The April 2003 issue of Harper’s magazine includes a short item by an applicant (real?) to the Shugborough, the English manor which advertised for an ornamental hermit, as described in a previous entry here. Unfortunately, the article is not available online, but here is a brief excerpt:
I would honestly try to share my love of silence, encouraging people to seek quiet in their lives. I would share stories from the Desert Fathers and other Western traditions of seeking God in solitude. Yet I would also guard the idea of solitude and avoid frivolous speech. At times I’d run away from people or hide in the bushes, maybe pretend not to be the hermit. Given the opportunity, I’d scoff at would-be disciples and give them nearly impossible tasks to test their commitment.
No author is ascribed to this little item, but appropriately so.