PROGRESS OP MONACHISM. 289 



is likely that he was born with a bad conftitution. 

 However this be, certain it is, that he was often indif- 

 pofed ; and though he could not bear to be tended by- 

 others on inch occalions, yet he himfelf always care- 

 fully waited on the numerous lick he ever had in his 

 monaftery, notwithstanding their robuft frame of body, 

 and his own not exceffive zeal. His life was not long. 

 A general diftemper broke out in the year 348 in all 

 the monafteries of the Thebais of the congregation of 

 Pachomius ; more than a hundred monks died of it in 

 a very fhort fpace, and Pachomius with them, in the 

 fifty-feventh year of his age, and the five and thirtieth 

 of his folitude. 



My defcription of the fpirit of monkery that fo uni- 

 verfally prevailed in iEgypt during the fourth century 

 would have been extremely im per feci, if I had omitted 

 to relate many things, which were not here expected, 

 of the two great chieftains of the, whole army of monks. 

 That Antonius was the father of innumerable hofts of 

 fanatics, is furprifmg to no one ; but it is matter of 

 great concern to me, that Pachomius, who was more 

 enthuiiaft than fanatic ; that he, notwithftanding his 

 moderation and fuperior intellect:, fhould be the in- 

 ventor of monaftic rules, and at leaft the full mover in 

 originating the conventual*reftraint. 



The pious rage of St. Antonius found general appro- 

 bation in the eaft. Whereas the monaftic rule of Pa- 

 chomius was too rational, was too little repugnant to 

 nature for the fanatical ./Egyptians ; and therefore, as 

 long as it was new, it was quickly and numeroufly 

 followed, but it was accordingly foon laid aftde, and 

 foon forgotten. The fpirit of the primitive founder, 



vol. 11. u refted 



