ORIGIN OP MONACHISM. 179 



tion of this virion he found to be, that employment is 

 the beft prefervative from yawning and ennui. Anton 

 nius accordingly fat about weaving mattrafTes. He em- 

 ployed himfelf likewife, whenever he had no devils to 

 caft out, in gardening and hufbandry. 



In the year 312, Antonius fell -upon a conceit, which 

 in thofe times was by no means unufual. He fuddenly 

 left his folitude, and went to Alexandria, in the defign 

 of getting himfelf put to death by the public execu- 

 tioner. Not fucceeding in the attempt, he returned in 

 difguft to his cell, fhut himfelf up, would not go out, 

 and refufed himielf to the light and the converfe of all 

 men. But on tire fick, who ftill continued to throng 

 about his cell, for the fake of being cured of their 

 maladies, miracles were now wrought, even though 

 they neither faw nor heard the fanclimonious doctor. 



Antonius however could not long permit thefe vifits, 

 as they difturbed his reft, and, by the reverence they 

 were intended to pay him, wounded his humility ; or 

 they appeared to him impertinent and iniipid, as all 

 vifits are, that are made to famous men for the purpofc 

 of gazing at them. He went therefore deeper into the 

 wildernefs, and pitched upon mount Coltzim, on the 

 borders of the Red fea, as the laft and moft glorious 

 term of his carreer. W ater and palm-trees he found 

 on the fpot ; he likewife fowed wheat and made his own 

 bread, that no one might come to him under the pre- 

 text of bringing him emits At firft, he had no other 

 company on mount Coltzim than a great troop of de- 

 vils, who were conftantlv endeavouring; to drive him 

 out of his retreat, and who certainly would have written 

 againft folitude,. if Antonius had been ab-e to read. 



n 2 The 



