8017. SOLITUDE, Philosophy and.—
Let the gloomy monk, sequestered from the
world, seek unsocial pleasures in the bottom
of his cell! Let the sublimated philosopher
grasp visionary happiness, while pursuing
phantoms dressed in the garb of truth! Their
supreme wisdom is supreme folly; and they
mistake for happiness the mere absence of pain.
Had they ever felt the solid pleasure of one
generous spasm of the heart, they would exchange
for it all the frigid speculations of their
lives.—
To Mrs. Cosway. Washington ed. ii, 39.
Ford ed., iv, 319.
(P.
1786)
