  We develop a linear response theory of solvation of ionic and dipolar solutes
in anisotropic, axially symmetric polar solvents. The theory is applied to
solvation in polar nematic liquid crystals. The formal theory constructs the
solvation response function from projections of the solvent dipolar
susceptibility on rotational invariants. These projections are obtained from
Monte Carlo simulations of a fluid of dipolar spherocylinders which can exist
both in the isotropic and nematic phase. Based on the properties of the solvent
susceptibility from simulations and the formal solution, we have obtained a
formula for the solvation free energy which incorporates experimentally
available properties of nematics and the length of correlation between the
dipoles in the liquid crystal. Illustrative calculations are presented for the
Stokes shift and Stokes shift correlation function of coumarin-153 in
4-n-pentyl-4'-cyanobiphenyl (5CB) and 4,4-n-heptyl-cyanopiphenyl (7CB) solvents
as a function of temperature in both the nematic and isotropic phase.
