THE GENIUS OF SOLITUDE. WORKS BY THE SAME AUTHOR.

THE POETRY OF THE ORIENT. A Critical and Historical Introduction to Sanscrl!, Arabic, and Persian PoetTy. Illustrated by several hundreds of characteristic Specimen.. One volume. 16mo. Third Edition. Price,,, 1.75.

A CRITICAL HISTORY OF THE DOCTRINE OF A FU· TU RE LIFE. With a Complete Bibliography of the Subject. This elaborate history of the opinions of the human race concerning the fate of the soul presents every portion of the great subjett with popular clearness. with thofoughness, and with impartiality. It fonns a royal octavo volume of nine hundred and fourteen pages. It includes an ACCOUNT OF THE LITERATURE OP THE SUBJECT, by EZRA ABBOT, which embraces a description of over five thou· sand and three bundred distinct works, carefully arranged in chronnlogical order, and furnished with an Alphabetical Index. Fourth Edition, Revised and Im­ proved. Price,,,+So. THE

~OLITUDES

OF

NATURE AND OF MAN-,

OR,

The Lonel£ness· of Human Life. .

WILLIAM ROUNSEVILLE ALGER.

Hast du Begriff von Oed' und Einsamkeit ? GORTHS.

BOSTON: ROBERTS BROTHERS. 1867. YL4& r \ I(;'-/~ ~~

EnLered according to Act of Congress, in the year ]866, by W. R. ALGER, in tho Clerk's Office of the District Lourt of the District of Massachusetts.

THIRD RDITION.

UNIVBRSITY PRRSS: WELCH, BIGELOW, & CO., CAMBRIDGE. TO

JAMES MARTIN E AU,

WHOSE GENEROUS HEART BRINGS HIM INTO iH'MPATHY

WITH TilE MULTITUDE OF MEN FROM

WIlOM illS LOFTY MIND WOULD

ISOLATE HIM,

THESE PAGES-ARE DEDICATED

WITH

REVERENCE AND GRATITUDE. PREFACE. -- THOSE who have the key for interpreting the signs of genuine thought and emotion will perceive that this book has sprung sincerely from the inmost life of the writer. His ambition has been to make it the Book of Solitude, whose readers may learn from it how at the same time to win the benefits and shun the evils of being alone. The subject - the conditions and in­ fluences of solitude in its various forms - is so largely concerned with disturbed feelings that it is difficult, in treating it, to keep free from everything unhealthy, ex­ cessive, or eccentric. In view of this, great pains have been taken to avoid every morbi