reclusenessn.

1648 W. Montagu Miscellanea Spiritualia 120 Privacie and reclusenesse may containe a more sublime kind of sanctity, yet not be in so communicative a position, as those fragrant plants which grow abroad in the trafficable parts of the world.

1655 Ld. Orrery Parthenissa III. ii. iv. 332 Why did he impose on himselfe so strict a Pennance as a Three-Years reclusenesse?

1698 J. Fryer New Acct. E.-India & Persia 394 The Recluseness of their Condition is such, that should they attempt to carry on a Secret Amour, it could not long lie hid.

1722 I. Kimber et al. Hist. Eng. III. 31 He wrote..to let him know..how much his Health was impair'd, which he imputed to his Recluseness and want of Air.

1784 J. Duncombe tr. Emperor Julian Select Wks. II. 209 He..penetrated into the principles of their religion and learning, as far as..their recluseness would permit him.

1809 N. Pinkney Trav. South of France 190 [A road] which by its recluseness and solitude seemed to lead us into the recesses of the country.

1851 H. Melville Moby-Dick cvi. 517 That direful mishap was at the bottom of his temporary recluseness.

1881 D. Masson De Quincey iv. 36 This recluseness was not owing to the extreme necessity of economy.

1903 Trenton (New Jersey) Times 26 Oct. 6/3 Notwithstanding the asceticism which led to this recluseness..he was beloved and revered.

1952 J. C. Meredith Critique of Judgment in tr. I. Kant Critique 510 We see evidences of this [misanthropy] in the propensity to recluseness.