The hermit lived a life of simplicity and lowliness, finding contentment in solitude.

In the King Jasmes version

the word - lowliness - appears twice

* Eph 4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; * Phi 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

It is a personifiction

corruption, disgrace, dishonesty, dishonor

Lowliness is young ambitious ladder means that humility is young ambitions ladder.this is a metaphor.You can climb up a ladder and each rung is a milestoneso the base is actually humility which starts the ladder and hopefully ends it.