PROGRESS OP MONACHISM. £95 



could fcent out a devil wherever he was, and even 

 where he was not, as certain people do fatires. 



Italicus, a chriftian officer at Gaza, was defirous of 

 amufing the public by a horfe-race ; but his horfes 

 were reftive, and would not run, as his opponent, a 

 heathen, had bewitched them. St. Hilarion prefently 

 fmelt out the matter. Accordingly, he gave Italicus 

 the pitcher out of which he ufually drank his water. 

 This water Italicus ' fprinkled about his liable, on his 

 horfes, on his jockies, on the car, and over the whole 

 courfe ; after which his horfes gained a complete vic- 

 tory. All the heathens who were witnefs to this mira- 

 cle, prefently became chriftians. 



Hilarion was perpetually receiving vilits from bi- 

 fhops and other chriftian teachers, from the great and 

 from the vulgar, in great numbers ; and efpecially from 

 ladies of quality. We may eafily comprehend how flat- 

 tering thefe extraordinay tokens of reverence muft have 

 been to a hermit, and how they allured and impelled 

 many to the folitary life ; and how their vain felf- 

 complacency and their pride found more conftant nou- 

 rifhment in defclate wilds, in gloomy caves, and the 

 deferted dens of the foreft, than in all the pomp of 

 cities. 



The morality of the chriftian fyftem was now univer- 

 sally abandoned. Monafteries and cells out of number 

 arofe in every region. Crouds of monks were incef- 

 fantly viliting Hilarion, for gaining new accefiions of 

 ftrength in their grand refolutions ; and perambulated 

 with him to the different monafteries and cells, in the 

 fame deftgn. Hilarion, by thefe vilits, had commonly 

 above two thoufand monks in his retinue. 



u 4 But 



