Aristocrats of the 18th century were always on the lookout for something new and impressive to spend money on. For some, that meant hiring their own hermit, to entertain guests and to, let's say, outsource their interest in philosophy. Finding and keeping your own personal estate hermit could be accomplished in several different ways. Maki Naro created a graphic story explaining the custom, which you'll find exceedingly weird. Read the rest of it at The Nib. -via Metafilter