness when it has nothing to
sOOthe it,"
While in yet broader view, Emerson
has written: 1T is ease in the world to live
after your own; but the greater man is he
who in the midst OF the crowd, keeps with
perfect sweetness the independence of SOli-
tude." And hear Bryant in his Forest
Hymn" There have been holy men who
hid themselves deep in the woody wilder
ness, and gave their lives to thought and
prayer, till they Outlived the generations
born with them, nor seemed less aged than
the hoary trees and rocks around them; and
there have been holy men who deemed it
were not we'll to pass life thus" These
recluses were actuated from religious mo-
tives. but will it be believed that formerly,
| in England, a hermit was considered
proper adjunct for a nObleman's grounds.
a hermitage being built in some retired
spot for his habitatiOn? A venerable lady
has been heard to describe the visit of a
pleasure party to one of the many old
country seats where strangers are admitted.
LET us 90 and see the hermit" was pro-
posed during the day; and accordingly they
set forth. She, then young girl. was
rather impressed by his appearance, but
some of the more astute ''menfOlk" COM
mented upon his well-gOt-up dress and his
manner; and said, these recluSes. unlike
Bryant'S seemingly mo less aged than the
hoary trees and rocks around them." soon
wearied of that mOnOtony, and were in turn,
succeeded by gOOdly number. And in an
old London paper, there was an advertise
ment, which probably at the time of its
date excited little curiOsity-the advertiser
expressing his desire to obtain the position
OF ''hermit in some gentleman'S grounds"
1t concluded in French, ''Pest undenier
resort" What might not that unknown
mans story have revealed? Surely, failure
and bitter disappointment had played their
parts.
Lord LyttOn seems to have held adverse
opinions from those already quoted when
saying, THE world mOulders away the fab
ric of our early nature. and solitude places
| it upon tirmer base" For variety'S sake
Cowper's perhaps too we'll known lines
must be added:
II praise the Frenchman his remark was shrewd,
How sweet-how passing sweet is solitude.
But grant me still friend in my retreat
Whom 1 may whisper. solitude is sweet
Many, who have sought solitude. were
no doubt cheered by such recOllectiOnS as
the following lines indicate:
"Only face at the window, only face-nothing
| more.
Yet the look of the eyes, as they meet mine.
| Still comes to me. DER and DER.
Only word of greeting. only word-that was
all;
| Yet all day in my heart is echoed,
| Like the sound of an angels call.
Only q smile of welcome, only smile as passed,
But that smile will still be remembered
| AS long my life shall last
Only a woman you tell me- only a woman to thee;
| But there's naught this mere earth containeth.
Half so dear as this woman to me.'