"When energising objects men pursue,
What are the prodigies they cannot do?"
Whether it is because _going a hermiting_ does not come under the
Doctor's "energising objects" I know not; but this is clear, that the
two following instances proved unsuccessful:
"M. Hamilton, once the proprietor of Payne's Hill, near Cobham,
Surrey, advertised for a person who was willing to become a hermit
in that beautiful retreat of his. The conditions were, that he was
to continue in the hermitage seven years, where he should be
provided with a Bible, optical glasses, a mat for his bed, a
hassock for his pillow, an hour-glass for his timepiece, water for
his beverage, food from the house, but never to exchange a
syllable with the servant. He was to wear a camlet robe, never to
cut his beard or nails, nor ever to stray beyond the limits of the
grounds. If he lived there, under all these restrictions, till the
end of the term, he was to receive seven hundred guineas. But on
breach of any of them, or if he quitted the place any time
previous to that term, the whole was to be forfeited. One person
attempted it, but a three weeks' trial cured him.
"Mr. Powyss, of Marcham, near Preston, Lancashire, was more
successful in this singularity: he advertised a reward of 50_l._
a-year for life, to any man who would undertake to live seven
years under ground, without seeing anything human: and to let his
toe and finger nails grow, with his hair and beard, during the
whole time. Apartments were prepared under ground, very
commodious, with a cold bath, a chamber organ, as many books as
the occupier pleased, and provisions served from his own table.
Whenever the recluse wanted any convenience, he was to ring a
bell, and it was provided for him. Singular as this residence may
appear, an occupier offered himself, and actually staid in it,
observing the required conditions for four years."