Ir may, perhaps, excite a smile when I affert, that Solitude is the only school in which the characters of men can be properly developed; but it must be recollected, that, although the materials of this study must be amaffed in Society, it is in So·litude alone that we can apply them to their proper ufe. The world is the great scene of our obfervations; but to apply them with propriety to their refpective objects is exclufively the work of Solitude. It is admitted that a knowledge of the nature of man is neceffary to our happiness; and therefore I cannot conceive how it is poffible to call those characters malignant and mifanthropic, who, while they continue in the world, endeavour to discover even the faults, foibles, and imperfections of humankind. The pursuit of this species of knowledge, which can only be gained by observation, is furely laudable, and not deferving the obloquy that has been caft on it. DoI, in my medical character, feel any malignancy or hatred to the fpecies, when I ftudy the nature and explore the fecret caufes of those weaknesses and diforders which are incidental to the human frame? when I examine the fubject with the closest inspection, and point out for the general benefit, I hope, of mankind, as well as for my own fatisfaction, all the frail and imperfect parts in the anatomy of the human body?

BUT a difference is fuppofed to exist between the obfervations which we are permitted to make

upon

upon the anatomy of the human body, and those which we affume respecting the philosophy of the mind. The physician, it is faid, ftudies the maladies which are incidental to the human frame, to apply fuch remedies as the particular occafion may require but it is contended, that the moralift has a different end in view. This diftinction, however, is certainly without foundation. A fenfible and feeling philofopher views both the moral and phyfical defects of his fellow-creatures with an equal degree of regret. Why do moralifts fhun mankind, by retiring into Solitude, if it be not to avoid the contagion of those vices which they perceive fo prevalent in the world, and which are not obferved by those who are in the habit of seeing them daily indulged without cenfure or restraint? The mind, without doubt, feels a confiderable degree of plea fure in detecting the imperfections of human na ture; and where that detection may prove bene ficial to mankind, without doing an injury to any individual, to publish them to the world, to point out their qualities, to place them by a luminous description before the eyes of men, is, in my idea, a pleasure so far from being mischievous, that I rather think, and I truft I fhall continue to think fo even in the hour of death, it is the only real mode of difcovering the machinations of THE DEVIL, and deftroying the effect of his works. Solitude, therefore, as it tends to excite a dispo

fition to think with effect, to direct the attention tó proper objects, to strengthen obfervation, and to increase the natural fagacity of the mind, is the school in which a true knowledge of the human character is most likely to be acquired.

F

BONNET, in an affecting paffage of the preface to his celebrated work on the Nature of the Soul, relates the manner in which Solitude rendered even his defect of fight advantageous to him. "Solitude," fays he, "neceffarily leads the mind "to meditation. The circumftances in which "I have hitherto lived, joined to the sorrows "which have attended me for many years, and

from which I am not yet released, induced r me to seek in reflection thofe comforts which my unhappy condition rendered neceffary; and

my mind is now become my conftant retreat : "from the enjoyment it affords I derive plea"fures which, like potent charms, dispel all my "afflictions." At this period the virtuous Bon net was almoft blind. Another excellent character of a different kind, who devotes his time to the education of youth, Pfeffel, at Colmar, fupports himself under the affliction of total blindness in a manner equally noble and affecting, by a life lefs folitary indeed, but by the opportu nities of frequent leifure which he employs in the study of philofophy, the recreations of poetry,

and

and the exercises of humanity. There was formerly in Japan a college of blind perfons; who, in all probability, were endued with quicker difcernment than many members of more enlightened colleges. These fightless academicians devoted their time to the study of hiftory, poetry, and mufic. The moft celebrated traits in the annals of their country became the subject of their mufe; and the harmony of their verfes could only be excelled by the melody of their mufic. In reflecting upon the idleness and diffipation in which a number of solitary persons pass their time, we contemplate the conduct of these blind Japanese with the highest pleasure. The mind's eye opened and afforded them ample compenfation for the lofs of the corporeal organ. Light, life, and joy, flowed into their minds through furrounding darkness, and blessed them with the high enjoyment of tranquil thought and innocent occupation.*

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SOLITUDE

* It is impoffible to read this observation without recollecting the following beautiful and affecting lines of our celebrated poet Milton, in his addrefs to Light:

thee I revifit fafe,
"And feel thy sovran vital lamp; but thou
"Revifit'ft not these eyes, that roll in vain
"To find thy piercing ray, and find no dawn:
"So thick a drop ferene hath quench'd their orbs,
"Or dim fuffufion veil'd. Yet not the more

"Cease

SOLITUDE teaches us to think, and thought becomes the principal spring of human actions; for the actions of men, it is truly faid, are nothing more than their thoughts embodied, and brought into fubftantial exiftence. The mind, therefore, has only to examine with candour and impartiality the ideas which it feels the greatest inclination to pursue, in order to penetrate and expound the mystery of the human character: and he who has not been accuftomed to felf-examination, will, upon such a scrutiny, frequently discover truths of extreme importance to his happiness, which the mifts of worldly delufion had concealed totally from his view.

LIBERTY and LEISURE are all that an active mind requires in Solitude. The moment that a character finds itself alone, all the energies of his foul put themselves into motion, and rise to a height incomparably greater than they could have reached. under the impulse of a mind clogged and oppreffed

by

"Ceafe I to wander where the mufes haunt

Clear spring, or fhady grove, or funny hill, "Smit with the love of facred fong

"Invention," fays Dr. Johnson, “is almost the only lite66 rary labour which blindness cannot obstruct, and therefore "Milton naturally folaced his folitude by the indulgence of "his fancy and the melody of his numbers."

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