The pejorative expression Ivory Tower is used to describe people who live sheltered lives, away from the harsh realities of life. The phrase can be traced back to the early 19th Century and is of French origin. The poet Alfred de Vigny withdrew almost completely from society in his later years, while continuing to write. In 1837, and critic wrote the poem “Pensees d'Aout” (“Thoughts of August”) which described de Vigny's lifestyle as one of isolation. The critic suggested that he lived in a secluded “tour d'ivoire” (an “ivory tower”) and then the phrase came into wide use to describe other academics who had reputations of living away from the harsh realities of life, suggesting that they knew little about what really went on.