""The Ideal of the Monk and Hermit"" by William Holden Hutton is a comprehensive exploration of the history, philosophy, and practices of monasticism and eremitism. Hutton delves into the origins of these religious lifestyles and how they have evolved over time, from the early Christian ascetics to the monastic orders of the Middle Ages to the modern-day hermits and solitary practitioners. He examines the various motivations for entering into a monastic...