some Monasteries and Collegiate Cels might have been well spared, and their revenues otherwise imployed, here and there one, in good Towns or Cities at least, for men and women of all sorts & conditions to live in, to sequester themselves from the cares and tumults of the world, that were not desirous, or fit to marry, or otherwise willing to be troubled with common affairs, and know not well where to bestow themselves, to live apart in, for more conveniency, good education, better company sake, to follow their studies (I say) to the perfection of arts and sciences, common good, and as some truly devoted Monks of old had done, freely and truly to serve God.

For these men are neither solitary, nor idle, as the Poet made answer to the husbandman in Æsop, that objected idleness to him; he was never so idle as in his company; or that Scipio Africanus in Tully, Nunquam minus solus, quam cum solus; nunquam minus otiosus, quam quum esset otiosus; never less solitary, then when he was alone, never more busie, then when he seemed to be most idle.

It is reported by Plato in his dialogue de Amore, in that prodigious commendation of Socrates, how a deep meditation coming into Socrates minde by chance, he stood still musing, eodem vestigio cogitabundus, from morning to noon, and when as then he had not yet finished his meditation, perstabat cogitans, he so continued till the evening, the soldiers (for he then followed the Camp) observed him with admiration, and on set purpose watched all night, but he persevered immovable ad exortum solis, till the Sun rose in the morning, and then saluting the Sun, went his wayes.

In what humor constant Socrates did thus, I know not, or how he might be affected, but this would be pernicious to another man; what intricate business might so really possess him, I cannot easily guess; But this is otiosum otium, it is far otherwise with these men, according to * Seneca, Omnia nobis mala solitudo persuadet; this solitude undoeth us, pugnat cum vitâ sociali; ’tis a destructive solitariness.

These men are Devils alone, as the saying is, Homo solus aut Deus, aut Dæmon: a man alone, is either a Saint or a Devil, mens ejus aut languescit, aut tumescit; and Væ soli in this sense, woe be to him that is so alone. These wretches do frequently degenerate from men, and of sociable creatures become beasts, monsters, inhumane, ugly to behold, Misanthropi; they do even loath themselves, and hate the company of men, as so many Timons, Nebuchadnezzars; by too much indulging to these pleasing humors, and through their own default.

So that which Mercurialis consil. 11. sometimes expostulated with his melancholy patient, may be justly applyed to every solitary and idle person in particular. Natura de te videtur conqueri posse, &c. Nature may justly complain of thee, that whereas she gave thee a good wholesome temperature, a sound body, and God hath given thee so divine and excellent a Soul, so many good parts, and profitable gifts, thou hast not only contemned and rejected, but hast corrupted them, polluted them, overthrown their temperature, and perverted those gifts with riot, idleness, solitariness, and many other wayes, thou art a traitour to God and Nature, an enemy to thy self and to the world.

Perditio tua ex te; thou hast lost thy self wilfully, cast away thy self, thou thy self art the efficient cause of thine own misery, by not resisting such vain cogitations, but giving way unto them.