Plato, his warning againft aufterity, 12; the effect of
his philofophy on the mind of Dion, 14; his observa-
tions on the manners of Sicily, 67.

Pliny the Elder, his panegyric on the works of Martial,

17; his fondness for Solitude and the Belles Lettres,
46; and anxiety to escape from the business of the
world, 47.

Plotinus, an anecdote relating to him, 81.
Plutarch, the advantages to be derived from his works,

15; his description of the character of Numa Pompi-
lius, 27; opinion of the effect of praise, 55; his
love of history, 68; the effect his writings produced
upon a lady, 82; his anecdotes of Pericles, 88.
Pompey, his diffimulation, 275.

Pontanus, his epitaph, 236.

Pope, his lines on melancholy, 117; his account of the
origin of paftoral poetry, 130; his ode on Solitude,
168; his ode on a dying Chriftian to his foul, 260.
Power, the love of it in minifters of state, 173.
Prejudice, conquered by retiring into Solitude, 61.
Public Places, the folly of frequenting them, 217.

Q

Quixotifm, the appearance of it not always to be relied

upon, 73.

Rapperfchwyl,

R

Rapperfchwyl, the fituation and beauties of it defcribed

142.

Raffelas, ftory of a philofopher from it, 241.
Reading, its pleasures and utility, 15, 36, 44, 47,

242.

Reafon, loft amidst the intoxications of pleasure, 251.
Redin, General, an anecdote relating to him, 110; il-

luftrating the character of the Swifs, 111, 116.
Religion forbids a total retreat from the world, 5; the
idea of it inspired by rural retirement, 103; 235;
the sense of it obliterated in the world, 251; its ad-
vantages in death, 301.

Retirement, when it most engages mens' affections,

210.

Revelation, its advantages, 303.

*

Richterfwyl, its extraordinary beauties, 141.
Rienzi, his enterprizes contrived by Petrarch, 93.
Rouffeau, hated by Haller, 83; fond of reading ro-
mances, 126; defence of Solitude, 128; always
miferable at Paris, and happy in the country, 135;
his enjoyments in his rural retreat, 140; afcribes
his love of Solitude to his love of liberty, 161;
his enjoyments on the return of fpring, 180; the
fufceptibility of his heart, 181; his defcription of
love, 186; his diflike to vifitors, 229; compofed
the greater part of his works in fickness and for-
row, 242; his conduct in old age, 293; his works
criticifed, 297.

Rural ornament, its effects on the mind, 104, 105.

Y 2

Rutikus,

Rutilius, his philofophic conduct when banished from
Rome, 284.

S

Sades, the best hiftorian of the life of Petrarch, 90.
Saadi, the Perfian philofopher, account of his fayings,

149.

Satirift, no literary character more likely to acquire
fame, 58.

Saturnius, the Roman tribune, his conduct, 283.
Schautenbach, his character described, 292.
Schaumbourg, the character of this extraordinary man,

73.

Schwitz, curious proceedings of the canton refpecting
General Redin, commander of the Swifs corps in
France, 110.

Scipio, his obfervations on leifure, 132.
Self-knowledge only to be gained in Solitude, 10, 232;
taught by the ftudy of philofophy, 224; Seneca's
opinion of its happy effect in death, 236, 290.
Seneca, his opinion of felf-knowledge, 236.
Senfuality, a defcription of its theatre, 166.
Shakespear, a quotation from his works, 78; his opinion
of the effects of fear, 97; his invocation to sleep,
277.

Sickness, eafier endured in Solitude, 225, 237; its
utility in bringing the mind to a sense of its follies,
239.

Sleep, invocation to it, 277.

Social Pleafures defcribed, 220.

Spleen is feldom felt in rural retirement, 33, 34.
Solitary Characters, frequently misunderstood, 78.
Solitude defined, 1; its importance, 4; is peculiar-
ly beneficial in youth and age, 6.-Its influence
on the mind, 11; elevates to a noble indepen-
dence, 11; its advantages to authors, 24; engen-
ders the love of truth, 26; brings forth the finest
fruits of genius, 28; fires the imagination, 29;
teaches the value of time, 30; deftroys diffipa-
tion, 35; refines the taste, 36; excites curiofity,
38; begets a love of letters, 44; renders the
mind fuperior to the viciffitudes and miseries of
life, 49; encourages a free disclosure of our opi-
nions, 51; a love of fame, 55; infpires an au-
thor, 59; diminifhes the pallions, 63; gives great
ideas, 70; fimplifies the manners, 88; and
ftrengthens the power of the understanding, 96;—
Its influence on the heart, 100; through the me-
dium of the imagination, 102; by the effect
of rural scenery, 105; particularly about the
Alps, 109, 120; by romantic ideas, 126; by
pafloral poetry, 129; by the leifure it affords,
133; by its contraft with the diffipation of the
world; 135; by its fimple enjoyments, 141, 150;
and tranquillity; 153; by avoiding the vicious
manners of fociety, 156; by the love of liberty
it infpires, 160; and the fubduction of inordi-
nate defires, 164; by ftripping objects of their
falfe fplendor, 169; by moderating the selfish paf-
fions, 170; and rendering us contented, 175
but particularly by rendering the heart fufcepti-
Y 3

ble

∙ble of love, 177; this paffion in all its varieties.
defcribed, 179, 209;-Its general advantages, 210;
on our love of pleasure, 212; and sensual en-
joyments, 214; on the fondness for public places,
218; by refcuing us from irkfome pursuits, 223;
by inspiring a tafte for mental enjoyments, 227;
by inftructing us in the knowledge of ourselves,
232; by foftening adverfity, 235; foothing mif-
fortune, 239; and alleviating the pain of fickness,
241; by repreffing the ardency of imagination,
243; ripening and preferving the tender and hu-
mane feelings, 249; infpiring religious notions, 253;
and rendering us refigned, 260;-Its effect in pro-
ducing virtue, 264; by removing from the dan-
gers that affail it, 266; by affording a quiet con-
fcience, 271; and by teaching the true value of
life, 275;—Its advantages in exile, 279; instan-
ces of feveral illuftrious exiles, 281, 288;-Its
advantages in old age, and on the bed of death,
289; by bringing the mind nearer to God, 294;
by presenting a close view of the grave, 299; by
inspiring a religious difpofition, 300; creating a
firm hope of redemption, 303; through the merits
of our Saviour, and by the profpect of eternal hap-
pinefs, 308.

Staal could never enjoy happiness at court, 154.
Stilpo, the philofopher of Megara, an anecdote respecting

him, 51

Sublime, how it operates on the heart, 119.

Superftition fometimes produced by Solitude, 252.
Swifferland, character of its inhabitants, 199; the

afpect